John Mayer’s long-rumored variety show is on the way, Nina Tassler, the president of CBS Entertainment, told Access Hollywood at a meeting of the Television Critics Association on Wednesday.
“We’re pretty close to doing our deal. It’s being developed now,” she said when Access posed the question during a morning Q&A session for the network. “It’ll be a music/variety/sketch sort of thing.”
The multi-talented musician had a comedy special on VH1 in 2004 called “John Mayer Has A TV Show,” but this could be a bigger project.
“We’re just going to shoot the pilot… and make the decision with that,” Tassler said, later noting it was "a pilot special for a series."
And, according to Tassler, the program was Mayer’s idea.
“We didn’t reach out to him. It was his idea,” she said. “He loves it and he’s a really funny guy. He’s really smart.”
CBS currently does not have an air date for the show, though the network is planning to shoot it this season.
Ken Ehrlich, who previously produced the Emmys, will produce the show and Rob Cohen, who has written for “American Dad" and "Just Shoot Me,” has signed on to write a lot of the sketch comedy, Tassler said.
Variety shows are making a comeback, with Rosie O’Donnell’s “Rosie Live” airing to weak ratings in November and a show featuring the Osbourne family called “Osbournes Reloaded” due in the spring on FOX.
O'Donnell’s show wrapped its run after one episode, but when asked by a reporter if the veteran talk show host scared her, Tassler said no.
“Not at all,” she said. “Well, for other reasons."
Before she left the morning session, Tassler explained why CBS is thrilled for Mayer’s new project.
"I loved him,” Tassler said of her first meeting with the rocker. “He is so multitalented. Great personality. Really smart. Loves television and is very funny... And has a great sense of humor about himself."