Welcome to Comedy Now, a weekly column cataloging what comedy fans should know about what’s available in the streaming world. Whether it’s a brand new special, an old classic, or the oddball show that defies categorization, we’ll list as many as we can for your enjoyment right here. Who knows? We may even throw in a few non-streamable bits on occasion, like tour announcements from our favorite comics. You can check out last week’s column here.
What’s New
Chris D’Elia: Man on Fire (Netflix)
NBC’s Undateable may be no more, but Justin Bieber’s favorite comedian Chris D’Elia hasn’t let such upsets sour his stand-up career. His followup to 2015’s Incorrigible, the new Netflix special Man on Fire, is now available to stream on the leading platform. Aside from doing comedy shows, the former Whitney co-star will also feature in The Female Brain, the directorial debut of that series’ creator and star Whitney Cummings. The new film, which Cummings co-wrote with D’Elia’s fellow Netflixer Neal Brennan, recently premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
Hood Adjacent With James Davis (Comedy Central)
Though established shows like Broad City are set to return, Comedy Central has also been pumping out a great deal of new programming. New talk-centric series, like The President Show and The Jim Jefferies Show, have expanded the network’s slate to be sure, but Hood Adjacent With James Davis promises to do even more every Wednesday at 9pm ET. A comedic autobiography of Davis’ time growing up and living in South Central Los Angeles, Hood Adjacent “explores contemporary urban topics through a unique, hybrid style of comedy.” These include, for example, investigating how one get’s a so-called “hood pass.”
Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo (Netflix)
On August 15th, my standup comedy special “Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo” debuts on @netflix … pic.twitter.com/Rn04WkeBnn
— Brad Paisley (@BradPaisley) June 23, 2017
The success of streaming stand-up specials means more stand-up specials, which has (thankfully) translated into a more diverse array of comedians getting their turn in the spotlight. While “diverse” here largely applies to performers of different ethnic, racial and international backgrounds, however, some platforms have also invested in what some might describe as blue collar comedy. Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy’s We’ve Been Thinking comes to mind, as does the newly announced Brad Paisley’s Comedy Rodeo, which will hit Netflix in August. Along with the titular country star, fellow singer Reba McEntire and actor David Hasselhoff, Comedy Rodeo will feature stand-up by Nate Bargatze, John Heffron, Jon Reep, Sarah Tiana and Mike E. Winfield.
What’s Not
The Best Stand-Up Comedy Specials Of 2017 So Far
Speaking of there being a lot of stand-up specials, the first half of 2017 alone has seen at least 51 premiere on streaming platforms, basic cable and premium channels. That’s a lot of comedy to content with, and there’s still another six whole months to go! To gauge what the best, funniest or most innovative offerings were so far, Uproxx compiled a list of 12 — one solid pick for each month, as well as bonus selection — to help inundated audiences figure out what to watch next. (Or, for that matter, what to watch again.) Picks like Jerrod Carmichael: 8 are unquestionable, while others may turn a few heads.
What’s Heard
A Piece of Work With Abbi Jacobson (Podcast)
Speaking of Broad City, co-star and co-creator Abbi Jacobson has a new podcast in the works. Titled A Piece of Work, the WNYC and Museum of Modern Art-produced podcast won’t necessarily be about comedy, but considering Jacobson’s involvement and the guest roster amassed thus far, laughter is sure to ensue. Featuring the likes of Hannibal Buress, Tavi Gevinson, RuPaul, Questlove and Samantha Irby, A Piece of Work is “[i]nspired by frequently asked questions and responses from visitors to the [MoMA]” and will explore the possible answers to these prompts when it debuts July 10th. Episodes will be available on the WYNC and MoMA websites through August 9th.
What’s Live
Comedy and the Human Condition at the National Comedy Center (Festival)
If you happen to be in Jamestown, New York on or around the week of July 31st through August 6th, you may want to check out the annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival. Why? Because, in addition to the usual festivities, the new National Comedy Center — what a release dubs “the first national-scale, non-profit cultural institution and visitor experience dedicated to comedy” — will host a special Comedy and the Human Condition event. Jim Gaffigan, Kevin James, Robert Klein, Lisa Lampanelli and more than 20 other comedians will perform, while Lewis Black, David Steinberg, W. Kamau Bell, Kelly Carlin, Kliph Nesteroff and others will participate in panel discussions on various topics. The event will also offer attendees a preview of the George Carlin Archives, which is set to open in 2018. Tickets are available for purchase at the festival’s website.
