Emergent Order Foundation sets Oct. 20 premiere for comedy pilot The Experts

Emergent Order Foundation will debut The Experts, a mockumentary comedy pilot from Kurt Metzger and Bryan Callen, with a live Austin screening on Oct. 20 and a YouTube release on Oct. 21. The show satirizes a shadowy political consulting group targeting a Texas mom trying to decriminalize marijuana.

Why it matters: - The Experts takes aim at the War on Drugs and the politics around marijuana decriminalization. - The pilot turns that fight into a mockumentary about political operatives who try to stop a Texas mom from advancing a bill. - The release gives Emergent Order Foundation a new satire project with a built-in online audience through YouTube.

What happened: - Emergent Order Foundation announced the release of The Experts, an original comedy pilot written by Kurt Metzger, Keith Wahrer and Keri Garcia and directed by Bryan Callen. - The pilot will premiere with a live screening at The Creek and the Cave in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 7:30 p.m. CT. - The pilot will arrive on YouTube on Wednesday, Oct. 21. - The cast includes Callen, Metzger, Jimmy Dore, Alexandra Chando, Ryan Long and others.

The details: - The Experts is a mockumentary about a group of political operatives called BLIP. - BLIP is portrayed as cocky, poorly qualified and devoted to strange talking points and dirty tactics. - The show frames BLIP as a front group that will do whatever it takes to shape public opinion. - Alexandra Chando plays Carolyn Dean, a churchgoing Christian mom partly inspired by Mississippi mom Christina Dent. - Carolyn Dean is trying to decriminalize marijuana in Texas. - As her campaign gains traction, BLIP tries to discredit her and kill the bill. - The project is described as a biting satire of political “experts” and the legislative process. - The release notes list a large ensemble cast that also includes Chloe La Branche, Nick Callas, Amadeo Fusca, Aaron Berg, Kim Congdon, Jamar Neighbors, David Jolly, Hans Kim and Heidi Regina. - Press assets, including a screener and stills, are available on request.

Between the lines: - The pilot uses comedy to challenge the credibility of political consultants and messaging shops. - The story’s focus on a sympathetic mom suggests the satire is meant to make the anti-marijuana side look disorganized and cynical. - The project also fits Emergent Order Foundation’s stated mission of mixing culture work with ideological messaging. - John Papola, Emergent Order founder and executive producer, said the studio wants to champion truth, trust and tradition. - Frayda Levy, another executive producer, said the project targets what she called the failure of the War on Drugs.

What's next: - The live premiere is set for Oct. 20 in Austin. - The wider public release follows on YouTube Oct. 21. - Emergent Order Foundation is promoting the pilot through social channels at Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X.

The bottom line: - The Experts is a timely political comedy release that pairs marijuana policy satire with a deliberately absurd take on campaign operatives.