Newtown-based JUMA Entertainment offers a new CBS special: “The Greatest #StayAtHome Videos,” which showcases all the heartfelt, funny, creative viral videos that people across the country, and the world, have created and posted while social distancing and sheltering in place.
Cedric The Entertainer, star and executive producer of CBS comedy “The Neighborhood,” hosts the special, airing at 8 p.m. Friday, May 15, on CBS and CBS All Access, from the safety of his home – filmed by a minimal crew with all the proper safety precautions.
“There used to be a saying, ‘Go big, or go home.’ With ‘The Greatest #StayAtHome Videos,’ you no longer have to choose, because this show is an example of what happens when people go home, and THEN go big,” said Robert Horowitz, president, Juma Entertainment, producer of the show with A Bird and a Bear Entertainment. “With Cedric at the helm, and the creativity spawned by current events, this special is going to be a welcome hour of sit-back-relax-and-smile, whole-family entertainment.”
According to CBS, the videos provide “an entertaining and uplifting snapshot of our world at an unprecedented time.” For each video selected as part of the show, CBS will give a monetary donation “toward” a qualifying charity of the participants’ choice.
“This special is a true celebration of the human spirit,” said Jodi Roth, senior vice president, Specials, at CBS. “The ingenuity and creativity displayed in these videos is impressive, while also highlighting our spirit and resilience as a community during this unique moment in time.”
The production presented several challenges.
“When CBS called asking if we could do this production in only four weeks, that was a tall order,” Horowitz said. “Adding to the challenge, we knew this network production had to be produced remotely in Pennsylvania, without our use of our studio, and with staffers working from home.
“The JUMA production team began curating the videos, as we divided teams by socials media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook). Our staff communicated throughout the day via Zoom, and every other day with the CBS executive who was working out of her home in California.”
In addition, Horowitz said, at similar network shoots like ‘Lip Sync to the Rescue’ or ‘Super Bowl Greatest Commercials,’ Juma would have anywhere between 25 and 50 people on-set. “Here, we knew our footprint had to only include the bare minimum at Cedric’s. With a team of seven, we got the job done.”
jarthur@buckscountyherald.com
