Stephen Colbert to Produce Animated Donald Trump Series
Stephen Colbert will executive produce a new animated comedy for Showtime about President Donald Trump‘s White House. The cable network ordered 10 episodes of the half-hour show, which will premiere this fall.
The as-yet-untitled show will be a mockumentary-style workplace comedy that doubles as a character study. Per a statement it will “present the truish adventures of Trump’s confidants and bon vivants – family, top associates, heads of government, golf pros and anyone else straying into his orbit – intrepidly exploring their histories and their psyches, revealing insights into what makes them so definitively Trumpian.” The show will operate on a tight production schedule that will allow it to react to current events.
“I know a lot of people wanted to do this, and I’m honored that the Cartoon President invited our documentary crew into his private world,” Colbert said. “I’ve seen some of the footage, and I look forward to sharing the man behind the MAGA.”
The series is based on the Cartoon Trump character that debuted on The Late Show last March and continues to make periodic appearances. Comedian Brian Stack voices Cartoon Trump, though it’s unclear if he will continue to portray the president on the new Showtime series. A full cast has yet to be announced.
Since Trump’s election and inauguration, Colbert and The Late Show have surged in the late-night ratings. In May, The Late Show edged out The Tonight Show in the traditional TV season ratings for the first time since 1994 – 1995 (excluding the tumultuous 2009 – 2010 season when Jay Leno took The Tonight Show back from Conan O’Brien).