Showtime has announced a new documentary series centered on the legendary Comedy Store. The yet-to-be-titled four-part series is slated for a 2020 release.
Mike Binder (Ray Donovan, Billions) will direct the forthcoming show and exec produce alongside Mike Tollin, Jon Weinbach, Peter Shore and Paul Young. The series will explore The Comedy Store‘s rich history through vintage performance footage and interviews with comedians including, among others, Judd Apatow, David Spade, Martin Lawrence and Bob Saget. As a Comedy Store alum and former stand-up comedian, Binder promises to shine a spotlight on the club in all its glory.
“The Comedy Store is a magical place – it’s Juilliard for stand-up comics, the Bolshoi Ballet of comedy,” Binder said in a statement. “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.”
The Comedy Store opened in 1972. Over the years, it has served as a launching pad and development grounds for some of the biggest names in comedy including David Letterman, Jay Leno, Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, Sam Kinison, Sarah Silverman, Jim Carrey, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, Whitney Cummings, Marc Maron, Sebastian Maniscalco, Joe Rogan, Jeff Ross and many more.