Daniel John Jbara

On Wednesday, October 21, 2020, Daniel John Jbara, loving son and brother, passed away at the age of 56.

Had Dan been given the chance to edit that opening, it likely would have read: Daniel J Jbara, looking decades younger than his birthday might suggest, disrupts the television industry again by launching the first Heaven-based reality show.

Dan is a proud Spartan, having studied at Michigan State and the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Upon graduation, Dan was instrumental in creating the reality and tabloid entertainment TV formats. As a young segment producer, he cut his teeth at Current Affair. This began a 15 year run that included several seasons at Hard Copy and a brief detour as producer on the New Mickey Mouse Club, where our Dan guided then 12-year olds Justin Timberlake, Brittney Spears, and Ryan Gosling.

He continued to innovate, both as a writer and producer, with shows across TBS, Sony Pictures Television, and the Discovery Channel.
Preferring the weather and surroundings of Palm Springs, Dan moved and lived there for most of the last 15 years.

To his family and friends, Dan was the enthusiast. Not content with status quo of any kind, it was not unusual for him to assign homework prior to a social event to ensure everyone knew more about one another by the end. His interests ranged from fashion and food to politics and social justice in all forms.
In his youth, Dan was a natural leader and student of the arts. He also honed his ability to invent words that did not exist but clearly should. Notables include 'baxtdoor neighbor' (over the back fence) and 'indrections' (the catch-all for instructions and directions).

The depth of his empathy was unmatched. He was the first friend to arrive when someone was in need. He was unable to separate the pain others felt from himself.

Dan lives on both in memory and in practice. He is pre-deceased by his father, John Jbara. He is survived by his mother, Joan, sister Judy (Dee), and brothers Greg (Julie) and Mike (Linda). His energy and thoughtfulness can be found in his 4 beloved nephews, J Michael, Nathan, Zachary and Aidan.

The family asks that any donation in Dan's memory be made to the Desert Aids Project. https://www.desertaidsproject.org/support-our-mission/make-a-donation/

Dan's Family