Netflix Is Cutting Back on Standup Comedy Specials

[BluBonnet]

Very bad news if you like comedy specials on Netflix!!

Netflix Is Cutting Back on Standup Comedy Specials

Lucas Shaw
October 15, 2019, 9:00 AM EDT


After pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into standup comedy specials from the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Dave Chappelle, Netflix Inc. is cutting back.

The online video service is releasing fewer standup specials this year than either of the past two years, according to data analyzed by Bloomberg. Netflix has streamed about 30 such shows so far this year, compared with more than 50 at this point last year.

The company says it’s refining its strategy after relying on standup as a magnet for new subscribers over the past few years. While Netflix is still releasing plenty of specials, the company is now investing more in areas like sketch comedy and shorter sets from lesser-known comedians.

Any shift at the online giant can ripple through Hollywood and Wall Street, where investors hang on quarterly financial reports like the one due Wednesday. Standup comedy has been a key area for Netflix -- even if it makes up just a fraction of the $15 billion the company will spend this year on movies, TV shows, documentaries and other programming.

“Netflix built the world’s best library of standup comedy in just four years,” said Brian Volk-Weiss, chief executive officer of Comedy Dynamics, one of the largest comedy producers and distributors. Comedy Dynamics made “Ali Wong: Baby Cobra,” and Volk-Weiss created the Netflix series “The Toys That Made Us.”

Netflix cornered the market for standup by paying a reported $20 million per show for Chappelle, Amy Schumer and Chris Rock. The three previously made specials for HBO, which has since pared its comedy budget, saying the costs are too high for shows that aren’t that popular.

‘Exorbitant Prices’

“It’s hard for me to pay exorbitant prices,” Casey Bloys, HBO’s head of programming, said in 2017. “When prices come down, or when it makes sense again, it’s relatively easy to get back in. We’ll wait it out.”

For Netflix, standup has been a relatively cheap way to build a large library of programs that feature celebrities famous all around the world. The Los Gatos, California-based company’s deep pockets enticed Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres to tape specials for the first time in a while.

Netflix hasn’t just backed big names, either. The company has produced or acquired hundreds of hourlong standup shows over the past couple years, releasing more than 60 last year alone. The comedians taping the programs include non-U.S. comics like Franco Escamilla and Sofia Nino de Rivera.

Any slowing in Netflix’s investment would be troubling to the comedy world. The company’s outlays led to a boom in the market for live one-hour specials and also drew attention to comedy more broadly.

The awareness of specials has increased attendance at clubs and festivals, according to industry executives.

Slowdown Fears

It’s not just comics who worry. Investors have sent Netflix shares down 25% since July on concern growth may be slowing. The company borrow regularly to fund production, with debt now at almost $13 billion.

But the cutback on live comedy is less about savings than moderation, Netflix says. Having created an unparalleled library of specials, the company now wants to expand that part of its archive at a slower pace.

Releasing more than 60 specials a year isn’t necessary in the long term, according to Netflix executives. This year, for instance, the service carried a sketch show from Tim Robinson, as well as collections like “Comedians of the world,” a set of shorter episodes featuring 47 comics from 13 regions.

Netflix is still far and away the biggest financier and distributor of standup comedies among the major TV networks. It has also created its own channel on satellite radio service SiriusXM devoted to comedy.

But its pullback may give more room for competitors. In what could be a sign of the times, Sarah Silverman announced this week she’s making a new comedy series and standup special -- to air on HBO.

[A Sith Lord?]

Netflix should have invested in Live e-sports years ago, but their CEO was too arrogant and said live sports is not something they'd invest in. Most of the e-sport demographic have Netflix and Twitch.

Now that they're losing their core binging shows to their competitors it seems they're going in circles here.

[ps3bd_owner]

Originally Posted by A Sith Lord?

Netflix should have invested in Live e-sports years ago, but their CEO was too arrogant and said live sports is not something they'd invest in. Most of the e-sport demographic have Netflix and Twitch.

Now that they're losing their core binging shows to their competitors it seems they're going in circles here.

While I somewhat can't stand watching people playing video games, that's a thing nowadays and it is pretty popular so much so that Twitch and YouTube invested in it. Plus, there's also Microsoft's Twitch-like service that wants to have those type of viewers, too.

Blockbuster made a tremendous mistake not buying Netflix when they could and now Netflix is sorta making the same error.

[Lovemy3D]

Wow. That much $ on stand up comedy? I didn't even know stand up was that much of a thing anymore, it's not for me. I doubt I'd even watch one. Have very little interest in it.

[jtu128]

I’m sure some of the controversy from the most recent Chapelle special also played a small part in the decision.

[Lemmy Lugosi]

I could count the number of stand-up comedy specials I've watched on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon on one hand.

Comedy has always been a tough nut to crack for me. Like magic/magicians, I find 99% of comedy specials, comedy films, and comedy concerts incredibly tedious to sit through. I don't know why, but I have felt the same way throughout my entire life.

[Lovemy3D]

I usually prefer comedy where it's less expected during a more serious show rather than the main focus. Such as some show you have been watching and something suddenly happens with a character or comes up randomly in conversation that's hilarious that one wouldn't really get unless they understood the character. I like being surprised by it so to speak.

[Steedeel]

I love all the Ricky Gervais stuff and Jimmy Carr. I can take or leave the rest.

Hopefully you guys will get ‘An Idiot Abroad’ with Karl Pilkington. It’s produced by Gervais and Merchant. Really funny travel documentaries.

[ps3bd_owner]

Originally Posted by Steedeel

I love all the Ricky Gervais stuff and Jimmy Carr. I can take or leave the rest.

Hopefully you guys will get ‘An Idiot Abroad’ with Karl Pilkington. It’s produced by Gervais and Merchant. Really funny travel documentaries.

I remember watching the first season and that was more than enough for me. It just felt like more of the same and the bald guy was kinda annoying, imo.

[LegacyCosts]

Good on Netflix, stand up sucks

[kevin87]

Originally Posted by Lemmy Lugosi

I could count the number of stand-up comedy specials I've watched on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon on one hand.

Comedy has always been a tough nut to crack for me. Like magic/magicians, I find 99% of comedy specials, comedy films, and comedy concerts incredibly tedious to sit through. I don't know why, but I have felt the same way throughout my entire life.

I think the main problem is it's giving so many random people specials, like the 47-episode "Comedians of the World" series they did... Out of those 47, I had only heard of 6, the other 41 were people I'd never heard of. Though sometimes it's nice for some relatively unknowns get one, that's how I discovered James Acaster and now he's my favorite at the moment (and is the only reason I had heard of the 3 Brits on the other show lol). But in the past year I've maybe seen 5 specials. (Ed Gamble on Prime, Whitney Cummings, Joel Dommett, Chris D'Elia, and Nicole Byer on Netflix... but to be fair, I have Ellen Amy Schumer on my queue on Netflix and Alice Wetterlund on Prime... but this isn't the norm).

If Netflix focused more on quality over quantity, then they would be fine.

Originally Posted by Lovemy3D

I usually prefer comedy where it's less expected during a more serious show rather than the main focus. Such as some show you have been watching and something suddenly happens with a character or comes up randomly in conversation that's hilarious that one wouldn't really get unless they understood the character. I like being surprised by it so to speak.

Shows are different than stand up though, I don't think they're going to pull back on comedy shows... but that's more of less what Paul Rudd said on Hot Ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWVH...youtu.be&t=133

EDIT: ok, so it doesn't let you post direct time links, it just embeds the video from the start... good to know lol The part I'm talking about is around 2:13

[TitusTroy]

I thought these comedy specials were relatively cheap to produce...the major cost comes from paying the comedy star

[ArchiTech]

Cowards. But I can understand since the writing’s been on the wall. I’ve watched a lot of the comedy specials on Netflix recently and have enjoyed them, even ones I never thought of watching. Humor is not something everyone can understand, especially in stand-up where it requires some imagination, experience with the subject matter, empathy, and a certain amount of topical knowledge to interpret the jokes. Visual gags and physical comedy is much easier to digest since there is no interpretation needed. One thing I’ve found, which is strange, is that I prefer (mostly) listening to comedy than watching it. My favorite comic, Richard Pryor, is someone I grew up listening to, and actually prefer it that way. Anyways, we’ll see what happens. I do wish they would change the interface to find new programs to watch a lot easier since I find myself staring at the same thumbnails all the time.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by TitusTroy

I thought these comedy specials were relatively cheap to produce...the major cost comes from paying the comedy star

If it's an established star, yes. They should get more little-known comedians and pay them accordingly

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by jtu128

I’m sure some of the controversy from the most recent Chapelle special also played a small part in the decision.

Sure did - Chapelle called out the easily-offended sissies and of course nowadays you just cant do such a thing. God forbid we make fun of someone or something. So, so triggered. Id like to see how long these "woke" people would last with some of the classic stand up acts that didnt have to watch every word they say or avoid so many situations as not to *offend* someone.

Originally Posted by LegacyCosts

Good on Netflix, stand up sucks

Maybe to you, sure. A good standup act could be very funny to others. Of course, as I said above, a lot of people now cant handle stand up without feeling butt-hurt. I suspect that has a lot to do with Netflix's decision. Whatever....

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by s2mikey

Sure did - Chapelle called out the easily-offended sissies and of course nowadays you just cant do such a thing. God forbid we make fun of someone or something. So, so triggered. Id like to see how long these "woke" people would last with some of the classic stand up acts that didnt have to watch every word they say or avoid so many situations as not to *offend* someone.
Maybe to you, sure. A good standup act could be very funny to others. Of course, as I said above, a lot of people now cant handle stand up without feeling butt-hurt. I suspect that has a lot to do with Netflix's decision. Whatever....

I'm barely familiar with that name and I don't know who he offended, but more power to Netflix if they know how important it is to be respectful to all of their viewers, and to all people, generally. It really all comes down to what's good for business, if you're being pragmatical, which I'm sure a large company like Netflix has to be.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

I'm barely familiar with that name and I don't know who he offended, but more power to Netflix if they know how important it is to be respectful to all of their viewers, and to all people, generally. It really all comes down to what's good for business, if you're being pragmatical, which I'm sure a large company like Netflix has to be.

While I understand the business reasoning, it is still indicative of a larger overall problem happening in society where people are way too overly sensitive about every little thing and make the biggest deals out of the smallest things.

It's turning into a "Big Brother is Watching You" situation, only instead of the government or something akin to that, it's just various random people who complain about every little thing and then some. And in cases like this, companies like Netflix are just giving those people more power. It is not a good thing.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

Originally Posted by A Sith Lord?

Netflix should have invested in Live e-sports years ago, but their CEO was too arrogant and said live sports is not something they'd invest in. Most of the e-sport demographic have Netflix and Twitch.

Now that they're losing their core binging shows to their competitors it seems they're going in circles here.

e-sports is one of the worst things to happening to gaming IMO, second only to absurd levels of micro-transactions.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Dynamo of Eternia

While I understand the business reasoning, it is still indicative of a larger overall problem happening in society where people are way too overly sensitive about every little thing and make the biggest deals out of the smallest things.

It's turning into a "Big Brother is Watching You" situation, only instead of the government or something akin to that, it's just various random people who complain about every little thing and then some. And in cases like this, companies like Netflix are just giving those people more power. It is not a good thing.

I think by the time something has badly tarnished a comedian and made him toxic, it's gone way beyond people being "overly sensitive about every little thing."

[Lee A Stewart]

Netflix’s Seth Meyers Comedy Special Lets Viewers Skip Trump Jokes

Netflix introduced binge-streaming, content recommendation software and fast-tracking credits and intros on original series. Now the subscription streaming pioneer is letting users skip jokes in a comedy special.

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/netfli...p-trump-jokes/