NBC'S HIT SUMMER SERIES "LAST COMIC STANDING," PREMIERING THIS THURSDAY, MAY 22, OFFERS FUN, WEEKLY "LAST COMIC DRIVING" FEATURE FROM HONDA

America Will Get to Vote For Their Favorite "Comic in the Car" On www.NBC.com

BURBANK, CA � May 20, 2008 � When NBC's Emmy-nominated series "Last Comic Standing" returns on Thursday, May 22 (9:30-11 p.m. ET), the lively laughfest will include a new weekly feature called "Last Comic Driving" featuring comedians performing comedy in a new Honda Pilot � the same car that will be awarded to the grand prize winner of the series. Bill Bellamy ("Def Comedy Jam," "Any Given Sunday") hosts "Last Comic Standing," which will air in its regular timeslot of Thursdays from 8:30-10 p.m. ET following the Thursday, May 22 premiere from 9:30-11:00 p.m.

For the first ten weeks of the 12-episode series, aspiring comics who aren't in the show will perform their funniest routines in the passenger seat of an all-new Honda Pilot, creating an interactive competition within the larger show. Viewers can go online at www.NBC.com/HondaSweeps and rate a new comic each week, and during week 11 will have a chance to see and rate all the comics one last time. Every time a viewer votes, he or she will be entered in a sweepstakes for a chance to win their own Honda Pilot. The ultimate winner of the "Last Comic Driving" feature will be seen in the season finale of "Last Comic Standing" on August 7 and win a cash prize provided by Honda.

This season, celebrity talent scouts � all past and present comedy stars from NBC hit shows past and present � help find the funniest comics in the international search featuring top comedians from more than 20 countries. In the premiere episode, Richard Belzer ("Law and Order: SVU") and Steve Schirripa ("The Tonight Show with Jay Leno") scout for talent in NY, while Fred Willard ("The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Mad About You") and Kathy Najimy ("Veronica's Closet") audition comics in Tempe, AZ.

After the first five audition episodes, the best comics move on to the semi-finals, and then it's a comedy showdown week by week until the live finale from the Paris Las Vegas. America will decide who will be the "Last Comic Standing" and win a $250,000 grand prize including an exclusive talent deal with NBC, a brand new Honda Pilot, and a starring appearance in Jubilee! at Bally's Las Vegas.

"Last Comic Standing" is produced by Peter Engel Productions and Universal Media Studios. The executive producers are Peter Engel ("Saved By the Bell," "The Next Best Thing"), David Friedman (NBC's "Last Call with Carson Daly," "NBC's New Years Eve with Carson Daly") and Barry Katz ("Action," "Dane Cook's Tourgasm"). Javier Winnik (NBC's "The Singing Bee"), Page Hurwitz ("Last Comic Standing 4 & 5") and Noel Guerra (Bravo's "Project Runway") are co-executive producers.