Kate Berlant Makes HBO Debut With Parmesan on October 16

Kate Berlant's first HBO comedy special is here.

Parmesan, an hour-long special marking her debut in the format, premieres Friday, October 16 at 10:00 p.m. on HBO Max BroadwayWorld. The title and date were confirmed by HBO last month ahead of launch Variety.

A comedy special, meaning a filmed stand-up set released as a single programme, is a first for Berlant at HBO. She arrives as an Emmy nominee. The October 16 slot puts the show on both the HBO cable feed and the HBO Max streaming service.

In Parmesan, Berlant leans into dark, deadpan humour about how she switches off. She performs a bit about watching videos of “unspeakable violence” to “unwind,” Variety including clips of gorillas fistfighting zookeepers and tourists being eaten by sharks. Short line, big laugh. The joke sits inside an hour built around her anxious, highly mannered stage persona.

Off stage, Berlant told Variety she has a strained relationship with being online. She said she took a six-week break from social media, logging back on only because her special had been announced. Then she deleted the apps again the night before the interview.

For viewers, this means a quick entry point. No back catalogue to catch up on. Just one hour, one performer, and a premiere-night slot.