Strike Back Studios will release Laugh It Forward, a new stand-up comedy series showcasing the freshest voices in comedy. The first episode will be hosted by Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown, Silicon Valley) and will drop on June 3, 2025, with new episodes releasing weekly throughout the month. In addition to Yang, the initial lineup of “Presenters” will spotlight celebrity comedians Rob Riggle (21 Jump Street, Night School), Jay Pharoah (Saturday Night Live, The Blackening), King Bach (The Babysitter, Holidate), and Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary, Bruce Almighty).

Set against the backdrop of L.A.’s legendary Viper Room on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, the series blends star power with fresh talent, offering a dynamic mix of cutting-edge comedy and a speakeasy vibe. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity comic who presents their favorite up-and-coming comedians, creating a feel-good experience that laughs it forward for the next generation of comics.

Featured comedians include Vinny Fasline (Netflix Is a Joke Festival), Andrea Jin (The Late Late Show), Nicky Paris (LA Times’ Best Comics to Watch in LA), Comedian CP (How to Die Alone), Nick Guerra (HBO’s Nick Guerra: Love Me at My Worst), Erica Rhodes, Sydney Castillo (My Cup is Full Podcast), and more. With its production style rooted in the intimate, underground energy of the Viper Room, the series brings the allure of a prohibition-era speakeasy to a modern audience.

The series is executive produced by McG, Mary Viola, Corey Marsh, and Jesse Murphy on behalf of Wonderland, alongside Shannon Houchins and Trevor O’Neil for Hideout Pictures, with Noor Ahmed serving as producer. Laugh It Forward is directed by Michael Tiddes (A Haunted House, Half-Baked 2, Jeff Ross Presents) and edited by two-time Emmy Award winner Michael Schultz (Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only, Trevor Wallace: Pterodactyl).

Plans for additional installments are already in motion, aiming to further elevate the series as a platform for comedy’s rising stars.

EPISODE SCHEDULE:

Episode 1 – Celebrity Headliner: Jimmy O. Yang – Air Date: 6/3/2025

Episode 2 – Celebrity Headliner: King Bach – Air Date: 6/10/2025

Episode 3 – Celebrity Headliner: Lisa Ann Walter – Air Date: 6/10/2025

Episode 4 – Celebrity Headliner: Jay Pharoah – Air Date: 6/17/2025

Episode 5 – Celebrity Headliner: Rob Riggle – Air Date: 6/24/2025