Netflix execs are silent on a Louis CK comeback, but they address concerns over the lack of black female comedians and too many comedy specials

The New York Times

The New York Times' comedy critic Jason Zinoman sat down with Lisa Nishimura, Netflix’s vice president of original documentary and comedy programming, and Robbie Praw, the director of original stand-up comedy. When he asked about the potential of Louis CK returning with a new standup special, Zinoman reported that they paused to reflect for a minute before a publicist said they wouldn't be able to answer. They also addressed concerns over the lack of black female comedians with Netflix specials in 2017 and 2018. When asked if Netflix has a responsibility to do better, Praw said: “I think we have a responsibility, but it’s also what our members want.” The next day, Praw emailed Zinoman saying that having so few black women standup specials has been a failure. Since their talk, Netflix has signed Tiffany Haddish and Wanda Sykes to do standup specials. As for whether Netflix is oversaturating the market by putting out too many standup specials, Praw said: “We would never look at musicians and say let’s put out 10 albums this year." ALSO: Netflix's silence about Louis CK's return is concerning.