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The Comedy Bureau Field Report

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The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 26: Fifi Dosch & Being Out/Getting Out
September 23, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
art of self defense, chappelle, emmys, fifi dosch, jenny slate, lgbtq, little nicky, pen15, quibi, save our stages, schitts creek, sf sketchfest, trans lives

Fifi Dosch has taken one hell of a road to get where she is now as a trans woman who, after achieving her goal of getting to the status of paid regular at one of the most legendary comedy clubs in the world, The Comedy Store, found that there was something still very much missing in her life. Dressing up as a woman on stage brought Fifi to the realization that of who she really was and prompted her transition to being an out trans woman. Additionally, that was followed up with, just a week or so before recording this very episode, a decision by Fifi to move on from stand-up entirely, despite being well on her way to her previous goals, to focus on writing and spending more time with the simple pleasures of her life. Fifi takes TCB’s Jake Kroeger through this whole journey as well as dishing out hot takes on this year’s Emmy winners in comedy, SF Sketchfest going virtual for 2021, the “rally to reopen”, and Jenny Slate’s newest hosting gig at Quibi.

Follow Fifi at @fifidosch on Twitter and IG and please listen/subscribe to Fifi Quest.

Shout outs: season 2 of PEN15, The Art of Self-Defense, Little Nicky starring Adam Sandler

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. 25: Lisa Curry & Coming Oh So Close
September 16, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
adam sandler, beth stelling, borat 2, guy branum, john cena, katie hughes, last week tonight, lisa curry, nicole byer, ryan hamilton, taylor tomlinson, wipeout

It takes a special sort of comedian to release their very first hour of comedy during a global pandemic after going through recording it far from home in the UK. Lisa Curry is that special sort of comedian on top of having a really great penchant for dark humor. Curry zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger about taking such a leap as well as Curry coming very, very close to so many big breaks, but coming up short or being left in the dark as to what happened until she reads her fate in the trades. That even includes coming close to plenty of this week’s news items covering Last Week Tonight‘s renewal, Nicole Byer and John Cena hosting the newest Wipeout, Borat 2, and Guy Branum getting to develop his very own scripted series at NBC.

Follow Lisa Curry at LisaCurry.net and please get her brand new debut album Alive for a While.

Shout Outs: Adam Sandler’s 100%  Fresh, Taylor Tomlinson’s Quarter Life Crisis, Ryan Hamilton’s Happy Face, Beth Stelling’s Girl Daddy, Katie Hughes’ Queen of the Castle

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. 24: Steve Hernandez & Calculated Risks
September 9, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
chatterbox, comedy news, comedy podcast, ellen, i'm thinking of ending things, jake kroeger, maria bamford, snl, steve hernandez, ted alexandro

Before lockdown, one of LA’s best comedy shows, sometimes described as one of the best indie comedy shows in the entire country happened on Sunday Nights at The Chatterbox in Covina. Steve Hernandez not only built the show from the ground up over several years, but has also grown his own personal podcast empire in co-hosting Views From the Vista, The Male Gaze, and Who’s Your God? (as well as an upcoming fourth podcast that he reveals on the pod). Steve zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger to talk on how Steve meticulously has adjusted and planned for the survival of all those things and what may or may not come for live comedy in LA in the coming months and years. Also, there’s some “hot” takes on SNL promoting Ego Nwodim to repertory player and Ellen DeGeneres setting a return date for her show and promising that “we’re gonna talk about it.”

In the midst of all of that, Jake gets into his hang-ups with the new Charlie Kaufman movie I’m Thinking of Ending Things even though he hasn’t seen it yet.

Follow Steve @hernia on IG and @bighern on Twitter.  Listen/subscribe to Views From the Vista, The Male Gaze, and Who’s Your God?

Shout outs: Maria Bamford’s You Are (a Comedy) Special, Ted Alexandro’s CUT/UP

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. 23: Carmen Morales & Important Distractions
September 2, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
big mouth, carmen morales, gaffigan, good heroin, mark normand, out to lunch, social d, zoom shows

To pull of a live-stream stand-up show is hard just as it. To do it consistently and charge and have a dedicated audience that’s willing to pay in an unprecedented time of economic fallout is truly amazing. That’s what Carmen Morales has done with her recurring live-stream Zoom stand-up show, Social D. Carmen zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger to see how she pulled it off and really disproves that comedy is dead right now (it’s just different). Also, “hot” takes on Jim Gaffigan’s rant against the RNC and Ayo Edebiri replacing Jenny Slate as voice of Missy on Big Mouth.

You can follow Carmen at carmenmorales.com and @thefunnycarmen across socials and listen to her podcast No Sir Pod.

Shout Outs: Mark Normand’s Out to Lunch  and Good Heroin the Podcast

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. 22: Elyssa Phillips & Pack Mentality
August 26, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
beth stelling, girl daddy, gone fishing, good guy with a gun, jay light

The Pack Theater here in LA has always been a small, but mighty theater with its verve and boundary pushing and irrefutable sense of community. Artistic Director Elyssa Phillips has been a big part of building that spirit and keeping it going under the pall of this pandemic. Phillips zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger and talks transforming The Pack into an entire virtual 7-night a week comedy theater and school, one of the few venues in the entire country that has persevered and pulled it off. Also, some quick takes on live action Powerpuff Girls, Amy Poehler’s Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz doc, Robin Thede’s overall deal at Warner Bros. TV, and Seinfeld defending NYC’s honor versus a disenchanted comedy club owner.

Follow Elyssa @elyssamp  and follow The Pack @packtheater and at packtheater.com or at their Twitch channel.

Shout outs: Beth Stelling’s HBO Max special Girl Daddy, short film Gone Fishing, Jay Light’s Good Guy with a Gun

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. 21: Emma Willmann & Outside
August 19, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
austin sketch festival, calise hawkins, comedy podcasts, eddie griffin, ellen, emma willmann, hasan minhaj, joe list, lilly singh, patriot act, richard jeni, super serious

Emma Willmann has pioneered, like so few have, into the great unknown of doing stand-up in person in an indoors venue under the shadow of COVID-19. She also has driven all around the the U.S. of A and getting tested and quarantining from coast to coast. As this week’s guest on TCB Field Report, she zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger about her hopping from city-to-city and the caution she observes in an ever-changing landscape of even thinking about doing stand-up in person in this current moment. Also, they get into some quick-ish takes on the cancellation of Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, the developing crisis at Ellen, Lilly Singh’s upcoming new sketch special, and an entire sketch festival going virtual from Austin, TX.

Follow Emma @emmawillmann on Instagram and listen to Emma’s Bunker and Inside the Closet

Shout Outs: Calise Hawkins Is 40 AF, Super Serious, Joe List “I Hate Myself”, Richard Jeni, Eddie Griffin

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. 20: Kyle Kinane & Tranquility (Sort Of)
August 12, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
amc, boogie monster, cherubic, george carlin, hey girl, judd apatow, kyle kinane, mike carrozza, niva, peacock, running the light, sam tallent, sara schaefer, save our stages, stand up, trampoline in a ditch

The brilliant Kyle Kinane hops on Zoom with TCB’s Jake Kroeger for this week’s Field Report with just having released his latest album, a comedic work of grandeur called Trampoline in a Ditch. Jake and Kyle talk the thought behind releasing a 100 minute comedy album and the phenomenon of the podcast fan via Kinane’s shows that he co-hosts, The Boogie Monster and Hey Girl. They get into some quick takes (and some hot tangents) on AMC doing true crime comedy, Judd Apatow doing a George Carlin doc, and Peacock’s latest comedy programming line-up. Also, there’s quite a bit of reminiscing of Kinane’s comedy throughout his career that you really ought to look up when you get the chance.

Follow Kyle @kylekinane and get into the Boogie Monster co-hosted by Dave Stone and Hey Girl co-hosted by Matt Braunger. Support NIVA at saveourstages.com.

Shout outs: Mike Carrozza’s upcoming album Cherubic, Sara Schaefer’s Grand: A Memoir, and Sam Tallent’s Running the Light.

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. 19: Sam Varela & Thinking of Everyone
August 5, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
comedy quarantine, ellen, eric andre, joan rivers, picture this, uk comedy

Prolific indie comedy producer Sam Varela is this week’s guest on TCB Field Report. Before quarantine, Sam produced so many wonderful comedy shows in LA and NYC. In quarantine, she immediately transitioned to building up the nightly IG Live stand-up show @comedyquarantine and doing a virtual edition of Picture This!, the live animated comedy show.  Sam zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger to talk keeping comedy going in this pandemic as well as inclusion and accessibility for everyone in that regard. Also, they gives takes on a petition for Eric Andre to host Ellen, unreleased Joan Rivers material that’s going to be released, and the UK’s recovery plans for comedy.

Please follow the shows that Sam produces @comedyquarantine & @picturethiscomedy as well as sign-up for newsletter that will keep you up-to-date on those shows and more at nakedcomedy.org.

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. 18: Jena Friedman & Dark Comedy Now
July 29, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
adult swim, bridget everett, corporate, emmy nominations, emmys, i may destroy you, i'll be gone in the dark, jena friedman, soft focus

Jena Friedman (Soft Focus), one of the best dark comedians/humorists out there today, is TCB Field Report’s honored guest this week. As the pandemic has taken hold of Jena’s computer, Jena calls in on the phone with TCB’s Jake Kroeger and discusses the unfortunate luck of being right about the pandemic, some optimism about an eventual return of comedy, and some hints at what to look out for from Jena in the future when we have a vaccine. Also, they do some quick takes on being excited about the just announced Primetime Emmy nominations and Bridget Everett’s also just announced new HBO series, Somebody Somewhere.

Follow Jena @jenafriedman on Twitter. Watch Jena’s Soft Focus specials here and her last set on Conan here.

Shout outs: I May Destroy You on HBO, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Supernatural with Ashley Flowers, Corporate on Comedy Central

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. 17: Steven Feinartz & The Wait to See
July 22, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
adultswimcon, cancel culture, directing, eddie pepitone, for the masses, jfl, snl, steven feinartz, the satellite

The Comedy Bureau Field Report welcomes its first director (of TV/film/documentary) Steven Feinartz who has helmed truly great stand-up specials and documentaries including Eddie Pepitone’s For The Masses and The Bitter Buddha. Steven zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger about the persisting lockdown affecting production and how he might approach shooting stand-up/comedy right at this moment. Also, they get into on comedy festivals going virtual, SNL’s possible return to studio 8H, LA’s The Satellite turning into a restaurant to survive, and a robust discussion about cancel culture and where it is now.

Follow Steven @stevenfeinartz on Twitter and Instagram and check out his filmography that also includes Please Understand Me, The Lot, and Bill Burr Presents The Ringers at stevenfeinartz.com.

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. 16: Nore Davis & Change for The Better
July 15, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
nore davis

This week, the ray of sunshine that is Nore Davis gets into the nitty gritty of his brand new comedy album, Live From The Comedy Trap House, that was conceptualized, rehearsed, recorded, produced, and distributed all in quarantine. Despite the protestations of several comedians on the prospect of doing comedy on Zoom, Davis really made it work for this album and he shares every bit of detail that went into making it with TCB’s Jake Kroeger. On top of that, Davis’ positivity, both in general and the way the world is changing because of the cultural uprising is sincerely refreshing on this episode.

The cast members of Ramy that they’re both trying to remember are Dave Meherje and Mo Amer.

Follow Nore @noredavis on IG and Twitter. Go get and enjoy Live at The Comedy Trap House 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. 15: Christina Catherine Martinez & Aesthetics
July 8, 2020
News, Slider, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
aesthetical relations, beavis and butt-head, christina catherine martinez, clone high, groundlings, john mulaney, live from the comedy traphouse, nore davis, search party

This week, TCB’s Jake Kroeger zooms with the beloved comedy and art world hybrid Christina Catherine Martinez. Even without a pandemic, Martinez has managed to imbue her comedy with her professional art critic sensibilities to create marvelously absurdist, subversive, high brow, yet incredibly silly bits, stand-up, and characters. Her and Jake discuss what her detailed plans for translating her conceptual comedy to live-streaming platforms like Zoom on IG Live, the extension of her Aesthetical Relations brand/universe (even revealing plans for a special), and an attempt at a quick rundown of Groundlings’ controversy, MTV animated series revivals, and Comedy Central’s order of two new John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch specials.

Also, here’s John Cage’s 4:33 to get that John Cage joke at the end.

Follow Christina at @xtina_catherine on Twitter and IG and visit christinacatherine.info to delve into all things Christina Catherine Martinez. Get the e-book version of Aesthetical Relations here.

Shout outs: I May Destroy You, Search Party, and Nore Davis’ Live From The Comedy Traphouse

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

TCB Field Report Ep. 14: Naomi Ekperigin & Connection
July 1, 2020
News, Slider, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
carl reiner, curb your enthusiasm, naomi ekperigin, zoom comedy

The latest TCB Field Report has the amazing comedian/writer/podcaster Naomi Ekperigin zooming with TCB’s Jake Kroeger this week. Naomi and Jake take time to remember the late, great Carl Reiner and also dissect what lies ahead with comedy on TV with the renewal of Curb Your Enthusiasm (i.e. how relatable will Larry be in a post-pandemic world?) as well as how Hollywood is still missing the mark in achieving true racial equity. Ekperigin also lets us in on how her podcast and now, weekly Twitch live-stream, Couples Therapy, has been fostering community in quarantine and her personal experience finding connection through doing comedy on Zoom.

Also, Jake would like to apologize for referring to the character Lawrence on Insecure as Louis. Please forgive him.

Shout outs: Eddie Pepitone’s For The Masses, Chris Fairbanks’ Rescue Cactus, Eric Andre’s Legalize Everything, John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch.

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. 13: Eddie Pepitone Takes Over
June 24, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
astronomy club, eddie pepitone, for the masses

The great Eddie Pepitone stops by, virtually, to Zoom with TCB’s Jake Kroeger as his brand new hour special For The Masses just got released this week. Pepitone’s particular brand of satirical dark comedy is almost tailor made for the time that we’re living in and that’s clearly evident in their conversation that wanders around Eddie’s visions of his past, present in the pandemic, and future for whatever that may be. Also, Jake manages to squeeze in a bit of news about Boots Riley’s new series and saving Astronomy Club.

Follow Eddie and everything he’s doing at eddiepepitone.com and get For The Masses here.

Sign the petition to save Astronomy Club 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 Field Report Ep. 12: Brodie Reed & Balance in Chaos
June 17, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
8:46, brodie reed, chappelle, eric andre, still game

LA comedy favorite Brodie Reed zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger this week for the latest TCB Field Report and talks about balancing his own personal life, the pandemic, being active for BLM and social justice, and having more opportunity for his own comedy as a black comedian than he ever has before (and how that can also be exhausting). They also break down the intricacies of Chappelle’s 8:46, UCB’s reorganization addressing their need to include more BIPOC voices as well as revisit some of Brodie’s best bits.

Follow Brodie on Twitter @ayobrobro and @ayo.bro.bro on Instagram.

Shout outs: Still Game, Eric Andre: Legalize Everything

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. 11: Atsuko Okatsuka & BLM Rising
June 10, 2020
News, Slider, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

This week’s episode is yet another one happening during a historic moment defined by mass protests in solidarity of Black Lives Matter during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest Atsuko Okatsuka of Let’s Go Atsuko: a Woke Japanese Game Show zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger about engaging with said moment, both inside and outside of comedy. They also talk the prospect of Let’s Go Atsuko, already a great weekly podcast (and a hell of a live stage show), going into production, possibly as one of the first TV shows to do so in Los Angeles. The final big story that they unpack is the unprecedented changing of the guard at storied comedy institution The Second City along with their vow to raise the voices of BIPOC and achieving racial equity as well as Chris Redd’s open letter demanding that The Second City do more.

Follow Atsuko Okatsuka @atsukocomedy across platforms. Get her album but I control me and listen to Let’s Go Atsuko, the podcast.

Shout outs: #BlackAF, Kim’s Convenience, My Brother’s Sneaker and Candice Thompson, Naomi Ekperigin, Petey DeAbreu, Larry Owens, DeWayne Perkins, Ian Edwards, Byron Bowers, Greg Edwards, Sam Ike, Baron Vaughn, Sydnee Washington, Ed Greer, Shalewa Sharpe, Kenice Mobley, Mandal, Dwayne Perkins, Dwayne Kennedy, Nore Davis, Brodie Reed, Obama’s Other Daughters, Astronomy Club, Kash Abdulmalik, Joyelle Johnson, Janelle James, David Gborie, and Solomon Georgio.


For the times we live in, consider donating money to a worthy cause like the Black Visions Collective.

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. 10: Gareth Reynolds Right Before LA Curfew
June 3, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
douglas, gareth reynolds, hannah gadsby, protest, the dollop, what we do in the shadows, wyatt cenac

Gareth Reynolds, co-host of The Dollop, is the esteemed guest for this week’s Comedy Bureau Field Report. Getting ready to observe curfew here in LA on the date of of this recording, Mon. Jun. 1st, Gareth and TCB’s Jake Kroeger get into the state of things and the state of comedy, even questioning what’s the point of comedy right at this historical moment (and how to even go about doing it). It’s a “very special episode” in a universe of “very special episodes”.

Follow Gareth Reynolds @reynoldsgareth across platforms, listen to The Dollop, watch Ga’riffs on IG Live @reynoldsgareth at 6PM PT, and also listen to Point vs. Point.

Shout outs: Wyatt Cenac’s One Angry Night in November, Hannah Gadsby’s Douglas, and What We Do in The Shadows.

For the times we live in consider donating money to a worthy cause like the Peoples City Council Freedom Fund.

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. 8: Jackie Kashian & Adaptation
May 20, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

One of TCB’s all time favorite comedians and podcasters, Jackie Kashian, is this week’s guest on the TCB Field Report. Kashian, from the get go in quarantine, has been doing live-streamed shows as much as humanly possible, gaining more live-stream stage time than almost other comedian right now. Her and TCB’s Jake Kroeger talk about how much Zoom is too much Zoom, prepping to do a brand new hour of stand-up during pandemic times, this week’s premieres/releases, and more.

Follow Jackie Kashian @jackiekashian across platforms and at her site. Also, listen to her two wonderful podcasts The Dork Forest and The Jackie and Laurie Show.

Shout Outs: Brandie Posey’s Opinion Cave, Jared Logan’s My Brave Battle, Erin Foley’s Lady with Pockets, Solar Opposities, Cocktails & Dreams, The Great, and Freeway to Hell.

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. 7: David Gborie and Chilling Alone
May 13, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
all fantasy everything, alternatino, bob's burgers, comedy central, david gborie, faded la, jerry stiller, peabody awards, quibi

Comedian/podcaster/voice of Comedy Central David Gborie is this week’s guest on the TCB Field Report. Gborie goes on Zoom with TCB’s Jake Kroeger to run through the last week’s news stories including the passing of the great Jerry Stiller and renewals of Bob’s Burgers and Alternatino and get into how Gborie has maintained a great level of chill, productivity, and his hysterical self all while quarantining alone.

Shout out to: Robbie
Follow David Gborie @thegissilent on Twitter and @coolguyjokes87. Tune into Faded’s Quaranstream every Friday during quarantine 7PM PT/10PM ET and listen to David on the fantasy draft of the anything and everything podcast, All Fantasy Everything.

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. 6: Myq Kaplan and Staying Present
May 6, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
absolutely fabulous, dan perlman, dave hill, dress up gang, dwayne kennedy, house hunters, insecure, jay jurden, midnight gospel, myq kaplan, samantha ruddy

Brilliant comedian Myq Kaplan, who is currently hunkered down near NYC, the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S., Zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger as his album A.K.A. is set to come out this week. Despite the severity of the outbreak, Kaplan maintains his signature upbeat, positive attitude and finds himself as busy as he might be sans the global catastrophe brought on by COVID-19 thanks to a healthy combo of staying present with the moment, meditation, ayahuasca ceremonies, and more. Also, they talk House Hunters LOL and Insecure’s season 5 renewal at HBO.

Shout outs to: Dave Hill, Dwayne Kennedy, Dress Up Gang, Samantha Ruddy, Jay Jurden, Dan Perlman, Midnight Gospel, Absolutely Fabulous

Follow Myq Kaplan across platforms @myqkaplan. Get his album A.K.A. out this Fri. May 8th and listen and enjoy his podcast Broccoli & Ice Cream.

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. 5: Ahamed Weinberg/Nick Nemeroff & Quarantine Beef
April 29, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
ahamed weinberg, nick nemeroff, quarantine life, stand up comedy

Well, this was a wild one. Let’s just say that as the weeks have gone on, quarantine is driving people up the wall even if they just fully recovered from contracting COVID-19 like Ahamed Weinberg or released an amazing comedy album The Pursuit of Comedy Has Ruined My Life like Nick Nemeroff. Both are very, very funny comedians that are on the upswing right now and yet, these uncertain times can still throw a wrench in everything as was shown in their wayward “conversation” with TCB’s Jake Kroeger. All of that said, there is a Parks and Recreation reunion, Jamel Johnson’s new audience-less special Friend or Foe, and even three one-hour long improv specials from Middleditch & Schwartz to really help us not go stir crazy like Ahamed, Nick, and Jake.

Follow Ahamed @ahamedweinberg on Instagram & Twitter and do the same for Nick Nemeroff @nicknemeroff. Once again, get Nemeroff’s fantastic album The Pursuit of Comedy Has Ruined My Life. 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. 4: Debra DiGiovanni & Adaptation
April 22, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
amber preston, debra digiovanni, hbo, jackie and laurie show, just for laughs, livestream comedy, moontower comedy festival, run, seek treatment, sparkly parts, ucb, upright citizens brigade, zoom comedy

The wondrous and hysterical Canadian transplant Debra DiGiovanni and TCB’s Jake Kroeger have quite the hopeful chat about her numerous gigs doing live-streaming comedy in the last several weeks and how she might specifically imagine to take the stage again and what that might really look like (especially for someone who has played comedy venues of all sorts of sizes). Also, they touch upon the tragic closure of the Upright Citizens Brigade in NYC, the rescheduling of some major comedy festivals, as well as what’s new and/or noteworthy in comedy this week.

Follow Debra @debradg on Instagram & @debradigiovanni on Twitter. Tune in to her daily Instagram Live check-in show Afternoon Delight with Zach Noe Towers at 4PM PT via her Instagram handle. 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

TCB Field Report Ep. 3: Jamie Loftus and a Quarantine Comedy Sword
April 15, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
bechdel cast, jamie loftus, my year in mensa, pandemic comedy, podcast

Brilliant comedy multi-hyphenate Jamie Loftus (The Bechdel Cast, My Year in Mensa) remotely sits down with TCB Director Jake Kroeger for this latest episode of the TCB Field Report. As Jamie has done a wide variety of live-streams, she has already figured a bit of what is working for her in that space, namely brandishing her cosplay sword for wondrous comedic effect.

Jamie and Jake also dive into how the pandemic has leveled the playing field for comedy and entertainment-at-large, comedians finding that they can actually get paid for their comedy by asking via Venmo (for now), and ponder how what sort of perspective the world will have on comedies about rich people going forward.

Follow The Bechdel Cast here, listen to My Year in Mensa here. Follow Jamie on Twitter @jamieloftushelp and @jamiechristsuperstar on Instagram and follow The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and Jake @mfjakekroeger on Twitter and @notthesupermarket on Instagram and please, please support TCB’s GoFundMe.

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

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 2: Joel Mandelkorn & Live-streaming Live Comedy
April 8, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
butterboy, gayme show, hot tub with kurt and kristen, joel mandelkorn, livestream comedy, workplace comedy

This second episode of The Comedy Bureau Field Report goes a bit behind-the-scenes as TCB founder Jake Kroeger sits (remotely) down with one of the best comedy producers around, Joel Mandelkorn (Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen, The Super Serious Show, Toasty, plenty of short films and TV projects). Having co-produced (with producer/life partner Mandee Johnson) Hot Tub with Kurt [Braunohler] and Kristen [Schaal], absolutely one of LA’s best weekly comedy shows, Joel had to hit the ground running into translating that show into a live-stream stand-up show because of, well… you know, the global pandemic. Also, we go to 40 minutes, but it’s worth it.

They talk the challenges and nuances of such an endeavor as well as a workplace comedy TV series set in the times of COVID-19 already being in the works, premium free series that are suddenly free at HBO and IFC, (as always) what you should be watching and listening to (GAYME SHOW and Butterboy), and what we think the future holds for the sort of comedic bits that’ll work months from now in seeing live comedy again.

Tune into Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen Home Edition on Mondays at 8PM PST/11PM EST at holdthephone.tv, Follow Joel @cleftclips and follow The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB’s GoFundMe.

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

Yep, We Started a Podcast: The Comedy Bureau Field Report (a Podcast About Comedy News and Nothing Else)
April 1, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
bleav, comedy news, comedy podcast, david venhuizen, ian abramson, megan stalter, three busy debras

Yes, we know that almost everyone went out and started a podcast while stuck in self-isolation and we’d like to state, for the record, that we were going to do that back in the “before times” when only kind of a lot of people were doing that.

Anyhow, This is The Comedy Bureau Field Report, (brought to you by Bleav Podcasts) a neatly packaged rundown of comedy news that’ll be less than a half hour (ok, this first one is over half an hour-give us a break) and definitely be about comedy only with TCB’s very own founder and director Jake Kroeger.

This first episode features guest co-host (we’re going to have a lot of those) Ian Abramson who has pulled off doing a version of SNL all by himself, two weeks in a row, called Saturday Night Quarantine on Twitch. We talk about the weird times comedy is living in as well as what’s new and wonderful that you should add to your daily binge list while hunkered down and even what might lie ahead for the future of comedy when things start coming back (whatever that ends up meaning).

Listen, subscribe, 5 stars, etc. here.Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT
Opening theme by Brian Granillo

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