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Get Your First Look at Chris Gethard’s Comedy Special/Road Doc “Half My Life” (Part of Which Takes Place at Gatorland)
May 3, 2021
News
chris gethard, half my life, special, trailer

In the grand tradition of Chris Gethard being completely untraditional, Gethard has his latest comedy special as part stand-up special, part road comedy doc with his opener Carmen Christopher and his wife Hallie and their child, and part exploration of America’s vast, vast swath of subcultures.

So, you’ll get to see Chris do stand-up in underground comedy spaces, art spaces, at pancake breakfasts, and even in a place called Gatorland (and it’s called that because, you guessed it, they have a bunch of gators) all on Half My Life.

It’s set for release on Tues. June 1st via Comedy Dynamics, but you can catch a glimpse of this Gethard style chaos in the trailer for Half My Life here.

Pick of the Day: Comedy For People Who Hate Joe Rogan 5/6
May 3, 2021
News
Erica Switzer, livestream, michael furr, robin hazel, sophie connell, stand up comedy, subhah agarwal

So, Baltimore-based comedian Sophie Connell has had this recurring virtual stand-up showcase where she features, “four comedians from differing backgrounds.” There are plenty of virtual stand-ups that do feature diverse talent, but we this one just happens to have the timely name of Comedy for People Who Hate Joe Rogan.

Given his, at best, wishy-washy stance on the COVID-19 vaccine that caused national controversy as he expressed said stance on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, one of the biggest podcasts around, comedy or otherwise (Spotify paid him $100 million to go exclusive with their streaming service).

So, this live-stream pushes for other voices that you might want to hear (including very funny guests Erica Switzer, Subhah Agarwal, and Baltimore-based comedians Michael Furr and Robin Hazel).

This latest edition of Comedy For People Who Hate Joe Rogan is set to go live on Thurs. May 6th at 5PM PT/8PM ET and is free to stream, if you RSVP here.

Get Your First Look at Season 3 of Black Monday
April 30, 2021
News
andrew rannells, black monday, casey wilson, don cheadle, regina hall, season 3, showtime, yassir lester

One of the wildest and darkest sitcoms on television, Black Monday, is set to return for its third season near the end of May as well as kick it into the 90s. Maurice and the rest of his ragtag stock market troublemakers are back together again (and so is all the chaos that follows them). They are spectacularly dressed in 90s style from head-to-toe though.

In fact, there’s never been a better time to see the absurdity of pure capitalism at work than now, which makes Black Monday kind of a perfect show for these times.

Get your first gander of Season 3 of Black Monday with the official trailer here, then look for the season 3 premiere on Sun. May 23rd 10PM on Showtime.

Please Enjoy Trailer for Indie Horror Comedy Set in LA Comedy Scene “Too Late”
April 30, 2021
News
alyssa limperis, dw thomas, fred armisen, gravitas features, jenny zigrino, mary lynn rajskub, ron lynch, will weldon

The wires between comedy and horror get marvelously crossed more and more these days to produce some great, out-of-left field movies and TV shows (just think of a good fifth of what Adult Swim puts out). Another entry into this burgeoning hybrid genre is the upcoming indie film, Too Late.

This particular film from D.W. Thomas actually takes the intersection of comedy and horror quite literally as the story is set in the LA comedy scene coupled with a dark, evil presence nestled deep within it. Beloved LA venue Dynasty Typewriter is prominently featured as our so many LA comedy staples including stars Alyssa Limperis and Ron Lynch (who seems to be playing an insidious alternate version of himself/host of the famed Tomorrow! w/Ron Lynch) as well as supporting cast Will Weldon, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Fred Armisen, Jenny Zigrino, and Brooks Wheelan.

See what Thomas has cooked up with the trailer for Too Late here, then look for its release on Fri. Jun. 25th.

Pick of the Day: Jon Daly’s I Venmo U Money 5/11
April 30, 2021
News
comedy livestream, dynasty typewriter, jon daly, venmo

OK, we’re not exactly sure what comedian and mischief extraordinaire Jon Daly has up his sleeve with a call-in live comedy show focused on giving money away via Venmo. Whatever he has planned is sure to be some high level hijinks that ought to be one damn good time.

Indeed, Jon Daly’s I Venmo U Money will be a call-in comedy livestream event where all the callers get paid and, apparently, “How much you make is up to you!” You can call (626) 869-9645 to either leave a voicemail or talk to Jon live during the show and really see if you can get free monies (especially since most COVID-19 relief has been far from enough and often too late to keep people afloat).

Tickets for access to the live-stream are not free, FYI. However, they’re only $10.

Jon Daly’s I Venmo U Money goes live on Tue. May 11th at 6PM PT/9PM ET, presented by Dynasty Typewriter. Get more info/tickets here.

Please Enjoy Fern Brady’s Debut Special “Power & Chaos”
April 29, 2021
News
800 pound gorilla, comedy special, fern brady, stand up comedy

Along side the names of Craig Ferguson, Billy Connolly, and Daniel Sloss, you should add the name Fern Brady to the Scottish-comedians-you-should-know part of your memory.

Brady faithfully continues to hold up a certain Scottish sense of humor that derives from a dark cleverness. That sensibility is woven deeply through her very first special that just came out, Power & Chaos, and makes it a refreshing and satisfying hour of stand-up to get wrapped up in. Also, it’s quite the treat to hear the perspective of not only a woman, but one who is bisexual and is on the autism spectrum through the sound of an exuberant Scottish accent.

Throughout this debut hour, Fern espouses a great sense of calm as she winds her way through her stances on feminism, Brexit, and people trying to do a paltry Scottish accent at her. Thus, the title is quite apt and you should go see all this for yourself when looking to watch a brand new comedy special.

Fern Brady: Power & Chaos is now streaming both as a special and an album and you can get into it here.

Pick of the Day: Casey Wilson’s The Wreckage of My Presence Virtual Book Tour
April 29, 2021
News
adam pally, andrew rannells, casey wilson, jessi klein, june diane raphael, kristen wiig, wreckage of my presence, ziiwe

We sincerely hope that, at this point, there’s something that you’ve come across in the work of Casey Wilson that you’ve loved. Happy Endings, Hotwives, Bitch Sesh, and so much more have brought Wilson to have such an extensive, cherished career ini comedy. Thus, she wrote a whole collection of essays about her time through all of it that’s lovingly called The Wreckage of My Presence. It’s set for release on May 4th, but you can (and should) pre-order here.

Of course, she’s going to do a book tour, but as a certain pandemic is still happening, it’ll have to be virtual. However, that’s an opportunity to support many lovely bookstores/venues/festivals as well as source out a very stacked collection of special guests as you can see below.

4/29 with June Diane Raphael
5/4 with Kristen Wiig via Skylight Books/Dynasty Typewriter
5/5 with Ziwe via Greenlight Booksttore
5/6 with Adam Pally via Sixth & I
5/12 with Jessi Klein and Andrew Rannells via Chicago Humanities Festival

Just from those few dates, that’s one hell of a book tour and you should go to any or all of these book release events for The Wreckage of My Presence.

James Adomian’s Mike Lindell Comes Face to Face with the Real(?) Mike Lindell
April 29, 2021
News
james adomian, jimmy kimmel, jimmy kimmel live, mike lindell

Jimmy Kimmel Live could have kept tapping the brilliant James Adomian for his masterful impersonation of My Pillow’s Mike Lindell and that, by itself, would have been a very satisfying running bit.

Yet, the late night gods were dreaming about something a bit bigger and getting a little bit gonzo with the whole thing. Jimmy Kimmel, after dedicating several minutes of his monologue that he has dedicated to roasting Mike Lindell, invited him on the show and, surprisingly (and against the advice of everyone) accepted the invitation.

We had a feeling that Adomian’s Lindell might be part of a bit within and around Lindell chatting with Kimmel, but what actually happened was so much better. Jimmy had the latter half of his monologue centered on dealing with a severely disheveled Lindell as played by Adomian. Of course, it was hysterical and thrilling with the real Mike Lindell lurking around backstage.

Then, Kimmel brings out the (supposedly) real Mike Lindell and has a somewhat jovial conversation that does eventually turn to trading jokes about Mike’s former crack addiction for Lindell, yet again, voicing some of his more wild beliefs about voter fraud. In the last two minutes, Adomian comes out to do his Lindell to Lindell himself. It’s amazing and it kind of left Mike with no moves except to laugh at the (only slightly) funhouse mirror version of himself, which, as you can imagine, doesn’t happen too often.

Well, Adomian has actually gotten to do that quite a bit including with Bernie Sanders and Andy Kindler because, well, James is just that magical.

Please Watch and Enjoy Ester Steinberg’s Burning Bush Where Ester Kills at a Drive-In
April 28, 2021
News
comedy special, ester steinberg, stand up

As you may well know, much of comedy and the comedians in it have taken a hiatus or shifted to something else throughout the last year. Maybe they gave a crack at Zoom and decided to wait it out for the return to people gathering in tight, crowded, dimly lit places to watch stand-up.

The few that have opted to take on the challenge of doing live stand-up and, further than that, do an entire special have tried anything and everything that they could possibly think of while trying to not further the transmission of COVID-19. Drive-ins, no audience, doing it over Zoom, etc. (though no one seemed to try what Harland Williams’ did several years ago by doing stand-up all alone in the desert).

Comedy Dynamics tapped four comedians to drive-in specials that were shot live at the parking lot of the world famous Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Ester Steinberg was one of those four and truly rose to meet the challenge. She had to perform in front of a field of cars that often honked and flashed their headlights in appreciation (as laughter is often to hear while doing a drive-in show) as she taped her very first special, Burning Bush. In the entire history of comedy, no such endeavor had been undertaken because, well, it goes against so many best practices of live comedy (outside, people separate from each other, physical barrier to connecting to the crowd). Steinberg has had more than enough experience fiercely grabbing hold of the audience’s attention working the road and doing her own weekly room at the Kibitz Room at Canter’s that it’s no surprise that she made this experiment really work for her.

Keep in mind, at the point of the pandemic, almost no comedian had performed in person for six months. So, to have enough material to even do a special, care about said a material, gear up to do it, and then do it in front of cars like no other comedian has ever really done before is such an unbelievable feat. Again Ester’s command of the stage and her blend of clever observations and truthful vulnerability made her first hour sing, even under what are truly unfair circumstances.

See for yourself as Ester Steinberg; Burning Bush is now streaming on demand on Amazon and Apple.

My one-hour comedy special comes out March 30th. ?BURNING BUSH ? avail on Amazon and iTunes @comedydynamics @Tribeca pic.twitter.com/wO71mTGs8o

— Ester Steinberg (@EsterKay) March 28, 2021

Bo Burnham Is Coming Out With His Own DIY Special, Made During COVID-19
April 28, 2021
News
bo burnham, comedy special, netflix

When it comes to conceptual comedy, especially when it comes to doing it in a comedy special, Bo Burnham is one of the most imaginative and skilled comedians around today in that regard. what. still stands, even now, as one of the more innovative works of comedy in the entire history of comedy.

So, with the obvious challenges that the COVID-19 has presented with people having to be distanced and masked and gathering, especially in the way that live comedy is traditionally presented, Burnham, we think, could probably dream something up that would work.

Thus, he is just wrapping up such a special called Inside that he made entirely by himself without a crew or audience (as opposed to most other comedy specials that have been made in this time including Sam Morrill, Nate Bargatze, Colin Quinn, Tiffany Haddish’s They Ready). There’s a bit of a teaser that reveals Bo solo at a piano in a real dramatic light, but nothing much else.

Burnham’s last special was in 2016, so this small tidbit is more than enough to look forward to seeing billboards around town leading up to, possibly, another trailer, to, eventually, the release of the special (which will be a date TBD). Also, it will be his the first special since Eighth Grade, directing Chris Rock’s Tamborine, and his great role in the Oscar nominated A Promising Young Woman, and that wondering where Bo’s creativity is now even makes Inside even more enticing.

hi. i made a new special. it was filmed by me, alone, without a crew or an audience, over the course of the past year. it is almost finished. i hope you like it. pic.twitter.com/5a59IUrzVj

— Bo Burnham (@boburnham) April 28, 2021

Watch Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder Square Off/Come Together as a Comedy Legend and Up and Comer in “Hacks” Trailer
April 28, 2021
News
hacks, hannah einbinder, hbo max, jean smart

While the premise of distant generations of comedy coming together as a sitcom has been tried before with the likes of The Comedians (Billy Crystal and Josh Gad), Late Night (Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling) and the ill-fated Mulaney (Martin Short and John Mulaney, the latest attempt at it seems like it may succeed where these others have perhaps come up short.

Hacks, from the minds of Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky, brings together pioneering comedian and “Queen of Vegas” Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and a feisty, whipsmart up-and-comer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) who is tasked with writing jokes for her and making her relevant. The trailer, which just got posted today, promises something very biting and, especially if you just watched Hysterical on FX or Hulu, rings true to women’s journey in trying to make it in comedy both in yesteryear and right at this very moment. Also, we have a sneaking suspicion that Smart and Einbinder have hilariously fiery chemistry, which ought to make Hacks the latest thing to binge watch.

See for yourself here, then look for Hacks on HBO Max, starting May 13th.

Pick of the Day: IIBA’s Sixth Annual Comedy Night for Immigrant Rights 5/13
April 28, 2021
News
bassem youssef, francesca fiornetini, immigrant rights, margaret cho, naomi ekperigin

Though they’ll have to do it virtually, the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area is doing their annual comedy fundraiser, their sixth one in fact, in order to support the access they provide to those immigrating to the U.S.

In order to go big for this very special virtual version of their big time fundraiser, they’ve assembled a gala worthy line-up that includes Margaret Cho, Bassem Youssef, Naomi Ekperigin, and host Francesca Fiorentini.

As if this wasn’t enough to get you to chip in for a great stand-up show for a critical cause, there’s even a VIP option to have a “VIP Wine Tasting” with wine from Duckhorn Vineyards that would be delivered to your door (have to have your orders in by today, Apr. 28th).

So, this IIBA’s Sixth Annual Comedy Night for Immigrant Rights goes live at Thurs. May 13th at 7PM PT/10PM ET. Tickets are $40-$125 (even and tax-deductible). Get more info/tickets here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 57: Babs Romen & What Comedy Is Supposed To Do
April 28, 2021
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
adult animation, another round, anti vaxxers, babs romen, flintstones, joe rogan, leonardo dicaprio

Babs Romen has been anything from Mitzi Shore’s right hand to a big time network development executive to a producer of the improvised stand-up international phenomenon Set List and everything in between. She knows the business and the art of comedy in and out and that made for a great, deep chat on the purpose of comedy and what she seeks to do with it, specifically Set List, as the world aims to open again. Also “hot” takes on an English remake of the Oscar winning Another Round, an adult animated spin-off of The Flintstones, and, yep, Joe Rogan’s nonchalant anti-vaxxer stance.

Follow Babs Romen on FB here & on Twitter @babsromen. Keep up to date on Set List @setlistshow on Twitter and 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: WORST SUMMER EVER – A comedy fundraiser of summer memories 5/15
April 27, 2021
News
alyssa limperis, asian prisoner support, Ayo Edebiri, Caleb Hearon, jinkx monsoon, larry owens, megan gailey, natalie palamides, patti harrison, rob huebel, robby hoffman, sherry colar, storytelling, virtual comedy, yassir lester

Well, we’re coming up on another summer that’s, at best, weird. At worst, well, you probably know because you lived through 2020. Join in a beautiful cavalcade of comedians recounting what their worst summer were (perhaps, a good majority will be from 2020?), which will be one hell of a night of summertime storytelling for the live-streaming event, WORST SUMMER EVER.

The likes of the following will be recounting their harrowing summer tales:

Alex English
Alyssa Limperis
Ayo Edebiri
Caleb Hearon
Dhruv Uday Singh
Grace Kuhlenschmidt
Jinkx Monsoon
Langston Kerman
Larry Owens
Megan Gailey
Molly Kearney
Natalie Palamides
Noah Findling
Patti Harrison
Rachel Sennott
Rob Huebel
Robby Hoffman
Ruby McCollister
Sandy Honig
Sherry Cola
Solomon Georgio
Sydnee Washington
Sydney Steinberg
Tashi Condelee
Yassir Lester
&
hosts Jared Golstein and Hannah Pilkes

In addition to what might be the live-stream of the Summer even before Summer 2021 kicks off, donations will be accepted for access for WORST SUMMER EVER and will go towards supporting Asian Prisoner Support Community AsianPrisonerSupport.com for their crucial work, especially at a time where so much of Asia is in upheaval (Hong Kong and Myanmar just to name a couple)

WORST SUMMER EVER goes live on Sat. May 15th at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Get more info/donate/RSVP here.

Master of None Season 3 Is Apparently Centered on Lena Waithe and Called “Moments in Love”
April 26, 2021
News
Lena waithe, master of none, naomi ackie, netflix, season 3

An entire four years will have passed since the arrival of season 2 of Master of None and this impending third. In that time, Aziz Ansari, co-creator and the show’s star (up until now) got embroiled in #MeToo controversy, released a very strategic response and apology in the form of his last stand-up special, and has opted to not be the center of the third season.

This teaser, just released today, just offers a bit of demystification to a recent announcement that new episodes of Master of None were coming soon and they were going to focus on a story co-written and co-starring Lena Waithe, who has played Denise in past seasons of the show. More specifically, this new batch would come under the banner of Master of None presents “Moments in Love”. From the teaser, we see that it follows a relationship, not unlike the very first season, between Lena and Naomi Ackie and all the moments, little and big, that comprise a deeply connected relationship in these times.

This is an undeniably unexpected turn for the show, but it’s also undeniably intriguing. There is a rise in lesbian love stories in the zeitgeist (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, The World to Come, Mythic Quest), but ones that involve two women of color are definitely not as present as their white or partially white counterparts. Aziz and Lena wrote this new Moments in Love portion of Master of None that will fill in said void. The deliciously cinematic showcase of such a rarely-seen-on-TV couple, especially with Lena’s award winning pen, is perhaps the right move for the show now that we’re in even deeper into a global reckoning than we were in 2017.

We shall see what Aziz and Lena hath wrought with all episodes of Master of None presents Moments In Love on May 23rd.

Oscar Winning Dramedy ‘Another Round’ Set for English Language Remake with Leonardo DiCaprio Attached
April 26, 2021
News
another round, leonardo dicaprio, mads mikkelsen, thomas vinterberg

(via IndieWire)

Another Round, hot off the Oscar win for Best International Feature, is getting an English language, American remake with none other than Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star. Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round‘s director and co-writer, will step away from any sort of official capacity in this remake, but is personally looking forward to having a conversation with DiCaprio’s production banner Appian Way to see what they might be doing.

Ire has been already been drawn from the announcement despite Vinterberg’s openness to the possibilities of what a remake might be, especially with someone of DiCaprio’s stature and caliber. Not only is the idea of an English remake upsetting to many, but it’s a little more than odd that Mads Mikkelsen didn’t immediately come to mind to star as he both speaks very good English and has a very established and bankable name in the U.S.

More so than that, English remakes of such critically acclaimed films overseas haven’t really lived up to their original counterparts as of late. Downhill is a very painful, very recent example of this. Some thought it crucial that an English language remake of the brilliant Force Majeure from Ruben Östlund with Will Ferrell and Julia Louis Dreyfus find its way to theaters. The result was a paltry impression that lost so much of its nuance, ethos, and deeply biting satire of masculinity in place of not having to read subtitles. You can see a bit of the same dynamic with The Upside starring Kevin Hart vs. The Intouchables or Delivery Man starring Vince Vaughn vs. Starbuck (even though it was the same director).

All that said, Vinterberg has given the remake his blessing and we can only hope that his optimistic curiosity doesn’t get dashed from what comes of this.

Thomas Vinterberg Defends DiCaprio Remake of ‘Another Round’: ‘I Don’t Know If Mads Would Do Such a Thing’ https://t.co/btMHEf4NXf pic.twitter.com/SrOC6pGrfK

— IndieWire (@IndieWire) April 26, 2021

Pick of the Day: The Good Good Laugh Show (Benefitting #STOPAAPIHATE) 4/29
April 26, 2021
News
atsuko okatsuka, garron chiu, jes tom, julia shiplett, miss shu mai, stand up comedy, stop aapi hate, teresa lee

Sure, there’s an anti-Asian hate crimes bill making its way through Congress and two Asian women won Oscars last night, but that still doesn’t mean the fight against anti-Asian hate crimes is over. There was such an alarming rise of those hate crimes that are very well documented at this point that turning the tide is going to be a long and daunting fight.

So, supporting orgs like #STOPAAPIHATE are crucial to making long, lasting sustainable change and thus enjoying comedy shows benefitting such orgs is a great way to do just that. That’s part of why you should check out The Good Good Laugh Show live-stream that’s raising money for #STOPAAPIHATE this Thurs. Apr. 29th at 7PM PT/10PM ET.

The other part of why you shouldn’t miss out here is that it has a fantastic line-up of Asian and Pacific Islander comedy and drag acts including:

ATSUKO OKATSUKA
GARRON CHIU
JES TOM
JULIA SHIPLETT
MISS SHU MAI
& host Teresa Lee!

Get your tickets for $15 for The Good Good Laugh Show right here.

Jon Dore & Rory Scovel Discuss Their Legendary Simultaneous Late Night Sets on Conan
April 23, 2021
News
conan, jon dore, rory scovel, team coco

In the pantheon of late night stand-up sets, one set that will always stand out on the merits of its daring, execution, and sheer absurdity is the 2011 performance by both Jon Dore and Rory Scovel who do separate stand-up sets at the very same time on Conan, side by side. The sheer dedication to the bit and their flawlessness in their performance is no only a testament to the comedy of both Dore and Scovel, but daring to be as aspirational in silliness as possible.

Dore and Scovel revisit this historic set with Conan booker JP Buck on Conan’s The Set Up and break down and reveal what went into these four hysterical minutes. Please, please, please enjoy their discussion here.

Pick of the Day: Sh*tShow: F*ck It Edition 4/30
April 23, 2021
News
brooklyn, emily flake, gastor almonte, jessica delfino, kendra cunningham, littlefield, ophira eisenberg, shalewa sharpe

Even at the very start of lockdown, we had the idea that whenever in person shows could happen again that live-streaming them simultaneously would probably be the way forward.

Well, it looks like that is going to actually become more of a thing as a good deal of Littlefield NYC’s shows will have very limited capacity and also live-stream the show from the venue for a nice price, so the rest of the world (and definitely more folks than the venue can hold) can tune in.

So, one such show is that you can try this out with is the beloved NYC favorite SH*TSHOW, hosted by Ophira Eisenberg and Emily Flake. They’re back at it with a splendid NYC line-up of Shalewa Sharpe, Gastor Lamonte, Jessica Delfino, and Kendra Cunningham and you don’t have to be in Brooklyn, at Littlefield, in-person to watch. You can just pay $5 and get a live-stream link for the show, but witness it like it was something that you were actually at.

SH*TSHOW: F*ck It Edition goes live on Fri. Apr. 30th at 4:30PM PT/7:30PM ET and you can (and should) go get tickets here.

Dave Chappelle Starting “The Midnight Miracle” Podcast with Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli; Maybe It’ll Be Chappelle’s Show 2.0?
April 22, 2021
News
dave chappelle, luminary, podcast, talib kweli, yasiin bey

Dave Chappelle shook up the world of comedy when going to Africa in the middle of the production of Chappelle’s Show 3rd season. It was 2005 and Dave Chappelle was unequivocally the biggest name in comedy back then and lines from the show’s sketches were probably quoted several times a second by people around the world.

As you well know, Chappelle took a long hiatus and then gradually started making his way back into stand-up probably clocking more stage time than any other comedian in history by doing shows or drop-ins that were infamous for often going far past two hours. Then, there was the official return with a whole row of Netflix specials and continuing to do stand-up, even releasing a “very special” special at the height of last Summer’s protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd.

Still, Dave has not taken the reins to his own show since 2006 and it hasn’t been the same since.

That all might change with the arrival of a new Luminary podcast The Midnight Miracle that Dave is doing with two of the most renowned rappers around, Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli. It “will feature conversations punctuated with sketches, impersonations, archival audio clips, a musical soundtrack and guest interviews.” (via Deadline). This teaser doesn’t reveal much of anything, but one can see how it very much be a continuation of Chappelle’s Show with that particular mix of things.

As to what exactly The Midnight Miracle will be, if it’ll even take on more of Dave’s more sobering tone these days than the more sarcastic and satirical nature of his legendary sketch series from over 15 years ago, and how much it will affect comedy history will just have to be seen when the podcast drops.

"To the one who has created the all…"
Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey, and Dave Chappelle welcome you to The #MidnightMiracle. pic.twitter.com/dHBF1wJIYf

— Luminary (@hearluminary) April 21, 2021

Pick of the Day: Bad Trip Watch Along with Live Commentary (on Clubhouse) 4/25
April 22, 2021
News
bad trip, clubhouse, eric andre, watchalong

Bad Trip served as a bright spot when it dropped on to Netflix at the end of February with Eric Andre being, well, Eric Andre and strangers showing kindness at a time where we most of us would need to see the humanity in people again.

Also, it’s one of the more ambitious prank films to have been released in recent memory considering how much they involve real folks in their insane storyline.

With all of that in mind, Andre and director Kitao Sakurai will be doing a watch-a-long with live-commentary for their creation, Bad Trip, on Clubhouse that will offer up stories/details/behind-the-scenes that you would very likely not get anywhere else.

All you have to do to get the watch-a-long live commentary is have Clubhouse, follow Eric, Kitao, or IHEARTCOMIX on Clubhouse, and tune in at 7PM PT/10PM ET after you’ve cued Bad Trip up on Netflix. Then, let Eric and Kitao’s chaos reign for your enjoyment.

Pick of the Day: We Called Your Mom with Beth Stelling and Diane Duval 5/8
April 21, 2021
News
beth stelling, dynasty typewriter, podcast, we called your mom, yassir lester

It shouldn’t come as surprise that Beth Stelling would do something as sincerely precious as start a podcast with her very own mother, Diane Duval, where they call the mother’s of comedians/artists and talk up their children. The podcast is perfectly titled, We Called Your Mom.

Beth and Diane will be doing a very, very, very, VERY special live-stream episode via Dynasty Typewriter wherein they’ll actually be reunited in person for the first time in a year (since you know what started) and “there will be hugs, announcements, stories, songs and more.” Also, they’ll be chatting with the hysterical Yassir Lester and his mom, Vicki!

Think of this as both a heads up on what will be a truly lovely show and a friendly reminder that Mother’s Day is on that weekend.

We Called Your Mom goes live on May 8th at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Tickets are only $15 and you absolutely should go get them right this moment right here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 56: Jessica Watkins & Getting Through
April 21, 2021
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
annie mumulo, cinderella, jessica watkins, kristen wiig, livenation, seth rogen, specialish, ticketmaster

Far before the pandemic ever began or was even a whisper of a thing, Jessica Watkins took it upon to herself to simultaneously make a stand-up comedy special and walk across America. She did indeed accomplish both, but it was not at all what she expected, which is a very timely experience to have as we’ve all had to go through the intense journey of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watkins’ captured her entire experience in a documentary called SPECIALish, a stunningly beautiful portrait and meditation on having purpose and drive in comedy, art, and life. After finishing the journey in 2014, the doc has been set for release on May 11th and, of course, TCB’s Jake Kroeger talks to Jessica all about that especially in relation to that journey in 2014 and how things have been comparatively in the terrifying specter of 2020/2021. Also, “hot” takes on Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumulo’s Cinderella evil stepsisters movie in the works, potential anti-trust case for LiveNation/Ticketmaster, and Seth Rogen’s silent action comedy passion project.

Follow Jessica at @ajessicawatkins on IG and Twitter and look out for SPECIALish on streaming platforms on May 11th.

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

FYI, We’re the Jury for a Special Showcase at The Las Vegas 420 Cannabis Comedy Festival
April 20, 2021
News
420, cannabis comedy festival, las vegas, rampantly

As you might have heard, there is a week long comedy festival, The Las Vegas 420 Cannabis Comedy Festival run by our great pals at Rampantly kicked off on Cannabis Day, 4/20. It’s a week of specially curated showcases that bring together the comedians that have thrived doing stand-up virtually over this last year.

We’re honored to take part as a special jury for the festival that will actually handpick our very own line-up for an extra special Comedy Bureau All-Stars on Sat. Apr. 24th at 6:45PM PT/9:45PM ET. All of our staff will have our ears to the ground and eyes wide open (virtually, of course) through all the primetime stand-up shows through Friday at The Las Vegas 420 Cannabis Comedy Festival to select our personal best of the fest line-up.

We’ve gotten to judge plenty of comedy shows/festivals/competitions, but we have the esteemed privilege of getting to make a special show of our favorites rather than just deliberate with our judges to pick just one winner. It ought to be a very special evening for all TCB loyal (and comedy fans in general).

The Las Vegas 420 Cannabis Comedy Festival is actually underway as of this post and going on every night through this Saturday (including our Comedy Bureau All-Stars showcase). Get more info about the fest itself at Rampantly.la and more info on our show here.

Please Enjoy Emmy Blotnick Espouse the True Joys of Weighted Blankets on The Tonight Show
April 20, 2021
News
emmy blotnick, late night, stand up, tonight show, weighted blanket

As things are supposedly reopening for the umpteenth time, there does seem to be, at least partially, a sense that we can pick up right where we left off long, long ago at the beginning of 2020.

There is world beyond the pandemic (even though it’s still not over) and, in regards to doing stand-up comedy on late night, which is probably as topical as stand-up comedy gets on linear television without your very own show, there is room to talk about things like weighted blankets.

(Also, if you’re worried about people not talking about “what’s going on”, trust that there will be more than plenty of comedy about COVID-19, white supremacy, etc. that will be written and performed for several years to come.)

Case in point: Emmy Blotnick‘s absolutely terrific latest late night appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon wherein she details the marvelous virtues of owning a weighted blanket. It’s among one of the funniest sets of stand-up sets we’ve seen in awhile and it’s almost like you could have seen this in Jan. 2020 just like you’re watching it now in Apr. 2021 and it’s just as sharply funny in both times and places.

That’s a testament how damn funny Emmy is. With that said, enjoy Emmy Blotnick on The Tonight Show here.

 

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