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Brian Graden

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Brian Graden
Born (1963-03-23) March 23, 1963 (age 61)
EducationOral Roberts University (BA)
Harvard University (MPA)
OccupationMedia executive

Brian Graden (born March 23, 1963) is an American television executive.

Early life and education

Graden grew up in Hillsboro, Illinois,[1] and graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1981. He graduated from Oral Roberts University[1] in 1985 with a degree in business, and later graduated with an MBA from Harvard University.[2]

Career

Fox Network

Graden began working in television, ultimately becoming a senior vice president at Foxlab, Fox's alternative-programming unit, where he oversaw shows like COPS[3] and America's Most Wanted.[4][5][2][6][1]

South Park (Comedy Central)

In 1995, he hired Trey Parker and Matt Stone to create a video Christmas card after seeing their animated short The Spirit of Christmas.[7][1][8] This led to the hit video “Jesus vs. Santa.”[1] Parker and Stone decided to further develop their characters and pitch a show to Fox.[7] When the network decided not to pursue Stone’s and Parker’s animated series South Park, Graden left Fox and became an executive producer for the series.[7][1][9][10] It was picked up by Comedy Central.[7]

South Park celebrated its 25th anniversary in August 2022 with a concert in Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater.[11] It was a three-hour, 30-song event with Trey Parker and Matt Stone, performances from Primus and Ween, and a musical cameo from two members of Rush.[11][12][13]

MTV Networks

In November 1997, Graden joined MTV as executive vice president of programming.[14][15] Under the role, Graden was responsible for all of MTV’s programming.[15] This was a new structure for the network as it had previously had four programming executives.[15][16]

In 2001, MTV partnered with groups including the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to run a campaign that examined hate crimes.[17] The campaign included using 17 hours of air time to run a scroll listing the names of hundreds of victims of hate crimes.[17]

In 2002, Graden was promoted to president of programming for MTV and MTV2.[18] He was responsible for creative content on all platforms, and oversaw music, news and specials, production, talent and artist relations, animation, scheduling, and series development.[10]

In the spring of 2002 he was asked to assess VH1, which was struggling.[1] After his review, he was put in charge of restructuring the network and was named President Entertainment, MTV and VH1.[1][10] This made him additionally responsible for developing the programming strategy and development slate for VH1, as well as the creative and business developments of MTV, MTV2, CMT, and Logo.[1][10]

In 2005, Graden helped oversee the launch of Logo, the first 24-hour, completely ad-supported gay and lesbian cable network.[19][20][21][22] Graden was also president of Logo.[19][20]

In the April 2007 issue of Out, Graden was ranked the number ten most powerful gay person in America.[23] He has also been named one of the most influential executives in reality programming.[24]

Brian Graden Media

In 2009, Graden announced he was stepping down as the president of entertainment at MTV Networks in order to focus on writing a musical, Limbo, and two books.[1] In 2013, he founded Brian Graden Media (BGM) and serves as CEO.[25][4][26] The company’s original works have aired on Oxygen, Logo, YouTube, Netflix, and other networks.[4][27] This includes Finding Prince Charming (Logo), Lance Loves Michael: The Lance Bass Wedding Special (E!), Walk of Shame (VH1), The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway (Oxygen), and Gay Skit Happens (Logo).[27][28]

BGM’s show HitRECord on TV, which was created, hosted, and directed by Joseph Gordon Levitt,[27][29] has been nominated for Emmys twice, and won an Emmy in 2014, and the program Create Together won an Emmy in 2020.[4][30]

In November 2021, BGM signed TikTok stars Robert Reeves, Mick Peterson, Bill Lyons, and Jessay Martin, to develop a docuseries about their lives.[25] The four are known as the “Old Gays.”[25]

In June 2022, Netflix greenlit Stand Out: The Documentary, which examines the history of LGBTQ stand-up comedy.[31] It will combine original performances, interviews, archival materials, and backstage vérité footage while exploring themes such as “comedy as activism, diversity in stand-up, new queer culture, and mainstreaming the alternative.”[31] The executive producers are Graden, Dave Mace, and LB Horschler from BGM, and Wanda Sykes from Push It Productions.[31]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gillette, Felix (2009-08-18). "The Reinvention of Brian Graden". Observer. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  2. ^ a b Romano, Allison (2003-09-08). "His Finger Is on the Pulse of Pop Culture". Broadcasting Cable. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  3. ^ "Cops". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  4. ^ a b c d "Brian Graden: Stress Less and Trust the Work". Los Angeles, CA Patch. 2018-11-01. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  5. ^ "America's Most Wanted". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  6. ^ "Graden". Los Angeles Business Journal. 1998-09-13. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  7. ^ a b c d Wilson, George (2022-09-09). "10 Influential Early Web Animations". Listverse. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  8. ^ Greene, Andy (2019-12-24). "Watch the First 'South Park' Short 'The Spirit of Christmas'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  9. ^ "South Park". Television Academy. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
  10. ^ a b c d "Brian Graden Named President Entertainment, MTV and VH1". idobi Network. 2002-05-15. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  11. ^ a b Kluft, Alex (2022-08-15). "Bass Magazine's South Park: The 25th Anniversary Concert Recap". Bass Magazine. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  12. ^ Parker, Ryan (2022-07-20). "Comedy Central to Air South Park 25th Anniversary Concert Event (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  13. ^ Eustice, Kyle (2022-08-11). "South Park's 25th Anniversary Concert at Red Rocks Is a Rush, in More Ways Than One". Variety. Retrieved 2022-10-20.
  14. ^ Hay, Carla (27 December 1997). "Vid channels feel merger mania; Strides made online". Billboard. ProQuest 227102196.
  15. ^ a b c "Graden's MTV mandate". Variety. 1997-12-17. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  16. ^ Epstein, Jeffrey (2000-05-23). The Advocate. Here Publishing. pp. 77–79. ISSN 0001-8996.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  17. ^ a b Wehrman, Jessica (2001-01-10). "MTV to help head off hate". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  18. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2009-06-15). "Brian Graden leaving MTV Networks". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  19. ^ a b Fonseca, Nicholas (2005-07-01). "The Logo channel begins its run this week". Entertainment. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  20. ^ a b "Brian Graden looks forward to Logo launch (16370)". www.advocate.com. 2005-06-28. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  21. ^ Sternbergh, Adam (2005-06-16). "Brian Graden and Logo, the New Gay TV Channel". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  22. ^ Thomas, June (2012-07-04). "Gay TV is not just for gays anymore, Logo is finding". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  23. ^ "The Power 50". www.out.com. 2007-04-03. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  24. ^ "Brian Graden: President of entertainment, MTV Networks Music Channels". Tvweek.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-04. Retrieved 2013-11-01.
  25. ^ a b c Kacala, Alexander (2021-11-05). "The 'Old Gays' are getting their own docuseries". NBC News. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  26. ^ Petski, Denise (2021-10-29). "Brian Graden Media Bolsters Development Team With John Magennis As SVP & Bri Reed As Manager". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  27. ^ a b c Tartaglione, Nancy (2016-07-12). "Lance Bass To Host Logo's 'Finding Prince Charming' Gay Dating Competition Series". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  28. ^ Robbins, Caryn. "THE DISAPPEARANCE OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY is Highest-Rated True Crime Series Premiere in Oxygen History". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  29. ^ Easton, Anne (2015-06-10). "Joseph Gordon-Levitt on Why 'HitRECord ON TV' Is 'Bizarre and F*cking Awesome'". Observer. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  30. ^ "Television Academy Announces Juried Winners for 72nd Emmy Awards". Sound & Picture. 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  31. ^ a b c Petski, Denise (2022-06-09). "Netflix Greenlights 'Stand Out: The Documentary', A Look At The History Of LGBTQ Stand-Up Comedy". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-11-03.


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