Billy Crystal Comedy Pilot Ordered by FX

NEW YORK: FX is piloting the comedy The Comedians, starring Billy Crystal, which is based on a Swedish format of the same name.

The Comedians comes from showrunners Larry Charles (Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm), Matt Nix (Burn Notice) and Ben Wexler (Community, Arrested Development). The show will see Crystal portraying a superstar veteran who is paired with a younger, edgier comic on a late-night sketch show.

“It truly is an honor to be in business with Billy Crystal and Larry Charles, two of the all-time greats in comedy,” said John Landgraf, FX Networks’ president . “We have also wanted for some time to be in business with Matt Nix, who has done such an amazing job creating and running Burn Notice. They, along with Ben Wexler, are an unbeatable team and we’re incredibly excited about this project.”

"To collaborate with such comedy royalty as Billy Crystal and Larry Charles, and writers and creators of Matt Nix and Ben Wexler’s caliber, is more fun than you’re supposed to have at work. We are truly honored," said David Madden, Fox Television Studios’ president. "And we also remain gratified to be in business with Fabrik—Mikkel, Henrik and Kristen somehow continue to unearth incredibly special formats that seem to translate and resonate for U.S. audiences."