HOLLYWOOD -- Recent financial troubles at
MediaTrip.com have forced founders of Adam Sandler's comedy Web site
Shnorff.com to shelve the project before it could ever launch on the Internet.
Sandler announced the site last July with producing partner Jack Giarraputo and a first-look deal with Joe Roth's Revolution studios and its online arm MediaTrip.
Not happening
"Broadband just isn't happening," said a source close to the company in explaining why the site has been put on hold. In addition, there have been considerable staff cutbacks at MediaTrip.
Shnorff's offices were located in the same building as MediaTrip and shared design and Web resources, which enabled Shnorff to operate with a staff of three and kept overhead low.
Shnorff was to showcase original animated content as well as serve as an incubator to develop Net-based shows into television and film projects for Sandler. Former CAA and Endeavor agent Doug Robinson serves as company co-founder and CEO.
Site was expected to bow last year. Due to the dot-com downturn, however, the launch date was pushed back several times. Shnorff has been acquiring and producing content for the past year.
Life on TV
Shnorff content could find life on the small screen, however. Execs are currently in discussions with TV networks, including NBC, to pick up some of its unaired properties.
If a network orders a pilot, the project will most likely contain a smattering of unreleased content from the site, including one-offs such as animated versions of skits from Sandler's comedy albums, as well as Webisodes such as "Viet Kong," a flash-animated "A-Team" spoof about a talking ape trained to kill for the U.S. Army who now works as an independent mercenary for hire.
Despite auds' tepid interest in online entertainment to date, networks have slowly started to turn to the Web for inspiration. Fox requested an episode of "Zombie College" from the now-defunct Icebox.com late last year, and UPN ordered a pilot for an animated sketch comedy series from Urban Entertainment last month.
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