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Comedian Alex Hooper has set a new stand-up special debuting March 18.

Distributed by Comedy Dynamics, it will be available to watch on YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video and all other major platforms.

In the hour, titled “Brace Yourself,” Hooper gets “brutally honest” about his cancer journey. The special offers a “funny, outrageous and occasionally wildly inappropriate perspective on confronting the most terrifying thing imaginable,” according to a press release.

Hooper puts a comedic spin on his Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis and everything that came with it: “fear, hospitals, navigating the medical system, and how to handle those astronomical bills.” The special is not only about cancer but embracing the absurdity of life and staying optimistic even during life’s darkest times.

Hooper is best known for his appearances on “America’s Got Talent,” where he competed for two seasons and made it to the quarter-finals. He became famous for...

Katie Thurston is well known to Bachelor Nation fans as she appeared on The Bachelor with Matt James before she became one of the leads on The Bachelorette Season 17. She also appeared briefly in Season 9 of Bachelor in Paradise. She’s been engaged before, and now that she has become engaged again, ABC fans reacted on social media.

Katie Thurston Was Previously Engaged

On The Bachelorette, the ABC star gave her heart to conservationist and thirst trap, Blake Moynes. Unfortunately, it didn’t last very long, and they split in October 2021. Next, up she dated one of her season’s competitors, John Hersey. But Bachelor Nation fans heard they split in 2022.

Katie Thurston appeared as a guest on Bachelor in Paradise, and as she moved on to do stand-up comedy, she coached the competitors on that. Along the way, she met a comedian named Jeff Arcuri and she hard-launched her relationship a few months ago.

Former Bachelorette Katie Thurston teased she was off the market a few weeks ago. Now she finally hard launched her new relationship.

Bachelorette Katie Thurston Hard Launches New Boyfriend

Katie Thurston has had several public relationships followed by very public breakups. Much like Bachelor Nation alum Jason Tartick, it’s no surprise that she wanted to ease into introducing the world to someone new she’s been dating.

The former Bachelorette star previously dated Blake Moynes, John Hersey, and Vince Xu. She teased on social media in late May that she was seriously dating someone, but stopped short of revealing who. She said that she enacted a 90-day trial period after so many failed relationships.

Katie Thurston/Credit: ABC YouTube

Well, those three months must be up because she just hard launched her new man. The reality starlet took to her Instagram on June 14 and she wasn’t shy about introducing her boyfriend.

Ariana Grande and Jimmy Carr were guests on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man show and played a fun game of Roulette. During the game, Jimmy Carr made a dark joke about Grande that left the Dangerous Woman singer speechless. However, she is known to come up with some sassy clapbacks and her befitting response came a little later in the show, surprising Carr.

Victorious star Ariana Grande was left speechless after Jimmy Carr’s dark joke about her

However, both the celebrities had no bad blood between them at the end of the fun segment. Both of them even shared their celebrity encounter with the one and only Jim Carrey. The show also featured actor and comedian Will Arnett as the third guest in the episode.

Ariana Grande Had A Befitting Response To Jimmy Carr’s Dark Joke About Her Ariana Grande had a befitting response to Jimmy Carr’s...

Mortal Media, the film and TV production company co-founded by Blake Griffin and Ryan Kalil, has signed with WME for representation, Variety has learned exclusively.

WME will rep Mortal Media’s scripted and unscripted slate, while also helping the company expand into brand partnerships and creative marketing services. In addition, Griffin has signed with WME for theatrical representation.

Mortal Media currently has projects in development across a wide range of platforms, including Netflix, Paramount, 20th Century Studios, FX, and Disney. Their recent credits include the “White Men Can’t Jump” remake at Hulu and the sci-fi dramedy series “Hello Tomorrow!” at Apple TV+. On the horizon, Mortal Media is behind “The Rocketeer” sequel at Disney, the single-cam comedy “Get Buckets” in development at Fox, and a feature action comedy with Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat for Netflix. Mortal Media is also a lead investor in Swaybox Studios, an innovative, New Orleans-based animation studio.

Exclusive: Comedian and writer Dina Hashem has set a November 10th premiere date for Dina Hashem: Dark Little Whispers, her first-ever stand-up special, which is headed for Prime Video. View the trailer for it above.

In Hashem’s breakout hour of comedy, exec produced by fellow comic Sam Morril (Netflix’s Same Time Tomorrow), she discusses everything from death threats and existential dilemmas, to relationship problems, quiet people, and her upbringing as a first generation Arab-American. Amazon Studios and Pop Studios served as producers. In addition to Hashem and Morril, EPs included Kelly Van Valkenburg and James Webb.

Currently a writer on The Daily Show, Hashem has also recently been staffed on Season 2 of Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, as well as B.J. Novak’s FX anthology The Premise. Known for her deadpan delivery and nuanced observations on stage, she has been a stand-out on the New...

Russell Brand’s last show on mainstream British TV was binned without making it to air five years ago, following allegations by a female comedian of his predatory behaviour, according to The Sun newspaper.

A week after The Times newspaper and Channel 4’s Dispatches programme collaborated to publish a list of claims about the comedian turned influencer, including allegations of rape, sexual assault and abusive behaviour – all of which he denies – The Sun reports that plans for ‘Russell Brand TV’, to be broadcast by the BBC, were put on ice after it transpired that female comedian Katherine Ryan had publicly called Brand on his behaviour during a 2017 recording of Comedy Central’s Roast Battle. The segment of that show was never aired.

This comes after a week in which:

The BBC has removed from its streaming platforms any content featuring the comedian and has announced a review into his...

Katherine Ryan avoided the “elephant in the room” at the Rts Cambridge tonight by not mentioning Russell Brand during an Rts Cambridge comedy set.

The Duchess star joked that the “elephant in the room” was that she had lost two stones in the past two months, as she took attendees through an after-dinner comedy set covering her sex life, kids and her ancestry.

Deadline revealed earlier this week that Ryan turned the heat on Brand a number of times during the filming of Roast Battle on Comedy Central in 2018, Brand’s last mainstream TV appearance.

After being introduced by Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon, Ryan didn’t comment on the Brand allegations during tonight’s comedy set, which was jovially received. “Thank you so much for what must have felt like a very strange part of the convention,” she concluded.

Ryan has previously spoken about her experience on Roast Battle,...

New BAFTA chair Sara Putt has reflected upon the events of the past weekend in her first letter to members.

While not addressing Russell Brand – about whom allegations of rape and sexual assault emerged over the weekend – by name, Putt wrote: “This weekend’s news has again raised serious questions about the culture of the screen industries and what still needs to change. BAFTA is supportive of the creation of Ciisa, an independent standards authority for those working in the creative industries and I encourage you to find out more about their plans. As a reminder, it is now mandatory for U.K. productions to have a bullying and harassment policy in order to enter our film, games and television Awards, building on principles and guidance on the prevention of bullying and harassment in the workplace as set out here.”

Putt also addressed the ongoing Hollywood strikes, writing: “Harnessing the talents of our global membership,...

The Metropolitian Police has said it received a “report of sexual assault” against Russell Brand over the weekend following allegations published in The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4.

“We are aware of reporting by The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches about allegations of sexual offences,” said a statement in the past few minutes. “On Sunday, 17 September, the Met received a report of a sexual assault which was alleged to have taken place in Soho in central London in 2003. Officers are in contact with the woman and will be providing her with support.”

The Met said it had first spoken to the newspapers on 16 September and has since made further approaches to “ensure that anyone who believes they have been the victim of a sexual offence is aware of how to report this to the police.”

“We continue to encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a sexual offence,...

Russell Brand’s next UK live show is in question, with the UK’s Theatre Royal Windsor preparing to update this afternoon, as Brand’s book deal is put on ice by his publisher.

Tomorrow, the theater is set to host the latest in Brand’s “Bipolarisation” tour but talks are understood to have been taking place this morning over whether it can go ahead. According to ITV News UK Editor Paul Brand, the theater is “considering cancelling the gig in light of the weekend’s accusations,” with managers meeting early in the morning and an update coming later today.

On Saturday, the day that allegations of rape and sexual assault against Brand were published by The Times and Channel 4, Brand took to the stage at Wembley Troubadour Theatre to a standing ovation, performing to around 2,000 people. He was reported to have told the Wembley crowd: “I love you.

Exclusive: Russell Brand’s last major television job in the UK ended with him being dropped after he was repeatedly accused of being a “sexual predator” during the recording of the show.

Brand was booked as a judge on Comedy Central’s Roast Battle in 2018, but only lasted a single season on the series after he himself was roasted on-camera over allegations he had sexually assaulted women. He strongly denies criminal wrongdoing.

Three sources close to the Fulwell 73 production said Roast Battle judge Katherine Ryan turned the heat on Brand a number of times during filming. Her allegations did not make the final edit.

The confrontations reveal how speculation about Brand was circulating in the comedy and TV worlds, but he continued to be employed on primetime series. The show appears to be something of a turning point, however, given Brand virtually vanished from UK television screens after 2018, except for...

Get to shout out "Rhlstp!!" like a proper cool kid as the multi-award-winning and perennially popular live podcast interview series in which comedian Richard Herring chats with some of the biggest names in comedy and entertainment tours this autumn. Usually recorded in London’s glittering West End, Rhlstp is going on the road. The UK & Ire 2023 / 2024 tour will start in September and includes dates in Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Salford, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff and Dublin, along with multiple dates at the show’s spiritual home in London’s Leicester Square Theatre.

Tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday 30th June with an exclusive fan pre-sale on Thursday 29th June for Rhlstp badgers and plussers. To become a badger/plusser or to view all dates visit, visit richardherring.com

Richard Herring enjoys continual success as both a writer and performer and is widely known an innovator in the world of podcasts,...

Exclusive: Blake Griffin and Ryan Kalil are getting into business with Sony Pictures Entertainment. The producing partners have signed a multi-year first-look development and production deal for film and TV via their Mortal Media production banner.

Under the first-look pact, Mortal Media will develop and produce a range of projects across film and television, in both the scripted and non-scripted space. Feature films and scripted television projects will focus on the intersection of genre and comedy, while the non-scripted slate will be dedicated to sports-related projects. Former NFL center Kalil and NBA All-Star Griffin bring a unique perspective to the world of sports, having both had successful careers as professional athletes.

The deal comes on the heels of the company’s recently released Apple TV+ sci-fi dramedy series Hello Tomorrow!, starring Emmy winner Billy Crudup.

“We always look for opportunities to work with new talent with fresh ideas and couldn...

The Masked Singer has unveiled yet another celebrity hiding underneath an extravagant costume.

On Saturday (28 January), Pigeon was revealed to be Katherine Ryan.

The comedian and actor gave a total of three performances in the bird disguise, styled with a cardigan, pearls and a handbag with cats printed on the outside.

Ultimately, the judging panel chose not to keep her in the competition on the latest episode after her rendition of the Cheryl hit, “Fight For This Love”.

Before the unmasking, guesses for Pigeon’s identity included Emily Atack, Gemma Collins and Stacey Solomon.

When Ryan eventually revealed herself, the audience and the judging panel applauded and appeared shocked.

“That accent was so good!” said a stunned Davina McCall, referring to the Canadian comic’s use of a Cockney accent to disguise her own voice.

Discussing the inclusion of a cauliflower and mint sauce in her video package, Ryan said:...

Exclusive: NBC has put in development Uncivil, a comedy from Roast Battle creator Rell Battle; Mideast Minute creator and star Pardis Parker; Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner’s Hazy Mills; and Universal TV, where Hazy Mills is based.

Written by Battle and Parker, Uncivil revolves around a pair of friends – a city prosecutor and public defender – who find that their personal squabbles spill into the courtroom and their professional disputes follow them home.

Battle and Parker executive produce with Hayes and Milliner via Hazy Mills, and Bradley Gardner, former development executive and producer for Hazy Mills and now SVP of Orion Television. Universal TV is the studio.

Battle, an alum of Fox’s Diversity showcase, created Roast Battle, an energetic live show that subsequently was adapted for TV and aired on Comedy Central, with Battle as executive producer. He also wrote on Comedy Central’s Hood Adjacent and since has...

There will be plenty of laughs next week when the SXSW Comedy Festival kicks off on March 13 after the opening night film and world premiere of Judd Apatow’s The King of Staten Island starring Pete Davidson. He is set to host a standup revue that will feature the Saturday Night Live star, Bill Burr and others that will benefit the Friends of Firefighters foundation.

In addition, the Austin-based fest which runs March 13-22 will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic National Lampoon. They will bring two nights of its National Lampoon Radio Hour: The Podcast to the fest. Meanwhile Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (Ucb) co-founder, Matt Besser is set to return with a slate of shows including the podcast improv4humans, The 420 Show, and the legendary improv show Asssscat. This year the theatre’s flagship show will feature Horatio Sanz, Gil Ozeri, the cast of Golden Arm,...

“Carpool Karaoke” producer Fulwell 73 has hired ITV comedy controller Saskia Schuster to head a new scripted outfit out of the U.K.

Schuster joins as head of scripted at the “Late Late Show with James Corden” producer in early May. Based in London, she will report into managing partner Leo Pearlman.

Schuster joined ITV in 2014 as controller for comedy, and her commissions include “The Trouble With Maggie Cole,” “The Keith and Paddy Picture Show,” “Birds of a Feather” and “Harry Hill’s Alien Fun Capsule” for ITV, as well as “ Shopping with Keith Lemon,” “The Stand Up Sketch Show,” “Don’t Hate The Playaz” and “Timewasters” for ITV2.

Schuster has played a key role in addressing gender imbalance in comedy, founding Comedy 50:50, an initiative aimed at rolling out practical measures to achieve equal representation in writing rooms and production teams for women.

As part of this drive, Schuster was responsible...

Comedy Central is adding two new podcasts to its Global Podcast Network: “Stand-Up with Chris Distefano” and “Your 2 Dads with Sean and Julian.”

“Stand-Up with Chris Distefano,” launching April 18, dives into a library of stand-up routines for a weekly listening party between Distefano and his in-studio producer, Nicole Boyce. Pulling anything from modern bits to decades-old ones, the pair listen to and analyze classic routines, talk comedy, and take calls from some of Distefano’s comedian friends.

Distefano is an actor, comedian, and host of the Comedy Central’s series “Stupid Questions with Chris Distefano.” His one-hour stand-up special “Chris Distefano: Size 38 Waist” premiered in January on Comedy Central. He recently signed an overall deal with the network, which will include a second hour-long stand-up special, an animated series, and an unscripted series. In the past he has appeared on MTV’s “Guy Code vs. Girl Code.”

Also Read: CBS...

Comedian Anthony Jeselnik is set to host a new Comedy Central series and launch a podcast under a multiplatform development pact with the Viacom cabler.

The deal calls for Jeselnik to host an untitled half-hour series that will mine the cabler’s vast library of standup material as a “springboard for conversation, insight and humor with well-known comics.” Comedy Central has ordered six episodes.

The former writer for NBC’s “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” previously worked with Comedy Central as host of “The Jeselnik Offensive,” which ran two seasons. He also toplined the 2013 standup special “Caligula.”

Jeselnik will co-host the podcast with his longtime friend, NFL Network analyst Gregg Rosenthal. “The Jeselnik and Rosenthal Vanity Project” will focus on the pair’s interest in pro football. The podcast will bow Sept. 11 as part of Comedy Central’s Global Podcast Network and incorporate digital video elements for the cabler’s social media platforms.

Comedy Central has signed comedian Anthony Jeselnik to a multi-platform development deal, the network announced Wednesday.

Under the terms of the deal, Jeselnik will star in and executive produce an as-yet-untitled half-hour series, which will bring him back to Comedy Central’s talk-show space following his short-lived late-night show, “The Jeselnik Offensive.”

According to the network, the previously unannounced six-episode series will use Comedy Central’s “vast library of stand-up as a springboard for conversation, insight and humor with well-known comics.”

Also Read: Jim Jefferies: Trump Era Is a 'Sexual Slavery Pizza/Baseball Dugout, in Our Minds' (Video)

Jesenik will also co-host the weekly podcast “The Jeselnik and Rosenthal Vanity Project” alongside the NFL Network’s Gregg Rosenthal beginning Tuesday, Sept. 11. It will center on the longtime friends’ shared appreciation for all things pro football.

A regular presence on Comedy Central Roasts and a judge on “Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle,...

Comedy Central’s Roast of Bruce Willis and the season 3 premiere of Jeff Ross Presents Roast Battle have drawn ratings and viewership highs for the network in Live+Same Day.

Roast of Bruce Willis, which aired Sunday night, was up 17% in total viewers from Roast of Rob Lowe on Labor Day 2016, and up 21% among adults 18-49 in first-day gross tallies, according to Comedy Central and Nielsen. Roast of Bruce Willis drew 3.2 million total viewers across simulcasts and re-air, earning a 2.1 combined adults 18-49 rating. It also was the top social ad-supported cable entertainment program for the day. #BruceWillisRoast was the top trending hashtag and Roast of Bruce Willis reached 15 million people on Facebook, up 22% from Roast of Rob Lowe.

On Comedy Central alone, Roast of Bruce Willis posted a 1.2 rating among adults 18-49, up 23% from the Roast of Rob Lowe.

Airing immediately after Roast of Bruce Willis, the Season 3 debut...