IFC Parent AMC Networks Acquires Minority Stake in Funny Or Die

Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet - Photo Credit: Erika Doss IFC funny or die

AMC Networks Inc. has acquired a minority ownership stake in Funny Or Die. That’s good news for AMC cable channel IFC, which can now double down on its ongoing collaboration with the Will Ferrell-Adam McKay digital comedy platform.

IFC and FoD most recently worked together on upcoming Hank Azaria series “Brockmire.” Pictured above, the project began as a Funny Or Die short — it will soon premiere as an actual cable TV series. More of that may happen, with IFC eyeing existing Funny Or Die properties, though this deal is more focused on creating new content together, TheWrap is told.

Plus, there will probably be Funny Or Die-branded programming blocks on IFC. That said, Funny Or Die will continue to operate independently, so it can still work with other distributors, networks and studios.

Also Read: Bill Hader, Fred Armisen Reveal One Film They Won’t Mock on “Documentary Now”

IFC President Jennifer Caserta is set to join the Funny Or Die board. TheWrap spoke with both her and Funny Or Die CEO Mike Farah about the deal this morning.

“We couldn’t think of a better brand that is more perfectly aligned to work with IFC — our sensibility, our culture,” Caserta told us. “It means being able to explore different and unique and interesting things that we’ve been doing already … not just on the linear television network, but in the digital space.”

Farah echoed Caserta’s sentiment, adding: “Our core business [has] and always will be digital — and we’re really proud of that — but … [IFC is] really the perfect partner to accelerate growth in TV.”

Also Read: IFC President Jen Caserta Talks Owning 'Weird' Comedy, Potential Animation Future and Why 'Spoils Before Dying' Works

This whole thing essentially kicked off with Will Ferrell’s ridiculous “Spoils of Babylon”/”Spoils Before Dying” — but it doesn’t mean the deal will extend that property. We asked Caserta if they’re doing a third run together to mark the acquisition.

“We’re not, and it’s just because we developed a franchise that Funny Or Die presented to us,” she said. “And we did our first run and then we did our subsequent series — but there was never a plan to do a third installment.”

Caserta concluded: “That’s not to say that in the future we couldn’t because as you know, in the wild world of the ‘Spoils’ franchise anything could happen, but that was not contemplated.”

Dave Chappelle's Road From 'Chappelle's Show' to Hosting 'SNL' (Photos)

Eleven years after he walked away from one of the most successful shows in Comedy Central history, Dave Chappelle is hosting "Saturday Night Live" with the remaining members of A Tribe Called Quest as musical guests. It's a surprising move for the wildly popular but enigmatic comedian, whose career has been marked with long absences, sudden appearances and controversial stand-up performances. Here's a quick timeline...
In 2004, "Chappelle's Show" was one of the most popular shows on basic cable and a huge money-maker for Comedy Central. Chappelle displayed a willingness to plunge into depths of racial satire and N-word usage that few were willing to touch.
Comedy Central
But in 2005, during production of the show's third season, Chappelle shocked the entertainment world by abruptly leaving the show. In an interview with Time Magazine, Chappelle said he had left the show and had flown to South Africa to get away from the overwhelming fame he had built.
In February 2006, Chappelle spoke more in-depth about the show during an interview with Oprah Winfrey. He mentioned that while filming a sketch in which a pixie in blackface tempts him to act in ways that perpetuate stereotypes, a white crew member laughed in a way that made him feel uncomfortable. Chappelle began to wonder if he was reinforcing stereotypes rather than combating them.
In the following years, Chappelle chose to continue his career in comedy to free him from the attention that had unnerved him. His standup appearances were often confined to Los Angeles and went largely unannounced, though he did make several appearances on "Inside The Actors' Studio," including one in which he got the chance to interview the show's host, James Lipton.
In 2013, Chappelle slowly began to return to the limelight, starting with headlining a nationwide comedy tour with Flight of the Conchords. Unfortunately, one show quickly got ugly after hecklers in the crowd began chanting lines from "Chappelle's Show," which resulted in Chappelle ranting about the hecklers the following night at a Chicago show. That audio was later leaked onto a standup comedy blog.
Funny Or Die
Still, Chappelle's return took flight in 2014, as he made the cover of GQ, appeared on "The Late Show With David Letterman," and performed ten sold-out shows at Radio City Music Hall.
GQ
Chappelle even made a return to the big screen, playing a minor role in Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq" as a one of the gangbangers who are denied sex by the women of Chicago until the violence stops. Sample line from Chappelle: "This situation is out of control... because I'm in front of an empty stripper pole!"
Spike Lee/Instagram
Now Chappelle is making his biggest TV appearance since his days of playing Rick James and blind black KKK members by hosting the first post-election "SNL" episode. If it is anything like what we've come to expect from him, "SNL" may have some of its most biting material in years in store for us.
NBC

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11 years after walking from his hit Comedy Central show, Dave Chappelle is making a big return to TV

Eleven years after he walked away from one of the most successful shows in Comedy Central history, Dave Chappelle is hosting "Saturday Night Live" with the remaining members of A Tribe Called Quest as musical guests. It's a surprising move for the wildly popular but enigmatic comedian, whose career has been marked with long absences, sudden appearances and controversial stand-up performances. Here's a quick timeline...

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