Dropout (formerly CollegeHumor) is a comedy company featuring tons of Los Angeles-based comedians. While some may remember the cast from workplace sketches some 15 years ago, they have grown so much since then. Dropout CEO Sam Reich acquired the company following its divestment in 2020. Reich stepped up from CCO to CEO to help lift the company into a new era. Since then, in addition to plenty of Dropout’s older content being available for free on YouTube, they’ve had an incredibly successful launch of their own streaming service, Dropout.tv. Here, they are constantly putting out new gameshows featuring and hosted by Reich himself, as well as plenty of other LA-based comedians. Let’s take a look at some of their most iconic and successful shows that they offer on their streaming service:
Iconic Shows
Game Changer – Every episode has a different premise, and the guests know neither the rules nor objective until the game starts. That’s why the show’s tagline is “The only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning.“ Reich hosts this show himself and is frequently both the evil mastermind behind the scheme he’s contrived, as well as the butt of each of the contestants’ jokes.
Make Some Noise – An improvisational impression based game, where Reich and his team of writers assemble a bunch of silly prompts and the contestants must do their best to act out what that would be. The prompts could be anywhere from “An assassin assembling the world’s most intricate sniper rifle” to “Your dad teaches you about the birds & the bees (& the fire & the sword & the spell & the prophecy)” and even “100,000 Batmans.” This show was actually the premise behind the second episode of the first season of Game Changer, but it was “so good that they spun it off unchanged” into its own game show.
Um, Actually – “Nerds are passionate about a lot of things, but there’s one thing they love above all else, and that’s correcting people!” Three nerdy contestants are given a series of statements about any realm of fictional franchises, but one minor, often pedantic detail in the statement is incorrect. They must buzz in and correct the statement, with their correction starting with the phrase “Um, actually” to get points. The series is currently hosted by Ify Nwadiwe and his fact-checker, Brian David Gilbert
Dimension 20 – While not a game show, Dimension 20 is one of the most influential Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) actual-play series in the D&D sphere. With Dropout regular Brennan Lee Mulligan as dungeon master (DM), it’s a great way to see what D&D has the potential to be, and incredibly fun to watch it be played by professional comedians and impressionists.
New Hits
Very Important People – “We all have a story to tell, and sometimes that story needs to be shared with the world.” Through the magic of elaborate stage makeup, costumes, prosthetics, and props, comedians are transformed into an appearance they’ve never seen before. They must improvise their character, coming up with their backstory and personality, and then proceed to have a pretty regular sit-down interview with a not so regular host, Vic Michaelis.
Smartypants – Every episode, a few very well dressed comedians get up in front of their peers and give a thorough presentation about whatever subject they want. From Jess Ross highlighting the similarities between drag and wrestling, to Raph Chestang laying out the pros and cons of bombing the moon, you never know what you’re in for with Smartypants, but you do know you’ll have a good laugh. The series is hosted by Rekha Shankar.
Why should you give Dropout a try
For the stressed, the tired, and those just looking for a laugh, Dropout might be for you. The problem comes when the laughing doesn’t stop and you can’t contain just how much joy you have. Dropout can give that to you. So if you like comedy, humor, and the feeling of a warm and loving community, give Dropout a try.
