Is Netflix hurting stand-up comedy by paying too much money and putting on too many specials?

Vulture

Some in the comedy industry fear the comedy special boom has turned into a bloat, with Netflix releasing a special nearly every other week. And then there’s the issue of money. As Jesse David Fox explains, “Nobody can believe the money they’re offering everybody. People familiar with the deal said HBO had to pay unprecedented amounts for Michelle Wolf’s first special, debuting later this year, just to compete. And when I’ve asked comedians recently why they are releasing their specials on Netflix, the answer is always a version of, ‘I want the money while they’re still offering it.’”