Mark Normand to Present YouTube Comedy Series ‘Human Trials,’ Which Puts Stand-Up Comics in Front of Hyper-Niche Crowds (EXCLUSIVE)

What if a stand-up comedian walked onstage only to find the audience was 50 bald men? Or 50 clowns, or nuns, or bikers or goths?

Mark Normand wanted to find out, so he co-created a new YouTube series with Unicorn titled “Human Trials,” an experiment that places comics in front of hyper-niche live audiences. According to the logline, “the result is a hilarious and unpredictable environment where the room actively shapes the comedy in real time.”

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The series also incorporates audience interviews and real-time feedback from the crowd, exploring how different demographics think and react to specific types of humor. It’s described as blending the unpredictability and interactivity of “Kill Tony” with the social curiosity of Jubilee videos (“Surrounded,” “Middle Ground”).

“I’ve done all kinds of shows, and it’s always wild to see how different crowds react to the same jokes,” said Normand. “Especially when you get a very specific group all in one room.”

Scott Dunn, the co-founder of Unicorn, a creator management company and content studio, added: “I’ve watched countless comedy specials over the years and always become fixated on watching specific audience members and how they react to the material. No comedian keeps audiences on their toes quite like Mark, which makes him the absolute perfect face for this new approach to the category.”

Dunn and Normand executive produce with Chris Gera, Ali Fischbein, Christian Tom, Landon Morgado and Aisha Shah of AND Media. 

Normand is a stand-up comic known for co-hosting the podcasts “We Might Be Drunk” and “Tuesdays With Stories.” His latest special, “None Too Pleased,” debuted on Netflix in March.