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That is the question: 'Why? With Hannibal Buress' exemplifies the comedian's hilarious perspective on life

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Rory MacDonald-Gauthier / TV Media
Hannibal Buress stars in “Why? With Hannibal Buress”

Hannibal Buress stars in “Why? With Hannibal Buress”

Stand-up comedy is generally a comedian's perspective on life, people and the world around them. Whether it's a skewed look at radical day-to-day interactions they have with others or shots at themselves with self-deprecating humor, a comedian often asks themselves one question: "Why?"

Fittingly enough, stand-up comedian and actor Hannibal Buress ("Broad City") headlines his own new half-hour talk show, titled -- you guessed it -- "Why? With Hannibal Buress," with a new episode of the eight-part series airing Wednesday, July 22, on Comedy Central.

The show features Buress tackling and commentating on the latest cultural trends and topical events throughout the world, with a major portion of the show being filmed in front of a live audience. Filmed segments, in-studio guests and on-street interviews will also be featured, as Buress's comedy focuses strongly on discussing why people think certain things and what their daily thought process is. While this is the initial format, it could easily change as Buress himself isn't exactly sure what the program will be about.

"The title is intriguing. That's all we got," said Buress in the web series by Made Man called "Speakeasy" in late June. Not one to beat around the bush, he followed up by saying: "We're still figuring out the heart of the show. I'm excited to do it. It should be fun."

Whether this is true or simply Buress joking that he's basically winging it, it's easy to assume the show will be entertaining, to say the least. Buress has made a career of being entertaining, but as with most careers, they begin with dreams and aspirations.

"I wanted to make at least $100,000 a year writing or performing stand-up comedy or some combination of both," said Buress in "Speakeasy." "I wanted to make a good living as an entertainer. I felt like I could do that and make a solid six figures if I worked hard."

Perhaps that's the success in Buress's act. He's not jumping through hoops to be accepted or running the rat race to make it big in Hollywood. A prime example of him working hard and beating to the sound of his own drum was in March 2014, when he tweeted out to his Twitter followers: "I'm happy to announce that Comedy Central just picked up my series 'Unemployable' for 10 episodes."

The great thing about this is that, unbeknownst to all, Comedy Central had not actually picked up his pilot, and Buress was taking action to get the ball rolling. After his initial tweet, he followed up by asking his followers to tweet at Comedy Central to congratulate them on picking up the pilot. When he stopped by "Conan" shortly thereafter, host Conan O'Brien asked Buress about the situation.

"I didn't make it up. I kind of just put my dreams out into the world," Buress said. "You're supposed to follow up on your dreams. I just wanted to put good energy out there! ... It's not deceiving. It's just saying I see the future and it involves [Comedy Central] picking up my show or let's make it weird."

Hannibal Buress in “Why? With Hannibal Buress”

Hannibal Buress in “Why? With Hannibal Buress”

If you're a fan of Comedy Central, Buress comes as a familiar face. He plays Lincoln in the show "Broad City," a laid-back, easygoing dentist who often tells jokes to his patients in the middle of a procedure. You may have also seen him in the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming bloc as part of "The Eric Andre Show," a program that pokes fun at local-access interview shows, where he plays a sidekick to Eric Andre ("Man Seeking Woman").

Additionally, he has appeared in and written for NBC's "30 Rock," has written for "Saturday Night Live" and has performed in countless stand-up shows -- where his journey into the entertainment business began. Most notably, he's performed in the one-hour special titled "Hannibal Buress Live From Chicago," which aired in 2014, the hour-long "Hannibal Buress: Animal Furnace" and John Oliver's "New York Stand-Up Show."

If you're more into animated series, you may recognize him as Matt Attack from "China, IL," a show that chronicles the daily activities of the worst college in America, or as Crisco from "Chozen," a sitcom about a white rapper who's released from prison and looking to rebuild his career following his release.

Buress's career thus far seems to be driven by the strength of his comedy. He's toured, performed on late-night shows, written for television and has even starred in popular shows. "Why? With Hannibal Buress" promises to be the embodiment of Buress's professional comedic journey so far, with a strong focus on interacting and dissecting his viewers and their mentality. Why wouldn't you watch it? Catch a new episode of "Why? With Hannibal Buress," airing Wednesday, July 22, on Comedy Central.