The Chris Gethard Show lives!
And will live on as a live national cable TV show, with 16 new hour-long episodes ordered by truTV. It had aired two seasons on Fusion, after making the leap from stage show at the UCB Theatre to community access TV and livestreaming from NYC.
Gethard himself told fans on Facebook this morning…
Here’s the press release:
Good evening, weirdos! Turner’s truTV today announced the beloved comedian, actor, writer, podcast host, all-around talented guy Chris Gethard is moving in. That’s right, the cult hit series The Chris Gethard Show is making the jump to truTV, becoming the latest addition to the network’s comedic slate – AND, for the first time on national cable, it’s going to be broadcast live. In The Chris Gethard Show, which is produced by Funny Or Die, Gethard attempts to ring-lead a panel of comedian friends and oddballs, along with a live studio audience, who participate in games, tackle bizarre stunts and react to the controlled chaos around them. Add to that fans from the around the world calling in to participate in the show, and it’s a totally immersive, interactive experience for all. The show will broadcast live from New York City, marking truTV’s first-ever live television series and adds a whole new level of stakes and excitement to each episode.
The Chris Gethard Show started out as a live comedy show before evolving into a Manhattan-based public access television show, then launching on FUSION TV in 2015 for a successful two-year run, and now making the jump to the fully-distributed comedy network in truTV. Throughout this meteoric rise – and thanks mostly to its affable host and truly inexplicable style – the series has cultivated a passionate community of fans (weirdos), generated significant critical-acclaim (objective weirdos), and attracted a host of A-list celebrity guests including Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, P. Diddy, Lena Dunham, Paul Giamatti and more (famous weirdos).
“I’ve long admired truTV for their brand of honest, in your face comedy. Myself and the gang from The Chris Gethard Show are thrilled to have a new home on the network and are licking our chops for a chance to match the bar truTV has set the past few years,” said Gethard. “I also can’t believe they’re letting us do the show live. Kudos to them for embracing what could be a real disaster. My promise to you though is that should it be a disaster, The Chris Gethard Show on truTV will be the most watchable disaster the world has ever seen.”
An alum of NYC’s Upright Citizens Brigade, Gethard also hosts the popular, Webby Award-winning podcast Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People. He has also guest starred on Broad City, Parks and Recreation, The Office, Louie and Inside Amy Schumer, appeared in the features Don’t Think Twice, The Other Guys and The Heat and authored the book A Bad Idea I’m About to Do: True Tales of Seriously Poor Judgment and Stunningly Awkward Adventure. Basically, he’s a busy guy. And his HBO special, executive produced by Judd Apatow and based on his off-Broadway one-man show, “Chris Gethard: Career Suicide” will debut on Saturday, May 6th at 10 p.m.
“We are all big fans of Chris and have always thought he’d be a perfect fit for truTV,” said Marissa Ronca, executive vice president of original programming for truTV. “Chris’ comedy is so honest and charming that it’s no surprise he’s developed a devoted fan base who want to interact with him each week. The Chris Gethard Show has always been a series where anything can happen…now it’s going to be a series where anything can happen LIVE.”
The Chris Gethard Show is a perfect addition to a programming slate of creator-driven shows that have distinct points of view with series like Adam Ruins Everything, Impractical Jokers, The Carbonaro Effect, the upcoming scripted series I’m Sorry, untitled project from Amy Sedaris, and others. And what’s more: that aforementioned original programming slate is resonating with fans. Since evolving into a comedy-focused network that’s “Funny because it’s tru,” truTV is one of only a few cable network that is experiencing strong momentum and consistent ratings growth among key demos (adults 18-34 and 18-49).
The Chris Gethard Show is produced by Funny Or Die. Zach Galifianakis, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Owen Burke, Chris Gethard, JD Amato, Anna Wenger and AGI Entertainment Media & Management’s Brian Stern serve as executive producers. truTV, which will debut the series’ third season later this year, acquired the premiere rights to the series from FUSION TV.