Rickey Smiley is part of a new TV show "Dish Nation" debuting nationwide this fall. CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com

Last summer, Twentieth Television tested a show for six weeks called “Dish Nation,” which takes the humor of four morning radio shows to create a pop culture melange not unlike “TMZ.”

One of the four is Atlanta-based “Rickey Smiley Morning Show,” which is syndicated in 60 markets, including Hot 107.9 locally.

Good news for Smiley is the show was picked up for a full season in 2012-13. Already, the production company has gotten the show on stations that reach more than half the country. Locally, it will be shown on Fox 5 (WAGA-TV), one of a handful of stations that tested the show last summer.  What time slot it will air this fall has not been finalized.

Each morning show was given several pop culture topics to riff on. Then the producers after the fact would edit them together, throwing in pictures, animation or whatever it took to make it fast paced and entertaining visually.

“It was awesome,” Smiley said, of the experience. At the same time, he said it took some getting used to. The team had to come in 15 to 25 minutes earlier than normal to do makeup and get miked. He also would occasionally tape segments just for “Dish Nation” on topics that may not necessarily fit his young target audience, mostly black.

Smiley said riffing on the Kardashians or Lindsey Lohan was no big deal. “We have enough talent that they can give us any story and we can enhance it and make it funny,” he said.

The other three shows were Scott & Todd at Hot AC station 95.5/WPLJ-FM in New York, Blaine & Allyson at Hot AC station 96.3/WDVD-FM in Detroit, Felli Fel and Krystal Bee on hip-hop station Power 105.9 in Los Angeles. (Smiley especially found Allyson on the Detroit show funny.) “Dish Nation” is seeking another Los Angeles show, which in my opinion, was the weakest link.

Smiley said he likes how “Dish Nation” flows, considering it a funnier version of “TMZ.” “And for listeners, it’s great for them to match a name with a face,” he said, “especially the other talent on the show.” His deep bench includes Juicy, Gary with da Tea, Rock-T, HeadKrack, Special K and Ebony Steele.

He hopes the national exposure will get his show even more affiliates. And he’s working on a sitcom, to boot.

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By Rodney Ho, Radio & TV Talk