News

On the eve of their standup comedy takeover of the 2025 South By Southwest festival in Austin, TX, The Stand Group, Inc. announce a partnership with leading independent entertainment studio, Cineverse and their fast-growing podcast arm to maximize distribution platforms, sponsorships, programmatic demand and additional avenues. The partnership also includes the creation of a development slate for the companies to build new IP together through podcasts and live entertainment.

After successfully launching the Witz Comedy-tv Fast channel and digital content library in 2022 with partners Best Ever Channels (Bec), The Stand Group is now expanding its reach through podcast creation and distribution. Through the launch of the Witz Podcast Network – a new comedy label operated through the Cineverse Podcast Network – Bec partners Barry Gordon and Jonathon Barbato matched The Stand/Witz sensibilities with Cineverse’s ability to support and build brands.

“Together we will maximize marketing, promotional and sales initiatives for shows...

Cineflix Productions has confirmed it is in development with comedian Bonnie McFarlane on a scripted comedy series based on her 2016 memoir, “You’re Better Than Me.”

The project is inspired by McFarlane’s time as a high schooler in Cold Lake, Alberta, in the mid-1980s.

McFarlane serves as the creator and writer for the half-hour series, which takes place on a farm “294 kilometres outside the nearest pizza delivery zone.” There, a 16-year-old Bonnie flexes her smart mouth, hangs out with her Bff bovine, and recognizes that she’s not the easiest person to get along with.

“Neither she nor her cow are part of the ‘in’ crowd,” reads a show description. “Bonnie is desperate to escape her farm and see the world. There’s just one thing stopping her: herself…And a bunch of other stuff.”

McFarlane, whose credits include radio and television gigs, has an HBO special, two Comedy Central specials,...

Apple announced the premiere date and shared a first look (pictured above) of “Echo 3,” the 10-episode action-thriller from Mark Boal and starring Luke Evans and Michiel Huisman, alongside Jessica Ann Collins. The show will premiere with the first three episodes on Wednesday, November 23, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday through January 13, 2023.

The action series, filmed in Colombia with English and Spanish dialogue, follows Amber Chesborough (Collins), a young scientist who is the emotional heart of a small American family. When she goes missing along the Colombia-Venezuela border, her brother, Bambi (Evans), and her husband, Prince (Huisman) – two men with deep military experience and complicated pasts – struggle to find her against the backdrop of a secret war.

Additional cast includes Martina Gusman as Violetta, a prominent political columnist, James Udom, Maria Del Rosario, Alejandro Furth, Juan Pablo Raba and special guest star Bradley Whitford. The show’s narrative is...

Best Ever Channels and The Stand Group announced Tuesday the launch of a new Fast (free ad-supported streaming TV) comedy channel Witz. Featuring stand-up comedy specials, talk shows and curated library programming, the channel is set to launch later this year.

Fast channels are designed to mimic live television with ads, as opposed to on-demand subscription-based services like Netflix and Hulu. In collaboration with tech supplier Wurl, Witz will broadcast “true live” feeds with real-time stand-up performances from comedians. Additionally, the channel will feature newly produced stand-up specials from Rich Vos titled “Vos Anonymous”, Derek Gaines’ pandemic special called “Why Was I Home Anyway?,” Laurie Kilmartin’s “45 Jokes About My Dead Dad” and Aaron Berg “Stands Down.”

“We think the new homerun in comedy is to mirror the physical comedy experience with a digital one.” said The Stand Group’s partner Cris Italia. “With their technical, syndication and marketing prowess,...

In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix shared a release date for “Kevin Hart: No F**ks Given,” and CBS announced the premiere date for new seasons of “MacGyver,” “Magnum P.I.” and “Blue Bloods.”

Dates

Netflix revealed that “Kevin Hart: Zero F**ks Given,” a comedy special by titular comedian Kevin Hart, will premiere on the streaming site on Nov. 17. The stand-up set was recorded in Los Angeles this September. It will be his sixth stand-up performance offered on Netflix, including “Kevin Hart: Irresponsible,” which is only available on the platform. The comedian also released “Kevin Hart: Don’t F**k This Up,” a Netflix original docuseries about the turmoil and recovery of his personal life, and “Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History” in 2019. Watch the teaser for his upcoming special below.

CBS announced a Dec. 4 return for “MacGyver,” “Magnum P.I.” and “Blue Bloods.” Season 5 of “MacGyver” launches at 8 p.m. with...

Despite the laughter they might elicit from viewers with their material, the life of a stand-up comic can be incredibly difficult and painful - perhaps much more so than most realize. From director Jorgy Cruz, the documentary Funny Pains delves directly into this unseen part of the comedy business, following the rise of comedian Wendi Starling. The movie will make you laugh at times with its jokes from Starling and other featured comics, but it's not exactly a picnic either, as Starling also touches on her difficult personal traumas.

Wendi Starling has been navigating her career as a comic during one of the most interesting times for a comedian, rising in the business during the peak of "cancel culture" and the #MeToo movement. Stand-up comedy in particular has seen many changes in recent years due to social media backlash, and comics have since been expected to keep all of their material politically correct.

In today’s film news roundup, Participant has expanded its social impact campaign on behalf of domestic workers, Concordia Media bulks up and documentary “Funny Pains” gets distribution.

Participant Campaign

Building on its social impact campaign for “Roma,” Participant Media has launched the Care For The People Who Care For You campaign in partnership with the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

The digital initiative aims to galvanize support for domestic workers amid the coronavirus crisis. It features a video, produced by Participant’s digital content studio, SoulPancake, to highlight the impact the Covid-19 crisis has had on domestic workers, of whom 7 out of 10 have lost 100% of their income because of the pandemic. Told from the perspective of a domestic worker navigating health and financial concerns, the goal of the video is to educate and encourage employers to support those employees who care for them every day.

“During this uncertain time, it...

In a group as anxiety-filled and self-absorbed as the comedy community (I'm allowed to say that because I am a member), the only thing worse than an audience staring up at you in stony silence is a list of all your friends and peers on a Comedians to Watch list. They can ruin your day if you aren't on them, which is why comedian and self-appointed buzz tsar Zach Broussard assembled a totally arbitrary, extremely satisfying Top 1,000 Comedians of 2015 list. In case you start reading and suspect the list might actually be real, please turn your attention to who came in at No. 911. Broussard also released a Top 1,000 list in 2014 (in which I came in at No. 967), and for a second year in a row, comic Rich Vos has failed to make the cut, a turn of events he confronted Broussard about back in...

Comedian/writer Jb Smoove, who launched Converge Media Group (management, production and branded entertainment company) along with Rick Dorfman, Conan Smith and Adam Benowitz, has signed a first-look reality TV co-production deal with Storyville Entertainment, spearheaded by reality TV producer Betsy Schechter.  This first co-production deal for Converge and Storyville will allow the latter access to develop and produce content that is unscripted and branded, and will center around Smoove and other clients that include the likes of comedians Rich Vos, Lynne Koplitz, Pete Dominic, Carly Aquilino, Chris Distefano, and producers Ryan Ling (Guy Code, Girl Code) and P.J. Morrison...

Converge Media Group, the management, production and branded entertainment company founded last year by actor/writer/comedian Jb Smoove, Rick Dorfman, Conan Smith and Adam Benowitz, has signed a first-look reality TV deal with newly launched Storyville Entertainment. This is the first co-production deal for both companies and will give Storyville access to develop and produce unscripted and branded opportunities for Converge’s comedic clientele. That list includes Smoove, Rich Vos, Lynne Koplitz, Pete Dominic, Chris Distefano, Carly Aquillino as well as producers Ryan Ling (Guy Code, Girl Code) and P.J. Morrison (Impractical Jokers, Restaurant Stakeout), and writers such as Frank Santopadre (The Joy Behar Show, The View). Storyville’s Betsy Schechter and Converge’s Smoove, Dorfman, Smith and Benowitz will serve as executive producers for all sales. Since its launch last year Converge has produced Four Courses With Jb Smoove and utilized their talent in marketing campaigns for Pepsi,...

Washington -- Dave Attell, a comic's comic, has taken his love of vintage porn and made a television show about vintage porn. If you work hard enough at something, sooner or later it pays off.

Attell's current television show, "Dave's Old Porn," is currently airing Thursday nights on Showtime. He also begins a four-night run at the DC Improv on Thursday. If you're a D.C.-area fan of Attell's brand of dirty fun, you have options. (Out of the Beltway, your options may be more limited.)

The Huffington Post spoke with the well respected, popular and endearingly filthy veteran comedian about his new television show, stand up and porn.

The Huffington Post:Why did you want to host a show about watching porn?

Dave Attell: This is not really about me. I'm basically promoting this show for the retro porn fans. It's a tribute show. It's not a deep,...

Patrice O’Neal will get to make ‘em laugh once more. Radio hosts Opie and Anthony will say goodbye to their friend and the longtime visitor to their Sirius Xm Radio show with a weekend-long tribute to the late comedian who passed away Tuesday at the age of 41, due to the complications from a stroke.

According to a release from Opie and Anthony, the radio hosts, along with comedian Jim Norton, will broadcast a nonstop marathon of O’Neal’s funniest and most memorable visits to the program over the past eight years. (Highlights will include the actor/comedian reviewing popular country music,...

Filed under: TV News, Celebrities and Gossip

Stand-up comedian Patrice O'Neal, 41, suffered a stroke last Wednesday, comic Jim Norton announced on the Opie and Anthony Show.

"We wanted it to come from us." Norton said, according to

LaughSpin. He was joined on the show by Colin Quinn, Robert Kelly, Rich Vos and Keith Robinson "We don't know how he is. We don't know how he's going to be. I didn't want to do this by myself. I wish we had more news for you."

O'Neal's family has requested that fans respect the comedian's privacy, but set up an email address to receive well-wishes: loveforpatrice@gmail.com.

 

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It has been one week since the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival came to a close and I wanted to share with you one last look at my festival experience. Here is the good, the bad & the ugly of Tribeca 2011.

Highlights

There were a lot of great films and moments at this year’s festival. Here are some of my favorites.

Rabies . My favorite film of the festival. Smart, funny, inventive & surprising. A slasher that removes the killer from the start and toys with genre conventions. The Dungon Master . It won best online short, which was well deserved. My favorite short of the festival and one of the best I.ve seen in a long time. Bravo Rider & Shiloh Strong. Janie Jones . This film is like most road trips in that you may know where it is gong but it is the journey that really counts. Sweet, heartwarming, well made and full of great performances.

By Sean O’Connell

Hollywoodnews.com: Grown Ups (** out of 4)

In “Grown Ups,” five childhood friends reunite after years apart to honor the memory of their recently deceased basketball coach.

We care, marginally, because they are played by “Saturday Night Live” alums and real-life pals Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Rob Schneider, and Kevin James (who wasn’t on “SNL” with this crew but hopped aboard Sandler’s gravy train with “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry” and seems to be enjoying the ride).

And “Grown Ups,” to be fair, gets some mileage and earns its few laughs from the unforced chemistry shared between seasoned comics who grew up together, professionally speaking.

Comedians are a strange bunch. Naturally surly and instinctively defensive, they appear most comfortable when surrounded by other comics.

I love listening to the nationally syndicated satellite radio program, “The Opie and Anthony Show.” The hosts...