Showtime announced on Wednesday that they are planning a dark comedy based on the Blair controversy. “The Jayson Blair Project” is the tentative title for the film and veteran made for TV screenwriter Jon Maas has been hired to write the script. 

After it was discovered that he fabricated news stories in the Times, the black journalist cited racism, junk food and mental illness as the cause of his transgressions. He quit the paper after he was found out but the controversy caused the “resignation” of NY Times managing editor Gerald Boyd and executive editor Howell Raines. 

"This film will explore what made Jayson Blair so self-destructive and how his actions single-handedly destroyed his journalism career," Showtime President Robert Greenblatt said in a statement. 

The real Jayson Blair is not involved with the project at this point but Showtime has tried to contact him to see if he had any interest. He recently signed a book deal for $500,000 to write his memoirs. However, the film will be based on articles written by former Newsweek reporter Seth Mnookin, who is currently writing a book about the New York Times for Random House. 

The film is expected to air sometime next year. 
 

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