Peacock’s newest venture, Colin Jost & Michael Che Present: New York After Dark, isn’t just a rip-off of Kill Tony—it’s yet another example of NBC’s history of borrowing without giving credit, with Saturday Night Live (SNL) at the forefront of these offenses. Time and again, SNL has lifted creative ideas from independent creators and smaller productions, including Upside Down Creative Media. This latest stunt only proves that the NBC method of repackaging original content is alive and well.
For years, SNL has mined the internet and indie sketch scenes for fresh ideas, often recycling unique concepts into watered-down skits. A few sketches on SNL have eerily mirrored concepts created by Upside Down Creative Media—only their version comes with a bigger budget and mainstream backing, while the original artists get zero acknowledgment. Despite being pioneers of outlandish and boundary-pushing comedy, our ideas have routinely appeared on SNL, repackaged and polished just enough to hide their origins but not enough to claim true originality.
Now, Peacock’s New York After Dark continues this trend, shamelessly ripping off the Kill Tony formula that has redefined live stand-up. Set to air on September 12, with Jost and Che hosting from Brooklyn’s The Bell House, the show promises a parade of their favorite comedians alongside fresh talent, mirroring the Kill Tony format to a tee. The inclusion of Grammy-nominated house band 1500 or Nothin’ even mimics the way Kill Tony uses live musicians to add an unpredictable layer to the show. Once again, NBCUniversal has wrapped a fresh coat of paint on a concept they didn’t create and are hoping no one notices.
This isn’t just a stand-alone incident either. The parallels between New York After Dark and Kill Tony are glaring, from its live setting and rotating comics to the overall structure of the show. But it’s especially infuriating to see this coming from a company like NBCUniversal, which is notorious for siphoning off indie creators’ innovations—something SNL has done to us in the past.
Instead of elevating comedy with something groundbreaking, NBC’s latest project feels like the same network-approved repackaging of an existing idea, as they’ve done before. New York After Dark is just the latest example of how mainstream giants, like NBC and SNL, continue to siphon from indie creators, profiting off our creativity while we’re left in the shadows.
Watch the trailer for this corporate crap below.
