Recent News – Page 24 – The Comedy Bureau

Pick of the Day: Fiona Landers: Funeral Bouquet (in LA) 4/7

March 30, 2023

fiona landers, los angeles comedy, lyric hyperion, musical comedy, solo show

Thinking about how live comedy is occurring basically at the levels from the before times, we’ve been delightfully reminded, over and over, that many of the things we enjoyed from what seems like decades ago are still around. With a renewed energy coming out of the pandemic, it’s a truly nice surprise to know that there are many a grand thing that we haven’t lost.

One of those things is Fiona Landers‘ ambitious solo musical show Funeral Bouquet that fearlessly and hysterically unpacks a specific grief-filled time in her life. Years and year ago, after we first saw it, we wrote, “Truly, Fiona’s stories accompanied by deftly constructed songs that touch on cancer, death, and rape cover the range of being so damn funny to being so damn heartbreaking (all in the best way possible),” and we still stand by that. Knowing that Fiona is putting Funeral Bouquet up once again at the Lyric Hyperion next week on Fri. Apr. 7th at 7:30PM, it’s thus imperative that we urge you to catch this next performance.

Tickets are $10 and you best go get them here and revel in her show next Friday.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 157: Addi Somekh & Better Living Through Balloons

March 29, 2023

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

addi somekh, balloon art, balloon twisting, inflatable planet

To our knowledge, there is no single joke ever written that can transcend all language barriers and bring people joy and make them laugh. However, internationally renowned and celebrated balloon twister/artist, Addi Somekh, has made folks all over the planet from virtually every background and identity smile/laugh/cry with joy through his craft of fashioning improvised balloon hats based off the aura he gets from them. Addi isn’t a comedian per se, but he’s very likely made more different types of people laugh than the majority of comedians in history. Thus, we follow Addi, on this week’s TCB Field Report, through his journey and philosophy that makes life better through simple, pure joy of some of the most intricate and exuberant balloon hats you’ve ever seen.

Follow Addi @inflatableplanet on IG and visit inflatableplanet.com. Also, you can get the book Inflatable Planet here.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via Patreon or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger

Pick of the Day: lol climate change: a show (in LA) 4/6

March 29, 2023

News

benefit show, climate change, jenny yang, los angeles comedy, storytelling

We’ve seen so many official, peer-reviewed reports on climate change and how it is becoming more and more irreversible and the feeling that whatever we can do being futile seems to grow stronger every week.

That said, there are still actions to be taken and, more importantly, you’re not all alone with climate anxiety. That’s why going to a comedy show where comedians share their own tales of the ever more volatile climates we’re living in to get some community and catharsis in one go (and maybe even meet some folks to get together to take actual action).

The amazing Jenny Yang will be leading off climate stories for lol climate change: a show from the likes of Dylan Adler, D’Lo, Danielle Perez, Reem Edan, Blake Pickens, Kat Evasco, Esteban Gast, and Bianca Cristovao at the gorgeous co-working space, Second Home Hollywood, on Thurs. Apr. 6th at 7PM. Best of all, the show, presented by Yea! Impact, NYU Los Angeles, Good Energy, and Generation 180, is pay-what-you-can with proceeds going towards Meztli Projects, an Indigenous-based arts and culture collaborative in LA).

Again, a great way to alleviate doom and gloom is gathering with other like-minded folks and having a delightful shared experience like a live comedy-storytelling show.

Revel in The Quirky, Faded Postcard World in Trailer for Wes Anderson’s Latest “Asteroid City”

March 29, 2023

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asteroid city, focus features, trailer, wes anderson

The coming a Wes Anderson movie is, at this point in the comedy auteur’s career, kind of an event. There’s nothing really like Anderson’s filmography anywhere else in cinema. Wes’ signature quiet, yet exuberant sense of humor lovingly displayed with soothing color palates and masterful symmetry offers a bright highlight to any moment in time that his movies come out.

Cue the release of the trailer for his latest film, Asteroid City.

Per usual, there are the spoils that come with any Wes Anderson film including a massive, glitzy ensemble cast, a cheeky modern reimagining of lands and times in the somewhat recent past, and beautifully wry dialogue. Asteroid City brings together the likes of Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Jake Ryan, Tony Revolori, and Jeff Goldblum and has the alluring feel of a vintage Route 66 postcard, tinged with irony that’s perfect for 2023.

From the looks of trailer, it looks to be exact film that the world would want from Wes after the pandemic. Get your first look/taste of Asteroid City here, then pine for a visit until its release on Jun. 16th.

Take the Ride/Dive/Journey of Derrick C. Brown’s Poems in “Love Ends in a Tandem Kayak”

March 28, 2023

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derrick c brown, love ends in a tandem kayak, poetry, write bloody

Rare are the instances where comedy and poetry cross paths and even rarer are the times where comedy and poetry effortlessly oscillate between getting to the very marrow of one’s emotions and having a hilarious line or phrasing that is the perfect comedic subversion. While dirty limericks and early Andrew Dice Clay nursery rhymes will endure as off-color comedic artifacts of yesteryear, Derrick C. Brown, a legitimately celebrated poet and comedian, actually forges that aforementioned beautiful crossover between true poesy and satirical vulnerability, especially when it comes to the works curated in his latest book, Love Ends in a Tandem Kayak.

Brown has actually toured with many clear-cut comedians including Eugene Mirman as Derrick is a poet with a peculiar sense of humor (or maybe a comedian with a uncanny handle with expressing the existential frustrations of life through stunningly perfect diction and choice imagery), resulting in innocent-ish mischief run rampant throughout this book, “You said you needed me, and it felt as good as floss after corn.” It’s clear that Derrick has opted for veritable punchlines in many of his stanzas, but does so in a way that still highlights the splendor of imperfection.

That dynamic evens shows up in jokingly meta chapters names such as “CHAPTER WHERE THE AUTHOR REMEMBERS WHAT HE IS HERE FOR” or titles such as “Prince Doesn’t Need to See Your Legs, Dude”. The contrast between that clever mischief and unflinchingly deep explorations of desire, purpose, and the overwhelming nature of the human experience is something truly special. Almost every final stanza or line lands at a sincere place almost devoid of pretension, just beautifully and humorously naked.

So, go get your copy of Derrick C. Brown’s Love Ends in a Tandem Kayak, available now from Write Bloody Publishing, and whir in your feelings while grinning wryly/busting up in hearty laughter.

Pick of the Day: Chris Gethard Special Taping: A Father & The Sun (in NYC) 3/31-4/2

March 28, 2023

News

audible theater, chris gethard, minetta lane, nyc comedy, special taping

There is so much care, vulnerability, originality, honesty, and, of course, damn good comedy that goes into an hour from New Jersey’s favorite son, Chris Gethard. One shouldn’t miss out on watching/listening to any hours of his comedy, but definitely one shouldn’t not miss the chance to attend a taping of any Gethard’s hours as it’ll undoubtedly make you feel all the feels and have you busting up at the same time.

NYC has such a chance this weekend with Chris laying down his latest special chronicling his experience as a father, which will undoubtedly be a more than welcome break from the giant swath of stand-up comedy from comedians that seemingly hate their kids. Even though we’d never have kids, we’d love to see Chris’ take on it.

There will be three nights for this special that’s going to be called “A Father and The Sun” at The Audible Theater at Minetta Lane between Fri. Mar. 31st-Sun. Apr. 2nd, all at 7PM. Tickets start at $36 and you best go get them here since they’re almost sold out.

Get Your First Look at Mark Duplass and Sterling K. Brown in a Gentler(?) Post-Apocalyptic Dramedy, “Biosphere”

March 27, 2023

News

biosphere, ifc films, mark duplass, mel eslyn, sterling k brown

For very apparent reasons these days, the post-apocalypse is one of pop culture’s favorite themes. Whether it be any iteration of zombies or nuclear fallout or asteroids or Thanos, etc. etc. the fascination with what to do after the world ends is undeniable.

Though, it doesn’t all have to be such fire and brimstone/doom and gloom and, like any genre/sub-genre, there can be a less explosive/gore-filled imagining of what being the last people on earth might be like. That seems to be the goal of Mel Eslyn and Mark Duplass‘ upcoming feature, Biosphere, starring Duplass and Sterling K. Brown. It’s not quite the out-and-out comedy of the Will Forte vehicle of Last Man on Earth or, as it’s set in an glass-and-steel-sealed structure, that similarly named 90s comedy, Bio-Dome, but rather a mysterious dramedy that sees the last two men trying to survive in a shiny cage and figure out what’s next for them/humanity. It also seems like part of a slow roll out of minimalist movies made during the pandemic, which has been a nice change of pace from studio tentpoles that have dominated multiplexes whether people are actually going to watch them or not.

Take a gander at what fun mysteries might come from the genre-bending Biosphere in the teaser, just released today from IFC Films, then look for a release sometime this July.

Pick of the Day: April Fools: A Benefit (in LA) 4/1

March 27, 2023

News

benefit show, beth stelling, chris estrada, comedy show, cristela alonzo, elysian theater, glenfeliz elementary, live comedy, los angeles, rory scovel, sabrina jalees

Though April Fools’ Day has largely been tarnished by corporations trying to live up to their legal status as “people”, not all is lost for what should be comedy’s day of the year.

Kurt Braunohler, along with The Elysian Theater, is throwing a very special, very stacked evening of stand-up in support of Glenfeliz Elementary School. There won’t be any pranks (and telling you that there would be here would ruin it, no?), but you’ll get a night of LA comedy’s best including Sabrina Jalees, Rory Scovel, Beth Stelling, Chris Estrada, and Cristela Alonzo.

This April Fools benefit show for Glenfeliz Elementary is set for April Fools Day at 7:30PM PT with tickets going for $25 a pop. Please go get your tickets here.

Pick of the Day: Chatterbox DTLA (in LA) 4/5

March 24, 2023

News

chatterbox, dtla, los angeles comedy, scott luhrs, stand up comedy, steve hernandez

It’s a kind of a testament to how far reaching the Greater LA Area really is when one of the best rooms/night/spots for comedy is on Sundays all the way out in Covina. Chatterbox has been home to one of LA’s favorite stand-up showcases for well over a decade thanks to its original hosts Steve Hernandez and Scott Luhrs.

All the way in 2023, Sunday nights in Chatterbox as well as its Thursday night open mic are both a hub that connects the Inland Empire and LA and presents one of the best curated line-ups every week from shrewd, uncompromising booking.

Now, for all those that think the Covina is another planet entirely from LA and never wanted to make the trek out, you’ll be thrilled to know that there will be a Chatterbox opening in DTLA (352 S. Broadway) and, with it, an accompanying night of comedy that’s set to start on Wed. Apr. 5th at 8PM. Hernandez and Luhrs will be leading off a line-up of their all time favorites including Caleb Hearon, Amy Miller, Byron Bowers, Ricky Macias, and Stevona Delgado.

It’ll be less of a drive (though parking in DTLA is still, well, parking in DTLA) and you really ought to buy your tickets at $10 a pop for this inaugural Chatterbox DTLA comedy night here.

You Know That the World Gets a Bit Better When Kyle Kinane Releases a New Hour; This Latest One Being “Shocks & Struts”

March 23, 2023

News

800 pound gorilla, comedy special, kyle kinane, shocks and struts, stand up comedy

Ever since Death of the Party, Kyle Kinane has been releasing truly beautiful hours of comedy that showcase the artistry that can happen with just the a mic, mic stand and one’s tightly honed thoughts and words. That was true in his landmark debut album and is still so very true with his latest special, Shocks & Struts, fresh off the presses from 800 Pound Gorilla Media.

The comedic world view of Kinane is equal parts epic poetry and some of the keenest observations in all of comedy and, above all else, a missive of hope in people and of the world despite the absurdity in the world he has so deftly highlighted in all of his jokes. This latest hour sees Kinane coming off the pandemic, after having left LA, resettling in Portland, getting a van, and playing the road without having lost an iota of his comedic prowess. The only difference is that this special taps into a world that seems as scarier than any other in our lifetimes with the pandemic, the threat of AI, the very real consequences of climate change, etc. etc. Again, Kyle so colorfully and masterfully weaves and paints a funny, yet quietly beautiful picture of a world where, perhaps, vaccines causing autism is the key to combatting the “Singularity”.

Also, Kinane, as an almost signature part of his comedic repertoire, highlights humanity in a hopeful way despite whatever snap judgments he has. On Death of the Party, it was being relieved when going #2 at a scary bar and here, on Shocks & Struts, it’s getting saved in the desert from a “dude” named “Garrett” who had an egregiously gigantic truck.

As we said in the headline, the world is just a bit better with a new Kinane special and such is the case right here right now with Shocks & Struts. You can rent the special for another week from 800 Pound Gorilla Media or watch it on YouTube com Mar. 30th.

Pick of the Day: The Big Lebowski 25th Anniversary Screenings w/Leonard Maltin (in LA & NYC) 4/16 & 4/20

March 23, 2023

News

25th anniversary, big lebowski, fathom events

One of the most definitive movies of the 90s came out right near the end of it; that film of course being The Coen Brothers’ masterwork, The Big Lebowski. It’s such a seminal movie that it’s one of the rare cinematic works that regularly have gatherings such as Lebowskifest to celebrate its existence as a cultural touchstone.

As of this year, The Big Lebowski will mark a quarter century since its release into theaters and Fathom Events wants to do a special tribute by bringing The Dude and company (and enemies) all back to the big screen for two nights at all Fathom Events participating theaters (mostly Regal and AMC). On Apr. 16th and 4/20, a very special screening of The Big Lebowski will happen across the country, definitely in NYC and LA with special commentary from renowned film critic and historian, Leonard Maltin.

Tickets are $20 across the board and you can (and should) go get them here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 156: Myq Kaplan & 2 Evolve 2 Enlighten

March 22, 2023

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

buddhism, myq kaplan

Well, it has been officially three years that The Comedy Bureau Field Report has been bringing you all the going-ons in comedy from every possible corner that we know about or discover. With that in mind, it’s magically apropos that the great Myq Kaplan returns to not only talk about his new-old album release Live In Between Albums and his upcoming Edinburgh Fringe run, but to dive deep into the existential nature of comedy through the lens of Buddhism and high-minded philosophy (with some ultra-clever wordplay thrown in of course). Myq and TCB’s Jake Kroeger do indeed go deep, but, as this podcast has done for 156 weeks, bringing it all back to the wondrous, relief-giving art form that is comedy.

Follow Myq @myqkaplan across platforms, get his new album fresh from 2018, Live in Between Albums, here, and get into his Substack, his podcast Intra Quest, and more on his linktr.ee here.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via Patreon or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger

Pick of the Day: David Cross-Worst Daddy in the World Tour (in LA) 3/24

March 22, 2023

News

david cross, dtla, los angeles comedy, palace theatre, sean patton, stand up comedy

David Cross only comes to LA every once in awhile and it’s incumbent on us to notify you anytime he makes a stop in town as it’ll be a year or years until he stops in again. The same could almost be said for another one of NYC comedy’s very best, Sean Patton. Even in NYC where they go up all the time, no chance to see them should be missed.

Luckily for Angelenos, the two are coming to LA together this Friday, Mar. 24th at 8PM at the gorgeous Palace Theater in DTLA on David Cross’ adorably named Worst Daddy in the World Tour. Tickets are going for $42 and you really ought to snag them ASAP here since many of the best seats are already sold out.

It Looks Like “You Hurt My Feelings” Could Be the Ensemble Comedy for 2023

March 21, 2023

News

a24, julia louis dreyfus, nicole holofcener, you hurt my feelings

For 2023, powerhouse A24 is really honing in on comedy. It makes sense considering Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, the absurdist comedy sci-fi adventure they took a chance on distributing, had a historic awards season sweep.

In addition to the Netflix series BEEF that’s coming soon, a film festival favorite, You Hurt My Feelings, from indie auteur Nicole Holofcener, is another buzzy comedy with the A24 stamp set for release on May 26th. Boasting a very impressive comedy ensemble of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tobias Menzies, Michaela Watkins, Arian Moayed, Amber Tamblyn, and David Cross, the film captures all the ways in which many folks lie or omit the absolute truth to the ones they love the most. It feels like such a Seinfeld-ian idea that it’s almost too perfect that Julia Louis-Dreyfus is starring in this latest work from Holofcener.

The just released trailer for You Hurt My Feelings has plenty of great morsels of this notion, which you might, like we have, play over and over. Enjoy it for yourself here until the film’s release just about two months.

Also, don’t be surprised if this is the tip of the iceberg for A24’s comedy slate this year.

Pick of the Day: SPEED BODY (in LA) 4/9

March 20, 2023

News

los angeles comedy, matt moeller, nick gligor, perfect body, yard theater

Earlier this year, comedian Matt Moeller put himself through an emotional gauntlet by having 20 different comedians break up with him in whatever fashion struck their whims. While that could be a dark journey for everyone involved, including the audience, it proved to be a hysterically cathartic mad dash through the most imaginative ways someone can consciously uncouple with their partner.

Moeller is putting himself through another round of comedic punishment for SPEED BODY, this one being a bit more physical as he is challenging another 20 different comedians to get him to the perfect body in 2 minutes. The impossible circumstances should make for a comedic Tough Mudder race.

Also, one of the best hosts LA has, Nick Gligor will be offering splendid color commentary, riffs, and impromptu karaoke the whole time.

SPEED BODY is set to happen Sun. Apr. 9th at 9PM at The Yard Theater with tickets going for $5. Go get them here. Go. NOW.

Please Enjoy the Color and Pep in the Trailer for Upcoming UK Rom Com “Rye Lane”

March 20, 2023

News

david jonsson, nathan bryon, raine allen miller, rye lane, searchlight, tom melia, vivian oparah

It’s not often that you think about the color palate of a rom com. If you actual do think about it, you might note that it’s often, like the story itself, very basic. The exciting, festival-buzzy UK rom com Rye Lane is going to break up the dynamic along with introducing a whole set of UK folks that you ought to remember (including director Raine Allen-Miller, writers Nathan Bryon & Tom Melia, and stars Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson).

From the trailer for Rye Lane, you can see that this isn’t really like any rom com that you’ve seen in the last ten years and there’s a certain zest and snappiness that recalls, perhaps, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (minus all the video game and graphic novel elements).

Take a gander for yourself here, then look for it on Hulu come Fri. Mar. 31st.

Joy Ride Looks to Be the Raunchiest R-Rated Comedy of 2023 (That Happens to Be About Adoption)

March 17, 2023

News

ashley park, joy ride, red band trailer, sabrina wu, sherry cola, stephanie hsu

Between This Is Us, Trying, and Blue Bayou, there is an uptick in stories about adoption in TV and movies as of late, though, as you might notice they’re either incredibly maudlin or saccharine.

That’s going to change this year come July 7th as Teresa Hsiao, Adele Lim, and Cherry Chevapravatdumrong‘s R-rated transcontinental road-trip buddy comedy, Joy Ride, will hit theaters. Ashley Park plays an adoptee that assembles Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu, all play kind-of life long friends, to help her find her birth mother on the other side of the world. What ensues is a Hangover/Bridesmaids-esque gauntlet of everything going spectacularly awry as one can see and enjoy in this first official red band trailer, just released today.

Joy Ride has the makings of an R-rated comedy of 2023, especially with it being slotted right after the 4th of July, but also offer up a film we haven’t seen before, a big studio adult comedy that sports an all-Asian top billed cast that hinges on an actual adoption story (versus something like Elf, which is probably the best adoptee comedy to date) and is chock full of blue humor.

It’s so damn intriguing where this Joy Ride might take us. Take your first look at what that might be with the Joy Ride red band trailer here.

Pick of the Day: Jena Friedman + Samantha Bee: Not Funny (in NYC) 4/21

March 17, 2023

News

jena friedman, not funny, nyc comedy, samantha bee, strand books

If you’re reading this, we wouldn’t be surprised at all if you’re very into dark, political comedy on TV, on stage, on your podcasts, etc. Thus, comedians Jena Friedman or Samantha Bee doing anything should be occasion enough to make/change your plans to go see them.

Well, lucky for you NYC that Jena has a brand new book of essays, Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera, coming out and is doing a very special event with none other than Samantha Bee at NYC’s treasured Strand Book Store to celebrate its release. Undoubtedly, there will be some live reading of a book that’s worth your time and money and some sharply observed dialogue, but we’re sure that the comedy of Friedman and Bee together will pair perfectly with the times we’re living in.

This special book release event for Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera is set for Fri. Apr. 21st at 7PM at Strand in their Rare Books Room. Tickets are $13.81 and you can (and should) go get ’em here. Also, you can (and should) get a signed copy of the book from Strand here.

Pick of the Day: The Addie Show (Featuring Special Guest: The Audience) (in LA) 3/24

March 16, 2023

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addie weyrich, dynasty typewriter, los angeles comedy

When it comes to outside-of-the-box, interactive bits, where you may or may not learn Karate or other useful skills, one need not look further than the comedic wares of Addie Weyrich. Weyrich has carved out a niche for herself through doing such things as a martial arts routine versus her phone in the morning, playing Ted Cruz waking up from a coma, and doing storytelling while doing an impromptu giveaway of her old clothes and sundries.

Thus, you’re not going to miss out on Addie’s very special show where the audience is the special guest, the aptly names The Addie Show (Featuring Special Guest: The Audience).

Weyrich is summing up all of her comedic acumen, powers, charm, and unabashed desire to have fun and then wrangling any and all in attendance to be part of the show as much as possible. According to various promotional posts, the first 150 audience members will be given special envelopes upon entrance and (at the very least) 10 folks will learn Karate.

$20 for a ticket to this sounds like more than bargain if you ask us.

The Addie Show (Featuring Special Guest: The Audience) is set for Fri. Mar. 24th at 10:30PM at Dynasty Typewriter in LA. You really ought to go get your tickets quick for what might be one of the most memorable experiences you have in 2023 because, after all, you’d be the special guest.

A24’s Latest Will Be an All-Out Rage Feud Comedy Between Ali Wong and Steven Yeun in “BEEF”

March 16, 2023

News

a24, ali wong, beef, lee sung jin, netflix, steven yeun

A24’s riding high off one hell of an awards season right now. Between Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, The Whale, and Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, the brand already almost did no wrong in the eyes of their fervent followers and probably feel even more vindicated now.

With that in mind, it’s a great time for A24 to introduce their newest project, a juicy revenge dark comedy series, BEEF, that gets as petty and off-the-rails as class warfare can get between two people who are really great at channeling rage into their performances, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. Created by Lee Sung Jin (Undone, Dave, Tuca & Bertie), this series shows lots of promise, especially given the zeitgeist favors revenge-fueled phenomenons like John Wick and Succession.

Take a gander for yourself here with the official trailer here, then look for all episodes of BEEF to drop on Netflix come Thurs. Apr. 6th.

Get Your First Look at the Darkly Comedic History of The “BlackBerry”

March 15, 2023

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blackberry, glenn howerton, ifc films, jacquie mcnish, jay baruchel, matt johnson, matthew miller, sean silcoff

Before the iPhone or Samsung Galaxy or whatever high powered smartphone you’re currently using, there was a device known as the BlackBerry, which some Gen-Z folks, unsurprisingly, might not know of. It was the dominant mobile device of elites all around the world, then, with the arrival of the iPhone, virtually became extinct.

The story behind BlackBerry’s ascent and crash is such a fascinating, almost unbelievable one (as is the case with many a tech giant that came crumbling down) following the device’s originators, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, that Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton play them in a Wolf-of-Wall-Street-esque dark comedy. Matt Johnson and Matthew Miller adapted Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff’s book Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry into a film that got a good deal of festival heat.

So, when it comes to the question of what ever happened to the BlackBerry (or what Howerton looks like bald and Baruchel looks like with grey hair), you might find the most entertaining answer, from the looks of the trailer, with this upcoming BlackBerry movie .

If you’re on board, look for BlackBerry in theaters on May 12th thanks to IFC Films.

Pick of the Day: Gemma Soldati: The Poor Rich (in LA & NYC) 3/21 & 3/24

March 15, 2023

News

ars nova, clowning, gemma soldati, solo show, the elysian

Gemma Soldati’s Poor Rich was one of our picks for 100 Best Things in Comedy We Were Witness To in 2022 and for all the satirical revelry that Soldati engages in when picking apart late stage capitalism, it’s a show that as many folks as possible should see in 2023.

Soldati is putting on once again at the place we saw it, the beloved Elysian on Tues. Mar. 21st at 9:30PM PT (tickets on sale now at $16 a pop), but she is also putting up in NYC at forward thinking performance space, Ars Nova on Fri. Mar. 24th at 7PM ET, which might be the first time New Yorkers might get to see it. Lucky for you guys that the show is Pay What You Can and has a livestream available as well.

So, you kind of don’t have an excuse to see Gemma’s brilliant, hysterical work no matter where you live.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 155: Ben Wasserman & Doing Comedy at Funeral Homes

March 15, 2023

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

Ben Wasserman, comedy about death, grief, solo show

Though it might be strange to read, comedy can really exude its healing/relieving powers when done in a funeral home. NYC based Ben Wasserman has been proving that while touring with his most personal work to date, Live After Death, a wild solo show about grief and loss created in the aftermath of several deaths of family members and friends in the span of a few years. It’s a rambunctious show that brings an exuberance and a communal joy while also very much holding space for those any and all that are currently or have ever been beset with grief. Wasserman talks candidly to us about how all this came about and how it has changed his comedy and his entire trajectory with performing.

Follow Ben @benwassergram on IG and @benwassertweet on Twitter

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via Patreon or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger

Pick of the Day: 120 Hours Straight with Blake Rosier (in LA) 3/20-3/24

March 14, 2023

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blake rosier, los angeles comedy, marathon performance, yard theater

On the tail of the LA Marathon this weekend, boundary pushing comedian Blake Rosier will be commencing his latest marathon comedy/performance art experience where he will be living at The Yard Theater for 5 entire days. This time, you can come watch him sleep and live in the space in person, if you’re into that sort of thing, or you can enjoy him actually putting on five hours of packed show each night running from 7PM PT to Midnight PT.

Per Rosier’s own rules, he’ll only be able to eat what is given to him by folks who come to the theater. It’s quite the insane feat and, knowing Rosier, there are probably some twists/turns/surprises in store that we don’t know about (and, frankly, maybe Blake himself isn’t even aware of). You can either find your way to The Yard Theater in East Hollywood next week between Mon. Mar. 20th and Fri. Mar 24th or you can live-stream 120 Hours with Blake Rosier at youtube.com/blakerosier (that would be 10PM ET to 3AM ET for shows).

Everything, Everywhere, All at Once Wins Everything (Almost) at Oscars and Let’s Hope Movies Get the Message

March 13, 2023

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everything everywhere all at once, oscars

There’s a lot to be celebrated for the amount of Asian representation that Daniels’ brilliant Everything, Everywhere, All at Once so gloriously illuminates after capping a masterful awards season run with 7 Oscar wins including Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Directing, and, of course, Best Picture. They won every category they were nominated in except for one, Best Song. In fact, there’s a lot to be celebrated for Everything, Everywhere, All at Once becoming the most decorated movie to come out in 2022.

It’s an an original movie (and an indie one at that) that proved to be an undeniable box office hit (though not at the magnitude of Top Gun: Maverick… yet?). Heading out of lockdown, the fate of original movies on the big screen seemed grim, but, as fate would have it, the movie that wrapped principal photography the day before COVID-19 was announced as global pandemic would be the perfect balance of escape, maximalism, absurdism, and family tenderness that would capture the hearts and minds of audiences around the globe. With populist movies such as Avatar: The Way of Water and Top Gun: Maverick looming large as appointed saviors of the movie industry and finding their way into the Best Picture category at The Oscars, one could only wonder how many more cinematic universes would be treated to had either of them won. We’re still going to very much be subject to the MCU, DCEU, Fast & Furious, Blade Runner, Ghostbusters, Mission Impossible, James Bond, Star Wars, and yes, probably Top Gun, but there’s a glimmer of hope in the sheen of A24’s landmark 2022 that included not only Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, but also the acclaimed/nominated/award winning Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and The Whale. The independent spirit is still alive and well, so long as audiences keep watching those films after being let down by Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Also, not enough is said for Everything Everywhere All at Once being a comedy and, very likely, the wackiest movie that has every won a Best Picture Oscar. The entire pantheon of Best Picture winners that can be categorized, even somewhat, as comedies include such classics as It Happened One Night, Annie Hall, Gigi, Birdman, and The Artist. None of them had a multi-verse or hot dog fingers or numerous sex toy jokes or glue-on googly-eyes on rocks, just a sampling of the magical soup in Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. The most “out-there” movie to win Best Picture before this year might be The Shape of Water, a noir-thriller romance where a woman falls in love with a fish god. The mash-up of sincerity and slapstick revelry is something that hasn’t really graced the Academy’s consideration, but this historic win (apparently, more above-the-line wins than any other movie in Oscars history) might just be the shake-up/sign that things for one of cinema’s oldest institutions is maybe catching up with the times.

More so than probably anything else that came out last year, Everything, Everywhere, All at Once should be a testament to the artistry in comedy and let’s hope no one ever forgets that anywhere, ever again.

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