For some reason, some people are of the opinion that Nathan Fielder isn’t a fun person.
Fielder wanted to squash any such notion and, of course, took to do so on his own terms with an extensive scientific test that would prove he’s fun on Nathan For You.
ON THE HORIZON
Angie Tribeca Screening @ UCB Sunset Inner Sanctum Thurs. Dec. 10th 2:30PM FREE
An Evening with Mindy Kaling @ LACMA Tues. Dec. 15th 7:30PM $25
COMEDY CRAWL
Elf @ New Beverly Cinema 2PM $6
Transparent Season 2 Viewing Party + Pot Luck @ Cinefamily 4PM $25
Bert Kreischer @ Irvine Improv 7PM $20/2 item min.
Cristela Alonzo @ Ontario Improv 7PM $20/2 item min.
We Can Fix You @ UCB Sunset 7PM FREE
We Fancy Comedy @ Riviera 31 at Sofitel 7PM FREE
Harold Lloyd’s World of Comedy + Laurel & Hardy’s Laughing 20′s @ New Beverly Cinema 7:30PM $8
2 Girls 1 Pup @ Tailwaggers LA 7:30PM $5
Gravid Water @ UCB Franklin 7:30PM $5 (stand by only)
That’s Gold @ Bootleg Theater 7:30PM FREE
The Imaginary Radio Program with Drennon Davis @ The Satellite LA 8PM $8
Harmontown @ Nerdmelt Showroom 8PM $10
Hurt White Feelings @ The Lost Knight 8PM FREE
The Master Cleanse @ Boardner’s 8PM FREE
Top Story Weekly! @ iO West 8PM $5
An Evening with Judd Apatow & Friends-Birthday Show @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre 8:30PM $100 (sold out)
SOS Comedy Show @ The Clubhouse 8:30PM FREE
Tenants of the Trees: Stand-Up & Vinyl @ Tenants of the Trees 8:30PM FREE
Babe Island @ Bigfoot Lodge 9PM FREE
Church @ UCB Sunset 9PM $5
Circus Du SoSethward Show @ The Winona Riders’ Outpost 9PM
The Faculty @ Nerdist School 9PM FREE
French Toast @ Taix 9:45PM FREE
Shitty Jobs @ UCB Franklin 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Search History @ UCB Franklin 11PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
BLACKLIGHT DISTRICT LOUNGE 2500 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA/Starts 12PM/Ends 4PM/First come, first served/10-20 min./Hosted by Spencer Kalander
ROCKPAPER COFFEE 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 4PM/Ends 6PM/5 min./One item min./Hosted by Chelsea Skidmore
SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 4:30PM/Starts 5PM/Lottery/Hosted by Lizzy Pilcher
VENICE GRIND 12224 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/Lottery/5 min./Mixed mic/2-3 songs for musicians/Hosted by Shanon O’Donnell/No purchase necessary
IMPROV JAM @ NERDIST SCHOOL 7518 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/For improvisers only/Anyone can play/No purchase necessary
55 DEGREE WINE 3111 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM/Ends 10PM/5 min./Lottery/1 item min./Hosted by Michelle Christine
IMPROV JAM @ WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio City, CA/Sign up in advance at aaron@theworldnyc.com/Starts 7PM/Ends 8:30PM/For improvisers only/No purchase necessary/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio City, CA/Sign up in advance at aaron@theworldnyc.com/Starts 8:30PM/Ends 11PM/First come, first served/6-8 min./$5 cover/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
LYRIC HYPERION THEATRE 2106 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 9PM/Lottery/3 min./No purchase necessary/Hosted by Ashley Hamilton, Joel Jimenez, Roman Fraden, and/or Kat Yeary
NEXT STAGE THEATRE 1523 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 10:30PM/Starts 11PM/First come, first served/6 min./No purchase necessary/Hosted by Tarikh Joseph
LIQUID ZOO 7214 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/First come, first served/7 min./One drink min.
THE COMEDY STORE BELLY ROOM 8433 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 11PM/Lottery/3 min./No purchase necessary/Hosted by Erik Marino and Brian Moses
Coca-Cola’s My Coke Rewards let Grant Lyon run loose as a some dude who is really excited about this time of year, perhaps too much, and want to spread his oversaturated holiday spirit to passersby walking along the Santa Monica Promenade.
If you run into Grant decked out in Christmas lights, etc., it’s hard to not feel a least little more into holiday season.
(via The Hollywood Reporter)
Sounds like it fit right in next to Veep and Silicon Valley.
All of the high concept comedy over at HBO largely shows the shaky inner-workings of giant, taken-for-granted institutions like the office of Vice President or the tech sector.
Their latest addition to their development slate, Brotherhood, seems to follow suit by following a secret, rebellious organization at a Baptist university bent on partying and circulating their humor magazine. The project comes from acclaimed playwright of Hand to God, Robert Askins and will be directed by Jonathan Krisel whose work you’ve seen on Portlandia and Man Seeking Woman.
Hopefully, we’ll see if it makes it to pilot or series soon.
Togetherness is riding high with its acclaim on the wave of grounded comedy exploring relationships on television. Also, series creators Mark and Jay Duplass have seem to hit the ground running when they gave TV a shot.
This season 2 teaser for Togetherness makes it look like they’ll be keeping all of that up when the season premiere rolls around on Sun. Feb. 21st at 10:30PM on HBO.
Just like you can have Tig Notaro at your party, you can now have Nick Offerman, in his element with Lagavulin scotch in his hand, at whatever holiday shin-dig you’re at.
In fact, you get 45 min. of bearded, peaty, warm background right here.
We’re in the thick of awards season. Talk of this show and that movie and Game of Thrones and Spotlight may be well deserved, but we’re definitely focused on who is taking home a Channy for outstanding achievement in making a 5 minute TV show that’s not on your cable box, Netflix, etc. like Kill The Baby (which dominated this year’s awards), King of YouTube, and Natasha.
So, without further adieu, your 2015 Channel 101 Channy Award Winners are:
BEST FAILED PILOT: The Mysterious Deejaying of the Asshole Upstairs, Steve Huey
BEST VFX / MAKEUP: Santiago, Jen Grable
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Kill The Baby, Nate Cornett
BEST CRINGE MOMENT: Tie between Kill The Baby, “Isaac Eats Baby Poo” Dave Geis & Senior Flowers, “Sex With A Pig” Chris Lee, Cullan Bruce & Willy Roberts
BEST VOICE PERFORMANCE: Kill The Baby, Demorge Brown
BEST SUPPORTING / GUEST STAR PERFORMANCE – MALE: King of Youtube, Spencer Strauss
BEST SUPPORTING / GUEST STAR PERFORMANCE – FEMALE: Kill The Baby, Erin McGathy
BEST EDITING: Kill The Baby, Ariel Gardner
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE: King of Youtube, Paul Isakson
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE: Stupid Bitch, Nichole Bagby
BEST WRITING: Tie between Kill The Baby, Alex Kavutskiy & Ariel Gardner & Markees Saves, Matt Hill & Markees Christmas
BEST DIRECTING: Kill The Baby, Alex Kavutskiy & Ariel Gardner
BEST SHOW: Kill The Baby
If you’re not familiar with any of these fantastic, innovative, defying-in-every-way shows, please get obsessed with them over at Channel 101 right now.
ON THE HORIZON
High and Tight Comedy @ Manly and Sons Barber Co. Tues. Dec. 8th 9PM FREE
Joe Mande @ Hollywood Improv Sun. Dec. 13th 8PM $15/2 item min.
COMEDY CRAWL
Comedy Central’s @midnight w/Chris Hardwick @ Hollywood Center Studios 2:45PM FREE w/RSVP
The Smokes @ UCB Franklin 6:30PM $5
Everybody’s Great @ The Clubhouse 7PM FREE
Big Long Sets @ UCB Sunset 7PM $5
Harold Lloyd’s World of Comedy/Laurel & Hardy’s Laughing 20′s @ New Beverly Cinema 7:30PM $8
Greg Proops Film Club: Palm Beach Story @ Cinefamily 7:30PM $12
Cool Thanks @ UCB Sunset Inner Sanctum 8PM FREE
Hot Tub with Kurt Braunohler & Kristen Schaal @ The Virgil 8PM $5 in adv., $8 at door
In Vino Veritas @ Colorado Wine Company 8PM FREE
Opera Meets Improv @ The Groundlings 8PM $12
The Blind Barber’s Secret Show @ The Blind Barber 8PM FREE w/RSVP (RSVP full)
Harold Night @ UCB Franklin 8PM/9:30PM $5
Midollo @ Osso 8:30PM FREE
The Business LA @ Little Joy Cocktails 9PM FREE
FRINGE with JC Coccoli @ 1739 Public House 10PM FREE
An Sho(w) @ UCB Sunset 10:30PM $5
Crash Test @ UCB Franklin 11PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio City, CA/Sign-up in advance or attend as audience at aaron@theworldnyc.com/ Starts 3PM/Ends 4:30PM/6-8 min./No purchase necessary/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
NERDMELT SHOWROOM 7522 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/3 min./Lottery/No purchase necessary
ROCKPAPER COFFEE 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 4PM/Starts 6PM/End 8PM/First come, first served/One item min.
OH, HEY GUYS @ UCB SUNSET INNER SANCTUM 5419 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6:30PM/Storytelling only/8 min./4-5 slots only/Lottery/No purchase necessary
IO WEST 6366 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:15PM/Starts 6:30PM/Ends 8PM/Lottery/3-5 min.
ANCHOR BAR 2675 Irvine Ave., Costa Mesa, CA/Starts 7PM/Sign-up at evan@dudelyjones.com
THE PIG & WHISTLE 6714 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/First come, first served/$5 cover (cover counts for additional set on different week)/5 min./Hosted by Sally Mullins and Jud Travis
PALADINO’S 6101 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/Ends 8:40PM/First come, first served/6 min./1 item min./Hosted by Du Kirpalani
THE WAREHOUSE LOUNGE 4499 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA/Starts 7PM/Ends 7:45PM/First come, first served/5 min./8 spots only/No purchase necessary
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio City, CA/Sign-up in advance or attend as audience at aaron@theworldnyc.com/ Starts 8PM/Ends 9:30PM/6-8 min./$5 cover for performers/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7:30PM/no purchase necessary/first come, first served
THE GOOD NITE 10721 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:20PM/Ends 9:30PM/Lottery/1 item min./3-5 min./Hosted by Ever Mainard, Lindsay Adams, and Caitlin Bergh
ECHOES UNDER SUNSET 1310 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 8:15PM/Lottery at start for first 20 spots/Rolling lottery after that/One item min.
PALADINO’S 6101 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/Ends 10:40PM/First come, first served/6 min./1 item min./Hosted by Du Kirpalani
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio City, CA/Sign-up in advance or attend as audience at aaron@theworldnyc.com/ Starts 9:30PM/Ends 11PM/6-8 min./$5 cover for performers/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
MELODY LOUNGE 939 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 9:45PM/Starts 10PM/Lottery/1 item min./Hosted by Terrence Newman and Alex Hanna
BIG WANGS 1562 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 10:30PM/Starts 11PM/1 item min./First come, first served
PALADINO’S 6101 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana, CA/Sign-up 10:30PM/Starts 11PM/Ends 12:30AM/First come, first served/6 min./1 item min./Hosted by Du Kirpalani
NEXT STAGE THEATRE 1523 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 10:30PM/Mixed mic/$1-2 donation/First come, first served/Hosted by Jasmin Leigh
IMPROV JAM @ THE CLUBHOUSE 1607 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts around MIDNIGHT after booked show/For improvisers only/Anyone can play/No purchase necessary
Midnight on Adult Swim.
It’s been two years since Delocated came to a close, but Jon Glaser finally returns with a brand new show tonight.
Glaser’s latest work, which started only as a late night bit, is making its TV debut tonight. Glaser will don all neon and unrealistic, badass weaponry to hunt werewolves as Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter.
You’ve got just over a month before there’s new Portlandia to watch. Specifically, you only have to wait until Thurs. Jan. 21st at 10PM on IFC for the season 6 premiere.
In the meantime, you can whet your artisanal, cage free, gluten free, organic-with-a-bird-on-it appetite with an in-depth inside look into what they’ve got in store for the new season…
…the guest stars including Louis C.K., Mitch Hurwitz, and Steve Buscemi…
…along with various bits of season 6 scattered throughout…
…and some surprises that are a first for the show.
It’s interesting to note that all the nominated comedy albums were album versions of comedy specials.
Out of the 83 categories that The Grammys span, two categories always have comedy offerings: Best Spoken Word Album and Best Comedy Album.
This year, the comedy nominees are:
BEST SPOKEN WORD ALBUM (INCLUDES POETRY, AUDIO BOOKS & STORYTELLING)
Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, And Assorted Hijinks-Dick Cavett (Macmillan Audio)
Yes Please-Amy Poehler & Various Artists (Harper Audio)
BEST COMEDY ALBUM
Back To The Drawing Board-Lisa Lampanelli (Comedy Dynamics)
Brooklyn-Wyatt Cenac (Other Music Recording)
Happy. And A Lot.-Jay Mohr (Lolflix Inc.)
Just Being Honest-Craig Ferguson (Lionsgate Records)
Live At Madison Square Garden-Louis C.K. (Comedy Dynamics)
As mentioned above, each of the comedy album nominees are albums derived from a comedy special that was released or aired over the last year or so. That hasn’t always been the case, but there are a lot of lower profile albums that were so great that didn’t have the benefit of having a televised special to accompany it like Mary Mack’s Pig Woman. That’s not to say someone like C.K. isn’t deserving of a nomination, but we just wish there was a wider seeming scope in the field of nominees.
Hopefully, that’ll change in the coming years even if they have to add another category or two.
Want to have your comedy web series, video, short film, podcast, album, special, book, audio book, essay, stand-up, improv, sketch, play, variety show etc. featured and/or listed at The Comedy Bureau?
Well, just send us your stuff at thecomedybureau@gmail.com for consideration! If we dig it, we’ll post about it or list it. We love discovering new folks, troupes, and more, so don’t feel intimidated in ever sending anything in.
Three things:
1) For now, we’re based in LA, so if you’re submitting a show for listing, please have it been within the Greater LA area. Otherwise, we’ll take in anything else to be potentially featured from anywhere else in the world.
2) Do keep in mind that we’re short staffed, so keep your submissions brief (i.e. don’t send EPK or extensive bios/descriptions) so we can get through submissions as quickly as possible.
3) Please submit recent work only i.e. anything that’s been posted or released from beyond two weeks of your submission. We like keep things fresh at the Bureau.
(via Variety)
Stephen Falk is slowly, but surely on his way to becoming a comedy maven and we’re all for it.
You’re The Worst has garnered a lot of attention to FXx and, FX Networks has smartly rewarded the people behind the series, Stephen Falk. Falk has an overall deal, which has already been able to put to use with the addition of a comedy somewhat based on the life of You’re The Worst writer Alison Bennett and an adaptation of Danny Wallace’s Join Me from Franklin Hardy and Shane Kosakowski, who are both also You’re The Worst writers.
Don’t be surprised if FXx has a significant portion of Falk-produced shows in its line-up very soon.
(via Indiewire’s The Playlist)
Per usual, Wes Anderson is rounding up his usual suspects of Hollywood’s most celebrated.
Already, Bryan Cranston, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban, and Edward Norton are in Wes Anderson’s latest film, which will be made with stop motion animation and focused in on dogs. If that wasn’t already alluring enough to the Wes Anderson faithful, Bill Murray will be a voicing dog in a story that Murray describes as “Japanese”.
At this point, we’d wager that Wes wouldn’t have to make a trailer for people to see this movie.
If you’ve somehow not seen any HBO over the last couple of years and are wondering what all the fuss is about, this is a pretty good opportunity.
As a gift from HBO and their streaming service HBO NOW, you can now watch and share the first episodes of 12 series within their vast acclaimed catalog, free of charge.
This includes Veep, Girls, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Silicon Valley, and Eastbound & Down.
Get into it (or back into it as the case may be for many of you) here.
One of Los Angeles longest running independent comedy institutions, UnCabaret, has been releasing collections of some of their favorite performers, some of which are unfortunately no longer with us. So far, they’ve made a collection of performances from Taylor Negron and now have gathered up a selection of performances from the late writer and comedian Judy Toll.
Before Toll passed away in 2002, she had written for anything from Curb Your Enthusiasm to Boy Meets World to Red Shoe Diaries. You can only imagine what sort of comic mind can successfully span a range of shows like that.
As a stand-up, she was fiercely honest and personal, but had such a spirited persona that convinced crowds to take the fun, self-deprecating ride through her life of tumultuous love, weight-loss/gain, etc.
Shareaholic is the only album that’s currently available, entirely recorded live at various performances at UnCabaret from years ago. You can get it now from Comedy Dynamics.
ON THE HORIZON
Fitzdog Radio’s 500th Episode @ The Comedy Store Belly Room Wed. Dec. 9th 8PM $12/2 item min.
Crave @ Secret Westside Location Tues. Dec. 15th 8:30PM $15
COMEDY CRAWL
Comedy Central’s @midnight w/Chris Hardwick @ Hollywood Center Studios 2:45PM FREE w/RSVP
Luck of the Draw @ Nerdmelt Showroom 7PM $10
Tuesday Club @ UCB Franklin 7PM $5
Performance Anxiety @ The Pleasure Chest 8PM $7
Cole Escola Is I’m Doing My Show in LA @ The Virgil 8PM FREE
Creep Show @ Malo 8PM FREE
Gandhi, Is That You? @ Westside Comedy Theater 8PM $5
Happy New Year! The Show @ The Clubhouse 8PM FREE
Put Your Hands Together @ UCB Franklin 8PM $5
An Sho(w) @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $8
Legitimate Goddamn Theatre @ UCB Sunset 8:30PM $5
Rhys Darby’s Saying Funny Things Society @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre 8:30PM $30
Blamblamblam!!! @ R-Bar 9PM FREE w/password: november rain
Sleepaway Camp @ Downtown Independent Theater 9PM FREE
An Evening with Ron Lynch @ Nerdmelt Showroom 9PM $10
High and Tight Comedy @ Manly and Sons Barber Co. 9PM FREE
Reggie Watts and Karen @ El Cid 9PM $10
Twelve. Twenty. Forty Five @ Bar Lubitsch 9PM $5
We’re Having Fun Here @ The Palace Restaurant 9PM FREE
Skyler Stone’s Comedy Rocks @ Hollywood Improv 10PM $20/2 item min. (sold out)
Roast Battle @ The Comedy Store Belly Room 10:30PM No cover/2 item min.
The National Midnight Society @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10:30PM $5
Outside Dog Gets One Star @ UCB Sunset 10:30PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio City, CA/Sign-up in advance or attend as audience at aaron@theworldnyc.com/ Starts 3PM/Ends 4:30PM/6-8 min./No purchase necessary/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Starts 6PM/Stand-up, sketch, improv all welcome/Lottery/5 min.
HOLLYWOOD IMPROV 8162 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM/Starts 5:45PM/Ends 8PM/Lottery/3 min./No purchase necessary
KIBITZ ROOM @ CANTER’S 419 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 7PM/No vulgarity or screaming/5 min. w/any purchase, 3 min. w/o/Hosted by Burt Teplitzky
AMSTERDAM CAFE 10905 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/Ends 8PM
JUST BE YOURSELF (STORYTELLING) @ UCB SUNSET INNER SANCTUM 5419 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6:30PM/Send a brief description of your character bit and the amount of time you’ll need (not to exceed 6 minutes) to justbeyourselfucb@gmail.com/There will be limited tech (microphone, maybe a music cue)/Hosted by Greg Tuculescu/Hal Rudnick/Mary Holland/Marques Ray/Kirby Howell-Baptiste
SHORT STOP 1455 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:45PM/Starts 7PM/4 min./Lottery/Hosted by Brian Elder and Krystal LaFianza-Pitzen
THE CLUBHOUSE 1607 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM/Lottery/Ends 8PM/Hosted by Chuck Watkins and Doug Mellard/No purchase necessary
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO. 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 4PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/One item min.
SWORK COFFEE 2160 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/Hosted by Vince Caldera and Luis Lemus
THE LOST KNIGHT 1538 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/Ends 11PM/Mixed mic/Lottery/1 item min./Hosted by Virginia Jones and Olivia Haidar
COFFEE GALLERY 2029 Lake Ave., Altadena, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/5 min.
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Starts 7:30PM/mixed mic
PEDONE’S PIZZA 1332 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/5-7min.
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St., Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd St. Promenade & 4th St.)/Starts 8PM/Lottery/3-5 min./$1 cover/Hosted by Felicia Folkes
THE ROAR ROOM 3645 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta, CA/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 8:30PM/Ends 10PM/7-10 min./Hosted by Nelson Ventress
CAFE UNURBAN 3301 W. Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 9PM/Sign-up is lottery/No purchase necessary
THE GARAGE 3387 Motor Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up at RMopenmic@gmail.com by Mon. at noon/Starts 9PM/10 lottery spots will be picked before show/5 lottery spots at show/7 min./Hosted by Michelle Miracle
THE PALACE RESTAURANT 2112 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 9:45PM after booked show/Lottery/4.5 min.
THE CANBY 19312 Vanowen St., Reseda, CA/Sign-up 8:15PM/Starts 9PM/8 min./$3 min./Hosted by Amanda Jane
ECHOES UNDER SUNSET 1310 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 10PM/Ends 12AM/Rolling lottery/4 min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts 10:30PM/Lottery/4 min./1 item min./
THE LEXINGTON 129 E. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 9PM/Starts 10:30PM after booked show/Ends 12AM/No purchase necessary
IMPROV JAM @ THE CLUBHOUSE 1607 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts around 11PM/Anyone can play/No purchase necessary
IMPROV JAM @ NEXT STAGE THEATRE 1523 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 11:30PM/For improvisers only/Donations accepted/Hosted by James Dean
The former host of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart, did indeed make a return to said Daily Show last night. He wasn’t filling in for Trevor, as his t-shirt and jeans might suggest, or there to promote some book or movie he was working on. Stewart only sought the platform to make sure that the Zadroga Bill, which ensures proper health care for 9/11 first responders, will be renewed.
As longtime fans of The Daily Show know, Stewart is at his most affecting when he’s fired up about the issue and he did so in the two segments he got last night.
Phoenix, AZ is getting a brand new comedy festival, The Bird City Comedy Festival, and in its inaugural year, it’s taking submissions for stand-up, sketch, improv, and more. The festival is taking place on the weekend of Apr. 8th going through to Apr. 10th.
Right now, the submission fee is $15 until the early deadline of Dec. 15th, then $25 for the final deadline on Jan. 15th, 2016.
Learn more here and submit here.
For Billy on the Street’s latest trick, they show the long, terrifying road to exiting the Church of Scientology. Rather done in some sobering documentary by Alex Gibney, Billy Eichner made an obstacle course with the theme specific to Leah Remini’s recent escape from Scientology and enlisted Rachel Dratch to make a run through it.
It’s just another brilliant day at the offices of Billy on the Street. Watch Scientology look more fun than it’s ever seemed here.
More and more answers seem to come from someone who not only listens to comedy podcasts, but thinks that they’re culturally relevant enough to be on Jeopardy.
In its 32nd season on the air, Jeopardy! stands an television landmark and the topics, of which they derive their answers from, have a certain distinction within history and pop culture.
Just in the past month, both the great comedy podcasts Superego, Greg Proops’ Smartest Man in the World, and Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast have been mentioned as answers.
Jeopardy! mentioned @goSuperego! Amazing – well done! @MattGourley @PFTompkins @markmcconville @ShuntMcGuppin pic.twitter.com/9YwsxkiKg8
Hey! The Smartest Man in the World @GregProops Podcast was a question on the Smartest show in the world @Jeopardy!! pic.twitter.com/prnI4O50UZ
Thank u to all our fans for making #GGACP a success & a question on @Jeopardy RT & SUBSCRIBE https://t.co/AwsNK8H1ol pic.twitter.com/pz15fqpVVY
We don’t know how rigorous the vetting process for the writing the answers that contestants have to guess the right question for, but it’s obvious that podcasts are within the zeitgeist enough and potentially have enough staying power to make into the realm of the renowned trivia show in existence.
Also, whoever came up with those questions seems to have particularly good taste in podcasts as well.
UPDATE: the someone/whoever we’re referring to appears to be Jeopardy! writer Mark Gaberman.
Let us know if you see any other Jeopardy! answers that are comedy podcast related @thecomedybureau on Twitter and we’ll add it to this post
Esteemed film critic Elvis Mitchell has made a name for himself for years through his insights on cinema at NPR and KCRW. With that, his voice, look, and persona capture a certain spirit of dry, high brow film theory discussions.
For Channel 101, DeMorge Brown sent up Elvis Mitchell in a faux interview series called ScreenShots with Elvis Mitchell that is, well, what it’d be like you were watching an Elvis Mitchell interview while tripping on acid.
Even if you’re not familiar with Mitchell or Channel 101, you can agree that more one-on-one interviews should be as otherworldly as they are here.
Variety’s Artisans web series visited Starburns Industries where Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson’s Anomalisa was made to get in on the inner workings of how a character is sculpted for a nuanced, layered, complex dramedy.
They chatted with sculptor Carol Koch and, as you might imagine, there was a great, insightful collaboration between her and Kaufman & Johnson.
ON THE HORIZON
An Animated Evening with Lance Bangs at Animation Breakdown 2015 @ Cinefamily Thurs. Dec. 10th 10PM $12
The Goddamn Comedy Jam @ The Lyric Theatre 9PM $10-$20
COMEDY CRAWL
LV at VLVT @ Velvet Lounge 7:30PM $15
Fitzdog Radio’s 500th Episode @ The Comedy Store Belly Room 8PM $12/2 item min.
Idiots @ The Clubhouse 8PM FREE
Scot Nery’s Boobie Trap @ Way 2 Much Entertainment 8PM $25
Smartest Man in the World w/Greg Proops @ Bar Lubitsch 8PM FREE
The Crazy Uncle Joe Show @ The Groundlings 8PM $14
The Ho Ho Show @ Hollywood Hotel 8PM FREE
Doug Loves Movies @ UCB Franklin 8PM $5
The Meltdown with Jonah & Kumail @ Nerdmelt Showroom 8:30PM $8 (stand by only)
Maude Night @ UCB Sunset 8:30PM $5
Radio Picture Show @ The Virgil 8:30PM $8
The Black Version @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre 8:30PM $30
Bear Supply @ Westside Comedy Theater 9PM $5
Rod Stewart Live! @ La Cuevita 9PM FREE
Venice Underground @ Townhouse & The Del Monte 9:30PM FREE
Facebook @ UCB Franklin 9:30PM $5
Heyday @ iO West 9:30PM $5
How to Not Kill Yourself for 30 Days… and the Next 330 @ The Groundlings 10PM $12
XX Factor @ UCB Sunset 10:30PM $5
King Ten @ iO West 10:30PM $5
Cagematch @ UCB Franklin 11PM $5
OPEN MIC RUN
KARMA LOUNGE 3954 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 5:30PM/5 min./First come, first served/Hosted by Heather Turman/1 item min.
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/First come, first served/3 min./25 spots only/counts as audtion/1 item min.
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO. 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 4PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/One item min.
VINADORE CAFE 8157 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/6 min./$5 min. purchase/Hosted by Stuart Thompson
B.Y.O.S. SKETCH OPEN MIC @ UCB SUNSET INNER SANCTUM 5419 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sketches only/Starts 6:30PM/5 page/5 min. max/Lottery/12-13 slots only/No light/sound cues/Hosted by Beth Appel or Tim Neenan
BRIX 16635 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA/sign-up on day of at facebook.com/sunsetbeast/ Starts 7PM/Booked spots mixed in/Hosted by John Silver
THE GRANDVIEW MARKET 12210 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 6:45PM/Mixed mic/4 min. for comedy/1 song for musicians/No purchase necessary/Hosted by Matt Curti
THE MOTH @ BUSBY’S EAST 5364 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Doors at 6:30PM/Starts at 7:30PM sharp/5 min. stories on theme of “on a dime” required/10 spots picked by lottery only/$8 cover at door, $16 in adv.
PALADINO’S 6101 Reseda Blvd., Tarzana, CA/Sign-up 6:45PM/Starts 7PM/Ends 9PM/First come, first served/7 min./No purchase necessary
THE CLUBHOUSE 1607 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM/Ends 8PM/Hosted by David Venhuizen, Dan Gill, and Colin McCormick/No purchase necessary
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio City, CA/Sign-up in advance or attend as audience at aaron@theworldnyc.com/ Starts 8PM/Ends 9:30PM/5-8 min./$5 cover/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/First come, first served/7 min./$4 min./Hosted by Nick Costas
CORK’S LOUNGE 5043 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA/Starts 8:30PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary/Hosted by Aaron Marsh
LIQUID ZOO 7214 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM w/one drink min./Starts 9PM/first come, first served/7 min.
DROME COMEDY OPEN MIC Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up in advance only at SM@gr3d.com/Starts 9PM/10 spots only/5 min./Broadcast live at dromebox.com/archived on archive.org/ Bring a memory stick for HD version of your set/No purchase necessary
O’HARA’S BAR 1000 Gayley Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 8:45PM/Starts 9PM/Lottery/5 min./No purchase necessary/Hosted by Jonathan Kim
GLENDORA CONTINENTAL 316 W. Route 66, Glendora, CA/Starts 9PM/5 min./1 drink min./Hosted by Julia Loken
HOOTERS 6922 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/Lottery/4 min./No purchase necessary/Presented by Stephen Holleman, Joleen Lunzer-Hernandez, Kirsten Alberts, Tom Mcnaughton
WORLD COMEDY STUDIOS 12413 Ventura Court, Studio City, CA/Sign-up in advance or attend as audience at aaron@theworldnyc.com/ Starts 9:30PM/Ends 11PM/5-8 min./$5 cover/Sets will be livestreamed to audience that potentially could “tip”/pay you online
THE OYSTER HOUSE 12446 Moorpark St., Studio City, CA/Sign-up 9:30PM/Starts 10PM/Can sign-up at http://www.iansalmon.com/showsopen-mic-night.html/ Ends 1AM/First come, first served/5 min./Hosted by Ian Salmon
ECHOES UNDER SUNSET 1310 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 10PM/Rolling lottery/1 item min./Hosted by Mike Schmidt, Heather Hanford, and Jason Flood
IMPROV JAM @ THE CLUBHOUSE 1607 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA (next to Jons)/Sign-up 9PM/Starts 9:40PM after booked show/for improvisers/Anyone can play/No purchase necessary
THE COMEDY STORE BELLY ROOM 8433 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 10PM/Ends 1AM/3 min./Lottery/No purchase necessary/Hosted by Jay Light and Frank Castillo
KARMA LOUNGE 3954 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts 10:30PM/Mixed mic/4 min. or 2 short songs/Get a ticket for assigned slot after purchase/First come, first served/30 spots only/Hosted by Adam Feuerberg and Tim Delone
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts 10:30PM/Lottery/3-5 min./1 item min.
Most of these nominations are, by now, the usual awards season suspects.
The nominees for this year’s Screen Actors Guild Awards, coming up on Jan. 30th, have just been announced. As far as comedy is concerned, the perennial favorites are around again: Veep, Modern Family, Louis C.K., Key & Peele, Transparent, The Big Bang Theory. Some inclusions of note among the field are Bill Murray for his special that was just released very recently, Kristen Wiig for The Spoils Before Dying, and Carol Burnett receiving a lifetime achievement award.
See the rest of the comedy nominees below and the full list here.
Unlike The Emmys thought, The SAG Awards have put Orange Is The New Black and Shameless into consideration in the comedy category and both garner nominations.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
BILL MURRAY “A VERY MURRAY CHRISTMAS” (Netflix)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
KRISTEN WIIG “THE SPOILS BEFORE DYING” (IFC)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)
LOUIS C.K. / Louie – “LOUIE” (FX Networks)
WILLIAM H. MACY / Frank – “SHAMELESS” (Showtime)
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)
JEFFREY TAMBOR / Maura Pfefferman – “TRANSPARENT” (Amazon)
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren – “ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK” (Netflix)
EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)
ELLIE KEMPER / Kimmy Schmidt – “UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT” (Netflix)
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)
AMY POEHLER / Leslie Knope – “PARKS AND RECREATION” (NBC)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)
MAYIM BIALIK / Amy Farrah Fowler
KALEY CUOCO / Penny
JOHNNY GALECKI / Leonard Hofstadter
SIMON HELBERG / Howard Wolowitz
KUNAL NAYYAR / Rajesh Koothrappali
JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper
MELISSA RAUCH / Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz
KEY & PEELE (Comedy Central)
KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY / Various Characters
JORDAN PEELE / Various Characters
MODERN FAMILY (ABC)
JULIE BOWEN / Claire Dunphy
TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy
AUBREY ANDERSON EMMONS / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
JESSE TYLER FERGUSON / Mitchell Pritchett
NOLAN GOULD / Luke Dunphy
SARAH HYLAND / Haley Dunphy
ED O’NEILL / Jay Pritchett
RICO RODRIGUEZ / Manny Delgado
ERIC STONESTREET / Cameron Tucker
SOFIA VERGARA / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
ARIEL WINTER / Alex Dunphy
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Netflix)
UZO ADUBA / Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren
MIKE BIRBIGLIA / Danny Pearson
MARSHA STEPHANIE BLAKE / Berdie Rogers
DANIELLE BROOKS / Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson
LAVERNE COX / Sophia Burset
JACKIE CRUZ / Marisol “Flaca” Gonzales
CATHERINE CURTIN / Wanda Bell
LEA DELARIA / Carrie “Big Boo” Black
BETH FOWLER / Sister Jane Ingalls
JOEL MARSH GARLAND / Scott O’Neill
KIMIKO GLENN / Brook Soso
ANNIE GOLDEN / Norma Romano
DIANE GUERRERO / Maritza Ramos
MICHAEL J. HARNEY / Sam Healy
VICKY JEUDY / Janae Watson
SELENIS LEYVA / Gloria Mendoza
TARYN MANNING / Tiffany “Pennsatucky” Doggett
ADRIENNE C. MOORE / Black Cindy
KATE MULGREW / Galina “Red” Reznikov
EMMA MYLES / Leanne Taylor
MATT PETERS / Joel Luschek
LORI PETTY / Lolly Whitehill
JESSICA PIMENTEL / Maria Ruiz
DASCHA POLANCO / Dayanara Diaz
LAURA PREPON / Alex Vause
ELIZABETH RODRIGUEZ / Aleida Diaz
RUBY ROSE / Stella Carlin
NICK SANDOW / Joe Caputo
ABIGAIL SAVAGE / Gina
TAYLOR SCHILLING / Piper Chapman
CONSTANCE SHULMAN / Yoga Jones
DALE SOULES / Frieda
YAEL STONE / Lorna Morello
SAMIRA WILEY / Poussey Washington
TRANSPARENT (Amazon)
ALEXANDRA BILLINGS / Davina Rejennae
CARRIE BROWNSTEIN / Syd Feldman
JAY DUPLASS / Josh Pfefferman
KATHRYN HAHN / Raquel Fein
GABY HOFFMANN / Ali Pfefferman
CHERRY JONES / Leslie Mackinaw
AMY LANDECKER / Sarah Pfefferman
JUDITH LIGHT / Shelly Pfefferman
HARI NEF / Gittel/Gerson
EMILY ROBINSON / Rose Boymelgreen
JEFFREY TAMBOR / Maura Pfefferman
VEEP (HBO)
DIEDRICH BADER / Bill Ericsson
SUFE BRADSHAW / Sue Wilson
ANNA CHLUMSKY / Amy Brookheimer
GARY COLE / Kent Davidson
KEVIN DUNN / Ben Cafferty
TONY HALE / Gary Walsh
HUGH LAURIE / Tom James
PHIL REEVES / Doyle
SAM RICHARDSON / Richard
REID SCOTT / Dan Egan
TIMOTHY SIMONS / Jonah Ryan
SARAH SUTHERLAND / Catherine
MATT WALSH / Mike McLintock
52nd Annual SAG Life Achievement Award
CAROL BURNETT