People in disputes who aren’t quite ready to go to court have a new option come March -- letting Law & Order: SVU star Ice-T mediate their conflicts.
In March, the Fox Television Stations will air a four-week preview of The Mediator with Ice-T, said Frank Cicha, executive vice president of programming, Fox Television Stations. The weekday half-hour-series will air on select Fox-owned stations, including stations in New York and Los Angeles.
“Two things I really like are high profile projects coming to local stations and short pitch meetings. Truthfully, they had me at ‘Ice-T wants to…,’” Cicha said in a statement.
Ice-T and his wife, Coco, previously participated in a test on the Fox stations in August 2015. That show did not go forward nationally.
In the program, which seems appropriate during the pandemic, the rapper and actor will virtually seek resolution between two feuding civilian parties. Each party will provide evidence, facts and details to Ice-T, who will then call on experts for perspective and advice. Once he’s gathered all the information, Ice-T will offer his best advice to resolve the situation. If the complainants still don’t feel satisfied, they are free to seek resolution in court. The show will provide updates to viewers on cases that proceed to court. Interested participants will apply via The Mediator app.
"Finding a resolution between two hostile sides means finding someone levelheaded that not only has respect but can also analyze complex issues in different ways. I think my opinions are rooted in facts and fairness so I know I can help these people,” said Ice-T, also in a statement.
The program will be executive produced by showrunner Stuart Krasnow, along with Andre Jetmir, Ice-T, and Jorge Hinojosa via production companies Jetmir Media and Final Level Entertainment.
Said Krasnow: “Ice-T has the credibility of an OG, the wisdom of Yoda, and the sense of humor of a stand-up comic. Never has a voice like his been needed more in the marketplace."
