Byron Allen

Byron Allen (born April 22, 1961, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.) is an American comedian, television and film producer, and businessman who is the founding CEO and chair of Allen Media Group, a Los Angeles-based media empire encompassing television and film production, TV channels, and digital media properties. By the early 2020s the privately held company had an estimated value of $4.5 billion. Allen is also known for cohosting NBC’s Real People (1979–84) and for hosting other programs, including Entertainers with Byron Allen (1993– ).

On May 22, 2026, Allen Media’s Comics Unleashed (2006– ) replaced The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015–26) in CBS’s 11:35 pm Eastern Time slot. The network showed back-to-back episodes of the program, which is hosted by Allen and features guest comedians. It was followed by two episodes of Funny You Should Ask (2017– ), another of the company’s programs, starting at 12:35 am.

Early life

He was born Byron Allen Folks but later dropped his surname when he began performing. His parents are Carolyn (née Hill) Folks, a hairdresser who later became an entertainment executive, and Alvin Folks, a factory worker at Ford Motor Company. The family initially lived in Detroit. Allen credits his father and his maternal grandfather, Charles Hill, who worked at Great Lakes Steel, for instilling in him a strong work ethic. He also was inspired by his paternal grandparents, Johnnie Mae and Leroy Folks, who opened RollerCade, one of the first Black-owned roller rinks in the United States.

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After Allen’s parents divorced in 1968, he and his mother moved to California. While pursuing a master’s degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, she encouraged NBC to create an internship program. Shortly thereafter she became the network’s inaugural intern, later working as a tour guide and eventually becoming a publicist for the network.

After his school days ended, Allen joined his mother at the studio, where he watched the filming of various shows. He also met numerous celebrities, including Freddie Prinze, Redd Foxx, Bob Hope, and Johnny Carson. Allen later recalled, “I fell in love with television, the art of making television, and the business of making television and being a comedian.”

Comedy career

Allen made his stand-up debut at the age of 14 at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. That led to a meeting with actor-comedian Jimmie (“JJ”) Walker, who subsequently invited Allen to join a team of writers, including David Letterman and Jay Leno, who were creating material for his stand-up performances. Allen continued to perform at the Comedy Store and other clubs in the Los Angeles area.

On May 17, 1979, just a week before graduating from Fairfax High School, 18-year-old Allen appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He is the youngest stand-up comedian to perform on the program. Allen was briefly enrolled at the University of Southern California before accepting an offer to cohost Real People, a precursor to modern-day reality programs. The show, which debuted in 1979, featured ordinary Americans with unconventional hobbies and jobs.

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After Real People ended in 1984, Allen cowrote and costarred in the made-for-television movie Case Closed (1988), a crime comedy. In 1989 he began hosting The Byron Allen Show, a late-night talk show in which he interviewed a variety of celebrities, including George Carlin, Joan Rivers, and Whoopi Goldberg. The program went off the air in 1992.

During this time Allen continued to work in stand-up comedy, and he was the opening act for such musicians as Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Dolly Parton, and the Pointer Sisters. He eventually realized that touring was keeping him from his true passion—producing television shows.

Allen Media Group and other businesses

In 1993 Allen founded the production company CF Entertainment, which was later renamed Entertainment Studios before becoming Allen Media Group. His business model centered on supplying affordable television programming to networks in exchange for a share of the advertising sales revenue. Entertainers with Byron Allen (1993– ), created, produced, and directed by Allen, was the company’s first program.

Since its founding, Allen Media Group has expanded exponentially through acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and ongoing development of its television, film, and digital media assets. It owns 10 national television networks, including the Weather Channel, JusticeCentral.TV, Pets.TV, and Cars.TV. The company also produces syndicated television series, including a number of court programs, notably The Verdict with Judge Hatchett (2016– ) and Mathis Court with Judge Mathis (2023– ). In addition to its television properties, Allen Media operates a film distribution and production company.

Allen also founded several other businesses that were involved in high-profile transactions. In March 2026 Allen Family Capital bought a 10.7 percent stake in the premium cable channel Starz. Two months later it was announced that Allen Family Digital was acquiring a majority stake in BuzzFeed, a media company. As part of the deal, Allen will become chair and CEO of BuzzFeed.

Advocacy

Allen has sought greater equality and economic opportunities for African Americans. He filed multibillion-dollar racial discrimination lawsuits against several corporations, including Comcast. In 2015 he sued the company for $20 billion after it refused to carry his cable TV channels. Six years later Allen filed a $10 billion lawsuit against McDonald’s, alleging that it discriminated against Black-owned media companies in its advertising budgets. Settlements were reached in both cases.

Personal life

Allen married television producer Jennifer Lucas in 2007. They have three children: daughters Chloe and Olivia and son Lucas.