By April MacIntyre May 4, 2008, 21:20 GMT
NBC's "Last Comic Standing" returns for a sixth season with host Bill Bellamy and special correspondent/popular UK personality Fearne Cotton stepping up the search for the funniest comedian on the planet.
Bill Bellamy - © Lee Roth / RothStock / PR Photos
This season will see talent scouts Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Brian Baumgartner and Kate Flannery ("The Office"), Dave Foley, Neil Flynn ("Scrubs"), George Wendt and John Ratzenberger, Richard Belzer, Steve Schirripa, Kathy Najimy, French Stewart, Josh Gomez ("Chuck"), Lonny Ross and Keith Powell ("30 Rock") also serve as talent scouts, along with Richard Kind and Fred Willard and Alfonso Ribeiro.
Bellamy was part of a panel that included executive producer Peter Engel, Kate Flannery and Josh Gomez on the Friday NBC summer press preview day at the Pasadena Langham.
He took a few minutes at lunch to answer some questions. I wanted his take on the new season.
“You will be surprised, but the women are bringing it this season, we have a crop of really funny women on this show so far,” Bellamy revealed.
Bellamy is a seasoned stand up comic, actor and a producer himself, and talked a bit about his other comedy endeavor, Who's Got Jokes" on TV One.
“I have my own show on TV One, and we look for comics all over.” I asked him if club owners ever tipped him off about hot talent.
“Oh sure, we get calls all the time from people telling us to check this person out or go see that one, the buyers are really good about that.”
I was curious to know who Bellamy would pay to see perform their comedy.
“I would pay to see Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Kat Williams, Bernie Mac, and I never have seen Jerry Seinfeld, but I would pay to see his show, I’m curious.”
Of all the venues Bellamy has performed in as a comic, I wanted to know his favorite comedy “home.”
“I came up in Caroline’s Comedy Club in New York City, so that would be my favorite room to perform still.”
And did he have a favorite club owner?
“Yeah that would be Louis Faranda at Caroline’s, he’s a trip, and he gave me my first break. And I would say Barry Katz too.
Last Comic Standing comes back May 22 9:30-11 PM ET on NBCRegular timeslot is Thursday at 8:30-10 PM ET
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