NBC issues early renewal for Last Comic Standing 9, coming Summer 2015, with more America’s Got Talent, American Ninja Warrior

NBC’s press day at the summer TV Critics Association confab provided great news over the weekend for all three of its summer reality competitions — all of which also are hosted by or showcasing comedians.

Last Comic Standing, currently mid-revival for season eight with new executive producers Wanda Sykes and Page Hurwitz, won an early renewal for season nine in summer 2015.

Also coming back same time next year: American Ninja Warrior, hosted by comedian Matt Iseman; and America’s Got Talent, hosted by Nick Cannon with Howie Mandel as a judge and several comedians once again in the running for that show’s million-dollar prize and Las Vegas gig.

“The renewal of these three series is evidence that we continue to hit our stride in delivering quality entertainment to a broad viewership,” said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment. “All of the hard-working talented people on these shows – both behind and in front of the camera – should feel very proud of their achievements.”

America’s Got Talent ranks tops among summer reality TV shows — this year averaging a 3.1 rating in adults 18-49 and 12.4 million viewers overall for season 10.

matt-iseman-american-ninja-warrior-season-6

American Ninja Warrior is averaging a 1.8 rating and 5.3 million viewers overall for its sixth season, fourth on NBC (it began on what was then G4 on cable).

LastComicStanding_judges_2014

And Last Comic, now produced by Sykes and Hurwitz’s Push It Productions and also with Javier Winnik executive producing and Universal Television producing, is pulling in 5.1 million viewers weekly on average, with a 1.7 rating in adults 18-49.

Telegdy told TV critics on Sunday that “we missed it while it was gone,” and having Last Comic back gives the network another way to search for future talent (in addition and perhaps more substantially different from AGT).

No word yet on whether host JB Smoove and judges Roseanne Barr, Keenen Ivory Wayans and Russell Peters all are back on board for next summer. It’s also too early to tell you how to audition.

But trust that when I have that information, I’ll pass it along.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

View all posts by Sean L. McCarthy →