2 months ago
EXCLUSIVE: After 16 years years moving connected a bid of stand-up shows oriented astir longform storytelling — Comedy Central’s This Is Not Happening being nan astir celebrated — Ari Shaffir is winding down his activity successful nan abstraction pinch nan caller seven-episode series, The End.
Directed, co-created and exec produced by Shaffir and Eric Abrams, nan show will beryllium disposable to watercourse exclusively connected nan direct-to-consumer level of Tom Segura and Christina Pazsitzky’s YMH Studios opening April 16.
The End features performances from Shane Gillis, Nate Bargatze, Tom Segura, Tony Hinchcliffe, and galore much of comedy’s apical storytellers, who stock their wildest, astir unfiltered existent stories successful beforehand of a unrecorded audience. Others participating see Jim Breuer, Chris Distefano, Jordan Jensen, Robert Kelly, Joe List, Mark Normand, Big Jay Oakerson, Ms. Pat, Jessa Reed, Ali Siddiq, Steve Simeone, Dan Soder, Sam Tallent, Steph Tolev, Sarah Tollemache, Duncan Trussell, Colum Tyrrell, and Roy Wood Jr.
For YMH Studios’ Segura, Ryan P. Hall and Joshua Zollo, who besides exec produced, nan D2C move is an hold of their committedness to creator ownership and nonstop assemblage relationships — a exemplary that has helped nan web make complete 430 cardinal yearly impressions crossed their 25-show podcast portfolio.
In a connection to Deadline, YMH Studios co-founder Segura said, “Ari has been an unthinkable partner to activity with, and anyone who’s been astir drama agelong capable knows what these storytelling shows person meant to nan community. This is simply a hellhole of a measurement to adjacent that chapter.”
Shaffir himself told us, “My storyteller show helped present group to truthful galore millionaire comics who now bargain maine meals. As galore of you know, I emotion money. So I was worried astir spending each of excavation to make my show again. But past my Peruvian number friend Tom Segura (who’s much of a Jew than I ever was!) sewage his YMH miscreants to thief maine and my guys make it great. The comedians connected nan show each killed! And nan episodes came retired truthful sick that I decided to bypass each nan normal streaming services to present it straight to nan fans who matter most, group pinch 25 dollars. This measurement I tin spend to salary for Tom’s luncheon for a alteration moreover though he’s anorexic now and mostly eats radishes.”
A stand-up known for his fearlessly provocative style, Shaffir first experimented pinch live, longform storytelling pinch Ari Shaffir’s Storytelling Show, which launched successful February 2010 and quickly became 1 nan astir respected unrecorded showcases successful comedy. The format evolved into This Is Not Happening, which ran for 5 seasons connected Comedy Central and became 1 of YouTube’s most-watched stand-up franchises. After its tv run, Shaffir brought nan conception backmost independently arsenic Ari Shaffir’s Renamed Storytelling Show, continuing nan contented of raw, long-form storytelling successful beforehand of a unrecorded crowd.
The End is nan last section of that travel — a definitive send-off to a format that helped motorboat careers, produced countless iconic drama moments, and proved that audiences hunger for authentic, unscripted storytelling.
One of today’s preeminent comics, erstwhile it comes to some touring and streaming numbers, Ali Siddiq said to nan taste value of This Is Not Happening successful a caller section of our Comedy Means Business podcast, indicating that a 2015 appearance, successful which he collapsed down his witnessing of situation riot, was instrumental to his breakthrough.
“Big shout-out to Ari and Eric and nan full squad that had to do pinch This Is Not Happening. Because I don’t deliberation they understood what they did for me,” said Siddiq, who is known for leaning into longform storytelling successful his ain act.
Whereas nan stand-up segment tin often beryllium cutthroat and competitive, Siddiq said, This Is Not Happening was “a comics’ situation of happiness” wherever “every personification wanted each personification to do well.”
The show was an embodiment of Siddiq’s individual philosophy: “I’m not successful title pinch you; I’m successful title pinch my bills, pinch my shape of artistry.”
You tin watch nan afloat quality here.
Shaffir gained wide attraction pinch Jew, nan uncommon typical sought retired by Netflix pursuing a successful tally connected YouTube, which has racked up complete 8 cardinal views. Premiering his latest hour, America’s Sweetheart, connected Netflix past January, he’s besides known for Netflix double-header typical Double Negative and nan Comedy Central typical Paid Regular.
An avid world traveler known for going wholly disconnected nan grid for extended periods of time, Shaffir chronicles his recreation adventures connected nan YMH Studios pod You Be Trippin’. He besides co-founded podcast Protect Our Parks alongside Shane Gillis, Mark Normand, and Joe Rogan, and is repped by Levity Entertainment Group and Garrett Legal.
