As reported by Deadline, 'New Money' promises an ensemble comedy experience, centering on a self-proclaimed mogul – a trust-fund baby – and his highly misguided team at New Money Worldwide, described as Southern California's least successful venture capital firm. The show is set to explore themes of delusion, incompetence, and the art of 'failing upwards' as the characters recklessly invest money in a desperate bid for exponential returns.
The project originated from a self-financed pilot titled 'Fintech,' which was independently created and directed by Leeper before being presented to potential buyers. Amazon MGM Studios will produce the series, with Rob Mac of More Better, Jackie Cohn, Nick Frenkel of 3 Arts Entertainment, and Olivia Doud of Mosaic joining Leeper and Mande as executive producers.
Mekki Leeper has been a rising name in comedy, recently seen as Matt in the NBC mockumentary 'St. Denis Medical' and as juror Noah in Prime Video's hit 'Jury Duty.' His writing contributions to 'Jury Duty' earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series. He also appears in the HBO Max series 'The Sex Lives of College Girls.'
Joe Mande brings a wealth of experience to the co-showrunner role. An accomplished writer, comedian, and actor, Mande recently won an Emmy as an executive producer for 'Hacks,' where he also served as a writer and producer. His extensive writing credits include critically acclaimed shows such as 'The Good Place,' 'Parks and Recreation,' 'Master of None,' and 'Running Point.'
Peter Friedlander, Head of Global Television at Amazon MGM Studios, expressed enthusiasm for the new series, stating, "Mekki Leeper is a rare talent and a sharp comedic voice who brings an original perspective to everything he does." He added that with Mande's creative pedigree, 'New Money' is "the kind of smart, irreverent comedy that audiences love."
'New Money' is poised to offer a fresh, satirical look at the high-stakes, low-competence world of venture capitalism, combining Leeper's distinctive comedic voice with Mande's proven track record for crafting intelligent humor.