Hulu Teams Up With Jim Gaffigan to Launch New Stand-Up Comedy Brand
By Movieguide® Contributor
Hulu recently announced plans to step into the world of stand-up comedy, and who better to help them launch this new project than Jim Gaffigan?
The streaming service shared that they will be launching a new brand, “Hulu’s Laughing Now,” which will feature 12 monthly specials a year, each one highlighting a new stand-up comedian.
In addition to new specials, Hulu will also launch a collection of curated and licensed comedy content, from iconic specials to newer offerings from comedy media companies 800 Pound Gorilla and Comedy Dynamics.
“With the launch of ‘Hulu’s Laughing Now,’ we are excited to round out Hulu’s world-class comedy offering with a lineup of some of the funniest voices in stand-up comedy today,” said Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group. “Our slate is a true celebration of the art of stand-up, and we plan to make this a best-in-class destination for comedic talent through partnerships with other areas of The Walt Disney Company, bringing these comedians into our family in a meaningful way.”
Gaffigan helped announce the news at Disney’s recent upfronts presentation, joking, “What are the chances they would pick me? I feel like I’m Ryan Reynolds right now.”
He also shared the news on Instagram, writing, “Exciting news! This is great news for comedians too! I’m so thrilled @hulu is in the comedy special world.”
His special, titled THE SKINNY, was recorded at Boston’s Wilbur Theater earlier this year. It will premiere on Hulu on November 22.
It’s not surprising that Hulu called on Gaffigan to help them launch this new venture. He’s one of the most popular and successful stand-up comedians working today.
Movieguide® previously reported on his clean comedy, as well as his strong faith:
Despite all this time in the industry, Gaffigan’s peers say he continues to get better and win over audiences.
“His brand of humor is both clean and hip, and I have seen him excel in both alternative rooms and rural settings,” his agent, Nick Nuciforo, said. “The ability to succeed with any audience is a superpower that opens up unlimited opportunities.”
Fans love Gaffigan’s family-friendly humor, as well as his openness about his Christian faith.
“My path to my faith is very kind of individual,” he said during an appearance on NPR. “I grew up in a Catholic family in the Midwest. And I knew people of different faiths and people that were atheists and people that were agnostic. And it really never came up, but I think that in present-day America…is that we are in the middle of this culture war. And there’s a quote in this episode [of his sitcom THE JIM GAFFIGAN SHOW] where I say, ‘I just want to talk about avocados.’ And some of it is—I do just want to do jokes. I don’t want to be a divisive figure. I don’t want to pick a team. I want to make people laugh and hopefully be humorous about the human experience, you know, whether they’re people of any stripes of life.”
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