Television
Nickelodeon's Just Jordan, Starring Lil' JJ, to Kick-off New Year With Big Series Premiere
By Nickelodeon
Jan 6, 2007, 10:56

Nickelodeon will ring in the New Year with the TEENick series premiere of Just Jordan -- Sunday, January 7 (7:30 8:30 p.m. ET/PT) -- starring breakout teen comedian/actor Lil' JJ (Beauty Shop, Yours, Mine & Ours) in a multi-generational, half-hour comedy based on his standup routine. Back-to-back episodes mark the special one-hour launch of the sitcom centering on outspoken, ultra-confident ninth grader Jordan Lewis, who pipes up about kid inequalities while navigating a new life in Los Angeles. Creator Alison Taylor (The Cheetah Girls, Lizzie McGuire) and Ralph Farquhar (Moesha, Proud Family) serve as executive producers of the Nickelodeon Television Production, which will air regularly, Sundays, 7:30-8 p.m. (ET/PT) during TEENick.

"Lil' JJ is a star for Nick and a champion for kids," said Tom Ascheim, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Nickelodeon Television, of the 16-year-old Arkansas native who segues from hosting "Friday Night Slimetime" and recurring on the sketch comedy series All That and now in Just Jordan. "His smart, unabashed sense of humor about everyday kid injustices is the perfect ingredient for Lil JJ's very own show and poises him to become the Seinfeld of his generation."

In the series, Jordan is a recent transplant from Little Rock to Los Angeles -- mom Pam's (Shania Accius) hometown. He's just a regular teen trying to finding his footing in his new world, splitting his time between school and waiting tables at his curmudgeonly grandpa's (Beau Billingslea, Cowboy Bebop) legendary diner, Papa Grant's Fish 'n Grill. What little time he has left over is spent trying to ingratiate his new friends including school heartthrob/jock Tony (Justin Chon, Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior), witty cousin Tangie (Raven Goodwin, Lovely and Amazing) and preppy, politically minded Joaquin (Eddy Martin, Rebound) -- as well as his adoring, albeit style-cramping little sister Monica (Kristen Combs). And he has a huge crush on snooty, but beautiful Tamika (Chelsea Harris) -- the un-gettable girl.

Deep in his heart, Jordan knows the truth: being a kid sometimes just isn't fair! Each week he and his pals deal with some of the great kid injustices, such as "Why do girls say they like the nice guys but only want to date the roughnecks?" or "How come sometimes you do all the work but don't get the credit?" And he periodically breaks the fourth wall to express his POV. Whatever happens, this take-charge teen isn't going to take it lying down like all the other teenaged sheep out there.

Dubbed "The Prince of Comedy" in his hometown of Little Rock, Lil' JJ excelled in school and grabbed attention as a class clown. His gym teacher, Ken Bright, who serves as consulting producer on Just Jordan, spotted something exceptional beyond the practical jokes and helped the fledgling talent get his start doing comic skits at an open mike program at a local restaurant. Lil' JJ's big break came when he entered BET's stand-up comedy competition "Coming to the Stage" and defeated challengers two and three times his age. His win brought him to the attention of NBC's The Tonight Show, where his performance impressed viewers of all ages.

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