Inside the Streaming Battle for Stand-up Comics

At the tail end of June, Bill Burr took the stage at Seattle’s Moore Theatre, where he filmed his eighth stand-up special. His last few specials had been with Netflix, where he’d been part of an illustrious roster that includes Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Ali Wong and Jerry Seinfeld.

But those who know Burr say he wanted to feel important — or at least less like a cog in the wheel at a streaming behemoth, which now spits out specials on a weekly basis and largely relies on internal algorithms to get them seen. Plus, there was an excitement about being on the ground floor of something new. So Burr inked a deal with Hulu, the latest entrant to what’s quickly become an arms race for stand-up specials, one of few bright spots in an otherwise bleak entertainment landscape. The same companies that have slashed budgets and cut back on series orders are now ponying up as much as eight figures for stand-up comedy. In fact, Hulu is said to have shelled out roughly $15 million for Burr’s hour, the result of an increasingly common, multiplatform bidding war.

Before the rash of streamers elbowed in, the landscape had been dominated by HBO and, later, by Comedy Central and, to a lesser extent, Showtime. “But no comedian did it to make money back then,” recalls Mainstay Entertainment’s Derek Van Pelt, whose clients include Trevor Noah and Roy Wood Jr. “It was just an advertisement for the tour, and then Netflix comes along, and all of a sudden, it’s like, ‘Wait a minute, this can be a huge, huge source of income.’ ” The platform, led by a dedicated stand-up executive, Robbie Praw, and his comedy fanatic boss, co-CEO Ted Sarandos, had identified an opportunity, then swiftly cornered the market — Rock, Chappelle, Ellen DeGeneres, Amy Schumer — all but eliminating the competition, one eight-figure check at a time. By 2017, execs including HBO chief Casey Bloys had raised the white flag. “It’s hard for me to pay exorbitant prices,” Bloys acknowledged at the time. 

Now, nearly a decade later, Netflix remains the preeminent buyer, paying anywhere from a $200,000 license fee, which it considers its starter tier for comics like Hannah Berner, to some $20 million at the Chappelle level. But the streamer no longer has the same stranglehold on the industry’s output, in part because the latter has grown considerably in that time. (One report pegged the total number of comedy specials released in 2023 at more than 150, roughly triple what it was a decade before.) Even those who prefer to sell to Netflix believe having options, be it Amazon Prime Video, YouTube or Live Nation’s Veeps, is a boon for the business. “There’s now the opportunity for every artist to get what market value is,” says WME co-head of comedy Mike Berkowitz, “and it’s no longer one company that’s setting that price.”

For comics and their reps, the decision of where to sell a special typically comes down to a combination of money and eyeballs, though other sweeteners include awards potential, turnaround time and the opportunities beyond the hour itself. As for the various platforms, all eager to boost and retain subscribers, the appeal is largely the same: It’s relatively cheap, prepackaged content that’s already been tested on the road. Plus, notes UTA partner and head of comedy touring Nick Nuciforo, the comedians not only bring their own fans but also do the heavy lifting in marketing through their social media and podcasts. “Unlike most other talent, comedians have this direct relationship with their audience,” he says, “and they can grab that audience and bring it with them, which plays a big role in the ability to promote a special.”

The growing interest in televised specials mirrors the appetite for live comedy, which has seen grosses nearly triple over the past decade, to more than $900 million in 2023, according to Pollstar. At the top, comedians now rival rock stars, with more stand-up acts, from Sebastian Maniscalco to Matt Rife, touring major arenas than ever before. Levity Live founding partner Judi Marmel, whose roster includes Taylor Tomlinson, Bert Kreischer and Leanne Morgan, attributes the explosive demand, in part, to a lack of comedy alternatives. “They’re not making funny movies the way that they used to, so people no longer have that relief,” she says. “So, they’re coming to live stand-up and specials because that desire to laugh is still very much there.” 

***

Sure, some balk at Netflix’s saturation or its clubby vibe, a tone allegedly set by Sarandos, but it’s still the only platform that’s consistently proven it can transform comics like Wong or Kreischer into massive global touring acts. In fact, Kreischer, who grossed more than $30 million on the road in 2023, enough to land him at No. 2 on the annual Pollstar chart, joked recently that he’ll have a short list of people to thank at his funeral, “and Netflix is at the top.” Berkowitz is quick to praise the newer players, all of whom have shown promise, but, at least for now, he sees Netflix as the destination of choice: “Those other places are going to have to prove that they can compete with Netflix in terms of eyeballs and artist relations,” he says, “or it won’t matter how much they’re willing to pay.”

By all accounts, it’s taken Amazon a few years to settle on a definitive strategy, but that hasn’t stopped it from outbidding the competition on multiple occasions — though given Netflix’s track record, many comics have opted to stay there, even when it’s offering less. (Exceptions include Kevin James, who jumped from Netflix to Amazon earlier this year.) Still, plenty of the town’s top sellers say Amazon is a strong option for a certain type of artist, as it is for a certain type of show, from Reacher to Jack Ryan. At least a few describe it as “Main Street America,” whether it be James, Jim Gaffigan (who released Amazon’s first special, in late 2019), or Nate Bargatze, who dropped Hello World there in early 2023. Amazon’s head of content acquisition, Chris Mansolillo, doesn’t argue with that assessment, though he points to Jimmy O. Yang and Tig Notaro as recent successes.

According to Nuciforo, the touring agent for Gaffigan and Bargatze, who were both previously at Netflix, the former served as a test case for Amazon’s viability. “And from what we learned on Gaffigan, we knew that Nate’s sensibility and his humor could really thrive there,” he says of a move that initially raised eyebrows given Netflix’s positioning in the marketplace. But by any platform’s standards, Bargatze’s “clean comedy” hour was big, racking up 2.9 million viewers in its first month alone. Soon after, he jumped from theaters to arenas, where he now routinely smashes records at 19,000-seat venues like the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Thus far this year, he’s said to have grossed nearly $90 million on the road, also boosted by a Saturday Night Live viral hosting gig. “To date, Nate’s the most undeniable example that Amazon has had,” says Marmel, “and the industry’s watching really closely to see if it was a one-time thing or if it can happen with other artists.” 

Mansolillo is certainly optimistic, telling THR, “We believe it can continue to happen with other comedians.” So, too, is Sam Morril, who dropped a Prime Video special in July: “Because everyone has Prime, right? Who’s not a lazy piece of shit American here, come on,” he jokes. Gaffigan was content enough with the Amazon experience, and the new viewers it brought in, to return with another hour in 2023. “There is some overlap between Netflix and Amazon, obviously, but there were also audiences sampling me that either didn’t have Netflix or, because of Prime, they automatically got Amazon,” he says, adding that the exposure in the U.K., Germany and India was also significant. Mansolillo calls the global reach “another arrow in our quiver.” 

Neither Gaffigan’s next special nor Bargatze’s will be with Amazon, however. Bargatze is returning to Netflix, where he’s now said to be getting recognition as a top-tier comic (both in compensation and Sarandos’ attention), and Gaffigan will soon shift to being Hulu’s guinea pig, with his latest hour kicking off the “Hulu’s Laughing Now” brand in November. Gaffigan, who’s also released his work directly and through Comedy Central, believes wholeheartedly that moving from one platform to another is advantageous for a comedian, as it gives new audiences and demographics an opportunity to sample his work. Others, like Van Pelt, would prefer to keep a comic’s library all together. “I love the idea that if you want to go see Trevor Noah, there’s one place,” he says, referring to Netflix.

Over at Hulu, Billy Rosenberg, who ran the streamer’s comedy division until this spring, had identified what he believed was a hole in the market for a more curated approach that hinged on just 12 specials a year. And despite the squeaky-clean image of corporate parent Disney — which, frankly, still gives certain sellers pause — he and his team began lining up major names, including Maniscalco, who’s close to a deal, and Burr. “What I sold up the chain was for the cost of one midsize television comedy series, we could program a year’s worth of specials,” says Rosenberg, whose team was willing to pay a premium to break into the market. Externally, he pitched Hulu as “Target to Netflix’s Walmart.” Some still have doubts over whether the platform can convert series viewers into stand-up ones, an area in which Netflix has a distinct advantage. “Sure, Hulu is willing to pay more,” says a rep, “but does it end up costing me [touring revenue] because not as many people see it?” 

In the meantime, Hulu has licensed older specials and remains committed to making noise with its upcoming roster, which, pending deals, also includes Atsuko Okatsuka and Jessica Kirson. (Multiple sources say it made plays for Jamie Foxx and Andrew Schulz, too, but both opted for Netflix.) What’s more, Hulu head of scripted content Jordan Helman notes that they’re “being really thoughtful about how to leverage relationships throughout the larger Disney ecosystem,” which includes introducing its comics to the folks at the film and TV studios. Of course, that plays better with some comedians than others. “I know that the intention is really good, but also just because I’m doing a special for Hulu, I don’t have any expectation that I’m going to be in, like, The Mandalorian,” says Gaffigan, though he admits he was hugely impressed by the sheer number of Disney execs who turned out for his April taping.

HBO, for its part, is playing a slightly different game — smaller and more niche, with a max of eight specials a year. “And when we’re doing eight specials, the difference is our specials really feel special,” says HBO’s exec vp Nina Rosenstein, who has similarly leaned into the ways in which the brand can distinguish itself, apart from reach and money, where multiple sources say its compensation won’t exceed seven figures. Instead, the allure of HBO is a sense of importance, artistry and prestige, which often comes in the form of a real awards campaign. “I just wish more people were watching,” says one seller, voicing a common Max refrain. (Per a recent Nielsen report, Netflix now accounts for 8.4 percent of all TV viewership, followed by Prime Video at 3.1 percent, Hulu at 3 percent and Max, which doesn’t include those who watch linear HBO, at just 1.4 percent.) Still, Alex Edelman, Ramy Youssef, John Early and Nikki Glaser each brought recent hours to HBO, and all four were rewarded with Emmy noms.

Glaser, whose profile has since exploded, thanks in part to her standout performance at Netflix’s Tom Brady roast (see page 52), says it was largely Rosenstein’s enthusiasm that sold her on HBO for her 2024 hour, Someday You’ll Die. Glaser wasn’t yet igniting the kind of bidding war she does now, nor was she particularly interested in being a big global artist — the result of a self-proclaimed phobia of airport customs that she’s only recently gotten over. (“I always feel like I’ve somehow accidentally put heroin in my asshole or something,” she jokes.) That desire to stay stateside proved fortuitous; she recalls many warning her that “if you do HBO, you probably won’t get that many opportunities to perform overseas.” 

Comics have other options, too, be it Paramount+, which houses Showtime and Comedy Central, or Peacock, which released Kevin Hart’s most recent special, Reality Check (though neither is in the volume game), as well as membership platforms like Veeps and Patreon. There have been whispers that Apple TV+ might dip a toe in, too, for the right project, though nobody seems clear on what that might be. Still others see a DIY option like YouTube as arguably the best alternative thanks to its vast reach as a platform. What it can’t offer in the form of a big paycheck, it makes up for in exposure and ownership. Plus, many, including Morril, have parlayed a hit YouTube special into lucrative deals at Amazon or Netflix for future hours. (Netflix also uses YouTube, posting clips from its specials to help boost viewership on its own service.) 

What excites industry vets like Marmel is that there are no longer gatekeepers, in part because comics are better equipped than ever before to produce (and thus own) their work, and, in part, because there’s no shortage of deep pockets, whether production companies or outside investors, eager to step in to help. “The number-one phone call I get every week is, ‘We’ve got money, who wants to make a special?’ ” says Marmel. “Like any business that’s really booming, there’s this feeling of, ‘Gosh, it seems like they’re printing money over there — how do we become part of that?’ ” 

Additional reporting by Nicole Fell.

The Pitch: How Streamers Lure Comics

Amazon Prime Video

Pitch Paychecks and eyeballs, at least for “Main Street America” comics. Chris Mansolillo says it has eight specials lined up for 2025, as it looks to be more selective than rival Netflix. 

Comedians Nate Bargatze, Kevin James, Jim Gaffigan, Tig Notaro, Jimmy O. Yang

Hulu

Pitch A curated approach: just 12 a year. “The mantra is very much quality over quantity,” says Jordan Helman. Plus, real money, marketing muscle and opportunities across the Disney portfolio. Eyeballs, however? TBD.

Comedians Gaffigan, Bill Burr, Sebastian Maniscalco, Roy Wood Jr.

Max/HBO

Pitch Prestige plus awards potential. Less clutter: eight a year, tops. It doesn’t engage in bidding wars or guarantee reach, but it does offer high-end production and will throw in overall deals.

Comedians Nikki Glaser, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, Alex Edelman

Netflix

Pitch The category leader with a big footprint (some say too big) and weekly output and a giant comedy festival. Also: the only platform that consistently transforms comics into global touring acts.

Comedians Joe Rogan, Matt Rife, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Ali Wong

Youtube

Pitch Exposure via a massive global audience and a strong algorithm that can feed comedy fans set after set after set. “But,” as Sam Morril says of its drawback, “it’s also nice to get paid a nice sum of money for your work.”

Comedians Ali Siddiq, Sal Vulcano, Sasheer Zamata

This story first appeared in the August 7 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.