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 the previous column here.
What’s Now
DeRay Davis: How to Act Black (Netflix)
DeRay Davis, who will feature in the upcoming All Def Comedy showcase on HBO, just dropped his own Netflix comedy special earlier this week. Titled How to Act Black, the 21 Jump Street and The Boondocks‘ actor “nails the finer points of living, dating and handling show business as a black man living in America” during the fantastic set, which was filmed at the Variety Playhouse, a popular old movie theater-turned-music venue in Atlanta.
Hari Kondabolu’s The Simpsons Documentary, The Problem with Apu (truTV)
During a 2012 segment from the since-canceled series Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, show writer and stand-up comic Hari Kondabolu targeted The Simpsons — specifically the character Apu and voice actor Hank Azaria — in a now-famous bit. “Apu, a cartoon character voiced by Hank Azaria, a white guy doing an impression of a white guy making fun of my father,” he told the crowd. This Sunday at 10pm ET, The Problem with Apu — a documentary film Kondabolu made that was inspired by the bit — will premiere on on truTV. “I knew this was far richer than just that one-off piece with a few jokes,” he told Uproxx.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (Netflix)
Netflix has a new documentary about Andy Kaufman — specifically, Jim Carrey’s portrayal of the surrealist, character-driven stand-up in the 1999 film Man on the Moon. Titled Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, the film festival favorite combines new interviews with Carrey and others involved in the production with behind-the-scenes footage previously withheld by Universal Studios. Why? “[They] didn’t want the footage we took behind the scenes to surface so that people wouldn’t think I was an asshole,” Carrey explains. It is now available to stream on Netflix.
What’s New(s)
Comedians Address Louis C.K. (Hulu and others)
Since the New York Times published its story on Louis C.K.’s sexual misconduct, which the comedian and filmmaker later admitted to, his fellow comics have gradually addressed the matter. Late Show host Stephen Colbert, who worked with C.K. on The Dana Carvey Show, lightly touched on the matter. Others, like Jon Stewart and Marc Maron, discussed the issues on various podcasts and television appearances. Louie alum and real-life friend Sarah Silverman, however, provided one of the clearest and most in-depth responses to the C.K. story on her Hulu series I Love You, America: “I love Louis, but Louis did these things.”
Dave Chappelle: Equanimity Gets A Premiere Date And A Teaser (Netflix)
Nearly eight full months have passed since the first two of Dave Chappelle’s three promised Netflix comedy specials, Deep in the Heart of Texas and The Age of Spin, were released. Since then, the streaming giant has gone on to claim the abandoned HBO taping from 2015 (Texas) and the more recent comedic offering (Spin) were its most-watched stand-up specials ever. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen — nor does it really matter, for Netflix just announced a title and a premiere date for the third special. Dave Chappelle: Equanimity will stream New Year’s Eve 2017.
Judd Apatow: The Return Also Gets A Premiere Date And A Teaser (Netflix)
In June, comedy filmmaker extraordinaire Judd Apatow told Conan O’Brien he would officially return to the world of stand-up comedy with a new Netflix special in late 2017. Apatow is no stranger to the artform. He previously performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2015, and has since toured the country with his official “return” to stand-up. Hence The Return, which hits Netflix on Tuesday, December 12th. In addition, the teaser for Apatow’s first-ever hour features biting cameos by Mike Birbiglia, Amy Schumer, Ronny Chieng and Chris Gethard.
Craig Ferguson: Tickle Fight Also Gets A Premiere Date And A Teaser (Netflix)
As host of The Late Late Show, comedian and actor Craig Ferguson reigned as one of comedy’s most surreal performers and talk show hosts to date. Since then, the Scottish-born broadcaster has gone on to host other late night and game show programs — and even earned himself a few Emmys in the process. Yet Ferguson hasn’t stopped performing stand-up, and even has a new special coming out on Netflix next month titled Tickle Fight. To announce the new special, Ferguson took to Instagram with his Emmys and his young son, who played a guitar while donning Secretariat’s mask.
Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents Announces Its Next Lineup (Comedy Central)
The next season of Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents, which will begin taping in December and airing later in 2018, has announced its latest slate of new comedy talent for the half-hour specials. Emmy Blotnick, Tim Dillon, Devin Field, Megan Gailey, Chris Garcia, Langston Kerman, Mike Lawrence, Ryan O’Flanagan and Sarah Tiana will record their shows on December 8th and 9th at the Civic Theatre in New Orleans. Tickets, which are free on a first come, first serve basis, are available by request here.
The Fake News with Ted Nelms Reveals Its Existence (Comedy Central)
In The Fake News with Ted Nelms, a one-hour program set to premiere Wednesday, December 13th at 10pm ET/PT, Ed Helms will channel his salad days from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in what Comedy Central is calling “a hilarious satirical news special centered around fake news and the current political climate.” The one-off show will mirror a single hour of cable news television — be it CNN, Fox News or MSNBC — and center on Helms’s titular character, the anchor Ted Nelms. In a statement, the 43-year-old actor said The Fake News would essentially do what the actual newsmakers are doing, but with jokes.
What’s Later
Brian Regan: Nunchucks and Flamethrowers (Netflix)
News of veteran comic Brian Regan’s new deal with Netflix first surfaced in April, but the streaming giant made it official on Thursday with a title and a release date for the first of two new concert films. Brian Regan: Nunchucks and Flamethrowers will debut Tuesday, November 21st on the streaming giant. As for the second special’s timing, fans will have to wait and see what Regan has plotted for his next once he’s done presumably playing around with the titular flamethrowers and nunchucks. In an upcoming interview with Uproxx, however, he did joke about a possible title.
