EXCLUSIVE: Netflix has announced that its comedy competition series Funny AF with Kevin Hart, culminating in the naming of Ron Taylor as its inaugural winner at Netflix Is a Joke Fest 2026, has been renewed for a second season amid Emmy campaigns for both the series and its host.
The show is up for Outstanding Reality Competition Program, with Hart up for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program. Season 2 is expected to release in 2027 and will again include live episodes with real-time voting where members decide the winner.
Premiering this past April, Funny AF is an uncensored competition bringing together rising comedians from across the country, each stepping into the spotlight with one goal: to make the same leap Kevin once did and become a household name. Throughout the series, Hart is joined by a circle of comedy heavyweights who help decide which comics advance, offering a behind-the-curtain look at the pressure, triumphs, and occasional bombs that define a stand-up career. The competition builds toward high-stakes live final rounds, where a global vote determines the ultimate winner.
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Roundly embraced by the comedy community as an opportunity to shine a light on fresh voices and mint some new comedy stars, at a time when talent incubation in stand-up is otherwise somewhat lacking, Funny AF‘s first season remained in the Netflix Top 10 for over three weeks, building on Hart’s history of success at the streamer, where in the last two years, his titles have generated more than 1 billion views.
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In addition to Detroit-born Taylor, finalists of Funny AF Season 1 included Usama Siddiquee, Caitlin Peluffo, and Reg Thomas. Special guests joining Hart included Keegan-Michael Key, Tom Segura, Kumail Nanjiani, Chelsea Handler, Nikki Glaser, Chris Rock, and the NFL’s Marshawn Lynch.
“I’m beyond excited that Funny AF is coming back for season two,” Hart told Deadline. “This show is all about giving hungry, undiscovered comedians the kind of shot I was chasing when I started out — an uncensored stage, a real audience, and the chance to turn a dream into a career. The response to season one has been incredible, and I can’t wait to get back out there, discover more phenomenal talent, and keep raising the bar for stand-up comedy.”
Funny AF with Kevin Hart is produced by Hartbeat and Alfred Street Industries. Executive producers are Hart; Jane Lipsitz, Dan Cutforth, Nan Strait, and Dan Volpe for Alfred Street Industries; Luke Kelly-Clyne, Meghan Hoffman, and Jeff Clanagan for Hartbeat; and Jenny Groom.
After wrapping up Season 1 at Netflix Is a Joke Fest 2026, Hart took the hot seat at this year’s Netflix roast, which generated 13.5 million views in its first week. Up next for Hart at Netflix is the R-rated comedy 72 Hours, directed by Tim Story and co-starring Marcello Hernández, which premieres July 24.
