MTV delivers major update on ‘Ridiculousness’ Season 46 — but it’s not what we were expecting
MTV is turning the page on one of its longest-running shows. After 14 years, ‘Ridiculousness,’ the viral video clip series fronted by Rob Dyrdek, has officially been canceled. The network confirmed that Season 46 will be the final installment, as reported by Variety. This marks the end of an era for the comedy series that has practically taken over MTV’s programming for more than a decade. Though production has officially ceased, fans won’t have to say goodbye right away. The remaining pre-taped episodes will continue airing through 2026, while reruns will remain a fixture on MTV’s schedule and select seasons will continue streaming on Paramount+.
According to an insider familiar with the decision, MTV’s move to end ‘Ridiculousness’ is part of a broader content overhaul under Paramount Global. The network reportedly wants to curate a more diverse and “experimental” slate that highlights a range of “creative voices” and signals a “refreshed” programming direction. What exactly that new strategy will look like remains to be seen, but it does suggest MTV is finally pulling back from its near-total reliance on ‘Ridiculousness’ reruns. Since premiering in August 2011, ‘Ridiculousness’ became synonymous with MTV’s identity.
The half-hour show, featuring Dyrdek alongside co-hosts Chanel West Coast and later Lauren “Lolo” Wood, turned the internet’s most outrageous viral clips into late-night comedy fodder. It filled the gap left by MTV’s retreat from music videos and scripted programming, offering an easy, endlessly repeatable format that required minimal production and guaranteed consistent ratings. Over time, however, ‘Ridiculousness’ became more than just a hit, it became the show MTV couldn’t stop airing. By 2020, the series reportedly accounted for over 113 hours a week of the network’s 168-hour schedule, leaving little room for other programming.
Financially, the show was a massive commitment. Just a day before news of the cancellation broke, Bloomberg revealed that court filings showed Dyrdek was earning at least $32.5 million per year from his MTV deal. That included a $21,000 executive producer fee and a $61,000 on-camera fee per episode, plus bonuses. Still, there’s no denying the cultural footprint ‘Ridiculousness’ leaves behind. Across more than 1,700 episodes, the series managed to outlast countless MTV contemporaries, building a fan base that tuned in for its mix of slapstick humor, snarky commentary, and endless compilations of internet chaos.
Its cancellation also comes amid major corporate shifts at Paramount following its $8 billion merger with David Ellison’s Skydance Media. The company has begun restructuring several of its brands, and slimming down MTV’s content slate appears to be part of that wider strategy. While ‘Ridiculousness’ may have reached the end of its road, its spirit, and reruns, will linger on. After 14 years of cringe-worthy fails, outrageous stunts, and the unmistakable sound of Dyrdek’s laugh, MTV’s long-running viral clip empire is finally taking its last bow.