Go behind-the scenes of the premiere of ‘Outside Tonight’ with Julian Shapiro-Barnum
Comedian Julian Shapiro-Barnum gives the play-by-play of the premiere of his new, first-of-its-kind late night show.
Jun 18, 2026 [[read-time]] minute read
You might know me from my show Recess Therapy or Celebrity Substitute, where I interview kids. Well in a major pivot I’m launching a late night show! Not a kid in sight, in fact they should all be asleep by the time this airs. My new late night show is called Outside Tonight with Julian Shapiro-Barnum and it streams on YouTube. I am bringing the best parts of classic late night and combining them with my favorite parts of the internet, to bring you something totally new, all filmed outside on the streets of New York City.
And of course, a new late night show isn’t official without a premiere, so we hosted a special event at the iconic Cherry Lane Theatre to properly welcome my baby, Outside Tonight with Julian Shapiro-Barnum into the world. And I’m taking you behind the scenes.
My face is on a wall?!
It’s call time: I arrive at the venue, and head to the green room. I change into my suit, stare at myself in the mirror, and hope that my attempt at a rebrand was successful. I put on a fedora, think twice, and head out for the night.
We have a carpet! It’s black, not red (chic).
There he is, Gianmarco Soresi, arriving in all his glory. We chat quickly before getting whisked away to take some photos. Gianmarco is going to interview me in front of an audience later…lucky me.
Look, I've done red carpets before but never for the premiere of my own project. This is surreal. And my red carpet has a park bench which has to be a first.
Standing on this stage talking to a room full of people is so surreal.
It’s almost time for the screening, and the guests take their seats. The Cherry Lane Theatre is the city’s oldest off-Broadway theatre. Since we film each episode in different locations around New York, the city’s character is at the heart of Outside Tonight. Premiering the show in such a historic place just feels right.
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I'm so incredibly proud of what we're building.
After the episode ends, I receive a 30 minute standing ovation from the audience who are in complete tears. (this is wishful thinking…I wrote this beforehand). After the ovation ends, Gianmarco and I sit down for a conversation about how we made the show, and why It’s been my dream. I talk about how I grew up loving late-night and how special “Outside Tonight” is to me. Of course, we also talked about YouTube, “Outside Tonight” is a show for the digital era, and bringing it to YouTube lets me reach a wide audience without the constraints of a traditional network.
Then, it’s time to party. This is what we do it for — the chatting, the hand-shaking, the mini-burgers, and my signature cocktail - The Dirty Julian. The episode is live, and people are watching it as we speak. I hope they’re loving it! My baby is making its way out into the world!
Tune-in every Wednesday at 8 p.m. on YouTube to watch new episodes of Outside Tonight with Julian Sharpiro-Barnum. The only show on the internet and you can quote me on that.