News – Page 44 – The Comedy Bureau

Talkies (in LA) 5/19

April 15, 2022

aviva siegel, george chen, los angeles comedy, nick stargu, talkies, variety show, whammy analog media

Once upon a time one of San Francisco’s best secret spots for comedy was the basement for Lost Weekend Video. Cynic Cave would be a weekly standing appointment for great indie, underground comedy, not to mention the irresistible kitsch of going back in time to renting physical media to watch movies/TV shows.

Sadly, Lost Weekend Video and its comedy filled basement are no more, but the spirit might just have found a new spark in the newly forged VHS only store, Whammy Analog Media, in Echo Park and shows like SF’s super-fun-quirky-stand-up-short-film variety show Talkies with Aviva Siegel, George Chen, and Nick Stargu. Truly, Whammy Analog Media is the closest thing you’ll have to actually traveling back in time to the 90s and, almost for that alone, you should check their shows out (though they’ve had and will have a bunch of very cool, offbeat events).

This new, LA version of Talkies will have its Whammy Analog Media on Thurs. May 19th at 8PM PT w/a grand LA line-up of Frankie Quinones, Anna Seregina, Andy Rider, Chaki, and a short film from Sara June.

Tickets are available now for a sliding scale of $5-$20 and you ought to snag them up quick (space is limited).

Pick of the Day: The Harold Experience (in LA) 4/25

April 14, 2022

News

broadwater, harold night, improv comedy, los angeles comedy, the comedy coop

Nearly every improv team worth their salt has had their rounds doing this very time honored form of improv scene that challenge every one involved to have seemingly disparate scenes come together in an organic way at the end of a set. Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays between UCB Franklin and UCB Sunset here in LA and just as much in UCB in NYC when all those were alive and kicking used to be dedicated to the specific long form improvisational form known as the Harold.

With theaters going dark because of COVID-19, there has been a stark absence of long form improv (and everything) of any kind, but definitely a large void where several routine Harold performances would happen at improv theaters across the country.

The Comedy Coop LA, much of which is comprised of former UCB/Second City/iO/Groundlings alums, is aiming to bringing that institution back with The Harold Experience. Over the course of four hours, 6 teams, including some original UCB house teams, will dive into the Harold once again and weave improv gold before your very eyes on Mon. Apr. 25th at The Broadwater Mainstage.

That’ll include:

7 PM SHOW – Griffith Park and Outside Dog

8:30 PM SHOW – YETI and The Producers

10 PM SHOW – The IT Factor and Santa Monica Pier

Some of those teams will be a mash-up of great improvisers such as Lyndsey Frank, Eli Gonzalez, Dayna LoBosco, Jenna Bryson, PJ McCormick, Leonard Smith Jr, Derrick Hackett, Greg Smith, Karen Baughn, Ted Asbaghi, Max Toretti, Colin McGurk, Genetra Tull, Paul Heredia, Carl Tart, Lilan Bowden, Ruha Taslimi, Santina Muha, Samat Turgunbaev, Mark Wilson, Adam Gottfried, Jorge Thomson, Bob Hsiao, Michael Roselle, Sarah Baggot, Monte Montepare, Andy Bustillos, Kelly Vrooman, Artin Sarkysian, David Luong, Sam Calpadi, Jesse Merrill, Zef Hussain, Kelly Hannah

Best of all, it’s the same price you’d pay for a Harold Night, $5. Go get your tickets right now right here.

Get Your First Look at Season 2 of Hacks (Teaser)

April 14, 2022

News

hacks, hannah einbinder, hbo, jean smart, lucia aniello, paul downs, season 2, teaser

Hacks, the latest freshman single cam comedy to be critically acclaimed and award winning out of the gate (Atlanta and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend being the others in recent memory) has been such a lauded show that it, like those others freshman phenoms, feels like it has been around a lot longer than it actually has.

Well, that’s kind of what happens when a show is that good out of the gate. Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky, Jean Smart, and Hannah Einbinder all make for one of the best explorations of stand-up comedy and fighting your way through the entertainment biz as a woman, no matter where you are in age or station, and the second season has been highly anticipated since the credits rolled for season 1.

Lucky for us all, season 2 is kicking off very soon, Thurs. May 12th to be exact, on HBO Max. You can take your very first look at all the fights and cool looks of mutual respect between Ava and Deborah and everything in between here (as this season will follow them out of Vegas and on the road).

There Are Dozens of ‘Next Up’ UK Comedy Specials Coming Stateside

April 14, 2022

News

british comedy, comedy dynamics, comedy specials, next up, stand up comedy

Thanks to the comedy powers that be at Comedy Dynamics and a brand new advantageous partnership with Next Up, a formidable UK comedy brand, there’s a whole bunch of comedy specials, amassed from over the last several years, for you to dig into here in the U.S.

Previously, hours from the likes of Fern Brady, Kiri Pritchard McLean, The Pajama Men, Jen Brister, Aditi Mittal, Tommy Tiernan, Tiff Stevenson, Luisa Omeilan, and Marcel Lucont were primarily just available for streaming to those Brits tuned into Next Up. There are a few great comics from this side of the pond as well like Kira Soltanovich, Dave Meherje, and Dave Hill.

Now, over 150 specials from Next Up’s library will get U.S. streaming distribution across almost every major platform via Comedy Dynamics. You’ll probably have more than enough specials to get through the end of 2022 just from this deal alone.

Here’s the list of specials that Comedy Dynamics is bringing to us soon.

Aaron Simmonds	Disabled Coconut
Adam Hess	Seahorse
Aditi Mittal	Mother of Invention
Alasdair Beckett-King	The Alasdair Beckett-King Mysteries
Alex Kealy	Rationale
Alexander Fox	Ringo
Alexis Dubus	A Ruddy Brief History of Swearing
Ali Brice	Bin Wondering
Alison Thea-Skot	Thea-Skot Through the Heart and You’re to Blame
Andrea Hubert	Week
Andrew Maxwell	Showtime
Andrew Maxwell	Yo Contraire
Andy Field	The Andy Field Experience
Anesti Danelis	Six Frets Under
Anna Mann	A Sketch Show for Depressives
Anna Mann	How We Stop The Fascists
Archie Maddocks	Matchstick
Ashley Storrie	Hysterical
Bec Hill	I’ll Be Bec
Ben Target	Discover
Ben Van der Velde	Fablemaker
Brennan Reece	Everglow
Casual Violence	Hang The Suits
Christopher Bliss	Writing Wrongs
Daliso Chaponda	What The African Said
Daniel Cook	For Money
Danny McLoughlin	Phillip Was Right
Ed Aczel	Is Edward Aczel Infinite?
Eleanor Morton	Great Title, Glamorous Photo
Esther Manito	Crusade
Fern Brady	Male Comedienne
Funmbi Omotayo	–
Gráinne Maguire	Great People Making Great Choices
Hal Cruttenden	Straight Outta Cruttenden
Hal Cruttenden	Chubster
Helen Duff	How Deep Is Your Duff
Holly Burn	The Best of the Burn
Ian Smith	Half-Life
Jen Brister	Meaningless
Jessica Fostekew	Silence of the Nanns
Joe Sutherland	Toxic
Joey Page	The Last Night Before Lockdown
John Hastings	Integrity
Jonathan Pie	Back To The Studio
Jonny Pelham	An Hour
Jordan Brookes	The Making Of [Director’s Cut]
Jordan Brookes	Body Of Work
Joseph Morpurgo	Hammerhead
Joz Norris	The Incredible…
Juliette Burton	Defined
Kat Bond	Loo Roll
Kiri Pritchard McLean	Hysterical Woman
Laura Lexx	Tyrannosaurus Lexx
Laura Lexx	Trying
Lauren Pattison	Lady Muck
Lazy Susan	Forgive me, Mother!
Lloyd Langford	Rascal
Lost Voice Guy	I’m only in it for the free parking
Lou Conran	At Least I’m Not Dog Poo Darren
Maisie Adam	Vague
Marcel Lucont	Gallic Symbol
Mark Smith	Old Smudge
Matt Winning	Ragnarok
Matthew Highton	Insufficient Memory
Max & Ivan	The Reunion
Michael Legge	Jerk
Michael Legge	The Idiot
Norris & Parker	Burn the Witch
Pat Cahill	D.O.T.T.
Patrick Turpin	To Me, You Are Perfect
Paul Sinha	Shout Out To My Ex
Peter Brush	t
Rachel Parris	Best Laid Plans
Ray Bradshaw	Deaf Comedy Fam
Richard Stott	Right Hand Man
Richard Todd	Live
Rob Oldham	Worm’s Resolve
Robin Morgan	What a Man, What a Man, What a Man, What a Mighty Good Man (Say It Again Now)
Róisín and Chiara	Back to Back
Sarah Callaghan	The Ballad Of Sarah Callaghan
Sean McLoughlin	Kamikaze
Séayoncé	Déjà Voodoo
Shappi Khorsandi	Live from Soho
The Delightful Sausage	Cold Hard Cache
Tim Renkow	King of the Tramps
Tom Parry	Parryoke
Tom Stade	I Swear To
Tom Ward	Sex, Snails and Cassette Tapes
Tommy Tiernan	Under the Influence
Twins	Pret A Comedy
Zoe Lyones	Entry Level Human
Abigoliah Schamaun	Namaste, Bitches
Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall	Alasdair Lists Everything
Alexander Bennett	Alexander Bennett’s Terrifying Smile
Alexander Bennett	Housewive’s Favourite
Alice Fraser	The Resistance
Alice Fraser	Ethos
Archie Maddocks	Shirts Vs Skins
Ashley Haden	We All Die C**ts
Ashley Haden	Fk You And Fk Your Beliefs
Becky Brunning	Bloom
Bobby Mair	NextUp Special
Brendon Burns	Selfies in the Grand Canyon
Chris Chopping	Chris Chopping’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Danielle Ward	Seventeen
Danny McGinlay	The Complete First Season
Dave Hill	The Pride of Cleveland
Dominic Holland	The Glory Year
Dominic Holland	Alive In Tring
Dr. George Ryegold	The Worst Of
Dylan Brody	Driving Hollywood
Eleanor Morton	Lollipop
Gareth Cooper	Mishmash
Garrett Millerick	Devil’s Advocate
Gavin Baskerville	Reasons
Georgie Morrell	Eyecon
Grey Griffin	My First Comedy Special
James Ross	Leopardoptera
Jarred Christmas	Live from a Village Pub
Jeff Leeson	Grandma Used To Heckle Me
Jeff Leeson	Off The Cuff
Joe Bor	A room with a Jew
Joe Bor	The Story of Walter and Herbert
Joe Matarese	The Poster’s Wrong
Jordan Brookes	Bleed
Juliette Burton	Butterfly Effect
Laura Davis	Live at the Easey Street Concert Hall
Luisa Omielan	Politics for Bitches
Marcel Lucont	Numero Dix
Matt Gubser	Daddy Issues
Nick Capper	Pork Palace
Njambi McGrath	Breaking Black
Njambi McGrath	African In New York – Almost Famous
Njambi McGrath	Accidental Coconut
Njambi McGrath	One Last Dance With My Father
Paul F Taylor	Pick Of The Litter
Phil Nichol	The Naked Racist
Phil Nichol	Nearly Gay
President Obonjo	Goodbye Mr President
Robert White	Tank Top Tour
Robert White	InstruMENTAL
Sam Avery	The Learner Parent
Sam Rhodes	Americanarama
Samantha Hannah	How to Find Happiness (In A Year)
Scott Bennett	Leap Year
Shane Todd	Holywood to Hollywood
Shirley & Shirley	Marriage Material?
Stephen Grant	Taken For Granted
Stuart Laws	So Preoccupied…
Stuart Laws	Stops
The Pajama Men	Pterodactyl Nights
The Pajama Men	The Last Stand To Reason
Thenjiwe Moseley	Live in London
Tiernan Douieb	Miserably Happy
Tiernan Douieb	The World is Full of Idiots
Tiernan Douieb	This Isn’t For You
Tiff Stevenson	Optimist
Tiff Stevenson	Mad Man
Umar Khan	Live In Baltimore
Andy Parsons	Live & Unleashed – But Naturally Cautious
Bec Hill	Bec in an Hour
D.J. Demers	[Indistinct Chatter]
Dave Merheje	Good Friend Bad Grammar
Ed Byrne	Crowd Pleaser
Ed Byrne	Different Class
Ed Byrne	Roaring Forties
Ed Byrne	Outside Looking In
Ed Byrne	Spoiler Alert
James Mullinger	Almost Canadian
Kira Soltanovich	You Did This To Me
Mark Forward	Presents Mark Forward
Mark Steel	Vive La Revolution
Mark Steel	Mark Steel’s In Town
Miles Jupp	Is The Chap You’re Thinking Of
Miles Jupp	Fibber In The Heat
Norman Lovett	Outside the Box
Paul Zerdin	All Mouth
Richard Herring	Lord of the Dance Settee
Sean Hughes	Penguins
Simon Munnery	Hello
Stewart Francis	Pun Gent
Tony Law	An Hour & Some of Tony Law
Tony Law	Brainporium
Tony Law	Maximum Nonsense
Tony Law	Go! Mr Tony Go!
Ben Rosenfeld	Don’t Shake Your Miracle
Celia Pacquola	The Looking Glass

Follow @comedydynamics across socials to keep tabs on how these will all roll out.

Stop What You’re Doing and Enjoy the Season 2 Trailer of Ziwe

April 14, 2022

News

adam pally, Charlamagne Tha God, Chet Hanks, Emily Ratajkowski, hannibal buress, ilana glazer, Katya Zamolodchikova, late night, mia khalifa, nicole byer, season 2, showtime, trailer, ziwe

For the last few years, few other comedians have ascended quite like Ziwe, writing on one of the best late night shows on the air right now, Desus & Mero, to having the hottest IG Live show during lockdown, Baited with Ziwe, to having her own groundbreaking late night variety talk show, the eponymous Ziwe.

The first season of Ziwe having the keys to her very own talk show was some of the most delectable satire in late night and this next upcoming season (streaming Fri. Apr. 29th on Showtime) is going to one-up that as you can see in this season 2 trailer here.

Ziwe will march on in her iconic mission to be unflinching in picking apart issues and celebrities (and even her own writers). This season will have Baited-ish interviews with Ilana Glazer, Chet Hanks, Nicole Byer, Hannibal Buress, Adam Pally, Charlamagne Tha God, Emily Ratajkowski, Katya Zamolodchikova, and Mia Khalifa (and the Hannibal, Ilana, and Chet ones seem like they’ll be iconic from the get go).

Truly, knowing that season 2 of Ziwe is just around the corner, Apr. 29th suddenly seems so far away and can’t come soon enough.

Kids in the Hall Make Fun of Lorne Michaels in Trailer for Their Return on Amazon

April 13, 2022

News

amazon prime, bruce mcculloch, dave foley, kevin mcdonald, kids in the hall, lorne michaels, mark mckinney, scott thompson, snl, trailer

You ought to know and be eternally grateful for what Canada has given to the world of sketch comedy. Nathan Fielder, Lorne Michaels (the forever grandfather of SNL), and Kids in the Hall.

Of the three, Kids in the Hall made their mark over 20 years ago by being darker and weirder in a way that sketch comedy or any of television had ever seen (and hasn’t been seen much since until I Think You Should Leave). Thankfully, Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson are rounded up once more for another round of The Kids in the Hall and they’re going to be as daring as ever, a bold endeavor in 2022, as you can see in this red band trailer for their upcoming Amazon prime edition.

Sure, there’s plenty of NSFW stuff in the trailer, but it’s pretty clear that they’re doing a pretty spot on send-up of Lorne in pondering what the return of The Kids in the Hall should look like. The series premieres on May 13th and we can only wonder (and hope) that SNL/Lorne responds?

There’s an Andy Kaufman Documentary in the Works

April 13, 2022

News

alex braverman, andy kaufman, morgan neville

(via THR)

Of the figures in comedy history that are the most intriguing, the mysteries behind Andy Kaufman, both on stage and off, endure in a way that will probably forever fuel curiosity and inspiration. Noted for being one of comedy’s most innovative disruptors (or disruptive innovators depending on your opinion of Andy’s work and career), Kaufman helped usher in the sort of experimentation in performance in comedy that influences entire generations of comedy to this day.

As a person who ushered in a style of comedy that made fun of comedy, pranked audiences that were expecting a certain style of comedy, or went completely off the rails in a totally unprecedented way, you’d think that we’d have several Kaufman documentaries at this point. There is Man on the Moon and the the doc Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, but now there will be a full-length feature doc from Alex Braverman & Morgan Neville that will dive into the life, times, and art of someone who had a career than spanned Taxi to the mythos of the entity known as Tony Clifton. There are no details for what exactly they’ll cover or when to expect the doc to release, but rest assured that will be antsy even for just a trailer.

Maybe, just maybe, this doc will reinvigorate/reboot The Andy Kaufman Award, what used to be one of our favorite distinctions in comedy.

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

April 13, 2022

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

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

Pick of the Day: Pizzazz with Gary Gulman (in NYC) 4/18

April 13, 2022

News

emmy blotnick, gary gulman, martin urbano, nore davis, nyc comedy, stand up comedy

Gary Gulman has been and remains as one of the finest artisans/practitioners/craftsmen of stand-up comedy, especially when it comes to how exquisite and complex a single joke can be (and, of course, how wildly funny it can be the whole time). Watch The Great Depresh if you need a reminder about how great Gary is. This has been true at his home in NYC and pretty much anywhere else he plays for several years at this point, making a live appearance by Gulman a special, do-not-miss event.

Thankfully, Gary is starting a monthly show where New Yorkers will get that chance a lot more often. Baby’s All Right in Brooklyn will be the home for Pizzazz that will showcase Gulman along with a collection of NYC’s finest. Their inaugural line-up certainly hits that mark with Emmy Blotnick, Nore Davis, and Martin Urbano.

This very first editino of Pizzazz with Gary Gulman is set for Mon. Apr. 18th at 7PM ET. Tickets are $14.02 (includes fees) and you can and should get them here (and not miss any one of these).

The BBC Is Throwing Its Very First BBC Comedy Festival

April 12, 2022

News

Adjani Salmon, bbc comedy festival, charlie brooker, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Greg Davies, Jamie Demetriou, Kat Sadler, megan ganz, romesh ranganathan, stephen merchant, Tim Renkow

The British Broadcasting Corporation has long since been a home for UK TV comedy as evidenced by the original version of The Office from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant debuting on BBC Two seemingly eons ago.

To continue in their comedy lineage and tradition and looking forward to their future, they’re throwing their very first BBC Comedy Festival in Newcastle next month from Wed. 11th May to Fri. 13th May. BBC’s Director of Comedy, Jon Petrie punctuated the announcement, “We are excited to be coming to Newcastle, the BBC’s first City of Comedy, to celebrate comedy in all its forms and to outline BBC Comedy’s vision for the genre in 2022 and beyond. We are committed to nurturing, developing and collaborating with comedy enthusiasts across the UK, to ensure comedy remains a staple part of our British culture.

With a focus on panel discussions and “in conversations”, this does seem to be geared for people in comedy, but rest assured there will actually be brilliant live comedy to be thoroughly enjoyed by those in attendance. Lined-up on the schedule include appearances from Charlie Brooker, Greg Davies, Jamie Demetriou, Megan Ganz, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Romesh Ranganathan, Stephen Merchant, Tim Renkow, Kat Sadler, Adjani Salmon, and Holly Walsh – plus the casts of BBC hits – Ghosts and The Outlaws.

If you’re in and around the UK a month from now, you’ll probably want to get in on this. We’ll keep you posted on passes/tickets.

Pick of the Day: Wacky Shack (in NYC) Wednesdays Starting 5/4

April 12, 2022

News

kevin casey white, kevin o'brien, nyc comedy, outdoor comedy, whacky shack

NYC had an explosion of outdoor comedy shows throughout the last two years. Starting off with doing stand-up in parks, sometimes acapella without a mic, then shifting to any place that had an outdoor space where could line-up some chairs and a mic and mic stand. One of the most popular and beloved was Kevin Casey White and Kevin O’Brien’s Wacky Shack, held at Central Organic in Bushwick, Brooklyn, NYC.

When the weather permitted for evenings that weren’t freezing, Kevin and Kevin threw up great line-ups and sustained and backyard party vibe that would have crowds standing on the sidewalk looking into the cozy back patio of Central Organic.

We’re thrilled to hear that these two funny Kevins will be bringing back Wacky Shack to Central Organic and keeping it as a weekly, every Wednesday around 8PM starting on Star Wars Day, May 4th. Donations will be accepted.

They haven’t announced their first line-up for their glorious return, but you better bet it’s going to be stacked with NYC’s best (and they won’t have been stuck inside for several months this time). Get more details for Wacky Shack and donate here.

R.I.P. Gilbert Gottfried, 1955-2022

April 12, 2022

News

gilbert gottfried

Just a few hours ago, comedy titan, Gilbert Gottfried passed away at the age of 67. Gottfried hasn’t been in full health as of recent years, but news of his departure feels like it struck out of nowhere.

When all is said and done, Gilbert should go down in comedy history as one of its truly fearless boundary pushers and innovators. His unrelenting path of dismantling any and all “sacred cows” led to, as you probably know, it hard left turn when cracking a 9/11 joke just days after the attacks on the Twin Towers, but also saw him through telling the most iconic version of The Aristocrats joke (as pristinely captured in Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette’s 2005 doc).

Gottfried has had a wide ranging career outside of those two distinctions of course (Aladdin, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon, Law & Order SVU, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver), but we have no doubt that the reverberations of comedy will really be felt in the coming days, weeks, and months. His comedic MO to joke about the things that no one should joke about at the time that no one should supposedly joke about them (remember how he lost out on his lucrative Aflac gig from joking about a tsunami in Japan?) has more influence on the art form of comedy today than probably has ever been written or thought about. It’s not a farfetched thought at all to think that Gilbert Gottfried’s daring on stage has changed comedy forever.

So, go down a Gilbert Gottfried Internet rabbit hole (you might be surprised by just how extensive his voiceover career was) and remember that comedy, especially stand-up, might not be where it is without him.

Take a More Debra Look at Season 2 of Three Busy Debras with Full Trailer

April 11, 2022

News

adult swim, alyssa stonoha, mitra jouhari, sandy honig, three busy debras

Just two more weeks until what seems like years and years of waiting for another season of Three Busy Debras comes to an end. The unrelenting absurdist comedy from Mitra Jouhari, Alyssa Stonoha, and Sandy Honig was such a joy when it first debuted in 2020 and kind of like What We Do In The Shadows, we felt like we were just biding our time until the second season came around.

Thank goodness that Sun. Apr. 24th is pretty damn close and you can plan accordingly to stay up to midnight to watch it live (or watch it at your leisure on HBO Max the next day).

As we said up top, you can take a more Debra look (there’s a lotta lotta Debra) at season 2 with the full trailer here.

Pick of the Day: Sweet Lorraine with Jordan Temple (in LA) 5/14

April 11, 2022

News

elysian, jordan temple, los angeles, solo show, sweet lorraine

OK, if you don’t already know the name Jordan Temple, you really ought to commit it to memory. As both a stand-up and a writer (of so many different types), he has set himself apart with one-of-a-kind voice that is subtle, introspective, wildly imaginative, and so powerfully funny.

For one, Temple has been writing on Atlanta, but he also wrote a play based off the awards season flub of Hidden Fences that was one of the most hysterical stage productions we’ve seen in years.

So, Jordan is embarking on a solo show, Sweet Lorraine, that celebrates the life of his grandmother, Lorraine, and, given his resume, it should be something wholly affecting and very special.

Don’t miss out on Jordan putting it up at The Elysian on Sat. May 14th at 8PM PT. Tickets are $16 and you can (and very much should) go get ’em here.

Pick of the Day: Kristal Adams Does 39ish Minutes Album Recording (in LA) 5/5

April 8, 2022

News

album taping, comedy album, glendale room, kristal adams, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy

Though sheer hard work and also being funnier and funnier every time we see her, Kristal Adams has worked her way up through the LA comedy scene. Kristal’s poise and intelligence on stage are a special charm on top of her very well-observed observations and personal comedic truths whether they be about race, jazz, or anything else in between.

Kristal will be doing a taping for her very first album, a 39ish minute performance in honor of her 39th birthday, at The Glendale Room on Thurs. May 5th. While much of LA will be hustling from Netflix Is a Joke Fest show to Netflix Is a Joke Fest show around then, you can watch this celebratory stand-up performance (that will also be a taping) from one of LA comedy’s rising stars.

There are two tapings, one at 8PM PT & the other at 10PM PT and admission is pay what you can. Go ahead and reserve a ticket anyway while you’re getting more details here.

Take a Gander at the Trailer for Riley Stearns’ Wild Latest Film, “Dual”

April 8, 2022

News

aaron paul, dual, karen gillan, rlje

While Swan Song came and went on Apple TV+ without too much fanfare, the drama and satire of having a clone of yourself made to take your place due to a terminal illness is still fertile territory for something captivating (or ridiculous hysterical).

That’s where Riley Stearns’ latest, Dual (we’re guessing pun intended here), comes in taking cues from his dark comedy The Art of Self-Defense and weaving in the potentially unforeseen implications of having a clone of yourself continue your life when it might have seemed stolen away far too early. Karen Gillan and Aaron Paul bring this absurdist, sci-fi satire to life that might border on a cheekier, but still plenty sinister episode of Black Mirror.

See for yourself with the first official trailer here, then look for Dual in theaters near you starting next week, Apr. 15th.

Rothaniel Is Both Great and a Comedy Special (and Let the Debate End There)

April 7, 2022

News

Stand-up comedy, in comparison to its much older relatives in the arts, is still very much a nascent art form, even in the realm of live performance. However, that doesn’t stop the old guard and purists from being rigid about structures and dynamics and what should and shouldn’t be when it comes to the art of going on stage with a microphone and making an audience in a venue laugh.

For decades upon decades, jokes/bits/stories have all been carefully woven into hours or half hours or fractions of time thereof to make for signature performances of comedy. For a classic performance of stand-up that, we believe, will stand the test of time that was recorded and aired this year, look no further than Maria Bamford’s most recent genius stand-up set on Corden.

Jerrod Carmichael, on the other hand, wants to not play at and beyond the fringes of what stand-up comedy can be, not unlike Hannah Gadsby or Rory Scovel or Andy Kaufman or Al Lubel before him, but very much wants to reimagine the whole damn thing. In one fell swoop, on what seems to be an unassuming wintry night in NYC, Jerrod taped his latest special Rothaniel, with gorgeous direction from Bo Burnham, and has just achieved that.

The special itself is essentially some sort of hybrid between an extended story at The Moth and stand-up, but is more beautiful than being purely one or the other from Jerrod seemingly revealing so many of his most personal secrets (mainly, his coming out as gay and his actual name) and reveling and connecting with folks in the audience in the aftermath, all in real time. The ever elusive lightning in a bottle that is one of the main reasons people pay very good money to see any sort of live performance is so wonderfully captured here. Partially, that result is due to the fact that it wasn’t overly prepared or rehearsed and the well worn comedic label of “raw” actually applies to this hour, making this special all the more actually, truly, deeply special. Rothaniel essentially couldn’t happen more than a few times in full. Otherwise, it would lose the magical ephemeral quality that courses its way through every second.

Jerrod himself is still in the thick of what his special has wrought as you can see from his panel interview on Seth Meyers last night.We hope we haven’t played our hand too aggressively and revealed too much so this will all still be revelatory for you as it has been for all the folks that have watched Rothaniel before the writing of this op-ed.

There is so much to wax poetic about in the communal elements of the special and, in a manner of speaking, how “real” it was in comparison to the finely tuned and honed hours of stand-up that have been put out at Netflix, HBO, and elsewhere. But, we’d rather you just watch it if you haven’t done so already and marvel in Jerrod’s art gallery exhibit of a comedy special for yourself.

Also, we’d urge you to not engage in the discourse we’ve been hearing here and there, in places high and low in comedy, over the last week, a sentiment echoed from Gadsby’s Nanette, about whether this is a comedy special or not. One can bandy quite a bit about how Rothaniel is not as laugh out loud, high on the laugh-per-minute ratio as any of Jim Gaffigan’s hour specials.

Yet, does that necessarily disqualify it from being a comedy special? In our minds, it doesn’t and any argument to the contrary holds back stand-up comedy from progressing forward from just being dick jokes and comedians making fun of the fact that they make money telling dick jokes in a never ending moebius strip of dick jokes and meta commentary. There is actually no agreed upon standard for what qualifies comedy special other than the fact that it’s promoted as one, which Rothaniel explicitly does. There’s a great freedom in that lack of definition and we wish more comedians took advantage of that freedom, especially since the whole aggregate of comedy is wired to push itself forward much faster than almost any other art form.

Once more, Rothaniel is both a great piece of art and a comedy special and let that be that.

Please Enjoy Sara June’s Short “Bathroom Time”

April 7, 2022

News

anna seregina, bri pruett, christine medrano, sara june, short film, sketch comedy, steph tolev

It’s unfortunate that the scarcity mentality that so many of us live under extend to every bit of our lives. We center our lives on how much money or power or water we have left. We especially anxiously ration time to go the bathroom while at work. That’s a very powerful stressor in an economy of scarcity.

Thus, comedian/filmmaker Sara June made a hilariously morbid short film, Bathroom Time, that captures this ever present feeling many of us have with pitch perfect performances from Anna Seregina, Christine Medrano, Steph Tolev, and Bri Pruett.

It recently got to be a Vimeo Staff Pick and we fully co-sign their pick. Enjoy June’s timely short satire here.

Pick of the Day: James Austin Johnson-Close To You Tour (in NYC) 8/11

April 7, 2022

News

bell house, brooklyn comedy, james austin johnson, nyc comedy, snl

The debut season of James Austin Johnson has been a whirlwind unlike almost any other cast member in SNL history and the comedic craftsmanship and prowess of JAJ are wholly responsible for that.

That said, what you’ve seen on the show, if you haven’t had the treasured experience of seeing Johnson live, is only scratching the surface of how James Austin Johnson can hysterically dazzle you. His repertoire of voices and characters and cleverness with which they’re wrought are so damn delightful that you really shouldn’t miss out on a chance to see him.

James will be embarking on his Close To You tour this Summer during the off-months of SNL and will be specifically stopping in at The Bell House at Thurs. Aug. 11th at 7:30PM ET. Tickets are on sale right now and you should go snag ’em at $25 a pop before they inevitably sell out here.

Please Enjoy Emil Wakim’s Late Night Debut on The Tonight Show

April 6, 2022

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emil wakim, late night, stand up comedy, tonight show

It’s still a toss up as to which late night show will take the baton from Conan to most prominently feature stand-up during an episode. Thankfully, in the race that’s mainly between Corden and Fallon, plenty of great comedians are getting highlighted and really getting to do their thing.

NYC’s Emil Wakim is the latest to make their late night debut and Wakim really plays with the negative space (i.e. for comedy, extended pauses and dramatic passages) while painting a honest image of his intersectional biracial identity. It’s a pretty fun, very confident late night debut and you should give it a watch here.

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

April 6, 2022

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

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

Pick of the Day: Brew Haha (in LA) 4/8

April 6, 2022

News

brew haha, drinking game, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy

Very, very few comedy shows in LA, or anywhere for that matter, threw down party-wise quite like Brew Haha. The hybrid stand-up/drinking game game show put on a house show of the likes that you would largely only see in coming-of-age comedies. It would get so packed that folks would ascend to a rooftop if there was no space down below to watch the show.

Having the audience drink every time that one of the best of the LA comedy scene would say a certain thing during their set turned out to be one of the most successful alt comedy formats in the last several years.

All that said, Brew Haha is returning for their first in-person show in years this Friday, Apr. 8th at 8PM PT at Hollywood’s Thymele Arts. Tickets are only $10 and you really ought to get tickets before it sells out here.

Even Just the Trailer for Marcel The Shell With Shoes On Will Make Your Day So Much Brighter

April 5, 2022

News

a24, dean fleischer-camp, isabella rossellini, jenny slate, lesley stahl, marcel the shell

Years and years ago, Dean Fleischer-Camp, Jenny Slate, and some of the most adorable stop motion animation we’ve seen since Chicken Run all came together to give the world the wondrous creation that is Marcel The Shell With Shoes On. No matter where you’re coming from, it was near impossible to resist Marcel’s innocent charm and perfectly twee persona.

All the way here, in 2022, Marcel still has kept his very genuine sweetness and hope and is embarking on a full length feature movie of an adventure. Fleischer-Camp and Slate reunited for the film and brought the likes of Isabella Rossellini, and 60 Minutes’ Lesley Stahl (to play herself). The cleverness of the documentary that has Dean following Marcel and his grandma (voiced by Isabella Rossellini) is irresistible and, despite the havoc of the world, had us heartily giggling (and subsequently very much excited to see this Marcel adventure).

Take a gander for yourself with the first official trailer for the Marcel The Shell With Shoes On movie here, then look for it in theaters on Jun. 24th.

Pick of the Day: Great Moments in Comedy Made Worse (in LA) 4/28

April 5, 2022

News

experimental comedy, improv comedy, jeremy schmidt, los angeles comedy, sketch comedy, skyler madsen

In the days of yore, back when UCB Franklin gave its midnight slots to the most experimental, out there comedy shows and formats, there was a marvelous whirlwind of chaos lovingly called Great Moments in Comedy Made Worse. The scripts to famous sketches in comedy history are randomly given to a cast and after doing a cold read, they have to improvise and stretch the sketch however they can for at least 15 minutes.

This bout of lovely chaos was kicked up by Skyler Madsen and Jeremy Schmidt and had so many hysterical twists and turns with many of LA’s very best sketch and improv performers, especially if someone had no idea what the sketch was or didn’t really know who they were playing. Thus, we rolled out on to Franklin Ave. at 1 in the morning, thrilled at mashing up irreverence with comedic bedlam.

Thanks to The Comedy Coop LA, Great Moments in Comedy Made Worse is coming back for the first time in far too many years on Thurs. Apr. 28th at 8PM PT at The Broadwater in Hollywood. Tickets are $10 and we highly suggest snagging them up soon as space is limited.

Who Else Could Have Been Nominated (and Maybe Win) for Best Comedy Album at The Grammys Besides an Undeserving Louis C.K.?

As much as we’d love to dissect C.K.’s lack of a proper mea culpa for being an admitted, repeated sex pest, how that has soured his comedy since his return, and how he’s wholly undeserving of his third Best Comedy Album Grammy win (he’s artistically regressed with his last couple of hours), we’re pretty sure that such words would only be affirmed by those already demoralized by his latest success or tossed to the metaphorical curb by his diehard acolytes. We could even spend hundreds of words on how The Recording Academy, the governing body responsible for The Grammy Awards, has long since been out of touch with what would supposedly be the “Best Comedy Album” having largely succumbed to Netflix and HBO and the like putting out audio versions of highly produced and promoted specials that end up edging out other purely audio comedy albums from ever even getting nominated.

Hmph. We digress.

Rather than delve into that endless rabbit hole or go into the systemic issues at The Recording Academy that reduce this particular Grammy category, amongst others, to mostly a popularity contest (the voters for this category, like any major awards, have no real incentive to listen to every single album and often just go with what they know ahead of time), we’ll instead show you the folks that met all the qualifications to even be in the running to be nominated (ostensibly, who was left out of the equation against C.K.’s lackluster Sincerely Louis C.K.)

You already know that the other nominees for Best Comedy Album were Kevin Hart: Zero F***s Given, Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American, Lewis Black: Thanks For Risking Your Life, Chelsea Handler: Evolution, and Lavell Crawford: The Comedy Vaccine. One could make the argument, if you’re already OK with CK returning to stand-up, that he is most definitely in the running against the five other nominees (especially Kevin Hart’s very tone-deaf special done in his basement that’s bigger than most apartments anywhere).

However, there are plenty of folks that, because of lack of fame, prestige, etc., were already doomed to not get any recognition from the Recording Academy despite their comedic prowess (and explicit lack of sex crimes). Amongst those that could have been nominated for Best Comedy Album this year were Beth Stelling, Rory Scovel, Michelle Buteau, Chad Daniels, Sean Devlin, Ester Steinberg, Ziwe, Tim Minchin, Atsuko Okatsuka, Ben Roy, Robin Tran, Tim Heidecker, Ian Edwards, Lisa Curry, Chris Gethard, Dan Soder, Sam Tallent, Dave Helem, and Lil’ Rel. Those names represent some of the very funniest people in comedy right at this moment, but only a fraction of who could have been nominated for a Best Comedy Album Grammy this year (and possibly beat out Louis CK).

Thanks to an industry source, we’ve got a list of pretty much everyone else that was in the running for a Grammy nomination this year, but ultimately was left out for the aforementioned reasons above and many others. Even though you might think major awards ceremony are largely overly self-important and indulgent, we hope that you can get some perspective on who is left out (and much more likely has the actual Best Comedy Album of this past year).

Nicole Burch: Never Been Kissed
Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia
Colin Cook: This Won’t Work
Affion Crockett: Mirror II Society
Lisa Curry: Alive for A While
Chad Daniels: Twelfth Night
Sandy Danto: Daddy Boy
Jim David: Gay Jokes for Straight Cruisers
DC Benny: Adrift in Predicaments-Stories of Shoulda Known Better
Mark DeMayo: Bangers
Sean Devlin: Airport, Animals
Eleanor Kerrigan: Lady Like
Paul Kim: The Lion Kim
Raul Kohli: All My Heroes Are Dead, in Jail, or Touched Up Your Nan
Nish Kumar: It’s In Your Nature To Destroy Yourselves, Parts 1 & 2
Preacher Lawson: Get to Know Me
Lewberger: Live at Lincoln Hall in Chicago
Orlando Leyba: Adorable
Lil’ Rel: Humbly Vulnerable-I Said What I Said
Joe List: I Hate Myself
Ignacio Lopez: EspañYOLO
Jonny Loquasto: The In 3-D
Levin McCachen: Illuminati
Ed Hill: Candy and Smiley
Melinda Hill: Inappropriate
Katie Hughes: Queen of the Castle
London Hughs: To Catch a D***
Taylor Hughes: Chasing Wonder
Katie-Ellen Humphries: Ladyfinger
David Huntsberger: Big Nothingness
Eddie Ifft: Sweet Home Malibama
Ryan James: I’m Fine
The Jerky Boys (self-titled)
Maz Jobrani: Pandemic Warrior
Danny Jolles: Six Parts
Jamie Kaler: Homeschooled
Noah Gardenswartz: New Fodder
Arthur Gaus: Nice Jokes for Smart People
Chris Gethard: Half My Life
Harrison Greenbaum: Live at Madison Square Garden
Nick Guerra: Love Me at My Worst
Joey Guila: Ringleader
Nathan Hansen: I Was Supposed To Get Married Today
Kevin Hart: Zero F***s Given
John Hastings: Float Like a Butterfly, John Hastings Like a Bee
Tim Heidecker: An Evening with Tim Heidecker
Dave Helem: D.J. the Chicago Kid
Amy Hill: Shades
Kevin Yee: One Boy Band
Ziwe: Ziwe-A Famously Iconic Soundtrack
Kevin Doyle: 30 Year Old Virgin
Scout Durwood: Comedy Electronica Vol. 1
Jeff Dye: Dumb Is Gooder
Mat Edgar: Take the L
Ian Edwards: Bill Burr presents IanTalk-Ideas Not Worth Spreading
Mark Ellis: Dog Stepfather
Felipe Esparza: Bad Decisions
Matt Falk: Optimistical
Randy Feltface: The Book of Randicus
Adam Ferrara: It’s Scary in Here
Glen Foster: Unchecked
Jen Fulwiler: The Naughty Corner
Jerry Garcia: It’s Not My Weekend
Tryf Da Comedian: Symphunny, Vol. 1
Bill Burr Presents the Ringers
More Funny Women of a Certain Age
Ron Vaudry: Talking on Thin Ice
Joey Villagomez: Jokes, Drugs, Rock & Roll
Paul Virzi: I’ll Say This
Phil Wang: Philly Philly Wang Wang
Jeremiah Watkins: Family Reunion
Daniel Webb: Hoe’s Parade at The Rose Bowl
Aaron Weber: Shirts and Skins
Jacob Williams: Unemotional Roller Coaster
Lance Woods: Undeniable
Glenn Wool: Viva Forever
Heather McDonald: Juicy Scoop
Harmony McElligot: The Struggle Continues
Michael McIntyre: Showman
Sean McLoughlin: Hail Mary
Doug Mellard: I’m Worried About Me
Garrett Millerick: Smile
Tim Minchin: Apart Together
Ginger Minj: Gummy Together
Daniel Muggleton: Unprecedented
Atsuko Okatsuka: They Call Me Stacey
Natalie Palamides: Nate – A One Man Show
Brian Parise: Last Wishes
Eddie Pence: The (Un)Special Comedy Special
Rojo Perez: Words
Nick Rado: On-Trend
Adam Ray: I’ll Take It From Here-The Crowd Work Album
Brian Regan: On The Rocks
Erica Rhodes: La Vie en Rhodes
Erik Rivera: Super White
Shayla Rivera: It’s Not Rocket Science
Darrin Rose: Wearing a Suit
Ben Roy: Take the Sandwich
Bob Rubin: Oddities & Rarities
Amber Ruffin: The Amber Ruffin Show-Music from the Original Series
Marc Ryan: The Clean Album
Brendan Sagalow: Not Now More Than Ever
Andrew Schulz: Brilliant Idiot
Rory Scovel: Live Without Fear
Harry Shearer: The Many Moods of Donald Trump
Dan Soder: Son of a Gary
Gianmarco Soresi: Shelf Life
Ester Steinberg: Burning Bush
Beth Stelling: Girl Daddy
Fatimah Taliah: Nice to Meet Me
Sam Tallent: Waiting for Death to Claim Us
Erik Terrell: Live at Helium Comedy Club
Robin Tran: Don’t Look at Me
Jesus Trejo: Stay at Home Son
Steve Treviño: I Speak Wife

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