Showtime will air a documentary series about the Los Angeles club The Comedy Store. There will be four parts, directed and executive produced by Mike Binder. The as yet untitled project is expected to premiere in 2020.
The series “brings to life the legends, heartbreak and history created at The Comedy Store, which over the past 47 years has launched the careers of a breathtaking array of stars,” said Showtime. “As a Comedy Store alum, former stand-up comic Binder spotlights one of pop culture’s great laboratories with never-before-seen footage and incisive, emotional interviews with some of the biggest names in comedy. Among the comedians who got their start or developed at the Comedy Store are David Letterman, Jay Leno, Richard Pryor, Paul Mooney, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Tom Dreesen, Sam Kinison, Paul Rodriguez, Sarah Silverman, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Marc Maron, Whitney Cummings, Iliza Shlesinger, David Spade, Sebastian Maniscalco, Annie Lederman, Jeff Ross, Theo Von, Bobby Lee, Bob Saget, Howie Mandel, Joe Rogan, Chris D'Elia, Jimmie Walker and many more.”
Mike Tollin is executive producing as well, along with Jon Weinbach, Peter Shore and Paul Young.
"The Comedy Store is a magical place – it's Juilliard for stand-up comics, the Bolshoi Ballet of comedy,” said Binder. “It’s an honor for me to be able to return home to my roots, and I am so grateful to be able to tell this remarkable story."
Binder wrote and directed the films Black or White, The Upside of Anger and Reign Over Me, and created and starred in the series The Mind of the Married Man. He has executive produced on Ray Donovan and directed on Billions.
Tollin’s projects include Showtime’s The Franchise, along with Varsity Blues, Coach Carter, Radio, Arli$$ and Smallville. He was one of the original producers of the 30 For 30 documentary series.
