Nellie Andreeva

JoKoyEXCLUSIVE: It used to be that Hollywood was signing stand-up comedians to TV deals all the time. Now it’s a rare occasion. But Jo Koy has inked a talent deal with Warner Bros TV to topline a comedy project based on his stand-up, which will be developed through Tom Werner’s WBTV-based Good Humor TV. While not a household name, CAA-repped Koy, who is a regular on E!’s Chelsea Lately, has built a successful touring career, selling out clubs around the country. In his comedy, the Las Vegas native (real name Joseph Herbert) focuses on his life as a Filipino American, his family, which includes his mom, siblings and his young son, as well relationships and stereotypes. Building a sitcom around stand-up comedians and their act was once a staple of comedy development that spawned hits like The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, Home Improvement, Roseanne, Mad About You and Everybody Loves Raymond. But lately, development deals with standups have become rare as the broadcast networks have started favoring single-camera comedies and gravitating towards more conceptual shows.

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