NBC has announced that its fourth edition of Last Comic Standing, the Emmy-nominated reality talent competition that it is surprisingly resurrecting after having previously canceled the show's hastily-assembled Fall 2004 third edition, will premiere Tuesday, May 30 at 8PM ET/PT with a special two-hour premiere. Following its special two-hour debut, Last Comic Standing 4 will air Tuesdays at 9PM ET/PT.
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In addition to replacing original Last Comic Standing host Jay Mohr (who despite being one of the show's executive producers, publicly criticized NBC's handling of the program's ill-advised "Season 1 versus Season 2" third season), NBC's fourth Last Comic Standing edition will also feature a new set of semifinals judges. Neither Brett Butler or Drew Carey, who called Last Comic Standing 2's semifinals decision process "crooked and dishonest," allegations NBC denied, or first-season finalist Tess Drake will return for Last Comic Standing 4. Anthony Clark, Last Comic Standing 2's fourth semifinalist judge, will return for the new season, but in a new role -- he'll replace Mohr as the show's host.
Instead, Kathy Griffin (an admitted reality TV junkie, former Celebrity Mole: Hawaii winner, and Average Joe hostess who now also has her own Bravo reality show), Garry Marshall, and Tim Meadows will serve as Last Comic Standing 4's celebrity judges. Also new to the fourth edition will be a slightly larger cast size -- twelve finalists instead of the previous two editions' ten -- and a new Last Comic Standing "house" -- instead of living together in a real house, Last Comic Standing 4's finalists will live on the Queen Mary luxury liner that is docked in Long Beach, CA.
After the show's twelve finalists have been revealed, the comics will begin participating in weekly challenges and performances and home viewers will get to determine which comedians will be eliminated as the competition progresses. In the end, the last comic standing with an exclusive NBC talent contract and (since the show's previous Comedy Central partner was presumably also not interested in being affiliated with the program again) their own comedy special on Bravo.