NBC’s hit show Last Comic Standing returns May 22 for another season that’s sure to keep you laughing through the summer doldrums. Read ahead to find out more about the show from veteran host and comic Bill Bellamy.
HW: What are you looking for this season on Last Comic Standing?
Bill Bellamy: On a show like Last Comic Standing, we’re looking for not only funny people, but personalities as well, people that have something special that we think people would want to watch and learn their story. When you watch this season, you’ll notice that we’re taking you back to their hometown, getting you invested in a comedian. It’s not just doing standup now. You’re going to, like, know this guy or feel like you know this girl and want to vote for them and text in real fast. So it should be a lot of fun.
HW: How do you handle the contestants who think they’re funny, but really they aren’t?
BB: We have medication for those people [laughs]. We’ve been through — this is my second season hosting, so we pretty much know if you’ve got it. It doesn’t take more than two minutes to tell that you might have a little somethin’ somethin’. And the ones that are really bad, you know in twelve seconds.
HW: Female comics have it the toughest because they can’t get away with some of the more raunchy material Do they have to be 10 times as good as the guys?
BB: Yes…I’m joking around, but seriously, yes, because — you know why? It’s a male-dominated sport. There are more men comics than female. But the women are really good. I mean, there’s a lot of girls out there that don’t have to be raunchy to be funny…They have a perspective. They have originality. We have about — I would say about 12 to 15 girls that I can remember off the top of my head that are really funny, that got, like, strong laughs. And not just girls were laughing. Guys were laughing as well.
