EXCLUSIVE: Hulu is expanding into podcast licensing after striking a first-of-its-kind, exclusive deal for Wer’e Here to Help, the comedy advice pod hosted by Jake Johnson and Gareth Reynolds.
The show, from comedy podcast network Headgum, will begin streaming twice a week on Hulu, beginning February 10th, with releases on Sundays and Tuesdays. Set to guest on the first episode coming to the streamer is Lamorne Morris, Johnson’s co-star on the hit Fox sitcom New Girl, which has been a standout performer in streaming for years — moving to Hulu and Peacock in 2023 after nearly a decade on Netflix.
Under the agreement for We’re Here to Help, Hulu has streaming rights to both the existing catalog and all new episodes, which will drop exclusively on Hulu a day before they are available on the podcast’s soon-to-be relaunched YouTube channel, as well as audio platforms.
Like its competitor, Netflix, Hulu has only begun adding podcasts to its portfolio quite recently. Hulu launched a slate of companion video podcasts, giving subscribers behind-the-scenes access to its original programming, this past fall, with the comedy Only Murders in the Building becoming the first title to get its own podcast. Subsequently, Hulu has rolled out further podcasts for shows including Paradise, Dancing with the Stars, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians, among others.
Premiering in August 2023, We’re Here to Help finds Johnson and actor-comedian Reynolds making pitches to callers with their best attempts at advice. Comically misguided, and frequently absurd, the advice and banter from Johnson and Reynolds has helped the show build a loyal fanbase over its three-year run. In addition to New Girl‘s Zooey Deschanel, Morris, Hannah Simone, Max Greenfield, and Damon Wayans Jr., notable guests have included Dakota Fanning, Jimmy Kimmel, Justin Long, Judd Apatow, Nikki Glaser, Dax Shepard, and Kal Penn, among others. Rabbit Grin Productions produces the series.
Prior to the deal for We’re Here to Help, Hulu was already home to Self Reliance, the 2023 comedic thriller marking Johnson’s feature directorial debut, in addition to the aforementioned New Girl.
“We started this podcast during the actors’ strike over Zoom, and made the show independently, with no real plan beyond making something we liked and staying creative. Licensing to a streamer was never even a thought,” Johnson admitted, “so getting to partner with Headgum and Hulu to bring it to more people is pretty surreal. We love making the show, and with New Girl and Self Reliance already there, Hulu feels like the perfect home.”
Headgum’s Vice President of Content, Kaiti Moos, added, “Jake and Gareth have amassed such an incredible fanbase over the years, and we’re looking forward to sharing We’re Here to Help with an even broader audience. Hulu is the perfect partner to help us bring the series into this exciting next chapter, with their creator-first philosophy and global reach.”
Marking a major change to the world of video streaming, the introduction of podcasts to platforms beyond Spotify will be a trend to keep an eye on in the coming years, as streamers compete in a new arms race for content that’s similarly sticky to, yet much cheaper to produce than traditional film and television — partially in an attempt to take eyeballs away from top podcast streamer, YouTube. In January alone, Netflix began streaming over 30 podcasts, unveiling originals like The Pete Davidson Show alongside myriad titles from the likes of Spotify/The Ringer, iHeartMedia, and Barstool Sports.