Judd Apatow, Bill Hader Publicist Matt Labov Joins ID PR Agency (EXCLUSIVE)

By Cynthia Littleton

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Veteran publicist Matt Labov has joined ID, bringing such high-profile comedy clients as Judd Apatow and Bill Hader to the PR agency.

Labov has spent the past eight years running his own publicity firm, Forefront Media. Before launching Forefront in 2010, he spent 16 years with BWR agency, rising to co-president before he decided to hang out his own shingle. Over the year’s he has repped such stars as Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Bill Hicks, and Bernie Mac.

Other clients joining Labov at ID, run by CEO Kelly Bush and president Mara Buxbaum, are Jody Hill, Danny McBride, Pete Holmes, Jordan Klepper, Norm Macdonald, writer-comedian Trevor Moore, and actor Edi Patterson (“Vice Principals”).

Labov has honed a niche with multi-hyphenate comedy stars. He’s worked on PR campaigns for such series as HBO’s buzzy freshman “Barry,” starring Hader, as well as HBO comedies “Crashing,” “Eastbound and Down,” “Vice Principals,” and “Da Ali G Show.” He’s also has hand in PR for Central’s “Chappelle’s Show,” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” and IFC’s “Documentary Now.”

On the movie side, Labov has been active with PR efforts for hit Apatow productions including “The 40 Year Old Virgin” (2005), “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004),  and “Trainwreck” (2015), as well as “The Interview” (2014), and “Borat” (2006).