Hulu is staking its claim in the realm of stand-up comedy specials.
The streamer announced its very own stand-up brand, “Hulu’s Laughing Now,” during Disney‘s Upfront presentation on Tuesday.
A new comic will be featured each month with 12 specials expected throughout the year.
“Hulu’s Laughing Now” will launch in November with Jim Gaffigan as the first comedian to host a special under the banner. Gaffigan’s special “The Skinny” will bow on November 22. The set was taped earlier this year in Boston at the Wilbur Theater.
“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,” Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group said 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.”
In preparation for Gaffigan’s special, Hulu will also be launching a curated collective of licensed stand-up specials from 800 Pound Gorilla and Comedy Dynamics, among others.
Hulu’s foray into stand-up comedy is significant considering that Netflix has cornered the stand up special market among the streaming services in recent years, having commissioned dozens of specials including several from Kevin Hart, Ali Wong, Hannah Gadsby and Chris Rock — to name a few.
As part of its annual Netflix Is A Joke festival, the streamer recently hosted the Greatest Roast of All Time, honoring Tom Brady. That is currently trending on the streamer as the most-watched TV title last week.
