Censorship vs. Stand-Up Comedy: YouTube Wages War

Over the past few years, YouTube has become a game-changer in the stand-up comedy world. Many talented stand-up comedians, such as Shane Gillis, Andrew Schulz, Mark Normand, Ari Shaffir, and Joe List, have used the platform to independently share and promote their work. However, recent events have raised concerns about the future of stand-up comedy on YouTube.

Stand-Up Comics Feel Their Creativity Being Stifled

Popular stand-up comic Matt Rife had his latest special, "Matthew Stephen Rife," removed from YouTube after only 48 days, raising questions about YouTube's stance on comedy content. Rife's special was hit with age and music restrictions, making it inaccessible to most viewers and ultimately forcing him to delete it. This incident has left comedy fans and comedians wondering if YouTube is still the best platform for stand-up comedy.

Interestingly, comedian Chris Distefano shared his positive experience with Netflix, suggesting that the corporate route might offer more freedom than the independent one. With Rife's YouTube channel boasting over 400,000 subscribers and his previous special receiving over 4 million views, the loss of his latest special is a significant blow to the comedy community.

All Is Fair in Comedy Love and Love and War

In other comedy news, the Roast of Bert Kreischer took place on April 1st on Only Fans TV. Produced by Whitney Cummings, the roast featured a stellar lineup of comedians, including Tom Segura, Tony Hinchcliffe, Donnell Rawlings, Big Jay Oakerson, Jim Norton, Rachel Feinstein, Whitney Cummings, and host Trevor Wallace. Despite initial skepticism, the hour-long roast was free to watch and well-received by comedy fans.

As the comedy landscape evolves, it's essential to find platforms that support and promote stand-up comics and their content. While YouTube has been a valuable resource for many comedians, recent censorship incidents have raised concerns about its suitability for the future of stand-up comedy. It remains to be seen whether alternative platforms, such as Netflix or Only Fans TV, will offer more freedom and opportunities for comics to share their work without restrictions.

May The Best Comedy Podcast Win

The second annual Comedy Podcast March Madness Tournament is in full swing at WatchComedy.Live. This year's event is even more exciting, as podcasts such as "We Might Be Drunk" and "Chrissy Chaos" actively engage their audiences to participate and secure a victory. Fans can currently vote for the funniest clips, helping their favorite podcast claim the highly esteemed title of 'The Joke WRLD Comedy Podcast March Madness Tournament Champion,' presented by WatchComedy.Live.

Vote Here

Rolling Credits: Who appeared on comedy podcasts this week?

Some of the clips used in this video are from these comedy podcasts:

• Your Mom's House hosted by Tom Segura and Christina P. did not have a guest

• 2 Bears 1 Cave hosted by Bert Kreischer and Tom Segura did not have a guest

• Kill Tony hosted by Tony Hinchcliffe with guests Shane Gillis

• Whiskey Ginger hosted by Andrew Santino with guest Rick Glassman

• Chrissy Chaos hosted by Chris Distefano with guest Russell Shorto

• Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast Hosted by Shane Gillis and Matt McCusker with guest Sam Tallent

• This Past Weekend hosted by Theo Von with guest Nate Bargatze and Mike Vecchione

• Take Your Shoes Off hosted by Rick Glassman with guest Bert Kreischer

• Stavvy's World hosted by Stavros Halkias with guest Bert Kreischer

• Blocks hosted by Neal Brennan with guest Sam Morril

• We Might Be Drunk hosted by Mark Norman and Sam Morril with guest Sam Jay

• You Know What Dude hosted by Robert Kelly with guest Mike Vecchione

• Are You Garbage? hosted by H. Foley and Kevin Ryan with guest Adam Rowe

New(-ish) stand-up comedy specials out recently include:

• The Attractives by Mike Vecchione on YouTube

• Dog Belly by Big Jay Oakerson on YouTube

• Lefty's Son by Ryan Sickler on YouTube

• Louis CK At The Dolby by Louis CK on his website

• Baby J by John Mulaney on Netflix is scheduled for release on April 25, 2023