Why (& How) Hannibal Buress Left
Sophia Edwards The Eric Andre Show season 5 saw longtime co-host Hannibal Buress abruptly exit; here's why the comedian decided to leave the show.
The Eric Andre Show season 5 saw co-host Hannibal Buress quit the show; here's how and why the comedian exited. Eric Andre has appeared in more audience friendly fare like Don't Trust The B In Apartment 23 or voicing a character in 2019's The Lion King, but he's best known for his nightmarish, self-titled Adult Swim series. The Eric Andre Show is a surreal chat show where a sweaty, awkward Andre chats with bemused guests while co-host Hannibal Buress delivers deadpan snark from the sidelines.
The Eric Andre Show feels like a late-night chat show filtered through a David Lynch fever dream, and it's been a cult favorite since debuting in 2012. Intriguingly, Andre has cited animated chat show Space Ghost Coast To Coast as a big inspiration for his series, and he's managed to convince guests like Seth Rogen, John Cena, Ryan Phillippe and Krysten Ritter to appear. Guests reportedly have no idea what's going to happen when they appear - which is very evident with some, such as the infamous Lauren Conrad interview.
The Adult Swim Eric Andre Show took a four-year break following season 4, with season 5 finally arriving in 2020. Fans were somewhat shocked to see the second episode of the season where Hannibal Buress, following a typically chaotic interview with rapper guest Saweetie, casually announces he's quitting and walks off the show. Not missing a beat, Eric takes one of Hannibal's discarded nose hairs and uses it to create a monstrous clone dubbed Blannibal to replace him as co-host.
Eric Andre had actually announced Buress' exit before his abrupt departure and opened about him leaving in a Vanity Fair profile. Andre explained that when they first started discussing The Eric Andre Show season 5, Buress didn't want to do it at all, and had seemingly grown tired of the format. Andre admitted he was devastated to lose his comedy partner, but at least managed to convince him to return for a couple of episodes to give him a proper exit. His Blannibal clone is played by musician James Hazley who had little acting experience before joining The Eric Andre Show, with the host finding him on Craigslist.
Hannibal Buress himself has largely declined to give a specific reason for his The Eric Andre Show season 5 exit. Having become more famous throughout its run thanks to appearances in his own comedy specials and the likes of Broad City and Spider-Man: Homecoming, maybe he was just ready to move on creatively. There seems to be no bad blood between him and Andre over his departure, and the show's so surreal it wouldn't be a major shock if he just returned for season 6 as a permanent co-host.
