In his dynamite, accidentally topical new special “Miami Nights,” released for free on YouTube over the July Fourth weekend, Hannibal Buress describes himself as “medium famous,” which he says translates to: “I constantly talk people out of recognizing me.”
Comedy has traditionally been more difficult to those in the middle. A-list stars are given every break, and the press loves a Next Big Thing. But those in between face particular challenges these days with a glut of competition, and a Netflix approach that puts a premium on algorithmically informed celebrity. This helps explain the current booming D.I.Y. comedy-special movement that has accelerated this year with many veteran stand-ups, including Liz Miele, Mark Normand and Matt Ruby, releasing funny hours free online.
Some comics have taken this route in reaction to the constraints of establishment platforms. And in an introduction, Buress appears to echo this critique when he says he self-produced “Miami Nights” because YouTube provided him “spontaneity and freedom that some other outlets wouldn’t.” Read more…