Hulu Picks Up New Jim Gaffigan Special in Push Into Standup Comedy
Hulu is set to air Jim Gaffigan’s next comedy special as the launch title of the streamer’s new standup comedy brand.
Gaffigan’s new special, “The Skinny,” will debut on Nov. 22 under the new “Hulu’s Laughing Now” brand. The brand will feature 12 new comedy specials per year, or one per month. The announcement was made as part of Disney’s upfront presentation to advertisers in New York on Tuesday.
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“This is probably the biggest announcement that will happen to television since the invention of the TV dinner,” Gaffigan said onstage. “They’re doing it not half assed. They’re doing it full assed. I don’t know if I’m allowed to say that.”
“The Skinny” was taped earlier this year in Boston at the Wilbur Theater. The special, Gaffigan’s 11th stand-up special, will launch on Hulu and on Disney+ outside the U.S.
More comics that will be featured on “Hulu’s Laughing Now” will be announced at a later date. Ahead of the debut of “The Skinny,” Hulu will also air a collection of licensed standup specials, further details of which will also be available at a later date.
“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, in a statement. “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 recently co-headlined a multi-city arena tour with Jerry Seinfeld. He was also recently awarded for being the first comedian to reach 1 billion streams on Pandora. Gaffigan regularly does humorous commentaries on “CBS Sunday Morning” for which he has won three Emmys.
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