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The Opposition with Jordan Klepper’s First Teaser Is Here and It Looks Like Klepper Might Be Picking Up Where Colbert Report Left Off

August 23, 2017

comedy central, daily show, jordan klepper, teaser, the opposition

You know, it just occurred to us that The Opposition with Jordan Klepper might be the spiritual successor to The Colbert Report.

Klepper, now a former Daily Show correspondent, is set to satirize conspiracy theoriests, alt-right, etc. by taking their side to the nth degree, similar to the beloved, ironic, conservative political pundit character Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report.

See for yourself in this teaser, then look for The Opposition with Jordan Klepper’s premiere on Monday, September 25th following The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

Today’s the last day to possibly win a $50 Amazon Gift Card from us AND help us out by taking this TCB Reader Survey

August 23, 2017

Today’s the last day to possibly win a $50 Amazon Gift Card from us AND help us out by taking this TCB Reader Survey

This is a win-win for you as far as we’re concerned.

Take the survey here.

August 23, 2017

ben kissel, cave comedy radio, charity event, el rey theatre, hail yourselves, henry zebrowski, last podcast on the left, los angeles, marcus parks, my friend's place, samhain gala

Last Podcast on The Left, one of the best comedy podcasts out there, is returning to LA and they’re going to do what might be their biggest show yet. It’s a charity event for My Friend’s Place, an organization dedicated to aiding homeless youth.

Called the Samhain Gala, hosts Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ben Kissel will not only be putting on a live Last Podcast on the Left at The El Rey Theatre (that’s toured internationally we might add), but be featuring plenty of special guests as well as a “special dance performance from Henry and Natalie Jean”.

Also, it’ll be close to Halloween and you can rest assured will be Marcus, Henry, and Ben will be at their best for their favorite time of year.

Last Podcast on the Left’s Samhain Gala: A Halloween Charity Event is happening on Saturday, October 28th at 9PM at The El Rey. Tickets start at $40 and you really ought to get them here sooner rather than later as this event will sell out.

So Far, We’ve Got 5 Stars for our Airbnb x Comedy Bureau Ride Along

August 22, 2017

airbnb, comedy tour, jake kroeger, los angeles, personal tour, what to do

We’ve been doing our Comedy Bureau Ridealong as part of Airbnb’s new Experiences program and have been delightfully surprised by how much folks enjoyed it (as well as we get a kick of making the rounds in the LA comedy scene with people).

So far, we’re at 5 stars and we’ll let the reviews do the rest of the talking below:

Jake is a warm and friendly host. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and felt like it was a very local – back door experience – an opportunity which I would not have normally had. Thanks Jake. I hope we meet again 🙂
-Simone

Had a fun time with Jake! He took me to 2 comedy shows and had a blast! I highly recommend this experience!
-Ray

It’s a great experience! I and Jake have a wonderful conversation over different subject. And two shows which Jake brings me to, are excellent! It’s definitely one of the best experience I’ve taken so far. You can really experience some great aspects of LA comedy scene.
-Alexander

This was hands down our favorite night spent in LA! Jake took us on an adventure exploring sketch comedy at UCB and stand up at the Hollywood Improv. Both events were sensational and so much fun. Any comedy fans or those just looking for laughs would thoroughly enjoy this experience. In addition to the shows, Jake took us to a fun diner for some delicious grub and took time to talk and share his wealth of comedy knowledge. We hope to book this experience again! Thanks, Jake, for such a memorable night of comedy.
-Aubree

We didn’t really know what to expect so when we started it was all a wonderful surprise! We went to two hidden comedy places that Jake knew very well. We even saw some comedians that we had seen on Comedy Central. Jake was a spectacular host. He knew all the ins and outs of comedy. You could talk for days about anything related to comedy and we almost did! I would highly recommend this adventure to anyone who want to have fun and laugh for an evening!!! Thanks Jake!
-Tammy

Jake loves comedy so much he glows. A must for comedy aficionados and dilettantes alike.
-Avi

Jake is a really friendly guy He was also very knowledgeable about the comedy business and the scene We went to 2 places that we would either not have known or picked on our own
-Sachin

Jake was an awesome host point blank. This man went above and beyond his duty to get me to laugh on the night we hung out. I mean my trip to LA started fairly sheisty.. flight delays of nearly 6 hours put a damper and I missed a whole day in LA, but Jake came through in the clutch and honored his deal even when he didn’t have to. Having only seen a handful of shows in my hometown he treated me to some shows that featured local talent and I was blown away. Even my hat became a sort of litmus test in the fact that at a point I had to take off my hat because the slight pressure on my head was doing a heck of number and giving me a headache every time I would burst into laughter. This man knows his stuff and no doubt his blog/website Comedy Bureau is in great hands. Thanks to him I met some phenomenal people, that I might never have interacted with ever and for that I’m truly appreciative. Thanks again and I will catch around town again. A very appreciative and thankful guest of your experience 🙂
-Eduardo

We had such a great time! The first show was at a venue we never expected, and all of the comics were hilarious! At the end of the show, we had some drinks and met many funny people. Next, we got to sit in the audience for the recording of a standup comedy special. This was another unexpected surprise and we really enjoyed it. Jake was a perfect host. He told us about the local comedy scene, he took us to an amazing diner when we got hungry, and he helped us find our way to the hotel. If you’re here for comedy, talk to Jake.
-Danielle

Jake is a true lover of comedy. He definitely knows the LA scene. A lot of the comedy he shared with me was filled with unquestionable wit, and while some were on the mainstream circuit, there were others you might never find simply because their wit is too unique, tailored toward a very cool audience. If you want an experience like no other, look no further than your man, Jake. My only suggestion is that you must be someone with a liberal heart and mind, and someone unafraid to laugh out loud.
-Jordan

Jake was an amazing host, it was great hanging out with a local comedian and having a glimpse at the standup comedy community in LA. I would definitely book this experience again! I hand a wonderful time!
-Ali

Expert guidance from a local celebrity. Jake will be able to answer any question you throw at him, and pretty much guarantees you a good time. Highly recommended.
-Courtney

If you want to book us for a night, we’ve got slots available here.

Brett Gelman Shines Bright as the Off Putting Weirdo at the Center of Janicza Bravo and Gelman’s “Lemon”

August 22, 2017

brett gelman, janicza bravo, lemon

Brett Gelman has a knack for playing roles that are challenging, unsettling, and down right strange. In fact, we’d say he thrives in such a space.

Whether it be on TV, in film, or live on stage, Brett uses a commanding presence to carefully oscillate between being disturbing and downright hysterical.

With this in mind, co-writer/director Janicza Bravo penned Lemon with Gelman and expertly captured the essence of a person that could be described as a “lemon” (like one would describe a useless heap of a car). The two pulled off making a comedy of discomfort that delicately balances between following an antagonistic protagonist, having everything go wrong, and keep it all enthralling.

Also, supporting cast members Michael Cera, Judy Greer, Shiri Appleby, Gillian Jacobs, Martin Starr, Megan Mullally, Jon Daly and Nia Long up the weirdness in Lemon with their own very memorable, outlandish characters.

Right now, you can watch Lemon at The Nuart in West LA or you can rent on Amazon.

Honest Trailers Enlist Michael Bolton & Friends To Give Emmy Nominees a Retro TV Theme

August 22, 2017

andy signore, brian mcknight, dan murrell, handmaid's tale, honest trailers, hulu, natasha bedingfield, nbc, netflix, parody, paula cole, screen junkies, stranger things, this is us, tv theme

Honest Trailers themselves are actually nominated for an Emmy and in celebration of that (as well as seizing an opportunity to show off why they are some of the best parodists on the Internet), they made satirical retro TV themes for Emmy nominated shows Stranger Things, This Is Us, and The Handmaid’s Tale.

They even got the one and only (and very game for comedy these days) Michael Bolton to join in on the fun in addition to bringing on the talents of Natasha Bedingfield, Brian McKnight, and Paula Cole to do said TV themes. For Bolton, he wanted to do a Bolton style song for Game of Thrones as a bonus to this “very special episode” of Honest Trailers.

Please enjoy it here.

Friends From College Gets a Second Season at Netflix

August 22, 2017

cobie smulders, fred savage, friends from college, keegan michael key, nat faxon, netflix, renewed

Renewals don’t come so easily at Netflix these days, so Nicholas Stoller and Francesca Delbanco’s Friends From College did pretty well for itself.

The series had plenty of different nuanced and complex relationships woven between “friend from college” that one has to wonder where exactly they’ll go with a second season. Maybe if this’ll end up being a more grounded Wet Hot American Summer where the cast actually plays roles that are more age appropriate and return a few years older.

We’ll just have to wait and see.

August 22, 2017

characters, cole escola, comedy show, difficult people, john early, los angeles, satellite, silverlake

NYC’s Cole Escola, who you should have seen on Difficult People, is returning to LA for a one night only performance of his showcase of his plethora of characters from “the fringes of coherence and social acceptability”. Also, if you need more convincing, the one and only John Early will be a special guest.

Tickets for Cole Escola “Help, I’m Stuck” are $8 and you can (and really should) get them here.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, open mics, and maps can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

“Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father” Docu-Series Gets a Trailer

August 21, 2017

comedy special, jack whitehall, netflix, tv special

One of the UK’s biggest comedians, Jack Whitehall, will be coming out with a whole Netflix series capturing various excursions he took with his father, Michael Whitehall.

Given how wonderfully prickly Jack’s father appears in this trailer, Michael seems like he might just be the star of the show.

Look for episodes to start streaming on Friday, September 22nd on Netflix.

ABC Orders Dark Dramedy Put Pilot with Felicity Huffman as NYC-P.S.-Teacher-Turned-Unlikely-FBI-Agent

August 21, 2017

abc, dark comedy, felicity huffman, kristy kottis

ABC Orders Dark Dramedy Put Pilot with Felicity Huffman as NYC-P.S.-Teacher-Turned-Unlikely-FBI-Agent

This is news from last week, but the premise for this show is kind of amazing:

“…Kristy Kottis is inspired by the real-life Vespa riding, shit kicking, former New York City public school teacher-turned-FBI agent, Kristy Kottis. The is a darkly comedic drama seen through the eyes of a real woman — not a super hero, not first in her class, but fiftieth, who found her calling in a place she never imagined; as the first female supervisor in charge of the Guardian Squad, the division responsible for uniting the NYPD, Homeland Security, Secret Service, Amtrack and Port Authority Police in New York City.”

We’re thoroughly intrigued what it would look like when it’s all said and done. Thus, we felt obligated to give all of you a heads up just in case you don’t follow the trades as closely as we do.

The Cooties Present “Narcos: The Musical”

August 21, 2017

musical, narcos, narcos the musical, netflix, parody, the cooties

Much in the tradition of The Wire: The Musical, Netflix has tapped the unstoppably fun musical comedy group known as The Cooties to do a condensed musical version of their highly popular drug cartel drama, Narcos.

Needless to say, they delivered.

Watch The Cooties’ Narcs: The Musical in parts one, two, and three here.

August 21, 2017

black metal, comedy show, dave hill, echo park, los angeles, norwegian black metal, parody

Chronicles of Witch Taint, the live reenactment of Dave Hill’s legendary trolling of a Norwegian black metal label as some kid from Gary, Indiana is returning to LA.

Whether you’re a metal head or not, it’s still one of the funniest things we’ve ever seen.

So, with that in mind, be sure to go to the latest date at the Echoplex on Wednesday, September 6th at 8:30PM. Tickets are $9.50 in advance and $12 on the day of the show. You can (and really should) purchase advance tickets here.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

This is the last week we’re doing this TCB Reader Survey and it’s also you’re last chance to possibly win a $50 Amazon Gift Card

August 21, 2017

This is the last week we’re doing this TCB Reader Survey and it’s also you’re last chance to possibly win a $50 Amazon Gift Card

Take the survey at the link above and you’re automatically entered to win said gift card.

August 20, 2017

comedy shows, los angeles

ATTN: all of our listings for all of LA comedy have been updated for next week (8/21/17) and beyond.

If you dig those listings, please consider pledging $ on our Patreon as it is only one guy doing all of this.

Watch the Rick and Morty Cast and Creators Improvise a SpongeBob SquarePants Crossover

August 20, 2017

crossover, dan harmon, justin roiland, parody, rick and morty, spongebob squarepants, vulture

As part of a chat with Vulture, Justin Roiland, Dan Harmon, Ryan Ridley, Spencer Grammer, and Sarah Chalke (AKA cast and creators of Rick and Morty) not only improvised what a few scenes from a crossover of Rick and Morty and SpongeBob Squarepants might be like, but also got some accompanying animation to really bring it to life.

Spoiler alert, the crossover is definitely more Rick and Morty than it is SpongeBob.

Watch and enjoy here before you sit and tune into tonight’s new Rick and Morty at 11PM tonight.

Well, It Looks Like We Lost Jerry Lewis and Dick Gregory in The Same Weekend

August 20, 2017

jerry lewis, rip

For his trailblazing comedy duo, Martin & Lewis, with Dean Martin, his streak of films (including The Bellboy and The Nutty Professor back in the 60s and 70s whose effect on comedy still reverberate today), and being the superb chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Lewis’ telethon for the MDA was probably one of the most recognizable telethons to this day), Jerry Lewis has undoubtedly left his mark on comedy and the entertainment business, both here in America and in Europe (where he was often times more celebrated).

This news of Jerry Lewis’ passing at 91 comes right on the heels of Dick Gregory succumbing to heart failure yesterday at the age of 84.

It should be noted that Jerry Lewis was always unapologetically himself, which has brought up his fair share of controversy (The Day The Clown Died, his very problematic opinions on women in comedy) as well as this 2016 interview he tolerated giving to The Hollywood Reporter that many people loved for how awkward he made it.

Lewis was definitely the sort of person that Sinatra’s My Way was for.

August 20, 2017

andre hyland, cry video, follow that, hollywood, los angeles, matt kirshen, meltdown comics, mike lawrence, nerdmelt, sad video, stand up, taylor tomlinson

Really, if you haven’t seen Follow That! where comedians do indeed try to attempt comedy after watching the saddest videos that hosts Matt Lieb and Jason Webb can find, please treat yourself to this roller coaster of an emotional evening coming up at the end of this month.

The line-up for this edition is stacked with the more than capable comedic talents of Mike Lawrence, Andre Hyland, Matt Kirshen, Sofiya Alexandra, Brodie Reed, and Taylor Tomlinson.

You can (and should) get tickets here.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

RIP Dick Gregory, 1932-2017

August 20, 2017

dick gregory, rip

Often, it’s debated whether comedy itself can actually make a difference in society. How effective a satirical joke mocking various societal establishments is nearly impossible to measure, but one Dick Gregory always made sure that he put action behind the truth that he spoke to power.

Fighting for Civil Rights in the 60s, protesting against the Vietnam War, standing for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, and going on hunger strikes for several different other causes are the sorts of things that Dick Gregory did in addition to being lauded as the first black comedian to successfully cross over to play for white audiences in the 60s.

Gregory’s activism and jokes always seem to go hand in hand and that proved true throughout his entire career, which stretched to his final days (Dick was still actively performing at venues throughout 2017).

Yesterday, Saturday, August 19th, Dick Gregory passed away.

So, go down a YouTube rabbit hole, read his books, read books about him, listen to his albums of which there are several, take note that he was on Wondershowzen of all shows, and do anything else to pay your respects to one of the true comedy legends and the sort of person that might have actually given you hope about America.

Tiffany Haddish Is Having Quite a Week

August 20, 2017

girls trip, she ready, tiffany haddish

For someone that’s having a break out moment, it’s one hell of a break out moment.

For Tiffany Haddish, this week alone:

–Girls Trip, the film in which she arguably stole the whole movie, just passed $100 million in the U.S. box office (via Variety).
–She had a really stellar interview on Colbert.
-Her hour long Showtime stand-up special Tiffany Haddish: She Ready! From The Hood to Hollywood premiered on Showtime.
–Kevin Hart vehicle Night School just added her to the cast.

The last person that we can remember a somewhat similar breakout moment like this, where everything seemed to be happening at once, is Aubrey Plaza.

Oh yeah, her weekend of shows at the Brea Improv next month are all already sold out too.

So, if for some reason you’re not doing so already, keep watching the rise of Tiffany Haddish.

August 19, 2017

byron bowers, free tickets, hot Tub, jimmy pardo, kyle kinane, los feliz, marcella arguello, silverlake, stand up, ticket giveaway, virgil village

OK, if you wanted to see Kyle Kinane, Jimmy Pardo, Byron Bowers, and Marcella Arguello AND a supposed very, very special guest (hint: they were on Kimmel this past week) for free, we might be able to make that happen for you.

Enter to win tickets to this coming Monday’s Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen here: http://thecomedybureau.dola.com/giveaways

Please Enjoy Nikki Glaser Getting Marvelously Dark on Conan

August 19, 2017

conan, interview, nikki glaser, panel interview, stand up, team coco

It’s appearances like these that make us think Nikki Glaser won’t wait to long before she gets another TV show of her own if she chooses to go down that road a third time.

One interesting thing to note…

We’re not sure if you know this or not, but, often times, when stand-up comedians go on a late night show and sit to do a panel interview, they’re still “doing a set”, but doing so in the clever disguise of an actual conversation/interview.

Nikki Glaser, who has done plenty of wonderful, traditional late night stand-up sets, give a great example of how one weaves a set list of jokes through an actual conversation on Conan.

See for yourself here and here.

Here’s Yet Another Fun Teaser for Season 9 of Curb Your Enthusiasm

August 19, 2017

batman, curb your enthusiasm, hbo, larry david, parody, season 9, teaser

It’s hard to imagine anyone else bringing as much joy to people by being a grouch as Larry David.

Season 9 of his series Curb Your Enthusiasm is slated for its premiere on Sunday, October 1st at 10PM on HBO and, as this teaser shows, he’s pretty ready, once more, to be the charming stick in the mud that is the core of Curb.

August 19, 2017

adam conover, adam ruins everything, bad video games, ify nwadiwe, matthew a cherry, mike drucker, mike lawrence, worst video games, zoe quinn

Mike Drucker’s gathering of comedians to play the worst video games that he could possibly find, Sh*t Arcade, is truly a joy to watch. The latest edition of the show is coming up next weekend and you really ought to not miss it.

Slated to riff on and attempt to play the worst video games in existence are:
Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything)
Zoe Quinn (Depression Quest)
Matthew A. Cherry (9 Rides, the NFL)
Ify Nwadiwe (@midnight, Son of Zorn)
Mike Lawrence (Roast Battle, Comedy Central)

Tickets are $10 and you can (and really should) get them here.
Also, if you’d like to win a pair of tickets and see the show for free, you can enter our ticket giveaway here.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

You’re The Worst Season 4 Gets a Full Trailer and Another Teaser

August 18, 2017

aya cash, chris geere, fx, fxx, jimmy and gretchen, season 4, stephen falk, trailer, you're the worst

Proceed at your own caution as there are some spoilers here.

However, given the title of the show, nothing that Jimmy and Gretchen do to each other should come as a total surprise.

In any case this new official trailer and teaser have us really chomping at the bit for the return of You’re The Worst (which has an hour long season premiere FYI) on Wednesday, September 6th at 10PM on FXx.