True Jackson, VP

True Jackson, VP is an American teen sitcom that aired on Nickelodeon from November 8, 2008, to August 20, 2011. The series starred Keke Palmer, Ashley Argota, Matt Shively, Danielle Bisutti, Greg Proops, Robbie Amell, and Ron Butler. The theme song was written by Toby Gad and Keke Palmer and is performed by Palmer. The series was shot in front of a live studio audience. The pilot episode garnered 4.8 million viewers on its first airing and set network records among kids 6–11, tweens 9–14 and several other demographics, airing after the iCarly three-part episode "iGo to Japan".[2] On May 5, 2009, Nickelodeon renewed the show for a second season[3] of 34 episodes, which premiered on November 14, 2009. This season was later split, making a third season.

True Jackson, VP
GenreTeen sitcom
Created byAndy Gordon
Starring
Theme music composerToby Gad
Keke Palmer
Opening theme"Change It Up" performed by Keke Palmer
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes60 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
Producer(s)
Production location(s)
  • Nickelodeon on Sunset, Hollywood, California
    (2008–2009)
  • Paramount Studios, Hollywood, California
    (2009–2011)
Camera setupVideotape (filmized); multi-camera
Running time23 minutes
Production company(s)
  • Gordon 3000 Industries
  • Nickelodeon Productions
DistributorMTV Networks International[1]
Release
Original networkNickelodeon
Original releaseNovember 8, 2008 (2008-11-08) –
August 20, 2011 (2011-08-20)

In August 2011, Palmer posted a video on her YouTube account[4] and posted on her blog,[5] confirming that "Mystery in Peru" is the series' finale. After the show ended, Keke Palmer renewed her contract with the network; she did voiceover work for Nickelodeon's Winx Club[6] and starred in the Nick TV movie Rags.[7]

Premise

15-year-old True Jackson is selling sandwiches and lemonade with her friend Ryan in the fashion district of New York City, when she is complimented by fashion designer Max Madigan, founder and CEO of Mad Style. Max realizes the clothes True is wearing are his designs, but True had altered them to suit her own purposes. Max likes the altered design and hires True to be the VP (Vice President) of his fashion company's youth apparel division. True hires her best friend Lulu to be her assistant after firing Cricket, her former assistant who was upset and bitter about being surpassed in the business world by a kid. With Lulu's and Ryan's help, True works to be the best she can be despite various obstacles such as her self-centered co-worker Amanda, who is less than enthusiastic to be working with a teenager, but the truth is that she is jealous of True because of how Max pays more attention to True than he does to her. True sees Amanda as an amazing icon in fashion and eventually Amanda recognizes True as a fashion equal, though she still taunts True playfully on a regular basis.

Episodes
Main article: List of True Jackson, VP episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
126November 8, 2008 (2008-11-08)October 24, 2009 (2009-10-24)
220November 14, 2009 (2009-11-14)August 7, 2010 (2010-08-07)
314September 11, 2010 (2010-09-11)August 20, 2011 (2011-08-20)

Cast

Main
Main article: List of True Jackson, VP characters
The show's main cast, from left to right: Danielle Bisutti, Matt Shively, Ashley Argota, Greg Proops, Keke Palmer, Ron Butler, and Robbie Amell
  • Keke Palmer as True Jackson, a teenager who serves as the Vice President of the Youth Fashion Department at Mad Style, where she works, and gets into mishaps and has a lot of fun with her friends. She is intelligent, funny and hardworking with an odd family. She is usually the most sensible of her friends. In the beginning of the series, she has a crush on Jimmy, Mr. Madigan's nephew, and they eventually become a couple. In the series' finale, True becomes President after Mr. Madigan retires. A running gag in the series is when she says, "(you/she/he) (I/said/did) (there was) what now?".
  • Ashley Argota as Lulu,[8] True's best friend and secretary–assistant. She tends to be very crazy, loud and clueless. She is easily distracted as seen in every episode. Although not many people believe it, she is very intelligent and loves math. She also suffers from trichophagia and she is also afraid of birds (as she mentions to True in one episode, "They give me the creeps but I'm not sure why"). Her last name was not revealed during the series. She has a boyfriend named Mikey J. She and Mikey J. share their first kiss in the series' finale.
  • Matt Shively as Ryan Leslie Laserbeam, True's second best friend. Though he does not have an official job at Mad Style, he is always there to hang out with True and Lulu. He is not very intelligent and is very clumsy. Ryan's middle name is Leslie, but he dislikes it. Oscar is not sure if Laserbeam is Ryan's real last name, but according to Ryan's big brother, he got the name when one of his ancestors was given the name "Laserbeam" by his crew captain while he was working on a ship. It is hinted that he has a crush on Amanda, but this is no longer acknowledged in the second season due to his affection for Kelsey.
  • Danielle Bisutti as Amanda Cantwell, one of the many workers at Mad Style. She is the Vice President of Women's Fashion. Through the beginning of the series, Amanda is seen as True's rival as they often fought/disagreed with each other, but Amanda is slowly becoming True's friend. She was not happy when she found out that Mr. Madigan hired a "kid". By the end of the series, though, she realizes that True isn't so bad and that she is actually looked up to.
  • Robbie Amell as Jimmy Madigan, a mail deliverer at Mad Style, the nephew of Max Madigan, and the boy of True's affection. He has feelings towards True, but couldn't date her for a while due to a job rule, until True got jealous of a new mail girl and they became a couple. In the episode "True Secret", Jimmy and True are caught kissing by Max and he says that in order for them to stay together, one of them must quit. By the end of the episode, Max changes the rule. In the series' finale, he gets promoted to drummer of the staff lounge and Kelsey becomes the new mailroom girl.
  • Ron Butler as Oscar, the main secretary and operator for Mad Style and works behind the reception desk on the floor where Mad Style offices are. He is seen taking calls on his headset or delivering messages to Amanda. Known to crack jokes, he tends to speak in a campy manner. He wears ascots all the time. Like Lulu, he does not have a last name. It is unknown what became of him after the series' finale, but it's assumed he remains as a secretary.
  • Greg Proops as Max Madigan, the CEO of Mad Style and holds all the meetings and other social events, often glorifying True. He is eccentric and is Jimmy's uncle. He retires to stay at home with his wife Doris, who is pregnant with their first child. He can be quirky and confusing at times. Also, when stressed out, it isn't a good idea to get on his bad side. Over all, he is quite a fun person to work for.

Recurring
  • Dan Kopelman as Kopelman, a Mad Style employee that hardly speaks and is frequently ridiculed by Max.
  • Jennette McCurdy as Amanda "Pinky" Turzo, True's archnemisis
  • Trevor Brown as Mikey J, Lulu's boyfriend.
  • Jordan Monaghan as Kelsey, Ryan's on-and-off girlfriend.
  • Joy Osmanski as Ms. Patti Park, True's teacher.
  • Melanie Paxson as Doris Madigan (née Aidem), Max Madigan's wife and True's school librarian.
  • Taylor Parks as Shelly, one of True's friends.
  • Vincent Ventresca as Mr. Jeff Jamerson, True's science teacher.
  • Jo-Anne Krupa as Ella, the Mad Style accountant.

Guest stars

Production

The series was shot on stage 25 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California. This is the same stage where series "The Lucy Show", "Here's Lucy", "Cheers", and "Frasier"[9] were shot.

Broadcast

It aired on The N from November 2008 - August 2013.

The series has aired on-and-off on TeenNick in the United States since 2009. BET also briefly aired episodes of the series in 2009.

The show also premiered on the Canadian network YTV on March 5, 2009 and every Thursday since, but was changed to Friday to accommodate with iCarly & Big Fun Fridays. Then, the show moved again to Mondays at 6:30pm. As of 2010, the series no longer airs on YTV.

The series continues to air regularly on Nickelodeon networks around the world. The show ended in Australia and New Zealand on December 17, 2011. The last two remaining episodes premiered in the UK on Wednesday January 4, 2012 and Thursday January 5, 2012 and with "Mystery in Peru" premiering on Friday January 6, 2012.

The series is currently shown in Jamaica on one of the national stations TVJ (Television Jamaica) at 4:30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

On May 1, 2019, the series began airing on Nick Pluto.

Home media

True Jackson, VP: Season 1, Vol. 1 was released in a 2 disc set on September 8, 2009. Running time is 321 minutes, presented in full screen video, and English stereo audio. The set also includes behind-the-scenes, cast member's screen tests, bloopers and the first 13 episodes of season 1.[10] Even though there is Season 1 Volume 1, for unknown reasons, a Volume 2 was never released.

  • The following releases were only released on Amazon.com's CreateSpace manufacture-on-demand (MOD) service:
True Jackson, VP: Season 2 was released on September 9, 2011. Running time is 468 minutes, presented in full screen video, and English Stereo audio. This DVD release has 20 episodes from the second season.[11]
True Jackson, VP: Season 3 was released on September 9, 2011. Running time is 327 minutes, presented in full screen video, and English Stereo audio. This DVD release has 14 episodes from the third season.[11]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Recipient Result
2009 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Children's Program True Jackson, VP Nominated
2009 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program - (Series or Special) Keke Palmer Won
2009 Casting Society of America Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Children's Series Programming Krisha Bullock & Harriet Greenspan Nominated
2009 Gracie Allen Award Outstanding Adolescent Program True Jackson, VP Won
2010 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Children's Program True Jackson, VP Nominated
2010 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program - (Series or Special) Keke Palmer Won
2010 Casting Society of America Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Children's Series Programming Harriet Greenspan Won
2010 2010 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite TV Actress Keke Palmer Nominated
2010 Writers Guild of America Children's Episodic & Specials, For the episode The Rival Dan Kopelman Nominated
2011 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Children's Program True Jackson, VP Won
2011 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program - (Series or Special) Keke Palmer Won
2011 Casting Society of America Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Children's Series Programming Harriet Greenspan Nominated
2011 UK 2011 Kids' Choice Awards Nick UK's Funniest Person Matt Shively Nominated
2011 Young Artist Awards Best Performance In A TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Leading Young Actress Keke Palmer Nominated
2011 Young Artist Awards Best Performance In A TV Series - Recurring Young Actress Ten and Under Ava Allan Nominated
2011 Writers Guild of America Children's Episodic & Specials, For the episode True Magic Andy Gordon Nominated
2012 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Performance in a Youth/Children's Program - (Series or Special) Keke Palmer Won
2012 Young Artist Awards Best Performance In A TV Series - Recurring Young Actress Ava Allan Nominated

Merchandise and in other media

Clothing line

In August 2009, a line of clothing inspired by the show called "Mad Style by True Jackson" was released. The line was available exclusively at Walmart and is aimed at children and teens. This was the first line of clothing for the show and was a first for Nickelodeon releasing a line of clothing from one of their television shows. Commercials advertising the clothing line can be seen on Nickelodeon and TeenNick. Featured in the show and commercials is an instrumental version of the show's theme song.

Book series

A set of novels based on the show were released, via Amazon.[12]

Notes
  1. Appeared in two episodes in the series.
  2. Appeared in three episodes in the series.
gollark: Basically, it requires pointers to have a fixed finite size.
gollark: https://memo.barrucadu.co.uk/c-is-not-turing-complete.html
gollark: The C one. I think. Hold on.
gollark: No, the spec limits pointer sizes in some way.
gollark: Technically, I don't think C is.

References
  1. Collins, Josephine (March 2009). "TV Times". License! Global. Vol. 12 no. 2. p. 32. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
  2. Starr, Michael. (November 12, 2008) 'iCarly' Breaks Records. NYPOST.com. Retrieved November 25, 2011
  3. https://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/nickelodeon-greenlights-second-season-of-true-jackson-vp/
  4. TJVP Movie " Mystery In Peru" airs August 20th on YouTube - KekePalmerVideos, YouTube
  5. It's Not Over…..It's Just The Beginning, August 6, 2011, Keke Palmer's blog post from official website
  6. "Hour-Long Specials Feature Voice Talents of Nickelodeon's Keke Palmer, Matt Shively, Elizabeth Gillies and Ariana Grande". Screener. June 9, 2011.
  7. @Nickelodeon (January 23, 2012). "Yup, she voices a character on Winx Club and will be starring in our upcoming TV movie Rags" (Tweet). Retrieved July 21, 2019 – via Twitter.
  8. Twitter / @Ashley Argota: Makes me laugh when people ...
  9. http://www.paramountstudios.com/assets/tsap_stage_25_spec_sheet_031718.pdf
  10. True Jackson VP: Season One, Vol. One (2009), Amazon.com
  11. True Jackson, VP - 2 New DVD Releases of the Nickelodeon Series Are Now Available on MOD Archived 2011-10-04 at the Wayback Machine
  12. True Jackson, VP book series at Amazon.com
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