Howdy, happy Monday, and welcome to August. Here’s another comedy-to-know roundup, from me to you!
Continuing with the format I debuted in last newsletter: I’m gonna focus these semi-weekly digests, and go deeper into the categories I usually cover — Film/TV, Live Comedy, Animation — or, this one: DIGITAL COMEDY.
This Substack is my offering for the comedy professionals out there “scouting” and the comedy lovers out there “enjoying.” Below are series, specials and talent you should know (especially if you’re looking for the good stuff in addition to the popular stuff.)
Anyway, if you’re reading this? I love you. And in the spirit of Le Ann Womack, if you have a choice to sit it out or laugh: I hope you laugh.
The until recently dormant Comedy Central is bringing back their short digital sets as “Stand-up Selects” with a handful of tapings later this month.1
Gianmarco Soresi and Jay Jurdan gave this year’s State of the Industry Address at JFL — and it was (shocker) real good and full of scathing, tightly written jokes.
Chris Fleming cut his hair!!! I promise you, this is news.
Helmed by creative director Tim Heidecker, the Real Infowars social handles have begun to populate with original series like AI Psychosis (from Skyler Higley), Cake Hunt (from Griffin Kelly), and some truly bizarre new music videos (from Nick Lutsko). Providing the bulk of the channel’s content, Heidecker has been parodying former Infowars media despot Alex Jones, livestreaming from the @realinfowars YouTube every Thursday. The tone may seem insane to the point of inaccessibility, but in that way? We’re basically looking at a perfect reflection on the current state of politics.
→ YouTube
He’s already wildly popular, sure. But he’s also British, so there’s no guarantee you’ve heard of him (shortest possible intro: he’s Mekki Leeper meets John Oliver, basically the British iteration of “that YouTube comedian who got in real early on prank and interview content, so now he has 5M+ followers.”) That said, and not for nothing, he’s gotten pretty good at it. His digital docu-series of stunts (like "I Tricked Hollywood That I Was A British Royal” and “I Snuck A Cat Into A Dog Show”) feel original, perfect additions to the “I could have done it, but I didn’t think of it” style of YouTube comedy.
→ Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
Hosted by UCB sketch standouts Monica Loomba (Best Actress) and Jake Delaney (The Family Business), this improvised series sets itself apart from other parody morning shows with a fun framing device: someone has recovered the lost footage of a morning show gone wrong, and they’re not afraid to air it. Their first guests — Vinny Thomas and Hannah Pilkes — live up to the premise of live local TV gone hilariously wrong, and suggest that this series will continue to pull from a legitimately exciting pool of LA comedy talent.
→ YouTube (@ucbcomedy)
Now, this digital special is by no means a recent release (it came out in March, but you know what? Sometimes it’s okay to be late to the game, because you made it there eventually). Called “a reason to live for 50 minutes” in the YouTube comments, Marguerite is the debut special from Chicago comedian, Maggie Winters, who has accumulated all the laurels an emerging comedian can, while also appearing as a recurring cast member on The Righteous Gemstones. This “solo show by a Disney adult” ran at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 and the taping is co-presented by Abso Lutely and UCB (in their ongoing partnership aiming to uplift original voices in comedy).
Matt Koff — Emmy award-winning Daily Show writer and champion of New York’s Funniest Standup at NYCF in 2023 — released his second comedy hour, Cat Man, earlier this year on VEEPS. (It recently became free to watch on YouTube.) Shot at the Comedy Cellar with the help of longtime Daily Show collaborators (featuring a Jon Stewart cameo) it’s exactly what you’d expect from someone who has spent a decade-plus making political satire for a living.
→ Instagram | YouTube | larrydickem.com
Larry Dickem (the character) is a self-proclaimed “kung fu master on a mission to reclaim his music from his former record label after being released from prison for bootlegging diapers in the late seventies.” Dantly Wyatt (the actor, writer, and director behind Larry Dickem) has created his own cinematic universe with the consistency and depth of a cult TV show. His videos are hilarious and elevated, from over-the-top fight choreo to instructional videos, featuring a spot-on satirical Blacksploitation aesthetic.
→ Ania: Upcoming Shows | Instagram
→ Lorna: Upcoming Shows | Instagram
These two bright rising British comedians were featured in my Edinburgh roundup in 2025 (and anyone on their way to Scotland this month should be sure to catch their shows!!) Recently, they’ve both “catapulted to the mainstream” via SNL UK. To put it in American terms, Lorna is the Amy (a writer on the show, but a madcap character comedian at heart, with some fun woman-on-the street parody videos from BBC Radio’s “Time of the Week”) whereas Ania is the Tina (a more grounded standup and writer, a frequent Fringe fest award-nominee, and one of SNL UK’s Weekend Update correspondents).
FWIW, despite this being a combo of two comedians who do live shows and perform/write on TV, I’m including these as a digital feature because all you can really do right now is watch SNL UK on YouTube (and you should!)
→ Upcoming Tour Dates | Instagram
I’ve become a broken record telling you guys to clock Sam Taggart, sure, but this is an incredible clip. I told you to see his Lyric Hyperion show in February, but little did I know that at that very show, a stunningly perfect comedy moment would be captured and make its way to the internet for all to enjoy:
That’s it for now! Appreciate you reading all the way to the bottom.
Did you click on stuff? What did you like? Wanna recommend something funny I should include next time? Hit reply or add your thoughts to the comments.
If you’re feeling generous, consider throwing a little tip my way in exchange for a premium membership:
This is NO DOUBT a lineup that is full of deserving talent, but with only four out of fourteen comics identifying as female (and additionally, one non-binary comic), clearly this predominantly male lineup has been curated without much consideration for (sadly) representation of the actual comedy scene, or (annoyingly) my personal satisfaction.
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.