Fox gives J.B. Smoove his own sitcom

By Sean O'Neal | January 3, 2011 | 5:15pm

Aux Features TV

Comedian and master of the ass-related monologue J.B. Smoove will star in a Fox “blue-collar comedy” in the spirit of Roseanne, with Smoove playing a recently divorced dad who can’t afford to get his own place and is thus forced to move into the family basement, as so many have been forced to do in these tough yet hilarious economic times. According to Deadline, Smoove will then have various humorous interactions with his ex-wife and kids, as well as his parents, co-workers, and, interestingly, “a guy in a nursing home” (who better not exist solely as an excuse to make Cialis jokes, please).

The concept was co-created by Smoove and Aaron Shure of Everybody Loves Raymond and The Office, and it’s being produced by Smoove’s Date Night director Shawn Levy, who’s had a comedy crush on Smoove ever since he breathed some much-needed life into his film just by showing up and screaming for five minutes. Hopefully their combined force can come up with enough weekly material for Smoove to work his particular wiles on—albeit slightly sanitized, network-y wiles—but in the meantime, at least Smoove is still committed to 10 more episodes of the next season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.