Nashville-based comedy media powerhouse 800 Pound Gorilla is launching Gorilla Comedy+ on May 5, a premium, ad-free streaming service built for comedians and their fans.
Featuring over 250 stand-up specials alongside brand-new exclusive specials, Gorilla Comedy+ is designed as a dedicated home for stand-up with plans to expand into original series, documentaries and additional formats. The launch marks a significant step in bringing stand-up directly to global audiences through a platform built specifically for comedy.
At launch, subscribers will have first access to Nish Kumar’s latest special, Nish, Don’t Kill My Vibe, along with exclusive specials from Patton Oswalt, Pete Holmes, and Rhys Darby. The platform will also feature specials from a slate of international comedy talent including Sarah Millican, Bill Bailey, Sara Pascoe, Kerry Godliman, Ed Night, David Cross, Matt Rife, Nath Valvo and the reigning winner of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s award for Best Show Celia Pacquola.
“Gorilla Comedy+ is about giving fans the ultimate stand-up experience while providing comedians with a platform that values their work,” said Ryan Bitzer, Co-Founder of 800 Pound Gorilla Media. “We designed it to complement existing partnerships and to make it easier for fans to discover and enjoy the comedians they love.”
Reaching over 20 million comedy fans each month and with a combined social following of 3.1 million, 800 Pound Gorilla is already one of the largest global platforms for stand-up. Gorilla Comedy+ builds on this audience, creating a direct-to-fan destination for comedy with ambitions to grow into a broader multi-format entertainment hub.
"We’re building Gorilla Comedy+ as a place where the comedy world can come together, which hasn't existed until now,” said Damion Greiman, Co-Founder of 800 Pound Gorilla Media. “After 10 years in the middle with a lot of comics, it’s about helping them get to fans and keep building specials, series, movies and beyond."
800 Pound Gorilla is partnering with Cineverse (Nasdaq: CNVS), an innovative entertainment technology company and studio, to power its new streaming service Gorilla Comedy+ using Cineverse’s proprietary Matchpoint® platform. Through this collaboration, Gorilla Comedy+ will leverage Matchpoint®, an automated suite of products designed to simplify and optimize the streaming video supply chain, utilizing Blueprint to build apps across multiple platforms and Dispatch for content onboarding, management, and delivery.
Ian Adkins, Head of Innovation and Co-Founder of 800 Pound Gorilla Media, adds “Cineverse and OTT Studio's forward thinking approach made them the ideal partners to bring this service to life. Great comedy deserves innovative technology, and we're excited to be building Gorilla Comedy+ together."
800 Pound Gorilla Media’s roster counts over 500 comics and it has produced or distributed acclaimed projects like YouTube hits Mark Normand’s Out To Lunch and Matt Rife’s Only Fans, as well as specials for major streamers including Ronny Chieng on Netflix, Sean Patton on Peacock, Kyle Kinane on Hulu and Fern Brady on BBC. Distribution partners include industry giants Netflix, Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Network, and Bill Burr & Al Madrigal’s All Things Comedy.
Committed to delivering the best in comedy to a global audience, 800 Pound Gorilla Media leverages innovation and transparency to enhance the human experience through shared laughter. Headquartered in Nashville with team members worldwide and an international division in London, the company invites comedy lovers to connect on 800poundgorillamedia.com, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
