Hello, and welcome back to Comedy Means Business.
It's a special Tuesday edition, as I've decided it's probably better to publish when people are actually at their computers than while out on holiday.
In the last couple of weeks, I've discovered Des Bishop, whose latest special Of All People suggests he should be much better know by now, and a promising up-and-comer in Aaron Monte, who has a new half-hour, Good Morning, Mr. Monte. Highly recommend both.
ICYMI, in the last episode of my companion CMB podcast, I chronicle the personal and professional journey of Michael Strassner, the co-writer and star of the terrific holiday indie The Baltimorons, which deserved better at the Indie Spirits over the weekend. Watch that here.
Today's newsletter features exclusives on a new digital comedy platform in King Jester and new feature distributor in Joke Zero, new specials from Alonzo Bodden & Christian McBride and Daily Show scribe Matt Koff, plus new clients for WME and Gersh.
Before we get to that, I should flag that Deadline has booked its first live comedy event! As we'll be partnering with Don't Tell Comedy on a special edition of Don't Tell Comedy All-Stars at SXSW, set to take place at The Creek and The Cave on Saturday, March 14th at 7 p.m.
Stay tuned for more on that, but I hope to see many of you out there in Austin, TX.
All right, let's get going... |
| King Jester's Zack Slingsby and Brendan Nardozzi (Courtesy) |
DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE: Zack Slingsby and Brendan Nardozzi, the creatives behind short form and branded storytelling company Human Factor Media, have reteamed to launch King Jester, a new digital comedy platform that will serve as an incubator for the next wave of comedic voices and original IP.
A producer of premium scripted sketches and web series, King Jester was built to create fearless, culturally defining scripted comedy for the internet age, filling a growing gap in this space. Their work will feature rotating appearances from comedians, influencers, athletes, and unexpected guests.
Early adopters of the platform include a mix of well-known comedians like Leah Rudick, Jeff Dye, David Lucas, Cristina Mariani, Drew Lynch, Kim Congdon, Courtney Michelle, Joe Wong, and Sophie Buddle, among others. Recently, one of their original sketches, 1 Gen Z vs. 20 War Veterans, quickly went viral with nearly 30M views, highlighting the demand for the kind of content they're making. >>> More |
DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE: Joke Zero, a recently launched, comedy-focused production company founded by filmmaker Brandon Tamburri, has announced its expansion into all rights distribution with its first acquisition: the Tribeca prize-winning comedy On a String, marking the feature directorial debut of comedian Isabel Hagen, in which she also stars. Winning the award for Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature at Tribeca 2025, On a String will be released in theaters later this year. Joke Zero is eyeing a seven-day limited release in New York City to start and will expand from there into other major markets. |
Isabel Hagen and Dylan Baker in On a String (Joke Zero) |
Joke Zero's debut title as a producer was the comedy Plan B, starring Jamie Lee, Jon Heder, Tom Berenger and more, which was released in select theaters via Quiver Distribution and on all digital platforms in September 2024. In addition to producing the project, Tamburri was its co-writer and director. In the process of putting that film out, he decided to focus more on the distribution side of the business as he wanted Joke Zero to retain ownership and control of its projects. The company's expansion into distribution is facilitated by a partnership with private equity firm MAT Capital. As a distributor, they're targeting high-concept, star-driven films and prestige festival titles, while also making an effort to work with comedians and filmmakers with unique voices. They plan to acquire and release multiple titles this year, with hopes of scaling the business from there. All of their films will get some kind of theatrical release before moving to other platforms Outside of distribution, Joke Zero will continue to develop and produce projects of its own, with the documentary Cancer Free, chronicling comedian Terence Hartnett's cancer battle, currently in post-production. They have another film scheduled to shoot later this month. >>> More |
THE DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE - #3 |
ALONZO BODDEN PREPPING NEW SPECIAL WITH JAZZ MAESTRO CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE |
| Alonzo Bodden (Van Corona) |
NEWSLETTER ONLY EXCLUSIVE: Comedian Alonzo Bodden is teaming with jazz legend Christian McBride on a new special, Comedy and All That Jazz: Volume 4. It’ll tape at PHI Center in Montreal — the city that discovered Bodden — with shows at 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 5.
Blending stand-up from Bodden with live jazz accompaniment from McBride, the special reunites a duo who have been perfecting their chemistry for years on jazz cruises, most recently aboard McBride's inaugural World at Sea voyage through the Caribbean.
Charles-Antoine Thériault is directing, with Bodden and Ian Arougheti exec producing.
“I will always love Montreal. It’s where it all started for me,” Bodden told Deadline. “My career really started when I was discovered at the New Faces of Comedy at the Just For Laughs Festival. After that show I gave up the day job, and it has been nothing but comedy since.”
Bodden continued, “For me, Montreal is over 25 years of the festival, the food, the streets, the art. I love everything about Montreal. I can’t wait to tape this show.”
Performing for decades as a stand-up, Bodden won NBC's reality competition series Last Comic Standing in 2004 after coming in as a runner-up the season prior. Over the years, he’s released myriad specials and albums, most recently Stupid Don’t Get Tired via Helium Comedy Studios’ YouTube channel in 2022. A regular on NPR's quiz show Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me, he is repped by Silvera Arougheti Entertainment Group and Innovative Artists.
Spending the last three decades redefining the bass, composition, and jazz itself, McBride is an 11-time Grammy winner who claimed his most recent pair of statuettes at the 68th edition of the awards show on February 1st. He is repped by Nonesuch Records. |
EMMY-WINNING 'DAILY SHOW' SCRIBE MATT KOFF SETS SOPHOMORE SPECIAL 'CAT MAN' |
| Comedian Matt Koff (Matt Wilson) |
DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE: Veteran Daily Show writer Matt Koff is set to debut a new comedy special, Cat Man, on the streaming service Veeps on March 10. In his second hour of comedy, the Comedy Cellar regular discusses divorce, middle-age and cats — sharing his thoughts on the world's bias against men with cats. "People love cats, but men with cats make people uncomfortable. Including me," Koff tells us. "I'm a man with a cat and I'm creeped out by myself!" The special is also a reprieve for Koff from his main subject of joke-writing at The Daily Show: Donald Trump. He shot it at the Cellar with the help of some of his long-time Daily Show colleagues, including director David Paul Meyer, producer Asad Bokhari, art director Becca Gialanella, and George Countas, the lighting director fresh off his viral win as New York's top Pedro Pascal lookalike. Daily Show host Jon Stewart also makes an appearance. >>> More |
THE DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE - #5 |
| Dan Carney (Lucas Goldsmith) |
NEWSLETTER ONLY EXCLUSIVE: WME has signed Dan Carney , the New York comedian recently highlighted as a Discovery of the Week in this very newsletter. Regularly appearing on the internet’s biggest meme pages with his viral digital content, Carney’s sketches and tweets have amassed hundreds of millions of views to date. He writes, produces, and acts in all his videos, which tend to find him on the losing side of bizarre predicaments. Most recently, Carney served as a key creator for Friday Beers, producing daily topical content for the media company. The comedic up-and-comer continues to be represented by 3 Arts Entertainment. |
| Pretty Vee (Will Sterling) |
DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE: Pretty Vee, the comedian born Vena Excell, has signed with Gersh for representation in all areas. Vee first garnered recognition as a longtime cast member of Nick Cannon's Wild 'n Out and The Women of Wild 'n Out, beginning to accrue a social following now numbering over 6 million. In July 2024, she sold-out her first one-woman show, Sharoonnn Said It!, centered on her Jamaican character of the same name, which she performed at Center Stage Theater in Atlanta, GA. This year, she will be headlining the Pretty Vee Presents: Why Am I Like This? Tour, a solo comedy tour spanning multiple U.S. cities. Vee continues to be represented by Jacqueline Uram at 400 Ventures. >>> More |
COMEDY ROUND-UP: 2/1 - 2/17 |
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Got a tip, pitch, comment, feature idea, or a Special of the Month? Reach out at mattgrobar@deadline.com. |
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