ELECTUS & BARRACUDA ACQUIRE RIGHTS TO "THE DRINKING MAN'S DIET"
Executive Producer Barry Poznick to Adapt the Bestselling Book
Into a New Unscripted Series
Los Angeles, CA --(May 9, 2014)--Multimedia entertainment studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), today announced that Barracuda Television Productions has acquired the rights to The Drinking Man's Diet, the 1964 bestseller that pioneered the low-carb weight loss revolution by encouraging men to lose weight the old-fashioned way - with a steady diet of red meat and booze. The book, which has sold more than 2.4 million copies in 13 languages worldwide, will celebrate its 50th anniversary this fall with a special cloth-bound edition.
"The minute I heard the title The Drinking Man's Diet, I knew I wanted to make this show," said Poznick. "The big idea is: a weight-loss show that doesn't take itself too seriously, that can get loud, rowdy, and sexy AND still get results! Think of this as The Biggest Loser-meets-the biggest drinker!"
"Audiences continue to be fascinated with the 1960s culture, and The Drinking Man's Diet perfectly captures the spirit of the era while simultaneously introducing a low-carb dieting philosophy," said Corie Henson, Electus EVP of Unscripted Television. "This is the ultimate man's man approach to weight loss. If Dean Martin needed to lose weight, he would probably choose this diet."
The Drinking Man's Diet was created by entrepreneur, pilot, and photographer Robert Cameron, who introduced the concept that one could lose weight while maintaining a diet of martinis and steak because of the low carbohydrate count. The book found both success and controversy upon its release, as the idea made headlines in Time and Newsweek, and was even covered by Walter Cronkite. Cameron passed away recently at the age of 98, and in honor of the book's 50th anniversary, publisher Cameron + Company will release a special cloth-bound edition of The Drinking Man's Diet this fall.
"The Drinking Man's Diet was such a huge cultural phenomenon in its day, offering that rare breed of fun yet practical advice," said Chris Gruener, President/Publisher of Cameron + Company. "We are very excited to partner with Barry Poznick and Barracuda/Electus on this TV show not only because of Barry's excellent track record but also his incredible passion for this project. And the timing is quite serendipitous with the launch of our special 50th anniversary edition of the book this fall. We couldn't be more thrilled with where things are heading!"
Barracuda Television Productions will produce the unscripted series in conjunction with Electus. Barry Poznick, who will serve as Executive Producer and launched Barracuda last fall, has created and produced dozens of hit TV shows airing in more than 150 countries around the world including Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, Buckwild, and Family Game Night.
About Electus
Electus is the first integrated multimedia entertainment studio to unite producers, creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world, including: broadcast, cable, digital, OTT and various emerging technologies. The company connects advertisers, distributors and content creators early on in the development process, enabling marketers and advertisers to be true partners in campaigns and content creation. Electus International, the global distribution arm of Electus, is responsible for all international sales and distribution for Electus' programming and its studio partners as well as programs and formats from other well-known 3rd party providers. Electus is an operating business of IAC [NASDAQ: IACI]. For more information on Electus, visit www.electus.com.
|