Entertainment website The Wrap recently revealed that WWE “advocate” Paul Heyman has partnered with Roy Bank and Banca Studio to produce multiple entertainment projects and that the first is one that will star Paul Heyman himself (Heyman will act as Executive Producer on this first project). Banco Studio is the production company behind such reality shows as The Apprentice, Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? and Flea Market Flip. Bank is also the former president of Television at Merv Griffin Entertainment and head of Development for Mark Burnett.
According to The Wrap, the project will be a talk show…sort of. According to Paul Heyman, who was interviewed exclusively for The Wrap, the show “will straddle the line between talk, opinion, comedy and pop culture — all with the one-of-a-kind Paul Heyman brand and energy as the driving force.” Banks stated it would focus on “the energy of what [Heyman’s] been doing in wrestling” mixed with “the DNA of what is happening on late-night cable with the comedic-talk formats.”
Despite being one of pro wrestling’s greatest orators, Paul Heyman was initially hesitant to assume the host’s chair for the project, saying “Against my strenuous objection, Roy Bank has decided our first collaborative project will be centered around me…I have come to the educated conclusion Roy has made this decision based on a desire when pitching from the networks that we learn how to deal with rejection.”
Paul Heyman has dabbled in other avenues of entertainment outside of his wrestling life, starting the pop culture site The Heyman Hustle in 2009 and the PR/Brand Advocates agency Looking For Larry (L4L), who call 2K Games, EA Sports, Ringling Bros Circus, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and iheartradio as clients. With rumblings that Brock Lesnar may depart the WWE following his current contract expiration of WrestleMania 34, Heyman’s WWE future is also a question mark – Heyman’s deal is somewhat tied to Lesnar in length, which means he too will become a free agent following next Sunday’s WrestleMania. Whether Heyman decides to finally walk away from pro wrestling (or at least the WWE) to pursue these new ventures or will simply work around a new part time deal with the WWE has yet to be confirmed.
