'Friends' Star Matt LeBlanc Going to Showtime for New Comedy

The actor in fact will play an exaggerated version of himself which he is glad to take because it would be 'devastating' to see someone else in that role.

Five years after he ended his successful run as Joey on "Friends" and three years after the spin-off, "Joey", was canceled, Matt LeBlanc gets a job in a new sitcom. Showtime in partnership with BBC 2 present a new comedy titled "Episodes" which will put LeBlanc as an actor of a dumbed-down TV show.

The show however won't only revolve around LeBlanc's character. The main idea is about a British couple whose TV show is turned into a dumb American sitcom when the format rights are sold in the U.S. "We jumped at the chance to get involved with this cock-eyed look at network television told through the eyes of unsuspecting British producers who don't know what hit them when they enter the lion's den of Hollywood," Showtime Entertainment President Robert Greenblatt said.

Responsible for making the single-camera show alive are co-creator of "Friends", David Crane, and "Mad About You" producer, Jeffrey Klarik. Six episodes are already on the line with the premiere scheduled in early 2010. No other actors have been announced as the cast.

"What a thrill to have two giants of the comedy world like Klarik and Crane to satirize what they know best: the making (or un-making) of art," Greenblatt said. "...And Matt LeBlanc - wryly sending up his own image - is icing on the cake." LeBlanc in return has expressed his glee, joking "I am so glad I got the part, seeing someone else play Matt LeBlanc would have been devastating."