Tapping into the talents of comic voices like Reggie Watts, Baron Vaughn, and Chappelle’s Show’s Neal Brennan (plus the rapping and acting acumen of “My Vag” performer Awkwafina), Comedy Central has rolled out an ambitious slate of new shows and pilots for its upcoming season, mixing silliness and political satire with a strong focus on bringing more diverse voices into its fold.
First up on the confirmed list: Watts’ Taskmaster, which sees the musical stand-up and former Comedy Bang! Bang! bandleader serving as the host (and all-seeing judge) for a bunch of comedians committing a series of inventively asinine jobs. Based on a British series of the same name, the show will see Watts and the show’s original creator, Alex Horne, forcing people to do things like “hide a pineapple on their person in the most discrete way” or “empty a bathtub as fast as possible.” From watching clips of the British show, it looks like lateral thinking and a general willingness to look like a complete idiot in service of your assigned task are key to a competitor’s success.