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Druski is bringing his money-hungry megachurch pastor character to Netflix.
The comedian will star opposite Mike Epps in a new, semi-scripted comedy series titled “Collect & Praise,” premiering on the streamer on Dec.
1. The show is based on a character made viral by Druski in an internet sketch and at the BET Awards. Epps will play the pastor’s deacon as they “scheme their way through scandal, chaos and controversy,” according to the logline.
“Collect & Praise” is the first project to be produced as part of a multi-year deal Druski signed with Netflix to create original content exclusively for the streamer through his 4Lifers Entertainment company.
The series marks the first time the 32-year-old, born Drew Desbordes, will adapt one of his popular internet personas into a longform television production. The comedian, who became famous by self-financing his content and distributing it independently on social media, now forms his first major partnership within the Hollywood studio system.
As part of the deal, Netflix will license select content from Druski’s existing catalog, including “Coulda Been Love,” “Coulda Been Daddy,” “Coulda Been Records Auditions” and his comedic skits. These series, posted directly to YouTube, have generated more than 1 billion views collectively.
“I’ve built my platform by creating characters and comedy that resonate with people,” Druski said in a statement. “This partnership with Netflix will give me the resources to build on that comedy foundation and bring my work to a new global audience. It’s a tremendous opportunity for our team at 4Lifers Entertainment to expand our reach, develop original programming for the masses and take our creativity to new heights.”
“Druski has a gift for building characters that people can’t stop talking about,” said John Derderian, who oversees Next Gen Content at Netflix. “We want the best talent in the world to bring us their most ambitious work, reach new audiences and build their brands. ‘Collect & Praise’ is just the beginning, and we welcome Druski to Netflix.”
Druski is one of comedy’s most exciting and fast-growing voices in recent years. Earlier this year, the Atlanta native became the youngest-ever host of the BET Awards, and he joined Emma Stone and Chris Pine in the cast of upcoming rom-com “The Catch.” His other credits include Prime Video’s “Livestream From Hell,” “Praise This” and the “House Party” reboot. This weekend, he will host “Saturday Night Live,” becoming the first true digital creator to do so.
