'Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter' on ABC Sept. 22

By Michael Malone
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

George Clooney, Tom Hanks, Laverne Cox, Rita Moreno to appear

Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter on ABC
(Clockwise, from l.): Octavia Spencer, Jimmy Kimmel, Jennifer Aniston, Amy Poehler and Norman Lear will appear on ABC’s ‘Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter.’ (Image credit: ABC/Eric McCandless)

ABC celebrates Norman Lear when Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter airs Thursday, Sept. 22. The special runs for two hours.

Guests set to celebrate Lear through speeches and comedy performances include Asante Blackk, George Clooney, Laverne Cox, Isabella Gomez, Emily Hampshire, Tom Hanks, Rita Moreno, Ms. Pat, Jay Pharoah, Rob Reiner, Aida Rodriguez and George Wallace. Musical performances paying tribute to iconic sitcom theme songs will be performed by Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell, Ledisi, Justina Machado, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelly Rowland, Amber Stevens West, Michelle Williams and more.

Jennifer Aniston, Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler and Octavia Spencer are also set to appear in the special.

“I’ve always believed music and laughter have added time to my life. I’ve seen a lot throughout my 100 years, but I would’ve never imagined America having a front-row seat to my birthday celebration,” said Lear, who turned 100 in July.

Lear’s shows include All in the Family, Sanford and Son and One Day at a Time.

Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter is produced by Done+Dusted. Executive producers are David Jammy, Brent Miller, Garrett English, Raj Kapoor and Eric Cook. James Merryman is set to direct. ■

Michael Malone
Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.