"Boondocks" creator taking aim with Web series

By Andrew Wallenstein

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Aaron McGruder is venturing outside "The Boondocks."

The creator of the hit animated series on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block has struck a deal to develop a live-action series for the online comedy hub Super Deluxe. (Both Cartoon Network and Super Deluxe are owned by Turner Broadcasting.)

Beginning next month, "The Super Rumble Mixshow" will unspool over 20 mini-episodes that will mix sketch comedy and myriad other formats in keeping with McGruder's brand of racially charged humor.

McGruder is looking forward to taking on topical targets without the long lag of animation development.

"'The Boondocks' is something I'm very invested in, but there's a lot of other things that express my point of view that don't take 19-20 months," said McGruder, who recently completed the second season of "Boondocks." "This is just opening up a whole lot of creative opportunities."

He also will lean on voice talent from "Boondocks" to fill out "Rumble," including actor John Witherspoon, who will answer viewer questions in a recurring skit dubbed "Negrology."

"I was looking at some of the talent I was working with on the show, and we all thought online would be an interesting world to get into at this time," McGruder said.

McGruder has become one of a select few TV producers testing the waters of online programming. Other recent examples include Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick ("Quarterlife") and Stan Rogow ("Afterworld").

Super Deluxe has been developing a stable of known talent to fill out its site with original programming, including Bob Odenkirk, Dave Foley and Norm Macdonald.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter