Netflix Execs Talk About How They Revolutionized the Comedy Special But Won’t Answer The Louis C.K. Question

Lisa Nishimura and Robbie Praw are largely responsible for the explosion of the comedy special at Netflix. She’s the Vice-President of Original Documentary and Comedy Programming for Netflix, and his title is Director of Original Stand-Up Comedy,  and they sat down with the New York Times to talk about the revolution they helped create, bringing the comedy special further out into the mainstream spotlight.

In the article, Nishimura shares how she persuaded Dave Chappelle to accept insane sums of money to bring his comedy to the platform, (a fortuitous chance opportunity that she took advantage of when a Bafta security guard didn’t recognize Chappelle), how they discovered “The Netflix Effect” (when comics found themselves having a surge in clubs a few months after airing their Netflix specials), whether they are harming comedy with over-saturation (they say no), and how “taste clusters” have helped them to expand the audiences for comedians.

They addressed Mo’Nique’s complaint.  The well-known comedian had alleged discrimination against black women because she was offered significantly less money for a special on the platform. When Praw said that her complaints were helpful, adding to “an important conversation about pay equity”, he also revealed some information about how Netflix decides how much it will pay artists. He said Netflix executives base those decisions on social metrics and touring, but then contacted the Times a day later with a follow-up answer: he conceded that it is a failure on their part that they have had so few black women on the platform.  The conversation took place before Netflix’s recent announcement that Tiffany Haddish and Wanda Sykes would be joining the Netflix family of original hour special programming.  Sykes had of course originally backed up Mo’Nique, saying she was offered even less money than Mo’Nique had complained about. Perhaps some of those markers for deciding how much to pay clients have been modified?

And they declined to join the growing list of gatekeepers who have answered the Louis C.K. question. When asked the biggest question in comedy: would Netflix have Louis C.K. back? There was no answer.  Writer Jason Zinoman described a full minute of quiet while Nishimura and Praw thought it over before being interrupted by an accompanying publicist who said they wouldn’t be able to answer.

Read the full article at NewYorkTimes.com.

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