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
Hannah Gadsby gives an amazing last hurrah in Nanette
On Tuesday, Australian comic Hannah Gadsby’s new special, Nanette debuted on Netflix. And while the 40-year-old performer doesn’t have as big of a following in the United States as she does in Australia and the United Kingdom, the timing of Nanette‘s global release couldn’t have been more apt. Why? Because, as The New York Times comedy critic Jason Zinoman writes, “It was only a matter of time before a stand-up comedian channeled the righteous rage of the current feminist moment.” Sure enough, Gadsby’s special feels like it was tailor-made for the era of #MeToo and Time’s Up.
What’s New(s)
The Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis gets a host and another teaser
When Comedy Central first announced that action film star Bruce Willis would be the target of it next roast, the first question everyone asked themselves was, “Will they talk about The Return of Bruno?” Judging by the latest teaser for the new hour, the answer to that question is an undeniable “yes.” As for the second question nobody seemed to ask, a press release from Comedy Central has also provided an answer for that. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who played a younger Willis hell-bent on killing him in Rian Johnson’s science fiction thriller Looper, will be taking another crack at his co-star when it airs Sunday, July 29th.
The Comedy Lineup gets its first trailer
Back in January, news broke that Netflix was working on a second stand-up comedy series, this time comprising of multiple comics performing 15-minute sets. The names of the 16 comedians who were participating was also revealed, and eight of them — Michelle Buteau, Phil Wang, Taylor Tomlinson, Ian Karmel, Jak Knight, Sam Jay, Sabrina Jalees and Tim Dillon — will appear in The Comedy Lineup‘s first part come Tuesday, July 3rd. On Friday, Netflix dropped a short teaser for the upcoming series featuring previews of the eight participant’s sets.
Jim Jefferies returns to Netflix with This Is Me Now…
https://twitter.com/jimjefferies/status/1008825538671022080
On Monday, comedian and Comedy Central show host Jim Jefferies announced his third Netflix special, This Is Me Now, will debut Friday, July 13th on the platform. “My new stand-up special is coming to Netflix. It’s called This Is Me Now and it’s out Friday, July 13th. It’s for people who enjoy comedy, and other people that they associate with.” Most famous for his gun control screed in 2014’s Bare, Jefferies continued harping on America’s Second Amendment debate in 2016’s Freedumb. Seeing as how the comic has tried to “pass on his gun control mantle,” there’s no telling if This Is Me Now will address the subject.
…as will Iliza Shlesinger in Elder Millennial…
https://twitter.com/iliza/status/1009497415194329088
A week and a half later, Iliza Shlesinger — one of the first working comedians to start releasing new specials on Netflix — will release her fourth special with the streamer. (War Paint, Freezing Hot and Confirmed Kills premiered there in 2013, 2015 and 2016, respectively.) Titled Elder Millennial, Shlesinger’s latest comes from her current road tour, which will continue for months after its Netflix debut on Tuesday, July 24th. “Grab your Ugg boots and Juicy Couture sweatsuits and get ready,” she joked on Twitter.
…and Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
In early June, Netflix revealed the first teaser for the new season of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee web series, which was part of the massive deal they signed with the comedian. They also announced the season’s guest list, which includes Dave Chappelle, Kate McKinnon, Ellen DeGeneres, Hasan Minhaj, Dana Carvey, Neil Brennan, Tracy Morgan, Brian Regan, Alec Baldwin, Zach Galifinakis, John Mulaney and the late Jerry Lewis. On Tuesday, around two and half weeks before the new episodes debut on Friday, July 6th, Netflix dropped a brand new trailer featuring… Matthew Broderick?
What’s Later
W. Kamau Bell: Private School Negro goes all in on the White House
When he’s not too busy working on his Emmy Award-winning CNN program United Shades of America or writing hilariously reflective memoirs, W. Kamau Bell does comedy. Specifically, as he puts it in The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell, he tells jokes that are “stepping on the right toes.” Judging by the trailer for his upcoming Netflix special Private School Negro, out Tuesday, June 26th, that’s precisely what he’s doing. He sounds off on everything from the current presidential administration and racism in America, to parenting mixed race daughters and other choice topics.
