New Urban Stand-Up Show Heads to Comedy Central

NEW YORK: Comedy Central has ordered a 6×30-minute urban and hip-hop stand-up series from Russell Simmons and Stan Lathan and hosted by JB Smoove.

Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm) will host the series that will be shot in Los Angeles on February 24 and 25 at the El Ray Theater. The series itself is set to premiere this summer. Each episode will feature three up-and-coming comics as well as music from DJ Cassidy.

"We’ve been trying to get into business with Russell and Stan for a while now and this new stand-up series is an exciting first venture for us to partner with them," said Elizabeth Porter, the senior VP of specials and talent at Comedy Central. "As someone who was a huge fan of Def Comedy Jam, working alongside these two incredible visionaries on this series has been nothing short of amazing. With JB Smoove as our front man and all the fresh faces that Russell and Stan have discovered for the show, we’ll be giving our viewers something really awesome each week."

"Def Comedy Jam made a significant contribution to American pop culture by introducing so many superstars," said Simmons. "Now, with Comedy Central as our new partner, we’re poised to present the next generation of star talent."