“You’re Funny!” is an on-going docu-series we are currently developing. It chronicles rising comedy manager Jake Hirsch and his diverse assortment of eclectic comics in their efforts to catapult to fame and fortune in the highly competitive landscape of stand-up comedy. Hirsh is a hard-driving, cigar chomping ex-cop who shrewdly tries to secure gigs, promote tours, and hype his clients. He masterfully cultivates advantageous contacts with established headliners, club owners, and prominent Hollywood executives as he hustles his way up the comedy ladder. Hirsch is determined to become a comedy mogul and propel his quirky band of comics to wealth and stardom.
When the show on-stage ends, our show begins …
But this path to prominence is filled with numerous obstacles. Long days, late nights, and a demented cast of characters surrounded by vices, Hirsch’s group of comics can be an insufferable lot filled with a mix of self-loathing and insecurities. For every time they “kill” on stage or land that next big gig, they also suffer on-stage bombs, mental breakdowns, lack of discipline, neurosis, insecurities, ego, narcissism, excess, jealousy, moodiness, irritability, anxiety, laziness, bitterness, greed, insecurity and a variety of other self-sabotaging traits that threaten to derail their progress. However, Jake is driven, and his comics are unequivocally talented and funny. They all dream of “making it,” however, navigating these aforementioned landmines, and rising through the crowded ranks of comics, will definitely prove to be a formidable task.
Hirsch relentlessly prowls open mics and comedy festivals scouting for new comic talent. In his impassioned pursuit of becoming the next “king of comedy,” he mines his way through the crowded field of aspiring comics in an effort to uncover the next diamond in the rough. Jake balances his time trying to polish these new-found talents while managing the burgeoning careers of his madcap attention-seeking roster. A master schmoozer, the enterprising manager is also continually hobnobbing with big-name comics in an effort to promote their shows and build his brand.
You’re Funny provides an unfiltered glimpse behind the bright spotlight into the comedy business. The comics hone their craft travelling to various clubs and shows, while struggling to navigate their careers and rise through the ranks of the ruthless comedy-club system. In addition to showcasing their on-stage performances, the series will pull back the curtain and provide unparalleled access to their colourful off-stage antics. The camaraderie and competition, rivalries and rituals, and sordid shenanigans that characterize this captivating subculture will provide plenty of moments of poignancy and hilarity, and form the building blocks for numerous compelling story arcs.
