Dark Side of Comedy

Last updated
Dark Side of Comedy
GenreDocuseries
Narrated by Dave Foley
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20
Original release
Network VICE TV
ReleaseAugust 16, 2022 (2022-08-16) 
present

Dark Side of Comedy is a documentary series that premiered on VICE TV August 16, 2022. [1] [2] [3] VICE renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on October 17, 2023. [4]

Contents

Summary

Narrated by Dave Foley, [5] [4] it features cautionary tales that are mainly about the lives and/or deaths of popular stand up comedians. [6] Some of the episodes are outliers that either have no real connection to stand-up comedy (the television sitcom Family Matters) or have a very tenuous link therein (the episode on Dustin Diamond covers how his stand-up career was brief and unsuccessful, but that takes up very little time in the entire show about his life and death).

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 10August 16, 2022 (2022-08-16)October 18, 2022 (2022-10-18)
2 10October 17, 2023 (2023-10-17)December 19, 2023 (2023-12-19)

Episodes

Season 1 (2022)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleSubject(s)Original air date Viewers
(millions)
11"Chris Farley" Chris Farley August 16, 2022 (2022-08-16)N/A
22"Andrew Dice Clay" Andrew Dice Clay August 23, 2022 (2022-08-23)N/A
33"Roseanne Barr" Roseanne Barr August 30, 2022 (2022-08-30)N/A
44"Artie Lange" Artie Lange September 6, 2022 (2022-09-06)N/A
55"Richard Pryor" Richard Pryor September 13, 2022 (2022-09-13)N/A
66"Dustin Diamond" Dustin Diamond September 20, 2022 (2022-09-20)N/A
77"Greg Giraldo" Greg Giraldo September 27, 2022 (2022-09-27)N/A
88"Brett Butler" Brett Butler October 4, 2022 (2022-10-04)N/A
99"Freddie Prinze" Freddie Prinze October 11, 2022 (2022-10-11)N/A
1010"Maria Bamford" Maria Bamford October 18, 2022 (2022-10-18)N/A

Season 2 (2023)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleSubject(s)Original air date Viewers
(millions)
111"Robin Williams" Robin Williams October 17, 2023 (2023-10-17)N/A
122"Sam Kinison" Sam Kinison October 24, 2023 (2023-10-24)N/A
133"Joan Rivers" Joan Rivers October 31, 2023 (2023-10-31)N/A
144"Carlos Mencia" Carlos Mencia November 7, 2023 (2023-11-07)N/A
155"Phil Hartman" Phil Hartman November 14, 2023 (2023-11-14)N/A
166"Tracy Morgan" Tracy Morgan November 21, 2023 (2023-11-21)N/A
177"Family Matters"The 90s sitcom Family Matters November 28, 2023 (2023-11-28)N/A
188"Ellen DeGeneres" Ellen DeGeneres December 5, 2023 (2023-12-05)N/A
199"Norm MacDonald" Norm MacDonald December 12, 2023 (2023-12-12)N/A
2010"Gilda Radner" Gilda Radner December 19, 2023 (2023-12-19)N/A

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References

  1. Maas, Jennifer (July 5, 2022). "'Dark Side of Comedy' Ordered at Vice". Variety . Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  2. Schager, Nick (August 15, 2022). "A New Docuseries Examines Why So Many Comedians' Lives End in Tragedy?". The Daily Beast . Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  3. Schimkowitz, Matt (July 5, 2022). "Dark Side Of Comedy to explore comedy's supposed dark side". The A.V. Club . Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Maas, Jennifer (August 22, 2023). "'Dark Side of Comedy' Season 2 Premiere Date Set at Vice, Trailer Dissects Ellen DeGeneres, 'Scary' Robin Williams and 'Mean as Hell' Joan Rivers (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  5. Wilstein, Matt (August 30, 2022). "Dave Foley Came 'Very Close' to Meeting a Tragic End". The Daily Beast . Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  6. Gonzalez, Shivani (August 15, 2022). "What's on TV This Week: 'House of the Dragon' and U.S. Gymnastic Championships". The New York Times . Archived from the original on August 15, 2022.