Toni Braxton, six-time Grammy award winning rhythm and bluessinger, recently teamed up with the WB Network to develop a sitcomloosely based on the star’s life. Braxton will play a versionof herself in the 20th Century Fox TV show that will focus on howthe singer balances her career and family life. As in her ownlife, members of Braxton’s extended family on the show will be veryinvolved in the show, according toBlackNews.com.
This will be Braxton’s first prime timetelevision performance. Her most recent acting roles include twoBroadway musicals, Aida (2003) and Beauty and the Beast (1998);Smaller roles include motion picture Kingdom Come (1997) and HBOmovie Play’d.
In 2003 Braxton revealed why she performed onBroadway.
“Broadway has become more accepting of popartists, because the business wants to bring in younger audiencesand expose them to this art,” Braxton told Billboard.com.
“I’m doing Broadway because I wanted to actand sing at the same time,” she continued, “and a lot of peopledon’t get to see me do that.”
Braxton, who did not receive good reviews forher Broadway or movie performances, leaves fans wondering if shewill be a successful star in the lead role for the upcomingsitcom.
“I think her show will do alright but I don’tthink it will be a hit because she doesn’t have experience insitcoms. That’s not to say the show will not be successful,”said sophomore Hospitality major Benjamin Perrin.
“I don’t think her show will be successfulbecause she doesn’t have the same level of fame she used to have sopeople wouldn’t be as interested in her life,” said juniorPsychology major Samierah Moran.
Other fans believe that she will transitioninto the lead of the sitcom successfully.
“It will be a good format for her because it’sloosely based on her life. It is good that she started off inBroadway and now she’s in a leading role,” said junior printjournalism major Kevin Harris.
WB president David Janollari believed inBraxton’s potential for sitcom success. When he was a producer hesuggested that Braxton participate in a television series foryears.
“She is a superstar in the musical world; sheis a really elegant, sophisticated and beautiful person who I thinkwill light up the screen with her charm and her personality,” saidJanollari.
Janollari has experience cultivatingR&B/hip hop stars for television comedy. As an executivedirector at Warner Bros. TV, he was instrumental in getting theQueen Latifah-starring Fox series “Living Single” off theground. As a producer, he and former partner RobertGreenblatt developed and are executive producing the UPN Sitcom”Eve,” named after its rapperstar.
Braxton’s career soared with the release ofher self-titled debut album in 1993 which showcased her signaturehusky voice. Braxton’s first two albums sold over 8 millioncopies making her one of the most popular and commerciallysuccessful female R&B singers of the 1990s.
