Hulu has announced the launch of its comedy stand-up brand, “Hulu’s Laughing Now,” which will officially bow in November of this year. Comedian Jim Gaffigan will be the first comedian to host a stand-up special as part of the new brand, with his special “The Skinny” launching on the platform Nov. 22. “Hulu’s Laughing Now” will feature 12 comedy specials per year, adding one new comic per month.
The Gaffigan special was taped earlier this year in Boston at the Wilbur Theater. The special, Gaffigan’s 11th stand-up special, will launch on Hulu, as well as on Disney+ outside the U.S.
“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,” said Craig Erwich, president, Disney Television Group. “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.”
Additional comics will be announced at a future date with launch dates for those specials and other information to follow. Headed into the launch of Gaffigan’s special in November, Hulu will additionally launch a curated collection of licensed stand-up specials ranging from iconic comedy specials to recent releases from 800 Pound Gorilla and Comedy Dynamics, among others.