Dropout (media company)

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For Dropout's predecessor, see CollegeHumor.
Dropout TV
Type of site
Headquarters2012 Hyperion Avenue,
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Area servedWorldwide
OwnerSam Reich
IndustryInternet
ParentDropout
URLwww.dropout.tv
RegistrationRequired
LaunchedSeptember 26, 2018; 5 years ago (2018-09-26)
Current statusActive

Dropout (stylized as Dropout.tv, DROPOUT, or :DROPOUT) is an American subscription streaming service run by the production company of the same name (formerly CollegeHumor), founded in September 2018. Dropout streams original programming and does not run advertisements. Their content is mainly composed of live play and improv comedy, such as Dimension 20, hosted by Brennan Lee Mulligan, and Game Changer, hosted by Dropout owner Sam Reich.

History[edit]

CollegeHumor[edit]

Originally founded in 1999 by Josh Abramson and Ricky Van Veen, then independent website CollegeHumor was acquired by holdings media and entertainment company IAC.[1] CollegeHumor's work originally only included editorial articles, but eventually expanded to include online video and development and production of TV shows.[2] In 2013, the video production CollegeHumor team moved to Los Angeles to continue creating online and traditional video, including shows like Adam Ruins Everything and Hot Date as well sketch and short-form comedy on its YouTube channel.[2] However, ad revenue became increasingly scarce, with YouTube's unfavorable ad rates and an ongoing risk of CollegeHumor's content being demonized on the platform, as well as Facebook's inflated viewership numbers not bringing in anticipated ad sales.[3][4]

Still under IAC,[5] in early September 2018 CollegeHumor began teasing the beginning of a new subscription service, putting hidden keyword clues on their website and in their YouTube videos.[6] Entering these keywords into a website owned by CollegeHumor allowed users to see clips of videos, audio, and images that implied the beginning of a new CollegeHumor project.[6]

On September 26, 2018, Dropout officially launched in the United States.[7][8] CollegeHumor's CEO, Rich Cusick, announced the service as a "TV-MA version of CollegeHumor" that would "allow us to double down our investment into premium original content, resulting in a bigger, better, badder College Humor."[9][10] Dropout was also pitched as a way to allow fans to dive deeper into pre-established popular characters and shows from CollegeHumor's YouTube channel.[9] CollegeHumor's then-Chief Creative Officer (CCO), Sam Reich, also claimed that the founding of Dropout was in response to difficulty in receiving advertising dollars on traditional media platforms for mature content.[11] At launch, Dropout announced a mix of scripted and unscripted content, as well as digital comics and chat-story content and a subscriber-only Discord.[10] Reich described the programming plan at launch as a balance between "acquisition" and retention," with a plan that "higher-budget, mostly scripted programming" got users "through the paywall," and "lower-budget unscripted programming en masse" would be used to retain new subscribers.[12]

The name "Dropout" was conceived as a play on CollegeHumor, as well as referencing "dropping out" of YouTube and traditional TV to function as its own subscription service, and defying traditional convention.[13]

After launch, Dropout saw that the unscripted and less expensive content both acquired and retained viewers, while more expensive and scripted shows neither acquired nor retained viewers, with the limited exception of WTF 101.[2] Dimension 20 became the most popular show on the platform, followed by Um, Actually and Cartoon Hell.[2] Game Changer, hosted by Reich, would also become a success upon launch in 2019.[2] A year after Dropout's launch it had between 75,000-100,000 subscribers.[14] Dropout released roughly one new original title per month in 2019, according to Reich.[10][15]

However, the programming slate did not allow Dropout to pivot quickly enough away from scripted content and it was still not profitable by the end of 2019.[16] Because Dropout was in the middle of a $30 million subscription investment, the streamer was on track to "lose" another $10 million by late-2019 before it would be profitable.[16][2]

Independent Ownership and Early COVID-19 Pandemic[edit]

In January of 2020, IAC announced it had ceased financing CollegeHumor, leading to the layoff of just under 100 employees.[5][14][17] IAC unsuccessfully attempted to pitch CollegeHumor to 15 television studios and entertainment companies, but could not find a preferred buyer due to Dropout's financial state on paper.[2] [18][16] Despite one other low-cash offer to split up the assets on the table, IAC sold CollegeHumor to then CCO Reich, who transitioned to CEO.[16][19][20] Reich leveraged very little to no money upfront in exchange for taking over CollegeHumor's liabilities and properties while IAC maintained a minority passive stake.[16][5] IAC at the time said: "Sam was the best choice to acquire CH Media and define its next chapter. The decision places CH Media with an owner who is beloved by fans, passionate about the business, and sees a future we believe in."[4]

Only seven employees were retained after IAC's sale including Reich, now-Chief Operating Officer (COO) David Kerns, now-Chief Digital Officer (CDO) Andrew Bridgman, and Brennan Lee Mulligan as the only full-time cast member.[21] Two days after the sale was finalized, Dropout ceased production due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in Los Angeles.[17]

During this time, Dropout was "tread[ing] water for six to eight months" through a mixture of backlogged pre-pandemic content and virtual seasons of Dimension 20 and its COVID-19 era spinoff Adventuring Party, Game Changer, Um, Actually, and Breaking News.[17] Reich stated that Dropout content strategy during this time was to utilize virtual production to create interesting and novel content, and continued to move away from scripted shows.[22]

After independence, Dropout worked to sell back assets acquired under CollegeHumor to their original creators, including illustrating and comedy content Drawfee,[23] animation channel Dorkly to its longtime partner Lowbrow Studios,[24][25] and the intellectual rights to Jake and Amir back to creators Jake Hurwitz and Amir Blumenfeld.[26]

Success on Social Media and Name Change[edit]

After the launch of TikTok and other vertical video platforms like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts and their increased use in 2020, Dropout saw a "direct correlation" to new subscribers from social media views.[22][27] Clips from Game Changer were the most successful on social media, leading to spinoffs Dirty Laundry, Make Some Noise, and Play It By Ear, the first new in-studio shows since 2019 and all premiering in 2022.[28][22] Make Some Noise was developed in part to clip well for short form vertical video.[27] Dropout has hundreds of millions of views across social media platforms for its various shows.

In August of 2023, NPR reported that "Dropout has not shared their official subscriber count, but Reich says it's in the mid-hundreds of thousands. He's very aware that doesn't come close to the hundreds of millions of subscribers that large media companies have, but, to him, that's not necessarily a problem. ... Though they're not required to by unions, he said Dropout is working to become one of the first streamers to pay residuals to their writers, actors, and crew members".[29] Dropout's overall subscriber count almost doubled during 2023.[17]

Dropout officially retired all CollegeHumor branding in September 2023 to become Dropout on all platforms, including YouTube.[30] Reich announced this on social media, and said about the shift in part:

"CollegeHumor became more diverse and inclusive. We grew up. Our values changed. The content became not just nerdy, but also thoughtful, progressive, and innovative. At that point, the name was a blessing and a curse: 👍: It was a brand name everyone recognized. 👎: It didn't represent us anymore, hadn't for years, attracted the wrong audience, and repelled the right one. In 2018, we launched Dropout. Dropout was a gamble, but we believed was an audience for bigger, better, longer, deeper, weirder content than we could make with any of our existing business models. With the name, we saw an opportunity to distance ourselves from CollegeHumor -- and took it, while nodding to it. After all, we were dropping out of YouTube, advertising, and Hollywood. Later - like it or not - we would drop out of corporate America. In 2020, we took over the company, and Dropout became our sole focus. But told ourselves we wouldn't rebrand the company until its popularity could compete with CollegeHumor’s legacy. Now, we think it does. Of course, brand names are pretty trivial, and some folks will forever think of us as CollegeHumor. That’s OK. Ultimately, a company isn't about its brand or logo. It's about its people and values. That said, this does feel like an oddly important - if symbolic - step as far as our values are concerned. This year, our Head of Process Theodora Hart challenged us to create a mission statement, which is now as follows: "To create a unique ecosystem in which art can thrive." We dropped out, and will remain dropped out, in order to do so."[31]

Dropout announced in December of 2023 that by the end of 2024 it would premiere seven new shows on the platform, effectively doubling the amount of airing content.[27] That same month Dropout aired its first documentary, The Legendary Rick Perry and the Art of Dimension 20, focused on Dimension 20 Creative Producer Rick Perry's creative process, production team, and workshops in both Lopez Island, Washington and Dropout's studios in Los Angeles.[32]

Dropout announced in May of 2024 "a series of live recorded specials that include stand-up, improv, and solo performances."[33] Dropout took on the production and marketing costs of the specials, in contrast to other Streamers like Netflix who require the performer or performers to do all of the production work before sale and distribution.[34] The specials were filmed in February of 2024 at various Los Angeles venues in including Dynasty Typewriter, The Elysian, and The Nocturne, and are all directed by Jonah Ray Rodrigues.[35] Specials were sourced from existing Dropout cast members as well as established comedians and shows originally performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that were scouted by Reich.[36] Specials include stand-up shows (Hank Green's Pissing Out Cancer and Adam Conover's Unmedicated), solo performances (Courtney Pauroso's Vanessa 5000 and Chris Grace's Chris Grace as Scarlett Johansson), and improv performances featuring Dropout cast members (married couple Brennan Lee Mulligan and Izzy Roland's Bigger, UCB team The Big Team, and From Ally to Zacky, featuring Ally Beardsley, Zac Oyama, and many members of their UCB team Yeti).[37]

Business Model[edit]

Overview[edit]

Dropout's model is unusual for streamers, in that it develops, produces, distributes and markets its content in-house, allowing for an optimization of resources.[17] Including Reich and IAC, there are a total of seven partners in Dropout as of 2022.[38] Since Dropout's launch, other YouTube-based creators have since made similar leaps to a subscription-based streaming service, including Watcher Entertainment, Critical Role, and the Try Guys.

Shows on Dropout, with the exception of Dimension 20 and its spinoff Adventuring Party, are released fortnightly in a schedule more akin to podcasts than traditional television.[17] This is to ensure a "more stress-free post-production process while also helping to combat churn." Full shows air at 7:00pm EST/4:00pm PST, and behind-the-scenes content for shows like Game Changer, Very Important People, and Dimension 20's talkback show Adventuring Party air at 1:30pm EST/10:30 PST.[39][40]

Reich maintains that sustainability, rather than unfettered growth, underlines all of Dropout's business decisions.[14] Dropout intentionally utilizes overly cautious future projections, seen as a reaction to their days under IAC.[17] Dropout priorities "grass-fed organic content" in contrast the high budget and AI generated or assisted streaming content from other streamers and has resisted various efforts to merge with or acquire properties in order to ensure its independence.[17] Reich has said he prioritizes unique, entertaining, and impactful content rather than making Dropout "a household name all over the world."[21]

Staff and Profit Sharing[edit]

As a part of its sustainable growth strategy, Dropout keeps a small-full time staff, including Reich as CEO, COO David Kerns, Chief Digital Officer Andrew Bridgman, Head of Development Paul Robalino,[41] Brennan Lee Mulligan, Head of Production Kyle Rohrbach, and other positions such as Lead Designer, Director of Programming, Head of Merchandising, Head of Post-Production, Director of Content Operations, Studio Manager, Director of Technology, Lead Media Manager, Digital Release Coordinator, and Marketing Strategist, among other positions.[42][43] Dropout has slowly increased the size of its staff since its independence, and expects to bring on a full time staff of 25 by the end of 2024.[44] Sometime in 2022, Dropout moved to a mandatory company-wide two week hiatus every four months as opposed to an unlimited vacation day policy, which employees communicated discouraged them taking vacation.[45]

Despite the original IAC layoffs in 2020, many previous CollegeHumor cast and crew members continue to work with Dropout, largely in a contractor capacity.[22] Reich considers one of the reasons for Dropout's popularity being Dropout's "family of talent," including former CollegeHumor staff members, while also expanding Dropout's informal cast and thus creating a similar culture to that of U.K. panel shows.[21] Dropout pulls from its existing talent, a "who's who of the improv scene," and known TTRPG players.[46] Dropout shoots begin each morning with a safety meeting as a best practice for both cast and crew.[47][48] Dropout also includes the pronouns of each individual on call sheets and when cast appear on-screen.[49] Despite an end to the COVID-19 Safety Agreement between various production unions in 2023, Dropout continues to use COVID-19 protocols.[50] Dropout requires cast and crew to complete a PRC test 72 hours before a shoot, a rapid-fire test day-of, and at a minimum a quality KN95 masks for all crew.[51][52]

At the end of 2023, Dropout shared its annual profits with its employees, contracted workers from throughout the year, and anyone who auditioned for Dropout.[53][17] Dropout pays people to audition for its shows.[17] In late 2023, Dropout announced it was working on developing a true residual for both cast and crew in order to develop a pool of talent that grows with Dropout as talent becomes more successful.[14] Dropout from inception has paid above SAG-AFTRA minimums.

Subscription Model and Audience Demographics[edit]

Dropout launched with a beta price of $3.99 per month for the first three months of the service. After December 2018, the price rose to a three tiered option, with monthly memberships for $5.99/month, semi-annual memberships for $4.99/month, and annual memberships for $3.99/month.[54] As of 4 January 2022, new subscribers pay $5.99 monthly or $59.99 yearly, while current subscribed are charged their original rate at the start of subscription.[55] Subscribers are "locked in" their original price, and Dropout has committed to not raising prices on current subscribers.[44] Reich has said that their may be a price increase for new subscribers in one dollar increments "every couple of years."[17] Dropout also passively encourages password sharing.[56]

Users are also able to access Dropout content through YouTube via the join function. The company has justified the pricing model as allowing them to create content without being dependent on, or beholden to, requests from advertisers.[57]

In 2020, Dropout's subscriber base includes ages between 18-55+, but is primarily comprised of 20-29 year-olds, with a 60-40 male-female ratio and a high index of LGBTQ+ subscribers.[58] This was largely consistent in 2023.[16] In December 2018, visitors to the service spent on average 31 minutes per visit and visited on average 3.5 times per week.[59] Throughout 2019, Dropout began to experiment with more live-streaming versions of their shows on Twitch and podcast-like formats. At the end of 2023, the average user subscribed for 18 months.[17] At that time, around a third of subscribers were annual and two-thirds were monthly subscribers, the latter of which had a slightly lower average subscription length of a little less than a year.[17]

Advertising Strategy, Live Shows, and Miscellaneous Offerings[edit]

Dropout emphasizes an "organic awareness strategy," largely through TikTok and other platforms with vertical video.[17] Dropout uses very little paid marketing, and used none until late 2022.[14] This strategy has been seen by peer streaming services like Nebula as the "gold standard."[21] Dropout maintains different social media accounts per platform for each of its running shows.

Dropout has increasingly experimented with live shows of Dimension 20, to significant success.[17] Dimension 20's UK Live Tour in 2024 sold out quickly.[60] Dimension 20 announced a show at Madison Square Garden in January of 2025 and sold out the 19,000-seat venue within days.[61] Dimension 20 initially faced fan backlash over Madison Square Garden's ticket distribution company Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing and platinum ticket system, which caused many tickets to increase rapidly in price.[60] Upon learning of this problem, the show opted out of dynamic pricing of the reminder of sales and for all future events.[60] Dimension 20 also introduced "Dimensioneer Tickets," a lottery system where fans could buy up to two tickets for $35 each throughout the event space, inspired by Olivia Rodrigo.[60] The show will also be recorded and released on Dropout.[60] Reich has stated ambitions for a "Dropout Con" in the future and his "personal ambition" to bring Dropout shows to the Edinburgh Fringe.[17]

In August 2019, CollegeHumor also partnered with Facebook to offer Dropout content via paid video subscriptions on Facebook's platform.[62] Dropout also syndicates legacy CollegeHumor content on Facebook, Snapchat, and other platforms for additional income.[21]

Dropout has a store which sells merchandise (such as shirts, stickers, and mugs) related to shows on the platform, which is distributed through Dropout fan and collaborator Hank Green's DFTBA Records.[63][64] Reich has stated Dropout is also interested in other endeavors like a card game or video game, but those types of projects would not be a core focus.[17] In 2021, Dropout launched and successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign for a board game spin-off for Um, Actually, which was distributed in 2022.

Technical Offerings and Services[edit]

CollegeHumor spinoff Vimeo OTT serves as Dropout's hosting service.[65] Dropout officially launched native iOS and Android apps for its service in December 2018, allowing users to watch shows and also cast to smart TVs, and is available on a variety of platforms. Comics and chat stories were also integrated into the app.[59] Dropout has repeatedly said that they are not interested in including a comment section on its website, for both technical and cast preference reasons.[66][67] Dropout is available worldwide and around 60% of subscribers were in the United States as of 2024.[53]

In addition to original series, Dropout offered videos produced by CollegeHumor 72 hours before they were released to the public. However, as of 2024 Dropout still maintains its old CollegeHumor content on YouTube, but only posts trailers, clips, and occasionally the first episodes of new series to YouTube from its Dropout content, redirecting nearly all content directly to its platform.[68] Previously, a subscriber-only Discord server was included as a service, later expanded to non-subscribers as well, until its closure on May 26, 2024.[69] Prior to closing the Discord had over 100,000 members.[21]

Development Strategy and Philosophy[edit]

Development Strategy[edit]

Dropout currently utilizes five "boxes" as criteria in the development process for new shows:

  1. "Does it sit at the intersection of scripted and unscripted content?"
  2. "Do we think it will do well on social media?"
  3. "Can it feature a 'Murderers' Row' of our talent? Is there an opportunity for everyone's favorite familiar faces to come through the show?"
  4. "Is it affordable enough that, if it is successful, we can do a lot of it?"
  5. "Is the show in some way worth nerding out about? If you're a fan of the show, can you go deep on this show in some way?"[44]

By 2020, the service had retired all scripted shows in favor of cheaper and more successful unscripted content.[30] Dropout sees its current core as "unscripted comedy," largely in the form of various types of improvisation.[21] However, Dropout's series still require a tremendous amount of writing and are not purely improv.[21]

In May of 2023, Reich described Dropout's development process as primarily an internal development committee that meets weekly, consisting of high-up stakeholders and general creative thinkers to round-robin pitch and expand on development ideas.[21]

In December of 2023, Reich stated Dropout's ongoing goal would be "finding the next big show," and the platform would be "premiering six shows in the next six to eight months" with an ongoing goal "to release as many as two shows a quarter going forward."[17]

While Dropout's content current consists of largely unscripted content, Reich has expressed that there is an openness, albeit caution to scripted content in the future.[14]

Philosophy and Charity Work[edit]

CollegeHumor's early content focused on "sophomoric" humor as a "chaotic repository for the collective horny collegiate id," and was known for its "fratty attitude."[4] In its early transition to video, this reputation continued, and lacked meaningful diversity as it was "at least in its early days...the province of white men and frat-boy humor."[70] However, Dropout has worked to meaningfully break away from this reputation and focuses on and champions inclusivity.[70] This includes hiring a diverse cast and crew, frequent utilization of sensitivity consultants, and the messaging in its content.[71][72] Dropout is known for its progressive, often anti-capitalist, and pro-LGBTQ+ content and themes.[73]

Dropout illustrates this by some merch offerings that donate a proceed of the profits to a thematic charity as well as traditional direct donations. In 2023, Dropout donated $103,222 to various charities, including $23,064 to the Community Justice Exchange, $12,940 to the Transgender Law Center, $26,218 to Give Directly, $30,000 to the TransLation@ Coalition, $10,000 to the Entertainment Community Fund, and $1,000 to the Black Immersive Creators Grant.[74]

Dropout also holds auctions for miniatures and sets seen on Dimension 20, with proceeds split between Dimension 20's production and various charities. In August of 2022, Dropout auctioned off over 90 miniatures from Dimension 20: A Crown of Candy, raising $43,469.35 for RPG Research (not including fees).[75] In 2022, Dropout auctioned off 60 miniatures from Dimension 20: The Unsleeping City, with 25% of the profits donated to New York Cares.[76] In March of 2024, Dropout auctioned off miniatures and scenes from Dimension 20: Fantasy High Freshman Year and donated all profits from the auction, $185,000, to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.[77]

At the beginning of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike in July 2023, Reich announced his "complete and utter solidarity" with the strike and that Dropout production would be on hold until further notice.[78] Reich stated:

Because we aren't associated with the AMPTP, it's possible we may be able to reach an interim agreement with SAG that allows us to continue to produce content during the strike. But we'll only do that, obviously, if we get the blessing of the union and the buy-in of our performers. If not, we have enough content in the can to last us a little past the end of the year. [...] As for me, I intend to honor my union's position that I not promote SAG productions as a performer – even if they are produced by me. That means that I won't personally be promoting any of our shows for the time being.[79]

In August 2023, Reich announced that all Dropout shows resumed production as it was determined that their "New Media Agreement for Non-Dramatic Programming" contract was actually a non-struck SAG-AFTRA contract.[80][81][17]This meant in addition to restarting Dropout's production immediately, talent could promote previous and ongoing appearances on the platform since the platform's shows never struck.[82] Reich confirmed that while Dropout was in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA union, Dropout's initial stop in production was also influenced by "bad information" that their contract was still covered under the strike.[17] In returning to production, Dropout emphasized its continued support of the strike, seeing its position as a non-struck production company as added leverage on studios, and making it clear that anyone striking who did not want to work with or promote their Dropout work during the strike would be respected in their position.[83][84]

Awards and Nominations[edit]

Dropout's show Very Important People was the People's Voice Winner in the video comedy category at the 2024 Webby Awards.[85]

In 2023, CEO Reich announced that Dropout would be submitting for Emmy consideration Game Changer for Outstanding Game Show and Reich for Outstanding Host for a Game Show.[86][87] However, because of the 2023 Writers Guild of America Strike, Dropout declined to spend money on a formal For Your Consideration campaign and donated what the streamer would have spent to the Entertainment Community Fund.[88] Dropout was not nominated in 2023.[89][90]

In 2024, Dropout again submitted to the Emmy Awards in numerous categories, including Game Changer and Reich again, Sam Geer for Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming of Game Changer, Very Important People for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Variety or Drama Series and its host Vic Michaelis for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.[28][91] Dimension 20's popular season Dungeons and Drag Queens was ineligible for submission in both Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and Outstanding Variety Series categories because the number of episodes did not meet Emmy requirements in either category.[28]

Dropout also submitted Game Changer for Peabody consideration in 2024, as Reich commented:

We do a kind of nontraditional storytelling on “Game Changer.” We hope they can appreciate just how out-of-the-box the show is, as well as the ways in which we’ve made capitalism the bad guy on “Game Changer.” It’s kind of interesting social commentary. Ultimately, it is about finding a new audience. I think if anything were to ever happen to us, I would probably sob heavy tears out of a feeling of being legitimized.[17]

Original Shows and Programs[edit]

{{see also|CollegeHumor#List of CH Originals series}}

Dirty Laundry, Play It By Ear, and Make Some Noise, each spun off from Game Changer, premiered throughout 2022. In 2023, Dropout started airing the improvisational interview show Very Important People, and the service will introduce several new shows in 2024, including Smartypants, Nobody Asked, Gastronauts, Dropout Presents, and Thousandaires.[44][70][92]

Title Genre Description Premiere Seasons Length Status
Lonely and Horny Comedy A continuation of the 2016 Jake and Amir web series Lonely and Horny. The series was removed from Dropout in 2019. April 8, 2016 2 seasons, 20 episodes 10 mins Ended
Breaking News Comedy A group of newscasters must read silly or strange text on a teleprompter, losing points each time they laugh. July 7, 2018 7 seasons, 93 episodes 10 mins Airing
Dimension 20 Actual play A role-playing show primarily hosted by Brennan Lee Mulligan, in which comedians play tabletop role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons. September 12, 2018[93] 21 seasons, 235 episodes 120 mins Airing
Cartoon Hell Animated series An animated series starring by Caldwell Tanner and Nathan Yaffe, in which they must draw cartoons based on provided suggestions. September 26, 2018[94] 2 seasons, 36 episodes 20 mins Ended
See Plum Run Comedy A continuation of Precious Plum, a satire of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, starring Elaine Carroll and Josh Ruben as a child beauty pageant contestant and her mother. September 26, 2018[95] 1 season, 12 episodes 15 mins Ended
Um, Actually Game show A game show hosted by Mike Trapp, later Ify Nwadiwe, in which contestants must correct inaccurate statements about pop culture. September 28, 2018 [96] 9 seasons, 143 episodes 30 mins Airing
Erotic Book Club Comedy A book club show hosted by Jess Ross and Rekha Shankar, in which they and their guests read and discuss online erotic stories and fanfiction. December 29, 2018[97] 1 season, 19 episodes[97][98] 60 mins Ended
WTF 101 Adult animation An animated parody of The Magic School Bus starring Mary Pat Gleason, which teaches about gross and/or disturbing subjects. January 7, 2019[99] 1 season, 10 episodes 10 mins Ended
Total Forgiveness Reality television A reality series starring Ally Beardsley and Grant O'Brien, in which they must undergo difficult challenges to pay off their student loans. February 6, 2019[100] 1 season, 10 episodes 20 mins Ended
The Rank Room Talk show A talk show hosted by Katie Marovitch, in which a panel provide possible answers to a provided question and then rank them. March 7, 2019[101] 1 season, 17 episodes 20 mins Ended
Troopers Comedy A continuation of the 2011 sci-fi parody series Troopers, focusing on a new cast of characters. April 8, 2019 1 season, 9 episodes 15 mins Ended
Paranoia Comedy A social deduction game hosted by Ally Beardsley, in which players must guess which one of them is currently under the influence of marijuana. April 20, 2019 2 seasons, 15 episodes 20 mins Ended
Kingpin Katie Crime comedy A satire of event television such as Breaking Bad, in which Katie Marovitch unwittingly becomes a high-profile drug dealer. June 10, 2019[102] 1 season, 8 episodes 15 mins Ended
Gods of Food Mockumentary A mockumentary in the style of Chef's Table, which follows the careers of unusual chefs. August 8, 2019[103] 1 season, 6 episodes 20 mins Ended
Game Changer Game show A game show hosted by Sam Reich, in which the premise changes each episode and the players do not know the rules. September 20, 2019[104] 6 seasons, 57 episodes 30 mins Airing
Ultramechatron Team Go! Comedy A parody of Mecha anime and manga, featuring four pilots in a giant robot battling aliens. October 3, 2019[105] 1 season, 11 episodes 15 mins Ended
Where in the Eff is Sarah Cincinnati Game show A parody of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? hosted by Rekha Shankar, in which players must use their geography knowledge to find Sarah Cincinnati (Christine Medrano), who has gotten herself lost. December 18, 2019[106] 1 season, 6 episodes[107] 20 mins Ended
Dimension 20's Adventuring Party Aftershow A talkback show in which the cast of Dimension 20 discuss the most recent episode. April 14, 2020[108] 16 seasons, 164 episodes 30 mins Airing
Erotic Clubhouse Comedy A spinoff of Erotic Book Club, in which Jess Ross and Rekha Shankar write erotic fanfiction. June 25, 2020 1 season, 10 episodes[109] 60 mins Ended
Dirty Laundry Game show A spinoff of Game Changer hosted by Lily Du, in which contestants play "never have I ever" and earn points for guessing correctly or deceiving the other players. April 11, 2022[110] 3 seasons, 31 episodes 40 mins Renewed
Make Some Noise Improvisational comedy A spinoff of Game Changer hosted by Sam Reich, in which contestants must improvise scenes based on provided prompts. June 13, 2022[111][112] 2 seasons, 27 episodes 30 mins Renewed
Play It By Ear Musical improv[113] A spinoff of Game Changer hosted by Mano Agapion, in which players must improvise a musical incorporating suggestions from the host. September 13, 2022[114][115] 2 seasons, 16 episodes 40 mins Renewed
Very Important People Improvisational comedy Talk show A talk show parody hosted by Vic Michaelis, in which comedians are placed in elaborate costumes and make-up, and must participate in an improvised in-character interview. December 15, 2023[116][117] 1 season, 12 episodes 20 mins Renewed
Smartypants Comedy A comedy series hosted by Rekha Shankar, in which comedians must research and give a presentation on unusual subjects to a group of their peers. April 25, 2024[118] 1 season, 10 episodes[119] 30 mins Airing
Thousandaires Comedy A panel show in which a group of comedians each have $1000 to spend on activities with the others, with the most fun activity being declared the winner. May 31, 2024[120] 1 season, 6 episodes[121] Upcoming
Dropout Presents Stand-up A series of stand-up comedy, solo shows, and improv specials performed in front of a live audience. June 2024[122][123] 1 season, 7 specials/episodes[124] Upcoming
Nobody Asked Mockumentary A mockumentary series in which the hosts attempt to answer ridiculous questions. 2024[70] Upcoming
Gastronauts Comedy, Cooking show A cooking show featuring professional chefs and Dropout's rotating cast. 2024[92] Upcoming

References[edit]

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  2. ^ a b c d e f g Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "How CollegeHumor lost its early lead". Digiday. January 15, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Knibbs, Kate. "CollegeHumor Helped Shape Online Comedy. What Went Wrong?". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Ha, Anthony (September 26, 2018). "CollegeHumor unveiled Dropout, a subscription service for comedy videos, comics and more". TechCrunch. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
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External links[edit]

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