HBO Orders ‘All Def Comedy’ Standup Series Produced by Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons’s 2016 standup showcase special for HBO is becoming its own series. The network announced today that it’s given a series order to All Def Comedy, which will be taped in front of a live audience in October and premiere sometime in December. Like last year’s special, the six-episode series will be hosted by Tony Rock. “I have witnessed firsthand how the most cutting-edge, seemingly alternative comics become the driving forces in mainstream comedy,” Simmons said on the news. “I’m thankful to HBO for allowing me to give these new voices access to mainstream audiences everywhere.”