Actor Jim Belushi (According to Jim, SNL) is a man of many talents – actor, singer, dancer and now… legal cannabis farmer. Using his many talents, combined with an immense passion, Jim is ready for his next stage in life – building a cannabis business from scratch in southern Oregon. Informative, mischievous and moving, the all-new series, GROWING BELUSHI, premieres on Discovery Wednesday, August 19 at 10 PM ET/PT and is produced by Original Productions and Live Nation Productions.
“This is much more than a business for me. I’ve seen the positive impact that cannabis has had in treating people from around the world,” said Belushi. “Everything grows in Growing Belushi. The Cannabis, the business, the family. And especially me. We almost called it Growing Pains!”
True to heart, Jim has decided to dedicate his life to starting and running a flourishing legal cannabis farm. As they navigate the many challenges of this newly legalized industry, Jim and his ragtag team of farmers have an opportunity to follow their passion and find success in something they believe in. Joined by his cousin Chris and with appearances from Dan Aykroyd, Judy Belushi and a cast of misfits (including Jim’s own family), as well as a musical appearance by The Blues Brothers, GROWING BELUSHI will take Discovery’s audiences inside Jim’s world and show the incredible effort it takes to build a legal cannabis operation.
“We are always looking for a show that takes you by surprise and this one did – it’s fun and funny and has a lot of heart. I think people will see Jim Belushi in a whole new way after watching,” said Nancy Daniels, Chief Brand Officer, Discovery & Factual.
“Live Nation has had a long, meaningful relationship with Jim Belushi personally and through the Blues Brothers and House of Blues, so we are excited to help with sharing his story of Belushi Farms with Discovery’s audiences,” said Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation.
“We are thrilled to continue our long-running partnership with Discovery which has included the Emmy-winning Deadliest Catch, along with the recent spin-off, Deadliest Catch: Bloodline,” said Jeff Hasler, President of Original Productions. “We’ve always been about providing a platform for big dreams and ambitious stories. No one has a bigger dream and more ambition than Jim Belushi.”
What began in 2015 as a meager 48-plant crop, Jim’s farm today encompasses a sprawling and spiritual 93 acres along the Rogue River in southern Oregon, offering a range of brands from Belushi’s Secret Stash (with Jim’s favorite strain Cherry Pie) to Captain Jack’s Gulzar Afghanica (a rare strain from the Hindu Kush region that became known in the ’70s as “the smell of SNL.”)
Having suffered the loss of his brother John to an overdose – as well as having experienced his own journey of learning and healing with cannabis – Jim has become an outspoken advocate for the positive medical benefits of cannabis including pain management and improving quality of life. The series will shed light on Jim’s journey of self-discovery and the incredible effort it takes to build a legal cannabis farm with the dream of helping others thrive.
In addition to watching the show on Discovery, viewers can stream GROWING BELUSHI by downloading the Discovery GO app. Viewers can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #GrowingBelushi and follow Discovery on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.
GROWING BELUSHI is produced for Discovery by Live Nation Productions where Michael Rapino, Ryan Kroft and Brian Phares are executive producers and Original Productions where Jeff Bumgarner, Jeff Hasler and Brian Lovett are executive producers. For Discovery, Joseph Schneier and Kyle Wheeler serve as executive producers. Jim Belushi and James Orr also serve as executive producers.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com
