Steve Carell is producing an interview series for Showtime called "Laughing Stock," said the network's president of entertainment David Nevins at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour Thursday.
Each episode will feature sit-down interviews with very well-known comedians and comedy legends, including Steve Carell himself, who will serve as executive producer. Comedian David Steinberg, who will also executive-produce, will conduct the interviews.
Other luminaries who will be interviewed in season one: Tina Fey, Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Judd Apatow, Jane Lynch, Sarah Silverman, Don Rickles, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and Ellen Degeneres.
Nevins said that the show will debut in early 2012, possibly January.
"We have gathered a monumental assortment of comedic legends and their contemporary proteges," said Carell in a statement from Showtime. "It's enlightening, fascinating but more importantly, it's funny."
Said Sternberg in the same release: "What makes our show unique is you will see the comedian's connections to each other and to those who have influenced them in the past. It's like getting a look at a comedy tree of the last five decades."
Nevins also announced that the Don Cheadle comedy "House of Lies" will debut January 8 at 10 p.m. between the second-season premiere of "Homeland" and the fifth-season premiere of "Californication."
He said no decision has been made yet about whether "Weeds" will be picked up for another season.
Nevins also joked about the upcoming season of "Dexter."
"Jesus will not be in the show this season," he quipped.