Photo via: HBO
The barbershop is considered a sacred space in the Black community - a safe haven that cultivates Black male identity and where Black men can freely discuss anything, from life, to culture, to politics, to social issues.
Set in the barbershop, NBA star LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter's talk show "The Shop," just got picked up by HBO. The show will feature a variety of personalities who come together for an unscripted talk about different topics. In an exclusive interview with the Hollywood Reporter, James said:
"When I was a kid, being in barbershops meant listening to adults talk about sports, clothing, politics, music, everything happened in the shop. It was so real and so candid — no one had a sense of, well I can’t be myself here. That’s how 'The Shop' became an idea."
The show first appeared on James' Uninterrupted digital site in 2016. It's now set to make its HBO debut on Tuesday, August 28.
HBO chairman and CEO Richard Plepler said James is "a transcendent figure, not just in sports but in American culture. 'The Shop' creates a vehicle to hear LeBron’s voice on a range of subjects that we know will be engaging and compelling."
For the first episode for HBO, James and Carter are in conversation with Snoop Dogg, comedian Jon Stewart, New York Giants’ Odell Beckham Jr., New Orleans Saints' Alvin Kamara, Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green, and Los Angeles Sparks' Candace Parker.