DuBose Entertainment and BET Networks will give viewers an unprecedented look into the life of Michael Vick, with a new original docu-series THE MICHAEL VICK PROJECT. The series premiering on Tuesday, February 2 at 10:00 p.m.*, produced by DuBose Entertainment, MV7 Productions and Category 5 Entertainment, will follow the iconic and polarizing professional football player as he journeys on the road to redemption — in both his personal and professional life. The cameras will not only capture the NFL star’s return to football after a two-year prison sentence stemming from his association with a dog fighting ring, but will also focus on much of his life prior to that turning point. Viewers will be given an unfiltered and personal experience of Vick as he restores his past and starts fresh for the future — not only for himself, but for his family and fiancee, Kijafa.
“It’s our hope that this documentary series will serve as means towards Michael Vick’s search for his own personal truth and how the choices he made ultimately changed his life,” said James DuBose, CEO, DuBose Entertainment. “Mike’s life may be unique, but his story is one that could be told ten times over by young men who find themselves faced with trials and tribulations. His truth has come by way of bad choices. His triumph will come by way of his commitment to change.”
“Michael Vick’s story is about second chances and we are excited to have the opportunity to tell his complete story,” said Loretha Jones, President, Original Programming, BET Networks. “What happened to Michael is endemic of what is happening to young Black men today. Michael could be anyone’s brother, father, uncle or son. It is our hope that this project will give viewers a glimpse of how he is rebuilding his life and moving forward as a human being and not just another sports figure.”
After a difficult childhood, Vick’s athletic gifts led him to become the 2001 #1 draft pick and the highest paid player in the NFL at that time. However, misguided decisions cost him his lucrative contract, his freedom and much more. Once released from prison, Vick found himself bankrupt and disconnected from his loved ones who had stood by him through thick and thin. He also discovered that the society that had once revered him was now split down the middle. Now, having signed a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, Vick is back on track to repair his troubled past by reclaiming a prominent place in the NFL and revitalizing his badly damaged image in the community by becoming a spokesperson for the Humane Society. The series, both serious in tone and nature, will create a gripping, poignant and intimate look inside the world of one of the most dynamic players in NFL history.
“I am not doing this documentary to show people that I’m back and unchanged by the experiences of the last few years,” said Vick. “I’m allowing the cameras to see the truth — the good, the bad and the ugly results of my decisions — with the sincere hope that it will positively affect others’ lives and prevent someone out there from making the same mistakes I did.”
Category 5’s Brian Sher, who produced T.I.’s “Road To Redemption” and who works with Vick in his off the field endeavors met with Dubose and Vick to discuss the documentary. Once they agreed on a true rendering of Vick’s life, they agreed that BET would be the natural fit for such a project. The series will be executive produced by DuBose Entertainment, Michael Vick’s MV7 Productions and Brian Sher’s Category 5 Entertainment.
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About BET Networks
BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 98 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks – BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
(Source: BET Networks)
