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Funny or Die

Funny or Die
Company typePrivate
Industry
  • Film
  • Television
  • Internet
GenreComedy
FoundedApril 12, 2007 (2007-04-12)
FoundersWill Ferrell
Adam McKay
Mark Kvamme
Chris Henchy
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
U.S.
Key people
Mike Farah (CEO)
OwnerHenry R. Muñoz III
Websitefunnyordie.com
Footnotes / references
[1]

Funny or Die is a comedy video website and film/television production company owned by Henry R. Muñoz III that was founded by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Mark Kvamme, and Chris Henchy in 2007.[2] The website contained exclusive material from a regular staff of in-house writers, producers and directors, and occasionally from a number of famous contributors including Judd Apatow, James Franco and Norm Macdonald. The associated production company continues to make TV shows including truTV's Billy on the Street, Comedy Central's @midnight and Zach Galifianakis' web series Between Two Ferns.

Many videos on the site featured well-known actors (examples include Nina Dobrev, Steve Carell, Charlie Sheen, Ryan Gosling, Patrick Stewart, Daniel Radcliffe, Sophia Bush, Mila Kunis, AnnaSophia Robb, Hilary Duff, Adam West, James Van Der Beek, Jim Carrey, Ariel Winter and Selena Gomez). Michael Kvamme, an aspiring young comedian who is also the son of Mark Kvamme, the venture capitalist who funded Funny or Die, came up with a concept for a new kind of comedy site, and the site was developed by Randy Adams. After the site was funded by his father, Michael Kvamme wrote a screenplay for Will Ferrell[3] and founded Global eSports Resources[4] in partnership with the Saudi Arabian Federation of Electronic and Intellectual Sports.[5]

Funny or Die launched on April 12, 2007 with the site's first video, "The Landlord". "The Landlord" has received over 84 million views and features Ferrell confronted by a swearing, beer-drinking two-year-old landlord.[6] In June 2007, they received venture capital funding from Sequoia Capital,[7] and in June 2008, they announced a partnership with HBO.[8] On August 3, 2016, Funny or Die shut down one of its California offices, reducing its headcount by 30% to 95 employees, with the announcement coming just two months after the new CEO, Mike Farah, took office.[9]

Henry R. Muñoz III bought Funny or Die for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was announced in Variety on May 12, 2021. Muñoz purchased Funny or Die from the company's former stakeholders, which included AMC Networks, WarnerMedia and Sequoia Capital.[10]

  1. ^ "FunnyOrDie.com WHOIS, DNS, & Domain Info – DomainTools". WHOIS. Archived from the original on April 23, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  2. ^ "Funny or Die - Studio System". Studio System. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  3. ^ Galuppo, Mia (December 6, 2016). "Will Ferrell to Star as Competitive Gamer in Comedy". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  4. ^ "About Us - Global eSports Resources". Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  5. ^ "eSports - Global eSports Resources". Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  6. ^ "The Landlord video page". Funny Or Die. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  7. ^ "Sequoia Capital funds Funny Or Die". Archived from the original on December 2, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
  8. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (June 10, 2008). "HBO Joining Forces with FunnyorDie". Variety. Archived from the original on September 15, 2010. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  9. ^ Burns, Tobias; Jarvey, Natalie (August 2, 2016). "Funny or Die Lays Off Dozens of Staffers". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  10. ^ Spangler, Todd (May 12, 2021). "Funny Or Die Acquired by Designer and Activist Henry R. Muñoz III". Variety. Retrieved June 15, 2021.