Jason Lee sings 'Delta Blues' for TNT

George Clooney is among the executive producers on the TNT pilot

By Daniel Fienberg Wednesday, Nov 18, 2009 12:24 PM

Jason Lee

Credit: Chris Pizzello/AP

Just months after NBC's cancellation of "My Name Is Earl," the show's Golden Globe nominated star has found a new TV gig.

TNT announced on Wednesday (Nov. 18) that Jason Lee will play the lead in in the cable network's offbeat drama pilot "Delta Blues." The high-profile pilot comes from executive producers George Clooney and Grant Heslov and writer Liz M. Garcia ("Cold Case").

"Delta Blues," to be directed by Clark Johnson ("The Shield"), will feature Lee as Dwight Hendricks, a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother and moonlights as an Elvis impersonator.

"Jason Lee is the ideal choice to bring the compelling, off-kilter Dwight Hendricks to life," says Michael Wright, executive vice president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies in a network statement. "With extraordinary talent in front of and behind the camera, along with an outstanding script, 'Delta Blues' is shaping up to be a hugely entertaining show and a great fit with our lineup of original dramas."

Well, if he says so.

In the four-season run of "My Name Is Earl," Lee picked up a pair of Golden Globe nominations, a pair of Screen Actors Guild award nominations and even a Television Critics Association award nomination, but no Emmy nods. Go figure.

Lee will next be seen in "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," but we won't hold that against him. The "Chasing Amy" and "Almost Famous" star has another Kevin Smith project, "A Couple of Dicks," set for release in early 2010.

Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.