If your a fan of standup comedy like myself, then this is going to be a bummer for you. Netflix has announced it will be cutting back on producing standup specials. The streaming giant has pushed hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years for comedy specials that include, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappele, and more. Netflix has streamed about 30 such shows so far this year, compared with more than 50 at this point last year. The company says it’s refining its strategy after relying on standup as a magnet for new subscribers over the past few years. Which is funny to me because if the specials are still bringing in new subscribers and viewership, why stop? I think the simple answer is, money.
According to Bloomberg, Netflix cornered the market for standup by paying a reported $20 million per show for Chappelle, Amy Schumer and Chris Rock. The three previously made specials for HBO, which has since pared its comedy budget, saying the costs are too high for shows that aren’t that popular. Whatever the case may be, it's kind of a bummer as someone who enjoys these specials to be cut back. Hopefully Netflix can bring them in the future.