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.
In all seriousness, he probably did pay CBS for this special.
No talent not funny totally irrelevant right winger
Allen is a frequent donor to the Democratic party and Democratic party causes. He’s also a frequent and very outspoken critic of President Trump.
I guess someone who doesn’t constantly have one sided and often mean spirited attacks on the POTUS during a comedy show appears “Right Wing” to you. Colbert ‘s Late Show turned in turned into a show that would fit on MS Now. It was biased AF and often very unfunny. Plus, CBS was losing money airing it.
Get your facts correct next time. But apparently, facts don’t matter to some folks. Just their TDS.
Your pedophile hero Drumpf deserves those shots at him! Colbert lost his show because Drumpf wanted the Ellisons to cancel it if they ever wanted any deals approved by him!
You’re just dumb and have no sense of humor in you!
Democrat. NOT Democratic. Dumbohcrat.
Bfhob is an idiot. TDS has rotted HER brain. Byron is further making late night television mediocre like stephen before him.
Does everyone that doesn’t agree with your ignorant MAGA bullshit considered TDS by you? Face it, bitch. Nobody likes your criminal pedophile Drumpf! Why the fuck do you continue to support that pedophile squatting in the White House, hmmm?
And calling me a woman shows that you have the maturity of a fourth grader! Grow the fuck up, bitch!
“Mean spirited attacks on the POTUS”
I thought Trump was a tough alpha-male? Why is he always getting his wittle feelings hurt by the big, bad late night talk show hosts? And I don’t want to hear shit about mean spirited attacks on Trump after all the bullshit the right wing pulled with Obama, not to mention all the vile garbage spewed towards Michelle Obama.
After the way you (R)-tards treated the Obamas, I don’t feel bad at all slinging shit at the Trump family criminal enterprise. At least Michelle Obama wasn’t a professional whore like the current FLOTUS. You know, the one who should’ve been deported when she modeled here without a visa… the one whose family chain migrated here, you fucking right-wing hypocrite.
Paul; what’s it like to admit to the world that you have no idea what you are talking about? Allen is a well-documented bundler for the DNC.
How do you know Byron’s politics? You do NOT.
Stupid shows.
Not funny at all!!!
Very poor replacement for Corbert!!
Did Corbert air after Colbert??
Colbert was a poor replacement.
Colbert was great! You’re just a bitter MAGA loser that doesn’t like people picking on your Dear Pedophile squatting in the White House!
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
Changes?! The second half hour of the block are just the same episodes you saw at 4am. The format hasn’t changed at all. And that sort of consistency is what CBS is looking for… because they’re certainly not looking for ratings.
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~
You are upset about this DEI, but refuse to say it.
Did I ever say that his race had any anything to do with why I’m calling this out? Every accusation you make is a confession~
Stephen became too toxic for CBS to continue. He should have signed for five years in 2023.
You mean CBS became too toxic, behind the scenes at least. Stephen was the only good potent that basically got kicked out, disguised as cancellation because he didn’t fit in w/the President’s tastes/the Ellisons’ business acumen~
However I do agree about the 5 year contract, if only because CBS seemed too eager initially before the Ellison takeover ruined everything~ The network only made themselves look bad after that contract revelation~
Its called “Business.” Something Stephen did not understand.
Drumpf forced the Ellisons to cancel his show, if they want any deals approved by him!
That’s fucking stupid of See Bull Shit!
What else is on? Bars and tone would be preferable!!!
A 2 hour special on a infomercial grade show?
My TV no longer gets CBS.
Committing ratings suicide.
It is a safe show that a family can watch together.
But an idiot like you wouldn’t understand, because you have no taste!
Because responsible parents would let their kids stay up late at 11:35 PM 🙄
Let’s be real, if people wanted to watch a safe show, Comics Unleashed would be the very last thing they would rely on~
the program is awful. don’t bother wasting your time.
He had to pay CBS for the late night time slot. What a loser.
Actually, it was a brilliant move.
Stupidfuck!
Fuck CBS
In case anyone was wondering how See BS was doing under the ownership and management of Ellison and Weiss, here is your answer. NOT WELL!!
The Tiffany Network has become the Tiffany Trump Network. Cheap and gaudy.
Like your mom.
You have the maturity of a fourth grade bully! Grow the fuck up, already!
Norm Macdonald said it best: “They couldn’t be any more leashed.”
Very sad to see CBS ( Catering to Byron’s Stuff) continue to elevate garbage after this Hollywood rock star destroyed the chemistry at WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Wabash Valley lost a lot of home grown talent and passion for the region when the “Allen Wrench” took over the tool box.
How are those Comics unleashed ratings on CBS? And now we have paid programming in Primetime.
How long until CBS is selling primetime blocks for boner pill infomercials? Now that Chuck Norris has kicked the bucket, maybe they’ll do an AI reboot of Walker, Texas Ranger. CBS will be scraping the bottom of the ratings with the CW before too long.
Pretty weak and unfunny late night programming for a supposedly “major” television network airing 3-5 year old episodes of this mess. Just cut the BS about the costs and admit y’all caved to the clown show.