Comedy Central said it would expand the slate of original content it produces for Snapchat, the instant-image messaging app, the latest signal of deepening ties between the network’s parent, Viacom, and the social-media company.
“It’s been great fun experimenting with established and emerging talent on our Snapchat Discover channel,” said Kent Alterman, the Viacom-owned network’s president of original programming. “It allows us to play with form and format, and the reception from our fans and the creative community has been tremendously gratifying.”
Comedy Central launched on Snapchat’s Discover channel – a venue for content from various publishers and media outlets – in January of 2015, and was one of its inaugural partners. The network in February 2016 launched its international Snapchat Discover channel. Viacom in February struck a pact with the social-media company that will allow the New York entertainment conglomerate to sell U.S. advertising for Snapchat and bundle it into packages with its TV clients.
Comedy Central said it renewed four series already up on Snapchat and greenlit 9 more. The renewals come for “Quickie with Nikki,” a complement to Nikki Glaser’s “Not Safe with Nikki Glaser” that debuted on the cable network earlier this year; “Swag-A-Saurus with James Davis,” in which comedian James Davis, continues to give viewers a weekly lesson about some of today’s hottest slang;“Like it with Liza,” featuring Liza Treyger talking about her addiction to consumption of all things; and “Hot Takes with Brandon Wardell,” who takes on the worlds of pop culture, social media and music.
The network’s greenlights include “7 Mins in Purgatory,” in which five comedians perform their acts in an empty space devoid of an audience, which watches and reacts from another location where the comedians can’t hear them; “Animal-Lolz,” featuring comedian Joe Zimmerman sharing a new animal fact each week with animations; “Bert’s Dreams,” featuring Bert Kreischer sharing crazy dreams with those around him via animated recreations; “Deadliest Chef,”featuring comedian Caleb Synan failing upward in world of reality TV cooking shows; “Guber Pool,” a sketch series from Dollar Pizza about the newest frontier in awkward interactions; “Messages From the Future,” featuring comedian Julio Torres sending urgent messages from the future to help save society from a dark, apocalyptic fate; “The Lounge,” an animated series written and created by the Hudson Brothers;“You’re Wrong,” featuring Mike Lawrence as an angry nerd with strong opinions; and an untitled series created by Emily Candini and Dave Horwitz that purports to expose exactly what happens during the commercial breaks between segments of a late-night interview show
