David Farnor | On 26, Jun 2016

YouTube comedy duo Smosh will broadcast their first live YouTube show this August.

The pair, Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, have become two of the video site’s biggest success stories, particularly in the comedy arena. Last year, they released their first feature film, the meta Smosh: The Movie and earlier this year, debuted their first long-form series, Part Timers, on YouTube Red. Offline, their fanbase has soared, becoming some of the few web celebs to have their likeness immortalised in wax by Madame Tussauds.

But the duo keep thinking bigger, lining up their first ever live-streamed show. Beamed onto YouTube from YouTube Space in Los Angeles on 26th August, the show will be a variety and comedy showcase, including multiple skits, guests and a musical number. Pre- and post-show segments will be hosted by Smosh Games’ Jovenshire (Joshua Ovenshire).

The show is being produced by Defy Media, the company behind Smosh, who also produced their first film with MCN Awesomeness TV. The show will be exclusively sponsored by 5 Gum – also heavily present at this week’s VidCon – with branded content before, after and during the broadcast.

“We’ve wanted to do this for a long time — it’s a big undertaking,” Defy chief content officer Barry Blumberg told Variety.

Indeed, the one-time event will cost more than double the usual recorded video budget, with seven on-camera talent and two staff writers, as well as producer Joe Bereta and other crew. Nonetheless, there’s hope that, if successful, there is potential for more in the future.

“I don’t know how often we can do it,” Blumberg continued. “It is going to require a full-time group of writers and producers to get the first one done.”

The show will be available to stream on-demand after its broadcast and a behind-the-scenes video will also be released at a later date.

Once that’s out of the way, Smosh are returning to YouTube Red for another feature-length outing. The untitled comedy, also announced this week at VidCon, will follow Luckless Charlie (Anthony Padilla), who moves into a new apartment, only to find he has a roommate: a self-centred ghost named Max (Ian Hecox). Max makes Charlie’s life a living hell, until they learn that the only way Max can get into heaven is by working together.

For more on the new line-up of YouTube originals, click here.

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