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Let’s All Settle Down + Catch Up On Comedy News Now That The Oscars Are Over

What kind of a message did Hollywood want to send by giving Jimmy Kimmel a partial standing ovation even BEFORE he began his monologue at the Academy Awards on Sunday night?

ABC

Were they happy to see someone they knew and trusted to host an awards show, or were they merely happy to know this means our long slog of an awards season is finally ready to close the books on 2023? Either way, Kimmel hosted the Oscars for the fourth time, making him an old pro at this, and more comfortable in taking his time to single out nominees.

The ceremony actually came in under time, most likely due to a lack of unnecessary schticks (worst: the sponsored tequila toast; best: John Cena’s nearly naked nod to the 50th anniversary of the Oscars streaker), as well as Al Pacino’s doddering of the Best Picture finale, when they clearly had time to celebrate each of the 10 nominees once more. Always fun to see just how many comedians were in the biggest movies (such as Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Ramy Youssef) as well as John Mulaney showing up to present the award for sound but not before riffing through the plot of 1989’s Field of Dreams!

Let’s get to some other recent items from the world of comedy before we also close the book on catching up for lost newsletter time and bring you up to speed on last month’s specials, the last week or two in late-night TV stand-up sets, and lots of movers and shakers in industry news.

A Closer Lick: Biden’s Late-Night Scoop

When Jimmy Fallon played with Donald Trump’s hair two months before the 2016 election, it led to unintended consequences for both of them. Trump won the election, but Fallon lost his late-night TV lead over Stephen Colbert. Two years later, Fallon was still trying to explain himself: “I did not do it to ‘normalize’ him or to say I believe in his political beliefs or any of that stuff.” So when President Joe Biden celebrated the 10th anniversary of Late Night with Seth Meyers by going down to the bottom of 30 Rock with Meyers to get ice cream cones at Van Leeuwen, neither of them expected it to make serious news, yet it did when Biden told reporters he hoped for a ceasefire in Gaza…while licking his ice cream. But a week later, people weren’t talking about it anymore. Is that a sign late-night has become less relevant? That our culture is too overwhelemed by memes and clips for anything to stick in our consciousness for long? Or is it a testament to Meyers and his show’s ability to diffuse the impact on him, at least, by roasting himself and everyone else for it as soon as he could?

A No-Bro-Ha-Ha On Capitol Hill

Did you hear the one about Capitol Hill Comedy/Bar?

I almost forgot to mention the kerfuffle on Capitol Hill — no, not DC, Seattle — but it really was much ado about nothing but a booking oversight. Did you really think the comedy venue in Seattle’s LGBTQ+ neighborhood, which has upcoming headliners in allies such as Eddie Pepitone and local Emmett Montgomery, would also book stand-ups like Jim Florentine? Somehow they’d put Florentine, Kurt Metzger, and Legion of Skanks guys Luis J. Gomez and Dave Smith on the bill later this year, and their clientele called them out on it. So they cancelled the gigs, and those comics already have found other nearby venues to play. But the outrage machine thrives on outrage, so Metzger’s rants got FOX News riled up, which got the fans of these comedians harassing and threatening the club’s bookers and owners. As the club’s co-owner, Dane Hesseldahl, told Seattle’s The Stranger: “I don’t think they shouldn’t be allowed to do their comedy. It’s about what’s best for business and what’s best for my customers.”

A Fly In The Ointment On The Fly On The Wall Podcast

Ted Sarandos is a fascinating guy, rising from comedy fan and video-store manager in Arizona to co-CEO of Netflix, who has leveraged his comedy fandom into Netflix’s domination of the stand-up comedy space over the past 10 years. Sarandos has gone from idolizing Lorne Michaels to becoming a friendly peer, with perhaps as much influence over his sphere?

I shouldn’t be too surprised or disappointed, then, that comedians Dana Carvey and David Spade might not ask any difficult questions of the man who singlehandedly can change their fortunes (and invite them to exclusive comedian parties, too, it turns out). On their Fly on the Wall podcast last Wednesday, Spade commended Sarandos for backing Dave Chappelle whether he agrees with the jokes or not, while Carvey compared stand-up comedy to a big bookstore where you can pick out the books you like and leave the rest. “People like to think about all kinds of diversity except for diversity of thought,” Sarandos said. “I think comedy is one of these places where you should have a pretty open playground to figure out, you know, ideas. And ideas have to live through conversation, and I think comedy is a great place to start the conversation.”

And yet. If you’re going to run “a pretty open playground” that’s also the only major global player for comedians and therefore the most coveted, how open is your playground if you’re so OK with bullies that you’re paying them the most to bully the weakest comedians and fans on the playground?

I’m more disappointed in Spade’s assertion that at least transgressive comedians are pushing the envelope, saying: “But they’re trying stuff. It’s not the same six jokes that everyone’s allowed to use.” Except they are saying THE SAME SIX JOKES, essentially, just the ones that’ll get them in “trouble.” You know, the trouble that gets them another Netflix special and the money and enriched touring ticket sales that comes with it.

From Sarandos: “I think that people when they talk about comedy and try to put it into camps, and like some people were taught to talk blue, and some people don’t, and one’s better than the other. I actually think it’s just an art form that has a lot of different shapes, and if you — some people like, if you do shock comedy — the hard thing from watching a lot of comedy over the years, like the hard thing is getting the audience back. So it’s actually just a different kind of art…because it’s not just a cheap laugh. You actually have to rein the audience back in, too, so you have to be able to master a lot of different things.” Getting the audience back may have been the hallmark of a headliner such as Bill Burr, who has loved digging holes early only to win the crowd over. But for the outrage machine comedians, particularly the richest and famous ones serving as role models for the rest, they’re proving that for every audience member they lose, they’re gaining new more loyal followers who come for the outrage.

Whether you’re simply in it to own the libs, or you’re getting clapter for pointing out the illogical hypocrisy of conservatives, you’re not doing comedy so much as cheerleading. You’re less a joke-teller and more of a jester, distracting your kingdom.

Spade mentions Hannah Gadsby in brief passing as an example of someone who was offended by Chappelle but found another way in sticking by Netflix. “Keep in mind that we try to do a lot of variety because—just like Netflix itself— people like some shows and don’t like others, that’s why we have so much to watch on Netflix, because tastes are really diverse, and certainly within comedy,” Sarandos said. “The point I was trying to make when people got angry was this idea that if you don’t like that idea, switch it and find another one. Find one you do like.”

I’d love the chance to sit down with Sarandos someday because his story is a fascinating one that says a lot about how the digital comedy boom got us where we are.

Follow The JFL Money (Out The Door)

No matter what any individual comedian tells you about their personal experience with Just For Laughs or specifically with Montreal and that festival — it turns out they were bleeding money more than anyone could’ve guessed? Unless you were the guy who JFL founder Gil Rozon had promised a lifetime job to, and after Rozon sold out in disgrace, the new owners canned the guy, who took JFL to court and won his case, resulting in a…get this…$850,538.26 order last week to pay archivist Andre Gloutnay for lost wages since his layoff through retirement age.

Moreover, the Montreal Gazette reported Thursday that JFL owed nearly $22.5 million to creditors. That includes $16.6 million to the National Bank of Canada, nearly $2 million to the Business Development Bank of Canada and more than $2.5 million to the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles, plus $611,000 to producer Equipe Spectra, and at least another $237,000 to part-owner Bell Canada.

Don’t expect JFL Toronto to happen in September now, either.

Last Month’s Specials

A roundup of stand-up comedy specials released in February 2024.

New on Netflix — 3

  • Feb. 13: Taylor Tomlinson: Have It All (my review)
  • Feb. 20: Mike Epps: Ready To Sell Out (my review) 
  • Feb. 27: Chappelle’s Home Team – Donnell Rawlings: A New Day (my review) 

New on Max — 1

  • Feb. 22: Rory Scovel: Religion, Sex and a Few Things In Between (my review) 

New on Prime Video, Amazon Originals — 1

  • Feb. 23: Jenny Slate: Seasoned Professional (my review)

New on Comedy Central — 1

  • Feb. 3: Jeff Dunham: I’m With Cupid (my review) 

New on NextUp — 1

  • Feb. 1: Angela Barnes: Hot Mess

New on Prime Video, for sale or rent — 8

New on YouTube — 18

There also were re-releases by David Cross (originally on Veeps), Paul Elia (originally on Mint), Kyle Kinane (originally on YT via 800pgm), and Joe Zimmerman (originally on YT via Nateland).

TOTAL HOURS: 35

HALF-HOURS: 19 (10 YouTube, 9 DryBar)

How does that compare to February 2023? Last year saw 49 hours and 14 half-hours, so we’re slightly off month-to-month.

And on the year, through two months we’re also slightly down from perhaps last year being peak stand-up (note: of course I’m only capturing as much as I can of what’s actually out there, so there’s potentially much more either on foreign platforms or labeled in a way that don’t come up in basic searches.

2024 (January+February): 59 hours, 39 half-hours

2023 (Jan+Feb): 79 hours, 34 half-hours

Last Week In Late-Night TV Stand-Up*

Kimmel is the only late-night TV host with his own comedy club, and pre-pandemic, he used his Las Vegas club to beam in stand-ups on Jimmy Kimmel Live! But these days, Kimmel is much more likely to invite on a bunch of comedians only to have them sit for panel chats. Oh well. Around the horn we go…

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Marcello Hernandez was a stand-up before he got Saturday Night Live and recounted his audition story last Thursday on Fallon before performing a set. In black tie.

Joe List also stopped by last week to do a set about his dumb friends and the fun they get into because of it.

Amd the week before that, Esther Povitsky promoted her new movie, Drugstore June, and joked about being pregnant for almost nine months and being engaged for much longer.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Ariel Elias visited Colbert last week to provide even more backstory to her heckler encounter in New Jersey that had gone viral in October 2022.

Late Night with Seth Meyers

Late Night writer Matt Goldich got a chance to promote his new YouTube special with a set on the show.

Industry News and Notes

What else is new-ish?

The longer I wait to hit publish on this, the longer this list gets, for one thing!

Which means I can also report that Funny or Die has named a new CEO: Kathy Goodman. Goodman got promoted Monday from being owner Henry R. Muñoz III’s senior adviser, and replaces longtime FoD honcho Mike Farah. Farah isn’t the only one leaving; so, too, is Chief Creative Officer Joe Farrell, though Farah and Farrell will continue in their roles executive producing After Midnight.

And Rob McElhenney has announced an expansion of his business as More Better Industries, recruiting Jackie Cohn from Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films to head up More Better Productions and develop more scripted/unscripted TV projects following up on Welcome To Wrexham‘s success. McElhenney’s company now also includes an investment branch and a brand-advisory branch.

Incredibly sad news today out of SXSW, as the driver in a hit-and-run accident outside of The Creek and The Cave in Austin overnight injured two pedestrians, killing one of them. No additional info to provide, but the festival is providing one-on-one counseling and resources for witnesses. Extending my deepest sympathies to friends and family of the pedestrians as well as to Rebecca and everyone at The Creek.

  • RENEWED: Abbott Elementary, for season four on ABC; Ghosts, for season four on CBS; Crime Scene Kitchen with host Joel McHale, for season three on FOX; Frasier, for a season two on Paramount+; Survival of the Thickest with Michelle Buteau, for season two on Netflix.
  • NBC has cast June Diane Raphael to star in the multi-cam pilot, Something Wicked, written and produced by Raphael with Dickinson creator Alena Smith.
  • Jermaine Fowler has a script commitment at FOX for a single-cam co-written with Zack Bernstein about a former jiu-jitsu champ’s fall from grace.
  • Tim Allen might resurface on ABC once again, this time leading the multi-cam pilot, Shifting Gears, as the widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop.
  • Freeform announced upcoming reality series, Wayne Brady: The Family Remix.
  • CBS has ordered a Young Sheldon spinoff from Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro and Steve Holland, and starring Montana Jordan and Emily Osment, tracking “Georgie” and “Mandy” and their family in Texas. Jim Parsons is set to appear in the Young Sheldon finale.
  • Jamie Foxx announced a new comedy special in which he’ll talk about what happened to him over the past year. Foxx and his daughter will return to host season seven of Beat Shazam this May on FOX.
  • AppleTV+ just announced a series order for a comedy starring Owen Wilson as a former pro golfer trying to rebuild his life.
  • Caleb Hearon will star in the film Trash Mountain, based on a script Hearon co-wrote, directed by Lilly Wachowski about a young gay man in Chicago who goes back home to Missouri after his father dies.
  • Peacock has ordered Mr. Throwback, a mockumentary series starring NBA legend Stephen Curry and Adam Pally.
  • Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura have launched their own vodka brand, Por Osos.
  • Colin Jost and Michael Che, meanwhile, have a brand deal with Jameson just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
  • Live From Washington, D.C., it’ll be Colin Jost delivering this year’s keynote at the White House Correspondents Dinner, scheduled for Saturday, April 27.
  • This Is Spinal Tap 2 has begun filming, with cameos already confirmed for Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, and Questlove.
  • Netflix has ordered Tires, starring Shane Gillis, premiering in May and set in an auto repair chain.
  • Prime Video has ordered Overcompensating, starring Benito Skinner, which Skinner also writes and executive produces, with original music from Charli XCX. It’s set in college with Skinner playing a closeted former football player and homecoming king.
  • Jay Pharoah will host new FOX game show The Quiz with Balls this summer. FOX also has named Patton Oswalt as host of upcoming series, The 1% Club, based on a hit format by the BBC, with reruns airing on Prime Video.
  • Brooke Posch, former head of Jax Media, is launching Good&Done to produce TV and movie comedies.
  • A Naked Gun reboot starring Liam Neeson? Thank the Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer for directing, Seth MacFarlane for producing, and Dan Gregor and Doug Mand for writing it!
  • Hulu has ordered half-hour comedy series Chad Powers, from co-creators and executive producers Glen Powell and Michael Waldron, starring Powell and based on an ESPN sketch starring Eli Manning as a disgraced college quarterback.
  • FOX has two sitcoms in development based on concepts from abroad — one called Meet The Kumars (as in BBC’s The Kumars At No. 42), the other The Donut (a single-came from CBC starring Catherine Reitman and Philip Sternberg from Workin’ Moms).
  • Whoopi Goldberg is helping launch new streamer Blkfam, targeting Black family audiences and founded by Larry Adams.
  • Jay Levine has taken over as CEO of Kevin Hart’s HartBeat Productions.
  • Kevin James will co-star with Alan Ritchie in a new action-comedy film, Playdate, directed by Luke Greenfield and written by Neil Goldman.
  • Our Flag Is Death has surrendered hopes of finding a new place to dock following the show’s cancellation by Max.
  • Max also cancelled Rap Shit after two seasons
  • Apple TV+ also cancelled Schmigadoon after two seasons
  • And Hulu foolishly has cancelled This Fool after two seasons.
  • TruTV has axed Tacoma FD after four seasons.
  • Alice Levine from “My Dad Wrote a Porno” and Dino Sofos from “The New Agents” are launching The Crossed Wires, a British podcast festival scheduled for Sheffield May 31 to June 2.
  • The CW Network, Roku Originals and Stan are partnering on eight-episode series Good Cop/Bad Cop, starring Leighton Meester, Luke Cook and Clancy Brown.

R.I.P. Jerry Foley

Jerry Foley, the longtime director for David Letterman’s NBC and CBS late-night shows, has died following a ski accident last week. Foley was 68.

R.I.P. Steve Lawrence

Of course, we cannot forget to pay at least brief tribute to Steve Lawrence, known primarily as a crooner who as a solo act or a duo as “Steve and Eydie” with his wife, Eydie Gorme, who proceeded him in death. Lawrence also made merry onscreen in not only his own CBS variety show, but also as a regular on The Carol Burnett Show, and of course his role as manager of The Blues Brothers, Maury.

Lawrence died last week at 88.

R.I.P. Hank Bradford

Hank Bradford, a stand-up and former head writer on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, died back in January, his family announced in February. Bradford was 88. He had performed on The Tonight Show in 1966 before getting hired as a writer in 1969 and fired in 1975. He returned to late-night in 1986 writing for Carson’s competition, Joan Rivers and The Late Show. His other stand-up TV credits included 1960s performances on Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and Pat Boone’s shows. Bradford also wrote episodes of M*A*S*H and Three’s Company. You can hear Bradford tell a lot of his story to Mark Malkoff in this 2017 episode of “The Carson Podcast.”

OK, that’s a wrap on this dispatch. Let’s try to do better everybody, and that includes me. If you haven’t yet subscribed to the newsletter, please do and then you can get these missives directly in your email. And if you really like what I’m doing and have some cash/credit to spare, please consider a donation or becoming a paid subscriber. Thanks!

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