The just-concluded Netflix Is a Joke stand-up comedy festival seemed to be a rousing success for the streaming service, despite the biggest headlines of the two-weekend event coming from Dave Chappelle's set being interrupted when he was tackled on-stage. It featured performances from some of the biggest comedy icons out there, while also promoting up-and-coming comics that will no doubt headline their own festival specials in years to come. Now that it's over, the platform has unveiled premiere dates for ten different specials that Netflix subscribers will get to watch in the coming months, and that includes the star-studded and highly anticipated Bob Saget tribute special, as well as a show honoring other late comedy icons such as Robin Williams and George Carlin.
In the aftermath of Bob Saget's death on January 9, a large group of his friends and family gathered together at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood for what was then dubbed a “punk rock shiva,” with comedians such as Jim Carrey, Dave Chappelle and more on hand to share stories in celebration of Saget’s life and career. It was later revealed that Netflix would be releasing the filmed event as a tribute special, and now we know it’ll make its big debut on Friday, June 10. Thankfully, fans won’t have to wait very long before it arrives, potentially with appearances from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, though no guarantees.
Elsewhere on the tribute side of things is the special The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up, which was an evening of reflection that paid homage to four all-out legends in the world of comedy. This special is set to premiere on Thursday, May 19, and will feature current-day stars sharing their love for the trailblazers who paved the way, with John Mulany honoring Robin Williams, Dave Chappelle honoring Richard Pryor, Chelsea Handler honoring Joan Rivers, and Jon Stewart paying respects to George Carlin. (To note, Carlin will also get a more full-blown tribute via Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio’s two-part HBO documentary George Carlin’s American Dream.)
Considering this year also featured the unpexected deaths of fellow stand-up stars Louie Anderson and Gilbert Gottfried, with SNL vet Norm Macdonald having only passed away in September 2021. Here’s hoping we’ll be able to see some tributes to that iconic trio in the near future as well.
Beyond those retrospective specials, Netflix has a slew of more traditional stand-up programming for its loyal fanbase, with arguably the most unique release being David Letterman’s That’s My Time, a six-episode miniseries featuring episodes that welcome different comics to perform short stand-up sets ahead of sit-down conversations with the former talk show king. (And yeah, Letterman was one of many comedians that joked about Dave Chappelle’s initially scary tackling.)
As well, comedy fans can look forward to curated stand-up specials hosted by The Mandalorian fave Bill Burr, Life After Beth’s Amy Schumer, Grace & Frankie stars Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, SNL’s Pete Davidson, and Snoop Dogg, whose special will feature sets from Black comedians who performed the festival. And for those seeking other more diversity-driven sets, the Stand Out special marks the biggest ever gathering of LGBTQ+ comedians.
Check out all the premiere dates below!
- May 19 - The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up
- June 6 - Bill Burr Presents: Friends Who Kill
- June 7 and 12 - That's My Time with David Letterman (Six Episodes)
- June 9 - Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration
- June 10 - A Tribute to Bob Saget
- June 11 - Amy Schumer's Parental Advisory
- June 13 - Pete Davidson Presents: The Best Friends
- June 14 - Jane Fonda & Lily Tomplin: Ladies Night LIve
- June 16 - Snoop Dogg's F*cn Around Comedy Special
- June 23 - Best of the Festival
With this year’s Netflix Is a Joke Festival now concluded, one can only assume the streaming service is gearing up for how to make the 2023 version even bigger and better. Until then, though, don’t forget to check out the Bob Saget tribute and more when they arrive in June!
