The UCB Improv Manual To Come Out Soon
The improv manual to one of the most popular and successful improv schools in the world is to be released for purchase soon. The Upright Citizens Brigade Improv Manual was just revealed during the most recent Del Close Marathon this past weekend and will be available for purchase soon.
Maybe now we can all get those inside jokes improvisers make to each other?
AMPAS Invites 276 New Members/Oscars Still to Have Bias Towards Drama Over Comedy
The Oscars have had a bias towards awarding dramatic movies ever since they started. If you look at the entire list of past winners, there’s almost no disputing that claim.
Now, if you look at the list of new members invited to be part of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, the governing and voting body of The Oscars, it doesn’t look like that bias will change that much. Sure, they have some youth and injected into the AMPAS membership with the likes of Joesph Gordon-Levitt and Rosario Dawson, which is good to see, yet the approximate representation from comedy is only a sliver with Paul Feig, Lena Dunham, and a few others.
It wouldn’t be as much of an issue if The Oscars were focused solely on honoring dramatic films, but the categories lack any such qualifier with Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, it would be great, and progressive to the art form of comedy, to see something besides a heavy handed period piece win.
If you’re not a fan of the comedy podcast/troupe Super Ego, we strongly urge you to change that probably since you just haven’t listened or seen them perform and subsequently doubled over laughing at their comedic brilliance. Then, you can go buy their brand new comedy album of comedy western songs as The Journeymen with “Mount Us More”.
If you are a fan of Super Ego, then today’s a great day for you because, as we said, they have a comedy music album out under the guise of a country western group. Whatever the case may be, just go buy it, listen, and laugh.
One of the original and one of the best narrators on one of our favorite series Drunk History, coming very soon to Comedy Central (next week on July 9th in fact), is Jen Kirkman. As the premiere of the show on TV is just around the corner, there are previews to watch and thankfully there’s this latest one of Kirkman trying to tell the story of unjustly hung Quaker Mary Dyer played by Winona Ryder.
The Jeselnik Offensive Tapings Start Back Up This Week
The second season of The Jeselnik Offensive is coming soon to Comedy Central, which means the tapings are happening very soon. In fact, they’re staring back up weekly tomorrow July 3rd and are free to attend with RSVP at Hollywood Center Studios.
So far, you can catch Joan Rivers, TJ Miller, Marc Maron, Eric Andre, John Mulaney, Pete Holmes, Kumail Nanjiani, and more as guests and we don’t think you’ll want to miss out on that.
Of the comedians that can even articulate death in a comedic way, one of the best is Kyle Kinane.
Just check out this story at CC:Studios’ This Is Not Happening of him almost dying while Depeche Mode was playing in the background as the perfect example.
ON THE HORIZON
The Josh & Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch Thurs. Jul. 4th 8:30PM FREE
TwentyWonder 2013 @ Doll Factory Sat. Jul. 13th 6PM $40-$150
COMEDY CRAWL
Room 101 Improv @ The Clubhouse 8PM FREE
A Kiss From Daddy/Up, Up, Up! @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5
Lachlan Patterson @ Comedy & Magic Club 8PM $15/2 item min.
Patton Oswalt Residency @ Fake Gallery 8PM FREE w/RSVP (e-mail fakegallery@earthlink.net)
Smartest Man in the World LIVE w/Greg Proops @ Bar Lubitsch 8PM FREE
Meltdown @ Nerdmelt Showroom 8:30PM $8 (stand by only)
Entitlement @ Los Globos 9PM $5
Facebook @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
OPEN MIC RUN
PANINI GARDEN 2715 Main St., Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 9PM/First come, first served/10 min./No purchase necessary/Hosted by Gabby Tary and Jordan Likover
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/3 min./No purchase necessary
DANGERFIELD’S 3 2524 1/2 James M. Wood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/Lottery/3 min./$2 cover
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO. 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/One item min.
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/5 min./First come, first served/$3 min.
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/First come, first served/5 min./1 drink min.
LOS GLOBOS 3040 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/SIgn-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/Ends 10PM/First come, first served/20 5 min. spots/5 improvised set/”set list” spots/booked headliner/No purchase necessary
DAVE’S CHILLIN’ AND GRILLIN’ 2152 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM//First come, first served/No purchase necessary
ZOEY’S CAFE 185 E. Santa Clara, Ventura, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/First come, first served/10 min./No purchase necessary/Hosted by Samantha Ross
THE LEXINGTON 129 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Mixed mic/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.
BREWDOG PUB 8300 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/Ends 10PM/5 min./Lottery/1 item min.
HOUSE OF TACOS 5616 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 9PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
IMPROV JAM @ THE CLUBHOUSE 1107 El Centro, Los Angeles, CA Ste. 110/Starts 10PM after Room 101/Anyone can play/improvise/No purchase necessary
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts 11:30PM/First come, first served
5 Most Intentionally Funny Videos This Week 7/2/13 at The Nerdist
Check out this week’s picks for the funniest videos on the Internet that didn’t just happen and the camera just happened to be on like on America’s Funniest Home Videos, which is still a show by the way. Featured this week are Dave Hill, It Gets Worse, and more.
If you wish to be considered for a future 5 MIFV as they happen every week, please read the rules before submitting.
Showtime Making Tig Notaro Documentary Following Her Comedy Tour Through Houses, Backyards, Etc.
‘Knock Knock, It’s Tig Notaro’ as it is titled by Showtime for now will follow Tig as she makes her way across the country performing in people’s houses, on their roofs, in their backyards, and more. In fact, that could be your house, roof, or backyard if you have the most creative entry to have Tig perform at your house over at this submissions page.
If you’re not already thrilled at this news, please do so now because this will be pretty great.
While we’re not even going to try to verify that claim in the headline, Dead Kevin makes a good case for absolutely how to not hit on a girl (i.e. not while she’s jogging and a homeless guy is watching)
Though it’s sad to see one of LA’s best comedy shows come to an end in Holy Fuck, the show’s creator, the very funny Dave Ross, already has his next big project lined up with a Nerdist podcast.
Revealed last night at Holy Fuck’s final show, ‘Terrified’ will be a podcast wherein Dave will host and guests will likely talk, as the show’s title suggests, about what terrifies them. It starts up next week and we’re really looking forward to it as what terrifies comedians is a lot of where great comedy comes from.
Our favorite seemingly abusive husband and father (and incidentally the only one we know) Rick Jablonski (Tony Sam) gives his strongly worded, but very informative and helpful message on the dangers of fireworks this 4th of July.
Watch and listen, even if he looks like he’s day drinking in a closet.
ON THE HORIZON
Matt Fulchiron @ Jon Lovitz Comedy Club Sat. Jul. 6th 8PM $15/2 item min.
Dwayne Perkins @ Downtown Comedy Club Sat. Jul. 13th 8PM $20
Eric Andre Show LIVE @ Fonda Theatre Thurs. Jul. 16th 9PM $30
Jackie Kashian & Friends @ Hollywood Improv Sat. Jul. 27th 10PM $18/2 item min.
Tig Has Friends @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre Sat. Aug. 3rd 9PM $25
COMEDY CRAWL
The Josh & Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE
OPEN MIC RUN
HIKE MIC: ABANDONED NAZI BUNKER EDITION 1600 Amalfi Dr., Pacific Palisades, CA/Meet up at ½ mi. hike in and out/3-5 min./No purchase necessary/Hosted by Jason Van Glass & Rob Schultz
THE LEXINGTON 129 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 3:30PM/Starts 4PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
Don Rickles on Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
Jerry Seinfeld’s latest episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee has on comedy legend Don Rickles along with a luxury car from a time that Rickles couldn’t even afford half of what it would cost.
Watch at the link.
One of our favorite comedy festivals in the world is The Bridgetown Comedy Festival for so many reasons and there is a documentary now being made about it as well as the thriving comedy scene up in Portland, OR.
They’re shooting for $11,500 over the next month and we’d love this to be made and more people find out about what is oft referred to as “comedy summer camp”. Just look at the clip of Todd Glass in this sizzle reel and tell us that isn’t fun.
Don’t Miss Matt Besser’s Taping for “Besser Breaks the Record”
This Sunday at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre here is Los Angeles, one of the UCB founders, Matt Besser, will not only trying to beat multiple comedy records, but he will be recording the whole thing.
In short, you won’t want to miss this as he’s especially since he’s trying to beat out his archrival Russian comedian for many of those records.
ON THE HORIZON
@DadBoner & Friends, You Guys @ Satellite LA Tues. Jul. 9th 9PM $10
The Finkelstein Show @ UCB Theatre Tues. Jul. 16th 9:30PM $5
COMEDY CRAWL
Almost Ladies @ Lyric Hyperion Theatre & Cafe 7:30PM FREE
The Manifesto Show @ The Clubhouse 8PM FREE
Unnecessary Evil @ Westside Comedy Theater 8PM $10
Jimmy Dore @ Flappers Burbank 8PM/10PM $20/2 item min.
July 4th Party Part II Teddy Roosevelt’s Presidential Funk Pad @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10
Maria Bamford @ Flappers Claremont 8PM/10PM $20
Cat Video @ Echoes Under Sunset 8:30PM $5
Entertaining Julia @ Nerdmelt Showroom 9PM $10
Peepshow Menagerie Presents Al-Stravaganza (Weird Al Burlesque Tribute) @ Club Fais Do Do 9:30PM $10
Diamond Lion @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
SET LIST @ FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/First come, first served/must improvise set of never before seen provided set list/No purchase necessary
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/5 min./One item min.
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/5 min./First come, first served/$3 min.
MAX BLOOM’S 200 N. Malden Ave., Fullerton, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/booked show after/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
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/First come, first served/5 min./1 drink min.
SABOR Y CULTURA 5625 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 8PM/Sign-up is a lottery/3 min./No purchase necessary
BOB’S ESPRESSO 5251 N. Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/Ends 10PM/First come, first served/5 min./No purchase necessary
IMPROV JAM @ CLUBHOUSE 1107 N. El Centro Ave., Los Angeles, CA Ste. 110/Starts around 10:30PM after Manifesto Show/Anyone can play/No purchase necessary
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts 11:30PM/lottery
IMPROV CAGEMATCH @ WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St., Santa Monica, CA/Starts MIDNIGHT/Sign-up team at wctcagematch@gmail.com/improv teams go head to head/Hosted by Courtney Barnett & Joey Greer
Amazon Studios Bringing In More Comedy By Optioning Jill Soloway Half-Hour Project
Amazon Studios is still adding more comedy programming to their line-up, though in a more traditional manner. Jill Soloway, whose first foray into features with Afternoon Delight looks promising, is developing a half-hour project that just got optioned at Amazon Studios.
It’s an intriguing move by Amazon after having all of those original pilots, developed, picked up, and green lit via open submissions and customer reviews.
We Predict That SyFy Channel’s “Sharknado” Will Be a Popular Topic For Comedy
SyFy Channel over the last few years has invested in a rebirth of sorts of the niche midnight movie subgenre (i.e. movies that are so awesomely bad that they’re good) such as Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus.
With that in mind, it would almost seem with SyFy’s latest creation in another apocalyptic shark movie, Sharknado, that Doug Benson’s Movie Interruption, How Did This Get Made? with Paul Scheer, almost all comedians on Twitter, and more are in cahoots with SyFy to have movies made that they can make fun of.
Basically, you can’t tell us that a movie that combines sharks and tornadoes won’t be source material for comedy in several forms.
Though we’re a little late for posting this after the holiday, we feel that Bill Tull’s 4th of July Budget Party Tips on Conan are still relevant and, more importantly, pretty damn funny.
Watch here (especially the tip about fireworks).
Comedian Claudia O’Doherty comes from across the other pond, well, gigantic ocean is more accurate as that is what the Pacific Ocean is (and on the other side, where Australia is) to explain exactly what England is the original country from across the pond (AKA the Atlantic Ocean).
This is part of videos she’ll be making for the UK’s Comedy on 4, which we can’t wait for more.
ON THE HORIZON
You Made It Weird w/Pete Holmes Live @ Troubadour Mon. Jul. 8th 8PM $15
Totally Biased Stand-Up Tour with W. Kamau Bell @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre Sat. Jul. 20th 9PM $25
COMEDY CRAWL
Beth Stelling Hosting Charity Auction @ Amoeba Records 4PM FREE
Minor League Harold Night @ The Clubhouse 7PM FREE
Maria Bamford @ Flappers Claremont 7PM/9PM $20
Girly Magazine Party @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $10
Two Headed Beast @ Stories Books & Cafe 8PM FREE
Bil Dwyer @ Downtown Comedy Club 8PM $20
Jimmy Dore @ Flappers Burbank 8PM/10PM $20/2 item min.
Matt Fulchiron @ Jon Lovitz Comedy Club 8PM $15/2 item min.
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10 (stand by only)
Guy Branum Presents Talk Show: The Game Show @ Nerdmelt Showroom 9PM $10
All Star Saturday! @ Inside Jokes 9PM $20-$200/2 item min.
Before You Were Funny @ UCB Theatre 10PM $10
12 Shiny Nickels @ Westside Comedy Theater 11PM $10
The Midnight Show w/James Urbaniak @ UCB Theatre MIDNIGHT $5
The Tomorrow Show w/Ron Lynch @ Steve Allen Theater MIDNIGHT $8
OPEN MIC RUN
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 3:30PM/Starts 4PM/Ends 6PM/5 min./One item min.
FLAPPERS BURBANK YOOHOO ROOM 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Starts 4:30PM/First come, first served
DANGERFIELD’S 3 2524 1/2 James M. Wood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/Lottery/3-5min./$2 cover
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/5 min./First come, first served/$3 min.
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd and 4th St.)/Sign-up (lottery) 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/no purchase necessary/4 min.
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts around 11:30PM/lottery
As we announced earlier this week, Dave Ross, creator of the wonderful live show Holy Fuck, is going to have a Nerdist podcast. Terrified will start next week on Wed. July 10th featuring both Dave and a guest talking about what terrifies them, which, especially knowing Dave’s comedy will make for something really great.
Watch the teaser for Terrified here.
Inside Jokes Comedy Club & Lounge are just opening their doors tonight, which happen one of the sets of doors within the TCL Chinese Theatres (originally the famous Mann Chinese Theatres where movie premieres routinely happened). Through tonight and tomorrow, they’ll have Bill Burr, Harland Williams, Maria Bamford, Brendon Walsh, Jerrod Carmichael all play, which might be worth your while to check out if you’re in the neighborhood and parking isn’t such a hassle for you (they also have $2 parking w/validation at the Hollywood & Highland Center for 4 hrs.).
Most intriguing to us is the VIP couches going for $200 a pop at each show and who is going to go for that for live comedy.
Still Time to Submit to Salt Lake City’s Comedy Carnivale
Salt Lake City’s first comedy festival SLC Comedy Carnivale is still taking submissions up until July 15th. If you’re interested in getting into festivals as a comedic performer and it’s not too much of a hassle for you to get to Utah, then maybe you should get your submissions materials together for this.
They’re taking stand up, sketch, improv, and film by the way.