Recent News

Vote on the Canadian Comedy Awards, If You’re Canadian

Did you know that there was a Canadian Comedy Awards that just released their nominations for 2012 and that, if you’re Canadian, you could vote in several categories? Well, maybe you can comedy nerd out this Sun. afternoon and discover comedy from the North (we’re assuming that you’re South of Canada wherever you are).

Nato Green’s The Nato Green Party Is Out Now

San Francisco’s own, co-founder of Iron Comic, a third of Laughter Against the Machine, Nato Green has his album, The Nato Green Party, out both for download and CD on Rooftop Comedy. If you think political is a thin veil for espousing hardcore political opinions, Nato Green is a great example of how that’s absolutely not true.

Jimmy Fallon’s YouTube Presents Up For Those Couldn’t Watch at 5PM PST on Fri.

Jimmy Fallon’s live concert at YouTube Presents featuring songs from his upcoming album Blow Your Pants Off is now all up for those of us probably stuck in traffic or at work still when it was broadcast. Watch Jimmy impersonate Neil Young covering the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme and more.

Pick Up a Copy of the Fortunate Soldier Magazine, If You Can Find One

You can now get some of your favorite comedy records on vinyl, why not have a print comedy magazine that’s published on printer paper and not available at any newsstand or anywhere online?

That’s the thought that must have been behind the creation of Fortunate Soldier Magazine, a magazine that rounds up short form written pieces from such comedic luminaries as Jonah Ray, Jim Hamilton, Ron Babcock, Kelsy Abbott, and more. We have a copy and it’s worth definitely worth a read and a laugh, but as you can see below, there’s only 300 copies printed. On top of that editors Spencer Strauss and Paul Isakson hand them out personally at live comedy shows that they’re at. We’ve personally pleaded that there be some easier way to get it because we care about our readers that much, but alas, to no avail, you actually have to go see a live comedy show, most likely, in LA (What a chore, right? It’s not like there’s a collective calendar of great shows to check out on a nightly basis or something).

Hopefully, that will have to change because people bug Spencer and Paul enough or they literally run out of copies to hand our OR they have to publishing it online because there’s no more paper left in the world (assuming this zine keeps going through past 2090 or later)

Team Coco Takes Over Chicago

This week Conan visits Chicago, which is without a doubt going to be a hoot the entire time considering all of Conan’s other trips over the years (Conan chasing his hat on the coast of Ireland is timeless). At the Chicago Theatre, Conan will chat with Jack McBrayer and Andy Samberg as well as have member of the former Chicago powerhouse the Blerds, TJ Miller on as well. There’s free t-shirts. The Conan writers are having their own show. TBS 11PM tonight through Thurs. That shouldn’t interfere with the NBA playoffs we hope.

On Late: Eric Andre, Jason Schwartzman, and Rory Scovel

While Conan is indeed in Chicago and that’s great, Rory Scovel will be doing a set on Ferguson and Eric Andre will undoubtedly be Eric Andre on Fallon. Maybe he’ll even get to play a game with Jimmy, which would be, especially if you’ve seen The Eric Andre Show on Adult Swim, amazing.

Eric Andre on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC 12:35AM)
Jason Schwartzman and Rory Scovel on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS 12:35AM) 

Joan Rivers on NPR’s Fresh Air

The title of this episode of Fresh Air with Terry Gross is Joan Rivers Hates You and Everyone Else. There’s nothing else to be said to get you to check out the highlights and listen to the audio that will be posted at 2PM PST.

Comedy Festival Madness: JFL Chicago & The Del Close Marathon

Just For Laughs Chicago starts this week with anything and everything from Henson Alternative to Patton Oswalt to Conspiracy Theory Live with Jesse Ventura w/James Adomian to a local Chicago showcase to Kyle Kinane to Eddie Pepitone’s Bitter Buddha screening to Delocated to Mike Birbiglia’s My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend, and much much more.

The Del Close Marathon starts at the end of this month Fri. June 29th and stretching non-stop to July 1st in NYC with anything and everything from an extra long episode of Matt Besser’s improv4humans to The Chris Gethard Show to Gravid Water to 30 Rock Writers to plenty of Ben Schwartz on different teams to Jason Mantzoukas & Seth Morris to Match Game ‘76 to the original Upright Citizens Brigade and much much more.

If you’re somehow able to get yourself to Chicago by tomorrow night and NYC at the end of this month, then we highly recommend that you do so along with plenty of 5 Hour Energy.

Doug Stanhope in Support of PETA

For those of you who don’t see far past the graphic and explicit nature of Doug Stanhope’s jokes to the incredibly valid points that he makes, here’s something a little more cut and dry for you: Doug Stanhope speaking against animals working for PETA. 

Surprised? You shouldn’t be if you were, again, actually listening to what he was saying.

Eric Andre Gets Comfy on Fallon & Conan Tries to Learn Step Dancing

Last night on late night:
Eric Andre sat and did panel interview with Jimmy Fallon, but made sure that he was incredibly comfortable and that everything was in working order form the mic to both his and Jimmy’s water as we’re sure he does at The Eric Andre Show before he kicks in his desk.

Conan tried to learn a traditional Irish dance at Chicago’s own Irish American Heritage Center, a former elementary school that is now currently filled with taps of Guinness.

On late night tonight:
Matt Kirshen on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS 12:35AM)

Reggie Watts Sings a Tribute to Scott Aukerman on Comedy Bang Bang

Apparently, Scott Aukerman hasn’t heard a song from Comedy Bang Bang bandleader Reggie Watts about him and, as the show’s host, wanted to hear such a song. Luckily, Watts has been working on one for a while though it might not be exactly Scott’s taste.

Pete Holmes is Back as Batman

Let the comedy nerd/regular comic book nerd worlds rejoice because Pete Holmes is so f’n hilarious as Batman. Christopher Nolan has refused to make another Batman sequel, but we hope that the first selling point was that Holmes will continue to make these parodies with Front Page Films and Matt McCarthy as various other Batman characters.

Three Comedy Kickstarters You Should Back

Why shouldn’t Tues. Jun. 12th, or any other day for that matter, be the day you back some great comedy projects on Kickstarter? 

How about Season 2 of cocktails and interviews show with Dave Holmes, A Drink with Dave?

Or how about short film The Garden of Steven with a really great Kickstarter video that promises a really funny short film shot on location in Guatemala?

Or The Super Serious Show, one of our live favorite shows, going to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year?

Donate now and don’t make us post a link to the Sarah McLachlan song. 

Albums from Jesse Popp & Jimmy Fallon Out Today

Available today are both Jesse Popp’s first album, You Stink, on Comedy Central Records and Jimmy Fallon’s Blow Your Pants Off on Warner Bros. Records. Both are worth your monthly/weekly album budget, even if that’s beyond your quarterly comedy album budget.

The 5 Most Intentionally Funny Videos 6/12

The 5 Most Intentionally Funny Videos This Week on the Nerdist definitely had to feature Eric Andre making sure he’s OK sitting as a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Also, spot on parodies of Batman and Prometheus and more. Don’t forget, you can also submit to 5 MIFV. Click through for more details.

Pre-Order Matt Braunger’s Shovel Fighter

Because a) Matt Braunger’s hilarious and you should listen to all his comedy specials, not just this upcoming one Shovel Fighter and b) why wouldn’t you find out what “shovel fighter” means?

Puddin’ Goes Dead Poets Fight Club

First rule of Dead Poets Society?

Don’t ever talk shit about Dead Poets Society or Robin Williams will order you a hit on you on this wonderful episode of Puddin’ also featuring Patton Oswalt and Dana Gould and, of course, the Bitter Buddha himself, Eddie Pepitone. 

Drew Carey and The Midnight Show Are Being Protested by The Westboro Baptist Church

While in Denver, one of LA’s best sketch groups, The Midnight Show, while on tour with Drew Carey is being protested by The Westboro Baptist Church. All of this comes because Carey is a “proud fag supporter”, which ironically sounds like something The Midnight Show would say in one of their sketches.

…other comedy ‘trades’ news:

–Weeds is coming to an end on Showtime after 8 seasons. Game set match Breaking Bad.
–Steve Carell says Anchorman 2 not shooting until Feb. or Mar. 2013. We assume they’ll just be shooting teasers until then.
–Jerry Lewis rushed to hospital. 
–Portia De Rossi to play Lily Munster in NBC’s The Munsters reboot. IT’S STILL NOT ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.
–TJ Miller to play lead on new Fox comedy series Goodwin Games. 
–Harris Wittels inks overall deal with Universal TV, will continue on Parks and Recreation. But, what will happen to Humblebrag?
–Universal negotiating with Duplass duo for Same Time, Next Year remake.
–According to Matt Besser, there will be a Freak Dance (the UCB movie) book. Bet Rev. Moore from Footloose never thought that reading and dancing would be cool together.
–The Daily Show’s Aasif Mandvi will have a new cooking show on the Cooking Channel. 

I Am Comic Sequel Looking for Road Stories

Jordan Brady is thankfully back on I Am Comic train again, this time, taking it on the road to see the radical life of what it’s like doing comedy on the road. As such, “I Am Road Comic” is apparently looking for road stories, which, if you’ve heard any, should make for another great documentary on stand-up.