The Comedy Bureau Field Report – The Comedy Bureau

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 112: Business Casual & Sketchy Times

May 18, 2022

business casual, charlie chaplin, corey peter lane, hunter saling, jeremy elder, netflix, sketch comedy, tom brady, volodmyr zelensky

Many great sketch groups did survive to this side of the pandemic, but were left to figure out things in a whole new world of comedy with new theaters or old theaters with new owners and have to, like every single on the planet, rebuild.

Fortunately for the scrappy, DIY trio of Business Casual (Jeremy Elder, Corey Peter Lane, and Hunter Saling) adapting to unforeseen change has been the name of the game for them. So, we chat with them about how they’re now one of the handful of sketch groups that you should absolutely be following and deserving of a break for bigger and better and brighter things.

Also, “hot” takes on Zelenksy saying we need a new Chaplin, Netflix’s roast of Tom Brady, and more.

Follow Business Casual @businesscasualcomedy (@idealstepdad @jeremyelderr @captain_sad_beard) on IG

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 111: Cricket Arrison & Tenderness in Absurdity

May 11, 2022

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absurdist comedy, cricket arrison, dave chappelle, i think you should leave, netflix, russell peters, sketch comedy, wham city

As it has been for years and years now, the world is so absurd that trying to be absurd comedically is an incredibly daunting challenge. That still doesn’t stop such brilliant and amazing folks such as Cricket Arrison from finding ways to satirize the world and be comedically ludicrous in such the ridiculous, preposterous time that we live in. We chat with Cricket about how the gauntlet of the last few years has transformed both her comedy and herself as a person into something that’s still on the stranger side of the spectrum of hilarity, but more tender and, in so many way, beautifully funny.

Also, “hot” takes on Netflix foregoing making Chappelle’s Hollywood Bowl performances into specials, I Think You Should Leave getting season 3, and Russell Peters’ upcoming new sneakers.

Follow Cricket @cricketcricketcricket on IG and @cricketarrison on Twitter

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 110: Brett Johnson & Bringing It All Back to the YARD

May 4, 2022

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brett johnson, chappelle, daniel radcliffe, james corden, john ennis, late late show, late night, weird al yankovic, yard theater

While it’s rare, there are folks that go and see almost the same amount of comedy that we do. It should go without saying that we enjoy the company of those folks, which is exactly why we had a splendid chat with the YARD Theater’s uber-friendly co-manager Brett Johnson. With his involvement, Brett has made a home for some of the more genre and tone bending types of comedy and, thusly, we have spent a good deal of time standing in the back and cracking up.

This week, we chat with Brett about The YARD’s journey through the last few years and where it looks to head. Also “hot” takes on Chappelle getting taclked, Corden ending his run at The Late Late Show, and the first reveal of Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al Yankovic.

Follow @theyardtheater across platforms and @whatbrett on IG

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 109: Alice Hamilton & Shots Fired

April 27, 2022

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alice hamilton, cex kriminal, chris d'elia, stand up comedy

Though roasting in comedy has taken on a new chapter via the Comedy Central Roasts and Roast Battle, it’s rare to see actual fury channeled into comedy. It has also even been rarer that the predators and monsters within comedy are held accountable in a meaningful way. Alice Hamilton, a rising comedian in the LA scene, struck both rare chords with her self-produced and self-released half hour special CEX KRIMINAL, which goes for the jugular, in great detail, of all the alleged and confirmed pests/predators/pieces of trash that she can think of.

We have Alice on to talk about how she came to put all of this together in the matter of a few weeks (or days if you ask her) and what such a special means in the art form of comedy.

Follow Alice @alicerhamilton on Twitter and @missalicehamilton on IG and watch CEX KRIMINAL here.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 108: Sara June & All Comedy, Everywhere, All at Once

April 20, 2022

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arsenio, julia roberts, sara june

These are the days of the comedy multi-hyphenates. Not only does that mean that taking a 100% focus on one direction within comedy isn’t very feasible anymore, it has inspired many comedian of the current and recent generations to expand their repertoire into all sorts of different corners.

This week, we chat it up with one of our favorite comedy multi-hyphenates, Sara June. A writer/comedian/director, Sara’s work has had us busting up, both on stage and on the screen (that includes her most recent short Bathroom Time) and we thus talk about anything from the inner workings of trying to make it as a comedy director these days to balancing that with performing live to bed frames and starting an indie fashion label.

Also, “hot” takes on Arsenio returning for a short run and Julia Roberts taking 20 years off of rom coms.

Follow Sara @corpseflour on IG and get everything else at sarajune.online

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 107: Chris Copen & Small Market Comedy Economics

April 13, 2022

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bbc comedy festival, bottlerocket social hall, chris copen, gilbert gottfied, pittsburgh

While the primary focus of The Comedy Bureau is in LA and NYC, there is plenty of great comedy to be had and shared all around the country (and the world). In fact, there are so many folks in smaller cities/markets that would love to see more than whatever the comedy club in the biggest city near them offers them that there would seem to be a niche to be filled.

That’s where Chris Copen and Bottlerocket Social Hall come in.

Copen, a la Field of Dreams, is opening up an indie comedy theater, following in the footsteps of Philly’s Good Good Comedy Theatre, that will be a forward thinking, “hip”, multi-faceted comedy and performance theater. After trying a traditional industry route that was upended by the pandemic, Chris followed his dreams down a long, very winding road to open a dreamy, 70s inspired comedy spot. Copen shares his journey as well as the lay of the land of how comedy works in smaller markets and what the future holds with TCB’s Jake Kroeger for this week’s Field Report.

Also, “hot” takes on the passing of Gilbert Gottfried & Sara Mostajabi, The BBC Comedy Festival, and more.

Follow Bottlerocket Social Hall @bottlerocketpgh across platforms and Chris @chris_copen on Twitter & @typicalwhitegiant on IG

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 106: Helen Levenson & Figuring Out a Comedy Scene

April 6, 2022

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grammys, los angeles comedy, louis ck, nyc comedy

Helen Levenson, a rising person in the inner-workings of comedy, might be the freshest LA from NYC transplant we’ve ever had on The Comedy Bureau Field Report. As such, we catch her perspective on the LA comedy scene (and LA in general) in the very first days of living in the City of Angels. Helen herself works at one of the biz’s top management companies and is an intrepid fan of comedy (as it should be). In fact, we caught two shows back-to-back before we recorded this past midnight.

Also, of course we get into Louis winning his 3rd Grammy and how all sorts of wrong that is.

Follow Helen @helenisawkward across platforms.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 105: Gianmarco Soresi & Doing the Soderbergh

March 30, 2022

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chris rock, gianmarco soresi, the slap, ucb, will smith

Love it or hate it (and so many people hate it while being obsessed with it), social media has become throughly woven into the fabric of comedy. Gianmarco Soresi has not only honed his skills as a stand-up and sketch comedian as well as storyteller and podcaster, but meticulously and tirelessly built up a very enviable social media following (across all the platforms to boot) on top of that. Gianmarco joins TCB’s Jake Kroeger to dissect how to balance purely doing the craft of stand-up versus feeding the beast of social media, somewhat like Steven Soderbergh’s noted strategy of doing one film for the studios and doing one for him.

Also, of course, we talk about Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock as well as the return of UCB (under new ownership)

Follow Gianmarco on all things @gianmarcosoresi

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 104: Kenice Mobley & Rooftop Debuts

March 23, 2022

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and just like that, jfl montreal, kenice mobley, nyc comedy

When having your late night TV debut, it’s an affair framed with bright lights, an applause sign, a big TV audience, and a sharply dressed late night host. Due to COVID-19, the amazing Kenice Mobley made her Tonight Show debut on a rooftop in wintry temperatures and still managed to kill anyways. Mobley talks her journey getting to the very set as well making space for black weirdness in comedy and talking sex without feeling all that blue.

Also, “hot” takes on JFL Montreal, season 2 of And Just Like That and more.

Follow Kenice @kenicemobley across socials, listen to her podcast Love About Town, and tune into Make Yourself Cry on Planet Scum on Thursdays at 10PM ET/7PM

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 103: Danielle Lee & The Importance of Being Yourself

March 16, 2022

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abbott elementary, comedy news, hulu, netflix is a joke fest, pete davidson

Though you might be skeptical, there are indeed, real, honest, good industry folks that are less about the industry than their job title might suggest. Cue in one of our favorite industry folks, producer Danielle Lee, who has brought great and wonderful things to stages and screens of all sizes across the country and is a fierce supporter of the best, forward thinking comedy out there. TCB’s Jake Kroeger sits down with Danielle to talk shop and specifically get an industry insider perspective on how comedians can best serve themselves going forward in 2022.

Follow Danielle on all platforms at @fndanielle.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 102: Val Douroux & Starting Comedy Festivals

March 9, 2022

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comedy festival, electric comedy, utah, val douroux

Of all the grandiose comedy goals one might have had over the last two years, starting a comedy festival in a national park in Utah was probably both far out of sight as well as far from being a potential reality. The effervescent and determined writer/comedian/producer Val Douroux truly pulled off doing a comedy festival in Zion National Park with the Electric Comedy Festival, not once, but twice. Douroux walks through that journey of starting a DIY comedy festival in the unlikeliest of times with TCB’s Jake Kroeger and shares in her joy for the art form.

Also “hot” takes on Muppet Mayhem, Spirit Award comedy winners, and more.

Follow Val @valdouroux on IG and Electric Comedy at @electriccomedynight on IG and @comedy_electric on Twitter

Photo by David Dudley

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 101: Yedoye Travis & Redefining the Idea of Being a Comedian

March 2, 2022

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hbo, iheart, larry david, sxsw, yedoye travis

There is and has been some sort of prevailing narrative as to the trajectory of a comedian’s career for decades. The milestones of doing late night or doing specials, getting your show, playing theaters/stadiums, etc. are just some of the trappings that many have thought is some sort of path for the artist that is a comedian. That said, it doesn’t have to be that way and the very funny and very thoughtful Yedoye Travis unravels these ideas and notions with TCB’s Jake Kroeger as he is blazing his very own trail that just so happens to include a lot of Yedoye performing really great stand-up comedy.

Also, “hot” takes on Larry David postponing his HBO doc premiere, SXSW Comedy 2022, iHeart Podcast Union, and more.

Follow Yedoye @professoryedoye on IG and @yedoye_ on Twitter. Also, give Bury Me Loose, Yedoye’s half hour special a watch here.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 100: Yemi Afolabi & Comedy in Swenglish

February 23, 2022

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amazing jonathan, aziz ansari, bill murray, daniel radcliffe, european comedy, jerry lewis, king bach, sweden comedy, weird al yankovic, yemi afolabi

Yes, it is The Comedy Bureau Field Report’s 100th Episode. This podcast started at the beginning of the pandemic and the pandemic has been going on this damn long. That said, it’s quite the milestone and, as such, we have Yemi Afolabi, a comedian who TCB’s Jake Kroeger started out with back at the turn of the decade to the 2010s, who has had an astounding journey himself going from finding himself in some corner of comedy in LA to gaining real heat doing stand-up in Sweden (often in Swedish/English hybrid known as Swenglish) and then coming back to NYC to focus in on climbing the ladder in the endlessly competitive NYC comedy scene.

Yemi talks all about that and more as well as “hot” takes on Aziz Ansari/Bill Murray’s latest feature project, the passing of Amazing Jonathan, and more.

Follow Yemi @yemicomedy and Hot & Bothered at @hotandbothered.comedy on IG

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 99: Will Miles & Keeping it Chicago

February 16, 2022

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hbo max, kanye, nikki glaser, south side, white house correspondents dinner, will miles

This week’s TCB Field Report has the marvelous Will Miles takes his through his journey that has seen him start out in stand-up in Chicago and brought him to writing and acting in an acclaimed sitcom, South Side, about Chicago. Miles came full circle with this path while having a family with a great full time comedian, by the way.

Also, “hot” takes on this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner, Nikki Glaser’s new reality show, Kanye offering up Michael Che double his SNL salary, and more.

Follow Will @mrwillmiles across socials and watch South Side, now streaming on HBO Max.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 98: Katrina Davis & What Apologies Are Missing

February 9, 2022

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awkwafina, joe rogan, katrina davis, spotify

Katrina Davis has not only charmed the LA comedy scene in the years since she moved here, but has become a trailblazer for being one of the first comedians to have both a virtual audience and live audience together at her show. In general, her passion to continue with both in-person and virtual comedy ought to light the way for more stubborn or purist comedians. She shares her pandemic era comedy journey with TCB’s Jake Kroeger as well as getting to actually hot hot takes on the Joe Rogan-Spotify saga and Awkwafina’s apology for her use of a “blaccent”/AAVE.

Follow Katrina @katrinasivad across socials and look out for Valley Girl at Junior High (or virtually through Asembl)

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 97: Erik Abriss & The Actual Good Fight

February 2, 2022

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ali wong, bob odenkirk, david cross, joe rogan, spotify

If you’ve listened to the nearly 100 episodes of The Comedy Bureau Field Report that have been recorded and released, you ought to know that there are an unbelievable amount of forces pushing and pulling at each other underneath the shiny, delightful surface of comedy. As of 2022, there is stil no real union that comedians have largely organized behind and, as such, fairness and equity for labor in comedy is one of its most critical issues (and is connected to inclusivity, access, safety, etc.). Intrepid LA indie comedy producer Erik Abriss and TCB’s Jake Kroeger get into the thick of these intersections of comedy, labor, representation, and really trying to figure some sort of North Star to look for and follow to a better future in comedy.

Yes, that means we talk about Joe Rogan’s mess with disinformation on The Joe Rogan Experience and ignorantly the potentially dangerous level of influence he has on his listeners. Also, “hot” takes on Ali Wong’s new special and Bob Odenkirk and David Cross’ new project.

Follow Erik @jew_chainz on IG and Everything’s Great @theshowisgreat on Twitter and @everythingsgreatshow on IG

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 96: Gabe Henry & Comedy Haiku in a Time of a Global Pandemic

January 26, 2022

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gabe henry, haiku, joe rogan, kate mckinnon, neil young, righteous gemstones, spotify

Littlefield’s Gabe Henry not only helms the treasured comedy and music venue in Brooklyn for years and years, especially throughout this darkest timeline of COVID-19, but has gathered many of the best comedians to write haikus all for a book, Eating Salad Drunk, featuring all sorts of artfully hilarious morsels in the form of 5-7-5. Henry talks with TCB’s Jake Kroeger about the journey to actually get a book published and released during the pandemic as well as keeping Littlefield going.

Also, “hot” takes on Righteous Gemstones being renewed, Neil Young taking his music off Spotify because of Joe Rogan’s disinformation, Laura Ingraham doing an impression of SNL’s Kate McKinnon doing an impression of Laura Ingraham, and more.

Follow Gabe @_gabehenry on Twitter and @gabe.henryy on IG. Follow Littlefield @littlefieldnyc across socials.

Eating Salad Drunk: Haikus for the Burnout Age by Comedy Greats will come out at wherever you get your fine books on Feb. 22nd, 2022 or 2/22/22.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 95: Ruby Karp & Actual Hope

January 19, 2022

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bandera animation, chelsea handler, daniel radcliffe, gen z, greg daniels, mike judge, millenials, ruby karp, weird al yankovic

It’s one thing to think of young people as the future, but it’s a whole other thing to actually talk to them about what the prospect of the coming years has in store for them. Taking a cue from C’mon C’mon, we talk to Ruby Karp, a comedian who is both Gen Z and has had more experience in doing comedy than people in their 30s and 40s. Karp has an inspiring passion for comedy that is both captured through her own very genuine hope for the future of comedy and convinces that there is something actually better to come with 2022 onwards. It also helps that she is an unstoppably bubbly person to talk to.

Also, “hot” takes on Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al Yankovic, the fame of Pete Davidson, Chelsea Handler’s memoir being adapted into a Peacock series, and more.

Follow Ruby Karp @rubykarp across socials.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 94: Casey Feigh & Walking Into a Dive Bar to Do Improv

January 12, 2022

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aziz ansari, bob saget, casey feigh, goldbergs, improv comedy, long form improv, netflix, snl

Long form improv, pretty much at any level, almost exclusively happens in black box theaters as they just happen to be the perfect set up for a team to improvise comedic scenes out of “thin air”. The enduring pandemic has not afforded such spaces with ease as was had in 2019 resulting in improvisers having to, well, improvise. Casey Feigh leads off one of the only weekly improv shows in LA, which used to have dozens upon dozens a show per week, Holy Sh*t Improv, currently housed at long standing Silverlake watering hole, The Silverlake Lounge.

It’s kind of a challenge to do live comedy in any bar where the main bar and the main stage are in the same room, but Feigh, a veteran improviser/comedian, sees his way past any of the challenges through the community he fosters with the very best improvisers in and around the once improv-saturated Los Angeles comedy scene. Casey joins TCB Field Report to chronicle trying to run one of the only recurring improv shows during a pandemic.

Also, “hot” takes on a new SNL podcast, Aziz Ansari’s upcoming new Netflix special, and more.

Follow Casey @caseyfeigh on Twitter and IG and Holy Sh*t Improv @holyshitimprov on IG

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 93: Joel Mandelkorn & Oof, It’s 2022

January 5, 2022

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betty white, joel mandelkorn, john bowman

It’s technically a new year even though 2020 feels like it’s still happening. So much live comedy has already gone dark at the top of the year making the rest of 2022 feel uncertain to say the least.

That said, there was a bunch of great comedy things in happened in 2021 as captured in our actual-end-of-year list. We have Joel Mandelkorn, indie comedy producer extraordinaire, as one of the best authorities on the happenings in comedy, in for this week’s TCB Field Report to scratch the surface of what was great in comedy last year and break down what’s there to look forward to, if anything, in 2022 comedy. Also, RIP Betty White and John Bowman.

The 100 Best Things in Comedy We Were Witness To in No Particular Order

Follow Joel @cleftclips on Twitter and IG and listen to Haunt the Johnsons on Audible.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 92: Sam Varela & 2022 Electric COVID-loo

December 29, 2021

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covid protocol, don't look up, joe rogan, licorice pizza, sam varela, vaccine mandates, virtual comedy

As 2022 approaches, there’s a lot on the horizon, despite everything in live performance going dark for a few weeks at least, if not several. Thankfully, Sam Varela, one of the best people in comedy, joins again to not only break down the situation that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has brought to comedy, but highlight the ongoing importance of her virtual stand-up show, Self-Care Comedy, that has been going weekly for almost a year and still has strong regular audience as well as that there is no going back to any sort of element of 2019 ever again. For whatever we have to look forward to in 2022 with the pandemic still well in place, Sam and TCB’s Jake Kroeger attempt to see what’s ahead (and talk a lot about Adam McKay’s brilliant Don’t Look Up in the process).

Also, hot takes on the boycott of Licorice Pizza, Joe Rogan postponing a 4/20 show because he doesn’t want to obey any vaccine mandates, and more (including world politics and astrophysics even though this is a comedy podcast).

Follow Sam @naked_comedy on Twitter & @nakedcomedy on IG and please get tickets to Ever’s The Tops! top surgery fundraiser on 1/7 @ The Elysian. Stay tuned to Self-Care Comedy every Tuesday at 7PM PT/10PM ET here.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 91: Rebecca Drysdale & Changing with Change

December 22, 2021

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emmys, lorne michaels, rebecca drysdale, snl

Rebecca Drysdale has not only been one of the best all around comedy folks that we know with writing on Key & Peele and having the longest running UCB Cagematch record with Hebecky Drysbell (partnered with Heather Anne Campbell), but is the founder of the magical DIY-as-can-be comedy venue The Clubhouse, which has thankfully survived to this side of the pandemic (and will need your help to continue to survive on this Kickstarter). She joins in with Jake Kroeger and TCB Field Report this week to talk how doing punch up for superheroes was her salvation after having one of the Tonight Show’s shortest stints of being a head writer and getting into the nitty gritty philosophy of doing comedy as a career. It’s the sort of beautiful conversation where time just faded away.

Also “hot” takes on Lorne Michaels potentially retiring from SNL, Emmy rule changes for comedy and drama, and more.

Support the Clubhouse’s reopening Kickstarter ASAP here: kickstarter.com/projects/clubhouseisback/clubhouse-phoenix-rising and follow Rebecca @beckdrys on IG.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 90: Sean Casey & Making Works in Progress Cozy

December 15, 2021

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glendale room, los angeles comedy, mask mandate, sean casey, the black list

At this side of the pandemic, there’s a whole row of exciting new comedy venues that have popped up in the stead of all the ones that have closed, one of them being The Glendale Room, located in the vibrant streets of Downtown Glendale. This week’s TCB Field Report has the founder of The Glendale Room, Sean Casey, chat with us about providing a crucial space that can be comfy for those on the rise in comedy or those with success, a place to be a “work in progress”. On top of all of that, it might be the coziest venue in town with its bookstore vibe.

Also, “hot” takes on comedy The Black List, CA’s new universal indoor mask mandate, and more.

Follow The Glendale Room @theglendaleroom on IG and Twitter.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 89: Dylan Adler & The In-Betweens

December 8, 2021

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Dylan Adler, netflix is a joke fest, spotify

Discovering Dylan Adler for the first time this year was absolutely one of the highlights of 2021 for us at TCB. His mix of Broadway flair, darkly personal comedy, and acrobatics (Dylan does a backflip in his act) blew us away when we saw it on a rooftop of a parking structure and must be a real gift to the NYC comedy scene. Dylan joins TCB’s Jake Kroeger for this week’s TCB Field Report to follow his rise in the NYC comedy scene through queer and asian comedy spaces and spaces that are very much not that.

Also, “hot” takes on Netflix is a Joke Fest returning, comedians trying to renegotiate their deals with Spotify, and more.

Follow Dylan @dylanadler6 on Twitter, @dylanadler_ on IG, and @dylanadler7 on TikTok

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 88: Dave Ross & Rededicating Yourself to Comedy

December 1, 2021

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

dave ross, jake kroeger, pen15, simpsons

Dave Ross is pretty much as cherished of a fixture in the LA comedy scene as one can be. Holy Fuck, WOMEN, Suicide Buddies, What’s it Called, and, of course, Good Heroin are just a few of the things that Dave has made over the last decade and change and left an indelible mark in comedy. So, Ross joins the Field Report this week to talk his mental/emotional/spiritual journey in both coming up in comedy in the 2010s and coming back to it out of lockdown. This conversation really spotlights the artistry in comedy and the sort of dedication and humility (on top of being funny) that comedy really requires.

Also, “hot” takes on PEN15, The Simpsons on Disney+ in Hong Kong, and more.

Follow Dave @davetotheross across socials.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

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