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Enjoy the Trailer for HBO Max’s 1970s Nude Mag Comedy “The Minx”
March 3, 2022
News
hbo max, jake johnson, ophelia lovibond, the minx

HBO and HBO Max are diving further into their stash of period pieces for 2022. Already, they’ve got The Gilded Age whetting people’s appetites with a showdown of old and new money in Industrial Age America between Christine Baranski and Carrie Coon, but they also have one of the year’s mostly highly anticipated shows in Adam McKay’s Lakers dynasty series Winning Time coming in just a few days.

Also coming down the HBO Max streaming pipeline will be The Minx, a 70s nudie mag comedy that follows a fledgling feminist magazine get itself on the ground by featuring nude men. Ophelia Lovibond and Jake Johnson star in this Ellen Rapoport series along with a lot of comedy scene favorites in Lennon Parham, Oscar Montoya, and Jessica Lowe.

For something that is essentially the hypothetical flip of Playboy minus Hugh Hefner, there seems to be some pretty fun promise for the series. Get a delicious taste of what’s to come with The Minx in the first official trailer here, then look for it to stream on HBO Max on Fri. Mar. 17th.

Pick of the Day: Pack Theater Reopening (w/TCB Presents) (in LA) 3/5
March 3, 2022
News
april clark, atsuko okatsuka, ayla glass, cait raft, Grace Freud, heather anne campbell, joan ford, los angeles comedy, madison shepard, malcolm barrett, miles stroth, nori reed, percy rustomji, zavior phillips

The Pack Theater, one of LA’s most innovative and boundary pushing comedy theaters, has survived the pandemic, seemingly, more than a few times. Right at the outset, they had a big fundraiser that raised enough money to cover their rent for several months, though we truly didn’t have any idea how long the pandemic would last (especially as it’s still not completely over two years later). In that time, they built one of the most robust offerings of virtual comedy from any venue almost anywhere in the world. All of that has kept them alive enough (even having to temporarily give up their original space in The Complex) through all the variants.

This Saturday, March 5th, The Pack Theater will be finally opening its doors for in-person shows and as a matter of it being a grand reopening, they’re going to have a grand evening curated from every corner of comedy (including with a bit of an assist from us here at TCB.

Right now, the Pack Theater Reopening has a line-up of:

7PM PT-improv from Heather & Miles (one of the all time, best improv duos)
8PM PT-sketch from Joan Ford & Cait Raft (one of the most fun sketch duos in LA)
9PM PT-The Comedy Bureau (that’s us) Presents (w/Girl God, Atsuko Okatsuka, Zavior Phillips, Nori Reed, Percy Rustomji, Malcolm Barrett, Madison Shepard, and host Ayla Glass

Just come around this Saturday, Mar. 5th to 6476 Santa Monica Blvd. to celebrate another comedy institution making it to this side of the pandemic. Get tickets for the evening’s festivities here.

Pick of the Day: Katrina Davis-The Comic Is Present (in LA) 4/1 & 4/2
March 2, 2022
News
artist is present, experimental comedy, katrina davis, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy

No matter how self-deprecating comedians will ever get and insist that comedy isn’t really an art form as some of us wheel and deal in humor for the lowest common denominator for much success, comedy is indeed an art form. There are others among comedy that actually bristle and brim and even burn through the edges of the forms and tropes of comedy, whatever discipline it may be, that really make it light up like the art form that it could be.

The warm and also sharply funny Katrina Davis is embarking on such a project, The Comic Is Present, with her upcoming performances of The Comic Is Present. Taking a cue from Marina Abramovic’s famous performance piece The Artist Is Present, Katrina will allow audience members to say whatever they want to her while seated opposite her for 60 seconds. Then, Katrina will turn all of that into fodder for a 50+ minute set of stand-up comedy. Neither Marina or Shia LeBeouf with a bag over his head went this far with the performance art, but, then again, either of them probably wouldn’t really want to do the stand-up comedy portion of this comedy experiment.

Here’s a bit of a sneak peek of what that might look like.

Katrina will be putting The Comic Is Present up at The LODGE in Hollywood/Melrose Hill on April Fool’s Day, Apr. 1st & Apr. 2nd at 6PM PT. You can, and very much should, go get tickets and more info here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 101: Yedoye Travis & Redefining the Idea of Being a Comedian
March 2, 2022
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
hbo, iheart, larry david, sxsw, yedoye travis

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

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

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

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

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

See the Full Breadth of Big Mouth’s Human Resources In Its First Full-Length Trailer
March 2, 2022
News
aidy bryant, ali wong, big mouth, Brandon Kyle Goodman, David Thewlis, helen mirren, henry winkler, hugh jackman, human resources, Janelle Monáe, keke palmer, lupita nyong'o, maya rudolph, netflix, nick kroll, randall park, rosie perez, trailer

It was kind of the tease of the last season of Big Mouth that there is more to the world of Hormone Monsters and Shame Wizards than what we’ve seen terrorize or inspire the human teens going through the nightmare that is puberty. Thus, that will be the core of the spin-off series Human Resources.

The world of Human Resources will explore all sorts of Depression Kitties, Logic Rocks, Grati-Toads, and much much more and how off-the-rails their world is as well. Per usual with Big Mouth (or shall we say the Big Mouth Cinematic Universe), it’s stacked with a bright, shining, star studded voice cast that includes Aidy Bryant, Nick Kroll, Maya Rudolph, Brandon Kyle Goodman, David Thewlis, Randall Park, Keke Palmer, Lupita Nyong’o, Rosie Perez, Ali Wong, Helen Mirren, Henry Winkler, Janelle Monáe, and Hugh Jackman.

Get a full, rollicking taste of what that’s all going to be like (maybe even more raunchy than Big Mouth?) in this trailer here, then look for all episodes to drop on Netflix on Fri. Mar. 18th.

 

Tim Robinson & Zach Kanin Might Have a New HBO Max Show with “Computer School”
March 1, 2022
News
computer school, hbo max, tim robinson, zach kanin

(via Variety)

As far as we’re concerned, Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin set a new bar for sketch comedy with only two seasons of I Think You Should Leave proving that they should be further allowed to, perhaps, do as they please. We would sincerely hope that a third season of I Think You Should Leave would be part of that, but, for now, we’ll be ecstatic over the announcement that HBO Max has ordered a pilot from Robinson and Kanin called Computer School.

The premise is very simple, but leaves plenty of room to go the millions of absurd directions that I Think You Should Leave or Detroiters went to. Computer School will follow a newly minted high school graduate and his uncle ending up in the same computer class in the Michigan ‘burbs. That alone should get the wheels turning at all the joyously chaotic possibilities that could arise from that (and probably a lot of Tim Robinson yelling).

With all of that in mind, we hope that a series order gets announced ASAP (especially we don’t know if and when that next season of ITYSL is going to come out on Netflix).

Pick of the Day: Clocktower Comedy (in LA) 3/12
March 1, 2022
News
amy miller, asif ali, chris estrada, dtla, kevin camia, kurt braunohler, langston kerman, los angeles comedy, naomi ekperigin, steve hernandez, union station

Right around now, the two year mark of when the reality of COVID-19 was starting to set in for folks here in America, there seems to be things coming back from the appointed time that they were supposed to happen in March 2020.

One of those things was an outdoor comedy show at LA’s iconic train hub, Union Station in DTLA. A variety of stand-up and improv had been all booked and it was definitely going to be one of those highlight, pop-up shows with one of LA’s most picturesque Art Deco back drops.

Called Clock Tower Comedy, it’s now actually, really going to happen at Union Station on Sat. Mar. 12th at the North Patio. For only $5, you’ll get to see the LA’s very best with Naomi Ekperigin, Kurt Braunohler, Asif Ali, Langston Kerman, and Chris Estrada along with co-hosts in LA darlings Steve Hernandez and Amy Miller.

Tickets are only $5 right now (and $7 at the door. Go get them right here right now.

Please Enjoy Yedoye Travis’ Debut Special “Bury Me Loose”
February 28, 2022
News
comedy central, stand up comedy, yedoye travis

Often, when watching so many comedy specials and listening to hour after hour of comedy albums (not to mention countless number of live comedy shows with an even more innumerable amount of comedians on them) , it’s not uncommon to get a sense of whether comedians are present on stage versus them sounding so rehearsed. The chase for give that illusory feeling of spontaneity and the sharpness of a well crafted joke or bit is a major part of the enigma of why comedy is so persistently difficult and why there is a very small percentage of folks that draw you in with their comedic verve and expertise.

Yedoye Travis is one such refreshing jolt of energy and wit that has dazzled the NYC comedy scene for years now. Every time we see Yedoye, his performances are teeming with such urgency (further emphasized by his humorously sardonic requests to the audience shut up so he can get through jokes) that we stop thinking about the mechanics of any of his bits or how well thought out his point of view as well as the perspectives of others are considered and simply just have as much fun as he’s having on stage.

All of that jaunty lightning is captured in a bottle for his debut half-hour special from Comedy Central, Bury Me Loose. So far, it’s one of our favorite specials of this year and, lucky for you, it’s on YouTube for FREE to see for yourself. Get into Yedoye Travis: Bury Me Loose right here right now.

Pick of the Day: Megan Stalter (in LA) 3/14
February 28, 2022
News
largo, los angeles comedy, megan stalter, stand up comedy

Ever since we saw Megan Stalter take the stage at Genghis Cohen all those years ago, we knew that there were plenty of dates destined for her on bigger, brighter, and more renowned stages ahead. Thanks a lot COVID for making that wait a lot longer.

Now, Meg is going to have a night all to herself and however she wants it to go (beautifully controlled mischief most likely) at one of LA’s most revered theatres, Largo (@ The Coronet). This night, on Mon. Mar. 14th at 8:30PM PT, will be the very first of what we hope will be several performances there for Meg and you really best get tickets before they sell out (Meg has really hardcore stans, FYI).

Get tickets here now.

SXSW 2022 Announces SXSW Comedy Festival Line-Up for This Year (Yep, the First One Since 2020)
February 28, 2022
News
asssscat, byron bowers, comedy festival, creek and the cave, eddie pepitone, jim gaffigan, joe derosa, john cleese, jon daly, matt besser, mitra jouhari, rosebud baker, shane torres, sxsw, the comedy store, three busy debras

In Jan./Feb. 2020, we were so excited that we were getting to go to SXSW for their big comedy shindig for the first time. For years, SXSW’s comedy off-shoot was a pretty big, fantastic swell of comedy in Austin, an already very solid, thriving comedy scene as is.

2020 was 2020 and, of course, that didn’t happen. SXSW was actually one of the world’s first major festivals to postpone indefinitely due to COVID-19.

Now, here in Feb. 2022, SXSW is thankfully resuming their comedy festival and are doing things up bigger than we remember from last time. From Mar. 11th-19th, those in attendance will get to see the comedy stylings of:

Alyssa Stonoha • Andy Haynes • Anthony Atamanuik • Blair Socci • Bonnie McFarlane • Bruce McCulloch • Byron Bowers • Camilla Cleese • Danielle Schneider • Doug Benson • Dulcé Sloan • Eddie Pepitone • Eleanor Kerrigan • Emma Willman • Ian Lara • Jessica Michelle Singleton • Jim Gaffigan • Joe DeRosa • John Cleese • John Gemberling • Jon Daly • Kiry Shabazz • Liza Treyger • Logan Guntzelman • Marina Franklin • Mary Lynn Rajskub • Matt Besser • Matthew Broussard • Mike Lawrence • Mike Yard • Mitra Jouhari • Nick Thune • Punkie Johnson • Rich Vos • Ricky Velez • Rosebud Baker • Sandy Honig • Scott Thompson • Sean Patton • Shane Torres • Stuart Goldsmith • Vanessa Gonzalez • Yamaneika Saunders

as well as special presentations/events:

Adult Swim Presents Three Busy Debras Season 2 Sneak Peek •  ASSSSCAT (the first in-person since 2020) • The Comedian’s Comedian • A Night at the Comedy Store • Comedy with the Cleeses • The Creek & The Cave • Doug Loves Movies • Find Your Beach • Gotham Comedy Club • improv4humans • Matt Besser’s 420 Show • Roast Battle • The Stand NYC • Wide World of Dougs • Would You Bang Him?

Since SF Sketchfest had to postpone again, this will be the first big comedy festival of 2022 and you wouldn’t want to miss that, now would you?

If you don’t already have a badge for SXSW, you best get on that right now, right here.

iHeart Podcast Union Gets Official Recognition; Production Teams for Rick & Morty and Solar Opposites File to Unionize
February 25, 2022
News
iheart, iheart podcast, rick and morty, solar opposites

Only a few months ago did the staffers at iHeart’s podcast arm announce that they were seeking unionization and a collective bargaining agreement. As of yesterday, Feb. 24th, the iHeart Podcast Union was officially recognized. This represents a huge step for the whole world of podcasting as well as the shows under the iHeart Podcast Union banner including How Did We Get Weird? with Vanessa and Jonah Bayer, Life Will Be the Death of Me with Chelsea Handler, Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, a number of Jamie Loftus audio projects/shows, and Will Ferrell‘s own imprint, Big Money Players. Perhaps, other big podcast networks will follow suit as podcasts have increasingly become the way to circumvent gatekeepers in order to build an audience/make a living/tour in comedy and elsewhere in entertainment.

Also on the comedy unionization front, the production teams behind adult animated hits Rick & Morty and Solar Opposites are both filing for collective bargaining agreements with The Animation Guild (via Deadline). Both Justin Roiland co-created shows have multiple seasons under their belt, at Netflix and Hulu respectively, and thusly require a dedicated team to crank out the episode orders that keep coming in. That includes production managers, production supervisors, design assistants, casting assistants, storyboard coordinators and office production coordinators and assistants. Unfortunately, the studios behind either show have not formally recognized either group as part of The Animation Guild yet.

We hope that the feeling that a wave of unionizing in and around comedy is, after these two steps forward, are more than just a feeling.

Pick of the Day: Chris Rock: Ego Death (in LA & NYC) Oct. & Nov.
February 25, 2022
News
chris rock, dolby theatre, la comedy, stand up comedy

When Chris Rock has dates lined up somewhere, is there any more to say than the comedy legend is coming to town in order to convince you to go? There most certainly shouldn’t be, especially after the vulnerability he had in his last special, Tamborine, that gave us a look at a never before seen side of Rock.

Rock, of course, isn’t just going to play any old comedy club and as such, wants it to be at a time where, hopefully, we will be a stage at the pandemic/endemic where thousands of folks can gather together once more in a crowded theater.

So, with all of that in mind, Chris Rock has set the dates for his latest tour, Ego Death, which will include a stop at Radio City Music Hall in NYC on 10/6 & 10/7 and The Dolby Theatre here in LA on 11/17 & 11/18. Tickets start at $69.50 (plus fees) at the Dolby and $102 at Radio City Music Hall. Best go get them here before they inevitably sell out.

 

Russell Howard Finally Gets Back to America, Starting with Colbert
February 24, 2022
News
late night, late show, russell howard, stand up comedy, stephen colbert

One of the UK’s current best comedy exports (and, consequently, one of the world’s biggest comedians), Russell Howard was supposed to go on a global tour that got was cut short back in 2020 because of, well, you know by now.

Now, on this side of things, Russell, one of the most upbeat comedians working today by the way, has hopped back on his global tour now called Respite. He’ll be working his way through North America starting next month, but kicked off his joyous arrival stateside on one of our biggest stages, The Ed Sullivan Theater at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Enjoy Russell’s cheery and spirited stand-up (that isn’t too cheery to the point of annoyance) here, then maybe go snag tickets for a date on Russell’s Respite tour near you at russell-howard.co.uk.

Pick of the Day: The Comedy Co-op Presents Moon Goon (in LA) 3/5
February 24, 2022
News
andrew santiago, Angela Giarratana, Chanse McCrary, glendale, Jasmine Don, Jeremy Culhane, Jill Cepela, Josh Fleury, junior high, Kylie Brakeman, los angeles comedy, Mary Anthony, Mary Lou, Nikki Mckenzie, Patrick McDonald, Paul Heredia, sketch comedy, skyler madsen, the comedy coop

At Feb. 24th, 2022, there’s still no telling what is going to happen with UCB and any sort of in-person return. That said, the beloved performers of the Upright Citizens Brigade, especially the house improv and sketch teams, are still very much around and very much want to take the stage again to perform for those folks that would line-up around the block night after night at any UCB in LA or NYC.

Moon Goon was a heralded Maude sketch team that sported the comedic acumen of many of UCB’s very best including Mary Anthony, Kylie Brakeman, Jill Cepela, Jeremy Culhane, Jasmine Don, Josh Fleury, Angela Giarratana, Paul Heredia, Mary Lou, Skyler Madsen, Chanse McCrary, Patrick McDonald, Nikki Mckenzie, and Andrew Santiago putting up sharply written and daringly performed bits, characters, and more every month pre-pandemic.

Thanks to the Comedy Co-op, Moon Goon is returning again to the stage, this time at the ultra cool, all-inclusive arts/event space Junior High in Glendale on Sat. Mar. 5th at 8PM PT. Tickets are only $12 and the sales go directly to the performers (an important sticking point in The Comedy Co-op‘s mission)

Space is limited, so go get your tickets now before it sells out right here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 100: Yemi Afolabi & Comedy in Swenglish
February 23, 2022
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
amazing jonathan, aziz ansari, bill murray, daniel radcliffe, european comedy, jerry lewis, king bach, sweden comedy, weird al yankovic, yemi afolabi

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

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

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

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

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

Pick of the Day: Christina Catherine Martinez in Residence (in LA) Tuesdays in March
February 23, 2022
News
catherine christina martinez, elysian theater, la comedy, residency

The summation of her art critic background, penchant for the sublimely absurd in clowning, and her whimsical, class-struggle-informed stand-up is just a bit of why we love and, consequently, write so much about the absolutely splendid Christina Catherine Martinez here at TCB (and elsewhere).

We just got a sneak preview of her upcoming special How To Bake a Cake in the Digital Age and, yet again, was astounded at how cleverly she was defying the form of a comedy special, but still very much getting the jokes out. That’s all to say that is truly something special to see Christina take the stage in any form, no matter what she’s doing/has up her very fashionable sleeves.

So, you should probably go to every one of her residency dates at The Elysian coming next month in March. Christina will be workshopping new performances every Tuesday at the-new-place-to-be in LA comedy at 9PM PT. Tickets are only $12, meaning it would only be $48 for all four shows. Go get tickets to all of them right now right here.

Pick of the Day: BBC World Service Presents Comedians vs. the News (in NYC) 3/8
February 22, 2022
News
eman el-husseini, jess salomon, josh gondelman, zarna garg

The panel show, often comprised of comedians weighing in on the news, is a time honored institution in the UK, bringing many of the UK’s biggest comedians their first bit of exposure. Outside of Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and Chelsea Lately (and maybe @midnight?), there hasn’t been the same sort of fervor for comedians giving their several cents on the pressing topics of the day in America as it has been across the pond.

We’re not sure why it hasn’t caught on quite as much (now would be an even more perfect time for Tough Crowd in our opinion), but that shouldn’t deter comedians riffing over the news. If you need some sugar to have some of the very hard tasting medicine that the news has been for the last several years (and want something other than the feel good factory that was John Krasinski’s Some Good News or the same old set-up punch sort of monologue jokes), you might want to take advantage of any American comedian news panel show.

Lucky for you, BBC World Service is having that very thing happen under the moniker Comedians vs. The News with the astounding comedy power couple that is Jess Salomon and Eman El-Husseini and guests (and also very funny comedy people) Josh Gondelman and Zarna Garg taking on whatever is wreaking havoc on the world at the moment.

Catch this Comedians vs. The News in person at the Greene Space in NYC on Tues. Mar. 8th at 7PM ET. Tickets are free, but you better RSVP before they run out right here.

“Eating Salad Drunk”, Out Now, Offers Up Haikus From Many of Comedy’s Best
February 22, 2022
News
aparna nancherla, aubrey plaza, bob odenkirk, chris gethard, comedy poetry, eating salad drunk, haiku, janeane garofalo, jerry seinfeld, maria bamford, roy wood jr, ziwe

Editor and Littlefield booker Gabe Henry not only loves both comedy and haikus, but saw that similarities between the precision of a joke and the 5-7-5 structure of a haiku and wanted to marry the two.

Gathering dozens and dozens of comedy’s very best and renowned including Aparna Nancherla, Roy Wood Jr., Maria Bamford, Bob Odenkirk, Janeane Garofalo, Jerry Seinfeld, Aubrey Plaza, Ziwe, Chris Gethard, and so many more, Eating Salad Drunk: Haikus for the Burnout Age by Comedy Greats gives you perfect morsels of comedic minimalism. Emily Flake even adds some more flavor to the haiku anthology with her wondrous illustrations.

Best of all, all author proceeds will go towards Comedy Gives Back, a crucial nonprofit for comedians, especially when it comes to mental health, medical, and crisis support resources.

You can and very much should get a copy of Eating Salad Drunk, available now wherever books are sold.

Please Enjoy Sam Morril’s Return to Corden
February 22, 2022
News
james corden, late late show, sam morril

It was actually not all that long ago that Sam was hopping from rooftop to rooftop in NYC to record a special in the thick of the pandemic. Yet, seeing Sam take the stage once more at The Late Late Show with James Corden makes that reality so far away, just like Sam’s last set on Corden in 2018 seems like eons ago.

That all said, Sam is still a shining example of classic stand-up that’s cut from today’s cloth with a perfected balance of manipulating turns of phrase, dissecting unassuming minutia, and sharp punchlines. It almost, might possibly seem like, perhaps, that comedy is picking up where it left off in 2019/2020?

In any case, you should enjoy another great late night set from Sam here.

Pick of the Day: Bob Odenkirk: Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama (in LA & NYC) 2/28 + 3/9
February 21, 2022
News
alan sepinwall, bob odenkirk, memoir

Bob Odenkirk, now a comedy legend turn celebrated drama thespian/action star, has recounted his wild, topsy turvy career (it’s almost as unpredictable as an episode of Mr. Show at this point) in his upcoming memoir Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama. Not only will this book undoubtedly be on the reading list of any comedy fan this year and beyond, but Odenkirk is going on an in-person book tour (yes, we’re doing those again) that ought to be a must see event.

For LA & NYC, Odenkirk will be stopping into The William Vale in Brooklyn, with the heralded critic Alan Sepinwall in conversation, on Mon. Feb. 28th at 7:45PM ET and the Aratani Theatre in Little Tokyo here in LA on Mar. 9th 8PM PT. Tickets are $35 and $50 respectively and includes a signed copy of the book. Get them here and here ASAP.

Nikki Glaser Is Going to Become One of the First Comedians to Have a Reality Series About Her Life with “Welcome Home Nikki Glaser?”
February 18, 2022
News
e!, nikki glaser, reality tv, welcome home nikki glaser

(via Deadline)

For all the bits about reality television that comedians have done over the years, rare is the chance that comedians themselves have actually gotten the experience of being in on anything like the Real Housewives or Vanderpump Rules. Yes, there has been Last Comic Standing, which, in its first few seasons, had all the finalist comedians living in a house together and deal with one another Big Brother style and Nikki herself was the spicy host of HBO Max’s FBoy Island. Nothing else categorized as a reality series for the lives of comedians has been done as of yet.

That’s all going to change with Nikki Glaser.

Nikki Glaser, someone who has risen from the ranks of Last Comic Standing to a pre-eminent roaster and a very funny national touring headliner, is going to get a reality show solely focused on her life. Specifically, Welcome Home Nikki Glaser will follow Nikki moving back, a move that happened during the pandemic, to St. Louis, where she grew up. Glaser’s leaving Hollywood for her hometown is almost like a sitcom unto itself, but Glaser is breaking new ground by having it be a full on reality TV show rather than a run of the mill multi-cam sitcom.

What that will look like, how much will Glaser be doing bits as a part of the reality TV artifice, and how much of this will be a comedy versus a reality TV show like Keeping Up with the Kardashians has yet to be revealed for the upcoming E! series. Still, Glaser is going where, pretty much, only Kevin Hart has gone (with his “tell-all” docu-series Don’t F*ck This Up) at this point in comedy history.

Look for Welcome Home Nikki Glaser on May 1st on E! In the meantime, watch Nikki tell you all about the show herself here while roasting E./E!.

Pick of the Day: GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM! with Wajahat Ali and Hari Kondabolu (in NYC) 2/23
February 18, 2022
News
bell house, brooklyn, hari kondabolu, nyc, nyc comedy, Wajahat Ali

As the world opens up yet again (and we sincerely hope it sticks this time around), many folks are re-acclimatizing themselves to the thing that so many of us took for granted, talking to one another. In this reboot of our conversational and empathy skills, we hope that we’ll be better this time around.

In that spirit, you should watch and enjoy the upcoming conversation between brilliant comedian Hari Kondabolu and writer Wajahat Ali about Ali’s book GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM: AND OTHER HELPFUL RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO BECOME AMERICAN. They’ll have an earnest and blunt chat about being more inclusive and accepting of brown folks of all kinds here in America.

GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM! with Wajahat Ali and Hari Kondabolu is set to go live and in person on Wed. Feb. 23rd at The Bell House in Brooklyn at 7:30PM ET. Tickets are $15 right now and you can (and should) go get them here.

Will Smith’s Stand-Up Series “This Joka” Will Actually Get to See the Light of Day
February 18, 2022
News
baron vaughn, chris estrada, Christi Chiello, clayton english, Daphinque Springs, david gborie, jackie fabulous, martin urbano, megan gailey, punkie johnson, rell battle, roku, rosebud baker, sam tallent, sean patton, shane torres, stand up comedy, this joka, vanessa gonzalez, will smith

Well before COVID-19, there was a weekend where many of LA and NYC’s very best comedians that you needed to know were swept up to Vegas to tape a special stand-up comedy series that was entirely put up by the one and only Will Smith. Called This Joka, it was going to be a new introduction to many of our absolute favorite comedians that we personally try to highlight whenever we can here at TCB.

So, not only did COVID-19 put a pause, interrupt the scheduling of, or even outright shut down so much comedy, but This Joka temporarily fell victim to originally be at the ill-fated short form streaming service, Quibi. When the news broke that Quibi was closing up shop, This Joka was still on the docket to premiere and we were worried that this whole series would never get to be seen by you, us, and everyone else that needs to see the future of stand-up comedy.

Thankfully, Roku bought up Quibi’s library including This Joka and we will all get treated to see Will Smith’s curated stand-up series that features Baron Vaughn, Sam Tallent, Punkie Johnson, Rosebud Baker, Clayton English, Chris Estrada, David Gborie, Sean Patton, Megan Gailey, Rell Battle, Shane Torres, Vanessa Gonzalez, Daphinque Springs, Martin Urbano, Jackie Fabulous, and Christi Chiello.

Many have since gone to new heights in their career by the way. Estrada has his own Hulu series in the works, Rosebud got her own special, and Sam became an acclaimed author.

Come Fri. Mar. 4th, you’ll be able to stream This Joka for free on Roku. You can get a taste of what’s to come (and get nostalgic about comedy right before COVID) with the trailer here.

Larry David Is Getting His Own HBO Doc “The Larry David Story”
February 17, 2022
News
comedy documentary, curb your enthusiasm, hbo, larry david

The prospect of a Larry David documentary that follows his rise to some of the highest echelons of comedy success might be attractive just off the idea that you might hear and see Larry take a step back from his Curb Your Enthusiasm persona or any sort of bits or riffing that he is celebrated for.

Also, his rise from being a comedian to creating Seinfeld to following that up with Curb will undoubtedly be a tale that you’ll have to hear as any sort of person doing, involved in, or a fan of comedy.

We’ll get a portrait of Larry’s long and distinguished comedy career in the upcoming HBO doc, The Larry David Story, which is the latest in the row of comedy docs that have come out recently (Phat Tuesdays, We Need to Talk About Cosby, The One and Only Dick Gregory, The Comedy Store, The Real Charlie Chaplin). Larry’s doc ought to stand out as he is not only still alive, but still very much working and thriving own his own terms and at his own whims.

Case in point that this docu-special will be shown in two parts titled “American Jewboy” and “The Jewish Fountainhead” on Mar. 1st at HBO at 9PM (and HBO Max). Get a look of the “real” Larry David talking about Larry in the trailer for The Larry David Story here.

Pick of the Day: (Actual Return of) Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen (in LA) 2/28
February 17, 2022
News
kristen schaal, kurt braunohler, los angeles, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy, the virgil

Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen, arguably LA’s most venerable weekly comedy show, was supposed to come back some weeks ago, but, due to the variants, continued to postpone their return like so many other live events around town.

We were so excited to return to the Virgil and post up in the back, resting on the prickly back door that opens up into the show room and watch Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal lead off many of LA and elsewhere’s best and brightest in comedy, famous and needing-to-be-discovered, classic stand-ups and bonkers weirdos. Also, we can’t wait to see how Kurt and Kristen incorporate the pandemic rat from the Hot Tub live-stream into the in-person show.

So, we’re thrilled, yet again, to say that Hot Tub with Kurt Braunohler & Kristen Schaal is returning (again, we hope) to The Virgil on Mon. Feb. 28th at 8PM PT sharp. Tickets and line-up to come soon! Follow @hottub_show on Twitter and IG for updates (and to make sure you snag tickets before they inevitably sell out.

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