Comedy Central has announced that it will be making big moves with Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr.
Roy Wood Jr. has signed a first-look development deal with Comedy Central that covers content for television and new media. Under the deal, Woods will headline his third one-hour stand-up special for the network and will also write and star in an original digital series titled The Night Pigeon.
Sarah Babineau and Jonas Larsen, executives at Comedy Central, in a joint statement, said, “Roy is the ultimate multihyphenate. His top-notch skills as a stand-up comic, performer, writer and producer continue to amaze us — and he does it all while being one of the kindest humans in the business. His wry, observational humor speaks to social and political change, and we’re so excited to have Roy join an incredible roster of talent who have chosen to make Comedy Central their home.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Comedy Central will begin production in May on Jefferson County Probation in Wood’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Co-written by Wood and The Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder, the show will star Wood as a probation officer who bends the rules to help the clients he monitors, to the chagrin of his partner and everyone else in his life. Wood, McGruder, Daily Show host/exec producer Trevor Noah and Mainstay Entertainment’s Norman Aladjem and Derek Van Pelt executive produce. Millicent Shelton (Black-ish, 30 Rock) will direct.
Speaking up his upcoming projects, Wood said,”It’s my pleasure to partner with a network that understands an artist’s need to take the creative road less traveled to mine humor from complicated social prisms such as jail reform and gentrification/ Humor that also explores the human condition is the most meaningful but can sometimes be the most challenging. The Daily Show has answered that call numerous times, and I am excited to tell new stories with Mr. McGruder, who is no stranger to these waters. Excited to tell these stories in a new place (Birmingham) and even more excited to go on this journey with an African-American woman director at the helm. Comedy Central has proven to me to be the right place to take on this challenge. Also, my mom has a long list of chores for me to do. So it’ll be kinda cool to shoot at home.”
Congratulations to Roy Wood Jr.
