Shirley MacLaine to Receive AFI Life Achievement Award on TV Land, 6/24

TV Land's summer programming is hotter than ever! Beginning June 1, the network is introducing a new summer line-up full of laughs with two nights of original sitcoms, including "The Soul Man," starring Cedric "The Entertainer" and Niecy Nash, returning series "The Exes," starring Donald Faison, Wayne Knight, David Alan Basche, Kelly Stables and Kristen Johnston and "Retired at 35" starring George Segal, Jessica Walter, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Johnathan McClain and Josh McDermitt. June on TV Land will also feature "TV Land Presents: The AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine" and the launch of acquisition "That '70s Show."

Below is a detailed look at TV Land's summer programming:

ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING

· "The Soul Man"

SERIES PREMIERE: Wednesday, June 20 at 10pm ET/PT

"The Soul Man" stars Cedric "The Entertainer" and Niecy Nash and revolves around R&B superstar-turned-minister Reverend Boyce "The Voice" Ballentine (played by Cedric). Though he's used to living in Las Vegas at the top of the music charts, he gets "the calling" and decides to relocate to St. Louis with his wife, Lolli (Nash) and his daughter, Lyric (Jazz Raycole), to take over the preaching duties in his father's church. However, his family is not exactly eager to give up the fabulous superstar life for their new humble one. The comedy also stars John Beasley ("Everwood") as Boyce's father, Barton, and Wesley Jonathan ("What I Like About You") as his brother, Stamps.

· "The Exes"

SEASON 2 PREMIERE: Wednesday, June 20 at 10:30pm ET/PT

In season one of "The Exes," Phil (Faison, "Scrubs") and Haskell (Knight, "Seinfeld") were shocked to learn that their landlord and divorce attorney, Holly (Johnston, "3rd Rock From The Sun"), was forcing a new roommate on them - the clingy and recently-divorced Stuart (Basche, "The Starter Wife"). In season two, they're still attempting to adjust to one another's quirks and annoying habits, but Holly is there to help avert any disasters - or in some cases, cause them. Meanwhile, Holly's assistant, Eden (Stables, "Two and a Half Men"), doesn't exactly let professionalism get in the way of prying into her boss's dating life - or lack thereof.

· "Retired at 35"

SEASON 2 PREMIERE: Tuesday, June 26 at 10pm ET/PT

The new season brings a new cast member as Marissa Jaret Winokur (Broadway's "Hairpsray") joins the show! In "Retired at 35," after 37 years of marriage, Alan Robbins (Segal, "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?") and his wife Elaine (Walter, "Arrested Development") are expected to cruise into retirement and live out their days happily ever after. However, they get an unexpected surprise when their uptight and overworked son David (McClain, "24"), sick of the NYC rat race, decides to move in with them in their active-adult community. David finds himself dealing with his overzealous parents as well as his sister Amy (Winokur), who, while successful in business, has made less than impressive choices in her love life.

SPECIALS

· "TV Land Presents: The AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine"

AIRS: Sunday, June 24 at 9pm ET/PT

The annual "TV Land Presents: AFI Life Achievement Award," will be presented to Academy Award(R)-winner Shirley MacLaine by fellow Academy Award(R)-winner Meryl Streep, her co-star in "Postcards From The Edge." The event will celebrate MacLaine's extraordinary life and all her endeavors, from movies and television to Broadway, writing books and beyond. The ceremony tapes Thursday, June 7 in Los Angeles. To apply for press credentials to the red carpet, please visit the TV Land / AFI Life Achievement Awards Credentials Site.

ACQUISITIONS

· "That '70s Show"

PREMIERES: Friday, June 1 at 9pm ET/PT

Hit sitcom "That '70s Show" will join the TV Land line-up with a weekend-long marathon on June 1, 2 and 3 from 9pm ET/PT to 12am ET/PT. The series, which starred Topher Grace ("Valentine's Day"), Ashton Kutcher ("Two and a Half Men"), Mila Kunis ("BLACK SWAN"), Laura Prepon ("Are You There, Chelsea?"), Wilmer Valderrama ("Awake"), Danny Masterson ("Men at Work"), Kurtwood Smith ("24") and Debra Jo Rupp ("Better With You"), revolves around a group of teenagers as they come of age in 1970s Wisconsin.

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About TV Land

TV Land is the programming destination featuring the best in entertainment on all platforms for consumers in their 40s and 50s. Consisting of original programming, classic and contemporary television series acquisitions, hit movies and a full-service Web site, TV Land is now seen in over 98 million U.S. homes.

About Viacom

Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB) is home to the world's premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms in more than 160 countries and territories. With approximately 170 media networks reaching more than 600 million global subscribers, Viacom's leading brands include MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV Land, Spike TV and Tr3s. Paramount Pictures, America's oldest film studio and creator of many of the most beloved motion pictures, continues today as a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. Viacom operates a large portfolio of branded digital media experiences, including many of the world's most popular properties for entertainment, community and casual online gaming.

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Photo credit: Walter McBride

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