Kent Weed

Kent Weed is an American television director and producer and co-founder of A. Smith & Co. Productions. Weed is known for his television work in the talk show, reality, game show, and a variety of genres spanning shows such as "American Ninja Warrior,"[1] "Hell’s Kitchen,"[2] "Unsung," "Paradise Hotel," and "Trading Spaces."

Kent Weed
Born (1962-04-26) 26 April 1962
Hollywood, California
Alma materNotre Dame High School
OccupationTV Director/producer

Early life

Weed was born in Hollywood, California, and grew up in Studio City. He became interested in entertainment at a young age when he worked on music videos with his father, Gene, who was a famous disc jockey and successful producer and director for Dick Clark Productions.[3] Following his father’s lead, Weed began his career in radio in 1980 programming music for 200 secondary market radio stations and producing radio specials for a company called Total Services Inc.[4] Kent attended high school at Notre Dame High School[5] and went on to spend two years at Los Angeles Valley College, before giving up school to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.

Career

Weed began working in television production in his early twenties, heading a cable production company and producing more than 300 hours of programming each year.[6] His career shifted toward directing when he got his big break at 27 years old when he was hired to direct The Smothers Brothers Thanksgiving Special[7] and then went on to more variety format shows: "The World’s Greatest Magic" for NBC,[8] in addition to worldwide events like Farm Aid for ABC and magic specials including "Lance Burton," "Champions of Magic," "Wildest Magic on Earth," and "Houdini's Secrets Unlocked".[9] In the 90s, Weed began his journey into talk shows, comedies and game shows, with The Dennis Prager Show, The Newz, Roundhouse,[10] and To Tell The Truth.[11] He also started working in reality television during its early years with shows like Pure Insanity, Made in the USA, and Fantasies of the Stars.[12]

In 1994, Weed created his own production company, W.A.V.E. Productions. The full-service production company produced dance and music videos, in addition to infomercials and the variety show Paris by Night. Weed also directed and produced the famous Michael Jackson music video "Earth Song" shot at the World Music Awards. Weed has also worked with numerous top talents in the music world, including Shakira, Mariah Carey, Diana Ross, P Diddy, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, and Brad Paisley.

In 2000, Weed moved on from W.A.V.E. Productions and founded A. Smith & Co. Productions with Arthur Smith (producer).[13] As executive producer on all the company’s projects, Weed produced the Emmy and People's Choice Award-nominated hit show Hell's Kitchen, along with "Kitchen Nightmares", American Ninja Warrior,[14] "Team Ninja Warrior",[15] "I Survived a Japanese Game Show", "Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura", "Full Throttle Saloon," "Unsung," "Unsung Hollywood", "American Gangster", "Pros vs. Joes", "UFC Countdown", "The Swan", and "Trading Spaces".[16][17]

Weed also directed "Crash Course" for ABC,[18] as well as Skating with Celebrities,[19] I Married a Stranger[20] and "Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live" for FOX.[21]

Awards, Honors and Affiliations

In 2009, Weed received a Directors Guild of America nomination for "I Survived a Japanese Game Show",[22] a DGA nomination for "Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge"[23] in 2017, and won the international Rose d’Or award for best reality show and best overall show.[24]

Weed serves as a member of the Emmy reality executive peer committee and is on the board of trustees for the Waterkeeper Alliance.[25] Weed is also part of the leadership circle of the Dream Foundation.

References
  1. Lee, Nikki. "A conversation with Kent Weed, the man who makes you love American Ninja Warrior". American Ninja Warrior Nation. SB Nation. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  2. O'Connell, Michael. "A. Smith & Co. Celebrates 15 Years in Reality: 'Everyone Thought We Were Nuts'". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Media. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. Barrett, Don (August 5, 1999). "Gene Weed passed away this morning at 1 a.m. of lung cancer. He was 64". Los Angeles Radio People.
  4. "Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1983" (PDF). American Radio History. Broadcasting Publications.
  5. "Alumni 1977". Notre Dame High School.
  6. "Bios: Kent Weed". FOX Flash. FOX Broadcasting Company.
  7. Terrace, Vincent (June 19, 2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936-2012 (2nd ed.). McFarland. p. 337. ISBN 9780786474448.
  8. "World's Greatest Magic II, The". Turner Classic Movies.
  9. "Kent Weed: Executive Profile & Biography". Bloomberg L.P.
  10. "Roundhouse TV Credits". The Easychair Expressway.
  11. "To Tell the Truth (TV Series 2000-2002) - Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.
  12. "Fantasies of the Stars". Turner Classic Movies.
  13. "Arthur Smith (producer)". Wikipedia.
  14. Hibberd, James. "How Kacy Catanzaro changed 'American Ninja Warrior' forever". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  15. Petski, Denise (9 October 2015). "'American Ninja Warrior' Spinoff Set At Esquire Network For 2016". Deadline Hollywood.
  16. "Kent Weed". IMDb.
  17. "ASC Entertainment". A. Smith & Co. Productions.
  18. Hibberd, James (February 26, 2009). "ABC navigates 'Crash Course'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  19. "Skating with Celebrities". TV Guide.
  20. Hibberd, James (June 4, 2009). "Fox reality gets 'Stranger'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  21. Gallagher, Brian (August 6, 2009). "Fox Puts You in the Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live". MovieWeb.
  22. "Nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Documentaries and Commercials for the year 2008". Directors Guild of America.
  23. Chingall, Selina (10 January 2017). "Bryan Fogel, Matthew Heineman nominated for DGA Awards". Realscreen.
  24. Roxborough, Scott (May 5, 2009). "'Japanese Game Show' tops Rose d'Or". The Hollywood Reporter.
  25. "Kent Weed". Waterkeeper Alliance.
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