Byron Allen is marking 20 years of Comics Unleashed with a two-hour primetime special on CBS.
The network will air Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen 20th Anniversary Special on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. The special will also stream on Paramount+.
CBS says the retrospective will look back at two decades of the comedy panel show while celebrating its place in the comedy world. Participating comedians and other talent will be announced closer to the airdate.
The special comes during a new and unusually prominent chapter for Comics Unleashed, which began airing in the 11:35 p.m. slot following the finale of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
CBS currently airs two episodes of Comics Unleashed each weeknight, followed by two episodes of Allen’s comedy game show Funny You Should Ask. The shows air through a time-buy agreement under which Allen Media Group pays CBS for the airtime and sells the national ad inventory.
Comics Unleashed originally launched in syndication in September 2006. The show features Allen hosting a rotating panel of stand-up comedians, with the comedians largely performing bits from their acts in a talk-show-style setting.
Allen, a comedian who went on to build a billion-dollar media business, has described Comics Unleashed as a passion project and a tribute to his comedy hero, Johnny Carson.
Carson gave Allen his first major break when the then-18-year-old comedian performed on The Tonight Show. Allen has frequently credited the appearance with launching his career.
The Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen 20th Anniversary Special will air Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
Why put on a retrospective special when we have the potential to watch 20-year-old episodes of Comics Unleashed weeknights at 12:05 Eastern?
This is reminding me of “The Garry Shandling Show 25th Anniversary Special”, Garry’s Pre-“Larry Sanders” comedy special from 1986 celebrating the anniversary of a pretend talk show… except while Comics Unleashed isn’t pretend, just as many people have actually seen it.
This is a celebration for one man alone— Mr. CBS (apparently), Byron Allen.
I wonder if he paid for the primetime time slot, too.
No talent not funny totally irrelevant right winger
Stupid shows.
Not funny at all!!!
Very poor replacement for Corbert!!
When that show aired at 4am in my area,it was really bad haven’t seen the lare night version yet but I hope they made some changes or I feel it won’t last ling
Barely a year and CBS can pull this anniversary special compared to their lack of effort for Colbert’s Late Show 10th annIversary??? And on Primetime??
Unless it’s another Byron pull buying out that slot (again)
I’m so tired of CBS rewarding mediocrity and greedy, lifeless, ass-kissing husks like Byron, which isn’t a great cover after his buyout of Buzzfeed leading to nearly 30% of layoffs~