Paramount Network has ordered 13 original half-hours of American Mayhem, the clip series hosted by Larry the Cable Guy. The new episodes launch Friday, Nov. 13 at 9 p.m. ET.
The order is separate from the 52-episode syndicated version distributed by CBS Media Ventures, which is already cleared on stations including WLNY New York, KCAL Los Angeles and WCIU Chicago. That gives V10 Entertainment two distinct national windows for one format.
What Paramount Network is buying
The show packages everyday mishaps—DIY fails, pets taking over, family gatherings that go sideways—with Larry the Cable Guy’s heartland delivery. The format is built for repeat viewing rather than serialized narrative.
Laurel Weir, head of programming and acquisitions for Paramount Media Networks, said in a statement that the show “reflects the humor and unpredictability of everyday life” and called Larry “the perfect comedian to bring these moments to life.”
Larry the Cable Guy put the appeal even more plainly: “nothing celebrates this country like watching somebody’s uncle fall through a lawn chair.”
The executive producing team includes Larry the Cable Guy, Maggie Houlehan, Carter Skeath, Rick De Oliveira, Josh Vodnoy and John Stevens. V10 Entertainment president Carter Skeath described the show as leaning into the “funny, unpredictable, rough-and-tumble side of Americana” and highlighted the company’s partnership with Skydance.
Why a clip order matters
For a linear network, a half-hour clip show is a different economic bet than scripted original. Footage is relatively inexpensive, episodes repeat well, and the content fits comfortably into advertiser-friendly blocks. At 9 p.m. on a Friday, Paramount Network gets original programming without a scripted budget.
The strategic layer is dual-windowing. Rather than one buyer, the format now has two: a 13-episode cable order and a 52-episode syndicated run. Each window can promote the other at low marginal cost, and the producer can sell against two different audience needs.
- Two revenue windows: original cable episodes and syndicated station episodes are separate orders.
- Low-cost originals: clip formats keep production budgets lower than scripted and repeat across the schedule.
- Clear audience lane: the host and tone aim at a broad, family-friendly, heartland audience that advertisers can plan against.
The planning read
Media planners should treat this as broad, co-viewing inventory rather than a premium drama buy. The format and host signal reach and affordability, not appointment viewing with high-intent audiences.
The number to watch is not the episode count but the carryover effect: whether these 13 originals lift the syndicated run in local markets, or simply split a finite clip audience. If the dual-window economics hold, expect more unscripted formats to chase the same structure.
Source: Variety
