Series synopsis
Last Comic Standing is an American reality comedy television series that premiered on NBC on June 10, 2003. It ended on September 9, 2015. It was created by Peter Engel. It stars Ant, Corey Holcomb, Bonnie McFarlane and Cory Kahaney.
A nationwide talent search accepting the best professional and non-professional stand-up comedians. Once the selection process is narrowed to 10, the show covers the contestants as they live together and compete for an exclusive contract with NBC, and to be called the Last Comic Standing.
Premise
A nationwide talent search accepting the best professional and non-professional stand-up comedians. Once the selection process is narrowed to 10, the show covers the contestants as they live together and compete for an exclusive contract with NBC, and to be called the Last Comic Standing.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Ant as Self
- Corey Holcomb as Self
- Bonnie McFarlane as Self
- Cory Kahaney as Self
- Jay London as Self
- Jessica Kirson as Self
- John Heffron as Self
- Kathleen Madigan as Self
Supporting cast
- Ralphie May as Self
- Rich Vos as Self
- Rob Cantrell as Self
- Sean Kent as Self
- Tammy Pescatelli as Self
- Todd Glass as Self
- Peter Engel as Self
- Iliza Shlesinger as Self
- Craig Robinson as Self
- Gerry Dee as Self
Guest cast
- Anthony Clark
- Joel McHale as Himself
- Alonzo Bodden
- Dat Phan
- Robert Smigel
- Jay Mohr
- Jon Reep
- Theo Von
- Pat Regan as Self
- Jackie Beat as Self
Episodes
This series spans 10 seasons with 104 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 2 | June 29, 2014 | July 3, 2014 |
| Season 1 | 11 | June 10, 2003 | August 5, 2003 |
| Season 2 | 15 | June 8, 2004 | August 12, 2004 |
| Season 3 | 8 | August 30, 2004 | October 16, 2004 |
| Season 4 | 11 | May 30, 2006 | August 9, 2006 |
| Season 5 | 15 | June 13, 2007 | September 19, 2007 |
| Season 6 | 12 | May 22, 2008 | August 7, 2008 |
| Season 7 | 10 | June 7, 2010 | August 9, 2010 |
| Season 8 | 12 | May 22, 2014 | August 14, 2014 |
| Season 9 | 8 | July 22, 2015 | September 9, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Last Comic Standing Room Only A special edition features previously unseen footage, performance highlights, behind-the-scenes moments, insight into the personal stories of the Top 8 comics and a countdown of the funniest jokes of Season 8 thus far. |
June 29, 2014 |
| 2 |
Last Comic Standing: Top 100 Joke Countdown This is a countdown show of the top 100 funniest jokes of the season so far on "Last Comic Standing". |
July 3, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
West Coast Semi-Finals Comics on the West Coast compete in California to see who will move on to the Las Vegas competition. Ten finalists are chosen: Geoff Brown, Rob Cantrell, Tere Joyce, Ant, Ralphie May, Randi Kaplan, Lang Parker, Tess, Sean Kent, Dat Phan. |
June 10, 2003 |
| 2 |
East Coast Semi-Finals Comics on the East Coast perform at Caroline's Comedy Club, in New York. Celebrity talent scouts are stand up comedian Colin Quinn, Joy Behar from the View, and Caroline Rhea of the Caroline Rhea Show. The comics joke about such things as having a teenage daughter, shark shows, robbing local gas stations, french Canadians, illegal immigrants, etc. Finalists chosen to advance are Russ Meneve, Dave Mordal, Rich Vos, Cory Kahaney, Eddie Pepitone, John Preist, Jen Kirwin, Carmen Lynch, Craig Baldo, and Jessie Taylor. Some good ad-libs are made by John Preist, Rich Vos, and others. Caroline Rhea realizes that one comic pretty much stole her act, which is probably why she didn't make it to Vegas. |
June 10, 2003 |
| 3 |
Las Vegas Finals The twenty finalists chosen from the East Coast and West Coast competitions compete to become one of the ten chosen to move into the house in Hollywood Hills. The ten finalists chosen are Dat Phan, Dave Mordal, Cory Kahaney, Sean Kent, Geoff Brown, Tere Joyce, Rob Cantrell, Rich Vos, Tess, and Ralphie May. |
June 17, 2003 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eight-City Auditions | June 8, 2004 |
| 2 |
New York Semi-finals In the semi-finals the comedians perform on stage before an audience and even more judges. But, before the show-down, the comics had a party on the bus from the airport to the hotel. At the theater, they were divided into two groups of twenty. Ten from each group moved on. |
June 9, 2004 |
| 3 |
Las Vegas Finals (1) The twenty finalists go to Las Vegas and are surprised to find out that they have to room with one of the other contestants. The first group of ten perform. Five are chosen to move on and live in the house. |
June 15, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Season Premiere A preview of the new season. Each "house" goes backstage in separate "war rooms" to choose 5 comics from the other house to go up against. |
August 30, 2004 |
| 2 |
Week One Results of America's voting. The other 10 comics perform. To see the results of the previous week's voting, go to the Spoiler Thread |
August 31, 2004 |
| 3 |
Week Two The battle continues. This time each team chooses from themselves which 4 will perform. To see the results of the previous week's voting, go to the Spoiler Thread |
September 7, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Talent Scouts Look for Aspiring Comics Comics from across the nation compete in front of talent scouts to see who will move on to the semi-final round. |
May 30, 2006 |
| 2 |
Round One of the Semifinals Round one of the comic semi-finals begins, with special appearances by celebrity judges Kathy Griffin, Garry Marshall and Tim Meadows. Top comedians perform their funniest routines, with each hoping to secure a spot as a final contestant. |
June 6, 2006 |
| 3 |
Final Round of the Semifinals In the final round of the comic semi-finals, top comedians perform their funniest routines, but there is a surprise twist when the final contestants are ultimately revealed. Celebrity judges Kathy Griffin, Garry Marshall and Tim Meadows make special appearances. |
June 13, 2006 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Auditions 1 - New York City, Montreal, San Antonio In the fifth-season opener of "LCS," a global quest to find the funniest comic begins with star searches in New York City, Montreal, and San Antonio. Bill Bellamy takes over as the new host. Alonzo Bodden, Ant and Kathleen Madigan serve as talent scouts. |
June 13, 2007 |
| 2 |
Auditions 2 - New York City, Montreal, San Antonio In the fifth-season opener of "LCS," a global quest to find the funniest comic begins with star searches in New York City, Montreal, and San Antonio. Bill Bellamy takes over as the new host. Alonzo Bodden, Ant and Kathleen Madigan serve as talent scouts. |
June 13, 2007 |
| 3 |
Auditions 3 - Los Angeles, Australia A quest to discover comedic talent features a star search in Los Angeles and Australia. |
June 20, 2007 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Auditions 1 Talent scouts begin their search for the Last Comic Standing. The search begins in New York City with talent scouts Richard Belzer and Steve Schirripa. The search then moves on to Tempe with talent scouts Fred Willard and Kathy Najimy. |
May 22, 2008 |
| 2 |
Auditions 2 Last Comic Standing arrives in Los Angeles. Talent scouts Angela Kinsey and Oscar Nuñez from NBC's hit comedy The Office are the judges the comics need to impress. One of the first comedians, Ron G., opens with jokes about his dream-snatcher girlfriend and gets a pass to the evening showcase. The usual crazy comics are ever present. One guy doesn't even want to be a comic! Then there's the scary "mistress of death." Both are obvious no-nos. Amber Tozer manages to get through with jokes about her dysfunctional family. Adam Richmond, a naughty Jew who loves Jesus, makes the first cut as well. |
May 29, 2008 |
| 3 |
Auditions 3 The hunt for the Last Comic Standing continues with auditions. French Stewart and Josh Gomez scout for talent in San Francisco, while Dave Foley and Richard Kind scout for talent just north of the border in Toronto. |
June 5, 2008 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Auditions 1, Los Angeles Season 7 of the star search for America's funniest comic kicks off with auditions and a comedy showcase in Los Angeles. Craig Robinson ("The Office") is the new host. Andy Kindler, Natasha Leggero and Greg Giraldo serve as talent scouts and judges. |
June 7, 2010 |
| 2 |
Auditions 2, New York City New York City is the setting for continued auditions and a comedy showcase. |
June 14, 2010 |
| 3 |
Auditions 3, New York City The judges continue season seven’s search for America’s funniest comic with auditions and a comedy showcase in New York City. |
June 21, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Premiere (Invitationals 1 & 2) Season 8 of the star search for America's funniest comic kicks off with auditions. Roseanne Barr, Keenen Ivory Wayans and Russell Peters are the judges. J.B. Smoove is the host. |
May 22, 2014 |
| 2 |
Invitational 3 Comics hope to advance to the semi-final round. |
May 29, 2014 |
| 3 |
Invitational 4 The comics deliver their sets during the final round of invitationals. |
June 5, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Premiere Season 9 kicks off with the Invitational Round, where 100 of America's best and brightest comics perform for the judges and the top comics advance to the semifinals. New judge Norm Macdonald joins the panel along with current judges and comedy icons Roseanne Barr and Keenen Ivory Wayans. Comedy Central roast veteran Anthony Jeselnik will join the fun as the new host of the season. |
July 22, 2015 |
| 2 |
The Invitationals (2) The second group of Invited Comics takes the stage to compete for a spot in the semifinals. |
July 29, 2015 |
| 3 |
The Invitationals (3) The third group of comics compete for a spot in the semifinals. |
August 5, 2015 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | NBC |
|---|---|
| First aired | June 10, 2003 |
| Last aired | September 9, 2015 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Status | Canceled |
| Schedule | Wednesday at 22:00:00 |