Sarah Silverman's Comedy Project Sparks Major Bidding War, Ron Howard On Board

EXCLUSIVE: We have the first major bidding war of the season -- I hear ABC, NBC and Fox are in pursuit of Imagine TV/20th Century Fox TV's untitled Sarah Silverman comedy co-written by and starring the irreverent comedian, with at least 2 networks, ABC and NBC, offering major commitments. (CBS has not heard the pitch yet). What's more, the single-camera comedy loosely based on Silverman's life has become a pet project of Imagine principal Ron Howard. Imagine's TV division is under the oversight of Howard's partner, Brian Grazer, who serves as an executive producer on all TV shows. Very rarely has Howard taken personal interest in a TV project, becoming deeply invested in its development as was the case with Imagine TV's Emmy-winning Arrested Development. That is now the case with the Silverman project, and Howard has gone along to all pitch meetings at the networks. Co-produced by Imagine TV and 20th TV, the single-camera comedy stars Silverman as a woman readjusting to the single life after a decade long live-in relationship. Silverman is writing with Dan Sterling and Jon Schroeder, who were writer-producers on Silverman's eponymous Comedy Central series. Silverman, Howard, Sterling, Grazer and Francie Calfo are executive producing.