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| Jer takes Sarah Silverman for a ride in Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee |
This week, CHML’s Scott Thompson asks about something his family urged him to check out on-line the other day: Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
Jerry Seinfeld’s web series just returned for a second season on Crackle, a multi-platform media entertainment site. Packed with content from Sony Pictures Television, videos of everything from the Three Stooges to old movies can be streamed there for free from both the United States and Canada.
Scott isn’t alone in checking out Seinfeld’s web series. Over 10 million people streamed Comedians in Cars on Crackle in Season One.
Just think how Rob Ford’s fortunes could have changed if he was on Crackle instead of on Crack (allegedly).
Seinfeld’s show is Crackle’s biggest draw in terms of original series. It is basically what the title says: Seinfeld calls up one of his celebrity pals in the world of comedy and then picks then up in one of his vintage Porsche’s or Ferrari’s.
The first episode of the new season, featuring Sarah Silverman, is up now and can be streamed here at Crackle.com.
Each episode lasts anywhere from 11 to 18 minutes. There are one or two short ads for Acura, the only sponsor. Otherwise a wonderful, uncluttered visit with Jer.
The next guest is a big get: David Letterman. You can watch these two car buffs hang out starting June 20.
It’s interesting to see a millionaire like Seinfeld reinvent himself on the Internet. The guy knows better than to try and make another sitcom; been there, done that, and how could he ever top Seinfeld? Better to sneak onto something new and become a player in a medium where there are no notes from executives, no scheduling headaches, just you, your idea and execution. Seinfeld told the New York Times he was “craving that little sandbox feeling we had when we were starting out.” This is a fun sandbox to play in. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with Jer and Silverman at a coffee shop for 20 minutes? Upcoming guests include Chris Rock, Don Rickles and Seth Meyers. Read more about the series here at this feature I wrote this week for The Canadian Press.
Interesting, too, that Crackle crosses the border but Hulu and other streaming services do not. The CRTC has indicated to the traditional Canadian broadcast networks not to look for the commission to keep playing by the old rules when the world is changing all around us. There are no fences around these Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and that kind of free flowing content is what Rogers, Bell and Shaw will be facing as we all move forward into a TV Anywhere universe.
Scott asks about some other stuff, including Donald Trump’s hair. You can listen to Part One of the radio chat here and Part Two here.
