Amazon announces new Italian Original LOL: Last One Laughing
November 25, 2020
Amazon Prime Video has announced its new Italian Amazon Original comedy show, LOL: Last One Laughing, a challenge that will see ten professional comedians go head to head for six consecutive hours to see who can keep a straight face while simultaneously trying to make their opponents laugh, in a competition for a grand prize of €100,000 that will go to the winner’s charity of choice.
Comedians Elio, Caterina Guzzanti, Lillo, Angelo Pintus, Frank Matano, Katia Follesa, The Jackal’s Ciro and Fru, Michela Giraud and Luca Ravenna will take part in the unprecedented comedic experiment which will see them challenge each other with jokes, attempting to snatch a laugh from the group without giving in to the humour of the other competitors, bringing diverse comedic styles to the series: stand-up, character, improvisational, physical comedy and more.
The referee and host, Fedez, will observe this hilarious comedy contest from the control room with the support of co-host Mara Maionchi. Once the first comedian laughs, they will receive a yellow card violation and a second offence will earn them a red card elimination which will cost them the game. The last comedian to remain straight-faced will be the winner, and will be able to donate €100,000 to a charity of their choice. The ground-breaking six-episode comedy show LOL: Last One Laughing will launch on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in 2021.
“LOL is an Amazon Studios format that we are very proud of, it has been extremely successful with Prime Video viewers in countries around the world,” said Georgia Brown, Director of European Amazon Originals, Amazon Studios. “We’re very excited to be working with Endemol Shine to bring a local version to our Italian customers next year.”
“Experimenting with new formats requires courage and great confidence, that is why we are proud this unprecedented cast of comedians has enthusiastically embraced this challenge,” said Nicole Morganti, Head of Amazon Originals, Italy. “The strength of this Amazon original format lies in its simplicity: the ‘don’t laugh’ challenge, a game we all played as kids translated in a show with high production values. Alongside our cast of comedians, we welcome the hilarious couple of Fedez and Mara Maionchi: part referees, part hosts, but above all great allies, who will provide many laugh-out-loud moments themselves.”
“Working with Amazon Studios and Prime Video is always stimulating because it allows us to experiment each time with different languages and to take on new challenges”, said Leonardo Pasquinelli, CEO of Endemol Shine Italy. “After the real-life thriller Celebrity Hunted – Manhunt, this time we continue with a format that turns totally towards comedy. LOL: Last One Laughing is a project we are particularly proud of, a format that represents something really new, in which comedy sketches are skilfully mixed with those of reality shows, with a first-class cast from the Italian comedy scene. After Australia, Japan and Mexico, we are proud to be able to offer the Prime Video Italy audience with our own version of this comedic experiment, where we will also find some elements of the great tradition of Italian theatre.”
LOL: Last One Laughing is produced by Endemol Shine Italy. This new production is an adaptation of the popular Japanese Amazon Original series, HITOSHI MATSUMOTO Presents Documental, produced and starring Hitoshi Matsumoto who leads ten comedians in an anything goes “battle of laughter” behind closed doors; a successful format which has since been replicated exclusively for Prime Video in Mexico (hosted by Eugenio Derbez) and Australia (hosted by Rebel Wilson) and recently announced for Germany and Spain.