Comedian Ari Shaffir Claims Comedy Central Blackmailed And Punished Him For Selling Special To Netflix

Comedian Ari Shaffir recently appeared on the Flagrant podcast, where he opened up about the falling out he had with Comedy Central after independently selling a stand-up special to Netflix. Allegedly, the network responded with threats and punitive measures against him and the crew of his storytelling show, “This Is Not Happening.”

Shaffir explained that Comedy Central was unable to accommodate his vision for the project. “Comedy Central didn’t have the ability to put on a back-to-back side A, side B thing,” he said.

The network offered to take one half of what Shaffir described as a double special, but he rejected that arrangement and chose to sell the full project to Netflix instead, noting he actually accepted less money in order to have the project presented the way he wanted it.

The response from Comedy Central was immediate and, according to Shaffir, aggressive. “They lost their minds,” he said. “We’re going to cut jobs and comedians if you don’t give us your special. I’m like, no, you’re not going to blackmail me.”

Host Andrew Schulz pointed out a significant detail in the dispute, noting that it is standard industry practice for networks to offer talent overall deals in order to lock up their creative output. Comedy Central had done this with other performers but never extended such an offer to Shaffir.

“When you don’t offer that,” Schulz said, “the cost of that is the talent has the ability to do their special somewhere else without punitive measures taken.”

Shaffir agreed and described how the network framed the situation in a way that revealed they had already lost touch with how the media landscape was shifting.

“I’m going to have a Netflix special. It’ll help promote the TV show,” he told them. Their response: “We don’t see it that way. We see it as our show is going to promote Netflix.” Shaffir’s reaction was blunt: “You guys have already lost.”

Beyond the personal conflict, Shaffir said the threats extended to the people who worked on the show.

“They did things that wouldn’t just punish you, it would punish the staff, the crew,” he said. The network threatened to reduce the number of episodes, which would have directly affected jobs held by people Shaffir had worked alongside for years.

Shaffir also reflected on how Comedy Central viewed him throughout their relationship. “They saw me as an open micer who was lucky to have them,” he said. His own view was the opposite: “I’m bringing you the coolest show you’ve ever had.”

Roy Wood Jr. eventually took over as host of “This Is Not Happening,” a move Shaffir said he encouraged despite the circumstances, wanting the platform to continue giving other comedians opportunities to perform. Shaffir has since revived the show independently through YMH Studios, releasing a new season titled “The End.”