Uncategorized – Page 25 – The Comedy Bureau

June 11, 2019

character comedy, comedy show, ed larson, free comedy, henry zebrowski, hollywood, los angeles, murderfist, stand up comedy

Legendary cult sketch group Murderfist (please get acquainted with them if you’re not already) now have a classy, very classy monthly show at the Pack Theater!

Every 2nd Wednesday of the month, Murderfist’s very own Henry Zebrowski and Ed Larson will be dressed to the nines doing their own very “classy” bits along with a secret line-up of their favorite stand-ups. It’s a damn good, damn classy time (and maybe dress up if you go).

Whether you’re a fan of Last Podcast on the Left, The Brighter Side, etc., you really need to clear out your your calendar for this.

The next Murderfist Presents: Classy Night Out is this Wednesday, again, at The Pack Theater at 9:30PM. Admission, like all Pack Theater shows, is Pay What You Can. Pretty nice, right?

Get more details here.

Please Get and Enjoy Erin Foley’s Latest Hour “Deep Dive”

June 11, 2019

Uncategorized

comedy album, erin foley, lgbtq, stand up comedy

Erin Foley is such a fierce delight as a comedian. Time and time again, she has proven this with her other hours of stand-up and whenever we’ve seen her live in town over many years. Deep Dive, her latest album, is yet another great offering that holds up our above description of Foley.

Erin, in a manner speaking, performs the hell out of her jokes in such an awesome way that we’re on board for whatever hot takes she’s dishing out on sports, LGBTQ, getting older, etc. There are well-crafted jokes about those very topics on Deep Dive, but, as always, the delivery, timing, and even the timbre of her voice are so hilarious and gratifying to listen to and watch. Truly, she can be angry and charming at the same time, making this an album you really ought to get.

So, go get Deep Dive out now from 800 Pound Gorilla Records here.

Bo Burnham Will Write Songs for Jonathan Krisel’s Sesame Street Movie at Warner Bros.

June 10, 2019

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bo burnham, sesame street

Bo Burnham Will Write Songs for Jonathan Krisel’s Sesame Street Movie at Warner Bros.

Though Bo Burnham is on a trajectory of being an auteur from directing comedy specials and Eighth Grade, going away from his past of doing meticulously crafted songs, it would seem that the allure of the latest Sesame Street feature film adaption proved too strong.

It’s definitely an intriguing wrinkle to this Sesame Street movie, especially when you have Jonathan Krisel, whose work you know from Portlandia and Baskets, attached as director.

So, possibly, we could be getting a very cinematic, very meta Sesame Street movie coming soon to theaters?

Corporate Renewed for Third and Final Season at Comedy Central

June 10, 2019

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jake weisman, matt ingebretson, pat bishop

For how unabashedly dark, stylish, and, of course, damn funny it is, we’re glad to hear that Corporate is getting one more season before their run ends. Jake Weisman, Matt Ingebretson, and Pat Bishop made one of the more daring comedies on TV and we can’t to see what they go for/get away with in their final season on Comedy Central.

June 10, 2019

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groundlings, julia sweeney, largo, older and wiser, solo show

We got to catch a bit of Julia Sweeney at UnCabaret last night telling a story about dealing with her elderly mother and it was hilariously enthralling. From it, we can clearly see that her powers of observation, detail, and delivery are still at their peak (maybe even better?) and that she maintained a great balance between being incredibly personal and hysterical. If you loved her on SNL, you definitely need to see this round of Julia performing live as soon as you can.

So, with that in mind, we urge you to catch her solo show Older & Wider whenever you can. It’ll be playing at Largo next week on June 17th (tickets are $45) and Groundlings on July 1st (tickets are $20).

Watch Trailer for IFC’s New Docu-Series Parody/Sketch Show “Sherman’s Showcase”

June 8, 2019

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bashir salahuddin, diallo riddle, ifc, sketch comedy

When it comes to hyper specific angles in sketch comedy, IFC really wants to dominate that segment of comedy. Portlandia and Documentary Now! already did a comedic interpretation of Portland and famous documentary films respectively.

Now, IFC has their latest offering along these lines with Sherman’s Showcase from Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin, a satirical take on a fictional music variety show that bares a striking resemblance to legendary music-dance show, Soul Train. It’s being billed as a sketch comedy, which leads us to believe they’ll step outside of being solely a Soul Train parody.

In a weird way, this seems almost seems akin to all those Charlie Murphy stories on Chappelle’s Show and, as a matter of fact, there is someone playing Prince or a Prince-like character here. We’ll have to wait until Jul. 31st to see how that all plays out.

For now, just enjoy all of this in the Sherman’s Showcase trailer.

June 7, 2019

Uncategorized

bugcon, burbank, festival, podcast

What is BugCon? For starters, it’s definitely not an Entomology convention.

It is, however, named in honor of Bug Mane who first appeared to us all on the Doughboys podcast (though it is to be noted that BugCon is not a Doughboys event despite both Doughboys hosts Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell being slated to appear for multiple events).

As far as we can tell, this weekend will actually be part podcast/streaming festival, part performance art exhibition, part art installation, and part fun, screen-filled journey through post-modernity.

Such events/panels/happenings at BugCon will include:
-Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born Takes Places in an Alternate Reality Where 9/11 Never Happened
-Nick Wiger Drives a Train
-The BugTV panel with Bugmane
-Jack AM
-HOW TO WRITE A BOOK A MAKE AT LEAST $600
-American Arts and Culture Review Podcast
-a whole lot more

Also, you’ll get an exclusive “BugCon 2019 Fan Safety Vest” and “BugVision” glasses if you attend. Perhaps, you’ll need both items to handle the whole experience?

So, you can (and should) get an all access pass for BugCon 2019 here. Full schedule and line-up is available on mobile devices at http://bugcon.net.

Forever Dog’s Got an Impressive Podcast Slate Now with 11 Bright and Shiny, New Podcasts

June 6, 2019

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comedy podcast, forever dog, new podcasts

Forever Dog’s Got an Impressive Podcast Slate Now with 11 Bright and Shiny, New Podcasts

Already, you’ve heard us heap praises on James Adomian’s The Underculture, which is only one of the new 11 podcasts at Forever Dog as part of a newly minted partnership with the revamped National Lampoon.

Just announced today are podcasts from the marvelous likes of Sabrina Jalees (The Goodie Goodie), Anna Drezen (Scary Stories to Tell on the Pod), rapper Big Dipper (Sloppy Seconds), drag star Miss Peppermint (It’s a Mess), and more that will have a comedic take on pop culture, sexuality, dark pasts of celebrities, happiness, and even scary stories.

As far as we can see here, this line-up (which really expands their previously lacking West Coast reach) now pushes Forever Dog further up the podcast network ladder next to Earwolf, Headgum, Starburns Audio, and All Things Comedy.

Toronto’s JFL42 Has Everything From Carol Burnett to John Mulaney/Pete Davidson to How Did This Get Made? to Eric Andre

As you can clearly see in the flyer above, that headline could go way longer as the more fan-focused JFL festival in Toronto, JFL42, is packed with top shelf talent that covers so many eras, styles, sensibilities, etc. of comedy that it might be worth making the trek out to Toronto to see all of that in one week, especially if you don’t live in LA or NYC.

You’ve got some time as JFL42 isn’t until mid Sept., but you best get your passes and tickets now (the VIP Pass already sold out). Passes are going for $84-$199 (not including service charges). Go get more details and tickets/passes here.

June 6, 2019

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burlesque, comedy show, free show, funny dance show, hell kross, hollywood, musical comedy, pack theater, packchilla

Packchilla, The Pack Theater’s big weekend celebrating the melding of comedy and music with The Pack’s favorite performers and amazing guests from the scene, is back for its 3rd year!

Whether you’re into metal, competitive funny dancing, a Bill Murray themed burlesque show, the loop pedal comedy music wizardry of Drennon Davis, or one of the best musical comedy groups around, The Cooties, we’re pretty damn sure Packchilla, thanks to the producing team of Gil Baron, Dave Ciaccio, Catherine Durickas, and Ben Kuerschner, that there will be something for you.

Oh yeah, admission to all these shows, as is Pack Theater policy, are Pay What You Can.

Get more details about Packchilla here and make a reminder for this for the last weekend of this month.

Please Get and Enjoy Emmy Blotnick’s Fantastic New Album “Party Nights”

June 5, 2019

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800 pound gorilla, comedy album, emmy blotnick, party night, stand up comedy

Ever since we saw Emmy Blotnick start dropping by LA years ago, we’ve thoroughly been delighted in her unabashed excitement that she exudes on stage though seeming, at first glance, perhaps modest and reserved. Her giddiness for sharing her comedy with you is infectious and part of why, for us, her well observed jokes connect so well.

Her latest hour on the newly released album Party Nights is a perfect showcase of all of this. From the get go, there is an unmistakable throughline of joy in Blotnick’s performance, even during the most self-deprecating lines, that make Party Nights a really wonderful comedy album. After listening to it, we almost want to hear Emmy’s take on, well, anything at all for how simultaneously subversive and fun it would be.

Party Nights now is available from 800 Pound Gorilla here.

Watch Rhys Nicholson’s American Late Night Debut on Conan

June 5, 2019

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conan, rhys nicholson, stand up comedy, team coco

Aussie comedian Rhys Nicholson brings all his great verve, zest, and flair in his American late night debut on Conan. Nicholson’s writing is so sharp and delivery so quick that stopping for an applause break is almost jarring.

Please enjoy his set from last night here

Chris Gethard Is Returning to Public Access TV for Chris Gethard Presents

June 5, 2019

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chris gethard, chris gethard presents, manhattan neighborhood network, mnn, public access

If there’s one thing you can expect from Chris Gethard, it’s truly to expect the unexpected. From The Chris Gethard Show to Beautiful Anonymous and everything in between, Gethard’s career in and around comedy has been quite the amazing winding road that no one, except maybe for Chris, can see what’s up ahead.

So, another such move comes with Gethard returning to his public access TV roots at Manhattan Neighborhood Network, though not to revive TCGS. Gethard will be, instead, having a platform to showcase his favorite performers every week (in similar fashion to him handing the TCGS slot to The Special Without Brett Davis) simply called Chris Gethard Presents.

Chris can fill you in on the details here.

As we hinted at above, it’s both a surprising and a not-so-surprising move that is altogether still very intriguing given Chris’ track record for doing what’s daring. Certainly, public access allows for more of that than linear TV.

Chris Gethard Presents will premiere Wednesdays at MNN HD starting Jun. 26th at 11PM EST, which will be conveniently 8PM PST over in LA. You can stream it for FREE here.

June 5, 2019

Uncategorized

alice wetterlund, aparna nancherla, atsuko okatsuka, beth stelling, blair socci, caitlin peluffo, charla lauriston, eliza skinner, hollywood fringe festival, jamie lee, jc coccoli, los angeles, marcella arguello, natalie palamides, stand up comedy, women in comedy

It’s pretty clear as far as we can see: many of the best comedians in town will gather for an all female June every Friday at Sauce @ DeSano Pizza for the cleverly coined Pizza Coven.

Just like at that exquisite line-up that includes many of our personal favorites, folks who have been killing it on TV for years, legitimate nationally touring headliners, and more over the next four weeks and you’ll know that your Fridays should be spent at one of the best pizza joints in LA.

So, reserve your tickets here for a Pizza Coven already.

The History of Standup Season 2 to Cover Famous Venues/Scenes Throughout Comedy History

June 4, 2019

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andrew steven, comedy history, comedy podcast, podcast, podglomerate, stand up comedy, wayne federman

Wayne Federman, long respected comedian and, now, professor along with Andrew Steven are back with season 2 of their wonderfully informative History of Standup podcast.

This season is getting into the niche specifics of various comedy scenes and venues that were hotbeds for stand-up at a given time. Such places that will be covered include SF’s Holy City Zoo, the Chitlin’ Circuit, Nerdmelt, and more. It’s incredibly well-researched with many of the comedians that came up in said scenes and times speaking on what those clubs, theaters, bars, etc. meant to them when getting their sea legs in stand-up.

Season 2 just premiered today with an episode focused on the Holy City Zoo and San Francisco’s amazing stand-up scene from the 80s and 90s.

Sound cool? Cool. Get into the History of Standup right now right here.

Trailer for SoulPancake and Funny or Die’s Mental Health Doc “It’s Not That Funny”

June 4, 2019

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chris gethard, depression, documentary, funny or die, mental health, sara benincasa, sarah silverman, wayne brady

Though the thumbnail here says that “comedy won’t save you”, we will say that comedy has done a lot to shine a light on the importance of mental health via the struggles of many a comedian (though it’s not a pre-requisite to be depressed to do comedy) with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, etc.

SoulPancake and Funny or Die are continuing with that notion with this documentary It’s Not That Funny featuring Sarah Silverman, Chris Gethard, Wayne Brady, Sara Benincasa, and more talking frankly about how they’ve managed and dealt with their mental health while in comedy.

See a bit of it for yourself with this trailer.

We’re guessing if you’re a fan of the Hilarious World of Depression, this will be right up your alley. Look for It’s Not That Funny to release soon via SoulPancake and Funny or Die.

June 4, 2019

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comedy show, day clown cried, gritty reboot, hollywood, los angeles, pack theater, sketch comedy

One of the most infamous works in comedy is Jerry Lewis’ The Day the Clown Cried, a film about a, if you didn’t know already, a clown-Holocaust-dramedy that Lewis tried to keep hidden for decades.

Gritty Reboot, the amazing monthly Pack Theater show that does gritty takes on IPs that are usually family friendly (Yogi Bear, Full House, etc.) will take this month to do a special live table read of an abridged version The Day the Clown Cried’s screenplay. Since the full film has yet to be released, this is your next best shot at seeing what unholy mess the movie really is.

So, make this your Friday night (especially as, like all Pack shows, admission is Pay What You Can). Get more details here.

Watch Trailer Ramy Youssef’s Debut Hour Special “Feelings”

June 4, 2019

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comedy special, hbo, ramy youssef, stand up comedy, trailer

2019 is shaping up to be a banner year for Ramy Youssef. His eponymous series not only debuted to much acclaim on Hulu and got very quickly renewed for season 2.

Later this month, Sat. Jun. 29th, he’ll have his debut hour special, Feelings, premiere on HBO at 11PM. Also, what a pretty looking special it is on top of seemingly being a stand-up extension of his show.

Take a gander at all of that in Ramy Youssef’s Feelings via this freshly dropped trailer.

MST3K Is Going Back on the Road with The Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour

June 3, 2019

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mst3k, mystery science theater 3000, tour

Yes, Mystery Science Theater 3000, the granddaddy of all movie riffing, is going back out on tour with two new movies to rip apart, Circus of Horrors and No, Retreat, No Surrender. MST3K creator/heart and soul Joel Hodgson will be hosting (and, take note, this will be his last tour hosting).

They’re aiming to go to more cities than ever before including: Brooklyn, Kalamazoo, Indianapolis, Boston, Richmond, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Detroit, Dallas, Memphis, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Spokane, Portland, San Jose, San Diego, Denver, Omaha, San Antonio, Madison, Minneapolis, and more.

Tickets are on sale now (and more shows might get added as they go along). So, get tickets and keep a close eye on new dates here.

June 3, 2019

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comedy show, drew droege, lgbtq, parody, sam pancake, satire, silverlake

As you might have seen on Barry, acting classes and workshops can be, well, a bit much (especially when it comes to the egos crashing into each other around the room).

The wonderfully talented pairing of Drew Droege and Sam Pancake (The Golden Girlz) are taking that idea to the next level by putting on an “acting workshop” with Droege playing a taskmaster of head of said “acting workshop/mixer” and Pancake as a “intern/proctor/star student” that will show you “how to make it in the biz”.

In fact, they even go so far as to request, if in attendance, that you “Please bring a CURRENT headshot with resume CUT AND STAPLED on the back,” and, “Please wear audition-ready clothing and prepare to move.”

Also, this night is called We Are Special Bitches, which would hopefully seal the deal for you to head to the Cavern Club Celebrity Theatre at Casita Del Camo in Silverlake later this month.

Tickets are $20 and you best get them here before it sells out.

May 31, 2019

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atwater village, dynasty handbag, experimental comedy, frogtown, kate berlant, los angeles, performance art, silverlake, variety show, weirdo night, zebulon

At one of LA’s hippest venues Zebulon, performance artist/comedian Dynasty Handbag has been curating a hosting one of their, in our opinion, marquee nights with Weirdo Night! for two years (though it has been running a bit longer than that around town).

This transformative and hilarious evening collects all sorts of performers that are in or adjacent to comedy, bringing in a wonderfully bizarre collection of multi-disciplinary performers, magical musicians, and all other artists that defy categorization in a great way.

For their 2 Yr. Zebulon Anniversary this Sunday, they’ve got a line-up of Kate Berlant, Malik Gaines, Amelia Bande, Charles Galin, and, of course, Dynasty Handbag (Jibz Cameron).

Tickets are $15 and you can go get them right now right here.

Taylor Tomlinson to Co-Host Fox’s Aftershow Parody “What Just Happened??!” with Fred Savage and Best Coast as a House Band

May 31, 2019

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aftershow, best coast, fox, fred savage, parody, taylor tomlinson, what just happened

Taylor Tomlinson to Co-Host Fox’s Aftershow Parody “What Just Happened??!” with Fred Savage and Best Coast as a House Band

To take the aftershow craze down a few notches, Fox is ordering a series that is a parody of said aftershows (i.e. Talking Dead, Thronecast) by doing an aftershow of a fictional sci-fi show that’ll be hosted by Fred Savage and comedian Taylor Tomlinson.

They’ll even get a house band in the form of chill rock band Best Coast, which is a surprising upgrade from a real aftershow.

We like the boldness of this project and are so curious to see how it’ll fare as well as how Savage and Tomlinson will play off of each other. No matter how it goes, round of applause to Fox for taking a chance on something so meta.

ABC Orders Nate Bargatze Sitcom from Nate and Jerrod Carmichael to Series

May 30, 2019

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abc, jerrod carmichael, nate bargatze, series order

ABC Orders Nate Bargatze Sitcom from Nate and Jerrod Carmichael to Series

The life and comedy of Nate Bargatze seems to be one that might bridge a lot of divisions in the here and now. Just watch any of his stand-up and you’ll know that his carefully observed, homespun stories and observations delivered in the most down-to-earth way that we’ve ever seen and you’ll see what we mean.

So, a multi-cam sitcom centered on Bargatze is a smart move by ABC, though we’ll see if it makes out of the first season, which is becoming an increasing rarity for network comedies these days. Also, we’re curious with Jerrod Carmichael’s touch having The Carmichael Show under his belt and experiencing some EP success with the critically praised Ramy on Hulu.

Above all, we’ll be curious to see if America is game for another multi-cam sitcom based on the life of a comedian.

May 30, 2019

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chris garcia, clark jones, dtla, giulia rozzi, jenny zigrino, lizzy cooperman, nicole byer, stand up comedy, style

Well, stand-up shows doesn’t get much cooler than this.

In a loft downtown with baked goods and vintage threads for you to get obsessed with, a fantastic pairing of Giulia Rozzi and Jenny Zigrino will host a line-up of our favorites of in the scene, Byer, Garcia, Jones, and Cooperman, for what might be the most stylish stand-up show, Well-Dressed Comedy, in LA in recent memory.

So, make a note for Wed. Jun. 12th to have at least $5 if not more for treats and a cool new outfit.

Peep Show Getting Another Shot at American Adaptation with Gender Reversal at FX with Karey Dornetto

May 30, 2019

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adaptation, david mitchell, fx, karey dornetto, peep show, robert webb

Peep Show Getting Another Shot at American Adaptation with Gender Reversal at FX with Karey Dornetto

Of the pre-existing shows and movies that are getting gender swapped as a modern “woke” update, Peep Show from the female perspective is actually quite the fascinating prospect.

So much of the long running UK comedy is driven from a literal male gaze and accompanying perspective and seeing it from the other side opens up a whole other world of possibilities should FX order it to series. Knowing that a Portlandia writer, Karey Dornetto, is attached is also very alluring.

Definitely, FX would be the network to take a chance on such a project, but we’ll just have to wait and see if they do indeed pick it up.

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