Drunk History creator Derek Waters eulogizes his show: "Let’s learn from our past and improve our future"

The Hollywood Reporter

"Thirteen years ago, I had an idea of filming a highly educated person discussing a history story while highly intoxicated," Waters writes in The Hollywood Reporter following his Comedy Central show's cancelation after six seasons. "Afterward, we’d reenact the drunken tale, lip-syncing the modern phrases and swears, word for word. A Drunk History Channel. What once was a 'This could be funny' type idea quickly became, 'Oh wow ... We can tell stories about those who didn’t make it to history books who should have.' I teamed up with Jeremy Konner, and the journey began. Thirteen years later, the show that came out of that idea has been canceled — but with 17 Emmy nominations and six seasons of television." Waters adds: "I’ve always said, it’s a history show with a comedic premise. I also learned that if you can make someone laugh, it’s a lot easier to get them to listen to a story they might not have cared about prior — teaching kids about Marsha P. Johnson, the Native American occupation of Alcatraz, Section 504 Sit-in, Claudette Colvin and Robert Smalls, to name a few... amplifying voices we haven’t heard. We had an amazing team of researchers digging deep to find the truth in these unsung heroes. What we were teaching, I was learning at the same time."