Funny or Die is a comedy video website and film/television production company owned by
Henry R. Muñoz III
Henry R. Muñoz III (born December 1959) is an American businessperson and activist. He has used his wealth to launch national movements including Momento Latino, TheDream.US and Latino Victory to support the Latino community through awareness, ...
that was founded by
Will Ferrell
John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', where he performed from 1995 to 20 ...
,
Adam McKay,
Mark Kvamme, and
Chris Henchy in 2007. The website contained exclusive material from a regular staff of in-house writers, producers and directors, and occasionally from a number of famous contributors including
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow (; born December 6, 1967) is an American comedian, director, producer, and screenwriter, best known for his work in comedy and drama films. He is the founder of Apatow Productions, through which he produced and directed the films '' ...
,
James Franco and
Norm Macdonald
Norman Gene MacdonaldThe capitalization of Norm Macdonald's surname has been inconsistently reported in publications such as ''TV Guide''. Books that discuss him, such as ''Shales'' (2003) and Crawford' (2000), as well as other sources such as ...
. The associated production company continues to make TV shows including
truTV
TruTV (stylized as truTV) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps and reality shows.
The channel was originally launched in 1991 as Court TV, a network that f ...
's ''
Billy on the Street'',
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy program ...
's ''
@midnight
''@midnight with Chris Hardwick'' (shortened to and formerly exclusively titled ''@midnight'') was an American late night Internet-themed panel game show, hosted by Chris Hardwick, that aired Monday through Thursday nights between October 21, ...
'' and
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight Galifianakis (born October 1, 1969) is an American actor and comedian. He appeared in '' Comedy Central Presents'' special and presented his show '' Late World with Zach'' on VH1.
Galifianakis has starred in films including ''T ...
' web series ''
Between Two Ferns
Between is a preposition. It may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Between'' (Frankmusik album), a 2013 album by Frankmusik
* "Between", a song by Jerry Cantrell from ''Boggy Depot''
* ''Between'' (TV series), a Canadian science fiction- ...
''.
Many videos on the site featured well-known actors (examples include
Nina Dobrev,
Steve Carell
Steven John Carell (; born August 16, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He played Michael Scott in '' The Office'' (2005–2011; 2013), NBC’s adaptation of the British series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, where C ...
,
Charlie Sheen,
Ryan Gosling
Ryan Thomas Gosling (born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor. Prominent in independent film, he has also worked in blockbuster films of varying genres, and has accrued a worldwide box office gross of over 1.9 billion USD. He has receive ...
,
Patrick Stewart,
Daniel Radcliffe,
Sophia Bush,
Mila Kunis
Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis (born August 14, 1983) is an American actress. Born in Chernivtsi and raised in Los Angeles, she began playing Jackie Burkhart on the Fox television series '' That '70s Show'' (1998–2006) at the age of 14. Sinc ...
,
AnnaSophia Robb,
Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff (born September 28, 1987) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including seven Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, four Teen Choice Awards and two Young Artist Awards. She began her ac ...
,
Adam West,
James Van Der Beek,
Jim Carrey
James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy t ...
,
Ariel Winter
Ariel Winter Workman (born January 28, 1998) is an American actress. She starred as Alex Dunphy in the ABC comedy series ''Modern Family'', for which she and her co-stars won four consecutive Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Ensemble ...
and
Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American singer, actress and producer. Gomez began her acting career on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004). As a teenager, she rose to prominence for starring a ...
). Michael Kvamme, an aspiring young comedian who is also the son of Mark Kvamme, the venture capitalist who funded Funny or Die, came up with a concept for a new kind of comedy site, and the site was developed by Randy Adams. After the site was funded by his father, Michael Kvamme wrote a screenplay for Will Ferrell and founded Global eSports Resources in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Federation of Electronic and Intellectual Sports.
Funny or Die launched on April 12, 2007 with the site's first video, "
The Landlord". "The Landlord" has received over 84 million views and features Ferrell confronted by a swearing, beer-drinking two-year-old landlord. In June 2007, they received venture capital funding from
Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital is an American venture capital firm. The firm is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, and specializes in seed stage, early stage, and growth stage investments in private companies across technology sectors. , Sequoia's total a ...
, and in June 2008, they announced a partnership with
HBO. On August 3, 2016, Funny or Die shut down one of its California offices, reducing its headcount by 30% to 95 employees, with the announcement coming just two months after the new CEO, Mike Farah, took office.
Henry R. Muñoz III
Henry R. Muñoz III (born December 1959) is an American businessperson and activist. He has used his wealth to launch national movements including Momento Latino, TheDream.US and Latino Victory to support the Latino community through awareness, ...
bought Funny or Die for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was announced in ''
Variety'' on May 12, 2021. Muñoz purchased Funny or Die from the company's former stakeholders, which included
AMC Networks
AMC Networks Inc. is an American entertainment company headquartered in 11 Penn Plaza, New York.
AMC Networks owns and operates the eponymous cable channel and its siblings, IFC, We TV, and Sundance TV; the art house movie theater IFC C ...
,
WarnerMedia
Warner Media, LLC ( traded as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States.
It was originally established in 1972 by ...
and
Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital is an American venture capital firm. The firm is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, and specializes in seed stage, early stage, and growth stage investments in private companies across technology sectors. , Sequoia's total a ...
.
Online presence
Unlike other viral video sites, members of Funny or Die are encouraged to vote on videos which they view, with the options of "Funny" or "Die". The video then gets a score of the total percentage of people who voted the video "Funny". If the video receives an 80% or greater "Funny" rating after 100,000 views, it gets an "Immortal" ranking. If the video receives a 20% or less "Funny" rating after 1,000 views, it is relegated to the Crypt section of the site.
The Funny or Die staff can also select a rating of "Chosen One", which disables voting for a video, merely saying "Chosen One" instead.
Television and movie productions
Funny or Die expanded to include a television and film production company in 2011.
Shows
''Between Two Ferns''
''
Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis
''Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis'' is an American talk show hosted by comedian Zach Galifianakis which features celebrity guests. Episodes last several minutes, in which the interviewer (Galifianakis) and guests trade barbs and insults ...
'' is an Emmy Award-winning comedy series featured on Funny or Die. Galifianakis interviews various celebrities on a low budget set, decorated by a pair of potted ferns. The series often involves interruptions for product promotions and musical guests.
The Lonely Island
The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'').
The three ...
's "
Spring Break Anthem" music video was embedded into an episode with
James Franco and featured actor
Edward Norton
Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award and three Academy Award nominations.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised ...
.
Galifianakis has interviewed the likes of
Brad Pitt
William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...
,
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Bieber is recognized for his genre-melding musicianship and has played an influential role in modern-day popular music. He was discovered by American record executive Scooter ...
,
Jennifer Lawrence,
Samuel L. Jackson,
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950) is a British billionaire, entrepreneur, and business magnate. In the 1970s he founded the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies in various fields.
Branson expresse ...
, and
President Barack Obama. Galifianakis interviewed President Barack Obama during the launch of the United States health insurance exchange website. The video was released on March 11, 2014 and garnered over 32 million views.
''Billy on the Street''
Funny or Die's ''
Billy on the Street'' is a half-hour comedy game show hosted by
Billy Eichner. The show's producers include Anna Wenger, Mike Farah and Billy Eichner. Billy on the Street premiered on
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American pay television channel launched in 1994 which was originally dedicated to music. After merging with the Latino-oriented NuvoTV in 2015, Fuse shifted its focus to general entertainment and lifestyle programming targeting multi ...
on December 18, 2011. On October 8, 2015 the show began airing on
tru TV. Eichner quizzes people on the streets of New York on pop culture in exchange for cash and prizes. Many episodes feature a special guest and celebrities
Lindsay Lohan,
Anne Hathaway,
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...
, and
Olivia Wilde have made appearances on the show.
In 2013, Eichner received a
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
nomination for Outstanding Game Show Host.
The series wrapped its third season on May 14, 2014.
''Drunk History''
''
Drunk History'' is a comedy series on
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy program ...
that was released on Funny or Die in December 2007. The show originated as a web series created by
Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner. The show features a drunken narrator who attempts to recount an event from American history. The actors are played by celebrity guest stars who lip-sync the narrator's dialogue.
Due to their general drunkenness the narrators are unable to accurately discuss the historical events and oftentimes make up and embellish aspects of the story. Guests include
Jack Black
Thomas Jacob Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for his acting roles in the films '' High Fidelity'' (2000), '' Shallow Hal'' (2001), '' Orange County'' (2002), '' School of Rock'' (2003), ' ...
,
Michael Cera,
Bill Hader,
Nick Offerman,
Winona Ryder,
Chris Parnell,
Kristen Wiig,
Luke Wilson
Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor known for his roles in films such as ''Bottle Rocket'' (1996), '' Rushmore'' (1998), '' My Dog Skip'' (2000), '' Legally Blonde'' (2001), '' The Royal Tenenbaums'' (2001), '' ...
, and
Jason Schwartzman.
''Gay of Thrones''
''Gay of Thrones'' is a comedy web series hosted by
Jonathan Van Ness in which he and a guest recap the most recent episode of ''
Game of Thrones
''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the firs ...
'' in Van Ness' hair salon. Its first episode, recapping the first two episodes of
season 3 of ''Game of Thrones'', was released in April 2013
and has covered each episode from then until the finale in May 2019.
Guests have included
Alfie Allen,
Tiffany Haddish,
Kumail Nanjiani and
Lena Headey.
''@midnight''
''
@midnight
''@midnight with Chris Hardwick'' (shortened to and formerly exclusively titled ''@midnight'') was an American late night Internet-themed panel game show, hosted by Chris Hardwick, that aired Monday through Thursday nights between October 21, ...
'' is a late night comedy panel show hosted by
Chris Hardwick
Christopher Ryan Hardwick (born November 23, 1971) is an American comedian, actor, television and podcast host, writer, and producer. He hosts '' Talking Dead'', an hourlong aftershow on AMC affiliated with the network's zombie drama series '' ...
and produced by Funny or Die. The show debuted on Comedy Central on October 21, 2013. The show features three guest comedians that respond to different social media postings and pop culture references of the day including responses to actual tweets on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
,
Craigslist
Craigslist (stylized as craigslist) is an American classified advertisements website with sections devoted to jobs, housing, for sale, items wanted, services, community service, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums.
Craig Newmark began the ...
ad postings and comments on
Reddit
Reddit (; stylized in all lowercase as reddit) is an American social news news aggregator, aggregation, Review site#Rating site, content rating, and Internet forum, discussion website. Registered users (commonly referred to as "Redditors") subm ...
.
@Midnight used social media as a platform to engage with their fans. The show created
hashtags including #HashtagWars and #SpookyCelebs that were used by fans to submit their own responses to the game on Twitter.
''The Spoils of Babylon''
''
The Spoils of Babylon'' is a comedy miniseries that aired on January 9, 2014 on
IFC. The show was created and written by former ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serve ...
'' writers
Matt Piedmont and Andrew Steele. Piedmont also directed the series. The series stars
Will Ferrell
John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', where he performed from 1995 to 20 ...
,
Kristen Wiig,
Tobey Maguire
Tobias Vincent Maguire (born June 27, 1975) is an American actor and film producer. He is best known for playing the title character from Sam Raimi's ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007), a role he later reprised in '' Spider-Man: No Way Hom ...
,
Jessica Alba,
Haley Joel Osment
Haley Joel Osment (born April 10, 1988) is an American actor and voice actor. Beginning his career as a child actor, Osment's role in the comedy-drama film '' Forrest Gump'' (1994) won him a Young Artist Award. His breakthrough came with the ...
,
Tim Robbins
Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film '' The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and has won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards for his role ...
,
Michael Sheen
Michael Christopher Sheen OBE (born 5 February 1969) is a Welsh actor, television producer and political activist. After training at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), he worked mainly in theatre throughout the 1990s with stage rol ...
,
Carey Mulligan and
Val Kilmer.
Ferrell plays Eric Jonrosh, a fictional author whose novel is being adapted for TV. The Spoils of Babylon novel follows a wealthy oil tycoon's family, the Morehouses. Robbins plays Jonas Morehouse, the patriarch of the family. Wiig and Maguire play Cynthia and her adopted brother Devon.
IFC and
Funny Or Die adapted Jonrosh's first novel, ''
The Spoils Before Dying'' into another miniseries, which aired on July 8, 2015.
''Throwing Shade''
''
Throwing Shade'' is a podcast hosted by Erin Gibson and Bryan Safi, that addresses topics such as mainstream pop culture, women's rights and gay rights. In 2011 Gibson and Safi created the Throwing Shade podcast after
InfoMania was cancelled and in 2013 Funny or Die began filming the podcast on a set, and airing the recordings of the podcast on its website.
The podcast occasionally has famous guests including
Cheyenne Jackson and
Dustin Lance Black
Dustin Lance Black (born June 10, 1974) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, and LGBT rights activist. He is known for writing the film ''Milk'', for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2009. He has also sub ...
. Throwing Shade won a
Podcast Award for Best GLBT Podcast in both 2012 and 2013.
The duo have recorded 80 videos since signing on with Funny or Die.
''Tween Fest''
''
Tween Fest'' is an eight-episode Funny or Die series starring
John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor and comedian whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's ''The Late Shift'', and a starring role in the American vers ...
,
Joey King
Joey Lynn King (born July 30, 1999) is an American actress. She first gained recognition for portraying Ramona Quimby in the comedy film ''Ramona and Beezus'' (2010) and has since gained wider recognition for her lead role in ''The Kissing Booth ...
,
Drew Tarver,
Arden Cho, and Lou Wilson that follows a two-weekend outdoor festival in the middle of the desert where all the acts are internet stars. The show launched on August 3, 2016 on the streaming service
go90. ''Tween Fest'' was created by Nick Ciarelli and Brad Evans, was directed by
Scott Gairdner, and features
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series ''Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recogn ...
,
Tim Meadows
Timothy Meadows (born February 5, 1961) is an American actor and comedian. He was one of the longest-running cast members on ''Saturday Night Live'', where he appeared for ten seasons and for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emm ...
,
Chris Parnell,
David Koechner
David Michael Koechner ( ; born August 24, 1962) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing roles such as Champ Kind in the '' Anchorman'' films and Todd Packer on NBC's '' The Office''.
Koechner first became involved in p ...
,
Dave (Gruber) Allen,
Josh Fadem and more in supporting and guest-starring roles.
Other shows
=Former
=
* ''
Funny or Die Presents'' (2010–2011, HBO)
* ''
Jon Benjamin Has a Van
''Jon Benjamin Has a Van'' is an American live-action television comedy series that aired in the summer of 2011 on Comedy Central. The series stars Jon Benjamin as a reporter who toured around in a van to deliver uninteresting news to viewers ...
'' (2011, Comedy Central)
* ''
Brody Stevens: Enjoy It!'' (2013, Comedy Central)
* ''American Muscle'' (2014, Discovery)
* ''
Funny or Die Presents: America's Next Weatherman'' (2015, TBS)
* ''
The Gorburger Show
''The Gorburger Show'' is an American comedy television series created by Ryan McNeely and Josh Martin. The series stars T.J. Miller as Gorburger, a giant blue monster who took over a Japanese television station. The series originally aired on Fu ...
'' (2015, HBO; 2017, Comedy Central)
* ''
The Chris Gethard Show'' (2015–2018, truTV)
* ''
Brockmire
''Brockmire'' is an American sitcom that premiered on April 5, 2017 on IFC. The show stars Hank Azaria, Amanda Peet, and Tyrel Jackson Williams, with J. K. Simmons guest starring in the third season. Azaria plays a baseball play-by-play ann ...
'' (2017–2020, IFC)
Pilots
* ''What's Going On? with Mike Mitchell'' (2011, FX)
Specials
Between Two Ferns: A Fairytale of New York
A 2012 special aired on Comedy Central with
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight Galifianakis (born October 1, 1969) is an American actor and comedian. He appeared in '' Comedy Central Presents'' special and presented his show '' Late World with Zach'' on VH1.
Galifianakis has starred in films including ''T ...
.
Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles
On November 23, 2013,
HBO presented a special in association with Funny Or Die titled, "Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles" featuring
stand-up by comedian
Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman (born December 1, 1970) is an American comedian, actress, and writer.
Silverman was a writer and performer on '' Saturday Night Live'', and she starred in and produced '' The Sarah Silverman Program'', which ran from 2007 t ...
. During her hour-long set, Silverman made jokes about rape, religion, and her personal insecurities.
The special received a 2014
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
nomination for Outstanding Variety Special and Silverman's writing earned her an
Emmy win for Outstanding Writing For a Variety Special. Record label
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are oft ...
, went on to release the special on vinyl, CD, and through digital download.
Jerrod Carmichael: Love At the Store
Funny Or Die produced a special featuring comedian
Jerrod Carmichael
Rothaniel Jerrod Carmichael ( ; born April 6, 1987) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and filmmaker. He has released three stand-up comedy specials on HBO: ''Love at the Store'' (2014), ''8'' (2017), and ''Rothaniel'' (2022). He ...
for
HBO which aired on October 4, 2014. During the 70 minute special, Carmichael covers topics including poverty and wealth, controversial artists, female empowerment, and crime and race.
"Jerrod Carmichael: Love At The Store," was directed by
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...
and was filmed at
The Comedy Store in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
. Carmichael chose the location because it was the first venue he performed in back in 2008.
''Tig Notaro: Boyish Girl Interrupted''
Funny Or Die produced a comedy special for HBO featuring comedian
Tig Notaro. ''
Tig Notaro: Boyish Girl Interrupted'' premiered on HBO on August 22, 2015. Notaro promoted the special by walking the streets of Los Angeles to bring awareness to a giant billboard of her face.
During the HBO special Notaro talks about her breast cancer diagnosis, her break up with her girlfriend and the death of her mother. Notaro performs the final third of her set topless to expose the scars of her mastectomy to the audience.
Ferrell Takes the Field
A 2015 special aired on HBO with
Will Ferrell
John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', where he performed from 1995 to 20 ...
.
Movies
* ''
Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie'' (2012, co-production with Abso Lutely Productions)
* ''
iSteve'' (2013, released online via Funny Or Die)
* ''
Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie'' (2016, released online via Funny or Die)
* ''
Between Two Ferns: The Movie'' (2019, released online on September 20, 2019 via
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
)
* ''
Impractical Jokers: The Movie'' (2020, release in theaters) The movie follows the four lifelong friends of Joe Gatto, James "Murr" Murray, Salvatore "Sal" Vulcano, and Brian "Q" Quinn from the hit TV show of
Impractical Jokers. The movie was announced on March 7, 2018, when the
Impractical Jokers got renewed for a season 8. The Movie began production in the end of April 2018. The film was released in 2020.
* ''
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story'' (2022, released online on November 4, 2022 via
The Roku Channel)
''Funny or Die Presents''
In June 2008, HBO and Funny Or Die announced that HBO had purchased a stake of less than 10% in Funny Or Die. With this, Funny Or Die will be responsible for developing at least 10 half-hour episodes for HBO, and the companies may organize future comedy tours together. Regarding the agreement, Will Ferrell said, "I don't want to overstate the importance of this deal, but this is the missing link moment where TV and Internet finally merge. It will change the way we as human beings perceive and interact with reality. Okay, I overstated it. But it is an exciting deal."
In August 2008, Funny Or Die hired Andrew Steele, a twelve-year veteran of ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serve ...
'', and one of three head writers in recent years, to oversee content production and development for the site and for the HBO partnership.
Live events
Funny or Die Comedy Tour
In February 2008, Funny or Die launched "Will Ferrell's Funny Or Die Comedy Tour Presented by 'Semi-Pro'", in conjunction with the promotion of the movie ''
Semi-Pro''. The tour featured Ferrell, members of the FOD Team and comedians
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight Galifianakis (born October 1, 1969) is an American actor and comedian. He appeared in '' Comedy Central Presents'' special and presented his show '' Late World with Zach'' on VH1.
Galifianakis has starred in films including ''T ...
,
Demetri Martin,
Nick Swardson and
Andrea Savage. Adam McKay and
Will Arnett
William Emerson Arnett (; born May 4, 1970) is a Canadian actor, comedian and producer. He is best known for his roles as Gob Bluth in the Fox/Netflix series '' Arrested Development'' (2003–2006, 2013, 2018–2019) and as the titular chara ...
served as tour announcers. The eight-city tour hit college campuses in
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
,
Ohio
Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...
,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but i ...
,
,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia a ...
and
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
. The tour ran February 4–24, 2008.
Funny or Die Oddball Comedy Festival
2013
In June 2013 Funny Or Die announced the Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival comedy tour partnered with
Live Nation
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. is an American global entertainment company and monopoly that was founded in 2010 following the merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The company promotes, operates, and manages ticket sales for live entertain ...
The tour was headlined by
Dave Chappelle
David Khari Webber Chappelle ( ; born August 24, 1973) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is best known for his satirical comedy sketch series '' Chappelle's Show'' (2003–2006), which he starred in until quitting in the middle of ...
and
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords is a New Zealand musical comedy duo formed in Wellington in 1998. The band consists of multi-instrumentalists Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. Beginning as a popular live comedy act in the early 2000s, the duo's com ...
. The lineup also included
Al Madrigal,
Kristen Schaal
Kristen Joy Schaal (; born January 24, 1978) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She is best known for her voice roles as Louise Belcher on ''Bob's Burgers'' and Mabel Pines on '' Gravity Falls''. She's also known for playing Mel on ' ...
,
Brody Stevens,
Demetri Martin,
John Mulaney,
Jim Jefferies
Geoff James Nugent (born 14 February 1977), known professionally as Jim Jefferies, is an Australian comedian, actor, and writer who holds dual Australian and American citizenship. He created and starred in the American FX sitcom ''Legit'' (2 ...
, and
Hannibal Buress
Hannibal Amir Buress ( , born February 4, 1983) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper and writer. He started performing comedy in 2002 while attending Southern Illinois University. He starred on Adult Swim's ''The Eric Andre Show'' f ...
. The tour ran August 23 – September 22, 2013.
2014
In 2014, Funny Or Die continued the Oddball Festival, touring 20 cities across the U.S. from August 8 – September 21. The tour featured comedians
Louis C.K.,
Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman (born December 1, 1970) is an American comedian, actress, and writer.
Silverman was a writer and performer on '' Saturday Night Live'', and she starred in and produced '' The Sarah Silverman Program'', which ran from 2007 t ...
,
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ismail Ansari (; born February 23, 1983) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is known for his role as Tom Haverford on the NBC series ''Parks and Recreation'' (2009–2015) and as creator and star of the Netflix series '' Mas ...
,
Chris Hardwick
Christopher Ryan Hardwick (born November 23, 1971) is an American comedian, actor, television and podcast host, writer, and producer. He hosts '' Talking Dead'', an hourlong aftershow on AMC affiliated with the network's zombie drama series '' ...
,
Amy Schumer, and
Jim Gaffigan
James Christopher Gaffigan (born July 7, 1966) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. His material often addresses fatherhood, laziness, food, religion, and general observations. He is regarded as a "clean" comic, using l ...
.
2015
The 2015 lineup included
Amy Schumer,
Aziz Ansari
Aziz Ismail Ansari (; born February 23, 1983) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is known for his role as Tom Haverford on the NBC series ''Parks and Recreation'' (2009–2015) and as creator and star of the Netflix series '' Mas ...
,
Anthony Jeselnik, Ashley Barnhill,
Bridget Everett
Bridget Everett (born April 21, 1972) is an American comedian, actress, singer, writer, and cabaret performer. She has starred in the semi-autobiographical 2022 HBO series '' Somebody Somewhere'', the movie '' Fun Mom Dinner'', and in a one-hou ...
,
Dave Attell,
Donnell Rawlings, Jak Knight,
Jay Pharoah
Jared Antonio Farrow (born October 14, 1987), better known by his stage name Jay Pharoah, is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and impressionist. Pharoah was a cast member on NBC's sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 2010 to 20 ...
,
Jeff Ross
Jeffrey Ross Lifschultz (born September 13, 1965) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is best known as the "Roastmaster General" for his insult comedy, his multiple appearances at celebrity roasts held by the New York Friars Club, t ...
,
Jim Norton,
John Mulaney,
Katherine Ryan, Mark Normand,
Michael Che,
Nick Kroll,
Nick Thune,
Nikki Glaser,
Rachel Feinstein,
Rory Scovel
Rory J. Scovel (born August 6, 1980) is an American comedian, actor, and writer. He released his first stand-up comedy album '' Dilation'' in 2011. He has since released the stand-up specials ''The Charleston Special'' (2015), ''Rory Scovel Trie ...
,
Sebastian Maniscalco,
Steve Rannazzisi,
T.J. Miller,
Tim Minchin,
Todd Barry, and Tony Hinchcliffe. The tour ran August 28 – October 18, 2015.
Treasure Island Music Festival: Blah Blah Blah Comedy Tent
Funny Or Die curated a comedy lineup for the 2015 Treasure Island music festival in San Francisco, CA. The Funny Or Die Blah Blah Blah tent featured comedy acts from
Tim Heidecker,
Jerrod Carmichael
Rothaniel Jerrod Carmichael ( ; born April 6, 1987) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and filmmaker. He has released three stand-up comedy specials on HBO: ''Love at the Store'' (2014), ''8'' (2017), and ''Rothaniel'' (2022). He ...
,
Jonah Ray,
Chris Gethard
Christopher Paul Gethard (; born May 23, 1980) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He was the host of ''The Chris Gethard Show'', a talk show based in New York City, which aired from 2011 to 2018. He hosts the podcasts ''Beautiful Stories ...
,
Jon Dore
Jonathan David Dore (born November 2, 1975) is a Canadian comedian and actor currently based in Juneau, Alaska.
Education
Dore attended Brookfield High School and studied broadcasting at Algonquin College in Ottawa.
Career
Jon Dore was forme ...
,
Lauren Lapkus, Brian Safi & Erin Gibson, Kate Berlant & John Early, Guy Branum, Michelle Wolf, Max Silvestri, Barry Rothbart, and Jermaine Fowler.
Political activism
Although ostensibly independent of organized politics, site creators Ferrell and McKay are supporters of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
and have personal politics that "tend to lean a little left."
[Asawin Suebsaeng, "National Lampoon: From Fake Sex Tapes to Obamacare Agitprop: Funny Or Die's Viral Activism," ''Mother Jones,'' vol. 39, no. 3 (May–June 2014), p. 62.] In addition to their well known March 2014 foray in support of the Affordable Care Act, the previous year Funny Or Die launched a campaign for the legal defense of Shezanne Cassim, a
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...
resident who was jailed in
Abu Dhabi for allegedly endangering national security by posting a parody video to
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...
.
Comedians
Patton Oswalt and
Tony Hale were subsequently made part of Funny Or Die's effort to raise funds and awareness to "Free Shez."
Originally sentenced to a year in prison, in the face of growing public pressure Cassim was released in January 2014 after serving 9 months of his sentence.
Funny Or Die has also been responsible for creation of parody videos lampooning
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
's 2008 traditional marriage initiative,
Proposition 8, and taking a pot shot at the
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent gun rights lobbying organization while cont ...
with a video featuring comedian
Jim Carrey
James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy t ...
.
The site also worked with television star
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Jayne Milano (born December 19, 1972) is an American actress. She has played Samantha Micelli in '' Who's the Boss?'', Jennifer Mancini in '' Melrose Place'', Phoebe Halliwell in '' Charmed'', Billie Cunningham in '' My Name Is Earl'', S ...
to "leak" a purported sex tape of the actress which was in fact an awareness-raising video on the bloody
Syrian Civil War.
In July 2013, shortly after the
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collectio ...
's
PRISM surveillance program was first publicized,
Sasha Grey starred in a Funny or Die "Sexy NSA Commercial".
Obama interview
On March 11, 2014,
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight Galifianakis (born October 1, 1969) is an American actor and comedian. He appeared in '' Comedy Central Presents'' special and presented his show '' Late World with Zach'' on VH1.
Galifianakis has starred in films including ''T ...
interviewed
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
on his show ''
Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis
''Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis'' is an American talk show hosted by comedian Zach Galifianakis which features celebrity guests. Episodes last several minutes, in which the interviewer (Galifianakis) and guests trade barbs and insults ...
'' on the website. During the interview, they asked people to sign up for healthcare on the Healthcare.gov site as part of the
Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and colloquially known as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Pres ...
. By the next day, 11 million viewers had watched the video, and more than 890,000 people viewed the website during just that morning.
Michelle Obama's Eat Brighter Campaign
On February 16, 2015, the First Lady of the United States,
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...
, teamed up with
Billy Eichner and
Big Bird
Big Bird is a The Muppets, Muppet character designed by Jim Henson and built by Kermit Love for the long-running children's television show ''Sesame Street''. An eight-foot two-inch (249 cm) tall bright yellow Anthropomorphism, anthropomo ...
to promote her health initiative called 'Eat Brighter!' In the episode the trio join together at a grocery store in
Washington D.C. to play a game titled "Ariana Grande or Eating a Carrot?"
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...
made an appearance in a Funny Or Die movie trailer for "Snakpocalypse" which was featured on September 2, 2014. The trailer described the events that led to the elimination of a teenage population due to poor food choices offered at their high school. Michelle Obama's
Let's Move!
Let's Move! is a public health campaign in the United States led by First Lady Michelle Obama. The campaign aimed to reduce childhood obesity and encourage a healthy lifestyle in children.
The initiative had the initially stated goal of "sol ...
campaign supports healthy eating in youth and adults and she appears in the video crunching on a carrot.
Kristen Bell & Christina Hendricks For Women's Wage Equality
Mary Poppins Quits with Kristen Bell was featured on Funny Or Die on July 23, 2014. In the video Mary Poppins played by
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress. Beginning her acting career by starring in stage productions while attending the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, she made her Broadway stage debut as Becky Thatc ...
sings about increasing minimum wage in order to meet living wage standards.
Modern Office with Christina Hendricks was published on August 6, 2014.
Christina Hendricks who plays fictional character
Joan Harris
Joan P. Holloway Harris is a fictional character on the AMC television series '' Mad Men'' (2007–15). She is portrayed by Christina Hendricks.
Hendricks has received six consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporti ...
on
AMC's
Mad Men
''Mad Men'' is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television. It ran on the cable network AMC from July 19, 2007, to May 17, 2015, lasting for seven seasons and 92 episodes. Its ...
gets a new job in a modern office. Hendricks transports her character from the 1960s into a modern office environment. The video insinuates that modern office environments maintain antiquated policies regarding women's roles in the workplace.
Prop 8 The Musical
"Funny or Die launched a campaign for the legal defense of
Shezanne Cassim
Funny or Die is a comedy video website and film/television production company owned by Henry R. Muñoz III that was founded by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Mark Kvamme, and Chris Henchy in 2007. The website contained exclusive material from a re ...
, a
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...
resident who was jailed in
Abu Dhabi for allegedly endangering national security by posting a parody video to
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...
. Comedians
Patton Oswalt and
Tony Hale were subsequently made part of Funny Or Die's effort to raise funds and awareness to "Free Shez." Originally sentenced to a year in prison, in the face of growing public pressure Cassim was released in January 2014 after serving 9 months of his sentence.
Jim Carrey NRA Song for Brady Campaign: Cold Dead Hand
In March 2013, Funny Or Die created the video, "Cold Dead Hand" starring
Jim Carrey
James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy t ...
as both a country singer and former NRA president, Charles Heston.
In the video, Carrey is joined by singers portraying
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, Anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure ...
,
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
, and
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
, all of whom were assassinated by gunmen, as they perform on "
Hee Haw
''Hee Haw'' is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. It aired first-run on CBS from 1969 to 1971, in syndication from 1971 to 1993, and on TNN from 1 ...
", the 1970s
CBS variety show.
Trump administration
Funny or Die posted various videos showing concern over the Trump administration's activities.
Hoaxes and controversies
On March 2, 2014, two
promotional videos were released on a YouTube channel supposedly controlled by HUVr Tech, a company claiming to have invented a
hoverboard much like those in the ''
Back to the Future
''Back to the Future'' is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis, and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. Set in 19 ...
'' film trilogy. The videos included demonstrations of the board by celebrities such as
Tony Hawk
Anthony Frank Hawk (born May 12, 1968), nicknamed Birdman, is an American professional skateboarder, entrepreneur, and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse. A pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding, Hawk completed the first docume ...
and
Moby
Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, singer, producer, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "among the ...
. Two days later the project was revealed to be a
hoax
A hoax is a widely publicized falsehood so fashioned as to invite reflexive, unthinking acceptance by the greatest number of people of the most varied social identities and of the highest possible social pretensions to gull its victims into pu ...
perpetrated by Funny Or Die, after the video's costume designer posted the experience on her online resume.
Awards
Webby Awards
Primetime Emmy Awards
References
External links
*
{{Zach Galifianakis
Will Ferrell
Video on demand services
Gary Sanchez Productions films
Webby Award winners
Internet properties established in 2007