Talent executives Ross Mark and Bob Read travel the country holding open casting calls in search of comics to compete for the title of Last Comic Standing. Mark and Read eventually choose a certain number of people from each casting call to compete in the semifinal qualifying round. In the semifinal round, the comics perform before a live audience at the Alex Theater in Los Angeles. The semifinalists are judged by a panel of professional comics and the show's producers, who ultimately determine the finalists, who then move into a Los Angeles house where they live during the competition. After a series of weekly contests and head-to-head competitions in which contestants are eliminated, a winner is ultimately chosen by viewers' vote. The winner gets a stand-up special on Bravo and a development deal with NBC.