Drunk History turned true tipsy tales into must-see TV — so why
didn't we get to see the episode on Bruce Lee? It turns out that the
popular Comedy Central show was abruptly canceled for some pretty crappy reasons.
To the delight of fans everywhere, a 2019 Comedy Central press release announced the wildly popular
Drunk History series was renewed for a 7th season. One year later, that mood was tempered when the
show was canceled, despite strong ratings, 17 Emmy nominations, and one win. At that time, Season 7
episodes were reportedly in pre-production. Why, then, was Drunk History axed when the cast and
crew were seemingly at the top of their game, and will Season 7 stories ever see the light of day?
Drunk History began life on the YouTube channel of series co-creator Derek Waters before moving
to the "Funny or Die" web platform. Comedy Central picked it up in 2013. In all its
different versions, celebrities, comedians, and actors gave their take on real historical
events to the best of their knowledge, having had a bit too much to drink. After those tipsy
tales were recorded, the voiceover was used as a backdrop for other stars as
they reenacted and lip-synced the story, all the alcohol-fueled embellishments included.
Needless to say, the show took narrative license with history, but the results were hilarious,
and the show was generally considered pretty accurate, according to NPR.
"Hello, today we're going to talk about the invention of Coca-Cola,
America's favorite soft drink."
Waters' show even earned accolades for its representation of typically
disenfranchised views on history. So what went wrong? According to Deadline,
Drunk History met its fate in a confluence of worldwide events
and a shift in programming priority from the Comedy Central front office.
"This is gonna be the best movie ever."
As news spread that Drunk History had ended, Derek Waters was left in the dark as to why,
based on further 2020 reporting from Variety. At that time, the slurry historical narration for
Season 7 was complete, and early on, Waters said no one at Comedy Central informed him
what happened or if the bad news was even real. He told the publication,
"[N]o one's called me. I have no idea. I have no verification of it. It sounds a little dramatic,
but it's like a funeral without any music. I would love to finish what I started. It
would just be nice to end on your own terms, to say goodbye and not just be like, 'that's it.'"
Offering some consolation, Waters reportedly maintained a "first-look" deal with Comedy
Central and would focus on other projects. As it turns out, Drunk History was not the only film
and TV franchise shuttered around that same time. When the global COVID-19 pandemic hit,
all film and TV production halted, and Waters' show was no exception.
Another contributor to the end of the show was the fact that Comedy Central decided to shift
focus toward adult animation and away from live-action production. When the news broke
of Drunk History's end, only one Comedy Central live-action series was in production — Awkwafina
Is Nora From Queens, starring comedian and actress Awkwafina. Meanwhile,
another Comedy Central series, Corporate, was in the midst of airing its final
season. Another popular live-action series, Tosh.0, also ended in 2020.
In 2020, Waters shared his thoughts on the series' end in a tweet, writing,
"Beyond disappointed with Comedy Central canceling
Drunk History. Sad to see it end but my god am I thankful for all it did."
Joining Waters was actress Ashley Nicole Black, who narrated a Season 5 episode
about classic Star Trek star Nichelle Nichols. In a tweet, Black wrote,
"I'm really gonna miss Drunk History. But
actually I wouldn't be surprised if another network picks it up."
"Yes, I am Martin Luther King, and I'm a Trekkie."
As of this video, that prediction has not yet come to pass — Season 7 episodes of
the show remain incomplete and unseen. Among other topics reportedly covered
in those lost Drunk History episodes were martial arts action movie star Bruce Lee,
baseball's first openly-gay player Glenn Burke, and the Harlem Hellfighters,
an African-American World War I regiment. Comedian Patton Oswalt was also set to be involved.
Though Drunk History remains canceled in the U.S., international spin-offs were produced,
including Drunk History: Black Stories from Comedy Central International,
covering the African diaspora. That show premiered in 2021 and ran for one season, according to CNN.