Kevin Hart teams with Netflix on a standup comedy reality competition series

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https://deadline.com/2025/08/kevin-h...ix-1236484682/

Ten years after NBC’s Last Comic Standing ended its nine-season run, Hart wants to crown the next big name in standup comedy with a reality competition. "Guided by Hart and a crew of comedy titans, to be announced at a later date, the currently untitled eight-episode series is billed as an unfiltered, uncensored and unapologetic competition that will pull back the curtain on the gritty, hilarious and often unpredictable path of a stand-up career," reports Deadline's Matt Grobar. "Contestants from all across the nation will face rigorous tests that mirror the real-life journey of a comedian — from brutal open mics to bombed sets, rewrites and the pressure of big-stage performances. The competition will give viewers an unvarnished look behind the curtain of comedy’s darkest corners and brightest spotlights with the challenges inspired by comics’ actual career trajectories." For Hart's Hartbeat, "the comedy competition series marks the continuation of a mission to champion the next generation of comedic voices," says Grobar. "The company’s stand-up work includes the global comedy showcase Comedy in Color (featuring over 300 comedians from more than 30 countries); Hulu’s LOL Live, featuring both established and emerging talent; the recent revival of Comic View on BET; and producing stand-up specials for comics including London Hughes, Affion Crockett and the late David A. Arnold. Hart’s company also launched the career incubator program Women Write Now, designed to champion the next generation of Black women in comedy, both in front of and behind the camera."