David Cross has a new comedy special coming out this year — but don’t look for it at one of the typical outlets like Netflix, HBO, or Comedy Central. Production company Comedy Dynamics announced today that it will release Cross’s new stand-up special, titled Oh, Come On, on Friday, May 10, when it will be available on multiple platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and Xbox. Named after Cross’s 2018 tour, the special was taped last August at the Orange Peel in Asheville, North Carolina, while another set was recorded during a show in Birmingham, Alabama, in November. In the set, Cross covers everything from “romantic afternoon dates to the colonic spa with his wife as well as having to explain to his daughter the unfiltered version of what growing up in America is really like.â€
“Man I had such a great time on this tour and the Asheville show in particular was a lot of fun. I think this set might be the tightest and most fluid one I’ve done yet,†Cross said on the project. “Whether that is a result of all the colloidal silver I’ve been ingesting or just the ‘Learn How to Do Stand-Up’ online courses I’ve been taking, either way I think you’ll enjoy this special. If you’re a fan that is. If you are predisposed to hating me then you probably won’t like it very much.â€
Cross isn’t the only comedian to bypass the usual stand-up outlets and choose to self-release through Comedy Dynamics. Last year Jim Gaffigan went the same route with his special Noble Ape, opting to turn down an offer from Netflix in favor of wider accessibility. “[T]he choice was also to be in a lot of different places at different times because what I’ve seen over the years is it’s not just one outlet — it’s about the next step,†he told The A.V. Club at the time. “I also think that there is something of ‘This is the decision for right now.’ As observers and comedy nerds, we look at other outlets and we go, ‘When are they going to step up? When is Amazon gonna step in?’ And so some of it is you have to make decisions in the moment. So if we had this conversation two years from now, it would be a completely different decision.†Considering that Netflix is now in the business of releasing 47 specials in one day, perhaps Gaffigan and Cross are onto something here.