‘Last Comic Standing’ Strike Ends with Union Deal

The Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has unionized the post-production editors on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” after a two-day strike.

Local 700 of IATSE announced Tuesday it had reached a deal with NBCUniversal: “Thanks to the courage and cohesion they demonstrated, and to the overwhelming support showed to them by their Local 700 sisters and brothers and the entire IATSE community, the post crew of ‘Last Comic Standing’ will return to work tomorrow under an IATSE contract!”

The strike took place a month before the scheduled May 22 premiere. J.B. Smoove (pictured above) is hosting with Roseanne Barr , Russell Peters and Keenan Ivory Wayans judging.NBCUniversal had no immediate comment.

The strike involved a crew of more than a dozen editors and assistant editors who operate in a cutting room in Glendale, Calif., along with on-set postproduction work. The strike began less than two hours after editors received their first round of network notes for hours one and two of the show.

The current season of the reality-competition program is a reboot of the series that ran on NBC from 2003 to 2010.

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