After 46 seasons on MTV, “Ridiculousness” is coming to an end, TheWrap has learned. Though no more original episodes will be produced, previously produced first run episodes will continue to air on MTV through 2026.
This cancellation comes as Paramount shifts its MTV strategy under the company’s new owners. The channel will be pivoting to a more curated slate of programming, an insider familiar with the matter told TheWrap. That will include experimenting with new formats, enlisting different creative voices and refreshing its programming.
Previous seasons of “Ridiculousness” will continue to run on MTV, and select seasons will be available to stream on Paramount+.
This news comes a day after Bloomberg reported that MTV pays its host and creator Rob Dyrdek $32.5 million a year for a 336 episode-per-year season. That was expected to go up to $45 million a year if the series was renewed for 2028 and 2029. It’s not surprising that an expensive series like this would be canceled given CEO David Ellison’s focus on cost-cutting measures.
Shortly after Ellison’s Skydance took control of Paramount, Superjacket Productions — the company behind “Ridiculousness” — as well as its corporate affiliates filed for bankruptcy. The filing came following a dispute over who controls the company.
A clip show that showcases viral Internet videos, “Ridiculousness” first premiered in 2011. In its current iteration, it’s hosted by Dyrdek and Sterling “Steelo” Brim, but former hosts have included Chanel West Coast and Lauren “Lolo” Wood. The show typically features failed stunts that are mocked by Dyrdek and a panel of commentators.
Though the series was big in the 2010s, in the modern era it’s become a bit of a punchline in the TV industry. Multiple articles have been written, asking why MTV only seems to play episodes of “Ridiculousness,” and when reporters point to cable’s decline and how companies are no longer investing in original programming for cable, “Ridiculousness” is used as a common example. The joke isn’t far from reality. In Bloomberg’s reporting, reporter Jonathan Randles noted that the series will be airing for 12 straight hours on Friday. Now that’s ridiculousness.
