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 Buteau does Late Night Whenever in podcast form
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Late Night Whenever with Michelle Buteau is a late night-style show that, much like The Tonight Show and The Late Show, features monologues, musical accompaniment, and interviews with celebrity guests. Unlike these late night staples, however, Buteau’s new venture with WNYC studios is a podcast — hence the “whenever” of the title. “I’ve always wanted to host a late night-style thing instead of something for the daytime. I’m too sassy for daytime television, but I have too many feelings for late night,” the comedian told us. “Late Night Whenever feels like a perfect combination of all of that.”
Louie Anderson says Hey Mom and shows off his Big Underwear
Earlier this week, comedian Louie Anderson concluded yet another banner season of Baskets with the release of his new book Hey Mom: Stories for My Mother, But You Can Read Them Too and the stand-up special Big Underwear. Both are equally wonderful in their own right, as is Anderson’s Emmy Award-winning role of Christine on the hit FX series, but the 65-year-old entertainer had only one message for us earlier this week: call and talk to your parents. “All the things that are in the book,” he said of his desire to talk to his late mother, “came from real places and real thoughts.”
Kathy Griffin pulls off an uncanny Kellyanne Conway impression on The President Show
Following last week’s announcement that she would be playing Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway on The President Show, Kathy Griffin didn’t disappoint during Tuesday’s Make America Great-A-Thon: A President Show Special. Along with show creator and star Anthony Atamanuik’s Trump, Griffin managed to pull off a Conway that held its own against Kate McKinnon’s stellar impression on SNL. “I find it interesting the media used the words ‘pyramid scheme,'” she quips about Bernie Madoff. “Frankly, that’s anti-semitic when you consider the terrible suffering of the Jewish people in Egypt.”
Seth Rogen’s Hilarity for Charity is now available to stream
For the past six years, Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen’s “Hilarity for Charity” organization has hosted a comedy showcase to raise money for Alzheimer’s research. These shows were never broadcast until now, for this year’s event is now streaming on Netflix. The lineup includes Tiffany Haddish, Sarah Silverman, Michelle Wolf, John Mulaney, Nick Kroll, Kumail Nanjiani, Michael Che, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeff Goldblum, James Corden, The Muppets, Post Malone, and Craig Robinson & The Nasty Delicious.
Todo lo que sería de Lucas Lauriente ups the international ante on Netflix
Aside from last week’s “British invasion” (which, to be honest, has been happening for years), Netflix’s continued comedy expansion is also accruing more non-English-speaking acts from across the globe. French comic Fary’s Fary Is the New Black found a home on the streaming platform on Tuesday, while Argentine sensation Lucas Lauriente’s latest premiered today. In Todo lo que sería de Lucas Lauriente, he animatedly rattles off reflections on different generations and begs kids to stop saying “goals.”
What’s New(s)
Reggie Watts and Comedy Central hope to import the British panel show with Taskmaster
When he’s not too busy exploring new musical collaborations or expanding his stand-up following a successful stint on IFC’s Comedy Bang! Bang!, Reggie Watts fancies himself a gameshow host. Or at least that’s according to the new promo for Comedy Central’s new series Taskmaster, an adaptation of the hit British series that premieres Friday, April 27th. Watts will serve as the titular “taskmaster,” while Alex Horne will serve as co-host. Taskmaster will pit contestants Freddie Highmore, Kate Berlant, Dillon Francis, Lisa Lampanelli, and Ron Funches against each other as they complete increasingly odd tasks.
Weird Al Yankovic cultures a delightfully cheesy New York Times crossword puzzle
Weird Al Yankovic is nearly halfway done with his The Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, but that didn’t stop the musician cum comedian from writing some funnies for the New York Times this week. Specifically, the pun-happy lyricist helped the paper’s crossword puzzle experts compose a series of cheesy questions and answers for Wednesday’s edition of the full crossword in the Times‘s print edition. If you happen to have a copy of said edition, or know where to get one, then you’ll have one heck of a gouda time.
What’s Later
Greg Davies to declare You Magnificent Beast to the globe next week
Readers in the U.K., or American Netflix users who have watched any of Man Down, Cuckoo, or The Inbetweeners, will know the name “Greg Davies.” If the name doesn’t ring a bell, however, then maybe you will recall the British comic whose story about teaching hearing-impaired children caused Jodie Foster, Russell Crowe, and Ryan Gosling to lose their minds on The Graham Norton Show. If you do, then you know who Greg Davies is. This is good news, because the 49-year-old comedian’s new special, You Magnificent Beast drops Tuesday, April 10th on Netflix. It’s quite good.
