Speaker 1: Welcome to another edition of Strictly Business. I'm Andrew Wallenstein,
Speaker 1: co editor in chief of Variety. Over the past eleven years,
Speaker 1: Funnier Die has built a brand on cutting edge comedy,
Speaker 1: but the way the company has evolved since the days
Speaker 1: of Will Farrell's viral videos has taken it a long way.
Speaker 1: It's CEO Mike Farrah is here to talk about where
Speaker 1: the company has been since he took the job in
Speaker 1: twenty sixteen and where he's going next. Thanks for coming in, Mike,
Speaker 1: Thanks so much for having me. Now, you've been CEO
Speaker 1: over the past few years, but you've been at the
Speaker 1: company for how long? Total ten years? So I was
Speaker 1: hired as the first producer in the summer of two
Speaker 1: thousand eight, and I would imagine you have seen this
Speaker 1: company go through a lot of changes over that time.
Speaker 1: I have. You know, It's cool because I think, you know, intrinsically,
Speaker 1: in our DNA, we're still the same company. In turn,
Speaker 1: is of just wanting to say yes, moving really quick,
Speaker 1: wanting to work with great talent and do different things
Speaker 1: that are you know, I think, a little bit left
Speaker 1: of center, but still pretty accessible. Um. But yeah, obviously
Speaker 1: the world of media has changed, that the digital world
Speaker 1: has changed. And I think it's a testament to our
Speaker 1: team and and everyone that has really bought in that
Speaker 1: we've been able to evolve so successfully. And I think
Speaker 1: that illusion is still going on. You know, we were
Speaker 1: just talking me like, you cannot stay static in any capacity,
Speaker 1: and I think you know the challenge that we always
Speaker 1: try and embraces. How do you continue to evolve but
Speaker 1: keep your priorities and discipline in place so that you
Speaker 1: can really capitalize on on what you're good at and
Speaker 1: that team that's working with you. As I mentioned off
Speaker 1: the top, Will Ferrell, he is one of the co founders.
Speaker 1: You've got some other famous names in there. How active
Speaker 1: are these people in your day to day as you
Speaker 1: manage to their credit their very act I actually have
Speaker 1: to leave here to go have a meeting with Will.
Speaker 1: We are we did a big Rose Parade, especially as
Speaker 1: this character Cord Hosenbeck, and so we did the Rose
Speaker 1: Parade with Amazon, and we did the Royal Wedding with HBO.
Speaker 1: And so we are having lunch this afternoon to move
Speaker 1: with with other folks who are working on it, to
Speaker 1: talk through Rose Parade. Uh, so you know all those
Speaker 1: guys you know, they have a you know, they have
Speaker 1: a lot going on. We all have a lot going on,
Speaker 1: but they are always so willing to help out and
Speaker 1: have good ideas, and I keep them posted. But you know,
Speaker 1: they'll come to board meetings, We'll have calls and and
Speaker 1: I think they're just so excited about what's going on
Speaker 1: and the direction that we're going. But they're also patient
Speaker 1: and they know that, you know, the world is continuing
Speaker 1: to change, and I think they like the adjustments that
Speaker 1: we've made. And and yeah, man, they're all in well
Speaker 1: encapsulate what the direction and what the adjustments are. Because
Speaker 1: we go back eleven years ago, Funnier Died very famously
Speaker 1: burst onto the scene with those videos of Will and celebrities.
Speaker 1: But it feels like Funnier Die has become so much
Speaker 1: more than that. Well, thanks it has. But what we're
Speaker 1: really focused on. We have two pillars in the company,
Speaker 1: digital and long form, and and digital now means something
Speaker 1: different than it just meant when we were cranking out
Speaker 1: all the viral videos. That was fantastic because it helped
Speaker 1: establish the brand. And we have a really strong consumer
Speaker 1: facing brand and we have I think, like prior over
Speaker 1: forty million followers on social media, and it's it's a
Speaker 1: young group that we have a lot of credibility with.
Speaker 1: But you know, that wasn't always a great business um
Speaker 1: and that was the error of all these digital publishers
Speaker 1: having these like massive valuations, but they weren't totally built
Speaker 1: on a lot more than potential. And because we still
Speaker 1: are an independent company and a startup in that way,
Speaker 1: I think we've evolved in the ways and what digital
Speaker 1: means and and now what it really means is a
Speaker 1: focus on the custom campaigns that we make for brand partners. Uh.
Speaker 1: That could be a company like Kroger. We just did
Speaker 1: a few videos with Jeff Goldblum, a cooking series with
Speaker 1: him that's that's really funny. I could also mean a
Speaker 1: partner like IMDb. We just did ah. I think we've
Speaker 1: done five or six imdbms, which was based on an
Speaker 1: original video that Jake Samanski came up with. And so
Speaker 1: what we've been able to do is really focus what
Speaker 1: we're good at and bringing cool talent in front of
Speaker 1: and behind the camera, just like we were doing just
Speaker 1: like when it was for fun, keep it fun, but
Speaker 1: also have just a more thoughtful business approach on how
Speaker 1: to differentiate ourselves in a very very crowded digital landscape. Uh.
Speaker 1: And then the second pillar, long form. We've just been
Speaker 1: very fortunate to diversify into long form television, movies, specials
Speaker 1: series in a way that just happened really organically. We've
Speaker 1: always just had that relationship with the talent community that
Speaker 1: it felt like a natural level Susan, And so I
Speaker 1: think that's really the focus. There are so many things
Speaker 1: going on, and you have to be really smart to
Speaker 1: just not focus too much on the shiny new thing
Speaker 1: that comes along. Um. But I think what makes us
Speaker 1: unique is that digital business, which is now really robust.
Speaker 1: I think, like I said, I think we've done probably
Speaker 1: forty or so of those deals just this year. And
Speaker 1: then the long form side, we have almost twenty projects
Speaker 1: in production or prepped or offers to to script them. Um.
Speaker 1: And that's where I think we're really going to focus
Speaker 1: and move on. So we're not just a production company,
Speaker 1: We're not just a media company. UM, We're both of
Speaker 1: those things. Why be in both? Why must given the
Speaker 1: challenges of the digital media business, why even bother with
Speaker 1: videos and social when isn't really what keeps the lights
Speaker 1: on and what gets you toward a profit is long form,
Speaker 1: yes and no that they have. They're two totally different
Speaker 1: business models. So long form is great because we produce
Speaker 1: all of our shows, all that revenue flows through the company.
Speaker 1: But the margins, as you know, in television are are
Speaker 1: much lower. The digital media margins um are much higher
Speaker 1: because we're able to leverage the brand, the audience and
Speaker 1: our ability to make really custom content, and brands are
Speaker 1: spending more and more money on on these types of
Speaker 1: programs UM. So I really believe that's what differentiates ourselves there.
Speaker 1: There's there's lots of great companies out there, There's lots
Speaker 1: of people doing interesting things. I think we're unique in
Speaker 1: the fact that we have both sides of those business
Speaker 1: is really working well, and then we have this marketing
Speaker 1: arm that's kind of a really cool tie that binds
Speaker 1: the two together. So we've always done viral videos for
Speaker 1: brand partners, but now it's gotten a lot more thoughtful
Speaker 1: in terms of the social content we can make, the
Speaker 1: live activations we can do UM on lots of our
Speaker 1: series like American Vandal, will will be hired to to
Speaker 1: market those series, not just for the launch, but throughout
Speaker 1: the entire run of the season. Um and I think
Speaker 1: those are the things that we've really decided to focus
Speaker 1: on that can leverage our past, but really thoughtfully put
Speaker 1: us in a position to succeed in the future. So
Speaker 1: Funnier Die is a brand that still matters because for
Speaker 1: a lot of production companies, and I know you're saying
Speaker 1: you're not strictly one, they don't even think about, you know,
Speaker 1: the brand. It absolutely it matters. It's it's the best
Speaker 1: thing that we have going for us. UM. It helps
Speaker 1: you on the long form side too. Absolutely, it attracts creators.
Speaker 1: The buyers were fortunate we have series set up at
Speaker 1: all of different cable companies and streaming companies. Uh. They
Speaker 1: all want to tap into that audience for the marketing
Speaker 1: because there's a ton of content out there. You you
Speaker 1: need to be able to peg it to something. And
Speaker 1: because we have this audience in this relationship and this
Speaker 1: credibility with them, I think that's something. You know, a
Speaker 1: show like American Vandal is really benefited from. I think Mayer,
Speaker 1: our show for if C, has has done great with that.
Speaker 1: I Love You America, which is going to be premiering
Speaker 1: next week. We've done a lot of social for Hulu
Speaker 1: you haven't done a lot of social and digital content
Speaker 1: for Hulu and so whenever, I mean, you don't want
Speaker 1: to be too thirsty about it and like force anything,
Speaker 1: but at the same time, it's it. It's the brand
Speaker 1: that has attracted so many comedians to us from the beginning.
Speaker 1: It's they they still you know, so many people still
Speaker 1: aspire to be like Will Ferrell and Adam McKay and
Speaker 1: Judd Apataw And we've always done a great job of
Speaker 1: working with the big names and the up and coming
Speaker 1: names and everyone in between. Um, So that and taking
Speaker 1: care of that brand is really important. That's that's another
Speaker 1: thing you have to really have a lot of touch
Speaker 1: with because you want to have a great business. You
Speaker 1: want to have an honest business that really delivers for partners,
Speaker 1: but you also want to carry on the sensibility that
Speaker 1: our founders and all the people have created content for
Speaker 1: us over the years have helped cement. So that's always
Speaker 1: a little bit of a balance and a little bit
Speaker 1: of a of a juggling act. But it comes down
Speaker 1: to the people that you have and having a really
Speaker 1: firm sense of what the identity is and what everyone's
Speaker 1: purposes so that they can go out and and you know,
Speaker 1: make the most of those opportunities. You mentioned partners and founders.
Speaker 1: You've got a lot of people that you have to
Speaker 1: look out for, from the Will Ferrell's, the Adam McKay's.
Speaker 1: Then you've got media companies that have ownership stakes, Turner AMC, HBO,
Speaker 1: you still have VC money that came in from the
Speaker 1: very beginning. It's got to be quite a challenge to
Speaker 1: please a lot of people, and at the same time,
Speaker 1: you're it's funny to hear yourself describe yourself as a
Speaker 1: start up because you've been around for eleven years. So
Speaker 1: how do you manage all that? It's a good question. Um,
Speaker 1: I think the honest answer is it's a combination of
Speaker 1: having a really strong sense of where you're going, and
Speaker 1: then you're rating your conversation for your audience. So whether
Speaker 1: I'm talking to the entire company or Will or Chairman
Speaker 1: Mark Quamie or new partners at a mcgeen concerta and
Speaker 1: Josh Sapan, Um, you you have to have a real
Speaker 1: strong conviction in what you do well and and what
Speaker 1: to focus on, what to say yes to, what to
Speaker 1: say no to, and then you do have to understand
Speaker 1: who you're talking to and frame things in a in
Speaker 1: a way that is always truthful, is positive, but it's
Speaker 1: also realistic about the world that you're living in. UM
Speaker 1: And I think that I that's something that maybe comes
Speaker 1: a little bit naturally to me. But it's anything. It's
Speaker 1: like anything you have to like exercise those muscles. How
Speaker 1: you talk to talent is a little bit different than
Speaker 1: how you talk to their representation. But you have to
Speaker 1: be consistent and you have to be transparent, so you
Speaker 1: never so and that's what makes it fun, you know,
Speaker 1: like you know the changes in our own company, the
Speaker 1: media landscape, and how to martial all of these amazingly
Speaker 1: talented people, whether they're famous people or you know, the
Speaker 1: folks who have just are summer interns. Maybe, UM, I
Speaker 1: just feel like that's a that that's why I'm still there.
Speaker 1: But when you talk about Sequoia and I think about
Speaker 1: venture capital, they're typically known for having pretty limited patients.
Speaker 1: They want their return, they want their exit. Do you
Speaker 1: face that kind of pressure? We don't, UM. I think
Speaker 1: from the very beginning, because of the videos that Will
Speaker 1: and McKay and CRESSENTI and everyone made at the beginning, UM,
Speaker 1: we kind of came out of the gate so strong.
Speaker 1: The brand became really well known. It became this cool company. UM.
Speaker 1: And the way those funds are and you probably know
Speaker 1: that they put a bunch of different companies together, and
Speaker 1: I may have to fact check myself, but I'm pretty
Speaker 1: sure like the fund we're in had linked In in
Speaker 1: it and and LinkedIn has gone on to do some
Speaker 1: pretty impressive things and maybe that provided a little bit
Speaker 1: of cover for us, UM, But I think, you know,
Speaker 1: that's one of the things. You know, the point of
Speaker 1: view for the Silicon Valley world and startups is different
Speaker 1: from a creator, is different from traditional media. And making
Speaker 1: all of those different voices make you know, music that
Speaker 1: people want to listen to, is is one of the
Speaker 1: challenges UM. But it also it truly is what makes
Speaker 1: it exciting and and creating wind winds and all those
Speaker 1: different spaces. I think is how we've been able to
Speaker 1: be so resilient as the world changes around us. Like
Speaker 1: a lot of digital media companies, you guys, though, have
Speaker 1: taken your lumps. There has been layoffs in recent years
Speaker 1: that you've had to do in Are you okay with
Speaker 1: where your company is at? Is it financially healthy? Because
Speaker 1: we're seeing no one, you know, BuzzFeed vice from the
Speaker 1: biggest in this space, is immune to how tough digital
Speaker 1: media can be. Yeah, it's not for the fan of
Speaker 1: heart digital publishing. UM, and I do feel good about
Speaker 1: I'm guessing everyone comes on here and tells you how
Speaker 1: great they feel about the things that they're doing. Um.
Speaker 1: It's since here though, we've learned a lot over the
Speaker 1: last few years. Not everything we've done has worked, um,
Speaker 1: but more and more. It's just about that focus on
Speaker 1: the things that can differentiate ourselves. And um, you know,
Speaker 1: because of our partnership, the investment that AMC made in
Speaker 1: us a few years ago, we have well that's the
Speaker 1: main reason we well there's lots of reasons to that deal,
Speaker 1: but was was so great about it was it gave
Speaker 1: us the resources to really bet on ourselves and to
Speaker 1: double down on the talent and the people that we
Speaker 1: knew would be able to kind of break through. Because
Speaker 1: the world is continuing to come to us. If you're
Speaker 1: able to make really great stuff, premium con tent with
Speaker 1: great talent and our ability to have done short form,
Speaker 1: mid form, long form, social, live specials, movies, you name it,
Speaker 1: we're kind of playing in those areas. Um, I'm really
Speaker 1: confident that if we continue to run the business thoughtfully
Speaker 1: and keep extending the game, and maybe when I'm back
Speaker 1: here in two or three years, we're a fourteen year
Speaker 1: old startup and that be fine. If we're able to
Speaker 1: run the business that we want to run and make
Speaker 1: the types of content that we want to make, that
Speaker 1: that's totally great. If there is an opportunity for a
Speaker 1: company to look at us and and we could can
Speaker 1: we could grow more so within the within a larger company,
Speaker 1: that's something we could explore to but we're not seeking
Speaker 1: that out. And if we were trying to do that.
Speaker 1: The whole key is to go in there with a
Speaker 1: ton of momentum and a ton of focus so that
Speaker 1: you don't get lost in the shuffle. And when you
Speaker 1: don't just become like, you know, a logo on a
Speaker 1: business card, but you become a real, you know, comedy engine,
Speaker 1: and that can create comedy solutions for one of these
Speaker 1: massive streaming companies or emerging companies. That does get exciting,
Speaker 1: but you gotta you can't focus on that, and you
Speaker 1: can't you can't worry about that stuff. You gotta you
Speaker 1: gotta just make good stuff, take the opportunity to scale
Speaker 1: when they when they occur, um And as you were
Speaker 1: saying before, I trust the process. When you talk about
Speaker 1: the potential for acquisition, though, it brings to mind that
Speaker 1: everyone these days is talking about consolidation just seems to
Speaker 1: be something that is really gripping the media sector right now.
Speaker 1: I mean, what is your take and not even necessarily
Speaker 1: just speaking to fund of your diet, you said it
Speaker 1: could happen, it couldn't happen. Uh, But as you look
Speaker 1: at the broader landscape, do you look at consolidation and
Speaker 1: see it as an inevitability for a lot of companies. Yes.
Speaker 1: I think it's the nature of of media and it's
Speaker 1: just the history of media. And I think now some
Speaker 1: of the some of the new players, whether it's Netflix
Speaker 1: or Amazon or think Disney, which is massive, but also
Speaker 1: they're launching their streaming platform. Apple is going to have
Speaker 1: their product out next year. Um, Jeffrey Katzenberg is launching
Speaker 1: an entire new platform. My instinct is that there was
Speaker 1: we were kind of at the tail end of this
Speaker 1: massive digital disruption UM and I think the amounts of
Speaker 1: money that these companies are able to spend because of
Speaker 1: subscription and their direct relationship to UH their consumers in
Speaker 1: a way that traditional media has never had as as
Speaker 1: as as firm as a grasp as they do. I
Speaker 1: do think you're gonna see more and more consolidation, and
Speaker 1: and that's why I like the position that we're in.
Speaker 1: If if we can keep doing what we're doing and
Speaker 1: have more and more success, then who is that partner?
Speaker 1: Because for me, yeah, I've been there ten years. I
Speaker 1: want Funniered Eye to matter in thirty forty fifty years
Speaker 1: from nowhere. None of us are in this just for
Speaker 1: like a quick exit. We we we care tremendously about
Speaker 1: the company and the people that work there, and and
Speaker 1: that's why making those changes that you alluded to earlier
Speaker 1: it was really tough, um, but we did it because
Speaker 1: we had to put ourselves in a position to really,
Speaker 1: um you know, get through this period, UH to to
Speaker 1: the next period, which I think will involve consolidation, if
Speaker 1: it's with us or without us. The main thing for
Speaker 1: us is just to run a great company, great content,
Speaker 1: great business, thoughtfully done and see where the path emerges.
Speaker 1: I mean I've been a little I've been a little
Speaker 1: doom and gloom as I talked about digital media. But
Speaker 1: on the other hand, Pete TV, I would imagine that
Speaker 1: this era where there's just so many buyers out there
Speaker 1: buying a lot of content, particularly on the streaming side,
Speaker 1: that's got to be great for you. And you seem
Speaker 1: to be doing just business with just about everyone on
Speaker 1: that front. It's been very positive to for us. UM.
Speaker 1: Nothing's easy, you know, because you really have to have
Speaker 1: a great idea and great talent and a great package
Speaker 1: to really cut through and get you know, straight to
Speaker 1: series orders, and we've been fortunate to do a lot
Speaker 1: of that UM. But yeah, us our ability to diversify
Speaker 1: into long form much earlier than a lot of other
Speaker 1: digital publishers just because of our Hollywood roots has really
Speaker 1: paid off. And I remember there there are times that
Speaker 1: even internally people are wondering why we are so focused
Speaker 1: on TV because the margins were so different than what
Speaker 1: we were getting on the digital side. But now the
Speaker 1: some of these two pillars, digital and long form is
Speaker 1: what makes us UM special and I think we we
Speaker 1: we will continue to build that out and maybe there's
Speaker 1: some opportunities to scale that, you know, scaling talent driven
Speaker 1: you know, series is not always the easiest thing. Um.
Speaker 1: But we're fortunate to have, like I said, almost twenty
Speaker 1: different projects in production prep coming back writing. UM, and
Speaker 1: I think that's a testament to the team and the
Speaker 1: power of the brand and the creators that were fortunate
Speaker 1: to work with m We've talked about TV, but another
Speaker 1: front that you guys have been somewhat active in was
Speaker 1: virtual reality. Last I saw you a few years ago,
Speaker 1: you guys produced this virtual reality yeah, which one a
Speaker 1: Peabody along with American Vandals. Was super cool. I came
Speaker 1: in a skeptic, thinking virtual reality programming in any sort
Speaker 1: of long form way, how does that work? And yet
Speaker 1: I watched this uh meub and it was like watching
Speaker 1: a good sitcom and except reinvented for a different medium.
Speaker 1: Are you still going down that road? Are you still
Speaker 1: interested in what virtual reality could be? Um? Yes, that
Speaker 1: was a great experience and partner in with Felix and
Speaker 1: Paul was really tremendous. And owen Burke wrote a great
Speaker 1: script and they they they are really the experts. UM.
Speaker 1: For us, it's more knowing where's an opportunity for our
Speaker 1: sensibility and comedy to make a difference. Uh And is
Speaker 1: that does that make financial sense to pursue and then
Speaker 1: doing it as well as possible. So I wouldn't say
Speaker 1: we're talking every day about what we can be doing
Speaker 1: in VR, but I think that's just an example of
Speaker 1: how we're able to stretch and extend these comedy muscles
Speaker 1: in so many effective ways. Um. And whether it's it's
Speaker 1: that or some of the other projects that we have
Speaker 1: coming up, it's it's really what's the win win. Can
Speaker 1: we do something cool with creators? That's a good business move.
Speaker 1: That isn't just because you always want to build the brand,
Speaker 1: but now we're established in a way that you want to,
Speaker 1: you know, really be spending your time on things that
Speaker 1: you think can move the needle. So in that case,
Speaker 1: it was great that our first main focus on VR
Speaker 1: was able to resonate. So well, what is it like
Speaker 1: being in the comedy business? In seeing Away? Late Night
Speaker 1: has been completely re energized, talk shows, things are obviously
Speaker 1: getting very political. We're does Funnier Dice sit in that landscape?
Speaker 1: That's a good question. Um, It's a great time to
Speaker 1: be in comedy. There is a lot of it out there.
Speaker 1: I think where we sit is our ability to make
Speaker 1: surprising comedy with really cool talent that whether it has
Speaker 1: a huge marketing campaign or just comes out of nowhere
Speaker 1: like American Vandal, can really break through the noise. And
Speaker 1: there's a lot of talented people. We're not the only
Speaker 1: one is doing it. But I think what's unique about
Speaker 1: us is, you know, we had three Emmy nominations this year,
Speaker 1: and it was so cool to have it be for
Speaker 1: Digital with Gay of Thrones writing for American Vandal, and
Speaker 1: I Love You America Sarah Silvan show in Variety. And
Speaker 1: I think that cross section really kind of speaks to
Speaker 1: us being able to matter in those areas um and
Speaker 1: so it's also a great time for young, diverse, impactful voices,
Speaker 1: and there is a massive there's just a massive new
Speaker 1: wave coming and I really challenge everyone had funniered Eye
Speaker 1: to to know these guys and girls and these writers
Speaker 1: and these comedians and these directors who you know. I mean,
Speaker 1: I went to a comedy show called Tasteful that Jack
Speaker 1: Knight and Lankston kerman Um put together. Uh and the
Speaker 1: lineup they had it was at a was at a
Speaker 1: ice cream place in Koreatown. There were probably I don't
Speaker 1: know two d and fifty of just the most beautiful,
Speaker 1: diverse young comedy fans. They're hanging on every word and
Speaker 1: it's um, it's coming fast. And when people's ability, you know,
Speaker 1: to promote themselves on social media, on podcasts, and and
Speaker 1: that that curve that used to maybe take you know,
Speaker 1: ten twelve years, I think is being shrunk down in
Speaker 1: a real way. And I want fun your eye to
Speaker 1: help them shrink down that curve even more because of
Speaker 1: the opportunities that we can create for people. And so
Speaker 1: are is your company the complexion of your company changing?
Speaker 1: Is there more diversity? Because it sounds like what you're
Speaker 1: saying is diversity. It just makes good business sense given
Speaker 1: the changing audience out there. One UM, the complexion of
Speaker 1: the company has changed. That's one of the great things.
Speaker 1: It's so funny because lots of people talk about diversity
Speaker 1: and inclusion. Uh, it doesn't happen overnight. But when you're
Speaker 1: in a position like I am, and you have the
Speaker 1: support of the people behind you, you really can implement
Speaker 1: real change. And so our goal at a company is
Speaker 1: to have a company that reflects the demographics of the
Speaker 1: United States. UM and and and male female diversity. Uh,
Speaker 1: you know, everything that you know historically has been less
Speaker 1: prioritized in the world of comedy, and so yes, I
Speaker 1: will be the one million person to say, you know,
Speaker 1: it's good for business. Uh, it's good for the world
Speaker 1: and and it's how you that's how you really future proof, right.
Speaker 1: You need you want folks who are have a shared sensibility,
Speaker 1: you know. And it's okay if I don't find that
Speaker 1: twenty two year old you know kids super funny like,
Speaker 1: that's fine, but we need to have the people at
Speaker 1: at winiar I who are out there building those relationships
Speaker 1: and and representing all the different opportunities that we can
Speaker 1: help these great young comedians find on themselves, find with
Speaker 1: us something they can do on their own summit helps
Speaker 1: the partner up with us and go on that journey together. Um.
Speaker 1: So I'm really proud of that, and it's something we
Speaker 1: will continue to work on, uh and really hopefully set
Speaker 1: a very high bar for one last question, can you
Speaker 1: think of an example of something either on the short
Speaker 1: form or the long form side of what you guys
Speaker 1: are doing that is a comedy property we should keep
Speaker 1: an eye out for that you think had his big
Speaker 1: things ahead of it. One of the things that I'm
Speaker 1: really excited about is. We incubated an app at funniered
Speaker 1: Eye called Pitch. It was created by Matt Kleman, who
Speaker 1: is a former funniered Ee an Onion writer, and what
Speaker 1: that has become is the world's largest online community of
Speaker 1: professional comedy writers and funnier Die, the Onion host of
Speaker 1: different partners are tapping into that community for really really
Speaker 1: good comedy content and jokes, and those writers are actually
Speaker 1: paid directly within the app as their jokes kind of
Speaker 1: like rise to the top based on how the community
Speaker 1: feels about it. And I can't and it's going to
Speaker 1: be announced very soon, but we did a transformational what
Speaker 1: could be a transformational deal with a massive audio platform
Speaker 1: for daily audible content powered by Pitch, and that's something.
Speaker 1: If that thing takes off for Pitch and funnier Die
Speaker 1: to help power UH an entire new comedy platform and
Speaker 1: channel for creators and stand ups to get paid for
Speaker 1: their topical content, that's something that could that could be
Speaker 1: great for our business, that could be great for just
Speaker 1: the community of creators out there. Hopefully it'll be great
Speaker 1: for the partner that we have, and and that's something
Speaker 1: that if we if we get that right, that's something
Speaker 1: that could really make a difference out in the world. Well,
Speaker 1: I look forward to seeing how that does. Thanks appreciate
Speaker 1: you coming in, Mike, Thanks for having me, Thanks for
Speaker 1: tuning into another episode of Strictly Business. Come back next
Speaker 1: week for another podcast and should we sit down with
Speaker 1: some of the brightest minds and entertainment And if you
Speaker 1: like what we're doing, even if you don't like it,
Speaker 1: be sure to tell us in the comments section or
Speaker 1: just shoot an email over to Podcasts at Variety dot com.