Broadway Video, the company founded by “Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels, continues to expand its work in audio. It is teaming up with Audible to produce two new original comedy podcasts featuring A-list casts set to premiere this fall. The Best Man’s Ghostwriter stars Glen Powell and Nicholas Braun, and Stranded star Taraji P. Henson and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Debuting on September 12, The Best Man’s Ghostwriter follows the story of Nate (Glen Powell), a speechwriter-for-hire who helps people write incredible best man speeches. His speech writing system never fails until he meets Dan (Nicholas Braun), the hopelessly awkward best man for a mega social influencer. As Nate works with Dan, he explores the often idiotic world of male friendship and must come up with an answer to the one question most men never think about: why is their best friend their best friend?
The podcast features an all-star cast including Ashley Park, D’Arcy Carden, Lance Bass, Zach Braff, Lukas Gage, Alex Wolff, Debra Messing, George Takei, Jack McBrayer, Nicole Byer, Zach Cherry, Lennon Parham, Neil Flynn, Jason Mantzoukas, Ben Marshall, John Higgins, Martin Herlihy, Jonathan Van Ness, and Sherri Shepherd, among others.
“Bringing The Best Man’s Ghostwriter to life was a blast,” said Powell. “I wanted to produce a heartfelt and hilarious story about the highest stakes moment for any friendship…the best man’s speech. And even better I got to act alongside my most talented friends.”
Then on Nov. 7, the Stranded podcast will debut. It tells the story of two women who are separated by 20 years, three thousand miles, and the unrelenting stresses of adulthood, as best friends Janet (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Serena (Taraji P. Henson) plan a girls trip to reconnect. But after their party boat crashes, they’re the lone survivors to wash ashore on an uncharted Caribbean island. Armed with zero survival skills, they must overcome rough seas, deadly wildlife, and, most terrifyingly, decades of accrued resentment to find their way home. As long as they don’t kill each other first.
“Joining forces with Tracee Ellis Ross and our hilarious ensemble cast on Stranded has been a dream,” said Henson. “I’m excited to share this laugh-out-loud, sidesplitting story with Audible listeners everywhere.”
Joining Henson and Ellis Ross is an ensemble cast including Lamorne Morris, Jay Ellis, Tim Robinson, Taye Diggs, Whoopi Goldberg, Larry Wilmore, Keith David, Ashley Nicole Black, Mikey Day, Zazie Beetz, Nicole Byer, Phylicia Rashad, and Phil LaMar.
Audible first announced in 2021 that it planned to ramp up its catalog of comedy podcasts, including working with Broadway Video. During the past few years that has led to the launch of several podcasts. But even beyond comedy, the two companies have been working together for the past five years. “Broadway Video is thrilled to partner with Audible in expanding our comedy slate to include this format,” said Michaels when the alliance was announced in 2019.
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