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Sheng Wang will return to Netflix with another stand-up special in 2026.

The comedy hour will be directed by Ali Wong, who also directed Wang’s 2022 special “Sweet & Juicy.” The special will be filmed on Nov. 8 at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. Wong and Wang executive produce alongside John Irwin.

Wang is a Houston-born comic who is now based in Los Angeles. He was featured on HBO’s stand-up special “2 Dope Queens” and went on to write for the ABC sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat.”

Earlier this year, Wong won a Golden Globe for her comedy special “Single Lady,” which debuted on Netflix in October. It followed her previous three stand-up specials for Netflix, “Baby Cobra,” “Hard Knock Wife” and the Emmy-nominated “Don Wong.” She is also set to direct Frankie Quiñones’ upcoming stand-up special for Hulu.

As an actor, Wong won the Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice...

Joe Rogan has long expressed his admiration for Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian stories and has mentioned that none of the adaptations have done a good job translating them to the screen. However, in a recent podcast episode with comedian Felipe Esparza, Rogan mentioned that Jason Momoa did a great job in the 2011 film.

While the film was a box office bomb and generally received negative reviews, Momoa’s performance was appreciated and Rogan seemed to be extremely enamored by the Game of Thrones star’s performance. He also hoped that Momoa’s Conan would be explored better in a film directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Joe Rogan wished Quentin Tarantino directed a Conan the Barbarian movie with Jason Momoa Joe Rogan | Credits: YouTube/The Joe Rogan Experience

Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian stories have been adapted many times but the most popular one is John Milius’ 1982 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This week brings romance and plenty of it to your favorite streaming service. This is the week when our corporate overlords compel you to buy tons of candy and flowers to prove your love. It was as if putting up with their shenanigans all year wasn't proof enough.

Don't worry, there's more than romance in store. The week kicks off on Sunday one lonely debut, a basketball comedy. That seems like an odd bit of counter-programming to the biggest annual sports event in the U.S., but nobody asked me. Monday brings a trio of war movies along with the debut of a three-part miniseries documenting a battle gone wrong. Happy stuff!

There's so much to see in this week's double baker's dozen of movies and shows. Spoiled alert for my own article: a few of the movies I've listed don't appear on Netflix's own site, but are shown as...

Netflix is bringing back its “Netflix Is a Joke Fest,” which so far has lined up more than 300 live events across 35 venues in Los Angeles. The event, last held in 2022, will include Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, Nate Bargatze and Sebastian Maniscalco in a night of comedy at the Hollywood Bowl; also holding stand-up shows there are Bill Burr, John Mulaney, Seth Rogen, Matt Rife, Kevin Hart, Trevor Noah and a joint show with Taylor Tomlinson, Sarah Silverman, Nikki Glaser and Michelle Buteau.

Netflix produces the festival with Live Nation; this year’s event will take place from May 2 to May 12, 2024. Besides the Bowl, other venues on tap include The Greek, The Dolby, The Forum, The Palladium, Orpheum Theatre and The Wiltern, as well as well as comedy venues including The Hollywood Improv, Largo, Laugh Factory and The Comedy Store.

“This is a special time for comedy, both for Netflix and the genre at large,...

Exclusive: Immersive virtual reality stand-up series Surrounded is to return for a second season next month with Jack Whitehall, Marlon Wayans, Lil Rel Howery and Mae Martin among the comics lined up.

The six-part series will debut via the Meta Horizon Worlds VR online video game platform, with episodes starting from December 29, including a festival holiday special that drops at 10am Pt.

The comedians’ sets were filmed at the 2023 Just For Laughs Montréal Comedy Festival. The format sees the audience inspiring the jokes, with everyone fair game. It originated as a stand-up comedy show created by Mike Falzone before being adapted for the Metaverse.

Hosted by The Carmichael Show star Howery, the episodes will feature Whitehall, Wayans, Martin, Fortune Feimster, Mark Normand, Chris Redd, Dan Soder, Jay Pharaoh, Meg Statler, Felipe Esparza, Rosebud Baker, Sam Morril, Joel Kim Booster, Hannah Berner, Nate Jackson, Brad Williams, Preacher Lawson, Sasheer Zamata, Brian Simpson,...

Exclusive: UTA has signed well known comedian, actor, and podcast host Felipe Esparza for representation in all areas globally.

Rising to fame as the 2010 winner of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, Esparza’s most recent special was the dual-language Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions, which debuted on Netflix to critical acclaim, in both English and Spanish, in 2020. His second special, Translate This, premiered on HBO in 2017 and continues to be available for streaming on all HBO platforms. His first, 2012’s They’re Not Gonna Laugh At You, made its way to Netflix after debuting on Showtime.

Esparza has also been seen recurring on series like NBC’s Superstore, Adult Swim’s The Eric Andre Show, Netflix’s Gentefied, and Cartoon Network’s Victor and Valentino. Notable film credits include Guest House with Pauly Shore, 7th & Union with Omar Chaparro, Daddy Daughter Trip with Rob Schneider, You People with Eddie Murphy and Jonah Hill,...

The consolidation in the talent representation space continues. Agency for the Performing Arts and music touring agency Artist Group International (Agi) are merging, with the combined full-service agency rebranded as Independent Artist Group (Iag). APA President Jim Osborne is being named CEO of Iag, with Dennis Arfa, founder and CEO of Agi, as Chairman of the Music Division of Iag. Former longtime APA CEO Jim Gosnell will serve on the board of Agi alongside Osborne and Arfa.

Agi was founded 35 years ago by Arfa and acquired by Ron Burkle’s Yucaipa Entertainment in 2012. The client roster that it brings to Iag includes Billy Joel, Metallica, Def Leppard, Rod Stewart, Motley Crue, Linkin Park, Jane’s Addiction, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Norah Jones, Neil Young, The Strokes, Smashing Pumpkins, Ghost and Elvis Costello.

Jim Osborne and Dennis Arfa

The merger, which had been rumored for awhile, stems from an agreement between APA and Yucaipa Entertainment.

This article appears in the new issue of Den Of Geek magazine. Get your copy here.

Ever a man of extremes, Eric Andre, who by all accounts buffed up into the best shape of his life as a bit for the new season of his late-night prank show, shows up to our interview in a bright green Newport Cigarettes tracksuit.

“I’m polluting my body yet again,” Andre tells Den of Geek magazine. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a Newport in my life. [Laughs] I’m a poser. I’m a fraud.”

When we meet Andre, he’s a handful of days into a trip to Austin, Texas, where Adult Swim screened two episodes of The Eric Andre Show’s sixth season on the opening day of the SXSW Comedy Festival to a raucous sell-out crowd with supporting sets from his new co-host Felipe Esparza and comedian friend Reggie Watts.

Between whippets, comedian Eric André dished on the upcoming sixth season of The Eric André Show at SXSW — his chaotic, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink late-night talk show wherein he gleefully terrorizes celebrity guests and regular folks alike. Who can forget the time Lauren Conrad sprinted out of his studio after André started lapping up his own vomit? Or rapper T.I. bolting when confronted by a plethora of full-frontal male nudity?

“I realized the hard way that the more violent a prank is doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better,” André told Rolling Stone.

Exclusive: Stand-up comedian and actress Dulcé Sloan has signed with APA.

Sloan is a longtime correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show who will serve as a guest host for the series for a week beginning Monday, May 1. Additionally, she currently brings to life the character of Honeybee Shaw–Tobin in the Fox animated series, The Great North, alongside Will Forte and Jenny Slate.

She has appeared multiple times on the CNN New Year’s Eve Special with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, the late-night show Conan, among others. Additional credits include RuPaul’s Drag Race, Late Night with Seth Meyers, @Midnight with Chris Hardwick, The Steve Harvey Show and Last Call With Carson Daly.

In 2019, Sloan performed a half-hour of stand-up on Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents: Dulcé Sloan. The Miami native was recently honored with a Webby award for best comedy podcast for Hold Up with Dulcé Sloan and Josh Johnson.

“The wait is finally over. We broke a lot of hearts, sets, and famous people’s publicists to bring you our most chaotic season so far. We’ve barely recovered,” Eric Andre explains in a statement regarding the return of his absurdist, satirical deconstruction of the talk show that airs on Adult Swim. The Eric Andre Show is now set to return for season 6 and has established a premiere date on Sunday, June 4, at Midnight Et/Pt, according to Deadline.

In this new season, Andre will welcome guests that includes Natasha Lyonne, Jaleel White, Blac Chyna, Jon Hamm, Raven-Symoné, Diplo, Daymond John, Meagan Good, Rico Nasty, Waka Flocka Flame, Tinashe, Cypress Hill, and Lil Yachty among others. Felipe Esparza, Reese W, and Krft Punk will co-host.

The Eric Andre Show made its debut on Cartoon Network’s late-night block back in 2012. Per Adult Swim, the series takes place in a...

We’ll be right back. “The Eric Andre Show” has set a date for its long-awaited return to Adult Swim. The network announced Tuesday morning that Season 6 of the nightmarish talk show series will premiere on June 4 at midnight.

“Eric is back behind the desk like never before; ripped, shredded, full of energy, complete with beads of sweat dripping down from his taut nips onto his glistening six pack abs,” reads Adult Swim’s announcement. “Watch pampered celebrities regret their choices, rappers get the runaround and a slate of street pranks so egregious they collectively inspired a record 30 phone calls to 911.”

Billed as “sexy season six,” the series will welcome guests such as Natasha Lyonne, Jaleel White, Blac Chyna, Jon Hamm, Raven-Symoné, Diplo, Daymond John, Meagan Good, Rico Nasty, Waka Flocka Flame, Tinashe, Cypress Hill and Lil Yachty. The network also states that the season will also feature “a host...

Adult Swim will release Season 6 of The Eric Andre Show on Sunday, June 4 at Midnight Et/Pt.

Andre will be joined by special guests this season including Natasha Lyonne, Jaleel White, Blac Chyna, Jon Hamm, Raven-Symoné, Diplo, Daymond John, Meagan Good, Rico Nasty, Waka Flocka Flame, Tinashe, Cypress Hill, and Lil Yachty among others. Felipe Esparza, Reese W, and Krft Punk will co-host.

“The wait is finally over,” said Andre in a statement. “We broke a lot of hearts, sets, and famous people’s publicists to bring you our most chaotic season so far. We’ve barely recovered.”

Originally premiering in 2012, the series takes place on a “dingy public-access TV channel within an alternate reality, featuring an unpredictable mix of actual celebrities, ‘fake’ celebrities, and extreme real-life weirdos,” according to the network.

But before the show’s return, Andre will host an evening of live comedy at this year’s...

“Better Call Saul” actor Bob Odenkirk, “Pitch Perfect” star Anna Kendrick and acclaimed comedians Chelsea Handler and Eric André are among the lineup South by Southwest (SXSW) announced for its upcoming comedy festival.

The comedy festival will include improv, stand-up showcases, live podcast recordings and conversations.

In addition to Odenkirk, Kenrick, André and Handler, the comedy lineup features Abbi Jacobson, Adrienne Iapalucci, Andre Hyland, Anthony Atamanuik, Anthony DeVito, Aristotle Athari, Beth Stelling, Brian Moses, Caitlin Peluffo, Caleb Hearon, Christina Catherine Martinez, Doug Benson, Eddie Pepitone, Emma Willmann, Felipe Esparza, Godfrey, Greg Proops, Ismael Loutfi, Jackie Fabulous, Jake Johnson, James Adomian, Jessica McKenna, Joe DeRosa, John Gemberling, Josh Johnson, Joyelle Johnson, Katherine Blanford, Leonard Maltin, Matt Besser, Mike Lawrence, Natalie Palamides, Nick Thune, Patton Oswalt, Pete Lee, Phoebe Robinson, Rachel Sennott, Reggie Watts, Sabrina Jalees, Sam Jay, Sam Tallent, Sandy Honig, Steve Agee, Steph Tolev, Stuart Goldsmith, Tim Robinson, Todd Barry,...

Exclusive: Chris Smith, a 21-year ICM veteran, including the last 10 as a partner, has joined APA as SVP, Global Concerts & Talent.

Smith will work alongside Max Burgos who heads APA’s comedy touring department.

While he has strong background in comedy touring, at ICM Smith worked across departments on deals for his clients in the areas of film, television, touring, branding and digital. Most of those clients are expected to come with him to APA, including Pamela Anderson, Chico Bean, Big Boy, Michael Blackson, Darren Brand, Bruce Bruce, Deray Davis, Rob Dyrdek, Mike Epps, Felipe Esparza, Adele Givens, Jess Hilarious, Evander Holyfield, Martin Lawrence, Loni Love, Floyd Mayweather, Donnell Rawlings, Tony Rock Paul Rodriguez, Paul Rodriguez Jr., B Simone, Rickey Smiley, Bailey Spinn, Director/Producer Mark Ritchie/South Pa Productions and Pretty V.

“We have long admired Chris for his passion and tenaciousness in representing his clients and maximizing their earning potential,...

Exclusive: Emmy-nominated filmmakers Alex Fumero and Kareem Tabsch are partnering to form the production company Trojan Horse. The company will be based in Los Angeles and Miami.

Deadline recently announced their latest project under the banner for Onyx, the limited docuseries Gigante, in collaboration with Don Francisco.

Producing unscripted and scripted feature films, series, and podcasts, Trojan Horse recently co-produced the four-part docuseries Menudo: Forever Young, directed by Angel Manuel Soto and Kristofer Rios. The series is set to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival ahead of its June 23 release on HBO Max. Fumero executive produced the project.

Trojan Horse also produced the podcast Crumbs with Sonoro for iHeartMedia.

“We’re both bilingual, bicultural, first-generation Americans. Like us, there are millions more who coexist across various cultures and communities and whose stories are important, compelling, entertaining, and ready to be embraced by mainstream audiences. We’re excited to bring those stories to audiences everywhere,...

After going virtual last year with the online initiative Laliff Connect 2020, the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival returned as an in-person event on Wednesday. The premiere of “7th and Union” served as the opening night film at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

The Broken English production is the second feature film from director Anthony Nardolillo. Starring Omar Chaparro, the boxing drama tells the story of an unlikely friendship, a broken promise and two men using their old passions to provide a brighter future for their family. The cast also includes Felipe Esparza, Edy Ganem, Gregg Daniel and Oscar Torre.

“It’s a story about strength and family values— the struggle of a Mexican who comes to the U.S. to try to survive and to feed his family,” Chaparro told Variety. “He’s a retired boxer, but he realized that, as the slogan in the movie goes, his...

Have we ever been in more need of a laugh than in 2020? Amidst a historic global pandemic, a tumultuous American political election, civil unrest, wildfires, Murder Horne… alright, you get the picture. 2020 has been the pits, man. Thankfully, this year from hell featured some bright spots on television, even if rays of sunshine were sorely lacking in reality.

If the shows on our list weren’t making us laugh, we would have been ugly-crying since March. While we were all locked in our homes, we got reacclimated with the Warner Brothers (and sister), said goodbye to BoJack Horseman, and met regular human bartender Jackie Daytona, making quarantine a bit more bearable, if only in 30 minute increments. From brand new series like How To with John Wilson, to swan songs for Den of Geek favorites like Schitt’s Creek, TV comedies in 2020 kept us cackling through the chaos.

To determine the best...

As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, more than 270 Latinx show creators, television showrunners and writers for screens both big and small have written an open letter calling for systemic change in the entertainment industry.

“We are incensed by the continued lack of Latinx representation in our industry, especially among the Black and Indigenous members of our community. Our stories are important, and our erasure onscreen contributes to the persistent prejudice that prevents real change in this country. This prejudice is not as overt as the one that keeps immigrant children in cages and separates families at the border, or as violent as the racism that is killing our Black, Brown and Indigenous community members at the hands of police. But when we are onscreen, we’re often relegated to stereotypes or villains,” the letter says.

Stemming from an initiative started by Untitled Latinx Project (Ulp), which was founded by “Vida’s” Tanya Saracho,...

Rlje Films has released the trailer for The Opening Act. The movie stars Silicon Valley and Crazy Rich Asians actor Jimmy O. Yang as a struggling comedian. The movie is written and directed by stand-up comic Steve Byrne (Always Amazing) and was produced by Vince Vaughn. Rlje is all set to release Opening Act in theaters, on demand, and on digital HD beginning Friday, October 16th, 2020.

In The Opening Act, Jimmy O. Yang plays Will Chu, who appears to have it all - the job, the girl - but what's missing is his true passion in life. He wants to become a stand-up comedian. When he gets the opportunity he's been waiting for, the emcee slot on the road opening for his hero Billy G., the realities of life on the stage come crashing in. Between relentless hecklers, drunk comedy groupies and hard-to-impress morning radio DJs, things get off to a rough start.

The box office is starting to come back to life in the U.S. The New Mutants kicked the door open and Tenet is poised to truly get the ball rolling. Even so, the vast majority of consuming movies will be done at home for most of us. Luckily, big titles are coming to the world of streaming this week as well.

Disney is set to release one of the biggest movies of 2020 via a unique streaming plan this weekend. Aside from that, we have a new documentary on Robin Williams, the latest from Charlie Kaufman on Netflix and Maisie Williams in a full-on horror movie not involving mutants. Here are this week's streaming selections.

Mulan - Disney+

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In what is one of the biggest movies of 2020, for more reasons than one, Mulan is making its way to Disney+ on September 4. Though not included with the subscription price,...

Rlje Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, has obtained the North American distribution rights to The Opening Act, an indie comedy produced by Vince Vaughn and starring Jimmy O. Yang (Silicon Valley), Jermaine Fowler (Superior Donuts), Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood) and Ken Jeong (The Hangover).

Written and directed by stand-up comedian Steve Byrne, the film is slated for release October 16 in theaters and on demand and digital HD.

The plot follows Will Chu (Yang), who is stuck in a thankless job while trying to pursue his true passion in life: becoming a stand-up comedian. When he gets the opportunity he’s been waiting for, the emcee slot on the road opening for his hero Billy G., the realities of life on the stage come crashing in. Between relentless hecklers, drunk comedy groupies and hard-to-impress morning radio DJs, things get off to a rough start. Even if he can...

Rlje Films has acquired the North American rights to “The Opening Act,” a comedy starring “Silicon Valley” actor Jimmy O. Yang as an aspiring stand-up comedian.

“The Opening Act” is directed and written by stand-up comic Steve Byrne (“Always Amazing”) and was produced by Vince Vaughn, and Rlje Films will release the movie in theaters, on demand and on digital HD beginning October 16, 2020.

Yang stars in “The Opening Act” alongside a cavalcade of other comics such as Alex Moffat, Cedric The Entertainer, Neal Brennan, Debby Ryan, Ken Jeong, Bill Burr, Jermaine Fowler and Russell Peters.

In it, Yang plays a man stuck in a thankless job while trying to pursue his true passion in stand-up comedy. But when he gets the opportunity to emcee opening for his hero, the realities of life on the stage come crashing in. Between relentless hecklers, drunk comedy groupies and hard-to-impress morning radio DJs, things...

It’s the first day of September and you know what that means? Yes, Netflix has dropped its usual gigantic haul of new titles to kick off the month with. This time around, the streaming service has added over 30 movies and TV shows to its library. And amongst them are a huge number of bonafide classics from all different kinds of genres.

Most notably, the entire Back to the Future trilogy has returned on Netflix, allowing fans to rewatch all three parts of the beloved sci-fi franchise. Alternatively, if you’re in the mood for a musical, Grease is also up on the site from today. But wait, maybe you have a hankering for horror instead. If so, then why not stick on classic 90s flick Anaconda, starring Jennifer Lopez?

Check out the full list of everything that arrived on Netflix on September 1st below:

Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices *Netflix...

As August winds down, it’s time to look ahead to everything that’s hitting the major streaming services in September. As always, there’s an enormous haul of originals and newly licensed titles going up across Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Prime Video over the month, including content from every genre out there.

The first day of September brings the usual lengthy list of movies arriving on most of the sites. Just a few of the highlights include all three Back to the Future films returning to Netflix, every entry in the Twilight saga arriving on Hulu and countless iconic movies going up on HBO Max, including Grease, Miss Congeniality and V for Vendetta. Also, Doctor Who fans will want to take note, as the most recent season of the show lands on HBO Max the same day.

Feel free to inspect the full list of everything...

The streaming war is an epic battle that will rage on for years to come, funded by some of the richest corporations on the planet and being fought solely from the comfort of couches around the world. With the competition only continuing to heat up and new platforms either debuting or being announced on an increasingly regular basis, eventually only those with enough disposable income will be able to experience the full range of over-the-top content on offer.

Having led the charge since the very beginning, it seems unlikely that anyone will be able to dislodge Netflix as the market leaders seeing as they currently have over 100 million more subscribers than their closest competitors at Amazon Prime. That being said, with Disney Plus boasting some of the biggest brands in the industry and making new Star Wars and Marvel Cinematic Universe shows a priority, along with HBO Max’s focus on their expanded DC universe,...

Netflix is out with its list of everything new coming in the month of September.

The list includes the new space series “Away” starring Hilary Swank, out Sept 4. It also includes all three “Back to the Future” movies, “Grease” and “Magic Mike,” out Sept. 1.

“The Duchess” is out Sept. 11, and Ryan Murphy’s “Ratched” comes Sept. 18.

Leaving throughout the month is “Cold Case Files: Season 1,” “Christopher Robin,” “Jurassic Park,” “Despicable Me” and “Dear John,” to name a few.

Also Read: Streaming Time Almost Doubles as Viewers Flock to Netflix, Hulu During Pandemic | Chart

See the full list below.

Sept. 1

Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices — Netflix Family

The Boss Baby: Get That Baby! — Netflix Family

Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions — Netflix Comedy Special

La Partita / The Match — Netflix Film

True: Friendship Day — Netflix Family

Adrift

Anaconda

Back to the Future

Back to the Future Part II

Back to the Future Part III...

September marks the start of the traditional TV season. For many networks and cable channels, however, this will be an usual season with the coronavirus pandemic halting production leaving behind paltry fall lineups. Over on Netflix, however, things continue to operate at high capacity.

Netflix is rolling out quite a few original series and movies for its new releases in September 2020. The Hillary Swank-starring space drama Away premieres on September 4. That is followed by a whole host of intriguing concepts including Julie and the Phantoms (Sept. 10), Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (Sept. 18), and even the Nurse Ratched origin story series called Ratched (Sept. 18).

The film side of things is just as packed. Romantic comedy Love, Guaranteed premieres on Sept. 3, Charlie Kaufman’s latest effort I’m Thinking of Ending Things arrives on Sept. 4, and the Tom Holland-starring thriller The Devil All the Time bows on Sept. 16. That’s not even to mention Enola Holmes on Sept.

In today’s TV news roundup, Quibi revealed a new trailer for “Reno 911!,” and Amazon Prime Video announced the premiere date for “Utopia.”

Dates

Amazon Prime Video has announced a Sept. 25 premiere date for the new conspiracy thriller series, “Utopia.” The show follows the fans of a comic book series called “Utopia” that seems to have clues hidden inside that hint at and predict real-world dangers that threaten the fabric of humanity. Based on the British series of the same name, the Amazon version is written and executive produced by Gillian Flynn. Other executive producers for the show include Jessica Rhoades, Sharon Levy, Sharon Hall, Toby Haynes, Karen Wilson and Dennis Kelly. Watch a trailer below.

First Looks

Quibi has unveiled a new trailer for the next batch of episodes of “Reno 911!,” set to premiere Aug. 24. The 13 new episodes center around members of the Reno Sheriff’s Department...

We’re not even halfway through August yet, but let’s look ahead to the future all the same and preview what’s coming to Netflix in September. The ninth month of 2020 is set to be a major one for the streaming giant in terms of original content, as numerous movies and TV series are being added to its library that are among the most hotly-anticipated titles due on the site all year.

In total, there are 18 Netflix Originals coming in September, and here’s the full list, sorted by date:

Enola Holmes (2020) – Tbd Mighty Express (Season 1) – Tbd Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions (Standup Special) – September 1st True: Friendship Day (Special) – September 1st Freaks – You’re One of Us (2020) – September 2nd Love, Guaranteed (2020) – September 3rd Young Wallander (Season 1) – September 3rd Away (Season 1) – September 4th I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020) – September 4th Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy (Part 2) – September 4th Undercover...

In today’s TV news roundup, HBO Max released the trailer and premiere date for Selena Gomez’s “Selena + Chef,” and CBS announced the Season 2 premiere date for “Love Island.”

Renewals

TruTV has renewed comedy series “Tacoma Fd” for a 13-episode third season. The series follows members of a fire department in a city where it often rains, rendering their job somewhat uneventful. To pass the time, the department engages in competitions and rivalries and responds to strange emergency calls. The show’s creators, Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme, also star as the chief and captain of the department, respectively. The two actors also executive produce “Tacoma Fd” with David Miner and Greg Walter.

TruTV also renewed its comedy show “The Misery Index,” hosted by Jameela Jamil, for a third season. The second half of Season 2 will air in October. Teams on the show compete to give “misery index” ratings to various comedic real-life events,...

Exclusive: Felipe Esparza is ready to bring the funny to Netflix with his first original comedy special on the streaming giant titled Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions. It will also go by the title: Felipe Esparza: Malas Decisiones. Yup, it’s a bilingual special and it will be released globally on September 1.

Filmed in Santa Ana, California as two separate performances — one in English and one in Spanish — the specials showcase Esparza’s edgy style of humor as the perfect vehicle to weave through difficult anecdotes of his childhood and mistakes in his adult life with ease. Bad Decisions/Malas Decisiones mark the first time a Netflix comedian has recorded a stand up special in two languages that are set to be released simultaneously.

The comedian won Last Comic Standing in 2010 and prior to Bad Decisions/Malas Decisiones, Esparza had two comedy specials including They’re Not Gonna Laugh At You...

Guest House starring Pauly Shore, Steve-o, Mike Castle, Aimee Teegarden, Billy Zane, Bobby Lee, Charlotte McKinney, Erik Griffin, Felipe Esparza – On Demand and Digital September 4th. Check out the trailer:

Pauly Shore and Steve-o kick this outrageous, raunchy comedy into high gear. When engaged couple Sarah (Aimee Teegarden) and Blake (Mike Castle) buy their dream home, there’s a catch: a party animal named Randy (Shore) in the guest house who refuses to leave! When Randy throws a wild, sexy pool party, the cops show up — and Blake gets arrested. Can he and Sarah get through their backyard wedding without a certain loser crashing the party…and ruining their marriage?

Guest House is Directed By Sam Macaroni and Written By: Sam Macaroni, Sean Bishop, and Troy Duffy

The post Check Out the Trailer and Poster for Guest House starring Pauly Shore, Steve-o, and Billy Zane – On Demand and Digital September...

"Just get rid of the guy." Lionsgate has released a trailer for a comedy titled Guest House, the latest from actor / filmmaker Sam Maccarone. This looks as stupid as they come, which should surprise no one. A newly engaged couple finally finds the home of their dreams, but it all quickly becomes a nightmare when the previous owner's friend continues squatting in their guest house. It soon leads to a turf war that ultimately ruins their house, their marriage and their lives. Starring Pauly Shore, Mike Castle, Aimee Teegarden, Billy Zane, Steve-o, Charlotte McKinney, Erik Griffin, Felipe Esparza, and Bobby Lee. With this cast, and with this redundant "outrageous, raunchy comedy" concept, this movie is straight out of the 90s – and belongs there. It looks like Jackass meets Neighbors, but much dumber than both of those. Have fun... Here's the first red band trailer (+ green band / poster) for Sam Macaroni's Guest House,...

Lionsgate has launched a new trailer for the outrageous comedy ‘Guest House’.

Paul Shore and Steve-o kick this outrageous, raunchy comedy into high gear. When engaged couple Sarah (Aimee Teegarden) and Blake (Mike Castle) buy their dream home, there’s a catch: a party animal named Randy (Shore) in the guest house who refuses to leave! When Randy throws a wild, sexy pool party, the cops show up — and Blake gets arrested. Can he and Sarah get through their backyard wedding without a certain loser crashing the party…and ruining their marriage?

Directed by Sam Macaroni, the film stars Pauly Shore, Mike Castle, Aimee Teegarden, Billy Zane, Steve-o, Charlotte McKinney, Erik Griffin, Felipe Esparza and Bobby Lee.

Also in trailers – Red band trailer drops for Brandon Cronenberg’s ‘Possessor’

The film is released On Demand and Digital September 4th.

The post Welcome to the houseguest from hell – New trailer for...

Lionsgate has released the first trailer for Guest House. The upcoming comedy represents the return of comedian Pauly Shore for his first starring role in a movie since 2017's Sandy Wexler. And this is the first time Shore had led the cast of a movie in some time. What's more, former Jackass star Steve-o is along for the ride as well in what is described by the studio as an "outrageous, raunchy comedy." As a fair warning, the trailer is most definitely Nsfw.

The trailer opens up with Steve-o blasting through a glass window on his skateboard. We then get to the main point, which sees a recently engaged couple buying what they assume is going to be the perfect house. On the surface, it certainly looks the part. But there is a catch, as they would need to take on a tenant, played by none other than Pauly Shore,...

SAG-AFTRA has given a greenlight for production on 7th & Union, a LatinX drama toplined by Mexican comedy star Omar Chaparro and Edy Ganem, and to start in Los Angeles on Monday.

The feature from newly launched Broken English Productions has Chaparro playing Raymundo, a Mexican ex-fighter who forms an unlikely bond with a disgruntled man (Gregg Daniel), whose life and relationship with his daughter, played by Erinn Westbrook, are unraveling.

The men join forces to win a fight that could very well save Raymundo, his wife (Ganem) and their child.

The indie will also star Last Comic Standing winner Felipe Esparza ...

SAG-AFTRA has given a greenlight for production on 7th & Union, a LatinX drama toplined by Mexican comedy star Omar Chaparro and Edy Ganem, and to start in Los Angeles on Monday.

The feature from newly launched Broken English Productions has Chaparro playing Raymundo, a Mexican ex-fighter who forms an unlikely bond with a disgruntled man (Gregg Daniel), whose life and relationship with his daughter, played by Erinn Westbrook, are unraveling.

The men join forces to win a fight that could very well save Raymundo, his wife (Ganem) and their child.

The indie will also star Last Comic Standing winner Felipe Esparza ...

Get ready to laugh, Los Angeles: Netflix’s comedy brand, Netflix Is a Joke, will host a week-long comedy festival starting in April.

Entitled “Netflix Is a Joke Fest,” the festival will take place across over 20 venues in Los Angeles, including the Hollywood Bowl, Greek Theatre, Hollywood Palladium and The Largo, between April 27 and May 3. Produced by Netflix in association with Live Nation, it will feature some of the best in today’s standup performing, as well as paying homage to comedy legends.

Some of the performers taking part are Dave Chapelle, Martin Lawrence, David Letterman, Ali Wong, Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer, Pete Davidson, Kevin Hart and more.

But more importantly for the festival, Netflix is also partnering with Comedy Gives Back, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create a safety net for comedians in need with mental health, medical and financial crisis support. During the festival, Comedy Gives...

Exclusive: Netflix has rounded out its cast for Gentefied, its 10-episode half-hour Latinx dramedy, from Gente-fied: The Digital Series creators Marvin Lemus and Linda Yvette Chávez, showrunner Monica Macer, America Ferrera, Teri Weinberg and Macro. Julissa Calderon, Annie Gonzalez, Laura Patalano, Felipe Esparza, Rafael Sigler, Jaime Alvarez (Grey’s Anatomy Shameless), Bianca Melgar, Michelle Ortiz, and Alejandro Patiño are set for recurring roles. They join previously announced cast members Karrie Martin, Jj Soria, Carlos Santos and Joaquín Cosio.

Sigler, Alvarez and Patalano all appeared in Gente-fied: The Digital Series.

Written by Lemus and Chávez, Gentefied is adapted from the web series which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Described as a badass bilingual series about family, community, brown love, and the displacement that disrupts it all, Gentefied...

Updated with more details: Olivia Munn will step into the hosting role for the first-ever Telethon For America, part of Michelle Obama’s non-partisan, non-profit campaign “When We All Vote.” The telethon will stream online on Election Eve…which is tonight!

More stars have been added to the already robust roster of tonight’s comedy-themed event. Pharrell Williams, Sean Hayes, Debra Messing, Charlize Theron, Scott Rogowsky, Ben Bailey, Constance Wu, Natalie Portman, Backstreet Boys, Nikki Glazer, Tom Green, Felipe Esparza, Ashley Benson, Jim Jeffries, Roy Wood Jr, and others will appear on the special which will encourage people to get out the vote in Tuesday’s midterm elections.

The event will stream live on Comedy Central, WatchMojo, Bet Facebook Live, GLAAD YouTube, and Funny or Die from 9-11 Pm Et/6-8 Pm Pt.

Previously: Launched by Michelle Obama’s non-partisan, non-profit...

In today’s TV news roundup, an exclusive first look at the upcoming Netflix children’s series “Motown Magic” and Anjelika Washington joins “Stargirl.”

First Looks

Variety has obtained an exclusive first look at upcoming Netflix children’s series “Motown Magic,” premiering worldwide on Tuesday, Nov. 20. Each episode’s plot is inspired by the themes and characters of classic Motown songs, featuring newly recorded covers by Ne-Yo, Becky G, Bj the Chicago Kid, Skylar Grey, Calum Scott, and Trombone Shorty. Smokey Robinson serves as executive music producer.

Dates

Season 2 of truTV’s comedy series “I’m Sorry” premieres Jan. 9 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt. This season, Andrea (played by creator Andrea Savage) lands herself in new cringeworthy scenarios, joined by new guest stars Adam Scott (“Parks and Recreation”), Lennon Parham (“Playing House“), June Diane Raphael (“Grace and Frankie”), Scott Aukerman (“Comedy Bang! Bang!”), Rob Huebel (“Transparent”), Anne Ramsay (“Mad About You...

Donald Trump’s border wall is the inspiration for a new unscripted travel-comedy series in development by Sonar Entertainment and comedian and actor Felipe Esparza (Last Comic Standing).

The project is one of the first from Sonar’s Factual side, headed by former Tricon exec Andrea Gorfolova, who came over to Sonar following the company’s acquisition of Tricon Films & Television last year.

As part of the potential series description, Esparza asks, “What’s 2000 miles long, costs over $25 billion to build, and is filled with narcos, deadly terrain, and jokes – lots and lots of jokes?” For Esparza, that’s The Wall, the front line that defines the highly charged debate over the border separating the U.S. and Mexico.

In the multi-part project, Esparza and his band of fellow comics take an up close and personal look at the U.S.-Mexico border, bringing unconventional riffs...

Exclusive: Cedric The Entertainer (star of the new CBS comedy The Neighborhood), comedian and actress Whitney Cummings, Ken Jeong (upcoming Crazy Rich Asians and Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween), and Jermaine Fowler (currently seen in Sorry To Bother You) have been added to the setlist for The Opening Act. Saturday Night Live series regular Alex Moffat, Iliza Shlesinger and Felipe Esparza have also been cast.

Silicon Valley‘s Jimmy O. Yang stars as Will O’Brien, who has the job, the girl but all that’s missing is his true passion in life, to become a stand-up comedian. When he gets the opportunity he’s been waiting for, the emcee slot on the road, opening for his hero Billy G (Cedric The Entertainer), he’ll spend the weekend contemplating the life he’s set up and the one he truly wants to pursue, the life of a comedian.

The coming-of-age comedy...

“My family, we came to this country illegally fair and square,” Felipe Esparza declares. The crowd erupts into laughter and applause. He then explains that despite living in America for 35 years, his parents still can’t speak English. “I’m like, ‘Deport these motherfuckers.’ You can’t say ‘Cheesecake Factory’? Get the…

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Felipe Esparza brings his comedy to a one-hour special on HBO. He sits down with CineMovie to discuss what to expect from his comedy special.

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ABC has put in development a single-camera sibling comedy from veterans Peter Murrieta and Bobby Bowman. The project, starring Latino comedians Felipe Esparza and Dustin Ybarra, is produced by 3 Arts and ABC Studios. Written by Murrieta and Bowman, the untitled single-camera project centers on three very different adult siblings — two of them played by Esparza and Ybarra — who live under one roof in Boyle Heights, a working-class, predominantly Mexican-American…...

Adult Swim star Eric Andre partied so hard his clothes fell off -- the comic pulled out all the stops and threw a ballin' 32nd b-day bash at a kitschy desert trailer park hotel.  Our party sources tell us the wacky host of "The Eric Andre Show" bared it all in the hot tub during the Joshua Tree soiree. No other takers, apparently ... but it was his birthday, after all. We're told Eric plunked down...

There’s a laziness to Felipe Esparza’s comedy that makes his routine in They’re Not Gonna Laugh at You a tiresome mess to plough through. His jokes aren’t insightful, his wit is slow, and his delivery ambles on at such a pace that if you can’t see the jokes coming, it’s because you’re not listening. After 60 minutes of hearing Felipe ramble on about Mexican stereotypes, being lazy, and life on the road, two things become quite clear about his career as a comedian. He has nothing truly insightful to say about the world he observes around him, and the people he beat out on Last Comic Standing must have been awful. If this is the best that a nationwide search for the best comedian produces, then it would appear America has been milked dry of potential funnymen. It’s a weak joke to make,...

DVD Playhouse—March 2012

By Allen Gardner

J. Edgar (Warner Bros.) Director Clint Eastwood provides a rock-solid, albeit rather flat portrait of polarizing FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, covering his life from late teens to his death. Leonardo DiCaprio does an impressive turn as Hoover, never crossing the line into caricature, and creating a Hoover that is all too human, making for an all the more unsettling look at absolute power run amuck. Where the film stumbles is the love story at its core: Hoover’s relationship with longtime aide Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). In the hands of an openly-gay director like Gus Van Sant, this could have been a heartbreaking, tender story of forbidden (unrequited?) love, but Eastwood seems to tiptoe around their romance, with far too much delicacy and deference. The film works well when recreating the famous crimes and investigations which Hoover made his name on (the Lindbergh kidnapping,...