Larry Wilmore, stand-up comic, senior black correspondent for “The Daily Show,” and co-creator of the excellent “Bernie Mac Show,” is getting the post “Daily Show” slot “The Colbert Report” is vacating.
Titled “The Minority Report With Larry Wilmore” will launch in January following Colbert’s December departure.
Like “The Colbert Report,” the Wilmore show will be produced by “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart.
Press release!
LARRY WILMORE TO HOST "THE MINORITY REPORT WITH LARRY WILMORE" WEEKNIGHTS AT 11:30 P.M. BEGINNING JANUARY 2015 ON COMEDY CENTRAL(R)"The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore" Will Be Produced by Jon Stewart's Busboy Productions
Series to Provide a Platform to Underrepresented Voices in Comedy and Media Providing Comedy, Commentary and a Cultural Point of View on the News of the Day
NEW YORK, May 9, 2014 - Comedy Central has pulled from the ranks of "The Best F*&#ing News Team Ever!" and today announces the Emmy(R) Award-winning Larry Wilmore as the host of the #1 brand in comedy's next great late night franchise. Wilmore will take over the highly-coveted post-"Daily Show" time slot in January 2015 as host of "The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore," a comedic look at news, current events and pop culture from unique perspectives not typically on display in late night television. The series was created by Jon Stewart and will be produced by Stewart's Busboy Productions with Stewart and Wilmore serving as Executive Producers.
Continuing in Comedy Central's tradition of producing groundbreaking late night formats,
"The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore" will provide viewers with a distinct point of view and comedic take on the day's news from a perspective largely missing in the current late night landscape. Hosted by Larry Wilmore, the series will feature a diverse panel of voices currently underrepresented in comedy and television. More details will be revealed at a later date.
"We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with Jon Stewart and Busboy Productions, and are looking forward to the world getting to know Larry Wilmore even better. He's a spectacular talent in front of and behind the camera," said Michele Ganeless, President, Comedy Central. "'The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore' follows in the Comedy Central tradition - bringing new perspectives to the day's events and breaking ground in the world of late night television."
Said Stewart: "While Larry Wilmore is a brilliant comic and showrunner, this is all just a complicated ruse to get him to move to New York and turn him into a Knicks fan."
Said Wilmore: "I'm beyond excited to have this chance to continue my relationships with Comedy Central and the brilliant Jon Stewart. I love the city of New York and promise to only wear my Laker t-shirts when I'm layering."
Currently "Senior Black Correspondent" on "The Best F*&#ing News Team Ever!," Larry Wilmore joined "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" in 2006 after an award-winning career in television writing and producing in the early 90s. Wilmore (@thelarrywilmore) has written for shows such as "In Living Color," "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" and "The Jamie Foxx Show." He co-created the animated show "The PJs" with Eddie Murphy, as well as the critically-acclaimed and award-winning "The Bernie Mac Show," co-created with the late Bernie Mac, which won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 2002. Wilmore was also a consulting producer on NBC's "The Office," also appearing in a few episodes. More recently, he served as executive producer/showrunner on ABC's "Black-ish," which just received a series pick-up.
Wilmore, who started his career as an actor and stand-up comic before transitioning to writing and producing, has also appeared in "Dinner for Schmucks," "Love Bites," "Traffic Light," "Accidently on Purpose" and "Happy Endings." His first book, titled "I'd Rather We Got Casinos and Other Black Thoughts," was released by Hyperion Books in 2009. In addition to receiving an Emmy, Wilmore has been nominated for and received numerous other awards including a Peabody, Humanitas and NAACP Image Award.
Wilmore is represented by UTA, 3 Arts, and Tom Hoberman.
Video of recent Wilmore appearances on "The Daily Show" can be found here: on.cc.com/1m6L26M.
