Here’s our monthly update at the top finishers of Dan Harmon’s and Rob Schrab’s Channel 101/Reminder to watch what very well might be the future of short form series. Click through to watch the hysterical madness, specifically Oh Shit! and Gumbel.
Poster by Steven Robles
Just as there are dog years in relation to human years, if there were comedy show years, we’re not sure of the exact conversion, but we know 7 is an incredible feat of longevity. Specifically, The Tomorrow Show, a long standing LA comedy institution, at this point, that’s been running out of the Steve Allen Theater every Saturday at midnight is celebrating it’s 7th anniversary this Saturday Aug. 4th. In short, it’s one of the longest running comedy shows, and deservedly so, in LA.
It’s only $15 for one of the biggest comedy extravaganzas, around with Craig Anton, Dave Foley, Laura Kightlinger, Kate Micucci, The Walsh Brothers, and FREE FOOD and TRINKETS, of course, the show’s brilliant host Ron Lynch.
With Joan Rivers’ new book entitled “I Hate Everyone… Starting With Me” and Stephen Colbert’s latest book “I Am Pole (And So Can You!)”, it isn’t hard to imagine that sparks will fly when comedy gold is made tonight when she makes an appearance on The Colbert Report.
Comedy Central 11:30PM
For us, this is one the most anticipated comedy releases of the year since James Adomian has been an absolute favorite of ours to watch since the first time we saw him in the lounge of a French restaurant. Low Hangin’ Fruit comes out Aug. 13th from Earwolf, but if you’re smart enough to go to a live Comedy Bang Bang show during their nationwide tour, you can get a copy now, which we strongly suggest you do.
ON THE HORIZON
Weird Al Yankovic @ Pacific Amphitheatre Sun. Aug. 12th 8PM $22-$44
COMEDY CRAWL
Comedy Bang Bang @ UCB Theatre 8:30PM $5 (stand by only)
5 Comics & a Side of Fries @ Michael’s Bar & Grill 9PM FREE
Holy Fuck @ Downtown Independent Theater 9PM FREE
Harmontown @ Nerdist Theater 9PM $10
OPEN MIC RUN
HOLLYWOOD IMPROV 8162 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM-5:40PM/Starts 6PM/lottery/20 spots only/3 min./No purchase necessary
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Starts 5:30PM/Stand-up, sketch, improv all welcome/5 min.
CLUB FORBIDDEN 8512 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
AMSTERDAM CAFE 10905 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO. 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/lottery/One item min.
WESTWOOD BREW CO 1097 Glendon Ave., Westwood, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
PEDONE’S PIZZA 1332 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/Ends 9:15PM/5-7min.
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Starts 8PM/mixed mic
DAVE’S BAR 708 Broadway, Glendale, CA/Starts 9PM/first come, first served/one item min./8-10 min.
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St., Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd St. Promenade and 4th St.)/Sign-up 9:45PM/Starts 10PM/lottery/$1 cover
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5 min./multiple sets allowed/bottled water and coffee provided
#RejectedOlympicEvents Is The Place for Olympics Humor Right Now
“Actually benefiting the city the Olympics are being held in #rejectedolympicevents” @oldmanweldon
#rejectedolympicevents is where comedy at and the world’s funniest are chiming in, despite this Twitter hashtag, in of itself, is a preemptively rejected olympic event.
If you’re not going to buy his album after reading that self-promotion tweet, then just trust our word on Jim Hamilton and pick up Poems About the Ocean from AST Records now.
http://flailure.tumblr.com/post/28398557621/the-album-is-out-today-buy-it-on-itunes-or
In an interesting role reversal on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert defends not hating while Joan Rivers recounts everyone she hates, which is literally everyone.
Recently, Showtime has decided that it is a network not big enough for two “behind-the-curtain” comedy shows. While having two seasons of The Green Room with Paul Provenza and one of Inside Comedy with David Steinberg, only Inside Comedy was renewed.
Paul Provenza confirmed this on Twitter as he is looking for a new home for the Green Room. We can only hope that it does because the Green Room, unlike Inside Comedy, which is somewhat akin to what a Ken Burns documentary on comedy would be like, doesn’t feature the likes of Glenn Wool, Kumail Nanjiani, Bo Burnham, and more of the talented new blood, relatively, in today’s comedy landscape.
The full second season trailer of NTSF:SD:SUV doesn’t have to worry about keeping the ultra gritty tone and serialized plot line of the Daniel Craig installments of the James Bond franchise. That’s because there’s more fighting, throwing logic to the wind, etc. making it way cooler than an intense stare from Craig’s ice cold blue eyes.
NTSF:SD:SUV’s season premiere is Aug. 9th 12:15AM on Adult Swim.
Turns Out Bill Murray Is in Negotiations for Next Movie and Not Party Tour
Remember that fake party crashing tour? Well, our hopes of that happening as a result of Bill Murray seeing it on the Internet and getting inspired are still up in the air is he is working on being in a dramedy called Van Nuys.
Maybe get #BillMurrayPartyTour trending?
ON THE HORIZON
Surprise #3 with Rob & Sofiya Sat. Aug. 4th 8:30PM FREE
Stand-up Spotlight: Brent Weinbach @ UCB Theatre Thurs. Aug. 9th 8PM $5
COMEDY CRAWL
A Kiss From Daddy @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5
A Night of Zabrecky @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $12
Meltdown @ Nerdist Theater 8:30PM $8
Beer in the Shower @ Dreams Bar & Cafe 9:30PM FREE
Hamclown! @ Little Modern 9:30PM FREE
Facebook @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Sad People Talking @ Nola’s 9:30PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Starts 6PM/3 min./No purchase necessary
GRINDHOUSE CAFE 1051 N. Havenhurst, West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
CLUB FORBIDDEN 8512 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/First come, first served/One item min.
REDWOOD BAR & GRILL 316 W. 2nd St., Los Angeles, CA (Downtown)/Starts 6:30PM/No purchase necessary
SET LIST @ RAFAS LOUNGE ART GALLERY 1836 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6:30PM/Lottery/Set list of topics provided to improvise off of/No purchase necessary
THE SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Starts 7PM/lottery/No purchase necessary
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
TRIBAL CAFE BEVERLY 3253 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/First come, first served/6 min./No purchase necessary
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/mixed mic
LIQUID ZOO 7214 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/first come, first served/7 min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts
A List of Caleb Medley Comedy Benefit Shows
If you want to support the recovery of Denver comedian Caleb Medley, a victim of the Aurora shootings, there are more than plenty of big benefit shows happening from NYC to LA and in plenty of places in between.
Dave Hill is many things… a hilarious comedian, brilliant writer, accomplished rock star, and now, as some of you might not know, the potentially best field reporter at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Just watch him cover gymnastics and never watch someone do the parallel bars the same way again. More to come from Dave as the Olympics continue.
Remember the famous Bill Hicks bit about marketing where he called for their suicide? Please watch at the link, if you don’t remember, then watch the same anti-marketing spirit live on this latest episode of Modern Comedian that profiled Greg Barris and his rebellious stickers. He sticks them over ads everywhere like a Bansky of comedy without maintaining a secret identity, which is what a Banksy of comedy would do, we suppose.
Still, we’re sure that Bill Hicks would be up for sticking a “Down with the Reptilian Agenda” sticker over a Madonna poster.
Announced yesterday that Dan Harmon signed a script deal at CBS, it’s likely that Dan Harmon is not rubbing the interest by other networks as well as the Anomalisa project with Charlie Kaufman in NBC and Sony’s faces. Harmontown, now a podcast recorded from a live show, is also on his plate and it has risen amongst to the highest of comedy podcast rankings. Again, we’re pretty sure that he isn’t doing all of this just in spite of his high-profile firing.
Whether this is the case or not (and he is getting back at his former employers), Dan Harmon is killing it.
ON THE HORIZON
We Have A Hammock-Backyard Comedy Show Sat. Aug. 4th 7PM FREE
80085 Old Country Road by Birds of Prey @ UCB Theatre Wed. Aug 29th 6:30PM $5
COMEDY CRAWL
Grip It and Rip It @ UCB Theatre Thurs. Aug. 2nd 7PM $5
The Josh & Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE
Odd Thursdays @ The Palace Restaurant 9PM FREE
How to Live with Chelsea Peretti @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
CAFE AMERICANO 5770 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/3 min./No purchase necessary
PALMS BAR 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6:15PM/Starts 6:30PM/First come, first served/One drink min.
ROCKPAPER COFFEE 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/lottery
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Starts 6PM/3 min./Counts as audition/No purchase necessary
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/first come, first served
CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/first come, first served/10 min.
COFFEE BEAN 12930 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA/Starts 7PM/mixed mic/lottery/No purchase necessary
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/mixed mic
CAFE UNURBAN 3301 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 9PM/No purchase necessary
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts MIDNIGHT
Ranging from a NSFW how-to-build furniture video as embedded above to Bill Cosby giving comedy lessons to Jimmy Fallon, this week’s 5 Most Intentionally Funny Videos at the Nerdist is a welcome break from sports that you don’t understand and yet, for some reason, get riled up about every 4 years.
As always, submissions for 5 MIFV are being taken. Check rules and details at link.
OK, let’s stop complaining about how the Dark Knight Rises wasn’t the most brilliant thing ever and go see another movie. Celeste and Jesse Forever with Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg (i.e. one of this year’s summer releases were most excited about) comes out in theaters in LA and NYC tomorrow and would probably be the perfect choice.
Just in case you missed our recaps of all the amazing comedy happenings that happened at the Just For Laughs Montreal Comedy Arts Festival last week and weren’t there (or just want to recount in text the hilarious things that you might have seen), here’s a nice list linking out to each and every one of them.
Seriously, some really brilliant stuff happened up there and you should read about it.
Reggie Watts, Kristen Schaal, Nick Vatterott, and Brent Weinbach all are recipients of the prestigious Andy Kaufman Award, now in its 8th year. You could join the likes of them this year and preserve the spirit and originality of Kaufman in comedy and more by entering here.
Deadline is Oct. 14th.
ON THE HORIZON
Church Sessions with Comedy Bang Bang Live @ First Unitarian Church Sat. Aug. 4th 7PM $23-$25
Eban Schletter’s Fantastical Musicorium w/Paul F. Tompkins, Garfunkel & Oates, and Mike Phirman @ Steve Allen Theater Tues. Aug. 7th 8PM $10
COMEDY CRAWL
Stand-up Spotlight: Steve Agee @ UCB Theatre 7PM $5
Maria Bamford @ Fake Gallery 8PM $5
The Business @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
Peachy Keen @ Bar Lubitsch 8PM FREE
SuperEgo Live @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10
The 12 Shiny Nickels Show @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $10
Tig Has Friends @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre 9PM $25
Matty’s Pizza Party @ Lyric Hyperion Theater 10PM $5
Charm @ Hollywood Hotel 10PM FREE
The Tony Clifton Revue @ The Comedy Store Main Room 11:30PM $20/2 drink min.
OPEN MIC RUN
SET LIST @ FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia, Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/given “set list” of topics to do jokes off of/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/5 min./One item min.
LITTLE MODERN 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6:15PM/Starts 6:30PM/lottery/10 spots only/5 min./No purchase necessary
SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/4 min./no purchase necessary
AMSTERDAM CAFE 10905 N. Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/No purchase necessary
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
MAX BLOOM’S 200 N. Malden Ave., Fullerton, CA/Starts 7PM/booked show after/no purchase necessary
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
SABOR Y CULTURA 5625 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 8PM/Sign-up is a lottery/5 min. with 3 min. work-in’s/No purchase necessary
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery
Tonight, the television world premiere of Doug Stanhope’s latest special, Before Turning the Gun on Himself, will air on Showtime at 7PM. Let’s just hope there’s no one that will be offended from watching the special and then blog about it because 1) turning off your TV is infinitely easier than walking out of a comedy club and 2) Stanhope is hilarious and right on in this hour.
Find Out More About W. Kamau Bell and Totally Biased on FX
The show’s site just launched so you can discover more about its host, W. Kamau Bell, the writers, which include Hari Kondabolu, Kevin Avery, and more as well as where and when it’s on Aug. 9th 11PM on FX.
OK, we understand that’s a ridiculous headline, but every part of it is ridiculous including the part that actually happened. An unidentified man, described as the leader of the Somali comedy scene was shot dead purportedly for telling anti-terrorists jokes.
No one should get shot dead for telling jokes. It’s so telling of how backwards and undeveloped a society is by the sheer fact that you can be killed for making a joke at someone’s expense. That’s not being shamed on the Internet or even having your career ruined, but rather a final and permanent end, probably to be erased in records after a few years.
There is comedy in the Middle East, which is a hopeful thing to hear/see. It’s a mark of prosperity that a group of people that are culturally united can have enough humanity and sophistication to joke about themselves. Comedy is the Middle East is still a fledgling concept, and there are still many cultural barriers barring comedy, especially anything that’s remotely subversive. Yet, it’s been profiled that there are secret comedy shows in Saudi Arabia and shows performed in English by English speaking comedians, sometimes Americans, in affluent, cosmopolitan cities like Dubai.
Sadly, no part of this incident has come as a surprise. One of Egypt’s premiere comedians was detained for making jokes at the expense of Islam just a few months ago, Syrian political cartoonist had his hands broken, etc. However, we believe that this is what will make, eventually, for some great comedy. Birthed from fire, ready to leave no target untouched, there will be a point, though it isn’t clear when that will happen, where a counterculture will grow and the Middle East will have their Lenny Bruce and not get shot.
Though he isn’t a comedian, just look at what Ai Weiwei gets away with in China.