Executive producer Ben Stiller‘s newest TV show with A24 is finally premiering today, featuring five professional bowlers. The first episode of HBO’s sports docuseries Born to Bowl officially debuts tonight at 9:00 PM ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max. It will then be followed by weekly episodes through Monday, April 20.
What do we know about Ben Stiller’s new HBO Max TV show?
Born to Bowl follows the lives of professional bowlers Kyle Troup, Anthony Simonsen, EJ Tackett, Cameron Crowe, and Jason Belmonte. Stiller, John Lesher, Mike Tollin, Jonathan Vogler, Lev Ekster, Carissa Del Bene, James Lee Hernandez, Brian Lazarte, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Bentley Weiner serve as executive producers. It is directed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte. The show is a production by A24, Red Hour Films, Mike Tollin Productions, Lucky Strike Entertainment, and Blue Pixel.
“Set within bowling’s blue-collar culture, the series examines a familiar American family pastime that evokes myriad pop cultural references and reveals a quirky sport with ancient roots shaped as much by personality and persistence as by skill and precision. Every season, members of the PBA Tour travel from tournament to tournament with their balls in tow, fighting for victories from Akron to Reno, often needing to share budget hotel rooms along the way. At different stages of their careers, each man balances their ambition and love of the sport with the uncertainty of a profession built on week-to-week performance and earnings that often require them to take day jobs to make a living. With every strike, spare, and split of the season, Born to Bowl offers a humorous and heartfelt portrait of life on a professional sports tour that’s anything but straight down the lane.”
Besides Born to Bowl, Stiller is also working with HBO on a brand new scripted comedy-drama series, titled The Band, which will explore the music industry. The project was first announced more than a year ago. Stiller will next be seen in two high-profile comedy movies later this year, including the pickleball movie The Dink with Jake Johnson and the long-awaited sequel Focker In-Law with Ariana Grande.
