Apparently the pandemic isn’t going to stop networks from ordering more stand-up specials, because HBO Max just announced three new specials today from Colin Quinn, Phoebe Robinson, and Aida Rodriguez.
Quinn’s special, titled Summer of 2020: A Drive-In Comedy Special, is described as a “multi-act, socially distant†part-documentary, part-stand-up showcase special headlined and directed by the SNL alum. The special will be filmed in Brooklyn this summer at a “repurposed drive-in movie theater†and feature Quinn alongside a lineup of other comedians. “The fantastic group of comedians he’s selected, most of whom have not performed in front of a live audience for months, will allow the viewer a window into how the pandemic has impacted this art form,†Suzanna Makkos, executive vice president of original comedy and animation for HBO Max, said in the press release. “Utilizing a drive-in movie theater allows comics a unique way to connect with the audience while also prioritizing safety.†Quinn also has a book coming out on September 22 titled Overstated: A Coast-to-Coast Roast of the Fifty States.
Robinson, who hosted the stand-up specials 2 Dope Queens for HBO, will make her solo special debut with the HBO Max special. The special does not yet have a title, but will center on Robinson as she “dives into quarantining with her boyfriend, moderating on Michelle Obama’s book tour, and failing at being a social justice warrior, among many other topics.†Robinson will also executive produce the special through her company Tiny Reparations. “I feel like Susan Lucci when she finally won a Daytime Emmy (this reference is for my mom),†Robinson said in the press release. “It took twelve years to get here, but here I am.â€
Rodriguez, who was featured on Tiffany Haddish’s Netflix stand-up series They Ready in 2019, will make her hour-long special debut on HBO Max. In her untitled special, the comedian will “confront today’s audiences about cancel-culture and the social issues of the day, not just because they’re ripped from the headlines, but because they are in the pages torn out of her personal life.†It’s unclear where and how Robinson and Rodriguez’s specials will be filmed, but it will be interesting to see how they come together considering … [gestures vaguely] everything.