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Hello, and welcome back to Comedy Means Business.
Coming to you before I get out of Dodge for a much-needed vacation. I'll be out for the first half of July, so we likely won't have another edition of this newsletter until 7.27.
Today, I have the deets on theatrical release plans for On a String, the terrific Tribeca-prize winning comedy from Isabel Hagen, plus a new special from Brendan Eyre, funds raised at Comedy vs Cancer 2026 and a date set for next year's edition, and a new digital comedy series from Stephen Brower. I also bring you another edition of Back of the Room, a new regular column of observations on comedy from stand-up Matt Ruby.
Wanted to extend well wishes for a speedy recovery to Moshe Kasher, who recently disclosed that he's been grappling with a nightmare scenario with tonsil cancer while working on the new Judd Apatow-Glen Powell comedy The Comeback King.
ICYMI, this past week on the Comedy Means Business podcast, I spoke with Eric André about the unique, anarchic brand he's created for himself with projects like The Eric Andre Show and Bad Trip, and the intense amount of effort that's gone into shaping his work. During the conversation, in support of his new Netflix comedy Little Brother and album Film Scores for Films That Don't Exist, he also talks encounters with mob-run comedy venues and "harsh personalities" in comedy, his pride in Nate Bargatze and "little sister" Sarah Sherman, mentorship from the likes of Jeff Tremaine and Mike Lazzo, the idea that comedians are "homeless" now with few platforms — and fewer comedy-specific platforms — to sell projects to, his next creative chapter, and more.
It's a fun one: You can watch it here. Up next: Josh Johnson.
Now, to the news…
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THE DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE - #1 |
Joke Zero Sets Theatrical Release Date For Isabel Hagen Comedy 'On A String'
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Isabel Hagen in On a String (courtesy)
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NEWSLETTER-ONLY EXCLUSIVE: Joke Zero, the recently launched distribution company founded by Brandon Tamburri, has announced that it will release its first acquisition, the Tribeca prize-winning comedy On a String from Isabel Hagen, exclusively in theaters on September 11.
Boasting a 91% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes stemming from a successful festival run, the indie will open with a week-long theatrical run exclusively at the Quad Cinema in New York City before expanding into other markets in the following weeks. Hagen, who not only wrote and directed the semi-autobiographical film, but also plays the lead role, will be doing in-person Q&As throughout the film’s run at the Quad from September 11 through September 17.
Highlighted in an August 2025 episode of our Comedy Means Business podcast — watch it here — On a String follows a Juilliard-trained violist (Hagen) as she navigates the New York City freelance classical musician scene, playing gigs that often draw her into the personal lives of strangers, all while living in her oddball family’s NYC apartment. The film is a showcase for the many talents of multi-hyphenate Hagen — a writer, director, actor, musician, and stand-up, who directed from her own script, in her feature debut.
The film won Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature in its premiere at last year’s Tribeca Festival.
On a String’s cast also includes Dylan Baker (The Good Wife), Eric Bogosian (Talk Radio), Frederick Weller (In Plain Sight), and Jamie Lee (Ted Lasso). Check out a trailer here.
The film is produced by Hagen, Annie McGrath, Torrance Shepherd, Alex Vara, and Olivia Vessel. Hannah Dweck and Theodore Schaefer of Dweck Productions exec produced alongside Jonathan Daniel Brown, Charlotte Ray Rosenberg, and Tamburri for Joke Zero.
Joke Zero previously produced the 2024 comedy Plan B, written and directed by Tamburri, before expanding into distribution through a partnership with private equity firm MAT Capital. Strictly focused on comedy, the company plans to release one more film in 2026 and four next year.
“A lot of distributors are giving up on releasing comedy films in theaters but I’m a strong believer that people still want to see funny movies on the big screen,” Tamburri told us. “By doing targeted theatrical releases, like we’re doing with On a String, we’re able to focus on quality over quantity and make sure that every theatergoer has a memorable experience. Joke Zero has a lot of exciting things in the works and I can’t wait for more announcements in the coming months.”
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THE DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE - #2 |
BRENDAN EYRE SETS GORILLA COMEDY+ LAUNCH FOR DEBUT SPECIAL 'ALIVE AND WELL'
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Brendan Eyre (courtesy A.R. Clark)
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NEWSLETTER-ONLY EXCLUSIVE: Comedian Brendan Eyre has announced that his debut comedy special, the mental health-themed Alive and Well, will premiere exclusively on 800 Pound Gorilla's new streaming service, Gorilla Comedy+, on July 6. The special will be available worldwide on 800PG's YouTube channel on August 4.
From snakes wearing coats to being bipolar, Brendan's laid back, observational style covers both the silly and the serious. In his new hour, recorded at the Blend Art Gallery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he discusses fatherhood, mental health, the burden of owning a cast iron skillet, and more.
"This hour is super special to me," Eyre told Deadline. "There's a lot of my normal silly stuff, but I also take on my struggles with mental health, which is such an important topic for me. I'm really excited to get this special out into the world."
You've seen Eyre on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Comedy Central, Gotham Comedy Live, Dry Bar Comedy, and social media, where his comedy has been viewed over 50 million times across platforms. He was named a New Face of Comedy at the 2014 edition of Just For Laughs Montreal and can be heard regularly on SiriusXM radio.
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THE DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE - #3 |
COMEDY VS CANCER RAISES $2.7M+ FOR BLOOD CANCER RESEARCH AS WME's ERIN JUNKIN IS HONORED; 2027 DATE SET
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WME's Erin Junkin and husband Jerome Hershey attend Comedy vs Cancer 2026 (courtesy)
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NEWSLETTER-ONLY EXCLUSIVE: Comedy vs Cancer, the annual comedy benefit raising funds for blood cancer research at NYC’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has announced a date for 2027 and a final, approximate fundraising tally for 2026.
This year’s event, held at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City back in April, brought in over $2.7 million. Next year’s is slated for May 11, 2027.
Comedy vs Cancer was co-founded in 2019 by MSK patients and blood cancer survivors Jennifer Rogers Carlock and Niccole Kroll, along with comedic actor, writer, and producer Nick Kroll. The benefit has since raised more than $10 million to date in support of MSK physician-scientists, who are working to change the landscape of blood cancer research.
Featuring appearances from comedians Brett Goldstein, Bridget Everett, Hasan Minhaj and Zarna Garg, along with Nick Kroll, this year’s benefit honored WME agent Erin Junkin for her work as Founding Chair of the MSK Entertainment Advisory Council, a group of entertainment professionals focused on supporting the future of cancer research and care at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Comedy vs Cancer is near and dear to the hearts of Junkin and her family, as her husband Jerome Hershey, who joined her at the 2026 event, was successfully treated for blood cancer at MSK.
"Being this year’s honoree means a lot to me — I’m truly appreciative of the recognition. But in a funny way, even though I’m being honored for the work I’ve done, I feel like it actually gives me a platform to do even more,” Junkin told Deadline. “That’s what I love about it. It’s been really amazing to see my community — colleagues, friends, and family — show their support, and I know that it ultimately helps Comedy vs Cancer raise more funds and awareness for blood cancer research.”
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THE DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE - #4 |
STEPHEN BROWER UNVEILS DIGITAL COMEDY SERIES 'DATING THE DEVIL' FEATURING GIANMARCO SORESI, POOJA TRIPATHI & MORE |
Stephen Brower in Dating the Devil (courtesy)
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NEWSLETTER-ONLY EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Brower has announced Dating the Devil, a scripted digital comedy series slated for release on July 1st.
Rolling out weekly on Wednesdays across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube (@dating.the.devil, @stephenbrower), the short-form series follows Josh, a downtrodden, not-so-evil demon on a mission to find one truly innocent soul. In his journeys, he discovers what New Yorkers already know: dating is hell.
“Everyone pretends to be amazing on a first date,” Brower observes. “Some people hide their horns well, others not so much. Cliché alert: it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”
Dating the Devil features appearances from the likes of Gianmarco Soresi (Thief of Joy), Pooja Tripathi (BK Coffee Shop), Troy Iwata (The Daily Show), Julia DiCesare (American High), and Aneesa Folds (Tick, Tick... Boom!). Arora McCargar is the short-form show’s producer. Check out a trailer here.
An actor, writer, and comedian based in Brooklyn, Brower’s screen credits include Hacks, August opposite Patti LuPone, See You on the Other Side, and Playwrights opposite DiCesare. His Broadway credits include Anastasia and Lempicka. He currently has two television projects in development with the London-based Agile Films and is represented by Innovative Artists and AGI Entertainment Media & Management.
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Matt Ruby Riffs On Sense Of Humor Shaming, The Bravo-ification Of Art And Why Broke Crowds Are More Fun Than Bougie Ones |
Matt Ruby (courtesy Sam Cashell)
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• The wisest path to standup success now: Start a beef with someone in the Rogansphere and hope one of those YouTube gossipmongers clips it along with some spicy commentary. That’s because YouTube vids gossiping about comedians now get far more views than actual standup specials. It’s the Bravo-ification of art. It’s all gossip about the show. Same thing with "First Take" and Pat McAfee’s arms taking over ESPN. People want charismatic personalities gossiping about the thing more than they actually want to watch the thing. Tech promised us software would eat the world. Instead, tea-spilling did.
• The more someone brags about the VOLUME of material they produce, the more it's a tell on the lack of QUALITY they're putting out.
• Wanna make good art? Be the opposite of social media. For comedy, this means giving up TikTok talking points, hacky low hanging fruit, paint-by-numbers cruelty, etc. Give us something we can’t get every day from all of social media. If nothing else, it'll be appreciated from a supply and demand perspective.
• It's strange how much people who oppose kink shaming love sense of humor shaming (i.e. condemning others for liking certain kinds of comedy). In that case, it's fine to tell people they're weird and wrong for what they enjoy.
• I wonder if TED Talk speakers get nasty comments saying, "Nice standup special."
• The problem with AI comedy: AI is about the predictable and comedy is about the surprise twist.
• "This didn't have to be a song. But if I had just said it, it wouldn't be that funny."
-Musical comedy
• Standup is crazy because you can spend decades doing it yet a drunk “it’s my night without the baby” lady in the front row can get the same level of respect from the audience.
• Broke crowds are way more fun than bougie ones. Rich people live in fear – anxious about status, who's watching, and if they're a target. Poor people don't give a damn. They just wanna have a good time.
• The problem with all ages comedy shows ain’t the kids, it’s what they do to the room/vibe. Parents will explain, “I’m fine with my kids being there.” That’s not the issue. The problem: The rest of the crowd is gonna act weird when some guy onstage is talking about his junk and your 12 year old is in the front row.
Back of the Room is a collection of thoughts on comedy from Matt Ruby, NYC comedian, writer, and the author of Funny How: Letters to a Young Comedian (a newsletter about the craft of standup for comedians, industry types, and anyone else who’s a comedy nerd).
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COMEDY ROUND-UP: 6.22 - 6.29 |
Our companion Comedy Means Business podcast runs bimonthly on Mondays. Sign up to receive that in your inbox here.
Got a tip, pitch, comment, feature idea, or Special of the Month? Reach out at mattgrobar@deadline.com.
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