Just in case you weren’t already excited for Louis CK and Zach Galifianakis’ Baskets, here are two more brand new promos.
Keep in mind you only have to wait until Thurs. Jan. 21st to catch the premiere on FX.
ON THE HORIZON
The 2015 It Sucked! Awards @ UCB Franklin Wed. Dec. 30th 8PM $5
Van Jam! New Year’s Ever @ Hollywood Improv Lab Thurs. Dec. 31st 10:30PM $25
COMEDY CRAWL
Alex Film Society Presents The Greatest Classic Cartoons of All Time @ Alex Theatre 2PM/7PM $16 at door, $16.50 in adv.
Best of UCB Sketch @ UCB Sunset 7PM $5
Ryan Sickler @ Brea Improv 7PM/9PM $17/2 item min.
Sentimental Lady: Guilty Pleasures @ UCB Franklin 7PM $5
Cookin’ with Gas-Holiay Edition @ The Groundlings 8PM $20
Jimmy Dore @ Flappers Burbank 8PM/10PM $20/2 item min.
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Franklin 8PM $10 (stand by only)
improv4humans w/Matt Besser @ UCB Sunset 9PM $10
The Armando Show @ iO West 9PM $10
Mission IMPROVable @ Westside Comedy Theater 10PM $12
UCB Allstars Meet Krampus @ UCB Franklin 10PM $10
We Won’t Be Home For Christmas @ UCB Sunset 10:30PM $5
Let’s Party @ UCB Franklin MIDNIGHT $5
OPEN MIC RUN
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 2PM/Starts 4PM/Ends 6PM/5 min./One item min
MAKAI COFFEE 2771 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 4:30PM/Starts 5PM/First come, first served/5-7 min./No purchase necessary
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM/Sign-up in advance by liking this page: https://www.facebook.com/ericbcomedy/First 28 spots guaranteed on Facebook/Lottery for remaining spots/Hosted by Todd Smith, Matt Robinson, and Eric Bustamante/5 min./1 drink min.
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio CIty, CA/Sign-up in advance or attend as audience at aaron@theworldnyc.com/Starts 8:30PM/Ends 10PM/5-8 min./$5 cover/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
RINCON OAXACANA 6655 N. Cherokee Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/Ends 11PM/First come, first served/Hosted by Elijah Wise
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio CIty, CA/Sign-up in advance or attend as audience at aaron@theworldnyc.com/Starts 10PM/Ends 12AM/5-8 min./$5 cover/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
FLAPPERS YOO HOO ROOM 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Starts 11PM/Sign-up 11:30PM/Lottery/3-5 min./One item min.
We’re hoping you’re enjoying Christmas right now as it seems the majority of our staff stayed home today to do so.
As that’s the case, we’re just going to leave you to your Christmas plans with one of our favorite alternative holiday songs, Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets’ “Christmas at the Airport” performed live on Conan earlier this month.
ON THE HORIZON
We Won’t Be Home For Christmas @ UCB Sunset Sat. Dec. 26th 10:30PM $5
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid + The Cheap Detective @ New Beverly Cinema Sun. Dec. 27th & Mon. Dec. 28th 7:30PM $8
Kibitz Room Comedy @ The Kibitz Room at Canter’s Mon. Dec. 28th 9PM FREE
The SWARM @ UCB Sunset Sat. Jan. 2nd 9PM $10
An Evening with Sarah Silverman @ LACMA Thurs. Jan. 7th 7:30PM $25
COMEDY CRAWL-It’s Christmas, so you’re going to have find the comedy in having to deal with family, not getting what you want, the world still suffering from humanity collective carbon footprint despite the festive time of year, etc.
OPEN MIC RUN
THE LEXINGTON 129 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 9PM/Starts 9:30PM/5 min./First come, first served/Hosted by Geoffrey Feldman
(via Time)
Just to hit the whole “a Festivus for the rest of us” message home, the Festivus pole has just gotten an upgrade.
Chaz Stevens is not only spreading the non-religious holiday celebration of Festivus, the celebration popularized by Seinfeld by erecting Festivus poles, but adding a disco ball and rainbow colors to it in support of gay rights.
So far, he’s actually gotten them put up in a handful of state capitols including the one in Oklahoma City, OK and we can definitely see this catching on.
Don’t be surprised if this becomes a popular holiday decoration soon.
The words spirits and Christmas most often conjure up images of Charles Dickens’ renowned cautionary holiday tale, A Christmas Carol.
However, when it comes to the landlord of Bob’s Burgers, Calvin Fischoeder (voiced by Kevin Kline), the ‘spirits’ portion of “Spirits of Christmas” takes on a different meaning.
Watch his version of a holiday song here.
Those that don’t really dig this time of year with all the added pressure of having to be festive, forced interaction with family, etc. will enjoy Matt Oswalt’s attempt at his personal recipe for Snickerdoodle cookies over at Jash’s buh channel.
During said attempt, Eddie Pepitone, Bobcat Goldthwait, and Milana Vayntrub have other plans.
ON THE HORIZON
OPEN MIC @ THE LEXINGTON Fri. Dec. 25th 129 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 9PM/Starts 9:30PM/5 min./First come, first served/Hosted by Geoffrey Feldman
Alex Film Society Presents The Greatest Classic Cartoons Ever @ The Alex Theatre Sat. Dec. 26th 2PM/7PM $16 at door, $16.50 in adv.
Jimmy Dore @ Flappers Burbank Sat. Dec. 26th 8PM/10PM & Sun. Dec. 27th 7PM/9PM $20/2 item min.
The New Negroes @ UCB Franklin Sun. Dec. 27th 7:30PM $5
Neil Hamburger with Special Guests @ The Satellite LA Sun. Dec. 27th 8:30PM $8
COMEDY CRAWL-Well, all of our picks for shows are taking the night off so it looks like you can finish up your Christmas shopping or go see Star Wars or something else.
OPEN MIC RUN
Nothing to see here either.
First, it was Amy Poehler. Then, it was Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Then, it was Julia Louis-Dreyfus with Kumail Nanjiani and Snoop Dog.
Now, it’s Portlandia’s own Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein that are starring in the latest round of Old Navy ads.
Like all the folks before them, it seems like they crafted the ads themselves since they kind of play like sketches from Portlandia.
In fact, if you’re having some sort of Portlandia withdrawals, these ads might soothe you for just a bit before season 6 premieres on Jan. 21st.
Nashville’s DJ Buckley, his cohorts at Nashville Stand Up, and several special guests have already clocked in a 184 hour and 16 minute continuous stand-up comedy show to set the world record for longest stand-up comedy show with multiple comedians.
Who would be crazy enough to break that record that is more than a continuous week of stand-up comedy? Well, it turns out that Buckley and company were crazy enough to pull off their first record and are just crazy enough to try to break it.
In case you’re concerned how much longer they’re going to this time, they’re only attempting a show that’s 5 minutes longer, which makes us think that they’re going to make this an annual tradition that gets 5 minutes longer every year.
So, on 11:59am on Sunday, May 15th, 2016, the attempt will begin at The East Room in Nashville and go on for the next several days that are necessary to accomplish the feat.
If you’re interested in being witness, in person, to comedy history, you can buy tickets here.
A photo posted by kylekinane (@kylekinane) on Dec 23, 2015 at 10:19am PST
At the start of the year, Kyle Kinane gave us all the gift of his great special I Liked His Old Stuff Better and now he’s gifting us the unreleased material from that very same special on a 5 track EP called “Sold Out, Suck It”.
You can and should get it at Amazon or iTunes now.
The great Sam Simmons is setting the new standard for caroling at Christmas by walking in the middle of a busy London street at night and probably making something that some die hard Star Wars fans didn’t even think of.
Add this to your list of 2016 releases that you’re excited about.
Tom Segura came out with his last special, Completely Normal, over a year ago on Netflix. According to this tweet from Comedy Dynamics, his next special is due out next month.
Though we don’t know the exact date or even what it’s going to be called, Tom put forth one of our favorite late night sets over the last few years and our ears perk up with any new album, special, set etc. he’s gearing up for.
ON THE HORIZON
Ryan Sickler @ Brea Improv Sat. Dec. 26th & Sun. Dec. 27th $17/2 item min.
Super Married w/John Ross Bowie & Jamie Denbo @ UCB Sunset Mon. Dec. 28th 8:30PM $5
COMEDY CRAWL
Full Ride @ UCB Sunset 7PM $5
Scot Nery’s Boobie Trap @ Way 2 Much Entertainment 8PM $25
The Crazy Uncle Joe Show @ The Groundlings 8PM $14
Doug Loves Movies @ UCB Franklin 8PM $5
Bear Supply @ Westside Comedy Theater 9PM $5
Rick Shapiro’s Not So PC Holiday Show @ Flappers Burbank 9PM $10/2 item min.
Heyday @ iO West 9:30PM $5
Cagematch @ UCB Franklin 11PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
KARMA LOUNGE 3954 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 5:30PM/5 min./First come, first served/Hosted by Heather Turman/1 item min.
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/First come, first served/3 min./25 spots only/counts as audtion/1 item min.
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO. 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 4PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/One item min.
VINADORE CAFE 8157 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/6 min./$5 min. purchase/Hosted by Stuart Thompson
THE GRANDVIEW MARKET 12210 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 6:45PM/Mixed mic/4 min. for comedy/1 song for musicians/No purchase necessary/Hosted by Matt Curti
PALADINO’S 6101 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana, CA/Sign-up 6:45PM/Starts 7PM/Ends 9PM/First come, first served/7 min./No purchase necessary
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/First come, first served/7 min./$4 min./Hosted by Nick Costas
CORK’S LOUNGE 5043 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA/Starts 8:30PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary/Hosted by Aaron Marsh
ROBIN HOOD BRITISH PUB 13640 Burbank Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA/Starts 9PM/Ends 11PM/Lottery/Hosted by Mark Mulkerron
LIQUID ZOO 7214 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM w/one drink min./Starts 9PM/first come, first served/7 min.
DROME COMEDY OPEN MIC Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up in advance only at SM@gr3d.com/Starts 9PM/10 spots only/5 min./Broadcast live at dromebox.com/archived on archive.org/ Bring a memory stick for HD version of your set/No purchase necessary
THE OYSTER HOUSE 12446 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA/Sign-up 9:30PM/Starts 10PM/Can sign-up at http://www.iansalmon.com/showsopen-mic-night.html/ Ends 1AM/First come, first served/5 min./Hosted by Ian Salmon
KARMA LOUNGE 3954 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 9:30PM/Starts 10:30PM/Mixed mic/4 min. or 2 short songs/Get a ticket for assigned slot after purchase/First come, first served/30 spots only/Hosted by Adam Feuerberg and Tim Delone
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts 10:30PM/Lottery/3-5 min./1 item min.
IMPROV JAM @ IO WEST 6366 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 11:30PM/For improvisers only/Anyone can play/No purchase necessary
NEXT STAGE THEATRE 1523 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 10:30PM/Starts 11PM/First come, first served/10 min./$5 cover/Hosted by Jasmin Leigh
DEATH IS COMING. So is the finale of #AdamRuinsEverything. One of them is tonight at 10/9c. (We hope not both.)
https://t.co/rWkyYLXe3O
This is just a friendly reminder that the final episode of season 1 of Adam Ruins Everything, part of the great, new wave of hilarious and informative TV shows that include Last Week Tonight and Going Deep with David Rees, is tonight.
Tune in on TruTV at 10PM and watch Adam Conover, apropos of a finale, break down death.
Looks like Pixar might have some impressive competition from another animation studio in the animated short film category during awards season.
Aardman Animations who are behind so many stop motion animation classics like the aforementioned Wallace & Gromit as well as the recent Shaun The Sheep, ventured into a whole new territory with a 360˚ short film for the holiday season through Google’s Spotlight Stories.
In Special Delivery, you can enjoy an adorable chase between a janitor and Santa and also the ability to pan throughout the video within the YouTube player. If you’re watching on a mobile device, you should be able to pan your phone and the frame within the short film will also move in the same direction.
Special Delivery is the start of this sort of interactive video on such a platform as YouTube and what a start it is. Watch and play with it here.
Jumping from the celebrated grand experiment that was Boyhood, director Richard Linklater is returning to his comedy form with his next offering, Everybody Wants Some.
It may be following a different gang than Dazed and Confused, but you definitely get a vibe of an 80s version of Dazed and Confused (title cards notwithstanding) in this trailer.
Look for Everybody Wants Some in theaters Fri. Apr. 15th.
The premiere of the new Zach Galifianakis-Louis C.K. series, Baskets, that follows Zach trying to be a clown with artistic integrity, is only a month away.
On Thurs. Jan. 21st, Baskets will premiere on FX and you’ll get to see more of the world versus a serious clown as shown in this new promo.
For probably as long as any of us can remember, the traditional Christmas song “The 12 Days of Christmas” just plays everywhere every December even though the amount of gifts you’d have to give to actually pull off what the song’s lyrics suggest are utterly absurd.
To hit that point home, Reggie Watts, James Corden, and The Late Late Show pulled off this bit.
ON THE HORIZON
improv4humans w/Matt Besser @ UCB Sunset Sat. Dec. 26th 9PM $10
Melissa Villasenor @ Brea Improv Wed. Jan. 13th 8PM $12
COMEDY CRAWL
Flophouse in Highland Park 6:30PM FREE
Tuesday Club @ UCB Franklin 7PM $5
Allan McLeod & His Beauties @ UCB Franklin 8PM $5
Happy New Year! The Show @ The Clubhouse 8PM FREE
Kightlinger and Co-Workers Xmas Party @ Hollywood Improv 8PM $15/2 item min.
Origin Story @ UCB Sunset 8:30PM $5
We’re Having Fun Here @ The Palace Restaurant 9PM FREE
Director’s Commentary Live @ UCB Franklin 9:30PM $5
Roast Battle @ The Comedy Store Belly Room 10:30PM No cover/2 item min.
Outside Dog Gets One Star @ UCB Sunset 10:30PM $5
Communikate with Kate Berlant @ UCB Franklin 11PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Starts 6PM/Stand-up, sketch, improv all welcome/Lottery/5 min.
HOLLYWOOD IMPROV 8162 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM/Starts 5:45PM/Ends 8PM/Lottery/3 min./No purchase necessary
KIBITZ ROOM @ CANTER’S 419 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 7PM/No vulgarity or screaming/5 min. w/any purchase, 3 min. w/o/Hosted by Burt Teplitzky
AMSTERDAM CAFE 10905 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/Ends 8PM
ECHOES UNDER SUNSET 1310 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM/First come, first served/4 min./1 item min./Hosted by Jenny Yang & Atsuko Okatsuka
THE CLUBHOUSE 1607 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM/Ends 8PM/Lottery/Hosted by Chuck Watkins and Doug Mellard/No purchase necessary
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO. 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 4PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/One item min.
SWORK COFFEE 2160 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/Hosted by Vince Caldera and Luis Lemus
COFFEE GALLERY 2029 Lake Ave., Altadena, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/5 min.
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Starts 7:30PM/mixed mic
PEDONE’S PIZZA 1332 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/5-7min.
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St., Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd St. Promenade & 4th St.)/Starts 8PM/Lottery/3-5 min./$1 cover/Hosted by Felicia Folkes
THE ROAR ROOM 3645 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta, CA/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 8:30PM/Ends 10PM/7-10 min./Hosted by Nelson Ventress
CAFE UNURBAN 3301 W. Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 9PM/Sign-up is lottery/No purchase necessary
DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT THEATER 251 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 9PM/Lottery/3 min./No purchase necessary/Hosted by Sleepaway Camp
THE GARAGE 3387 Motor Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up at RMopenmic@gmail.com by Mon. at noon/Starts 9PM/10 lottery spots will be picked before show/5 lottery spots at show/7 min./Hosted by Michelle Miracle
THE PALACE RESTAURANT 2112 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 9:45PM after booked show/Lottery/4.5 min.
THE CANBY 19312 Vanowen St., Reseda, CA/Sign-up 8:15PM/Starts 9PM/8 min./$3 min./Hosted by Amanda Jane
ECHOES UNDER SUNSET 1310 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 10PM/Ends 12AM/Rolling lottery/4 min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts 10:30PM/Lottery/4 min./1 item min./
THE LEXINGTON 129 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 9PM/Starts 10:30PM after booked show/Ends 12AM/No purchase necessary
IMPROV JAM @ THE CLUBHOUSE 1607 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts around 11PM/Anyone can play/No purchase necessary
IMPROV JAM @ NEXT STAGE THEATRE 1523 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 11:30PM/For improvisers only/Donations accepted/Hosted by James Dean
For those of us looking to soak up anything Rick and Morty sinece we have no idea when season 3 is coming, Allie Goertz has given us an entire concept album inspired by one of the most brilliantly funny shows on television.
Called Sad Dance Songs, Allie has recorded five original songs complete with sound bytes from the show. There’s isn’t a cover of Get Schwifty, but it’s definitely a lyric on Dance Bitch.
There’s even an accompany music video from Paul B. Cummings that hits home the sort of adoration that Rick and Morty appropriately gets for how hysterical it truly is.
Get Sad Dance Songs here.
Here’s a great, layered, nuanced, and perhaps only tangentially-related-to-the-holidays message from the quiet absurdists Joe Pera and Nathan Min.
In addition to Garry Shandling, Steve Martin, Will Ferrell, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Kathleen Madigan, Jerry Seinfeld is riding with President Barack Obama and grabbing some coffee for season 7 of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
Don’t believe us even though Obama’s been setting a new precedent by being on shows like WTF to Running Wild? Watch the trailer.
Look for this new season to start streaming on Wed. Dec. 30th on Crackle.
Adam Ruins Everything has taken on proposing, vitamins, sharing how much money you make, and more. With all of that under his belt, host Adam Conover is feeling like he can take on one of the most difficult topics, death.
Specifically, Adam ruins the idea of funerals because, well, death notwithstanding, they’re pretty shady.
We dug the EP and a music video that accompanies this special. Naturally, we’re excited for The Spirit of Ratliff.
At 5PM PST, the holiday special from Connor Ratliff, big time secular celebrator of Christmas, is coming our way. We’re excited to see Ratliff hit subtle notes of both sincerity and silliness, as he does, rather than overdoing the whole thing like so many other Christmas specials, both religious and not.
Look for The Spirit of Ratliff to stream from The Chris Gethard YouTube Channel this late afternoon, early evening.