NBC’s has announced that “Last Comic Standing: A Search for the Funniest Person in America” will premiere on Tuesday, June 10 with back-to-back episodes from 9-11PM ET and will be hosted by comedian Jay Mohr (“Jerry Maguire”), who also serves as executive producer. During the two-hour premiere’s first hour, viewers of the unscripted competition series will be introduced to aspiring comedians selected from nationwide regional searches as they compete for an exclusive talent contract and a Comedy Central special.
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From the regional searches, 25 comedians will move on to the Los Angeles semifinals at the Laugh Factory, where they performed before a live audience and celebrity talent scouts who include Mo’Nique (“The Parkers”), Joe Rogan (NBC’s “Fear Factor”) and standup comic legend Buddy Hackett. During the 10-11 p.m. hour, 25 regional search winners from the East Coast travel to New York to perform at Caroline’s before celebrity comedians Joy Behar (“The View”), Caroline Rhea (“The Caroline Rhea Show”) and Colin Quinn (Tough Guy with Colin Quinn”).
The series has an eight-episode commitment and will provide a new spin on alternative television as it features a nationwide talent search for professional and non-professional comedians (both female and male). Once the selection is narrowed to 10 finalists, after the semifinals in New York and Los Angeles and the finals in Las Vegas at the Paris Hotel, the program will then follow the comedians as they live together in a house and compete for the ultimate prize -- an exclusive talent contract with the network and a special on Comedy Central.
"Last Comic Standing: Funniest Person in America" is from Peter Engel Productions in association with NBC Enterprises and Giraffe Productions. Peter Engel, Jay Mohr and Barry Katz are executive producers and Rob Fox ("Real World," "The Osbournes") is co-executive producer.