JB Smoove has always seen himself as something of an adman. In fact, during the heyday of his “Saturday Night Live” career in the early 2000s, the comedian-actor often demonstrated a natural flair for selling ideas.

“I was the pitch king at SNL,” Smoove said. “Anybody who worked with me will tell you—the best pitches came from JB.”

Two decades and dozens of commercials later, Smoove is formally setting up his own operation on Madison Avenue.

The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor has teamed up with United Entertainment Group to launch a creative agency focused on comedy. Called “The First Darrin,” the joint venture will offer brands support in creative, production, social and experiential, along with providing direct access to Smoove and his expansive network, according to executives.

“He‘s 100% committed to it,” said UEG CEO Jarrod Moses about Smoove. (Moses teased the new shop alongside Smoove at Ad Age‘s A-List & Creativity Awards Gala on April 30.) “This is a business that we‘re building together. Financial details were not disclosed, though Moses said UEG and Smoove are both allocating resources to the venture.

Smoove has long appreciated advertising—even the new agency’s name is a nod to his childhood love for the TV show “Bewitched,” which featured a fictional ad exec called Darrin. (Two actors played the role over the years: Dick York, the “first Darrin,” and later, Dick Sargent.) Over the years, Smoove has starred in ads for brands including Caesars Sportsbook, McDonald’s and Nike, but with his own agency, the comic aims to be even more involved in the creative process.

Smoove said he has always played “two sides of the ball,” not only acting in spots, but also helping write and punch them up, he told Ad Age.

His new agency is “a great chance to really show how much we really know.”

‘Believe in what the hell you’re selling’

About 25 UEG employees—based in New York, Los Angeles and London—will now also work on The First Darrin, Moses said. Smoove will essentially serve as the agency’s executive creative director, pulling together the right team for each brief, he added. Oftentimes, those teams will include some friends and experts from his personal network.

“JB is the ‘Pied Piper’ of the comedy world,” said Moses, who, like Smoove, will serve as partner at The First Darrin. There are “thousands of comics” he can get to come onboard for a project “with one phone call.”

Through Smoove‘s manager and longtime business partner, Rick Dorfman, The First Darrin will also be able to pull from entertainment-focused talent agency Authentic Talent & Literary Management. The goal is to bridge the gap “between Hollywood and brands,” said Dorfman, a partner at Authentic Talent & Literary Management.

“We‘ve got about 1,000 clients that are at our disposal,” Dorfman said. “Writers, directors, comedians and actors.”

The First Darrin will initially focus on categories including consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, financial services and retail, said Moses, calling such brands “ripe” for the agency’s comedic approach. Smoove is also interested in partnering with brands that align with his personal interests and experiences—including fatherhood, veganism, gardening and RV life.

“You gotta believe in what the hell you’re selling,” said Smoove.

Opening during uncertainty

The First Darrin arrives on the scene during a moment of widespread economic uncertainty. In response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, marketers have launched into scenario-planning mode, with some deciding to reduce agency expenses. Those challenges are not going away: Nearly 40% of chief marketing officers plan to cut back on agency budgets in 2025, according to a recent Gartner survey. The new agency aims to attract clients in part through a cost-efficient model. Traditional brand deals are often weighed down by various middlemen taking a cut, sometimes even tripling the cost by the time it reaches the client, Moses said.

With The First Darrin, brands can get more transparency and value for their investment, he said.

Brands “facing headwinds in an economically challenging environment is actually beneficial” for us, added Moses.

Even still, there’s already no shortage of agencies for marketers to pick and choose from, with more executives opening their own shops every day.

The First Darrin’s partners are bullish about carving out a place in the industry. Smoove’s versatility as a writer, producer and performer makes him a unique draw for clients, Moses said, calling his business partner a rare “triple threat.”

The comic, meanwhile, believes his creative agency has an edge thanks to his visibility. He can, for example, promote the agency on late-night and daytime talk shows, he told Ad Age. Smoove and Moses will also be at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity next month to tout the shop.

Added Smoove: “This is exactly where I’ve always wanted to be.”

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