EbonyLife unveils stars of Desperate Housewives Africa at a premiere in Lagos, Akeem Lasisi writes
The MUSON Centre, Lagos glowed with excitement last Tuesday when EbonyLife TV premiered Desperate Housewives Africa. It is an adaptation of award-winning ABC drama series, the different versions of which have been produced and showed in different parts of the world – including Argentina, Turkey, Colombia and Mexico.
The original Desperate Housewives won both the 2005 and 2006 Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, and was created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios.
The series is broadcast in more than 200 territories around the world, where it has been one of the most popular US TV shows in recent history with its eighth and final series concluding in 2012.
Like the typical EbonyLife event, dignitaries from all sectors rose to see the African version that is already being aired on the channel and DSTV. But the story of the screening may not just be the glitz that characterised it. Rather, it seems to be the fact that the Mo Abudu-led global black entertainment and lifestyle network is coming out with another ambitious production.
Since its inception over a year ago, EbonyLife TV has produced or powered many drama series that have been generally upscale. And based on the calibre of the cast unveiled on Tuesday, the potential for Desperate Housewives to also hit the roof is great.
Indeed, some practitioners, especially those who had been there before Abudu joined the TV/film producing scene, are likely to blink with envy, considering the rate at which she has been able to rally the industry alongside the corporate world to churn out big productions.
For instance, organisations, such as Airtel and Procter & Gamble, are not only sponsoring the new series, their top officials were also present and made presentations at the launch.
A statement from EbonyLife says much about the colour of the premiere, “It was an enchanting evening of beautiful people, beautiful appearances and altogether beautiful moments full of gorgeously-dressed guests and hostesses, bespoke décor, colouful branding, red carpet interviews, cameras, lights, music, cocktail, light refreshments and cut-to-the-chase addresses and remarks.
“Then came the moment everyone was waiting for – the screening of the pilot. The guests were expectant and the ‘sneak peek’ did not fall short of expectation as everyone cheered and clapped at what was only a foretaste of an enthralling and spell-binding home-grown remake of the multiple award-winning TV series, one which has promised to take drama to a scandalously new dimension.”
Stressing that Airtel is the headline sponsor of the series, the statement notes that others behind it include Diageo’s apple-flavoured alcohol drink, Snapp, Oral-B and Ariel.
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