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
Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady (HBO)
On Saturday, December 2nd, The Daily Show correspondent Michelle Wolf will join the storied ranks of comedians with HBO hours when her first stand-up special, Nice Lady, debuts. According to the network, the special will — among other things — dive into the comic’s “surprising thoughts on feminism, the environment and how nature is sexist, the mystery surrounding public bathrooms, why Hillary Clinton could not be a ‘nice lady,’ how it’s easier to conceive a baby than to make a croissant, and more of life’s everyday absurdities.”
What’s New(s)
Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher: Back to Back available for presale (Album)
When they aren’t trying to find a home for the absolutely wonderful (and criminally underrated) comedy series Take My Wife, married comics Rhea Butcher and Cameron Esposito are on the road. Most recently, the pair embarked on the Back to Back tour, a double-bill stand-up show which they co-headlined with individual performances and collaborative routines. Sadly, I was unable to attend the tour’s recent Boston show but thanks to A Special Thing Records, Esposito and Butcher fans who missed out like me will be able to buy or stream the Back to Back album on Friday, December 8th.
Tickets for the 6th Annual Patrice O’Neal Comedy Benefit go on sale (Live Show)
If you happen to live in New York or will be visiting the area on or around Tuesday, February 20th, you can attend the 6th Annual Patrice O’Neal Comedy Benefit at the New York City Center. Founded in O’Neal’s honor following his death in 2011, the regular event is a night of stand up comedy to honor his memory. This year’s roster will include performances by Brendon Burns, Bill Burr, Pete Correale, Joe DeRosa, Sam Jay, Robert Kelly, Jessica Kirson, Jim Norton, Cipha Sounds and Rich Vos. All tickets for the occasion are priced at $75 a pop, and are currently available for sale at the City Center’s website.
Judd Apatow: The Return (Netflix)
On the heels of its initial teaser, comedy maestro Judd Apatow‘s return to stand-up, appropriately titled The Return, dropped a new trailer this week. Filmed at this year’s Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, the creative mind behind This Is 40 and Love‘s first stand-up hour ever “dives into the challenges of raising teenage daughters, the trials of binge-watching, trying to make former President Obama laugh and more.” Having spent the past few years shaping the comedy output of fellow stand-ups like Chris Gethard, Jerry Seinfeld and Pete Holmes, seeing Apatow return to his roots will be a treat for comedy aficionados.
What’s Later
Craig Ferguson: Tickle Fight (Netflix)
Speaking of Montreal, former The Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson also recorded a new stand-up special in the comedy-centric Canadian city. Titled Tickle Fight, the new hour debuts Tuesday, December 5th on Netflix, which dropped the first trailer for the special earlier this week. Among other things, Ferguson’s second concert film with the streaming giant will “[tackle] topics including the challenges of growing a beard, his love of hating magicians, coming of age in the 70’s, social media angst, and sharing what he believes to be the oldest joke in the world.”
