The worlds of comedy and music are about to collide.
Comedy Central has ordered the unscripted stand-up/performance hybrid project The Comedy Jam to series, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
An extension of the “Comedy Jam” special that aired in August — which is based on the popular Los Angeles live show created by Josh Adam Meyers — the series gives top comedians the chance to play out their rock ‘n’ roll fantasies.
Each episode showcases stand-ups performing in front of a live audience, where they share memorable moments from their lives that are linked with an iconic hit song. After the telling of each story, the comedians live out their rock star fantasy, performing the song while backed by “The Comedy Jam Band.”
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Highlights from the special included Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson performing “Gangsta’s Paradise” with a surprise appearance by original artist Coolio, and Adam Devine (Pitch Perfect) singing Blink 182’s “All the Small Things.” A group performance of “We Are the Champions” closed out the night.
Meyers will exec produce with Mike and Tim Duffy and Joel Gallen, who will also direct. Gary Mann and Ryan Moran are the executives in charge of production for Comedy Central. The series, which hails from Ugly Brother Studios and Tenth Planet, will bow in 2017.
“We have been working under the false impression that what comedians want most is to have television and digital platforms to further their comedy careers,” Comedy Central president Kent Alterman said. “It turns out they really just want to be rock stars.”
The pickup follows the recent series order for the weekly talk show Problematic With Moshe Kasher.
The Comedy Jam is one of several unscripted series to feature a large musical component. Spike has found success with Lip Sync Battle and is getting ready to launch the spinoff Lip Sync Battle Jr. on sister Viacom network Nickelodeon. TBS recently greenlighted rap-battle series Drop the Mic, and Apple TV will launch the stand-alone Carpool Karaoke series. (Spike also has the similar format Caraoke Showdown.)
