The HBO Original four-part docuseries BRANSON, directed by Chris Smith (HBO’s “100 Foot Wave”), debuts THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes will debut at the same time on subsequent Thursdays.

Synopsis: Sixteen days before Richard Branson is scheduled to make a potentially historic flight as the first passenger to reach space in his own spacecraft in July 2021, the billionaire entrepreneur sits down for a conversation with acclaimed filmmaker Chris Smith, in light of the risk that lies ahead. Smith ultimately takes us on an expansive and intimate 70-year journey, from Branson’s upbringing as the son of a spirited, tough-love mother in Britain, to his pursuits of extreme, personal daredevilry that serve both to grow his businesses’ brands and feed his insatiable, lifelong thirst for high-stakes adventure. With added insight from family members, business associates, and journalists, and illustrated by decades of archival and home video footage, BRANSON reveals the ups and downs of a man driven by risk taking in both his business and personal life, reflecting on the costs and rewards of his lifelong, relentless optimism and boundary-pushing.

After dropping out of school where he struggled with dyslexia, Branson began his entrepreneurial career as a 15-year-old publisher of a student magazine and went on to become a millionaire by the age of 22 with the booming success of Virgin Records. His launch of the airline Virgin Atlantic soon followed, along with a myriad of other Virgin branded businesses with varying levels of success, culminating in the launch of Virgin Galactic, his commercial spaceflight company in 2004. His record-breaking, transoceanic boat and balloon challenges, and now his crusade to bring customers to space, have all been positioned by Branson with the Virgin brand front and center. Branson remains a complex figure, committed to both philanthropic initiatives and his own bottom line.

Participants: Alongside exclusive interviews with Branson himself, the series features his colleagues and employees, as well as insights from both business journalists and industry experts. Also included are intimate interviews with his family, including revealing excerpts from conversations with Joan, his wife of 33 years, his sisters, his daughter Holly and son Sam, and an extensive personal archive of his late mother Eve, whose lively presence in Branson’s life continues to loom large.

Episode Descriptions
Episode 1:“Words and Music”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The series premiere explores Branson’s early years and the influence of his iconoclastic mother. As a dyslexic teenager, he leaves school at age 15 to create a magazine called Student, leading to a mail-order record business and eventually Virgin Records and Virgin megastores.

Episode 2: ”Atlantic“
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The episode tracks the launch of Virgin Atlantic and Branson’s efforts to attract media attention to his brand, including an attempt to break the trans-Atlantic speed record in a boat, and his death-defying balloon adventure across the Atlantic in 1986.

Episode 3: “Fight or Flight”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
The episode chronicles Virgin Atlantic’s battle with British Airways, ending in a libel suit win for Branson. From outsider to wealthy capitalist, Branson continues to push for world records and promotional attention for his company, setting off on a nail-biting Pacific Ocean balloon voyage. He announces plans to develop a spaceflight company to take commercial passengers into space, beginning a decade long pursuit.

Episode 4: “Space”
Debut date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22 (10:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT)
The series finale tracks the arduous history of Virgin Galactic, from conception to test flights, and the controversial bid from Virgin Atlantic to obtain government support for the airline during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the first passenger flight of Virgin Galactic approaches, Branson defends the benefits of privately funded space exploration and the paradoxes around Virgin’s eco-messaging. Set for July 11, 2021, the launch day follows 17 years of research, testing, accidents, and setbacks, culminating in a successful flight in which Branson realizes his ultimate dream.

Credits: HBO Documentary Films presents BRANSON. Directed by Chris Smith; executive produced by Kate Noble. For HBO: executive producers Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller, senior producer Tina Nguyen.

#branson #hbo #words&music #richardbranson #atlantic #fight&flight #space #chrissmith #risk #family #businesslife #personallife #virgin #nancyabraham #lisaheller #tinanguyen #eve #joan #holly #sam

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Ms. Kahaney was named Best Comedian in NYC by Backstage and Best female comedian NYC by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets. And even though she’s had specials on Comedy Central and HBO, her parents still wish she married a doctor!

#cory #kahaney #comedy #slight #edge #stephen #colbert #americas #got #talent #broadway #david #letterman #craig #ferguson #view #moms #nyc #cabaret #hbo

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Presents

CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1 

DEBUTS VETERANS DAY, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 at 9:00PM ET/PT

EXCLUSIVELY on HBO

Film Presented In Association With Iraq And Afghanistan Veterans Of America

Since 2001, more veterans have died by their own hand than in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, one veteran dies by suicide in America every 80 minutes. While only 1% of Americans has served in the military, former service members account for 20% of all suicides in the U.S.

Based in Canandaigua, NY and open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the VA’s Veterans Crisis Line receives more than 22,000 calls each month from veterans of all conflicts who are struggling or contemplating suicide due to the psychological wounds of war and the challenges of returning to civilian life. Directed by Ellen Goosenberg Kent (“Wartorn: 1861-2013,” Emmy® nominees “Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq” and “Talked to Death,” and Emmy® winners “How Do You Spell God?,” “I Have Tourette’s But Tourette’s Doesn’t Have Me”) CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1 highlights how its dedicated responders react to a variety of complex calls and handle the emotional aftermath of what can be life-and-death conversations. The film captures these extremely private moments, where the professionals, many of whom are themselves veterans or veterans’ spouses, can often interrupt the thoughts and plans of suicidal callers to steer them out of crisis. Hotline workers sometimes intervene successfully by seizing on the caller’s ambivalence and illuminating his or her reasons for living.

The HBO Documentary Film CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1 is presented in association with Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America; directed by Ellen Goosenberg Kent; produced by Dana Perry; edited by Geof Bartz, A.C.E.; supervising producer, Jacqueline Glover; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

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Ted Mason, meets Good News sitting and playing and watching his dog in the park.  Ted  is a former member of the multiplatinum British rock/pop band Modern English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0yOYyhAjKc and an EMMY nominated film producer. The band has sold over 4 million records in the United States with hit songs such as Melt with you, “Hands across the Sea, Ricochet Days,” 16 Days to name a few. He is a producer, composer (composing and producing the music for the Academy Award winning HBO doc “Prudence’s Song”) as well as a lead guitarist, Classical/Flamenco/Bebop guitarist, singer, songwriter he is President of his own Record Label Mi5 Recordings, a Universal distributed label. He is also in a label/production company partnership with musician/producer extraordinaire Jerry Wonder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Duplessis).

In addition to playing in Modern English, Mr. Mason has worked as a producer/musician with such artists as AKON, Chris Brown, Mary J Blige, Jeff Beck, Robert Plant, Santana, Dead Prez, Midge Ure, Bob Geldoff, the Verve, Jesus and the Mary Chain, Prince, Papa Wemba, Khaled, Youssou N’dour , Sandra Bernhard, Real Roxanne, Macy Grey, Thomas Mapfumo, and Peter Gabriel. He has successfully released back catalog and obscure Modern English tracks through his label as well as a huge roster of artists from Hip Hop to Africa Soukous. He now performs as a solo artist in the United States, Europe and Africa, blending British Rock with world and African music.

Producing Mr. Mason has worked as a producer/musician with such artists as AKON, Chris Brown, Mary J Blige, Jeff Beck, Robert Plant, Santana, Dead Prez, Midge Ure, Bob Geldoff, the Verve, Jesus and the Mary Chain, Prince, Papa Wemba, Khaled, Youssou N’dour, Sandra Bernhard, Real Roxanne, Macy Grey, Thomas Mapfumo, and Peter Gabriel. In 2010 he has toured in Central Africa backed by Rwanda’s Soukous All Stars and a duet with Lokua Kanza while producing the Fes Pad concert series for the country of Rwanda. He is currently producing a new solo album, an album with Hip Hop superstars Mobb Deep and a duet with Wyclef Jean and Mona Lisa.

Film Production Mr. Mason has also worked as a composer and film producer on many films including the HBO Academy Award Winning Documentary film project “Music By Prudence,” directed Roger Ross Williams. Past directors he has worked with included Milos Forman. He also works closely with his wife Jennifer Brunetti, (former company owner of Fbi Productions, Inc.) in producing video, film and live concert events most notably “Volvo for Life Awards” which included production logistics and booking of such acts as Sheryl Crow, Ziggy Marley, and Suzanne Vega.

Producing

Mr. Mason has worked as a producer/musician with such artists as Akon, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Jeff Beck, Robert Plant, Santana, Dead Prez, Midge Ure, Bob Geldof, the Verve, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Prince, Papa Wemba, Khaled, Youssou N’dour, Sandra Bernhard, Real Roxanne, Macy Gray, Thomas Mapfumo, and Peter Gabriel and now working with Jerry Wonder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Duplessis. He has successfully released back catalog and obscure Modern English tracks through his label as well as releasing a huge roster of artists ranging from Hip Hop to African Soukous. He now performs as a solo artist in the United States, France and Africa, blending British Rock with world and African music. In 2010 he has toured in Central Africa backed by Rwanda‘s Soukous All Stars and a duet with Lokua Kanza.

Film production

Mr. Mason has also worked as a composer and film producer on many films including the HBO Academy Award Winning Documentary film project “Music By Prudence,” directed Roger Ross Williams. He is an EMMY nominated film producer and is currently involved in producing numerous music videos for his artists as well as full length independent film productions. Past directors included Milos Forman and Academy Award Film director Roger Ross Williams http://www.godlovesuganda.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Ross_Williams http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1543539/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm#cast http://www.musicbyprudence.com/mbp/. He also works closely with his wife Jennifer Brunetti, (former company owner of FBI Productions, Inc.) in producing video, film and live concert events most notably “Volvo for Life Awards” which included production logistics and booking of such acts as Sheryl Crow, Ziggy Marley, and Suzanne Vega. Currently he is working on his new album and working closely as a partner with musician, producer, songwriter extraordinaire Jerry Wonder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Duplessis) and Wonda Music (www.wondamusic.com)

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