Streamer Veeps hires Spotify alum Bart Coleman to run new comedy offering

US-based live and on-demand entertainment streaming platform Veeps has launched a new comedy strand and appointed Bart Coleman as head of comedy to oversee it.

Bart Coleman

Veeps was launched in 2017 by musicians Joel and Benji Madden of the pop-punk band Good Charlotte. The Live Nation-backed VoD service specialises in live concerts, music and events with a 3,000-hour catalogue of on-demand shows.

Now the streamer is expanding its content pipeline to encompass new specials from comedians such as David Cross, Brad Williams, Katherine Ryan, Reggie Watts, Mo Welch and Blair Socci.

Coleman will partner with Live Nation’s president of comedy, Geof Wills, to source content from stand-up artists that Wills and his team currently book.

Coleman joins from LA-based digital entertainment company Moment, where he was head of comedy. Prior to that he worked at streaming app Spotify as comedy lead, studios.

He has also worked as a talent producer for Funny or Die and as an executive producer/showrunner for Talpa.

Coleman said: “People around the world love to laugh, even if they’re not able to attend their favourite shows in-person as much as they’d like to.

“I’m honoured to be playing a role in bringing the comedic performances we all love direct to fans in their homes.”

Wills said: “It’s exciting to see Veeps’ investment in comedy and the hiring of Bart. This expansion will help comics reach audiences in entirely new and different ways than what has traditionally been done before.”