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doughboys, headgum, hollywood improv, los angeles, mike mitchell, nick wiger, podcast taping

Nick Wiger and Mike Mitchell are returning once again to the Hollywood Improv stage on Sun., Mar. 24th at 7PM to do another live episode of their cult comedy, chain restaurant podcast Doughboys. Of course, those in attendance will be witness to more (i.e. the eternal love-hate relationship of Nick and Mike as a result of this podcast) than just some thoughts on some long time LA food chain (maybe Zankou Chicken finally?)

Tickets are $25 (plus 2 item min.). Go get them here quick.

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

Daniel Sloss Gives an Impromptu (Very Dark) History Lesson on Edinburgh on Conan

conan, daniel sloss, edinburgh, history

Daniel Sloss, who is quickly inching up on that chart of comedian-with-most-appearances-on-Conan, makes his pitch, unintentionally, with the terrifying history of Edinburgh Scotland to have Conan Without Borders to go to Edinburgh, Scotland as its next stop.

Also, while we’re on the topic of how great Daniel Sloss is, we want to say that we just watched Sloss’ latest hour entitled “X” and it’s jaw-dropping and an hour show that the world needs right now. Please go see it whenever and wherever you can.

Please Enjoy What Might Be the Two Most Dysfunctional Brothers Ever in “Brotherly” Web Series

big top studios, chris charpentier, dave ross, nix brothers

What is it truly to be brothers, having an everlasting bond between two boys that grew up together and will last a lifetime?

Well, we’re not exactly sure and the great web series Brotherly also doesn’t offer any answers to that question. However, Chris Charpentier, Dave Ross, and the Nix Brothers do offer some straight up, absolutely absurd, dark fun with this show. They’re brothers that couldn’t be more opposite from each other, trying to find their real parents (they’re adopted) and it’s a hoot how much their relationship unravels.

This is, perhaps, what the Odd Couple for 2019 is supposed to be.

Watch the trailer and get into all episodes here.

atwater village, benefit show, comedy show, feminism, los angeles, reproductive rights

Next week, Zebulon will be having a special evening dedicated to reproductive rights (benefitting Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project) that will happen to be a pretty damn great variety show featuring:

Eliza Skinner (Musical Comedy)
Jenny Yang (Stand-up)
Ozma and the Ozmanauts (Drag Performance)
Katrina Davis (Stand-up)
Short film screening from GLOW’s Rebekka Johnson & Kimmy Gatewood
Object as Subject (Feminist Art-Punk Band)
#SNATCHPOWER (Apocalyptic Afrofuturistic Womxn’s Liberation Artist Collective)
Pony Sweat (Fiercely Non-competitive Dance Party)
Live speed art from Zach Brown
DJ Cashmere Safari and MORE!

There will be great comedy and oh so much more. Tickets are $20 now, $30 at the door and $50 for VIP Swag Bag (includes: “Don’t F Them, They’re Anti-Choice” T-shirt, Shout Your Abortion tote bag, Ms. Magazine & More!)

So, go get tickets for Radical Acts here.

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

Special Thanks to Any and All That Performed and Came to Our Very Belated 8th Anniversary Show

TCB’s Bureau Director/Founder Jake Kroeger

Sincerely, thanks to all for make running The Comedy Bureau (a full time job that doesn’t pay like one yet) worth it for all these years. Another special thanks goes to the crowd, the performers (including sketch group Dress Up Gang with their exclusive unreleased sketch not pictured below), co-producer Amanda Raba, Echoes on Pico, and, our family in LA comedy that all came together at our Very Belated 8th Anniversary last week. Please keep us going at Patreon or on Venmo @jakekroeger (we will be revamping the site to make as great as it can be and need your help to do so).

FYI, here are some photos (all by Amanda Raba) of what you might have missed.

Simon Gibson

Laurie Kilmartin

DeMorge Brown as Ephraim Elizabeth King

Jackie Kashian

Joey Greer (w/audience member on stage)

Viggo Venn and Chad Damiani

Byron Bowers

Thomas Lennon Attempts to Debut His New Children’s Book with Some Clips (?) on Colbert

bits, colbert, late night, late show, thomas lennon

Yes, Thomas Lennon has just come out with a children’s book entitled Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles.

This bit was what he decided to do to promote the book with his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and it might just be enough for you get to the book even if you don’t have kids. Props to Lennon and Brian Stack for this madness.

alexis dubus, comedy show, lyric hyperion, marcel lucont, silverlake, solo show, whine list

The Lyric Hyperion Theatre & Cafe continues to be one of the best places to see the sort of comedy you’d normally see internationally at the Edinburgh Fringe or the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Their latest offering comes from sophisticated “Frenchman” Marcel Lucont who is an award winner at the Edinburgh Fringe and has indeed toured the globe with his “deadpan wit, bawdy chansons and world-class sex poetry”. If you’ve wanted to see someone do an hour in character (Lucont is played by Alexis Dubus), this would be it.

He’ll be playing two dates at Lyric Hyperion coming up, Sunday, March 10th at 6PM and Monday, March 11th at 8PM and you shouldn’t miss out. Tickets are $10 online and $12 at the door and you can (and should) get them here.

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

Here’s Your First Look at Fleabag Season 2

bbc, first look, fleabag, phoebe waller bridge, season 2

Phoebe Waller-Bridge dazzled the world with the first season of groundbreaking Fleabag and we’ve been jonesing for season 2 ever since the season finale.

It’s been a while, but Waller-Bridge was busy doing her other brilliant show, Killing Eve.

Finally, there’s a bit of a glimpse of season 2 and it looks to be the same absolutely riveting dark comedy that Waller-Bridge pulled off so well (maybe even more so).

There is no American premiere date yet, but we’ll definitely keep you posted.

Correction: Amazon premiere date for season 2 is on May 17th according to EW.

Hampton Yount Keeps It Fantastically Silly and Dark on Third Album “Able.”

comedy album, hampton yount, stand up

Hampton Yount has always been able (pun intended?) to keep the balance of comedically pushing towards the dark side in all of his material and keeping an unmistakable silliness about it all. Hopefully, you’ve gotten a taste of that in watching his stand-up over the years, hearing his riffing on the new MST3K, or listening to him on Suicide Buddies.

This third album Able. (in the trio of Unbearable and Bearable) is the tightest and most focused offering from Hampton thus far. It’s a very, very fun ride through the whole hour no matter how dark the territory in his material (political, personal, or otherwise) gets. The album cover really hits home this album’s satirical mischief.

So, this Tuesday, Able. comes out on Audible (release on other platforms to come soon) and you can (and very much should) pre-order/get it here.

Here’s Cait Raft’s Entire Presentation for “Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born Takes Place In An Alternate Reality Where 9/11 Never Happened”

9/11, a star is born, bradley cooper, cait raft, experimental comedy, presentation

Last month, Cait Raft shook the worlds of all those at UCB Franklin with her midnight presentation of why she thinks “Bradley Cooper’s A Star Is Born Takes Place In An Alternate Reality Where 9/11 Never Happened” (and also why, that Robert Pattinson vehicle, Remember Me, is super dark).

The presentation of this conspiracy theory was probably one of the more memorable nights we’ve had in 2019 and Cait has thankfully gone and done up her presentation again for your convenience. So, please enjoy it here.

Could this be a TED Talk? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see if TED Talks are up for dishing out this much truth.

film independent, john mulaney, live read, my dinner with andre, nick kroll

Yep, Nick Kroll and John Mulaney will be doing a live read of the classic film My Dinner with Andre at Beverly Hills’ Annenberg Center in two weeks.

You probably already knew about this as tickets for Film Independent members and non-members have already sold out (if you didn’t, you’re welcome for now even get to imagining this happening).

That being said, tickets may be released on the night of and, as usually happens, a few people might not show (there are over 900 seats in the main theater) and we feel like we wouldn’t be doing our due diligence if we didn’t tell you about this.

Get more details here.

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

Inside Conan: An Important Hollywood Podcast Gives a Writers Perspective on Conan (as Well as Attempting to Find Out What Jordan Schlansky Really Does)

conan podcast, earwolf, inside conan, jessie, mike sweeney, podcast, team coco

Team Coco has really picked up their game in 2019. Already, there’s a streamlined version of the show, Conan has started an already successful podcast with Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, and now, they’re launching another new podcast, Inside Conan: An Important Hollywood Podcast, helmed by veteran Conan writers Mike Sweeney and Jessie Gaskell.

For those of you that want to nerd out about how the inner machinations of the show’s shenanigans really work, Sweeney and Gaskell not only give you gossip from backstage, but talk about sketches (which happen to be some of the best on TV), both aired and cut, as well as interview other Conan staffers about making the long running tomfoolery at Conan really work.

Also, they will be conducting an ongoing investigation as to what the infamous Associate Producer Jordan Schlansky actually does at the show.

Pretty swell, huh? Sounds to us like you should subscribe and get on board early for this one. Do so here.

Comedians cheer as Just For Laughs decides radio channel will stay 100% Canadian | CBC News

canada, jfl, siriusxm

Comedians cheer as Just For Laughs decides radio channel will stay 100% Canadian | CBC News

Many Canadian comedians get great exposure and income from royalties off of play of their stand-up on things like SiriusXM Canada, especially because of the fact that there are mandates by the Canadian government that guarantee a certain percentage of airtime for Canadian artists on Canadian broadcasting.

That ecosystem was potentially going to get upended under a new deal between Just For Laughs and SiriusXM Canada that would allow non-Canadian comedians to be featured on “Canada Laughs”, a 100% Canadian comedy channel. Fortunately, the “Canada Laughs” channel will stay 100% Canadian after the uproar that was raised this week from comedians around the world and the set up for royalties will remain the same.

That affects many of the Canadian comedians that live here/frequently spend time in LA and this decision that was just reached will allow them to keep a steady income stream and reach an audience that they might have not gotten any other way.

So, in short, phew.

comedy show, crossword puzzle, experimental comedy, lisa loeb, los angeles, nicole holliday, pete holmes, the crossword show, zach sherwin

We saw The Crossword Show last year and are still floored by Zach Sherwin showcasing his command of language and how to twist, turn, and manipulate it all for comedic effect (it made our 100 Best list).

Basically, Zach, his guests, and the audience do an entire crossword puzzle together that’s filled with jokes, factoids, etc. and they are all thematically tied together no matter how disparate the clues and answers might seem.

This latest edition will be on Wed. Mar. 13th 8PM at Dynasty Typewriter at the Hayworth Theater he’ll be joined by a panel of Lisa Loeb, Pete Holmes, and Nicole Holliday (an actual linguistics professor) in case that furthers entices you.

Tickets are $10 in adv. and $15 on the day of the show. So, go get them here ASAP.

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

Please Get Steph Tolev’s New Album “I’m Not Well”

comedy album, comedy records, stand up, steph tolev

Steph Tolev stepped foot in LA with her brash, colorful, unapologetic, yet always playful stand-up had us doubled over laughing instantly. She’s one of Canada’s latest great comedy exports and this new hour I’m Not Well is the evidence to back that up.

Her gruff voice, spirited delivery, and unabashed honesty all get painted with her beautifully explicit, personal stories and observations. No matter how blue it gets, there is an undeniable charm to it all (even when she talks about bringing back creepy aunts). Even hearing some of these bits again, we still find ourselves with a wide smile and a big chuckle.

I’m Not Well comes out this Friday from Comedy Records and you can get/pre-order it on iTunes here.

Arrested Development Season 5 Part 2 Gets a Trailer

February 28, 2019

arrested development, netflix, season 5, trailer

Sure, there is season 5 part 2, but given Arrested Development’s insane trajectory as a television show (how the show has been made over the years is possibly as crazy as the actual storylines in the show), what will this end up meaning in the grand scheme of the show’s history? Arrested Development is so wonderfully meta and self-referential already, maybe these new episodes should be called “part deux”?

As we have not seen any of these upcoming episodes, we’re not sure exactly what’s going to happen, but we do know that, when all is said and done, watching Arrested Development in its entirety will probably break your brain (probably in a good way that is).

In any case, here’s a taste of what you are in store for starting Mar. 15th.

February 28, 2019

ali wong, milk and money tour, stand up, wiltern

Plain and simple, Ali Wong’s going on a nationwide Milk & Money Tour.

It’ll probably sell out real quick given how very, very exclusive her performances are these days. Use presale code: COBRA. She has got four dates in LA at The Wiltern on Saturdays 9/7, 9/14, 9/28, and 10/5.

Get tickets starting around $69.50 here, here, here, and here respectively.

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

Kumail Nanjiani & Adam McKay Are Making a Spy Action Comedy ‘No Glory’ Based on a Manuscript by a Former National Security Operative

February 27, 2019

adam mckay, kumail nanjiani, no glory

Kumail Nanjiani & Adam McKay Are Making a Spy Action Comedy ‘No Glory’ Based on a Manuscript by a Former National Security Operative

No Glory, which will be based on the yet-to-be-published manuscript from former National Security Operative Scott Shepard, has Kumail and McKay attached to an adapted script by Sam Bain.

As few other details are available at this time, we’d like to make an educated guess (based on the mix of Kumail, spy action comedy, and McKay’s current auteur period of scathing satire) that No Glory might end up being a much more high octane version of Amazon’s Patriot.

Even if it’s not, McKay and Nanjiani together does sure seem like a winning combo and we can’t wait to see whatever this is.

February 27, 2019

dave ross, deb digiovanni, ever mainard, jon schabl, simon gibson

To mark the release of her new album I’m Not Well (and her b-day!) this Friday, the fantastic Steph Tolev is throwing a free show/party up in Highland Park with, of course, a grand line-up! Will any of them be doing another impression of Steph like on 50 First Stephs? You’ll just have to go and find out!

So, make your way up to The Offbeat by 8PM this Friday! More details here.

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

OK, Finally, Here’s a Trailer for Terry Gilliam’s Man Who Killed Don Quixote

February 27, 2019

adam driver, man who killed don quixote, terry gilliam

It’s almost too fitting that Terry Gilliam’s journey to make a movie centered around Don Quixote has been long and circuitous, even quixotic perhaps.

Yet, despite the numerous set backs, issues with funding, etc. etc., it seems that we will indeed get to see The Man Who Killed Don Quixote after all. From the trailer, this has potential to be a bit of fun especially with Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce’s dynamic as a man thinking he’s Don Quixote and a man playing along and being his Sancho.

In fact, if you allow us this very specific comparison, a Don Quixote version of Andy Sandford’s Who’s On First joke.

If you’re into it, mark your calendars for April 10th as there is some sort of one night only cinematic event for the film.

February 26, 2019

fake signs, fake toys, funny museum, los angeles, mid city, mid wilshire, obvious plant, what to do

Jeff Wysaki, under his alias of Obvious Plant, has been making splendid fake toys and signs for the delight of the Internet for quite some time now.

For the first time ever (if you’re in LA in March), you’ll be able to see the “obvious plants” in person at a pop-up exhibition Obvious Plant’s Museum of Toys in Mid-City at Start LA.

More than a hundred toys and games will be on display and most likely crowd your social media feeds for how subversively kitschy they all are. Opening night, which happens to be free, has already sold out, but you can attend on other days for $10 and each night offers something different.

Schedule is as follows:

March 1st (7-11pm) Opening Night. Free Entry. RSVP required.
March 2nd (12-9pm) Poorly Drawn Lines Pop-Up
March 3rd (12-9pm) Everything is Terrible Pop-Up
March 4th Free Toy Day. The first 50 guests receive an exclusive Obvious Plant toy with museum entrance. Toy not available anywhere else.
March 5th Half-Price Day
March 6th (8-9pm) Artist Q&A with Obvious Plant creator, Jeff Wysaski
March 7th Robin Eisenberg Pop-Up
March 8th (8-9pm) Panel Discussion – Making Art for the Internet with @SketchShark, @TeenageStepdad and @paperbackparadise
March 9th (12pm-6pm) Bob Baker Marionette Theater Pop-Up and Puppet Performances
March 10th (12-9pm) Oddly Weird Shop Pop-Up
March 11th Free Toy Day. The first 50 guests receive an exclusive Obvious Plant toy not available anywhere else.
March 12th Half-Price Day
March 13th (8-9pm) Board Game Night. Stand-up comedians Andrew Michaan, Brent Weinbach and friends play the board game Chameleon in front of you, the audience!
March 14th Steve Wars Day. Steve Wars character performances and free entry if your name is Steve.
March 15th Gelatin Art Display. Musician/Artist Jarina De Marco encases a bunch of toys in Jello!
March 16th Secret Walls Art Competition (ticket sold separately)
March 17th (6-9pm) Closing Party

You can (and very much should) get your tickets here.

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

Please Get Sara Schaefer’s New Album “Live Laugh Love”

February 26, 2019

comedy album, live laugh love, sara schaefer, stand up

It has been a few years since Sara Schaefer’s great debut album Chrysalis and the care and attention to detail and structuring in this new hour Live Laugh Love that has been put in within that time is evident.

Altering between a running joke of a song and personal observations and grand stories of how everyday minutia is fraught with the divisiveness of our times, Schaefer offers up another album that really gets deep into the humor of the human experience.

It’s a real, satisfying journey of self-discovery that she takes on (especially that Hobby Lobby story) and few other comedy albums right now are going this deep.

So, please get Live Laugh Love right now right here.

Viceland’s Grand Experiment in Late Night “VICE Live” Begins Tonight

February 26, 2019

fat tony, late night, marie faustin, premiere, sandy honig, vice live, viceland, zack fox

At 9PM EST/6PM PST tonight, Fat Tony, Sandy Honig, Zack Fox, and Marie Faustin will embark on launching VICE Live, the nightly, two-hour, late night variety talk show that will be done completely live (instead of live-to-tape). We’re as curious you if they pull it off and, more importantly, what they’re going to do fill two hours. every night (every other late night show is an hour with a few half-hour stragglers here and there).

Oh, you know that, as it is a 100% millennial driven show, you’ll be able to stream it too right here.

To go back to what they’re going to do, well, we’ll let the hosts speak for themselves in this promo.

February 25, 2019

benefit show, brody stevens, comedy show, enjoy it, festival of friendship, mental health, stand up, west hollywood

As you probably know by now, the beloved Brody Stevens passed away. It has affected so many people as Brody was a part of so many different circles, scenes, groups, etc. and had such strong connection with all of them.

In light of his struggles with mental health, there will be a festival at The Comedy Store in Brody’s honor that will benefit Brody’s family and mental health awareness foundations.

This first Enjoy It! Brody Stevens’ Festival of Friendship: A Night of a Thousand Loving Friends of Brody Stevens will take place next Tuesday, March 5th at The Comedy Store, presented by Sam Tripoli, Sarah Mello, and JC Coccoli.

From the looks of it, this will be a recurring thing and we can’t think of a better way to remember Brody for years and years to come.

Tickets for the main room shows are now available here and here, respectively.

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

As Green Book Won Best Picture, This Desus & Mero Parody Became Just a Little More Vital/Important/Spot On

February 25, 2019

desus and mero, green book, oscars, oscars so white, parody

Within their first episode, Desus & Mero took the now Best Picture Winner at this year’s Oscars, Green Book, to task for its many problematic layers (that includes on and off screen issues).

Green Book’s win, for our money, shows that the the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and still has a long way to go to catch up with the times.

As for a more thoroughly explanation, we’ll let this now-even-more-crucial sketch do the rest of the talking, more humorously.