Comedy Central today announced the premiere date and stacked talent list for The New Negroes with Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle, debuting on Friday, April 19 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central with a simulcast on BET. The full schedule and talent list is below. Each episode will include stand-up performances from three different comedians and will conclude with an original music video featuring Open Mike Eagle and a guest recording artist, with some guest-actor appearances.
The New Negroes with Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle is a socially aware stand-up and music series showcasing a collection of new and established comedians and musicians. According to Vaughn and Eagle, the pair took inspiration for the series and title from the term “New Negro” as popularized during the Harlem Renaissance, referring to Black Americans speaking up, telling their own stories, and affirming their various identities to dismantle outdated assumptions and beliefs.
“Our series gets its title and its mission from a book named ‘The New Negro’ by Alain Locke,” said Vaughn and Eagle. “That book was a collection of essays, poetry, fiction, and music from a generation of emerging artists credited with launching the Harlem Renaissance. In other words, it was a place where black people shared their lives, their perspectives, and their ideals. It was a place where black people could define themselves instead of being defined by others. Our show aspires to do the same with stand-up comedy, music, and music videos. We’re paying homage to that original movement by inviting comedians and musicians to do what they do best: speak.”
The newly launched Comedy Central Stand-Up YouTube channel, Comedy Central Stand-Up social-media accounts, and the CC App will feature clips and exclusive extended stand-up sets from each episode. Full episodes of The New Negroes with Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle will be available the day after premiere on the Comedy Central App, cc.com, on-demand, and download-to-own platforms. Fans can follow the social conversation about the series on Twitter via @StandUp and Instagram via @ccstandup.
Recently, Vaughn and Eagle brought the live version of The New Negroes with Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle to SXSW 2019 for a show featuring Sam Jay, Josh Johnson, Dulcé Sloan, Phonte, with a special appearance by Hannibal Buress. Vaughn and Eagle also recorded exclusive Comedy Central digital content on site to be released closer to premiere.
Eagle, Vaughn, Rob Anderson, Lance Bangs, Funny Or Die’s Mike Farah, and Gary Sanchez Productions’ Betsy Koch are Executive Producers for The New Negroes with Baron Vaughn and Open Mike Eagle. Anne Harris and Kellyn Parker are executives in charge for Comedy Central.
Featuring an expertly curated line-up of series and specials, Comedy Central is the epicenter of stand-up. From its Friday Night Stand-Up anchor on television to its social platforms, from 24/7 access on Comedy Central Radio and the Comedy Central App to home assistants, fans of Comedy Central stand-up consumed over 10 billion minutes of stand-up content in 2018. The recently launched Comedy Central Stand-Up channel on YouTube is a gold mine of both original material and exclusive clips for fans looking to revisit a classic special from a legendary comedian or discovering a new favorite performance. Available on-air, online and on-the-go via the Comedy Central App, Comedy Central (www.cc.com) is the #1 brand in comedy and is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned unit of Viacom. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Comedy Central’s press site at press.cc.com and follow us on Twitter @ComedyCentralPR for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
