By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Monday, Sept. 14, 2015
Radio morning host and "Dish Nation" regular Rickey Smiley has landed a reality show on TV One called "Rickey Smiley For Real," which will split production time between his hometown of Birmingham and his work home of Atlanta.
Smiley previously starred in a TV One sitcom called "The Rickey Smiley Show" for two seasons in 2012 and 2013. The reality show is produced by Atlanta-based Bobbcat Films, the same company that did his scripted show.
The veteran stand-up comic spends his weekdays in Atlanta taping his radio and TV shows but spends most weekends in Birmingham. The show will feature how he tries to balance work and home life.
It has already started production and will debut in November.
"After two seasons of working with the ‘ins and outs’ of a scripted series while balancing my radio hosting responsibilities and my personal life, I realized the effort was redundant,” Smiley said in a statement. “There was a better opportunity to share through a reality lens – showing warts and all – my efforts to maintain a satisfactory professional and personal life as a single father and entrepreneur.”
Among those who will show up on the show, according to an advance release I was provided:
His four children – sons Brandon and Malik, adopted daughter D'Essence, and adopted daughter Aaryn – as well as his extended family of co-workers, colleagues and friends – his deceased friend's son Craig, live-in assistant Miss Pat, personal assistant Miss Price, D'Essence's boyfriend Landon, business manager Bruce, childhood friend and family lawyer Nikita Blockton, radio co-host Da Brat, radio show sidekicks Gary Wit Da Tea, HeadCrack and Juicy, and radio show producer Beyonce Alowishus.
Curiously, his long-time writer and associate producer Special K is not listed.
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