Netflix and chill? More like Netflix and laugh in 2017. If you’re looking for laughs (and who isn’t these days) then consider Netflix your home for the giggles.
That’s because the streaming content company is going all-in on stand-up comedy specials for the rest of 2017. In fact, they are set to release a new stand-up special every week the rest of the year, according to The Verge.
It should be an interesting year for comedy on the streaming service, as big names have signed on for stand-up specials. Names like Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld and Amy Schumer headline a long line of specials coming our way.
Gone are the days of HBO ruling the comedy roost, as The Verge points out that the former king of comedy released just three specials last year to Netflix’s 25.
Will this be the start of a war of comedy specials? If so, those looking for laughs are certainly going to be winners.
It also will be interesting to see how long this can keep up, as Netflix has spent some major money to secure the headliners it has in 2017. Consider this from The Verge:
The company has made a huge effort to bring in comedians, ranging from a reported $40 million for a pair of specials from Chris Rock, to a reported $100 million for Jerry Seinfeld’s entire series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, in addition to a pair of stand-up specials.
That is some insane jack to be throwing around, especially in the case of two 90s holdovers in Rock and Seinfeld. It also is a chance for the two to re-introduce themselves as stand-up comics to a new generation.
The money isn’t totally out of whack either, as Netflix usually spends $3 to $10 million for so-called “second tier” acts and $10-$20 million for bigger names, according to The Verge.
As a fan of stand-up comedy, I’ve got to say thank you to Netflix. You’re making a crazy year a little less crazy already.
