Billy Crystal Starring in FX's THE COMEDIANS

[Sawyer]

http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/bil...x-larry-charles-lands-at-fx-with-pilot-order/

Billy Crystal-Starring Comedy From Matt Nix & Larry Charles Lands At FX With Pilot Order
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

The hot cable comedy project, which has Billy Crystal attached to star, co-write and executive produce, Burn Notice creator Matt Nix co-writing/executive producing and Curb Your Enthusiasm and Borat‘s Larry Charles directing/co-writing and executive producing, has been picked up by FX with a pilot order. Titled The Comedians, the single-camera comedy, which was taken out earlier this month, is produced by Fox TV Studios, marking the first FX pilot to not come out of the in-house FX Prods.

In The Comedians, Crystal plays a superstar veteran comedian who is reluctantly paired with a younger, edgier comedian for a late-night comedy sketch show. It is based on the 2004 Swedish series Ulveson And Herngren, starring comedians Felix Herngren and Johan Ulveson as they put together a sketch program. Charles is set to direct the pilot, which is said to be in the documentary style he perfected on another cable comedy starring a veteran stand-up comedian, HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. Charles, Nix and Crystal are co-writing with comedy writer-producer Ben Wexler, who previously worked with Nix on Nix’s Fox dramedy The Good Guys. The four executive produce with Nix’s manager, producer Mikkel Bondesen and Henrik Bastin, both of Fabrik Entertainment (formerly Fuse), which, like Nix, is under a deal at FtvS. Carl Molinder and John Nordling of Stockholm-based Efti AB, which is behind the original series, also executive produce. Fabrik’s Kristen Campo co-exec produces. “It truly is an honor to be in business with Billy Crystal and Larry Charles, two of the all-time greats in comedy,” said FX president John Landgraf. “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.” Added FtvS president David Madden, “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.” It hasn’t been specified, but The Comedians will likely be for the main FX channel vs. upstart FXX.

This marks Crystal’s return to TV. After stints on Soap, his own variety show and Saturday Night Live in the 1980s, Crystal has been focused on features, only returning to TV to host the Oscars and to direct and executive produce the HBO baseball movie 61*. Wexler most recently worked on NBC’s Community. Charles most recently directed ABC’s comedy pilot Mixology, which was picked up to series. Crystal next reprises his role in the voice cast of Pixar’s Monsters Inc. prequel. Crystal is with CAA, Charles and Nix are with WME.

Here is a “best of” reel for Ulveson And Herngren for those who understand Swedish.

Given that this isn't part of some ridiculous 10-90 deal, I'm excited. FX knows comedy (minus Charlie Sheen).

 

[Sawyer]

Crystal Discusses The Comedians

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Since the year is not 1989, I think I'll skip this.

 

[Sawyer]

Since the year is not 1989, I think I'll skip this.

OR IS IT?!

 

[runawayboulder]

I wish it was.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

I wish it was.

Then all we'd know is a Joker who dances to Prince music. Could you really go back to such a world?

 

[Sawyer]

Then all we'd know is a Joker who dances to Prince music. Could you really go back to such a world?

Half the internet would be complaining about him dancing to Prince rather than MJ.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Half the internet would be complaining about him dancing to Prince rather than MJ.

Internet? What Internet? In 1989 we play Super Mario Bros. 3, son. And why talk about anything else when you're on the school bus (which was the message-board of its day).

 

[Sawyer]

Internet existed in my alternate-1989.

 

[Sawyer]

http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/josh-gad-to-star-opposite-billy-crystal-in-pilot-the-comedians/

Josh Gad To Star Opposite Billy Crystal In Pilot ‘The Comedians’
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

Actor-comedian Josh Gad has landed the co-lead opposite Billy Crystal in the cable pilot The Comedians. Gad also will serve as a producer on the project from writers/executive producers Billy Crystal, Larry Charles, Matt Nix, and Ben Wexler. Based on a Swedish format, The Comedians centers on a young, hip comic on the rise (Gad) who resents – and rails against – his pairing with an aging superstar comedian (Crystal) for a late-night comedy sketch show. Charles is directing the FX/Fox TV Studios pilot, with Mikkel Bondesen and Henrik Bastin also executive producing. The Comedians expands Gad’s relationship with Charles after the actor recently signed on to star as Sam Kinison in the Charles-directed biopic of the comedian. The Book Of Mormon and 1600 Penn alum Gad will next be seen as Steve Wozniak in Jobs, in Thanks For Sharing as well as Zach Braff’s Wish I Was Here and Best Man, Inc. opposite Kevin Hart. He is with Brillstein Entertainment, ICM Partners & Ziffren Brittenham.

Blerg.

 

[Sawyer]

http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/fxs-the-comedians-adds-cast/

FX’s ‘The Comedians’ Adds Cast
By THE DEADLINE TEAM

Matt Oberg, Stephnie Weir and Megan Ferguson have joined the cast of FX‘s The Comedians, the hot cable comedy project with Billy Crystal attached to star, co-write and produce. Oberg (30 Rock) plays Mitch, the head writer of the sketch show who’s eager even when he’s being bulldozed by Billy. Weir (Big Day, MADtv) will play Kristen, the anxiety-ridden producer of Billy and Josh’s sketch show, who frequently finds herself caught in the middle of their arguments. Ferguson (Mad Men, Almost Human) takes on the role of Esme, a no-nonsense PA who is mostly over it all, including Billy. Oberg is repped by CAA, Vincent Nastri at Bleeker Street Entertainment, and attorney Mitch Smelkinson; Weir by UTA, Meghan Schumacher Management,and attorney David Fox; Ferguson by CAA and Principato-Young.

 

[Maximus One]

This sounds pretty good actually

 

[Sawyer]

Series Order

 

[Sawyer]

http://tvline.com/2015/01/18/louie-season-5-premiere-date-the-comedians-fx/

Preceding Louie, freshman laugher The Comedians will also debut April 9 at 10 pm.

Per FX, the 13-episode Comedians stars Billy Crystal as “a comedy legend who is reluctantly paired with Josh Gad (1600 Penn), an edgier up-and-coming star, in an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at a fictional late-night sketch comedy show where egos and generations collide.”

Mel Brooks will guest-star as himself in an episode when Crystal’s character goes to him for advice, executive producer Ben Wexler revealed at the show’s panel.

 

[Sawyer]

Premieres tonight.

 

[Sawyer]

"He's afraid of the word 'cock'. That's not comedy, that's homophobia."