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Pick of the Day: A Night of Comedy Characters @ The Crow (near LA) 9/7
August 25, 2023
News
crow comedy club, los angeles comedy, santa monica

The LA comedy scene is vast, often with reaches so far that this furthest edges don’t really come to the other side all that often. That’s all to say that a lot of the marvelous comedy that happens on the Eastside, and there’s a lot of it, doesn’t really find its way West of the 405 too much.

So, when the likes of LA comedy darlings Lisa Gilroy, Alyssa Limperis, Hannah Pilkes, Lily Sullivan, Taylor Ortega, and Natalie Ortega are gathered to do a very special westside night of character comedy, anyone with a 310 area code should absolutely not miss out. Santa Monica’s newest comedy club, The Crow, is putting on such a night with that very line-up (in addition to being a few degrees cooler and having, believe it or not, a gigantic free parking lot) on Thurs. Sept. 7th at 6PM.

Tickets are only $15, which is definitely not your typical Santa Monica price, and you best get tickets here even if you don’t live on the westside.

Chris Fleming Goes Through HELL to Bring Us All Unbridled Joy
August 24, 2023
News
chris fleming, comedy special, peacock, stand up

While the self-styled truth tellers certainly seem to hold their sway in comedy these days, there are those who choose to take an oath to the absurd and play-fueled side of comedy. Chris Fleming is a shining, shimmying beacon of the unfettered joy of being silly and utterly ridiculous in stand-up comedy (while also still being very genuine). HELL, his latest hour special, is delightfully contrary to the title with Fleming taking viewers on a trip fantastic through his psyche and the furthest reaches of his imagination, complete with punchlines and act outs and probably the best wardrobe of any comedy special this year.

There is a certain tight tether to reality that nearly every stand-up comedian firmly holds on to during their act (improvisers/clowns/sketch folks obviously take advantage to obscure reality). Fleming foregoes this and, instead, galavants between hyper-specific observations in his actual life (hence why he opens this hour by saying it isn’t for “people with wives”) and an alternate universe where Fleming’s anxieties get ballooned into cartoonish proportions (his own personal “hell” complete with mutant theater creatures perhaps?). Chris himself even takes a big poke at the continuity of his own special during a very involved crowd interaction as well as peers into the void of the camera in order to permanently make eye contact with whoever is watching Hell. The fluctuation between, shall we say, multiverses is such a phenomenal ride that logic takes a back seat with no reservations.

Similar to the breadth and undertaking of Nick Vatterott‘s Disingenuous, Chris Fleming boldly goes where pretty much only Chris will go in Hell, but does so with abandon and the physicality of a contortionist on their day off. It might be fair to say that no comedian is having as much fun on stage as Fleming does and, it turns out, that fun is pretty damn infectious.

Chris Fleming: HELL is streaming now on Peacock.

TCB Debriefing 8/24/23: Wes Anderson/Henry Sugar, Rick and Morty, Cat Person, VonViddy
August 24, 2023
News
cat person, rick and morty, vonviddy, wes anderson

1. Normally, you’d have to wait quite some time between the works of art that comedy auteur extraordinaire Wes Anderson puts out. Anderson’s latest The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar just happens to buck that trend (and also be a short rather than a feature length film) by announcing a Sept. 27th premiere on Netflix (Pitchfork). Those wanting more Roald Dahl in the world ought to be thrilled as well that this premiere is less than a month away.

2. Season 7 of Rick and Morty is set to premiere on Sun. Oct. 15th at 11PM ET/PT on Adult Swim. Adult Swim’s press release made no mention of Justin Roiland, which makes us wonder if they’re going to make fun of it in future episodes a la Solar Opposites or just going to leave their parting ways all in the past.

3. It takes a lot for short story to captivate the Internet, but that is what Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian, published in the New Yorker, achieved. For such a feat, it’s now going to be a genre-bending feature length film that’s part comedy (especially with Geraldine Viswanathan and Nicholas Braun), thriller, social satire, and low key Black Mirror episode. Take a gander for yourself with the trailer here.

4. R.I.P. Joe Muchlinski AKA VonViddy, a popular TikTok comedian that took his own life at the age of 32 (People). Even though mental health is taken seriously these days, there’s obviously still a very long road to go before any of us have it all figured out.

5. It’s kind of criminal that the strikes have lasted to the point where Greg Gutfeld is the only late night host on air when the first GOP POTUS debates just happened.

Pick of the Day: Kyle Ayers-Hard to Say (in LA) 9/15
August 24, 2023
News
elysian theater, hard to say, kyle ayers, los angeles comedy, solo show, trigeminal neuralgia

With the coming and going of the Edinburgh Fringe, there has been a big wave of solo shows that have come through LA and NYC in preparation to do it almost every night for a month. Thus, we have seen dozens and dozens of solo shows and, as you’d imagine, we have our favorites.

Kyle Ayers, who has been one of the funniest people in LA for years now, has also had to deal with the Trigeminal Neuralgia, a brain disease so painful that it has been nicknamed “Suicide Disease” (as it is reportedly the disease with the highest suicide rate). Ayers, even though he still has to navigate his condition everyday, came up with an absolutely hysterical, gripping, and cathartic solo show, Hard to Say, around how this has affected everything in his life and how it seems like he’s just going to have to live with it.

We got to see a performance of it months ago and was floored from start-to-finish, both with laughter and tugging at heart strings.

Lucky for Angelenos that Kyle is doing his show again at The Elysian on Fri. Sept. 15th at 7:30PM with the marvelous Joel Kim Booster opening. Tickets are $15 and that’s such a novel price to see Ayers doing an astounding show about Trigeminal Neuralgia while still very much having it. Please go get them right now right here.

TCB Debriefing 8/23/23: Ever Mainard, SF Sketchfest, A Very Good+ Night of Comedy, Barbie’s New Record
August 23, 2023
News
barbie, don't tell comedy, ever mainard, kennedy center, sf sketchfest

1. If you’ve somehow been a follower of TCB for any amount of time and don’t know Ever Mainard, you need to fix that issue immediately. Thankfully, they have a brand spankin’ new set for you to see, enjoy, and subsequently become obsessed with Ever’s vulnerable sense of mischief. Please enjoy it repeatedly here.

Also, in case you didn’t know, the new Premium Blend/Comedy Central Presents/Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup/late night sets is Don’t Tell Comedy.

2. If you’re perhaps interested at taking a shot at performing at one of the most prestigious, largest comedy festivals in the world, the SF Sketchfest deadline is coming up fast. Submissions are due at 11:59PM PT on Sun. Sept. 3rd. Get more details and send in your stuff here.

3. A Very Good+ Night of Comedy has nothing to do with a new streaming service, but, instead is probably one of the biggest comedy gala benefits of the year. Supporting Jessica Seinfeld’s Good+Foundation that systemically addresses poverty, headliners Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer and Ronny Chieng are all set to perform at Carnegie Hall in mid October (Deadline).

4. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has officially become the highest grossing movie of 2023 thus far, beating out The Super Mario Bros. Movie (CNN). With an IMAX version that includes a post-credit scene, it’s due to beat more records even if it’ll only play in certain parts of Asia and the Middle East.

5. So, do we need to watch stuff on DVD/VHS rather than streaming or cable to support the strike as media consumers?

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 178: Maddy Martin & Staying Aggressively Alive
August 23, 2023
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
aggressively alive, house show, los angeles comedy, maddy martin

Often, the comedy version of Field of Dreams involves places and spaces that are much more humble than a field. Perhaps, an apartment courtyard to many is just something to merely pass by even though there might be seating of some kind. To others, like comedy producing team Maddy Martin and Ben Berke, creators of Aggressively Alive, it’s clearly the home of their very slick, DIY house show that has survived both the pandemic and the aftermath of it all the way to the 2 year mark. Any live comedy show lasting 2 years at this point in time is pretty damn impressive and we chat all about all things Aggressively Alive (and comedy in general) with Martin for this week’s TCB Field Report.

Follow Maddy @fakemaddymartin and Aggressively Alive @aggressivelyalive on IG. Get tickets for Aggressively Alive at aggressivelyalive.com.

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

Pick of the Day: Awkward Sex… and the City 10 Yr. Anniversary (in NYC)
August 23, 2023
News
awkward sex and the city, nyc comedy, storytelling

While And Just Like That.. has gotten a third season at Max, the better bet for sex-fueled comedy storytelling coming from those who are actually out in those streets of all five boroughs trying the best they can to meet their needs for pleasure and intimacy, but often found themselves in the most absurd experiences of their lives.

Natalie Wall has been bringing that very thing to the forefront with her very special, very sex positive storytelling show, Awkward Sex… and the City, and has dutifully been doing so for 10 years. To mark this decade anniversary, Wall will have the show at, perhaps, the perfect venue for such an occasion, Club Cumming. Joining her in vulnerable tales that range from kinky to wild to embarrassing to just downright bizarre will be Calvin Cato, Melissa Rich, and Jen Keefe.

Celebrate 10 years of awkward sex on Wed. Aug. 30th at 8PM. Tickets are only $12 right now, so go get ’em here.

TCB Debriefing 8/22/23: Michelle Wolf, NY Comedy Fest/Conan, Frasier, Wrecking Crew, America’s Funniest Home Videos
August 22, 2023
News
america's funniest home videos, conan o'brien, dave bautista, frasier, jason momoa, michelle wolf, ny comedy festival

1. Michelle Wolf‘s third special, It’s Great To Be Here, will be released in 3 parts (maybe it’s 1 part for every year that comics could do some sort of live comedy since 2020?) on Netflix, which will be only the second time, as far as we know, that has ever happened for a comedy special (the other time being with James Acaster). The release is set for Sept. 12th and you can take your first look at the special here.

2. The New York Comedy Festival has just announced a new marquee addition to their usually stacked line-up; two live episodes of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. Go get tickets here right now.

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3. Following the nostalgia trap of Good Burger, Paramount+ is hitting Gen-Xers with that long-promised Frasier revival.

4. Riding a wave of positive reviews of Angel Miguel Soto’s Blue Beetle and top billing of Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa, The Wrecking Crew might be an action buddy comedy to watch out for (Deadline). Wouldn’t it be great to see something outdo The Nice Guys?

5. Long before YouTube, much of the schadenfreude content that people are obsessed with came from the long-running home video series America’s Funniest Home Videos (Variety). A new owner of the production company responsible for AFHV is set on putting at least a thousand hours of the show on YouTube on Facebook. We’ll be curious to see if Ridiculousness uses any of the same videos.

6. If you choose to play the self-deprecation card as a comedian, make sure you’re doing so in a way where the audience isn’t concerned about your own self-worth in silence.

Pick of the Day: Morgan Jay (in NYC) 9/1 & 9/2
August 22, 2023
News
little island, morgan jay, musical comedy, nyc comedy

Summertime in NYC affords many a wonderful thing, one of which is live shows at the man-made Little Island outside, beneath the sky outlined by the Hudson and the iconic NYC skyline. They’ve got plenty of programming lined-up for NYC residents to delight in.

Morgan Jay‘s dulcet tones, whipsmart crowd work, hilarious and emotionally resonant original songs would be quite the thing to enjoy in the Little Island setting. Jay is indeed stopping into NYC to play four exclusive shows exclusive at The Glade on Little Island.

Fri. Sept. 1st and Sat. Sept. 2nd at both 7PM & 9PM will be when Jay brings his charm and his nylon string guitar to serenade/rib/celebrate those in attendance and, best of all, it’s free to attend. Get more details here.

TCB Debriefing 8/21/23: Sandy [Honig] Stock, Wolves of Glendale, Hannah Einbinder Tour, Bill Burr Movie, How to Get to Heaven From Belfast
August 21, 2023
News
bill burr, channel 4, hannah einbinder, how to get to heaven from belfast, lisa mcgee, netflix, sandy honig, wolves of glendale

1. The very, very, very funny Sandy Honig of Three Busy Debras fame also happens to be amazing at photography (@sandyhonigphoto) and is bringing the two together with her subversive stock photography zine, SandyStock™ Zine. Please buy and enjoy at Heavy Manners Library.

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A post shared by Sandy Honig (@sandyhonig)

2. One of the best musical comedy groups around, Wolves of Glendale, has a new jam (and anthem) for those whose finances are getting the better of them. Please enjoy, Just Give Me Cash.

3. The marvelous Hannah Einbinder is going on her Everything Must Go tour next month. Do not miss out on some of the best horticulture and silly high concept comedy around today. Get tickets right now right here.

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A post shared by @hannaheinbinder

4. Bill Burr has gone from revered comedian to lauded podcaster to acclaimed acting to acclaimed adult animation to sports commentating to, now, filmmaker with Netflix picking up his directorial feature debut Old Dads (Deadline). It’ll follow Bill as a man trying “…to navigate a changing world of culture, career and fatherhood,” so kind of an extended, cinematic act out of his stand-up.

5. One of the most beloved UK comedy series over in these parts is Derry Girls and Derry Girls fans ought to be thrilled to know that creator Lisa McGee has just set up her latest series at Channel 4, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (Variety). It’s a comedy thriller that follows a mystery arising from the death of an old friend. Between this and Sharon Horgan’s Bad Sisters, it’s nice to know that Ireland’s dark sense of humor is well intact.

6. Don’t become a slave to your nostalgia.

Pick of the Day: aggressively alive 2 Year Anniversary (in LA) 8/30
August 21, 2023
News
aggressively alive, house show, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy, variety

A lot of DIY shows popped up after quarantine and, while they had their time in the sun, they faded away as performing indoors become a more ready option. So, putting on a house show and keeping it going for years is really something.

Maddy Martin, Ben Berke, and Eli Josel have dutifully kept their monthly DIY show, Aggressively Alive, in WeHo bathed in blue light and white folding chairs and stacked line-ups of their personal LA favorites in a space that looks like it wouldn’t be able to host a comedy show going strong. Two years in, it’s a big monthly underground comedy party, complete with slickly branded merch.

They’re celebrating their two years officially on Wed. Aug. 30th (doors/party @ 7:30PM) with another line-up of their favorites from, well, all over the country.

That will include:

EJ Marcus
Jamel Dotson
Ketra Long
Langston Kerman
Laura Peek
Luke Mones
Megan Gailey
Sarah Coffey
Tom Thakkar
Vinny Thomas

Tickets are only $9 and we highly suggest snagging them before too long at aggressivelyalive.com.

TCB Debriefing 8/18/23: Ziwe’s Black Friend, A League of Their Own Canceled, Chris Fleming, Adventure Time
August 18, 2023
News

1. Tickets for Ziwe’s Black Friend Tour are not only on sale, but dates have been added since certain shows have already sold out. Don’t waste more time reading this sentence and go buy tix at ziwe.com.

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2. A League of Their Own is now canceled instead of having a shortened second season at Amazon (Variety). Not that you needed another reason to hate Amazon, but here you go.

3. Chris Fleming’s latest hour special, Hell, is now streaming at Peacock. Please enjoy thoroughly whether you choose to sit or mirror Chris’ physicality while watching.

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A post shared by Peacock (@peacock)

5. Adventure Time has returned in the form of Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake. Take a gander at the first trailer of the one of the rare, truly for all ages animated series here, then look for it on Max on Aug. 31st.

6. Just a friendly reminder that the “other day” in comedy happened probably at least a year or two ago, if not five or six.

Pick of the Day: Republican Sh*tshow Watch Party (in NYC) 8/23
August 18, 2023
News
club cumming, hate watch, nyc comedy, watch along

Trump is indicted yet again.

DeSantis can’t seem to use his sense of being able to talk in complete sentences to his advantage against Trump (or Disney for that matter).

When it comes to the rest of the GOP presidential candidate hopefuls, there’s also Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Doug Burgum, and possibly Chris Christie and Mike Pence.

There’s so little idea as to what to expect, with a field like that, outside of something resembling the train derailment in East Palestine (which will likely be brought up desperately as a talking point) . Thus, the GOP is somehow more in shambles leading up to the 2024 election in a way that we might have not seen in our lifetimes.

Thus, the very first Republican President Debate for the 2024 General Election could very much be enjoyed as a collective “hate-watch”, which exactly what the venerable Club Cumming is going to do on Aug. 23rd at 9PM. Billed as the Republican Sh*tshow Watch Party, it ought to be a barnburner of a roast of a political party that’s already very much on fire.

TCB Debriefing 8/17/23: She Came To Me, Nathan Fielder/Benny Safdie Reality Show, Scrapper, Dumb Money
August 17, 2023
News
benny safdie, dumb money, emma stone, nathan fielder, scrapper, she came to me

1. This She Came To Me trailer had us pretty much hooked at Peter Dinklage as a frustrated composer married to Anne Hathaway, but had us completely with Marisa Tomei as a tugboat captain (the most enchanting tugboat captain of all time?). Please enjoy this delightful trailer for a promising rom com from Rebecca Miller, due out Sept. 29th.

2. OK, so Nathan Fielder’s next reality show is co-created with Benny Safdie of the Safdie Brothers, co-starring Emma Stone, and takes the Nathan For You bit about selling haunted reality to the nth degree (Indiewire). If The Rehearsal left you oscillating between having your mouth agape and laughing hard out of sheer disbelief, we kind of won’t be shocked if Fielder and company have figured out a way to up the ante.

3. The latest highly anticipated, star studded satire of recent corporate America, Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money (i.e. the Game Stop stock movie) is going to push back its wide release date to Oct. 6th with a limited release in LA & NYC on Sept. 15th have having to change release date (Deadline). So, hopefully, this means the double strike will end before Halloween?

4. What was “Kitchen Sink Realism” has arguably evolved into “Coming of Kitchen Age Dramedy”, a niche that the UK is particularly very, very good at. See the latest, upcoming example with the trailer for Charlotte Regan’s Scrapper, following the unlikely reunion of prodigal father and daughter. Look for it in limited release come Aug. 25th.

5. Christopher Nolan calls Talladega Nights one of the great comedies. Does anyone think that Tenet makes more sense than this claim?

Pick of the Day: James Adomian Stand Up Comedy Special Taping (in LA) 9/14
August 17, 2023
News
800 pound gorilla, comedy album, james adomian, live taping, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy, the elysian

It has been well over a decade since the release of the brilliant comedy album Low Hanging Fruit from the always astounding James Adomian. Though we’d like to have a new hour from Adomian to binge and listen on repeat much sooner, James has been, over the last 11 years, a little busy touring as Bernie Sanders opposite Anthony Atamanuik’s Trump, and playing several voices on your favorite adult animated series, doing one of the best hidden gem podcasts The Underculture, amongst several other things.

Thankfully, this Adomian drought will come to an end as James is set to tape his very first stand-up comedy special and brand new hour next month for 800 Pound Gorilla Media. At The Elysian on Thurs. Sept. 14th, James will give those in attendance the meticulously honed collection of hysterical, incisive socio-political coupled with the most spot-on impressions you’ve ever heard or seen.

Tickets are only $15 right now for either 7:30PM or 9:30PM tapings and you best go get tickets here now.

 

TCB Debriefing 8/16/23: Scott Pilgrim Anime, Beth Stelling Tour, Beautiful Anonymous, Another Barbie Record, Please Don’t Destroy
August 16, 2023
News
barbie, beautiful anonymous, beth stelling, chris gethard, netflix, please don't destroy, scott pilgrim

1. Take your first gander at the Scott Pilgrim anime series coming exclusively to Netflix on Nov. 17th. The voice cast is pretty much the one from the seminal Edgar Wright movie from 2010 and Wright even has a hand in this. So, we’re hoping for the best out of a spin-off/sequel/adaptation that very likely has the highest of expectations right out of the gate.

2. Have Beth Stelling in your town? Do travel. Girl Daddy will live on as one of the great comedy specials of our time.

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3. Chris Gethard‘s landmark podcast Beautiful Anonymous is opting to go independent after finishing up its contract with SiriusXM/Earwolf (Variety). While he is sure to score better deals with how much of a juggernaut this particular show is (Gethard has a fan base that’s purely dedicated to Beautiful Anonymous), don’t be surprised if he ends up launching his own network. This is somewhat reminiscent of the route that My Favorite Murder took all those years ago.

4. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has officially become the all time top grossing domestic movie for Warner Bros., no other adjectives needed (Deadline). It’s such a cultural milestone that it’ll very likely be the top grossing movie of the year, again, with no other adjectives or caveats needed.

5. With no idea when exactly the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes will end, you also don’t have any idea when SNL will return. Thankfully, there will be a Please Don’t Destroy movie out on Peacock come Nov. 17th.

6. APB to all comedy venues: please have a bar/restaurant right next door if you don’t already have one in your establishment.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 177: Derrick Brown & The Poetic Comedic
August 16, 2023
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
derrick brown, poetry

Rare is the blend of poetry and comedy, despite, when either is performed, go to evoke emotion and visceral response. One Derrick Brown, for many years, has toed the line of being simultaneously a poet and a comedian, often the twain at the same time, bridging the subtle majesty of poesy and the irresistible joy of comedy. Derrick has balanced both for so long that he actually will have released a critically acclaimed book of poetry and comedy album this year. This week’s TCB Field Report explores every twist and turn it takes to straddle both worlds as Brown has so cleverly done and how, more curiously, one ends up there.

Follow Derrick @derrickbrownpoetry on IG, get his book Love Ends in a Tandem Kayak, and look out for his upcoming album A Close Shave with Heaven from Sub Pop/Pretty Good Friends, coming out soon.

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger
Photo by @briiankiim

Pick of the Day: Christian Science Theater 3000 (in NYC) 8/22
August 16, 2023
News
christian movies, nyc comedy, roast, satire

Christian conservatives have this idea that “traditional family values” are being attacked and, subsequently, have been hard at work at making movies that espouse this sort of projected victimhood. Largely, many of these movies are, in a manner of speaking, very bad, religion and politics aside. Overacted and filled with preposterous plots that might make one question how exactly are people interpreting the Bible, they are the sort of movies that are ripe for being sent up during a live screening.

That’s what Christian Science Theater 3000 (NOTE: not affiliated with any Christian Science Reading Room whatsoever) aims to do as the projected fear of God fearing boomers really keep making America take steps back to a simpler, yet clearly worst time. Many of NYC comedy’s best will be live-roasting Christian movies that you’ve probably seen or heard of on Reddit or caught passing glimpses of their movie posters, such as God’s Not Dead starring the former Hercules, Kevin Sorbo.

Join guests Sam Morrison and Sally Ann Hall and David Picolomini on Tues. Aug. 22nd at 8PM at Brooklyn’s Starr Bar to really ponder Sorbo’s pivot to “faith-based” movies and how sneaky Christian movies are now (indie box office hit Sound of Freedom counts, right?). Tickets are only $12.71. Go get ’em here.

TCB Debriefing 8/15/23: The Persian Version, Patton Oswalt Tour, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Funniest Rappers?
August 15, 2023
News
a funny thing happened on the way to the forum, funniest rappers, patton oswalt, persian version

1. Please enjoy the official trailer for Sundance award winning, The Persian Version, from Maryam Keshavarz. From the looks of it, there is a very snappy, nuanced update to the classic immigrant story and if you loved the Canadian dramedy, Sort Of, we have a feeling you’ll really love this. Look for The Persion Version in LA and NYC come Oct. 13th.

2. Patton Oswalt has just announced his fall tour dates. Please buy tickets accordingly.

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3. The Stephen Sondheim classic A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is getting mounted for a very special limited engagement at the Barnsdall Gallery Theatre (perhaps one of the most hidden theaters in LA?) (Broadway World). This run will only go for two weekends and benefit the Glioblastoma Foundation. This is probably the best way to revisit a classic comedy musical or discover the magic of Sondheim with one of his very best works.

4. Pitchfork made a list of the 25 Funniest Rappers of All Time, most likely as part of a package celebrating the recent 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop as a musical genre. Notably, Biz Markie is near the top of the list, but aspiring comedian T.I. is not. Also, Pitchfork forgot that Eminem is pretty damn funny as well as El-P and Killer Mike of Run the Jewels.

5. For NYC comics visiting or moving to LA, here is a map from LA Taco to help with your hyper specific neighborhood references.

DeAnne Smith’s “Chiweenie In A Tank Top” Is a Perfect Spoonful of Sugar for Talking About Identity
August 15, 2023
News
800 pound gorilla, chiweenie in a tank top, comedy album, deanne smith, stand up comedy

Mary Poppins’ refrain of a “spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” is, unknowingly, a core function of comedy. The underlying philosophies and messages from a comedian are often dissolved into the sweetness of their well-crafted jokes. That said, many a comedian these days opt out of the sugar-quality of comedy and instead decide to serve their medicine/message with a generous portion of even more sour tasting medicine.

DeAnne Smith is and has long been a bright and shining example of the former as they employ their preternatural warmth and extremely keen joke writing chops to actually explore those “pesky” modern day identity politics of gender, sexuality, and what to do when running into Jon Hamm. Such nuanced depth is thankfully caught on digital wax on their latest release, the perfectly titled Chiweenie In A Tank Top.

Recorded live at the Curious Comedy Theater in Portland, OR, DeAnne gave an extensive tour of so many spectrums (and even joyfully ribbed what was a very open-minded crowd). Pronouns, feminism, hotness, the death penalty, writing a joke about the death penalty, and more highly debatable are dissected with aplomb. What’s intriguing is that Smith doesn’t necessarily present this an hour of comedy necessarily as an answer for every debate, but, instead gives a hysterical account of their life and how they’re faring in a world that’s (thankfully) continuing to evolve. That’s definitely a sweeter angle to play than joking about what one clearly thinks is explicitly capital G and B, good and bad.

Essentially, the message here is that spectrums don’t have to be frustrating and can be a beautiful thing if you feel lost, in between, or outside of the “norm”. Just think about that in regards to the title, Chiweenie In A Tank Top (a great line lifted from this very lovely, affirming hour of stand-up).

DeAnne Smith’s Chiweenie In A Tank Top is now streaming pretty much everywhere you get your comedy albums. Listen in here.

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Pick of the Day: The State: Breakin’ Hearts & Dippin’ Balls (in NYC) 10/16 & 10/17
August 15, 2023
News
nyc comedy, palladium times square, sketch comedy, the state

Legendary (and yes, it’s appropriate here) sketch group, The State, comprised, for this night, of Ken Marino, David Wain, Kerri Kenney, Joe Lo Truglio, Michael Ian Black, Kevin Allison, and Michael Patrick Jann are getting back together for an exclusive tour (that might blossom into something bigger maybe with Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, and Todd Holoubeck?) maturely called Breakin’ Hearts & Dippin’ Balls. The ramifications of The State reassembling are so massive, which is partially why it happens so rarely (that and the fact that each individual member is quite successful on their own comedy path).

Thus far, they’ve only got dates in Denver and NYC lined-up, but that means you kind of should go out of your way to make sure you catch what you can of the Breakin’ Hearts & Dippin’ Balls tour. For New Yorkers, The State will be taking over Palladium Times Square on Oct. 16th & 17th with tickets going on sale this Wed. at 10AM ET/7AM PT (use the code “STATE” for early access) starting at $67.

Set a reminder and go snag those tickets here.

 

TCB Debriefing 8/14/23: Andy Kaufman, Jodie Sweetin, Landscape with Invisible Hand, Solar Opposites
August 14, 2023
News
andy kaufman, dan stevens, hulu, jodie sweetin, landscape with invisible hand, solar opposities

1. Legendary boundary pushing and, subsequently, groundbreaking comedian, Andy Kaufman, is going to posthumously receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Announced as guest speakers for the occasion are Kristen Schaal, Kevin Nealon, and Michael Kaufman, but we’d honestly be surprised if someone didn’t show up as Tony Clifton.

2. Jodie Sweetin is making absolutely clear that she did not want her latest movie, a rom com called Craft Me a Romance, to air on Great American Family, a more conservative, family focused network that loves rebranding homophobia as “preserving traditional marriage” (Yahoo). She promises to donate money made from the movie towards LGBTQ+ orgs. So, does that mean Sweetin is aiming to do an A24 movie soon?

3. Super high concept, sci-fi dramedy from Cory Finley, Landscape with Invisible Hand, just dropped its final trailer before its theatrical release this Fri. Aug. 18th. It gives a more than pleasant surprise of how Tiffany Haddish continues to dazzle with her acting range if you weren’t already sold on a satire about co-existence.

4. The brand new seasons of Solar Opposites, complete with the voice of Dan Stevens in place of Justin Roiland, has just gone up at Hulu. Yes, that includes all episodes so you can binge Stevens’ gorgeous British accent all in one go.

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5. Uh, Burbank and North Hollywood are having comedy festivals at the same time?

Pick of the Day: Christina Catherine Martinez (in NYC) 9/24
August 14, 2023
News
christina catherine martinez, experimental comedy, nyc comedy, stand up comedy

Unflinching in her quest to distill the most nuanced of ideologies into abject tomfoolery, Christina Catherine Martinez is taking her preposterously sublime comedy across the country again, all the way to NYC. We here in Southern California are blessed to see the critically acclaimed comedian in all sorts places high and low, from the esteemed REDCAT all the way to an out-of-the-way dive bar.

Martinez will be taking over one of Brooklyn’s beloved comedy establishments, Littlefield, next month to do, well, whatever she wants (which might include some intellectual dissection of Taco Bell and/or unbridled satirization of the gender binary). The brilliant River Ramirez will be joining Christina for this special evening of the highest and lowest brow comedy together.

Christina is set to play Littlefield on Sun. Sept. 24th at 8PM. Tickets are only $15.54 and we highly suggest you get them here.

TCB Debriefing 8/11/23: Asteroid City, BIPOC Late Night/Variety Writers Panel, Hulu Price, Quiz Lady, Jackie Chan
August 11, 2023
News
asteroid city, hulu, jackie chan, quiz lady, wga strike

1. Wes Anderson‘s latest and greatest, Asteroid City, is now available digitally across several platforms. Hopefully, you have the home theater set up to make watch an Anderson’s exuberant masterpiece (read our thoughts here). If you indeed do, and are dressed in proper Wes Anderson-esque attire for the occasion, go buy the film here.

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2. The Wrap brought together an esteemed BIPOC late night and variety writers panel (Tim Barnes, Greg Iwinski, John Thibodeaux, Celeste Yim, Naima Pearce),  to talk about where they’re at past 100 days of the WGA Strike and reiterate the very reasonable demands that they’re fighting for.

BIPOC Late Night & Variety Writers Speak Out: TheWrap Strike Roundtable https://t.co/bGMZWloGXA

— TheWrap (@TheWrap) August 10, 2023

3. Starting Oct. 12th, Hulu will be pretty much $18 instead of pretty much $15 (USA Today) if you don’t want ads. Fingers crossed that the new season of Futurama preemptively did a joke about this.

4. Despite the buzz and glitz of the Toronto International Film Festival being in jeopardy because of the strikes, buddy road/quiz show comedy Quiz Lady that pairs Awkwafina with Sandra Oh is still set to premiere at TIFF (Deadline). We can only promise of an Awkwafina and Sandra Oh two-hander is alluring enough to earn a release next year.

5. Anyone notice that international action comedy star/legend Jackie Chan has quietly return to the big screen? He’s a voice in the latest TMNT movie AND there’s a John Cena/Jackie Chan movie, Hidden Strike, that has snuck its way onto Netflix. For fans of 90s Jackie Chan movies, it might just be right up your alley.

6. If comedians ever tried to form a union again, you’d think artisanal chicken tenders as opposed to the paltry normal comedy club ones would be one of the demands?

Pick of the Day: Will Ferrell’s Best Night of Your Life 2 (in LA) 10/21
August 11, 2023
News
beck, cancer for college, greek theatre, hasan minhaj, jon stewart, los angeles comedy, maya rudolph, patti harrison, rory scovel, roy wood jr, smartless, st vincent, will ferrell

Will Ferrell is doing it again.

No, not play basically the same character he was in both The LEGO Movie and Barbie, but throwing a big, blowout night of comedy and music in support for the amazing charity that is Cancer for College, supporting young people trying to make their way in the world despite battling cancer.

It’s going to be another “Best Night of Your Life”, a sequel if you will (as that is how it’s being billed).

Thus far, Ferrell has wrangled the comedic stylings:

Jon Stewart
Hasan Minhaj
Jo Koy
Patti Harrison
Roy Wood Jr.
Rory Scovel
SmartLess with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett. 

AND music curated by Mike McCready including:

Stefan Lessard (Dave Matthews Band)
Beck
St. Vincent
Cindy Blackman Santana
Dogstar featuring Bret Domrose, Robert Mailhouse & Keanu Reeves
Jack Black and Fred Armisen who will perform as the one-time supergroup ‘Mike McCready and The Casual Acquaintances’
DJ White Shadow
Princess featuring Maya Rudolph 

For that much show, tickets start at $80 (and go up to around a $1000). Still, at $80, that’s kind of a deal.

Will Ferrell’s Best Night of Your Life 2 is set to take over the Greek Theatre on Sat. Oct. 21st at 7PM and you best go get your tickets here.

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