LL Cool J Is Featured Player in ‘Superfan’ Premiere

LL Cool J on Superfan
(Image credit: CBS)

LL Cool J is the star of the show when offbeat competition series Superfan debuts on CBS Wednesday, August 9. Five superfans of LL Cool J battle it out to see who his biggest fan is. 

Nate Burleson of CBS Mornings hosts with Keltie Knight. Knight, formerly of Entertainment Tonight, created Superfan with Jodi Roth. 

The show sees the superfans compete to recognize a snippet of the star’s song, lip sync, and answer trivia about their favorite musician, among other contests. At the end of the episode, the star picks the best superfan. 

The biggest fan is awarded “a once-in-a-lifetime prize,” CBS teases. 

The celeb also performs in the episode. 

The first episode is focused on LL Cool J. Other episodes look at the superfans of Kelsea Ballerini, Gloria Estefan, Little Big Town, Pitbull and Shania Twain.

A rap superstar, LL Cool J played Special Agent Sam Hanna on NCIS: Los Angeles

Knight told The AP Superfan is a healthy counter to all the talent-driven shows on TV. “There’s too many talent shows. It’s too competitive. Some of us are not good at anything except loving the artist we love,” she said. “This is not a talent show. This is a talent-less show.”

Superfan was initially set up for a June premiere, but that was pushed back. 

Raquel Productions produces the show. Roth, Knight and Jack Martin are executive producers, and Martin is the showrunner. 

“Nate and Keltie will take you on a fun ride each week with a global music superstar in an exhilarating contest to crown the ultimate superfan, which audiences can play along with at home,” Jack Sussman, executive VP of specials, music, live events and alternative programming for CBS, said when Superfan was announced. “Viewers will also be treated to an exclusive medley of hits performed by these mega musicians, which will feel all the more special when performed for their most passionate fans.”

Michael Malone

Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.