Comics Unleashed renewed for two “seasons” despite no new episodes since 2007?

Earlier this week, Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios, Inc., announced that its late-night talker Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen had earned a two-season renewal for fall 2011 and fall 2012 (seasons six and seven) in the largest CBS markets of New York City (WCBS), Los Angeles (KCBS) and Chicago (WBBM). The show also airs in most of the rest of America’s TV markets, in addition to being distributed globally.

If you leave the TV on after watching Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, then you’ve undoubtedly seen the show (or commercials for it).

Allen gave out this quote: “We are thrilled Comics Unleashed  is renewed on these premier CBS stations in America’s top three markets. We can never have enough comedy in this world.”

Here’s the thing.

Comics Unleashed hasn’t aired a new episode since 2007. 2007! Just see about getting tickets for a taping. The most recent show you could ask for: June 19, 2007. That means the jokes you’re hearing Allen set up like a T-ball manager in Little League for his assortment of stand-up comedian guests are so old, most of the comedians would rather you never heard them again. It’s a TV credit that many comics rib each other about including on their resumes. And yet you’ve been hearing those jokes over and over already for four years now. And that means that each weeknight, Byron Allen’s monologue is bound to contain at least one topical joke that’s past its fresh on date. The other night, he cracked about Anna Kournikova. I’ve also heard him joke recently about Paris Hilton having to go to jail. LOL.

No wonder Byron Allen is filthy rich. He’s managed to keep a topical joke show in circulation six years after it’s on the air.

Certainly, plenty of sitcoms run in syndication for decades. That’s how kids like me even knew about Gilligan’s Island or The Brady Bunch, or how you maintain your Seinfeld fix.

But something about this just seems downright wrong, doesn’t it? Especially if you love comedy. The least Byron Allen could do is offer to tape new episodes. I wonder how many comedians would be clamoring to join him, though. Would you?

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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19 thoughts on “Comics Unleashed renewed for two “seasons” despite no new episodes since 2007?

  1. Although the website has not been updated, I would not rely on this to say there have been no new episodes since 2007, that’s just bad reporting. In fact the scout for Comics Unleashed has reached out to NYC comics for submissions since the 07 date you mention. No sure if Eric Peterkofsky still handles the booking but there was a new episode with Eric Andre in 2009 (that’s about when I stopped watching for people I know), and I believe there have been new episodes since. No network is going to renew a contract for a bunch of reruns that are 4 years old.

    1. Sorry, Josh. But IMDB.com is wrong on this one. I’ve been up late at night for several years now, and my own experience watching the TV has only seen episodes of Comics Unleashed from 2006 and 2007. If you see a “new” episode yourself anytime soon, though, please let me know!

    2. Comics Unleashed has 167 total episodes. Byron Allen and Barry Ilovitch illegally reslate the episodes to present them as new.

  2. I’ve caught a Myspace reference in one episode, and that same Paris Hilton joke…that was in 2010-11, so I’m not so sure about new episodes either.

    But I’ve noticed that trend on some of his other shows…one of his entertainment shows featured previews for a “new” movie that’s now on DVD. When your show airs no earlier than 1:00 am, I don’t think you’re too focused on how fresh the content is. Like you said, he makes money not having to produce new episodes.

  3. having comics unleashed on my DVR… i ‘ll watch 3-4 at a time and nuke. because of it i have found old comics and new ones so anyone complaining, really shouldn’t.

    i love it even with the constant myspace mentions, that in itself is funny and really… just interject facebook in there instead and bamo… it’s current.

    Comedy is a humorous telling of stories, its a cheap drug with no bad side-effects so CHILL OUT and stop taking yourselves so fricken serious… A good joke is 4ever and always come around again and again so enjoy!!!

  4. September 8, 2012 @ 3:06 am
    Santini HI BYRON!
    Love the Show! One of the Highlights of my Night! Great Show! I Make Sure I get Home in Time to watch it! And, I’m serious about this x10….. It’s Great to have a Midnight Laugh! BUT! EITHER MAKE THE SHOW AT LEAST 10-15 LONGER or GET RID OF 10-15 MINUTES OF COMMERIALS! I PERSONALLY DON’T CARE HOW MUCH YOU MAKE, AND I KNOW THE COMMERIALS ARE A SOURCE OF YOUR SHOW’S INCOME! GOOD LUCK!!!! MORE POWER TO YOU! YOUR BUSINESS!
    BUT, BYRON COME ON LESS COMMERIALS! & MORE LAUGHS!!!! VERY SERIOUS MAN!
    IN CONCLUSION, IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE 12 MINUTES OF LAUGHS & 15 MINUTES OF COMMERIALS….BOTTOM LINE, MORE LAUGHS LESS COMMERIALS or a Different TIME SLOT!
    MAKE IT A 45 MIN. TO 1HR. PROGRAM IF YOUR’RE GONNA HAVE SO MANY COMMERIALS, BUT “SUPER SHOW! KEEP US LAUGHING, LIFE IS ROUGH ENOUGH! JOHNNY CARSON USED TO LET US UNWIND AFTER A LONG HARD DAY & FORGET ABOUT OUR PROBLEMS FOR A LITTLE WHILE, RIGHT? WELL, BYRON, AS YOU SAY, KEEP ON LAUGHING! COME ON MAN, HAVE A C.E.O. MEETING! LET’S GET ROCKING, LET’S GET SERIOUS!!!!! THANKS!!!

  5. Byron you know city life is getting a lii boring. Shot outs are dull if nobody gets the cap busted in the ass. So I decided on the great out doors. Yeah, BA. I went to d’woods to see Sasqush boodie hop. If you gets there for I do? P’lease, pretty please. Don’t… Stop’er. I likes a hairyaz. Fat an furrie. BA is you got a extra profilatic. Naw man drugs is tabboo down this neck of d’woods. Go Soulja go Soulja, just go boy! Don’t stop her don’t stop. Do d’boodie hop.

  6. I have just started to watch this show again. I would like for the show to conclude not so abruptly . The comedians would be in the middle of a joke and the programm would just cut OFF. This is very frustrating and seems to be the pattern on all the shows. I know the timing can’t be as bad as it is. What is going on! There is not much on TV to laugh about . All the earlier comedy club shows were canceled and this left a big hole in programming. Everything that was worth watching has been replaced with nonsense shows.

  7. I have watched Comics Unleashed ever since it first came on tv. It is so very funny. I find that having comedians just sitting around and cracking jokes beat the heck out of walk onto stage and get people interested enough to laugh. The very casual atmosphere lends a air of comfort to it. I have been trying to get Byron to continue the series since it first appeared but increase it to at least one hour in length. In lieu of that I DVR the program so I can watch it at my leisure and repeats or not they are repeatedly funny. Don’t hate something that gives a lot to many people.

  8. Love the show. It should be one hour because Mr.Allen usually focuses on one or two quests, often leaving the 4th guest out of the show entirely. I suspect this is the editors eliminating jokes or guests they think aren’t funny. Many shows exhibit a guest who never says a word. Otherwise the humor is fresh and entertaining.

  9. OMG! It’s 2014 and I just came across this show late one night and it is hilarious! I have added it to my DVR as well. I’ve never heard of it before so the jokes I’m hearing are new to me and have me rolling on the floor. Comedy never goes out of style. Byron Allen needs to bring this show back with some new/updated jokes/comedians.

  10. Hey its feb 28th 2015..I don’t watch it too often, but tonight it was the best i ever saw…it’s always BETTER than watching “The Nightly News” on ANY CHANNEL…!. i WONDER IF IT’S LIKE THIS IN OTHER COUNTRIES…?…ANY COMEDY EVEN IF IT’S NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME BY PLAYERS IS GOOD COMEDY. COMICS UNLEASHED IS LAID BACK AND I WISH AT TIMES IT WAS AN HOUR IN LENGTH. i’M NOT SAYING THERE’S NOT ROOM FOR COMPLAINT, WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THIS FRANCHISE? IT COULD BE RIVALING OTHER SHOWS AT PRIME TIME BUT IT SEEMS TO LAZILY EXISTS LATE AT NIGHT CAUGHT BY PEOPLE LIKE US THAT POSSIBLY GREW UP ON Ernie Kovacks<, Uncle Milte<Abbot & Costello< 3I Love Lucy Jackie Gleason etc., you know what I mean…

  11. I love laughing. Your show made me think depends is the way to go. If that’s what it takes to be a loyal fan, well, I’m all in. Thank you so much for the snort, belly laugh and the entertainment.

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