The Comedy Drought: Is Hollywood Failing to Deliver the Laughs?

A question hangs heavy in the air amongst comedians, comedy writers, and actors: "When was the last great comedy movie?" The debate has intensified, recently igniting on "The Joe Rogan Experience," adding fuel to the already simmering discussion. Comedian Steve Byrne, fresh off a successful run of sold-out shows at Rogan’s new comedy club during South by Southwest (SXSW), has an answer, and it paints a somewhat bleak picture of the current comedic landscape.

Byrne, a veteran of the stand-up scene and familiar face from "Sullivan & Son," sat down with Fox News Digital in Austin, Texas, sharing insights gleaned from years navigating the comedy world. While he could laugh about past career stumbles and even tear up when speaking of his friendship with actor Vince Vaughn, the current state of the movie industry, particularly its output of comedies, is no laughing matter to him.

He points to films like "Bridesmaids," "Wedding Crashers," "Superbad," and "The Hangover" as the last bastion of truly uninhibited, R-rated comedic experiences to grace the big screen. Notably, the most recent of these, "Bridesmaids," premiered back in 2011, a staggering 14 years ago. This timeline, in Byrne’s view, underscores a significant shift. The uproarious, boundary-pushing comedies of the 2000s, he argues, are sadly a relic of the past.

"Hollywood [today] could do a better job allowing comedians to be funny," Byrne asserts. He expresses concern that younger generations are being deprived of the shared comedic experiences and cultural touchstones that defined previous eras. "I fear that my kids are growing up in a generation that isn’t going to have those kinds of, like, communal jokes or communal scenes or, you know, I mean, to have… all these cultural references that we all grew up with. And to know that there’s a generation of kids out there right now that aren’t. Hollywood’s not making comedies. They’re not taking chances."

Byrne believes this "failure" of Hollywood comedy is directly contributing to the surge in popularity of stand-up comedy. He observes that comedians are now selling out arenas at a scale unprecedented in the past. "Comedians were never selling out arenas, to the degree where you have multiple comedians out there that are now arena acts. That’s because Hollywood has failed in terms of filling the void with comedies. And so people are getting their fix in arenas. And the math proves it." Data from Pollstar backs this up, revealing a doubling of revenue from stand-up shows between 2022 and 2024, with the top 25 comedians amassing a combined gross revenue of $582.7 million in the past year.

Byrne offers a suggestion to Hollywood executives struggling to understand these shifting trends: trust the comedians. "I think if they [Hollywood] were smart, they’d let some of these guys go for it and not be too restrictive in terms of like, obviously, what Bill Burr has done, what Shane Gillis has done. These are blueprints. Obviously, there is a desire for someone to let them take that into a narrative form and make films." He cites Burr and Gillis as examples of comedians who have successfully cultivated loyal audiences through their unfiltered comedic perspectives.

Determined to address the perceived void, Byrne has taken matters into his own hands, writing and directing his own film scripts. While details about his latest project remain under wraps, he hints that he’s close to finalizing a deal with a prominent actor, perhaps one familiar from "The Office."

Byrne’s comedy is known for its broad appeal, tackling everything from observational humor to pointed political satire, he aims to make everyone a target. He’s recently completed his latest comedy special, "Violent Moderate," which he claims features his "most risqué" joke to date. In the special, he hopes to show “I wanted to be more centered.”

Byrne points to a perceived ideological slant within the entertainment industry as contributing to the shift away from mainstream outlets. "The comic referred to the entertainment industry as progressive and left…as a whole, explaining the recent boom in other platforms outside of Hollywoods domain. I think thats why, you know, people are leaving traditional outlets to go to Your Moms House or Rogans podcast, etc., etc., because theyre not getting their fix from these other mainstream elements that, you know, pretty much only primarily support people that agree with them and play in their same sandbox." This sentiment aligns with Rogan’s own questioning on his podcast: "Do woke people make comedy? Is there even an attempt at a politically correct comedy movie?"

Despite his criticisms of the industry, Byrne remains passionate about comedy. "I think being a stand-up is the greatest job in the world," he says. "The fact that you can take something relatable or something you can just pull out of the ether, and you bring it to a roomful of strangers and elicit just a single emotion, which is laughter… There’s nothing better than that."

When asked about his own comedic influences, Byrne praises Bryan Callen for his intelligence and wit, Sebastian Maniscalco for his "disdain for humanity," and Bill Burr for his unfiltered rants. He also mentions Vince Vaughn, not as a comedian but as a comedic actor and, more importantly, a close friend. He describes Vaughn as "single-handedly the funniest human being I’ve ever met in my entire life," highlighting his innate ability to find the humor in any situation.

Byrne credits Vaughn with inspiring him to pursue writing for film and television. "He said, ‘you should write something for yourself.’ I said, ‘I have never written anything other than jokes.’ He’s like, ‘you could do it. You should write your own show. You’re Korean and Irish… so write your own thing.’ So I bought all these books and six months later I gave him the script for ‘Sullivan & Son.’"

Reflecting on his journey in comedy, from the grueling open mics at the Comedy Cellar to his current success, Byrne acknowledges the challenges he’s faced. But beyond the accolades and accomplishments, he emphasizes the importance of his role as a father. "I pray every night, and there’s not a night that goes by that I don’t, you know, thank God that I have just two wonderful kids."

The question of whether Hollywood can reignite its comedic spark remains. But Steve Byrne, armed with his own vision and a dedication to his craft, is determined to be part of the solution, one joke, one script, and one show at a time.