The work of being a comedian and fielding comedy projects hasn’t been the same since the pandemic — in good and not-so-good ways.
That’s one of many takeaways from a deep conversation about the business of comedy with Blair Kohan and Jason Heyman, UTA board members and partners, featured on the latest episode of Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast. Kohan and Heyman are longtime colleagues who have been in the trenches together and know each other’s rhythms and strengths, like any good buddy act.
The two address head on the challenges that traditional adult comedies have faced in recent years at the box office, and the fact that sitcoms are few and far between on network television these days. And yet, the pair emphasize, there’s more talent bursting from all corners and more avenues for expressing comedy than ever before.
“I think people want to laugh in community. I think what’s driving this live experience [boom] is being together in a room and laughing together,” Kohan says. “When we talk about all these great movies, these great comedies of the last 25-50 years, it was going to the theater and laughing in community. And I think we are missing that.”
Heyman sees opportunity in the disruption around the network TV system that was once crucial for building the careers of comedy stars.
“Can a ‘Modern Family’ exist again? Can an ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ exist? It’s a really good question,” Heyman asks. “The good side of it is that schedule, that routine that we all grew up with — pilot season and upfronts and fall schedule and all of that — that’s all gone. So you have a little more flexibility and the talent can go off to do other things, come back when they feel creatively inspired,” Hayman says.
Kohan notes that stars that emerge out of social media platforms can often have more control over their material when they do work with mainstream Hollywood, citing Rachel Sennott and her new HBO series “I Love L.A.” as an example. Kohan calls it a “reverse-incubation” effect.
“We always talk about the heyday of Comedy Central and Funny or Die and those incubators. ‘SNL,’ which is still there and still incubating, identifying, discovering. We miss those days because that’s where we were able to launch talent. It’s where we discovered talent,” she says. “With social media, we have comedians like Matt Rife. Nate Bargatze Leanne Morgan, Ali Wong, who are developing their audience directly, and so we have this reverse-incubation thing where the Netflixes and the Amazons and HBOs attach to them after they’ve already created this platform for themselves. So they have a little bit more control and understanding about what their audience is looking for. The loss of Comedy Central and, Funny or Die has been replaced by, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.”
Heyman, who has had a long association with Will Ferrell and other multihyphenate comedians, says the low volume of comedy movies reaching the theatrical box office situation is concerning.
“If you don’t build it, they won’t come. So at a certain point, someone has to take the shot,” Heyman says. “Because if you don’t build it, I can guarantee you they won’t come. People largely now don’t even think about going to the theater to see an R-rated comedy. If you’re a 20-year-old kid going out with your buddies, It’s not something you even consider doing.”
(Pictured: Blair Kohan and Jason Heyman outside UTA’s headquarters in Beverly Hills)
“Strictly Business” is Variety’s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. (Please click here to subscribe to our free newsletter.) New episodes debut every Wednesday and can be downloaded at Apple Podcasts, iHeartMedia, Amazon Music, Spotify and more.
