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Just For Laughs has rounded out its 2025 Gala host lineup with the addition of Roy Wood Jr. and Mikey Day, who will join previously announced hosts Michelle Buteau and Fortune Feimster for the festival’s marquee events running July 25-26 in Montreal.

The festival, which runs July 16-27, will feature solo showcases from rising stars Ralph Barbosa, Joe Dombrowski, and Carlos Ballarta, whose show will be performed entirely in Spanish.

Wood Jr., who will host the July 25 Gala, brings significant television credentials to the role. The Emmy-nominated documentary producer and WGA-nominated writer spent eight years as a correspondent on Comedy Central’s Emmy-winning “The Daily Show” and made headlines in 2023 when he guest-hosted the program and headlined the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to its highest ratings since 2017. Currently, he hosts CNN’s “Have I Got News for You,” an American adaptation of the U.K.’s longest-running comedy series that...

In January, comedians Ralph Barbosa, René Vaca and Ken Flores finalized the paperwork on a joint tour across the United States. It was a long-held dream for the three friends, a few of the hottest young names in stand-up, to hit the road together. The day the deal closed, Flores could not wrap his head around the amount of money he was about to make. He called his tour manager and said, “Our lives are about to change forever.”

The next day, the 28-year-old Flores died of cardiac arrest.

“It was really tough to talk about it after he passed,” Barbosa says. As he and Vaca mourned the loss of their friend, their teams prepared to cancel the tour. Barbosa and Vaca, however, decided that the show must go on.

“Knowing Ken, he would have roasted us for not doing the tour,” Barbosa says. “He would have called us some weak-ass little bitches,...

On the eve of their standup comedy takeover of the 2025 South By Southwest festival in Austin, TX, The Stand Group, Inc. announce a partnership with leading independent entertainment studio, Cineverse and their fast-growing podcast arm to maximize distribution platforms, sponsorships, programmatic demand and additional avenues. The partnership also includes the creation of a development slate for the companies to build new IP together through podcasts and live entertainment.

After successfully launching the Witz Comedy-tv Fast channel and digital content library in 2022 with partners Best Ever Channels (Bec), The Stand Group is now expanding its reach through podcast creation and distribution. Through the launch of the Witz Podcast Network – a new comedy label operated through the Cineverse Podcast Network – Bec partners Barry Gordon and Jonathon Barbato matched The Stand/Witz sensibilities with Cineverse’s ability to support and build brands.

“Together we will maximize marketing, promotional and sales initiatives for shows...

Kumail Nanjiani will release a comedy special on Hulu, his first stand-up special in over a decade. The show will mark his second-ever standup special.

Since Nanjiani’s first comedy special, Beta Male, in 2013, he’s starred in projects such as HBO’s Silicon Valley and Hulu’s Welcome to Chippendales, with other appearances on shows like Only Murders in the Building. He picked up an Oscar nod for his screenplay on The Big Sick and previously hosted The Meltdown With Jonah and Kumail, a Comedy Central stand-up series.

Nanjiani...

Kumail Nanjiani is returning to the stand-up stage, and bringing Hulu with him.

The Emmy- and Oscar-nominated actor and writer is joining the Disney-owned streamer’s lineup of comedy specials. The special will be the second of his career — and the first in more than a decade. His inaugural special, Beta Male, aired on Comedy Central in 2013.

Since then, Nanjiani has worked regularly as an actor in HBO’s Silicon Valley and Hulu’s Welcome to Chippendales and feature films The Big Sick — for which he and Emily V. Gordon earned Oscar nominations for writing — The Lovebirds and Eternals, among others. He also hosted Comedy Central’s stand-up showcase The Meltdown With Jonah and Kumail from 2014-16.

Nanjiani will also be an executive producer of the Hulu special alongside Elan Gale and Bernie Schaeffer. ITV American and TheYearOfElan are producing. A date and title for the special will be announced later.

Kumail Nanjiani is joining Hulu’s “Hularious” line-up with his own special.

It will mark Nanjiani’s second special in more than a decade. It’s produced by ITV America, Winter Coat (Nanjiani’s production company) and TheYearOfElan. Nanjiani will serve as an executive producer alongside Elan Gale and Bernie Schaeffer.

The special will premiere domestically on Hulu and internationally on Disney+, with the release date and additional details to be announced at a later date.

In 2024, Nanjiani launched his stand-up comedy tour, Kumail Nanjiani: Doing This Again across North America and Europe.

Nanjiani’s upcoming acting gigs Peacock’s Poker Face and in Ella McCay from 20th Century. His past work include Marvel’s The Eternals, Fox’s The X-Files, NBC’s Community, Disney’s Obi-Wan, Men In Black: International, Stuber, The Lovebirds, Migration, and Fist Fight.

His first comedy special was “Beta Male” that aired in 2013 on Comedy Central.

Kumail Nanjiani is returning to stand-up comedy after 10 years with a new special for Hulu.

The hour is Nanjiani’s first comedy special in 12 years, his second after 2013’s “Beta Male.” A release date and title will be revealed at a later date.

ITV America and TheYearOfElan will produce the new special, which is executive produced by Nanjiani, Elan Gale and Bernie Schaeffer.

Nanjiani is a comedian and actor best known for his roles in the HBO comedy series “Silicon Valley” and the romantic comedy film “Big Sick,” which he co-wrote with his wife, Emily V. Gordon, about their relationship. His credits range from blockbuster fare to beloved comedy programs. Nanjiani is an Oscar nominee for the “Big Sick” screenplay and an Emmy nominee for his guest role in an episode of Jordan Peele’s reboot of “The Twilight Zone,” as well as his lead role in the Hulu limited series “Welcome to Chippendales.

Exclusive: Red-hot comic Nate Bargatze is in negotiations to star in Christmas in Paradise, a holiday family comedy from Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists’ Scott Stuber that’s in the early stages of development.

The film will have him playing a beloved small-town doctor (Bargatze) who finds himself with a unique bounty on his head just a week before Christmas, in a town where everything is not as it seems. It’s the second he’s signed on to in the last few months, on the heels of The Breadwinner, a TriStar comedy based on his and Dan Lagana’s original pitch, on which he’ll also serve as a producer.

Jeff Tomsic (Tag) is on board to direct from a script by Johnny Rosenthal (Bad Santa 2). UA’s Stuber and Nick Nesbitt will produce alongside Tom McNulty (The Spectacular Now) and Nathan Reimann (Mr. Woodcock), who developed and...

Hulu has released a trailer for the upcoming comedy special from Chris Distefano, streaming Feb. 21.

Titled “It’s Just Unfortunate,” the stand-up hour sees the Brooklyn-born comic riffing on his three Puerto Rican kids, his 13-year-old stepson and his dad’s rudimentary understanding of Latin culture (“They throw the parties for the girls at 15 — they call them Quesadillas”).

In the minute-long teaser, Distefano quips, “My girl, she wants a guy who knows how to build stuff. I don’t know how to build anything. I can build walls — emotionally.”

Distefano’s last stand-up special, “Speshy Weshy,” aired on Netflix in 2022, and his 2019 debut “Size 38 Waist” came courtesy of Comedy Central.

“What an honor to be one of the 12 comics chosen by Hulu,” Distefano said in a statement to Variety. “I feel like an apostle right now. Chrissy The Catholic. I bought my entire outfit at the Queens Center Mall. Shoutout Zara.

Netflix’s acclaimed comedy-drama series Mo returns with its second and final season on January 30, 2025. All eight episodes will be available for streaming simultaneously, allowing fans to binge-watch the entire season. Here’s what we know about Mo Season 2 and its telecast.

Release Date & Time

Netflix typically releases new content at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time (Pt). Here’s when Mo Season 2 will be available in various time zones:

Pacific Time (Pt): 12:00 a.m. Mountain Time (Mt): 1:00 a.m. Central Time (Ct): 2:00 a.m. Eastern Time (Et): 3:00 a.m. Brasília Time (Brt): 5:00 a.m. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): 8:00 a.m. Central European Time (Cet): 9:00 a.m. Eastern European Time (Eet): 10:00 a.m. Moscow Standard Time (Msk): 11:00 a.m. Indian Standard Time (Ist): 1:30 p.m. China Standard Time (Cst): 4:00 p.

Trey Kennedy has set a new stand-up comedy special at Hulu, where it will be available to stream starting Jan. 24.

Titled “Grow Up,” the hour “takes audiences on a hilarious journey through the ups and downs of adulthood.” Kennedy shot the family-friendly special in front of a sold-out crowd in Salt Lake City, and he explores navigating fatherhood as well as his own upbringing. He discusses his relationship with his wife, what makes them so different and the aspects of his life that need some growing up.

Per a press release, “With a comedic blend of stand-up, videos, and music, Kennedy delivers an hour-long ride through his comedic mind, with both poignant moments and laugh-out-loud observations about life’s better or worse moments.”

“I’m super grateful Hulu is helping me show ‘Grow Up’ to the masses,” Kennedy said in a statement. “I’m so proud of this special and...

When the story picks up with Mo Najjar in Mo season 2 this month, he definitely has a lot on his plate. And getting back into the U.S. after crossing the border into Mexico isn't going to be his biggest problem, as revealed in the official trailer.

Mo season 2 premieres Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 with all 8 episodes on Netflix. As we saw by the end of season 1, the Palestinian refugee and his family still haven't gotten a U.S. citizenship despite being in the country for over 20 years. That means he can't leave or he loses his asylum.

Though due to a few factors, he accidentally ends up in Mexico. So what happens next? It's not an easy way back home, and the trailer shows us how long he's been gone. We shared it below:

Poor guy has been in Mexico for six months, which is not a short amount of time!

Mo is back!

Season 2 of the hit Netflix and A24 TV show premieres on the streamer on January 30, and the trailer just arrived Wednesday (January 8).

The award-winning series is created and executive produced by comedians Mo Amer and Ramy Youssef.

Keep reading to find out more…

Here’s a plot summary for Season 2: “Mo Najjar straddles the line between two cultures, three languages and a ton of bullshit as a Palestinian on the path to U.S. citizenship. Season 2 finds Mo stranded across the border and desperate to get back to Houston before his family’s asylum hearing – but as a stateless refugee without a passport, he’s gonna need all the hustle and charm he can muster. Little does he know that the journey home is just the start of his troubles, and there’s a new guy in town ready to steal both his longtime love Maria...

The final season of Mo, the poignant and at times heartbreaking Netflix comedy about immigrant life in America, sets out to wrap up the journey of stateless Palestinian refugee Mo Najjar (played by Mo Amer) when it returns on Jan. 30.

The second season trailer, which dropped on Wednesday, sees the title character who is played by Amer, who co-created the series with Ramy Youssef, trying to get back into the U.S. from Mexico after becoming entangled with nasty coyotes at the end of the first season in 2022. He’s still trying to get U.S. citizenship to escape the challenges of being an undocumented immigrant in Texas, which brings more asylum application troubles, side hustles to support his family and a rival moving on his girlfriend.

There’s also the threat of deportation after a failed attempt to cross the border into Texas. “You are broke, you don’t...

Straight out of Houston, Texas, Netflix has revealed the official trailer and key art for the second season of its Mo series. The award-winning comedy from Netflix and A24 returns on January 30 for the conclusion of Mo’s journey.

In Mo Season 2, Mo Najjar straddles the line between two cultures, three languages and a ton of bull**** as a Palestinian on the path to U.S. citizenship. The new episodes find Mo stranded across the border and desperate to return to Houston before his family’s asylum hearing.

As a stateless refugee without a passport, Mo is going to need all the hustle and charm he can muster. Little does he know that the journey home is just the start of his troubles, and there’s a new guy in town ready to steal both his longtime love Maria, and his dream of finally returning to Palestine.

Funny, poignant, and topical,...

“Mo” has revealed a new set of guest stars along with its Season 2 trailer.

Comedians Hannibal Burress, Matt Rife, Liza Koshy and Ralph Barbosa plus rapper Slim Thug are all a part of the Season 2 guest cast, joining previously announced guest stars Simon Rex and Johanna Braddy.

The trailer opens with Mo (series co-creator Mo Amer) complaining to Barbosa, seemingly a street food vendor, about having been stuck in Mexico for six months — following up on the Season 1 finale, in which Mo is mistakenly transported there from Houston with no passport due to his status as an undocumented Palestinian refugee. “Mo, why you wanna go back to America so bad?” Barbosa says. “You’ve been bouncing around that embassy for months, bro.”

Rife is seen playing an official that Mo argues with at the embassy. “Maybe just come to terms with the fact: You’re Mexican now. Feliz cumpleaños,” Rife says snidely,...

After an extremely long hiatus, Mo returns in the new year, with Season 2 finally getting a release date and trailer from Netflix.

Mohammed Amer’s comedy series will return for its second and final season on Thursday, Jan. 30, with all eight episodes, TVLine has learned. Mo’s first season released back in August 2022, and it was later renewed for Season 2 in January 2023.

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Mo Amer’s meta Netflix series “Mo” is back for Season 2, and this time, Amer is joined by more than a few comedy pals.

Hannibal Buress, Liza Koshy, Matt Rife, Ralph Barbosa, and Slim Thug join the eight-episode season of the critically acclaimed show co-created by Amer and Ramy Youssef (who also has his own eponymous semi-autobiographical series).

Amer plays alter-ego Mo Najjar in the show, a character who straddles the line between two cultures, three languages, and “a ton of bullshit as a Palestinian on the path to U.S. citizenship,” according to the logline.

Season 2 finds Mo stranded across the border and desperate to get back to Houston before his family’s asylum hearing; but as a stateless refugee without a passport, Mo “needs all the hustle and charm he can muster,” as the synopsis reads. “Little does he know that the journey home is just the start of his troubles,...

Chloe Radcliffe has launched a new interview series titled “In Tandem,” in which she takes comics such as Roy Wood Jr., Jordan Jensen and James Acaster on bicycle rides through Central Park and along the Los Angeles River.

“It’s like ‘Comedians in Cars’ for less successful people,” Radcliffe jokes, in reference to Jerry Seinfeld’s coffee and automobile-themed talk series that has featured the likes of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Barack Obama.

Radcliffe, who starred in Steven Soderbergh’s “Command Z” and is currently touring with her one-woman show “Cheat,” describes “In Tandem,” which launched Nov. 27 with first guest Ralph Barbosa, as a “cheery, awkward and funny interview series that never breaks 10 miles per hour.”

“Because we aren’t making eye contact, I think people can relax a little bit,” Radcliffe tells Variety. “And because they have something physical to focus on, it’s easier for people to let their guard down.

Hulu announced on Wednesday that Frankie Quiñones’ first hour-long comedy special will debut on the streamer under its Hularious banner.

Directed and produced by Emmy and Golden Globe winner Ali Wong (Beef), with Irwin Entertainment also on board to produce, the special will launch domestically on Hulu and Disney+ internationally. No other details, including a release date, have been disclosed. The special will be the last featured over the course of Hularious’ first year.

Quiñones commented, “To have my homegirl Ali Wong produce and direct my first one-hour special is a dream come true. Thanks to Hulu/Disney for making this possible. Be ready for some vulnerable ridiculousness. That’s what’s up.”

Stated Wong, “Frankie, on and offstage, was always one of the funniest coming up in the Bay Area comedy scene. I’m really honored to be directing and producing his first stand up special because his hour...

Ali Wong is directing and producing a new comedy special from Frankie Quiñones, which will premiere on Hulu as part of its upcoming Hularious program.

The stand-up hour is produced by Irwin Entertainment. A release date and title have yet to be announced.

“To have my homegirl Ali Wong produce and direct my first one-hour special is a dream come true. Thanks to Hulu/Disney for making this possible. Be ready for some vulnerable ridiculousness. That’s what’s up,” Quiñones said in a statement.

Added Wong: “Frankie, on and offstage, was always one of the funniest coming up in the Bay Area comedy scene. I’m really honored to be directing and producing his first stand up special because his hour is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. People mostly know him as Creeper from the viral Cholofit videos or from his hilarious performance in ‘This Fool,’ so...

As Hulu continues to bulk up his comedy coffers, the platform announced a new hour from comedian Ralph Barbosa.

The news comes just weeks before Hulu rolls out its ambitious stand-up initiative, which it has cheekily titled “Hularious.” Jim Gaffigan will serve as the brand’s guinea pig, with his new special, Jim Gaffigan: The Skinny, kicking it off Nov. 22. Other hours, from major names like Bill Burr, Sebastian Maniscalco and Roy Wood Jr., will follow. The Barbosa special has not yet been dated, and its focus, at least for now, is being kept under wraps.

Unlike Burr, Gaffigan and Maniscalco, who are all arena-playing vets, Barbosa is considerably greener in his career. In fact, the 28-year-old made his debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in early 2023, and then swiftly kicked off his theater tour, Ralph Barbosa: The Super Cool Ass Tour, the following year. This is not his first special,...

Ralph Barbosa has set his second stand-up special at Hulu.

The comic, who self-identifies as “one of the shyest attention hogs to ever do comedy,” became a breakout star of 2023 after the release of his Netflix special, “Cowabunga,” which ranked at No. 3 on the streamer’s television chart during its premiere week.

The new comedy hour will launch as part of Hulu’s new stand-up initiative, Hularious. It will be available to stream domestically on Hulu and internationally on Disney+. A release date or title has not yet been announced.

Named one of Variety‘s 10 Comics to Watch for 2024, Barbosa is currently touring theaters on his North American tour, dubbed “Ralph Barbosa, The Super Cool Ass Tour.” He has featured on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and has performed stand-up for Comedy Central. In November 2022, he starred in the HBO Max comedy special “Entre Nos: The Winners 3,” and his...

Comedian Ralph Barbosa is the latest to ink a deal for a new special with Hulu. He joins Hacks scribe Joe Mande, whose new hour we were first to report on yesterday, amidst the streamer’s aggressive expansion into the stand-up space.

Barbosa’s currently untitled special will launch domestically on Hulu and Disney+ internationally at a date not yet disclosed. No other details were provided.

Barbosa is coming off of the Netflix special Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga, which spent two weeks on the streamer’s Top 10 chart in the fall of 2023, debuting at #3. Previously teaming with Gwen La Roka on the Max comedy special, Entre Nos: The Winners 3, he’s also put out a set for the digital series Comedy Central Stand-Up Featuring, which has topped 5.7 million views on YouTube, and unveiled a Don’t Tell Comedy performance, which now has over 6.1 million views on the same platform.

Known for his disarming and laid-back style,...

November 2024 brings a diverse array of movies and shows to Hulu, catering to a wide range of tastes and interests. From classic holiday films to gripping dramas and entertaining reality series, there’s something for everyone. Viewers can dive into beloved titles like A Christmas Carol (1984) and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, perfect for getting into the holiday spirit. For fans of action and adventure, the month features iconic films such as Aliens, Ghost Rider, and the Chronicles of Narnia series. Those seeking laughter can enjoy comedies like Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and Grown Ups, while romantic and family-friendly options like La La Land and Elf add a touch of warmth. Additionally, Hulu is expanding its lineup with complete seasons of popular reality shows like Are You The One?, Hoarders, and Marriage Boot Camp. The month also includes special premieres, such as the 58th Annual CMA Awards and a series on The Stanford Prison Experiment,...

Exclusive: Comedian Ralph Barbosa has been tapped to host Introducing…, a showcase of up-and-coming comedic talent that will kick off the 2024 edition of North America’s biggest comedy festival, Netflix Is a Joke Fest.

Comics set to perform include Ashima Franklin, Alec Flynn, Dylan Carlino, Glorelys Mora, Kel Cripe, Mandal, Rene Vaca, Ryan Goodcase and Sureni Weerasekera. Shows will take place at the Vermont Hollywood at 7 pm and 9:30 pm Pst, with sets to be filmed and aired individually on the Netflix Is a Joke YouTube channel and social platforms. Tickets for these times can respectively be purchased here and here.

Also set to take place on the 1st, as well as the 2nd of May, is the big headliner show Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, Nate Bargatze And Sebastian Maniscalco: Live At The Hollywood Bowl. Those shows start at 7:30 pm. Produced by Netflix in association with Live Nation,...

Chris Rock, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Hannah Gadsby, Seth Rogen, and Tom Brady (yes, that Tom Brady) are among the comedians and non-comedians set to appear at the 2024 Netflix Is a Joke festival.

Kevin Hart, John Mulaney, Ali Wong, Chelsea Handler, Maya Rudolph, Nate Bargatze, Nick Kroll, Kumail Nanjiani, Tim Robinson, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Patton Oswalt are just some of the dozens of A-list comics also on the bill when the fest hits venues across Los Angeles between May 2 and 12.

Despite all the comic legends, the name that stands out the most is Brady’s,...

Netflix is bringing back its “Netflix Is a Joke Fest,” which so far has lined up more than 300 live events across 35 venues in Los Angeles. The event, last held in 2022, will include Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, Nate Bargatze and Sebastian Maniscalco in a night of comedy at the Hollywood Bowl; also holding stand-up shows there are Bill Burr, John Mulaney, Seth Rogen, Matt Rife, Kevin Hart, Trevor Noah and a joint show with Taylor Tomlinson, Sarah Silverman, Nikki Glaser and Michelle Buteau.

Netflix produces the festival with Live Nation; this year’s event will take place from May 2 to May 12, 2024. Besides the Bowl, other venues on tap include The Greek, The Dolby, The Forum, The Palladium, Orpheum Theatre and The Wiltern, as well as well as comedy venues including The Hollywood Improv, Largo, Laugh Factory and The Comedy Store.

“This is a special time for comedy, both for Netflix and the genre at large,...

Exclusive: After a game-changing year that’s seen him sell out venues across North America, make his debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and unveil his first Netflix special, comedian Ralph Barbosa is moving up in the world. The comic has unveiled dates for the first leg of his 2024 Super Cool Ass Tour, which will see him graduate to performing in theaters, after making a name for himself in clubs.

Over the course of the tour’s first leg, Barbosa will visit 18 cities across the U.S. Tickets are on sale now. View the list of dates below.

Barbosa’s special Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga, released October 31, has spent two weeks in Netflix’s Top 10 TV chart, debuting at #3. In it, we gain a glimpse into the world of this 27-year-old gamer as he shares stories of growing up with his grandparents, running a hair cutting business out of his bedroom as a 13-year-old,...

Pain Hustlers and new seasons of Big Mouth and Elite are among the high-profile new projects debuting on Netflix in October.

Directed by David Yates, Pain Hustlers is a crime drama set in the world of pharmaceuticals. The film, which boasts a starry cast that includes Emily Blunt, Chris Evans and Andy García, debuts on Oct. 27.

On Oct. 20, Netflix launches the seventh season of Big Mouth. The penultimate season of the animated comedy heads to high school but the awkward moments and growing pains for Andrew Glouberman (John Mulaney) and Nick Birch (Nick Kroll) continue.

Also on Oct. 20, the seventh season of global hit Elite hits Netflix. There’s more trouble in store for the students of Las Encinas with Omar Shanaa (Omar Ayuso) back, Ivan (André Lamoglia) mending a broken heart and Isadora (Valentina Zenere) dealing with her criminal family.

Earlier this month, the streamer launched Beckham, a docuseries...

Exclusive: Netflix on Thursday morning unveiled Improv: 60 and Still Standing, a comedy special celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Improv comedy clubs, which will premiere globally on the streamer November 7th.

For six decades, The Improv has stood as a trailblazer in the realm of live comedy, serving as one of the primary platforms for both up-and-coming and veteran comedians. In honor of its anniversary, 10 globally acclaimed comedians will light up the stage in Hollywood for a special evening at The Improv, alongside never-before-seen archival footage from today’s household names.

The comics dropping in for short sets include Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Bert Kreischer, Craig Robinson, Deon Cole, Fortune Feimster, Jeff Dunham, Kevin Nealon, Mark Normand, Jo Koy, and Whitney Cummings. Among those featured in rare archival footage, who arrived at The Improv as “young newcomers,” per Improv CEO Robert Hartmann, and emerged as “major stars,” are Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld,...

Plenty of haunted, Halloween and holiday options will crop up on Netflix in the month of October. The harvest doesn’t seem too lean despite the almost five-month writers strike that viewers are sure to feel next year, but at least the WGA and AMPTP have reached a deal, and hopefully, SAG-AFTRA is not too far behind. Luckily, Halloween and fall have a classic canon of films and TV shows that stretches back decades, and some of those staple watches will be available through Netflix throughout the month.

Movies include “Casper,” “Scarface” and the first two “The Amazing Spider-Man” films. New arrivals worth the wait include Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” starring Zendaya and Timotheé Chalamet among other heavy hitters, “Fair Play” with Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich and David Yates’ “Pain Hustlers” starring Emily Blunt and Chris Evans. Mike Flanagan’s “Fall of the House of Usher” is sure to...

Exclusive: Netflix has set a Halloween global premiere for Ralph Barbosa: Cowabunga, its first special from rising star comic Barbosa, which was shot in August as part of his ongoing North American tour. The hour-long special, taped at The Kessler Theater in Barbosa’s hometown of Dallas, TX, premieres globally on Tuesday, October 31st.

At Netflix, Barbosa joins the likes of Matt Rife, Jamie Demetriou and Luenell, comics who have likewise closed deals for forthcoming specials with the streamer. The latter’s special, Chappelle’s Home Team- Luenell: Town Business, exec produced by Dave Chappelle as part of an ongoing series, is slated to premiere September 26th.

The impending arrival of Barbosa’s special is just the latest in a whirlwind year for the comic, who made his debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in January. His new hour offers a glimpse into the world of...

Comedian Aida Rodriguez is stepping behind the camera to direct two installments of the comedy special series “Entre Nos” for HBO Max, Variety has learned exclusively.

Rodriguez will direct a standalone special featuring comedian Ian Lara as well as a special featuring both Ralph Barbosa and Gwen La Roka. Barbosa and La Roka are the two winners of the HBO & Nylff Latino Stand-Up Comedy Competition. The two specials will be Rodriguez’s directing debut.

Directing both specials represents a homecoming of sorts for Rodriguez. She previously appeared in an earlier edition of “Entre Nos” in 2018. HBO Max is also currently streaming Rodriguez’s stand up special “Fighting Words,” which was released in 2021. Topics in the special included being worn out by political comedy as well as her attempts to get back into dating.

Rodriguez has appeared in front of the camera in both scripted and unscripted projects. In addition to her own specials,...