The Safdies Drop Surprise Telemarketer Docuseries on HBO — Watch the Trailer
The Safdies may be (temporarily) breaking up as directors, but the brothers are still a showbiz team. Josh and Benny Safdie have executive produced a new documentary limited series “Telemarketers” for HBO, it was announced Wednesday. The channel has set an August 13 premiere date for the series, in addition to releasing the official trailer.
“Telemarketers” focuses on two former telemarketing employees Pat Pespas and Sam Lipman-Stern, the latter of whom is credited as co-director of the series with Adam Bhala Lough. The series chronicles, with the assistance of footage shot by Limpman-Stern, the duo’s time working in the telemarketing industry during the early 2000s, when Limpman-Stern was a 14 year-old high school dropout and Pespas was a top salesman dealing with addiction issues. The two worked for a company that advertised itself as raising money for police and firefighter charities, but in reality pocketed most of the money.
After a federal investigation into the company shut it down, both Limpman-Stern and Pespas became whistleblowers, focused on bringing attention to the exploitative practices of the telemarketing industry. HBO describes the documentary as “a madcap story of an unruly, low-wage environment and two long-time office buddies who find themselves hot on the trail of a sobering look at the dark side of American capitalism and the misuse of consumer trust.”
Best known for their work as a directing team on “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems,” the Safdies also produced last year’s A24 film “Funny Pages.” The announcement of “Telemarketers” follows Benny Safdie’s recent acting role in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” and the news that Josh Safdie will direct his next film, about sports memorabilia collectors, solo. The documentary is also their first project announced since allegations of sexual misconduct on the part of their former collaborator Sebastian Bear-McClard on the set of both “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems.”
In addition to the Safdies, “Telemarketers” is also executive produced by Danny McBride, the creator and star of several HBO series including “Eastbound & Down,” “Vice Principals,” and the ongoing “The Righteous Gemstones;” Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, and Brandon James, all of whom work on “Righteous Gemstones,” also executive produce. Additional executive producers include Lipman-Stern, Lough, Dani Bernfeld, Greg Stewart, and Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Tina Nguyen for HBO. Claire Read produces. The series is a production of Elara Pictures and All Facts in association with Rough House Pictures.
“Telemarketers” premieres August 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. The following two episodes will stream subsequent Sundays. Watch the trailer for the series below.