FX Networks instantly became a serious competitor to streaming giants Netflix and HBO Max with the announcement of the companies venturing into stand-up comedy specials beginning in September 2022. Living up to their motto “Be Fearless,” one of FX debut comedy specials comes in the form of comedian/actor Byron Bowers entitled Spiritual N***a. Filmed in his hometown of Atlanta, GA, Bowers talks about his long journey to his first comedy special, the stigma of mental health, his schizophrenic father and his feelings regarding his Blackness.
In the official synopsis:
Byron Bowers: Spiritual N***a is also a first for the comedian. Directed by Alma Har’el, Bowers’ special talks about his long journey to his first comedy special, the stigma of mental health, and how tripping on mushrooms made him understand his schizophrenic father and altered the way he feels about his Blackness. It’s executive Produced by Har’el (Honey Boy), Bowers, Christopher Leggett, Rafael Marmor, Jeff Tomsic and Jessica Pilot, and produced by Zusa, Sons of a Schitz, Delirio Films and Rotten Science.
You can check out the exclusive trailer below. Byron Bowers Spiritual N***a is currently available for streaming on HULU.
Byron’s appeared on The Eric Andre Show on Adult Swim, Comedy Central’s Adam Devine’s House Party, on the reboot of BET’s Comic View and he made his late night debut on The Pete Holmes Show and followed that with an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He was also featured in MTV’s Guy Code. He’s currently occurring in Lena Waithe’s Showtime series drama The CHI as Meldrick as well as in Shia LaBeouf’s biopic Honey Boy.
In 2016 alone, he performed at the Famous Hollywood Bowl to 12,000 people next to Flying Lotus, Thundercat, and George Clinton as part of the sold-out Brainfeeder festival. He plays in the appears in much anticipated horror film KUSO which recently premiered in Sundance. His TV credits include season 3 of The Meltdown on Comedy Central, Funny as Hell in Montreal for HBO Canada and Vice Land TV. His festival performances this year included SXSW, Life is Beautiful, Austin City Limits, RIOT, SF Sketchfest and Blue Whale Comedy Festival.
Byron appears regularly at The Comedy Store, The Comedy and Magic Club, The Hollywood Improv, The Nerdist Theater, and various Colleges and Clubs throughout the nation.
FX is an American pay television channel owned by FX Networks, LLC, a subsidiary of the Disney General Entertainment Content unit of The Walt Disney Company. It is based at the Fox Studios lot in Century City, California. FX originally launched on June 1, 1994.
The network’s original programming aspires to the standards of premium cable channels in regard to mature themes and content, high-quality writing, directing and acting. Sister channels FXM and FXX were launched in 1994 and 2013, respectively. FX also carries reruns of theatrical films and terrestrial-network sitcoms. Advertising-free content was available through the FX+ premium subscription service until it was shut down on August 21, 2019.
As of September 2018, FX is available to approximately 89.2 million television households (96.7% of households with cable) in the United States.
