That's it, Netflix just cornered the comedy-special market
Netflix is making damn sure Netflix gets the last laugh.
The streaming giant on Wednesday announced Louis C.K. will debut two new stand-up comedy specials exclusively on the platform. The six-time Emmy winner joins Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer ... and just about all the other big name comedians who have taken their jokes to Netflix in exchange for its global audience and big paycheck.
Last year, Netflix announced that after an eight-year absence from doing stand-up, Chris Rock will tape two new specials that will debut on Netflix worldwide. Netflix reportedly outbid HBO by dishing out a whopping $40 million.
And that was just the beginning.
Shortly after, Dave Chapelle cut a deal with Netflix for three stand-up specials, marking his return to TV specials after 12 years. Jerry Seinfeld in January moved his show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee from Sony's streaming service Crackle to Netflix as part of a multifaceted production deal.
Amy Schumer, who also had many specials on HBO, will also debut her latest comedy special on Netflix March 7.
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Louis C.K. has an interesting relationship with streaming. He directly released his stand-up special Louis C.K. Live at the Beacon Theater on his website louisck.net for $5.
The comedian also decided to independently distribute Horace and Pete, a drama series he wrote and directed, on the website. Hulu eventually acquired exclusive streaming rights in December.
The first of Louis C.K.'s Netflix specials, titled 2017, was filmed in Washington D.C., and will premiere April 4.
“Louis has been one of the most innovative comedy voices in this new era of stand up," Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix, said in a statement. "He has also been a thought leader in the business of comedy. We have marveled at his creativity and his ability to invent comedically and commercially, and are thrilled that he is bringing his newest specials to Netflix."
Topics Netflix
Saba was a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers all things digital entertainment, including YouTube, streaming services and digital influencers. Prior to that, she spent two years at the Los Angeles Times covering entertainment for the Calendar and Company Town sections. Saba grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in political science. When not reporting, she is usually binge watching shows online or looking for new coffee shops to frequent.
