Deadline this morning brings you Comedy Means Business, a new newsletter and companion podcast that will offer a deep dive into the world of comedy, with a particular emphasis on stand-up.
Our first effort focuses on the entrepreneurial aspirations of Nate Bargatze, the Tennessee comic behind the ambitious Nateland Entertainment. Bargatze’s company will be the launch sponsor of Comedy Means Business, a partnership borne of his mission to support the ecosystem of stand-up, making it possible for new voices to find a foothold.
Why focus so squarely on the stand-up space? From Jerry Seinfeld to Ray Romano, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx and so many others, it has been a reliable path to launching major entertainment careers quickly, and Bargatze has been a meteor since his first hosting stint on Saturday Night Live heightened his national profile. Reporting and critical analysis of the business has been in short supply, but it has been a segment of entertainment that continues to flourish despite economic challenges facing Hollywood.
Between 2012 and 2025, live ticket sales for stand-up have more than tripled, per Pollstar, which last year saw the world’s top 25 comedians bring in a combined haul of $582.7 million. Leaders building brands in today’s stand-up world are go-getters whose income streams range from live ticket sales to film and TV, streaming, podcasting, books, brand partnerships, merchandise and more.
The goal here is to revel in this with breaking news, and direct interaction with the stand-ups themselves, ranging from fresh faces to household names, along with myriad personalities behind the scenes that help this business thrive. Additionally, we’ll look at comedy in film and television, unveiling exclusive news about the hot projects coming together around town.
The Comedy Means Business newsletter and podcast will run biweekly, with the podcast available on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify.
