• Events
    • Los Angeles Open Mics
    • Los Angeles Shows
    • New York Open Mics
    • New York Shows
  • Book A Tour
  • Venues
  • News
  • Podcast
  • About
    • About The Comedy Bureau
    • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Digital Wall of Trustees

Recent News

divider

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 83: Mike Mulloy & Growing Grassroots
October 27, 2021
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
chappelle, faded comedy, joan rivers, la comedy scene, mike mulloy, the closer

Building your own thing in the thick of a sprawling comedy scene is beyond a tall order. If that thing is a weekly comedy show that expands into an entire brand that now has branched out to the thriving comedy scene in Denver, it’s even more impressive.

That’s exactly what one Mike Mulloy has done with Faded Comedy over the last few years, tirelessly working to make a cornerstone Friday stand-up show (one of the hardest days to pull off a weekly indie comedy show in LA, FYI) and branching out to do more shows, more cities, and do so with the comedians he digs. Faded managed to stay virtual through lockdown and keep going with a virtual presence with their weekly Happy Hours on Twitch and live-streaming in-person shows. Mulloy and TCB’s Jake Kroeger go into how Mike has carved out this niche in LA comedy as well as do “hot” (and some actually hot) takes on more Chappelle “The Closer” non-sense, the Joan Rivers biopic getting nixed, and more.

Follow Mike at @fakemikemulloy on IG and @mikemulloyesq on Twitter Faded Comedy @fadedcomedyla on IG and Twitter, Faded Denver @fadeddenver on Twitter and @fadedcomedydenver on IG, and on Twitch at fadedcomedy.com.

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

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

Pick of the Day: Newcomers at the Bell House (in NYC) 11/17
October 27, 2021
News
alysia brown, bell house, brooklyn, cody wilkins, colette mcintyre, courtney bee, dan rosen, david tveite, Fareeha Khan, gara lonning, kendall payne, kevin casey white, new york comedy, pooja reddy, sami schwaeber, simone norman, stand up comedy, walter kelly, zilla vodnas

We often get asked, “Who is next in comedy?” or “Who are the folks that are about to break; the comedians that we need to see before they blow up?”

Well, there always around and they’re always performing, but they are not often on the very same line-up.

That said, every once in awhile, such marvelous institutions like the Bell House in Brooklyn will gather together their favorites seasoned performers that deserve that shine of being on such a coveted stage. That night will be Newcomers Night at The Bell House on Wed. Nov. 17th at 8PM ET and have a plentiful spread of NYC’s best that are getting their official Bell House debut.

That’ll include:

Kendall Payne
Cody Wilkins
David Tveite
Fareeha Khan
Dan Rosen
Alysia Brown
Sami Schwaeber
Gara Lonning
Simone Norman
Pooja Reddy
Kevin Casey White
Walter Kelly
Colette McIntyre
Zilla Vodnas
Courtney Bee

Tickets are only $10 right now ($15 at door) w/proof of vaccination. Go snag your tickets right now here.

R.I.P. Mort Sahl, 1927-2021
October 26, 2021
News
mort sahl, stand up comedy

When going through the history of stand-up comedy these days, you will probably hear the name Mort Sahl brought up, probably in passing. Pryor and Carlin seem to dominate the conversation when traveling back through the decades in comedy (and you’ll probably have some discourse about Lenny Bruce as well).

That said, Sahl is very much a crucial, important figure in stand-up comedy for a cornucopia of reasons, the main one being that Mort Sahl at Sunset, released in 1955, is considered to be the first legitimate comedy album. Previous to that when the idea and concept of stand-up comedy was still being formed without comedy clubs or shows exclusively dedicated to just live comedy, the idea of having a whole piece of your work as a comedian caught on a record is a big milestone and set the precedent for hundreds, if not thousands of comedians following Sahl.

His style has also been credited as a shift in the art form with being more conversational than his contemporaries and definitely much more outwardly critical of the times than other comedians that came up with him. You might see that he has been described as a ‘contrarian’ or ‘acerbic’ in headlines reporting his passing, but it should be definitely noted that his less performative, conservational style of stand-up is the basis of so much of what you see today (as well as those other aforementioned legends, Carlin, Pryor, and Bruce).

When it came to a culture clash in the sixties, Sahl also helped break down barriers by openly speaking out against the Vietnam War, which catered to a whole new audience for him. Again, Sahl is mentioned routinely when it comes the formation of stand-up as an art form, but his significance should never be underscored.

Thus, take a deep dive into his work, whether it be via YouTube, Spotify, etc., when you get a chance.

Pick of the Day: Yosterbation (in NYC) 10/28-12/16
October 26, 2021
News
brooklyn, caroline yost, Dylan Adler, edy modia, hannah pilkes, ikechukhu ufomadu, Joe Castle Baker, Karolena Theresa, kate willett, ny comedy, rachel kaly, sabrina wu, solo show

Seeing someone develop an hour or a solo show can be one of the more rewarding things in the live comedy going experience. The ephemeral nature of newly forged jokes, bits, pieces, etc. for an hour of comedy solo on stage gives a certain urgency that can often be electric (and it’s often what we hope to see when we’re watching comedy these days).

Also, on the other hand, it’s pretty great seeing really funny people do shows live and in-person. Whichever school of thought you want to fall in line with, you definitely should catch Caroline Yost of the amazing NYC comedy group Ladies Who Ranch develop a solo show in the very hip, very hidden Life World in Gowanus in Brooklyn. Yost is such an absurdly fun force to watch on stage and it’s definitely worth you going to any one of the six shows she has lined-up starting this week.

Schedule and special guests are as follows:

10/28-Kate Willett, Joe Castle-Baker, Rachel Kaly
11/4-Karolena Theresa, Ikechukhu Ufomadu, Dylan Adler
11/18-Hannah Pilkes, Sabrina Wu, Edy Modica
12/2-a special split bill show with Sarah Wilson
12/9-TBA
12/16-TBA

All shows are at 8PM ET (doors 7:30PM ET) and tickets are only $11 (proof of vaccination required). Go RSVP and snag your tickets here.

Get Ready to Learn More of How To (with Things You Took For Granted) with John Wilson (Season 2 Teaser)
October 25, 2021
News
hbo, how to with john wilson, john wilson, season 2, teaser

The wholly surprising and endearing (and acclaimed and also, very funny) docu-series How To with John Wilson is set for its second season in just about a month, thankfully, right after Thanksgiving.

Wilson slyly charmed with his deftly edited documentary footage of everyday life in NYC, but focusing on hyper specific niches, like scaffolding or wrapping furniture in plastic (and, of course, the humanity that is behind all of that). Based off of the teaser for this second season, we’re pretty sure there’ll be episodes on how to parallel park, how to move apartments by yourself, and how to get ready in the morning when you’re in a rush.

Whatever the episodes end up being, we’re thrilled to get another round of Wilson’s lens of minutia of the sweetness of life that we so often overlook, especially if you’re caught up in the tornado that is life in NYC.

Look for season 2 to premiere Fri. Nov. 26th on HBO/HBO Max.

Pick of the Day: (the in-person return of) Tomorrow! with Ron Lynch (in LA) [Saturdays Starting 10/30]
October 25, 2021
News
elysian theater, los angeles comedy, midnight show, ron lynch, variety show

Tomorrow! with Ron Lynch is as venerable as a LA comedy variety institution can be. Beloved by night owls or folks who only stay out past midnight every once in a blue moon, Tomorrow! has been faithfully stewarded by Ron (the show co-founded by Brendon Small and Craig Anton, FYI) for several years to bring the best in the weird, wonderful, amazing, bizarre, and hilarious whether it be stand-up, characters, puppets, music, magic, juggling, sword swallowing, or straight up just interrupting the show.

Ron didn’t stop the show when lockdown due to COVID-19 happened, but, instead, took it to IG Live and kept it going every Saturday at 11PM for however long it has been since March 2020.

Now, some things are starting to get right with the world as Tomorrow! with Ron Lynch is returning to being an in-person weekly show and going back to STARTING AT MIDNIGHT (it was going at 11PM at Lyric Hyperion for awhile) and at the brand spankin’ new Elysian Theater. The very first round of beautiful, hysterical absurdity and chaos is set for this Sat. Oct. 30th at midnight and this first one is free to attend (so long as you RSVP and have proof of vaccination.

RSVP right now right here.

Pick of the Day: Zach Zucker Residency-Work in Progress (in LA) 10/24-10/29
October 22, 2021
News
clowning, los angeles comedy, residency, solo show, yard theater, zach zucker

We sincerely hope that in the last several months, whether in LA or NYC (or even London) that you’ve got to catch the insanely fun comedy/clowning/character/music variety extravaganza that is Stamptown. If so, you’ve gotten to take in the masterful comedic verve of Zach Zucker (as the character Jack Tucker) and be taken on one hell of a ride.

Zucker also is so damn, amazingly funny as himself doing his own non-Jack Tucker bits and characters (as evidenced by touring the globe and winning awards at festivals everywhere and pretty much anyone who has seen him go up live). So, it stands to reason that you shouldn’t miss his next solo show, which, thankfully, has a residency here in LA at the Yard Theater in East Hollywood.

Zach will be doing a work-in-progress show over six nights starting this Sun. Oct 24th, going through Fri. Oct. 29th at tickets are only $5.

Here’s Zach’s specific date and times:

Sunday Oct 24th: 7pm
Monday Oct 25th: 9pm
Tuesday Oct 26th: 10pm
Wednesday Oct 27th: 10:30pm
Thursday Oct 28th: 10pm
Friday Oct 29th: 9pm

Again, you can get tickets for any of these dates here. Also, just saying, he’s playing our Double Anniversary show on 10/25 at 8PM too if you wanna catch him there.

Roy Wood Jr.’s 3rd Special “Imperfect Messenger” to Premiere on 10/29
October 21, 2021
News
comedy central, roy wood jr, stand up

At a time where we’re in a bit of stand-up special desert (though there’s plenty of tapings happening right now, so that’s going to change real, real soon), Roy Wood Jr. is going to have his 3rd special, Imperfect Messenger, at Comedy Central.

In fact, because there seems to be a race to get back to putting comedy specials back on screen on a more regular basis, Roy just taped this special last week on 10/16 and they’re turning it around really fast to premiere on Comedy Central next Fri. on Oct. 29th at 7:30PM ET/10:30PM ET.

We were lucky enough to get a bit of sneak peek while we were in NYC at Caveat and, unsurprisingly, it’s really, really good. Wood Jr.’s powers of observations seem to be at their height and he definitely doesn’t avoid talking anything and everything that happened in the last year and a half. To that point, this might be one of the first network comedy specials with an in-person audience on this side of the pandemic, which will undoubtedly be its own very intriguing niche (just like all those virtual and drive-in specials were something unto themselves).

Kevin Hart’s Laugh out Loud and The Sundance Institute Pick Their First Three for Women Write Now Fellowship
October 21, 2021
News
danielle nicolet, kevin hart, laugh out loud, moni oyedepo, sundance institute, wilandrea blair

More and more these days, there are an increasing number of initiatives and fellowships to put marginalized groups in those lead creative positions that would truly shift the tide in terms of real representation and inclusivity when it comes to TV/movies/content.

The newly forged collaboration between Laugh Out Loud and the Sundance Institute has made for the Women Write Now fellowship for prospective black female creators that will have selected fellows and their respective scripts developed and produced for an actual streaming deal on Peacock (as well as a development deal for one of the fellows). That’s better than a lot of these fellowships as the general pubic usually has no access to what fellows are making.

For this first go around of the Women Write Now fellowship, Wilandrea Blair, Danielle Nicolet, and Moni Oyedepo have been selected and will be lead by the creative forces of Yamara Taylor as well as Leigh Davenport, Val Boreland, Zainab Johnson, and more in addition to Gabrielle Dennis, Meagan Good, and Bresha Webb as directors.

Be sure to look out for Blair, Nicolet and Oyedepo’s projects on Peacock soon.

Pick of the Day: Kwaczala-Palooza (in NYC) 10/25
October 21, 2021
News
brad evans, clare o'kane, irene morales, Jeremy Levick, kenice mobley, nick ciarelli, ny comedy, Rajat Suresh, tommy mcnamara

In the worlds of stand-up and sketch (and Rock N Roll Hall of Fame podcasts), Joe Kwaczala is favorite staple of the LA comedy scene for his sharply crafted and often collaborative absurdity (especially in his video short series that he’s done over the years, 31 for 31 and 21 for 21. His bringing that ingenious silliness to NYC next week at the one and only Union Hall along with many of NYC’s best that are artisans of the comedic arts themselves.

Called Kwaczala-Palooza (perhaps there will be a game with how many times fast you can say that?), Joe will be gathering the comedy stylings of:

Nick Ciarelli & Brad Evans

Tommy McNamara

Kenice Mobley

Irene Morales

Clare O’Kane

Jeremy Levick & Rajat Suresh

That’ll all go down in Brooklyn at Union Hall on Mon. Oct. 25th at 10PM ET and tickets are only $10. If you’re not going to our anniversary show in LA on 10/25 because you’re in NYC, you really ought to go to Kwaczala-Palooza.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 82: Jeena Bloom & Forward Moving Needles
October 20, 2021
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
chappelle, history of the world part 2, jeena bloom, mel brooks, netflix walkout, tarantino, trans comedy

There is so much happening with comedians that are trans that has nothing to do with Dave Chappelle. This week’s guest, the splendid Jeena Bloom, is proof positive that there is much to be celebrated and enjoyed with the comedic stylings of many trans men and women just like comedians of any other background. That includes stand-up, TV, movies, podcasts, etc. as well as thorough discussion of local neighborhoods in LA and NYC (neighborhood maps per the podcast conversation linked below). Also, “hot” takes on Mel Brooks’ History of the World Part 2, Tarantino thinking about doing a comedy, and, oh yeah, that Chappelle mess over at Netflix (NOTE: this podcast was recorded on 10/19/21, the day before the #NetflixWalkout).

Follow Jeena @jeenabloom on Twitter and IG

For reference, as promised, here are neighborhood maps of LA (Frogtown is denoted as Elysian Valley for some reason) and NYC

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

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

Pick of the Day: Unprotected Sets (in LA) 10/26-10/29
October 20, 2021
News
ali siddiq, chad daniels, chanel ali, emma willmann, epix, free show, los angeles comedy, louis katz, lynne koplitz, ronnie jordan, the mint, tom thakkar, tv taping, unprotected sets
Unprotected Sets, Epix’s pretty unfiltered stand-up series, is not only returning to do another go around with a handful of very damn funny folks, but they’re going to up the ante by having each of them do an hour special, which you can (and very much should) go see in LA (especially no one really gets to truly headline around these parts very much).
The likes of Ali Siddiq, Tom Thakkar, Emma Willmann, Chad Daniels, Louis Katz, Chanel Ali, Lynne Koplitz, and Ronnie Jordan are all taking over the gorgeous Mint on Pico from 10/26-10/29. The tapings will be absolutely free to attend so long as you RSVP as well as have proof of vaccination and take a rapid COVID-19 antigen test.
The schedule for the tapings are as follows:
Tuesday, Oct 26 @ 7:30pm PT — ALI SIDDIQ
Tuesday, Oct 26 @ 9:30pm PT — TOM THAKKAR
Wednesday, Oct 27 @ 7:30pm PT — CHANEL ALI
Wednesday, Oct 27 @ 9:30pm PT — EMMA WILLMANN
Thursday, Oct 28 @ 7:30pm PT — CHAD DANIELS
Thursday, Oct 28 @ 9:30pm PT — LOUIS KATZ
Friday, Oct 29 @ 7:30pm PT — LYNNE KOPLITZ
Friday, Oct 29 @ 9:30pm PT– RONNIE JORDAN
You can go snag your free tickets at tblus.com/unprotectedsets. Do so right now (The Mint is a pretty intimate venue, so they’ll likely go fast).

Pick of the Day: Rod Stewart Live: The Return of James Austin Johnson and Sarah Squirm (in LA) 10/27
October 19, 2021
News
james adomian, james austin johnson, los angeles comedy, permanent records roadhouse, rod stewart live, sarah squirm, solomon georgio

It was only a few short weeks ago that LA comedy favorites James Austin Johnson and Sarah Squirm were plucked to be on SNL and blazing a trail ever since. SNL is taking a week off and letting them do whatever they want, which, thankfully, includes coming back to LA and getting in on shows here once more.

One of them will be the show that JAJ help found, Rod Stewart Live, now happening at Permanent Records Roadhouse in the Eastside’s Glassell Park this coming Wed. Oct. 27th at 8PM PT. They’ll be joined by an equally fantastic bill of Solomon Georgio and James Adomian and RSL co-hosts Sam Wiles and Zach Pugh.

The show is only $10 (proof of vaccination required). Go get your tickets here before they sell out (they usually sell out anyway and we bet this’ll go even faster.

Mel Brooks Will Finally Get to Make History of the World Part 2 (as a Series on Hulu)
October 18, 2021
News
history of the world pt 1, history of the world pt 2, hulu, ike barinholtz, mel brooks, nick kroll, wanda sykes

Almost more unbelievable than 1981 being 40 years ago, Mel Brooks is going to finally have the follow up to his History Part of the World Part 1 and it’s going to be a series on Hulu.

Says Mel Brooks, “I can’t wait to once more tell the real truth about all the phony baloney stories the world has been conned into believing are History!” We wonder how he’ll cover the rise of disinformation in the 2010s.

We’ll be throughly curious to see what Brooks’ sense of humor, which is so thankfully intact at his advanced age of 95, will be like in 2022. The first movie got mixed reviews, but, perhaps, something as ponderous as the history of the world, even in parody form, will be better presented as a series. Also, the mix of creatives involved should prove for a fascinating blend of generations of comedy. Including on the producing/writing team are such comedy luminaries as Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, and Ike Barinholtz to name a few and, with that in mind, we wonder if the series can go even bluer than the original movie.

We’ll just have to wait until later in 2022 as production starts in spring next year.

In case you are unfamiliar with Brooks’ History of the World Part 1, here’s the trailer.

The Elysian Is Going to Be Another Great, Brand New, Shiny LA Comedy Venue
October 18, 2021
News

It can’t be overstated how brutal this past year and a half and some change has been on live comedy (and, the world, of course). So many venues everywhere closed and, especially in LA, there has been an air of uncertainty as to what the way forward and where that place to head to might be.

Fortunately, things like The Glendale Room and now, The Elysian Theater, are making up for a lot of the live comedy vacuum that grew out of all live performance going dark (save for virtual performances from all of our apartments or whatever warehouse folks could get access to). The Elysian has actually been around since 1927, but hasn’t been nearly as active in recent years, especially when it comes to the very active LA comedy scene. Now, with the amazing Kate Banford (former head of The Good Good Comedy Theatre in Philadelphia) at the helm, The Elysian is poised to be another go-to comedy destination LA. You’ll very likely spot us there for how much cool sh*t they have on their calendar already (our 10/25 Double Anniversary Show being the first show there).

Already slated are shows from Jamie Loftus, The Shrimp Boys, Caleb Hearon & Brian Robert Jones, and plenty more to come.

Also, they take pitches for shows at your convenience. Get more details about shows, how to volunteer, put up a show, etc. at The Elysian Theater at elysiantheater.com and be sure to follow them @elysiantheater on Twitter and IG.

Pick of the Day: 5 Dates on Stage with Blake Rosier (in LA w/Livestream) 10/19-10/23
October 18, 2021
News
5 dates on stage, blake rosier, los angeles comedy

After doing the marathon of live-streaming 5 days of living and performing in a theater, the daring Blake Rosier is both upping the ante with his next feat/performance and one-upping The Bachelor franchise at the same time with 5 Dates on Stage.

Blake will indeed be going on 5 different dates over the course of this week and having different costumers, make-up artists, therapists, comedians, and etc. take him through one of the most risky versions of speed dating we’ve ever heard of. On top of that, Blake will do his old marathon performance practice of only being fed what is brought to him. Unlike any sort of dating competition show, this will ACTUALLY be unscripted and full of the sort of chaos that things like Love Island try to manufacture. Already, Blake has taken over Nessa Barrett’s billboard in order to promote the show, so you ought to know that truly anything can happen.

Rosier will be once again taking over Oh My Ribs at 6468 Santa Monica Blvd. for 5 Dates on Stage with Blake Rosier starting Tues. Oct. 19th through Sat. Oct. 23rd with the actual dates happening at 7PM PT-12AM PT each night. You can stroll in to see one hell of a comedy/live performance experiment in person or stream it (as well as anything off hours) at youtube.com/blakerosier.

Big Mouth Season 5 Trailer Introduces Hate Worms and Love Bugs
October 15, 2021
News
andrew goldberg, big mouth, jessi klein, nick kroll

Hormone Monsters, Shame Wizards, Depression Kitties, and more have been whimsical, absurdly funny creatures of the Big Mouth universe that, as far as we know, goes as hard in on truthful, uncompromising humor of what puberty and adolescence is really like as any other movie or TV series has in the history of the moving image.

Through four seasons, the celebrated adult animated series has been so hysterically crass and yet so heart-wrenching, yet so sweet all in one package and always bringing new ways to marry magical realism and the unflinching truth, often based on the lives of its creators/writers.

The upcoming fifth season of Big Mouth seems like it’ll carry such a hallowed torch of this hormone driven fairy tale world and include new additional anthropomorphic concepts as cute-ish creatures, Love Bugs and Hate Worms. We have no doubt that’ll hit a nostalgic emotional nerve just like they have throughout the past four seasons.

You can get a taste of what that’s like here in the official trailer for season 5 of Big Mouth, just released today (and, as such, we’ll be curious to see if this will enter the fray of Netflix’s growing firestorm Chappelle controversy as other Netflix comedy talent has lashed out at the streaming giant in response to Chappelle’s The Closer).

All episodes stream Fri. Nov. 5th on Netflix.

Pick of the Day: Vulture Festival (in LA) 11/13 & 11/14
October 15, 2021
News
henry winkler, hollywood roosevelt, insecure, mira sorvino, niecy nash, romy and michelle, the great

While NYC is having it’s big ol’ New York Comedy Festival, LA isn’t just quietly having another week of the same (albeit, partially open) exciting comedy happening either.

The Vulture Festival is set to return to the Hollywood Roosevelt for an in-person edition on Saturday Nov. 13th and Sunday Nov. 14th. Vulture always assembles some of the most fun, curious, astounding panels and events for their LA based fest and this year is no different.

Just from this initial line-up announcement, there will be a “pre-union for Insecure, Mira Sorvino watching along with a screening of Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion, a panel for The Great, and an hour of Niecy Nash’s time. Of course, there will be way more announced (probably a showcase of their annual, high profile Comedians You Should and Will Know list?)

For now, you can get tickets and more info at vulturefestival.com. If you’re already all in for this, you can snag a festival pass for $300.

Pick of the Day: Incel Fest (in LA) 10/16
October 14, 2021
News
comedy show, la comedy, los angeles

So much of live comedy right now has been stand-up comedy, primarily as it was one of the easier types of live performance to pull in regards to COVID-19. That said, for much of the time that stand-up comedy has been inching its way back, there’s a lot of amazing improv, sketch, character folks that has been hanging in limbo.

Thankfully, with vaccination mandates in place, there’s a bit more of a window to do more sorts of comedy including some of the stranger, hysterical, category-defying things as will very likely be done at this weekend’s Incel Fest in Hollywood.

Ryan Asher & Jordan Cohen are assembling a lot of LAs funniest, best weirdos for a “demented night” of comedy (where, in truth, there will probably be zero incels and mostly just ingenious bits and characters). Still, Mike O’Brien, Scott Egleston, Annie Paradis, Annie Weis, Danny Sellers, Sam Walt Jones, and System of a Dong should make Incel Fest a night seared into your brain for how wild (and hilarious) it will be.

Incel Fest is happening at the theater space at  1312 N. Wilton this Sat. Oct. 16th at 7:30PM PT. Tickets are $15 and we think you better go snag yours fast.

Adult Swim Festival Is Going Virtual Once Again 11/12 & 11/13
October 14, 2021
News
adult swim, adult swim festival, aqua teen hunger force, jo firestone, joe pera, Negin Farsad, rick & morty, Squidbillies, virtual festival

Whether you feel the pandemic is over or not, it’s undeniable that this past year and a half has shown the reach one could have by broadcasting a live performance onto the interwebs.

That’s probably part of why the Adult Swim Festival is doing another virtual edition that will feature the same sort of treasured collection of performers it would have in person, but from the convenience of YouTube (and HBO Max). Just over a month from now, you can, for free, tune into “never-before-seen” live performances form the likes of such Adult Swim comedy darlings as Jo Firestone, Joe Pera, Rick & Morty, Negin Farsad, Squidbillies, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. We have no doubt they’ll add more to the line-up as Thurs. Nov. 11th & Fri. Nov. 12th comes closer.

With that in mind, set a reminder to tune into this year’s virtual Adult Swim Festival and all its weird and wondrous virtual glory here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 81: Caitlin Cook & New New York Comedy
October 13, 2021
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
aj holmes, caitlin cook, dave chappelle, new york comedy festival, nyc comedy, that 90s show, the closer

One of the more wide ranging comedy multi-hyphenates we know, Caitlin Cook, joins us as a musical comedian/writer/director/designer/illustrator to not only give us the lowdown on how in flux the NYC comedy scene is (even though it’s supposedly “back”), but the vast spread of projects she has taken on. That includes directing the fantastic solo show/musical hybrid, A.J. Holmes: Yeah, But Not Right Now, working on her own original music, comedy and otherwise, and gearing up to go back on the road (and a million other things as doing all that you can at all times is a prerequisite in NYC comedy). Also, “hot” takes on Chappelle, The New York Comedy Festival, That 90s Show, and more.

Follow Caitlin @thecaitlincook on IG and Twitter and get tickets to the final weekend of AJ Holmes: Yeah, But Not Right Now at aj-holmes.com.

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

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

Pick of the Day: Good Heroin (Actually Returns) 10/23
October 13, 2021
News
comedy show, dave ross, stand up comedy, stories echo park

One of LA’s very best comedy shows, the Saturday Echo Park cornerstone in the scene was and is Good Heroin @ Stories.

The back patio of Stories, the neighborhood book store, cafe, venue in Echo Park is one of our all time favorite haunts. We could wait to crane our neck from the pavement into their lovely patio to watch Dave Ross lead off a stellar stand-up show several weeks ago. Unfortunately, the Delta variant of COVID-19 put the return of Good Heroin on pause for a bit.

Thankfully, the wait is over and LA numbers of COVID-19 cases have been trending down since proof of vaccination requirements have started popping up around the city.

So, we’re thrilled that Dave has announced Good Heroin finally coming back Sat. Oct. 23rd. The show is at 8PM per usual, though you should come early if you want a good seat. The line-up hasn’t been announced yet, but you can rest assured it’s many of the LA scene’s favorites coming out of their comedy sabbaticals through lockdown.

Pick of the Day: The Comedy Bureau Double Anniversary LA 10/25
October 12, 2021
News
anniversary, byron bowers, clown zoo, dave ross, hannah einbinder, james adomian, la comedy, reggie watts

Not only are we celebrating our 10th and 11th years keeping the lights on TCB (again, we weren’t going to mark a decade of being a comedy institution by doing a show on Zoom), but we’re doing double the anniversary by doing it up with our favorite comedians on either coast. The NYC Double Anniversary is happening this Fri. Oct. 15th at Union Hall 7:30PM ET (get your tickets while you still can) and then we have the LA Double Anniversary at LA’s shiniest, new venue, The Elysian (located in Frogtown at 1944 Riverside Dr.) on Mon. Oct. 25th at 8PM PT.

It’s a dream line-up of our absolute favorites from past, present, and future, in and around all corners of comedy including:

  • James Adomian
  • Hannah Einbinder
  • Reggie Watts
  • Dave Ross
  • Byron Bowers
  • Clown Zoo

Also, TCB’s founder and director (and so many other things) Jake Kroeger will be serving as host.

Tickets are only $15 and you best get your tickets right here right now. If you somehow pull off going to both shows, we’ll give you one of our limited edition enamel pins that usually reserved for our top Patreon backers.

Yes, Jena Friedman Picks Apart the Sexual Proclivities In and Around Murder Cases in “Indefensible” (Exclusive Clip)
October 12, 2021
News
indefensible, jena friedman, sundance tv

Jena Friedman is doing the work of whatever higher power you believe in with her brand new SundanceTV true crime comedy series, Indefensible. She is not only succinctly and very sharply going in as investigative journalist revisiting horrifically botched murder cases, but sticking some satiric truth to some of the faces responsible for justice not being served to known and convicted killers.

A la her work on Soft Focus, Jena is so deft in her back-and-forth with many of the lawyers and experts that she interviews, they’re left in a pocket of absurdity that’s so funny, yet so representative of how the American legal system currently functions.

Take a gander at how Jena follows the strangeness of this interview with a defense attorney in a particularly heinous murder case in regards to sexual habits of middle aged men here in this exclusive clip.

Then, make sure you mark your calendars (or cork board full of red string) for Thurs. Oct. 14th at 11PM on Sundance TV for the series premiere of Indefensible. 

Third Annual (HBO & NYLFF) Latino Stand Up Competition Now Taking Submissions
October 11, 2021
News
hbo, hbo latino, new york latino film festival, open call, stand up competition

It’s a little wild to think an entire year has past since the last Latino Stand Up Competition, but here we are, yet again. HBO and the New York Latino Film Festival have once more partnered up to search for the best Latino/Latina/Latinx comedians across the U.S. to feature at the New York Comedy Festival next month and to give a special to the winner of the whole damn thing.

All you have to do as a Latino/Latina/Latinx comedian is submit a 3-5 minute of your stand-up for consideration for the competition. This is the third year of the HBO/NYLFF Latino Stand Up Competition and it’s still free to enter!

Get rules, specific deadlines, and instructions on how to submit here until 10/22 here.

.@HBO in partnership with the @NYLFF and VIVA Pictures, are now accepting submissions for the third annual Latino Stand-Up, a national competition in search of the best Latino stand-up comedians in the country: https://t.co/YqBbW6L43e pic.twitter.com/fD6A27brT8

— HBO PR (@HBOPR) October 8, 2021

« Recent News
Older News »

Recent News

divider

  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 284: Nikolai Phalen & Dreaming Big Comedy Dreams (and Often in English) in Barcelona - Many of you are constantly pondering what's mutating in the Austin comedy scene, but not… Read More
  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 283: Jackie Kashian & Finding Joy in Rage - Jackie Kashian has long been and continues to be one of our absolute favorite comedians… Read More
  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 282: Chandler Dean & Sparking Joy Through Abolishing Everything - Oft these days, the question, "How do you do comedy in times like these?", gets… Read More

Sign up For The Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 The Comedy Bureau
All rights reserved