TBS and Mark Burnett have announced four celebrity judges to appear on tech competition series America’s Greatest Makers.
America’s Greatest Makers takes 24 teams of makers from across the country and puts them in head-to-head competition to invent game-changing technology for a chance to go home with $1 million.
The celebrity judges chosen to be a part of the competition’s panel are Arduino CEO Massimo Banzi, actor/neroscientist Mayim Bialik, and sports legends Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith.
America’s Greatest Makers premieres on Tuesday, April 5th (9/8C). For more, follow the jump.
Mark Burnett and TBS Line Up Celebrity Judges for Upcoming Series
America’s Greatest Makers, Created in Partnership with Intel
Massimo Banzi, Mayim Bialik, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith
Slated to Judge Tech Competition Series Premiering April 5
Emmy®-winning producer Mark Burnett (Survivor, Shark Tank, The Voice) and TBS, a division of Turner, have brought together a panel of celebrity judges for this spring’s exciting new tech competition series America’s Greatest Makers, created in collaboration with Intel. The roster includes sports legends Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith; Emmy-nominated actress Mayim Bialik, who co-stars in the hit series The Big Bang Theory; and Massimo Banzi, maker and co-founder and CEO of Arduino, which makes popular development boards for inventors to create. America’s Greatest Makers is set to premiere on TBS Tuesday, April 5, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).
In a first of its kind competition show, America’s Greatest Makers takes 24 teams of makers from across the country and puts them in head-to-head competition to invent game-changing technology for a chance to go home with $1 million. In the first two episodes, each of the teams must speed pitch their wearable or smart device idea to the judging panel consisting of Intel CEO Brian Krzanich; business and financial expert Carol Roth; comedian, serial entrepreneur and co-host of truTV’s Hack My Life Kevin Pereira; and one of the celebrity guests.
Once all of the teams have finished the initial speed pitching round, the judges will choose 15 to move forward in the competition. Over the next five weeks, those teams will then face off against each other, with three teams competing each week for $100,000 and a spot in the finals. America’s Greatest Makers will climax with the five finalist teams presenting their finished products in one last round of competition, after which the judges will reveal which team will take home $1 million and the title “America’s Greatest Makers.”
“We have an extremely diverse cast from 15 years old to 59 with ideas that are as unique as the teams themselves,” said executive producer Mark Burnett. “We are looking to come up with the next big thing in wearable tech and smart connected devices, and these competitors will have to convince our judges that their product is just that. The competition will inspire a whole new audience of potential makers.”
In addition to the TBS series, viewers can already immerse themselves in the America’s Greatest Makers experience through long and short-form content presented through www.americansgreatestmakers.com.
As previously announced, Intel is a launch partner for Turner Native Plus, a capability that expands the power of native advertising to television, producing a powerful environment for better brand storytelling. Utilizing this vehicle, various short-form stories will be produced in the style and voice of brands spanning the Turner portfolio, including Adult Swim, CNN, HLN, truTV, TNT and Turner Sports. The content will feature various lifestyle innovations that resonate with that particular audience, while supporting the overall spirit of the competition series. In addition to Turner Native Plus commercial pod takeovers, integrated segments will be created with such properties as CONAN, Bleacher Report, Adult Swim and more, delivering content across Turner’s linear, digital and social platforms.
America’s Greatest Makers is a key component of Intel’s global initiative to inspire ideas and fuel innovation. It encourages makers to create groundbreaking wearable technology and smart connected consumer electronics that are fresh, exciting and practical. The competition builds on the success of last year’s Intel Make it Wearable Challenge, where the winners’ creations included a drone camera that wraps around the wrist and a cost-effective prosthetic hand created using a 3D printer.
America’s Greatest Makers is produced by MGM Television, with Mark Burnett serving as executive producer.
Connect with America’s Greatest Makers
Website: www.americasgreatestmakers.com
Twitter: twitter.com/greatestmakers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/americasgreatestmakers/
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) expands the boundaries of technology to make the most amazing experiences possible. Information about Intel and the work of its more than 100,000 employees can be found at newsroom.intel.com and intel.com.
About MGM Television
MGM Television is a leading producer and global distributor of premium content for television and digital platforms, with distribution rights to original productions and a robust catalog of television episodes and feature film titles including such premiere entertainment franchises as James Bond, Rocky, Stargate and The Hobbit trilogy. Current scripted and unscripted multi-platform projects include Fargo (FX), The Voice (NBC), Survivor (CBS), Shark Tank (ABC), Beyond the Tank (ABC), Celebrity Apprentice (NBC), Vikings (HISTORY), Teen Wolf (MTV), 500 Questions (ABC), The People’s Choice Awards (CBS), America’s Greatest Makers (INTEL/Turner) and Lucha Underground (The El Rey Network). Through its finance and distribution entity, Orion TV Productions, the syndicated courtroom series Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court is curren tly airing its third season. MGM television programming regularly airs in more than 70 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
About TBS
TBS is basic cable’s #1 entertainment network with young adults. Available across multiple platforms in 95 million homes, TBS features bold, original scripted comedies, including American Dad!, Angie Tribeca and the upcoming The Detour, Wrecked, Search Party and People of Earth. The network also presents exciting competition series, such as the upcoming Separation Anxiety and America’s Greatest Makers. In late night, TBS is home to CONAN, starring Conan O’Brien, and the new hit Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. In addition, the TBS lineup includes popular comedy hit s like Family Guy, The Big Bang Theory and 2 Broke Girls; blockbuster movies; and live coverage of Major League Baseball’s regular and post-season play, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and the brand new eSports gaming league.
TBS is part of Turner, a Time Warner company that creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
Website: www.tbs.com
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