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August 20, 2019

beth stelling, echo park, john early, kate berlant, stand up comedy, tom of finland

As both Kate Berlant and John Early are skyrocketing with their own individual successes in comedy, it’s a much more rare occasion that you’ll see them on stage together, a dynamic that so famously dazzled audiences across the country (including Fallon and The Tonight Show).

Thankfully, a chance to catch them together again will be happening this week in a special performance at the intimate space of the Tom of Finland Foundation (a lovely house in Echo Park). The always lovely Beth Stelling will be joining them as well, which just might end up being the stand out night of this “Summer Acoustic Series”.

Best go get your tickets here.

Please Get and Enjoy Shalewa Sharpe’s “So, You Just Out Here?”

August 19, 2019

comedy album, shalewa sharpe, so you just out here, stand up comedy

When committing yourself to hearing an hour or so of comedy, you’d probably like to hear a voice that can comfort you while pointing out the taken-for-granted absurdities of the world.

NYC’s Shalewa Sharpe has one such ideal voice. Her sophomore album “So, You Just Out Here?” is full of spot-on, worldly observations that point out the big and small cracks in the veneer of this world. Yet, Sharpe delivers said material with such a calm that you might just think things might be OK (well, at least during the duration of listening to So, You Just Out Here?). It’s a perfect balance of sweet and sour and definitely we want to listen on repeat (or delightfully have pop up in shuffle when listening to music).

Shalewa Sharpe’s So, You Just Out Here? just dropped today and you can (and very much) should go get it at Apple Music or wherever you listen to comedy albums.

Here’s the Season 3 Trailer for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

August 19, 2019

alex borstein, amazon studios, amy sherman palladino, kevin pollak, marvelous mrs maisel, rachel brosnahan, season 3, tony shaloub

From the get go, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been a comedy jewel in this new Peak TV/Golden Era of Television that we’re currently in.

Mrs. Maisel is on to its third season now and seems to be cruising along as an award-winning, critical darling like it has been doing it for quite some time now (having the mind of Amy Sherman-Palladino at the helm certainly helps).

Take a look for yourself with this season 3 trailer, then look for the season premiere on Amazon Prime on Fri. Dec. 6th.

August 19, 2019

bobcat goldthwait, dana gould, janet varney, laraine newman, largo, live reading, matt braunger, paul f tompkins, plan 9 from outer space, steven webber

Every once in awhile, Dana Gould assembles quite the cast to do a live reading of legendary best/worst movie Plan 9 From Outer Space.

This indeed is happening once more, this time on Oct. 29th at Largo with the talents of Janet Varney, Bobcat Goldthwait, Paul F. Tompkins, Matt Braunger, Steven Webber, and Laraine Newman, featuring live music by Eban Schletter.

When it comes to comedy around Halloween, this is always a pretty grand event. Get tickets ($35) here quick as they’ll probably sell out.

Silicon Valley’s Season 6 Teaser Is Here

August 16, 2019

hbo, kumail nanjiani, martin starr, silicon valley, teaser, thomas middleditch

The sixth and final season of Silicon Valley is just around the corner, which leads HBO to close out another long-lasting, perennial award winning comedy that’s as relevant and resonant as it is funny.

From the looks of this teaser where things seems like they’re all about to come crashing down, it’s going to be a glorious swan song for Silicon Valley.

Look for the premiere of the sixth and final season of Silicon Valley on Oct. 27th at HBO.

As Far as Comedy Documentaries Go, “The Amazing Johnathan Documentary” Might Be One of the Most Fascinating Ever

August 16, 2019

amazing johnathan, amazing johnathan documentary, ben berman, hulu

We’re still sitting in disbelief about the mysterious/hysterical/ever-changing ride we were taken on with Ben Berman’s Amazing Johnathan Documentary.

If you follow The Prestige’s explanation of a magic trick being pledge/turn/prestige, Berman’s gonzo doc keeps you riveted with turn after turn after turn after turn, constantly wondering when the prestige, ending the trick might come (also with the pledge, the beginning of the trick, being so far in the past you might have forgotten what it was). The documentary ends up being its own wild magic trick of sorts. It’s definitely one of the most meta documentaries to ever have been made.

Simultaneously, The Amazing Johnathan Documentary is a film that’s about the life of celebrated rebellious comedian/magician The Amazing Johnathan, the nature of making documentary films in 2019, and the personal journey of filmmaker Ben Berman trying to uncover what’s happening during this whole process all while recording it.

Truly, Berman accomplished a breathtaking, groundbreaking doc here that happens to focus on one of the greatest (if not the greatest) comedian magicians of all time (there are plenty of clips reminding of you why The Amazing Johnathan lives up to his name FYI).

There are even some delightful echoes of Orson Welles’ amazing F Is For Fake, though The Amazing Johnathan Documentary ends up showing that truth, no matter how far you have to go to chase it, is indeed stranger (and can be far more interesting) than fiction.

Get a taste of that from the trailer, then go watch The Amazing Johnathan Documentary, now streaming on Hulu.

August 16, 2019

amy silverberg, carl tart, comedy debate, comedy show, daniel webb, danny palumbo, debate, experimental comedy, jared logan, lindsay adam, los angeles, sabrina jalees, sam wiles, steph tolev

Straw Men is, without a doubt, one of our new favorite shows of the year in how it puts many of the funniest people in LA to have the most absurd debates ever using the dumbest arguments and childish tactics possible.

While name-calling, the title-inspiring “straw man”, tangential insults, etc. are not at all productive in real debates between politicians that steer the course of policy at any level, it’s pretty damn fun to watch comedians do it in a theater.

So, go get your tickets for the next Straw Men, happening next week!

Carol Burnett, Norman Lear, Bob Newhart, Carl Reiner, Lily Tomlin To Receive The Paley Honors: A Special Tribute to Television’s Comedy Legends

August 16, 2019

bob newhart, carl reiner, carol burnett, comedy legends, lily tomlin, normal lear, paley center

Carol Burnett, Norman Lear, Bob Newhart, Carl Reiner, Lily Tomlin To Receive The Paley Honors: A Special Tribute to Television’s Comedy Legends

Here’s a trivia fact for you: of this group, Burnett, Newhart, Reiner, and Tomlin all have Mark Twain Prizes for Humor from the Kennedy Center (Norman Lear really ought to have one given the Mark Twain Prize’s mission statement of having an impact on American society via their comedic work).

Come Nov. 21st (that’s when the ceremony will happen at Beverly Wilshire Hotel), they all, in one fell swoop, get a lifetime achievement award from The Paley Center for Media for their renowned comedy series and specials.

One hopes that they all show up and they all try to top each other with their acceptance speeches.

Dave Chappelle’s “Sticks and Stones” Gets Announced by Morgan Freeman

August 15, 2019

dave chappelle, morgan freeman, netflix, sticks and stones, teaser

Well, the fifth Netflix special, Sticks & Stones, from Dave Chappelle (also making it the fifth special since his long hiatus) is coming later this month.

Whoever was there for the taping definitely knows what to expect. For the rest of us, it’s hard to say as Dave plays things pretty close to the chest these days (more so than almost any other comedian probably), often announcing shows on the day of at very intimate venues and being an industry leader of those Yondr bags. Also, that last special at The Comedy Store’s Belly Room seemed more impromptu than a crafted hour.

So, this latest hour, to most of us right now, could be any number of things. We suppose that might be all part of Dave’s plan, a way to keep his mythos of being this living, breathing icon in comedy going.

No matter what your feelings of those four previous Netflix specials are (and lots of folks have mixed feelings about them), it’s very likely that we will all watch it because Dave indeed is still that aforementioned comedy icon.

Certainly, this teaser doesn’t tip off too much other than Dave is going to speak his mind as announced by none other than Morgan Freeman. We’ll just have to wait and see what’s going to happen on Aug. 26th when Sticks & Stones drops.

August 15, 2019

hour, los angeles, rory scovel, stand up comedy

Tonight’s What’s the Story with Todd and Rory? where you could have seen Rory Scovel make up an entire hour of comedy with Todd Glass is unfortunately sold out.

Fortunately, you’ll have another chance (you actually will have two) to catch Rory Scovel performing an hour in LA. If you’re in the school-of-thought-that-believes-you-should-catch-any-and-all Rory Scovel performances (as they’re a perfect mix a brilliant material and brilliant riffing), you need to clear out your plans for Aug. 26th and Sept. 3rd.

Tickets for Rory Scovel: Live at the Virgil are $5 now and $8 cash at the door.

Tickets for Rory Scovel: Live at Lyric Hyperion Theatre & Cafe are $7 now and $10 cash at the door.

Snag those tickets at the links above before they very likely sell out!

HBO Orders Comedy “Betty” Inspired by Female Skateboarding Drama Feature Film ‘Skate Kitchen’

August 15, 2019

betty, crystal moselle, hbo, lesley arfin, skate kitchen

HBO Orders Comedy “Betty” Inspired by Female Skateboarding Drama Feature Film ‘Skate Kitchen’

Crystal Moselle’s Skate Kitchen sparked a lot of buzz at festivals and wherever it played as an emotionally resonant drama following the lives of an all female skateboard crew.

Now, Moselle has teamed up with co-creator of Love (Netflix), Lesley Arfin to adapt Skate Kitchen into an HBO comedy called Betty (just having received a series order). It’s another very, very intriguing move by HBO whose direction in comedy (i.e. Los Espookys, Black Lady Sketch Show, My Favorite Shapes, Ramy Youssef’s Feelings), across the board, has gotten way more adventurous, which we’re very glad to see.

Phoebe Robinson Getting Her Own Interview Series at Comedy Central

August 15, 2019

comedy central, phoebe robinson

Phoebe Robinson Getting Her Own Interview Series at Comedy Central

Comedy Central is really making a push for something in an interview format. Anthony Jeselnik already has Good Talk coming up at the network and now, Comedy Central has just ordered another show that will feature a comedian interviewing guests one-on-one, this time the comedian will be Phoebe Robinson, one of the 2 Dope Queens.

Obviously, Robinson will have a much different take, approach, feel, tone to her show than Jeselnik’s, which makes us wonder what Comedy Central’s ultimate game plan is here between these shows (and maybe even more?).

It’s hard to say now, but we’re excited to see what sort of delightful panache Robinson will bring in interviewing people here.

August 14, 2019

comedy show, experimental comedy, feminism, femmes the rules, los angeles, stand up comedy

In the spirit of the times of trying to level the playing field between men and women, Femmes The Rules that cheekily has male comedians get interrupted and then have to sit and listen to female or non-binary comedians.

With or without that format, the line-up is definitely worth checking out:

Katrina Davis & Kevin Anderson
Pallavi Gunalan & Robert Schultz
Debra DiGiovanni & Paul Danke
&
hosts Mary Jane French and Sarah Mowrey

If you’re down for this playful comedy experiment (that no one on the Internet is sure to have a hardline opinion about even before going to actually see it and maybe having some fun), make your way to Skiptown Playhouse in East Hollywood on Mon. Aug. 19th at 7PM to check our Femmes the Rules (tickets are only $5). Get more info here.

Andrés du Bouchet Does a Clever Gathering of Most of His Characters That He Plays on Conan

August 14, 2019

andres du bouchet, characters, conan

If you’re not on the du Bouchet train of pure absurdity, then, well, umm, please reconsider what you’re watching as Andrés is one of the pillars of why Conan remains great to this day (and certainly why their bits and sketches are often unrivaled in late night).

For more proof, du Bouchet does the best take on a character sizzle reel ever with this latest piece. Please enjoy over and over and over (then get on that du Bouchet train already).

Eddie Murphy Takes on the Story Behind Dolemite in “Dolemite Is My Name”

August 13, 2019

dolemite, eddie murphy, netlflix, rudy ray moore, trailer

Maybe, just maybe this is one of the beginning milestones of Eddie Murphy’s long, circuitous route back into stand-up comedy?

This biopic, Dolemite Is My Name (written by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski and directed by Craig Brewer) that follows the career of comedian Rudy Ray Moore as his better known persona, blaxploitation star Dolemite seems very intriguing, especially with a supporting cast that boasts Keegan-Michael Key, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, and Wesley Snipes.

If anything, it’s somewhat comforting to see Eddie back in the role of a comedian and he, in turn, seems pretty right at home as Rudy Ray Moore.

See all about this for yourself in the trailer, then look for the release of Dolemite Is My Name this Fall.

Rose Matafeo Scores Series “Starstruck” at HBO Max & BBC Three

August 13, 2019

bbc three, hbo, rose matafeo, starstruck

Rose Matafeo Scores Series “Starstruck” at HBO Max & BBC Three

You already know and love the New Zealand comedy exports of Flight of the Conchords and Taika Waititi and now, you ought to get to acquaint yourself with the charm of New Zealand’s newest comedy star making her way round the world, Rose Matafeo.

She dazzled some LA crowds a few weeks back and now has been set up with her own TV series, Starstruck, following a down on her luck Rose who finds that she just slept with a movie star. The show will play both in the UK and the US via HBO Max and BBC Three, a transatlantic distribution model that seems to be happening more and more (ex. Fleabag, Catastrophe, Killing Eve) and proving very fruitful.

In any case, we’re looking forward to see Rose make her TV debut in the US via her own show.

August 13, 2019

hannah einbinder, hollywood improv, jordan perry, lara beitz, mike falzone, rick glassman, shapel lacey, surrounded

Usually, stand-up comedy done in the round is done so in gigantic spaces, a stadium, auditorium, etc. and requires a larger than life personality.

This very special evening, simply called Surrounded, at the Hollywood Improv Comedy Lab will transform an already intimate venue into an even more intimate one by putting the stage smack dab in the center of the room and having the audience sit all the way around. Also, you’ll get to see the rising stars with a line-up of Mike Falzone, Lara Beitz, Jordan Perry, and Rick Glassman as well as some newly minted JFL New Faces (Hannah Einbinder and Shapel Lacey).

Tickets for Surrounded are $12 (plus 2 item min.) and you can (and should) get them here.

Julio Torres’ My Favorite Shapes Takes Prop Comedy to a Personal Level That It May Have Never Been to Before

August 13, 2019

comedy special, hbo, julio torres, my favorite shapes, prop comedy

As we suspected, Julio Torres has done something groundbreaking with his new comedy special My Favorite Shapes. Torres has managed to make prop comedy vulnerable, deep, personal in the way that the rest of stand-up comedy has been for the last few years.

Prop comedy usually conjures up some sort of mysteriously big box that some sort of high energy comedian picks weird, often Frankenstein-ed items that are a visual punchline/aid to some cheesy one-liner. It’s so hackneyed that it’s often made fun of by many other comedians playing a prop comic that has some sort of breakdown in the middle of their intentionally cheesy set.

Every detail of My Favorite Shapes seems so stylized in a some sort of ethereal-80s-parallel-universe way, coming from the very soul of Julio Torres to be cleverly shared in little joke morsels. The shapes do operate similarly as any sort of comedic prop, but the structure and narrative of the show and the consideration to have this conceit of Julio “sharing his favorite shapes” brings into Julio’s mystical, weird, and wonderful world (that’s often in miniature). Also, for all the supposed pretension one might think is running amok in this special, it’s pretty accessible and self-aware of its own indulgence, which is a pretty fun gag in its own right. To our knowledge, we haven’t seen props used so frequently to such great comedic and emotional effect.

My Favorite Shapes, for our money, is something that will indeed move the needle forward for the art form of comedy. Additionally, we like the big chances that HBO is taking in comedy specials recently (Drew Michael, Feelings, Home Videos).

Go watch and enjoy and revel in My Favorite Shapes on HBO GO or HBO NOW.

Nathan Fielder Is Bringing New Show “How To…With John Wilson” to HBO (and Signed Overall Deal and Scored Pilot at HBO as Well)

August 12, 2019

hbo, how to with john wilson, nathan fielder, overall deal

Nathan Fielder Is Bringing New Show “How To…With John Wilson” to HBO (and Signed Overall Deal and Scored Pilot at HBO as Well)

Finally, finally, finally, there’s something new from the brilliant, always-several-steps-ahead mind of Nathan Fielder coming our way.

This time, it’ll be a different sort of docu-series that seems somewhat adjacent to Nathan For You, but much more intensely personal, focused on life advice as opposed to business advice, and not starring Nathan Fielder. You can see as such in the premise for the series “How To…With John Wilson”:

Acting as both cameraman and narrator, he covertly documents the lives of fellow New Yorkers in a comic odyssey of self-discovery, inevitably making the audience comfortable with the awkward contradictions of modern life.

On top of all of that, Fielder signed up for a year overall deal at HBO and has scored a pilot which has details under wraps, but he will star, write and direct in. We are thrilled to see what Fielder will come up with under the banner of HBO especially as it seems that they’re really swinging for the fences with comedy and how weird and experimental it can be.

Hopefully, all of this comes out in time to make the 2020 election cycle a fraction more tolerable.

August 12, 2019

los angeles, maria bamford, stand up comedy

Maria Bamford, who is sincerely one of the best comedians and human beings around, is doing another run of afternoons to work out her latest hour of stand-up comedy at The Clubhouse in Los Feliz (1607 N. Vermont Ave. *next to Jons*).

Really, you ought to try to get free one of these afternoons whether it be this Tues., Wed., or Thurs. to see her hone material, which we have no doubt is silly, truthful, vulnerable, life-affirming, and beautiful all at the same time.

There’s a $5 suggested donation for these shows, but no one will be turned away if they can’t afford it.

Please get more details here.

Will Ferrell (Probably) Sets Record for Simultaneous Late Night Appearances as Ron Burgundy

August 10, 2019

late night, ron burgundy, will ferrell

In order to promote season 2 of The Ron Burgundy Podcast, Will Ferrell showed up not once, twice, but five times across all of late night last night as his famed Anchorman character, Ron Burgundy.

All told, Ron performed on Conan, Colbert, Fallon, Kimmel, Corden, and Seth Meyers last night.

This is notable for a few reasons.

First, we’re pretty sure that no one else has pulled such a feat off by securing that many late night appearances in one fell swoop and having them all be on the same night (there must be a lot of coordination on wardrobe and pre-taping). Thus, it’s probably a world record.

Second, this is a testament to the power of podcasts these days as Ferrell essentially did a special’s worth of TV appearances in character with almost different, intentionally bad material all to plug the season two premiere of The Ron Burgundy Podcast. Essentially, Ferrell pulled a TV stunt like no other to promote a podcast. Wow.

Third, Burgundy has his best breakdown among these performances with this attempt at doing a ventriloquist act.

Please Enjoy Trailer for Supernatural Comedy “Extra Ordinary” Where Will Forte Gets to Be a Rock Star Who Sold His Soul to the Devil

barry ward, enda loughman, extra ordinary, maeve higgins, mike ahern, trailer

Please Enjoy Trailer for Supernatural Comedy “Extra Ordinary” Where Will Forte Gets to Be a Rock Star Who Sold His Soul to the Devil

Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman’s Extra Ordinary looks like a whole lot of fun as a comedy about the paranormal in a small Irish town that’s just trying to get on with their lives, specifically the leads Maeve Higgins and Barry Ward. The tone, look, and feel almost make it as though it could inhabit the same cinematic universe as What We Do In the Shadows.

On top of that, Will Forte gets to don a mustache and play a villainous rock star who sells his soul to regain his former glory (and seemingly accompanied by the hysterical Claudia O’Doherty). Just seeing that from the trailer alone has us pretty on board.

See for yourself in the trailer here, then look for Extra Ordinary to start rolling into theaters Sept. 27th.

animation, animation history, cartoon, el segundo, old cartoon

Every so often, El Segundo’s treasure of a revival theater, the Old Town Music Hall, will do a run of classic cartoons with their occasional Vintage Cartoon Festival.

This particular edition is fascinating as it’ll feature Pre-Code (an era of film that got away with being more graphic and explicit because the big Hollywood studios had not really enforced any sort of obscenity code yet) cartoons. All of these cartoons definitely came well before the adult animation of BoJack Horseman or F Is For Family or Rick and Morty and it ought to be fascinating to think the connection between those Pre-Code cartoons and our aforementioned modern ones.

Also, renowned cartoon historian Jerry Beck will be hosting the entire evening.

This Vintage Cartoon Festival will happen:
Aug. 16th, Friday 8:15PM
Aug. 17th, Saturday 2:30PM & 8:15PM
Aug. 18th, Sunday 2:30PM

Tickets are $10 at the door ($8 for senior 62+). Get more info here!

Here’s the Trailer for Tiffany Haddish’s Stand-Up Showcase “They Ready”

stand up comedy, they ready, tiffany haddish

Tiffany Haddish’s “she ready” brand is so strong that she Netflix allowed her to handpick a whole line-up of comedians that she could highlight them as, indeed, “they ready”.

It’s a whole diverse line-up of female comedians that Tiffany clearly loves including: Chaunté Wayans, April Macie, Tracey Ashley, Aida Rodriguez, Flame Monroe and Marlo Williams.

In fact, her gushing over these women is almost enough of a selling point to get you to watch. Also, Tiffany picked well.

Look for Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready next week on Tues. Aug. 13th on Netflix.

Desus & Mero See How Expensive Outfits of New Yorkers, of All Kinds, Really Are

desus and mero, remote segment

Taking a cue from the Unknown Vlogs’ How Much Is Your Outfit viral video series, Desus & Mero do their own investigation into how expensive the threads are that New Yorkers, ranging from fashion forward to barely normcore, are rocking.

This is just another instance that shows off Desus & Mero’s chemistry is unlike any other in late night (and they might be having more fun than almost any other show in late night).

As Mero might say, enjoy it, stupid.