Netflix and Kevin Hart Team Up to Find America's Next Funniest Comedian in New Comedy Competition Coming in 2026

Hartbeat and Alfred Street Industries to produce

For more information, visit Tudum

· Netflix and global superstar Kevin Hart are on a mission to crown the next big name in stand-up with a new comedy competition series. Guided by Kevin Hart and a crew of comedy titans (TBA at a later date), this unfiltered, uncensored and unapologetic competition will pull back the curtain on the gritty, hilarious and often unpredictable path of a stand-up career.

· Contestants from all across the nation will face rigorous tests that mirror the real-life journey of a comedian - from brutal open mics to bombed sets, rewrites and the pressure of big-stage performances. The competition will give viewers an unvarnished look behind the curtain of comedy's darkest corners and brightest spotlights with the challenges inspired by comics' actual career trajectories.

· Casting Call: Think you've got what it takes? Apply now by visiting standupcompetitioncasting.com.

· Format: 8 episodes

· Production Companies: Hartbeat and Alfred Street Industries

· Executive Producers: Kevin Hart; Jane Lipsitz, Dan Cutforth, Nan Strait and Dan Volpe (for Alfred Street Industries); Luke Kelly-Clyne and Meghan Hoffman (for Hartbeat)

· Premiere Date: 2026

ABOUT HARTBEAT: Founded by Kevin Hart, Hartbeat is the global, multi-platform entertainment company creating content and experiences at the intersection of comedy and culture - with a mission to keep the world laughing together. Hartbeat finances, develops, and produces content for all platforms; connects with consumers around the world through events and the company's expansive distribution network; and co-creates entertainment and builds award-winning IP alongside brands. Hartbeat's flagship consumer brand, the LOL! Network, reaches audiences across its O&O social media, audio, and OTT partners. Led by an award-winning team, Hartbeat is a valuable partner to the biggest entertainment companies, platforms and brands in the world, driving cultural currency and generating sales, subscriptions, buzz, and conversation with some of the most coveted audiences.

This untitled comedy competition series is a continuation of Hartbeat's commitment to championing the next generation of comedic voices. The company's signature stand-up work includes the global comedy showcase Comedy in Color (featuring over 300 comedians from more than 30 countries); Hulu's LOL Live, which features both established and emerging talent; the recent revival of Comic View on BET; and producing stand up series for notable comedians including London Hughes, Affion Crockett and the late David A. Arnold. Hartbeat also launched the career incubator program Women Write Now, designed to champion the next generation of Black women in comedy both in front of and behind the camera.

ABOUT ALFRED STREET INDUSTRIES: Alfred Street Industries is a full-service media and content venture formed in 2019 by Emmy-winning producers, entrepreneurs and longtime business partners Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, who serve as co-CEOs. Current and soon to be released series include: Next Gen Chef (Netflix), Project Runway (Hulu/Freeform), Homicide: New York and Homicide: Los Angeles (Netflix), Is It Cake? (Netflix), Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher (Oxygen), Project Greenlight (Max), Dining Out with Chrissy and Dave (Freeform/Hulu), Best in Dough (Hulu), Chrissy's Court (Roku), and the Emmy Award winning Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo (Netflix). Other renowned series include Top Chef (Bravo), Nailed It! (Netflix) and the seminal VH1 series, Bands on the Run. Cutforth and Lipsitz produced 2011's Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, and made their directorial debut in 2012 with Katy Perry: Part of Me (both for Paramount Pictures). They have also produced and directed documentaries that have premiered at the SXSW and Sundance Film Festivals.