iHeartMedia and Will Packer Media’s Hit Scripted Podcast “The Lower Bottoms” Returns for Season Two with a Star-Studded Cast

Actress Debbie Allen, Amber Riley and Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist Alice Walker Join Returning Stars Kelsey Grammer, Theo Rossi, Annie Ilonzeh and more

NEW YORK - September 12, 2022 – iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Will Packer Media, a first-of-its-kind production and branded content company led by record-breaking Hollywood producer Will Packer, today launched season two of “The Lower Bottoms,” a scripted and shadowy podcast series told through the voices that make-up a quickly gentrifying neighborhood in West Oakland, California.

Narrated by legendary actor Kelsey Grammer (Cheers, Frasier), season two kicks off six months after the Freedom House fire and data leak scandal. Beulah (voiced by Annie Ilonzeh) struggles with her mental health as her loyalty is tested from every direction. Meanwhile, Lenny (voiced by Theo Rossi) flounders as Oakland’s new mayor and Shante’s (voiced by Teresa Celeste) new life with the Russians is haunted by a very real pair of ghosts from the past.

An assembly of well-known Hollywood performers will join the cast of “The Lower Bottoms” this season. New cast members and guests include actress Debbie Allen (Grey’s Anatomy, Fame), who will lead as a female narrator; actress and singer Amber Riley (Glee), who will voice Rebecca; and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker who will guest star.

In addition, season two will continue to be narrated by legendary actor Kelsey Grammer (Cheers, Fraiser) as well as a variety of notable returning cast members, including Theo Rossi (Army of the Dead, Sons of Anarchy, Luke Cage), who plays Lenny, a boisterous cafe owner with a chip on his shoulder; Annie Ilonzeh (Peppermint, Person of Interest, Chicago Fire) who will continue to lend her voice to Beulah, a confident but reserved young woman looking to find her way; and more.

The show was created and written by Dominique Mouton, and produced by Will Packer for Will Packer Media, Joelle Monique for iHeartRadio and Jack Levy, who also produced and directed the series.

The first episode of season two is available today, Monday, September 12, with new episodes airing every Monday. Listen to the debut episode HERE.

The Lower Bottoms” season two is a co-production of iHeartMedia and Will Packer Media and is distributed by iHeartPodcasts.

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About Will Packer Media

Led by Hollywood producer Will Packer, Will Packer Media is a first-of-its-kind production and branded content company focused on the New American Mainstream audience, with an urban millennial core. In partnership with Discovery, Inc. and Universal Pictures, the company produces episodic scripted and unscripted series across television and digital platforms, compelling content for brand clients, and short-form digital content for millennial audiences. Will Packer’s films have earned more than $1 billion, with ten opening at number one at the box office.

About iHeartMedia, Inc.

iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in the United States, reaching nine out of 10 Americans every month. It consists of three business groups.

With its quarter of a billion monthly listeners, the iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group has a greater reach than any other media company in the U.S. Its leadership position in audio extends across multiple platforms, including more than 860 live broadcast stations in over 160 markets nationwide; its National Sales organization; and the company’s live and virtual events business. It also includes Premiere Networks, the industry’s largest Networks business, with its Total Traffic and Weather Network (TTWN); and BIN: Black Information Network, the first and only 24/7 national and local all news audio service for the Black community. iHeartMedia also leads the audio industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing partners with its SmartAudio suite of data targeting and attribution products using data from its massive consumer base.

The iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group includes the company’s fast-growing podcasting business -- iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher in downloads, unique listeners, revenue and earnings -- as well as its industry-leading iHeartRadio digital service, available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000 devices; the company’s digital sites, newsletters, digital services and programs; its digital advertising technology companies; and its audio industry-leading social media footprint.

The company’s Audio & Media Services reportable segment includes Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media representation company, and RCS, the world's leading provider of broadcast and webcast software.

Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.