Recent News

After This Kimmel Appearance, Please Put Megan Stalter on Late Night More Often (or Just Give Her a Show)

August 17, 2021

jimmy kimmel live, megan stalter

There is a small cadre of folks that get how to do a late night panel appearance. Often, they usually involve doing a bit from out of left field separate from the perfunctory interview that is aimed at promoting something that they’re doing. Eric Andre, Adam Pally, and Will Ferrell are particularly aces at this.

Now, it would seem we have a brand new entrant into the club with Megan Stalter’s joyous debut late night appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as she dazzled the Kimmel audience and guest host Maren Morris by entering as the “Prettiest Girl in the World”. The chaotic good that Stalter exudes in her comedy is pretty perfect for the late night couch (or would even be pretty great behind the desk) as you can see in the interview here.

Between her stand-up, Hacks, and appearances like these, it seems pretty clear to us that Stalter should get her own show in the very not so distant future (or at least make the rounds on all of late night).

Pick of the Day: Lady to Lady LIVE! Outside Show! (in LA) 9/5

August 17, 2021

babs gray, brandie posey, la comedy, lady to lady, live podcast, ryan nemeth, tess barker

One of the very last shows that we watched before lockdown was a fantastic live edition of the splendid podcast Lady to Lady with venerable hosts Babs Gray, Brandie Posey, and Tess Barker. Per usual, it was a wild variety of some of LA’s best stand-up (Maria Bamford happened to be on that show), crazy games, live music, and their resident hunk, Ryan Nemeth.

Thankfully, on this side of the pandemic, Lady to Lady is returning to the stage, this time on the charming patio of Permanent Records Roadhouse, one of LA comedy’s newest, shiniest venues. Babs, Brandie, and Tess’ first time back since before lockdown is set for Sun. Sept. 5th and will go monthly on the first Sunday of the month with doors at 7PM PT. Tickets are $12 right now and we suggest that you snag them here.

Hopefully, this means they will bring back their adult baby contest in the not so distant future.

Wyatt Cenac Signs Overall Deal with Warner Brothers Animation and Cartoon Network Studios

August 16, 2021

cartoon network, warner brothers animation, wyatt cenac

Over several years, Wyatt Cenac has already had a journey of a career taking him from stand-up to King of the Hill to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to releasing the first comedy record after the 2016 election to having his own HBO Max series, Problem Areas with Wyatt Cenac that weaved comedy into socio-economic and political discourse.

Yet, we feel, even as he has just signed a deal to develop and produce animated content for all ages across WarnerMedia platforms along with Cartoon Network Studios, Cenac has still a lot more territory to cover in comedy. His love of puppets and cartoons throughout his career (he included puppets in his last comedy special) has us excited to see what comes from this deal and what Wyatt will come up with, especially as he has long been a go-to voice for being mindful about the systemic issues of our times.

The one year that his album was nominated for a Grammy, we had hoped he would win. Cenac didn’t take home a Grammy then, but, now, we hope that he could gain much more deserved accolade with the plethora of projects that are sure to sprout from this deal.

Pick of the Day: Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend LIVE (in LA) 11/3

August 16, 2021

conan o'brien, conan o'brien needs a friend

Sure, Conan O’Brien has stepped down from his late night talk show that he was hosting for decades, but that doesn’t mean that Conan O’Brien is anywhere near done with comedy. The Team Coco empire that he’s built over the last several years continues to grow these days and is still as alive and kicking it has ever been.

In fact, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, the lead podcast for Team Coco, is set to do its very first live show/taping later this year. Wed. Nov. 3rd will be when Conan, Matt Gourley, and Sona Movsesian (and very special TBA guests) take over the Wiltern and make personal history for Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend after building to being one of the best comedy podcasts around that let us peer in on a Conan O’Brien free from the constraints of a late night network talk show (in addition to regularly getting competitive with Matt and Sona).

Tickets for this very first Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend LIVE will go on sale on Fri. Aug. 20th 10AM PT here, but available for Team Coco Newsletter subscribers on Wed. Aug. 18th at 10AM PT.

The New York Comedy Festival Announces Its 2021 Headliners

August 16, 2021

Alok, brian regan, colin quinn, gary gulman, marc maron, megan stalter, michelle buteau, michelle wolf, new york comedy, nick kroll, norm macdonald, ny comedy festival, ronny chieng

Michelle Wolf, Nick Kroll, Colin Quinn, Marc Maron, Megan Stalter, Michelle Buteau, Norm MacDonald, Gary Gulman, Ronny Chieng, Brian Regan, Alok, Smart Funny & Black Live!, Bill Maher, Andrew Santino, Vir Das, and Tim Dillon are all set to be the top billing of this year’s New York Comedy Festival, which is, indeed happening in person from Nov. 8th-14th.

Though the Delta variant continues to surge COVID-19 throughout America, it would seem that the comedy festival slated for the fall are still in pushing forward, setting the stage for, perhaps, the normal annual schedule of SF Sketchfest, SXSW, Edinburgh Fringe, etc. all coming back to their festivities in person. While that is already quite the mix of headlining acts, that is only the tip of the iceberg as there is a cornucopia of other shows and performers that will take part in NYC’s annual big time comedy shin dig.

You can just take a gander of what’s to come with the headliner schedule below:

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8th
COLIN QUINN: THE LAST BEST HOPE – 7:00PM – LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9th
COLIN QUINN: THE LAST BEST HOPE – 7:00PM – LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10th
COLIN QUINN: THE LAST BEST HOPE – 7:00PM – LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE
VIR DAS: MANIC MAN WORLD TOUR – 7:00PM – TOWN HALL

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11th
TIM DILLON – 7:00PM – BEACON THEATRE
COLIN QUINN: THE LAST BEST HOPE – 7:00PM – LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE
MICHELLE WOLF – 7:00PM – TOWN HALL
NORM MACDONALD – 7:30PM & 10:00PM – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12th
MEGAN STALTER – 7:00PM – BMCC TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
RONNY CHIENG: THE HOPE YOU GET RICH TOUR – 7:00PM – TOWN HALL
NORM MACDONALD – 7:00PM & 9:45PM – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY
JON LOVETT’S LOVETT OR LEAVE IT – 7:00PM – BEACON THEATRE
SMART FUNNY & BLACK LIVE! – 7:00PM – APOLLO THEATRE
COLIN QUINN: THE LAST BEST HOPE – 7:00PM & 9:00PM – LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE
NICK KROLL – MIDDLE-AGED BOY TOUR – 8:00PM – CARNEGIE HALL

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13th
ALOK – 7:00PM – BMCC TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
NORM MACDONALD – 7:00PM & 9:45PM – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY
MARC MARON – 7:00PM – TOWN HALL
BRIAN REGAN – 7:00PM – BEACON THEATRE
COLIN QUINN: THE LAST BEST HOPE – 7:00PM & 9:00PM – LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE
GARY GULMAN: BORN ON THIRD BASE – 8:00PM – CARNEGIE HALL
AN EVENING WITH BILL MAHER – 8:30PM – HULU THEATER AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN
MICHELLE BUTEAU: BITCH GOTTA BABYSITTER – 9:45PM – TOWN HALL

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14th
NORM MACDONALD – 7:00PM – CAROLINES ON BROADWAY
TITO CHEETO TOUR: ANDREW SANTINO LIVE – 7:00PM – TOWN HALL

If you’re curiosity has already been peaked from just this first announcement, note that you can get tickets starting next week on Aug. 23rd at nycomedyfestival.com (there is a Citi Cardmemeber pre-sale running from Aug. 18th-22nd, FYI).

“Mentally Al” to Highlight Pioneering Comedian Al Lubel

August 13, 2021

al lubel, documentary, mentally al, trailer

If you religiously watched all the stand-up on late night in the hey day of Carson or the earlier years of Letterman, you might have come across a curiosity of a comedian and performer named Al Lubel. Also, maybe you went to one particular edition of Tomorrow! with Ron Lynch, LA’s midnight variety show institution and saw Al use every angle possible to get a laugh out of saying his name.

The character of one Al Lubel, even now with as strange and boundary pushing as comedy has gotten, still stands out and that is part and parcel to Al’s uncompromising, pioneering spirit in his comedy. That ethos is part of why a whole documentary, Mentally Al, has been made about him featuring interviews with the likes of Judd Apatow, Sarah Silverman, Andy Kindler, and Kevin Nealon. The other reason is following him in his relative obscurity despite all his accolades.

If you want to trace the threads of what qualifies as alt/indie/weird comedy (even when it gets a little edgelord-y or “anti-comedy”), you might be very interested in this upcoming doc.

Get a taste of all of this for yourself in the trailer for Mentally Al here, then look out for its premiere on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Spectrum, Google Play, YouTube and more on Tues. Aug. 24th

Pick of the Day: The Neil Hamburger Event (in LA) 9/26

August 13, 2021

la comedy, neil hamburger, zebulon

We can remember the last Neil Hamburger and Special Guests that we went to so vividly. It was the end of 2019 and we were at the then-still-alive Satellite in Silverlake and so many of us didn’t know or didn’t want to admit what was coming, so we were just gathering indoors without thinking there was anything really wrong.

Thus, we got to enjoy one of LA’s longest standing residencies by a comedian, Neil Hamburger, trash various musicians while coughing hoarsely and holding way too many rocks glasses as we have gotten to do for years and years and years.

The Satellite LA is no more and, because of COVID-19, there hasn’t been a top-billed Neil Hamburger show in so many, many months. However, that’s changing as The Neil Hamburger Event is set to take over Zebulon come Sun. Sept. 26th at 8PM PT. You really ought to snag your tickets now (and hopefully nothing has to get rescheduled because of the Delta variant). They’re $14.76 and you can get ’em here.

What We Do In The Shadows Sensibly Ordered for a Season 4 (Also, the Season 3 Trailer)

August 13, 2021

Thank goodness that FX has the good sense to renew one of the funniest shows on television (that, by the way, hasn’t even gotten close to getting the sort of awards recognition it deserves). What We Do In The Shadows is just about to premiere its 3rd season on Fri. Sept. 3rd on FX (then next day on Hulu) after the entire length of the pandemic thus far (the second season begun pretty much at the beginning of lockdown in the U.S.).

Season 3 is thankfully arriving just in time for people headed back inside as the Delta variant continues to virulently surge across the planet, infecting hordes of unvaccinated folks and looks like they’ll be wasting no time in raising the stakes with Guillermo’s secret identity, a power struggle in the Vampiric Council, and even more mysterious powers possessed by Colin Robinson. Get a juicy, juicy taste of it here.

Hopefully, season 4 will get underway sooner rather than later and, when the time comes for that season premiere, COVID-19 will be behind us.

UnFOURseen riches. #ShadowsFX has been renewed for season 4! pic.twitter.com/hpTAUtxhrS

— What We Do In The Shadows (@theshadowsfx) August 13, 2021

Trailer for St. Vincent and Carrie Brownstein’s “The Nowhere Inn” Promises a Meta Rock Mockumentary

August 12, 2021

carrie brownstein, ifc films, nowhere inn, st vincent

Decades ago, the unbridled fun that This Is Spinal Tap had poking fun at overly serious hair metal sparked a whole genre of mockumentary that is still alive and well to this day.

Nowhere Inn, the meta mockumentary, seems poised to carry on that very specific torch with St. Vincent and Carrie Brownstein attempting to make a St. Vincent rock documentary, but “ending up” making a “documentary” about making a rock documentary that follows the unraveling of ego and the infectious allure of fame. So, somewhere between This Is Spinal Tap, Guy Maddin’s My Winnipeg, Portlandia, and the entire spirit and aesthetic of St. Vincent lies The Nowhere Inn. They may sound like quite a cosmic mix, but, personally, we can’t wait to see it the first chance we get.

See all of this yourself in the official trailer for The Nowhere Inn here, then look for it to stream and play theaters in North America starting Sept. 17th.

Pick of the Day: I’m Glad My Mom Died (in LA) 9/3-9/25

August 12, 2021

hudson theatre, i'm glad my mom died, jennette mccurdy, la comedy, solo show

One of the most riveting, darkest, yet, still so marvelously funny solo shows we’ve seen in our time is, without a doubt, Jennette McCurdy‘s I’m Glad My Mom Died about “…how her mom’s death went from being the worst thing that ever happened to her to the best thing.” McCurdy’s showbiz career was covered in the pall of her mother’s omnipresence, which Jennette uses to set the perfect stage for the thesis of the show.

The uncompromising vulnerability and catharsis from McCurdy’s stories in this hour accented with very clever production still sticks with us fondly to this day from a few years ago (or maybe eons depending on what the pandemic has done to your sense of time). In fact, this very well might be one of the most cathartic shows you’ll see that has nothing to do with COVID.

She’s going to do a run of I’m Glad My Mom Died at the Hudson Theatre in Hollywood for vaccinated audiences on Fridays & Saturdays from Sept. 3rd-Sept. 25th at 8PM PT. Tickets for opening weekend are $17.50 and then $22.50 after that. Please go get tickets for one of those dates ASAP.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 72: Jared Goldstein & LA in NYC

August 11, 2021

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

jared goldstein, nicole byer, the white lotus

LA comedy scene favorite, Jared Goldstein, is having a splendid whirlwind of a time in NYC, doing all the shows, taping a Comedy Central Featuring set, and even running into comics he used to be intimidated by (when starting in LA) that now live and grind in NYC. Don’t worry, there are no LA vs. NYC jokes here (that’s so very early 2000s).

That said, Jared and TCB’s Jake Kroeger speed through this ep. on “New York minutes” and run through Jared’s extended stay in NYC and lots of comedy headlines including Nicole Byer’s first hour Netflix special, The White Lotus getting renewed for season 2, and more.

Follow Jared on Twitter and IG @heyjaredhey

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

Get Your First Look at “The Other Two” Season 2

August 11, 2021

drew tarver, hbo max, helene yorke, molly shannon, other two, season 2

Though it received heaps of praise in its first season on Comedy Central, the road to the second season for The Other Two has been long and winding (and we’re sure a pandemic didn’t help with that either).

The acclaimed series following Drew Tarver and Heléne Yorke as the “other” family members of a successful showbiz family, like many acclaimed comedies that perhaps haven’t gotten their proper due, is now over at HBO Max.

Now having to deal with a superstar younger brother and mother, the long awaited next round of The Other Two is going to, so it would seem, give Molly Shannon another stellar role as a mother who is just simply too much.

See for yourself in the trailer here, then look for the premiere to stream on HBO Max on Aug. 26th.

Pick of the Day: Shalewa Sharpe’s Don’t Reach in the Bag (in NYC) 8/22

August 11, 2021

comedy show, dulce sloan, ny comedy, shalewa sharpe, solo show

In comedy right now, one of the keenest observers and deft storytellers is Shalewa Sharpe. Her stand-up is just so precise and rich in its narrative and color that it captures the absurdities of Shalewa’s world and offers them up so delightfully to the any and all.

So, Shalewa doing a whole solo show, Don’t Reach in the Bag, about working several years at an adult video store is bound to be a riveting, hysterical, marvelously textured performance chock full of unforgettable tales of people’s voyeuristic desires. Oh, and you better bet that there’s a Q&A after the show as, undoubtedly, you’ll have questions.

Dulcé Sloan is putting up Shalewa Sharpe’s Don’t Reach in the Bag at Brooklyn Comedy Collective’s new home at Eris, next week on Sun. Aug. 22nd at 7PM ET.

Tickets are only $15 and you really ought to get them right here, right now.

Get Your First Look at Season 2 of “Back To Life”, the Latest Very Dark, Very Hilarious Comedy from the UK

August 10, 2021

back to life, daisy haggard, season 2, showtime, trailer

Daisy Haggard, the star and creator of Back to Life, has made something truly beautiful and hysterical with this series. The first season was some of the funniest writing juxtaposed with some truly dark, poignant, honest performances that were absolutely riveting. Truly, Back to Life needs to be in the same conversations, in regards to prestige comedy, as The White Lotus and everyone else’s favorite, Ted Lasso.

We haven’t had as riveting of dramedy from across the pond since Fleabag.

The second season following Miri Matteson’s on-going struggle to readjust to life in her very small, very nosy UK town after spending several years in jail is on the way. The premiere date is set for Mon. Sept. 13th on Showtime at 10PM and, from the looks of the trailer, it could very well be every bit as brilliant as season one.

Go see for yourself here.

Pick of the Day: (The Return of) Peacock @ Club Tee Gee (in LA) 8/26

August 10, 2021

comedy show, danny jolles, free comedy, Kiran Deol, la comedy, stand up comedy

Thursdays had always been a pretty stacked day for comedy in LA. Pre-lockdown, there were so many really, really good weekly shows of all ilks of comedy to choose from, many of which happened around the 8 o’clock hr.

Many a time, we’d find ourselves at the gorgeous set-up that is Peacock @ Club Tee Gee that had a very nice and tight stand-up show at 8PM. Thankfully, Club Tee Gee, in the heart of Atwater Village, has survived to this side of the pandemic (and is also requiring proof of vaccination to enter) and that very same lovely weekly comedy show, produced by Ali Hart and Becca Rufer, is set to return, this time with two hosts in Kiran Deol and newly minted co-host Danny Jolles. For plenty of reasons that you should go see yourself, we have a good feeling about this hosting pair.

The weekly return of Peacock starts Aug. 26th at 8PM PT. If you dig the show, there’s a $10 suggested donation, but, as long as you’re vaccinated, you can enjoy the show on a shoestring budget. Keep up to date with all things Peacock @peacockshowla on IG.

Pick of the Day: Conner O’Malley & Carmen Christopher (in LA) 8/14

carmen christopher, conner o'malley, dynasty typewriter, la comedy

This Saturday, any one in attendance will be treated to an hour of comedy by the boundary pushing comedic artists that are Conner O’Malley and Carmen Christopher. O’Malley has been so many characters that perfectly satirize some of the most ego-driven facets of the American psyche and Christopher dared to do a pandemic safe comedy special by carrying around an amp and a mic throughout the streets and perform for strangers from a distance.

Together, they combined their powers to offer up this visit to Atlantic City.

In short, it’s a night of comedy, even if only for an hour, that you shouldn’t miss.

Conner & Carmen will be taking over Dynasty Typewriter this Sat. Aug. 10th at 10PM PT. Tickets are $20 right now and $25 on the day of. Best get your tickets right now.

Posters by Cole Kush.

R.I.P. Trevor Moore, 1980-2021

trevor moore, whitest kids u know

While one beloved comedian, Bob Odenkirk, survived a heart attack this week, it unfortunately still ended with a tragic loss to the art form of comedy. Trevor Moore, most known for co-founding the seminal sketch comedy troupe, The Whitest Kids U Know, sadly passed away this weekend following a tragic accident (the details of which have not yet been released as the family and the other members of WKUK have asked for privacy at this time). He is survived by his wife Aimee Carlson and son August.

Of course, this is the time to understand why the loss of Moore is devastating with doing a deep dive on the YouTube channels of the Whitest Kids U Know and Trevor’s eponymous show on Comedy Central, The Trevor Moore Show, as well as his handful of artfully crafted, hysterical comedy albums. The superb display of abjectly absurd humor, sharp satire, and great revelry in comedic chaos in all of Moore’s work should never be forgotten or overlooked.

Personally, for us, this rang true in one specific performance by the WKUK, several years ago, when friend and contemporary Josh Fadem used to run a live comedy show out of Cinefile Video in West LA. Like so many wondrous comedy spaces in LA, it wasn’t supposed to have a comedy show. The expansive library of DVDs and narrow aisles in particular made for quite the improbable set up for live comedy. Yet, Fadem made it work for stand-ups. Having all of WKUK on “stage” (it was just the end of one of the DVD aisles) was another story. All of WKUK dived in head to all the sketches they could remember seemingly without too much of an idea how tiny of a performance area there would be. What resulted was a whirlwind of hysterical bedlam that broke the fourth wall several times, but never ceased in having us busting up as the Moore, Sam Brown, Zach Cregger, Darren Trumeter, and Timmy Williams, similar to whenever Conan O’Brien lets his show go delightfully off the rails, relished the pure fun of every moment.

So, with that in mind, remember Trevor Moore fondly and please go watch all of his work starting here and here ASAP.

Chris Estrada Series “This Fool” (FKA Punk Ass Bitch) Gets Ordered to Series at Hulu

chris estrada, hulu, jake weisman, matt ingebretson, pat bishop

(via THR)

When this got put in development as Punk Ass Bitch earlier this year with the likes of Pat Bishop, Jake Weisman, and Matt Ingebretson, the whimsically dark minds behind Corporate on Comedy Central, we were so thrilled that Chris Estrada was getting his due as a true, blue LA comedy favorite, widely regarded as so funny and one of the hardest working comedians in the whole LA scene.

Also, a series called Punk Ass Bitch getting put in the works by a major streaming service was more than pleasantly surprising.

We’re even more ecstatic to know that Hulu is ordering the now-titled This Fool to series, essentially giving Estrada his first marquee role and vehicle to deservingly introduce him to his widest audience yet (after numerous stand-up TV appearances). Specifically, the show will follow Chris playing a version of himself working at “a gang-rehabilitation nonprofit and his quest to overcome his co-dependency issues with his family as he navigates working-class life in South Central Los Angeles”.

Again, you really ought to give Chris Estrada’s stand-up a watch, whether it be on YouTube or on his HBO Latino special, to know why you should be so very excited as we are for the show getting picked up to series.

Also, kudos to Hulu for continuing to push forward with some of the most intriguing and engaging comedies on TV.

Pick of the Day: Photographers of Comedy (in LA) 8/8

arthur hamilton, comedy show, headshots, james rios, la comedy, live comedy, mike falzone, miranda meadows, mitchell lamar, nick torchon, rey cabato, sharra lou, stand up comedy

While many comedy shows offer more than just the comedy, it’s not often that you’d be able to get headshots/some very nice photos of yourself in addition to a live comedy show. In fact, we’d say that it almost never has happened in our decade plus tenure at The Comedy Bureau.

Lucky for you, such a two-for-one event is happening this Sunday, Aug. 8th at 8PM PT at the Raven Comedy House in Sylmar where you could just enjoy an intimate, house comedy show, but you could also get a brand new set of professionally slick photos for anything from making sure you head a decent promo photo to auditions to making it seem to your parents that you have a lot of things going for you out there.

Called Photographers of Comedy, the evening will feature the comedy and/or photos of:

Arthur Hamilton
Mike Falzone
Miranda Meadows
Mitchell Lamar
Nick Torchon
Sharra Lou
James Rios
Host: Rey Cabato

Tickets for the show are $10 and you can get, for presale, a $60 headshot package. Find out more details and buy your tickets here.

Pick of the Day: Todd Barry 34th Anniversary in Comedy Benefit (in NYC) 11/1

brittany carney, charity benefit, colin quinn, comedy show, dina hashem, gary gulman, leukemia research foundation, marina franklin, michael j fox foundation, nyc comedy, stand up comedy, todd barry

Seeing Todd Barry live is always a good thing. Seeing Todd celebrate his 34th year in comedy would be even better than a good thing. Having the likes of Colin Quinn, Brittany Carney, Marina Franklin, Dina Hashem, and Gary Gulman join him on a fantastic line-up that offers much of the best of NYC comedy is even more grand.

You can get all of those good and better and grander things and more* with Todd’s 34th Anniversary in Comedy Benefit that will mark almost three and a half decades of finely crafted humor from the one and only Todd Barry.

*more being supporting Leukemia Research Foundation and Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research with your purchase of a ticket.

Todd Barry 34th Anniversary in Comedy Benefit is set for Mon. Nov. 1st at 8PM ET at The Bell House in Brooklyn. Tickets are going for $30 and you really ought to get them here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 71: Lane Moore & Reviving a Nationwide Tour

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

comedy co op, lane moore, tinder live, vaccination mandate

Hands down, one of the most electrifying and fun (and hopeful) comedy shows out there is Tinder Live! with Lane Moore. In addition to being an acclaimed comedian/author/frontwoman of a band, Moore has made an indelible mark in current comedy landscape by improvising her way through the dating app Tinder live on stage. This week’s TCB Field Report follows Lane as she revives the in-person version of Tinder Live! for a giant 30+ city nationwide tour (after having to cancel a nationwide tour for lockdown, then rescheduling it so many times due to the pandemic enduring and also doing it virtually to great success). Also, “hot” takes on NYC’s vax mandate, The Comedy Co-op, and more.

Follow Lane @hellolanemoore across socials and all her dates, content, and merch at LaneMoore.org.

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

LA’s Comedy Co-op Aims to Be a Fresh Start for Live Comedy via Equity, Access, and Inclusion

The dust has still not yet settled from what the pandemic has done to the world of comedy, especially when it comes to live comedy. Venues have closed, some without even announcing as such. Others have stayed open, but haven’t really changed much their day-to-day operations, save for what they have to do according to local or state COVID-19 mandates. The only constant here is the state of flux that performers, audiences, and the industry are all in, covered in a thick air of uncertainty.

In the midst of being unsure what lies ahead for live comedy is a several systemic problems that range from representation to compensation/artistic ownership to toxic work environments and on and on and on.

The newly minted Comedy Co-op, comprised of several longtime working LA comedians, is setting to change all of that and reimagine a way of working in comedy that strives for a better future for both audiences and performers that could be sustainable. They issued a press release that makes it very clear what their mission even at these early stages (they have yet to secure a brick and mortar venue to do shows). #WeAreStagingaCoop

In case you don’t know, live comedy is still rife with performers believing that they have to forego money for exposure, continued lack of inclusion across all fronts, and harmful environments in which one is supposed to make strangers in the dark laugh.

We sincerely hope that can all change with Comedy Co-op (especially as it seems the likelihood of a union for comedians continues to seem not so great). There are plans of a big fundraising campaign to secure a physical venue and an accompanying virtual show in the not so distant future. In the meantime, keep tabs on The Comedy Co-op on IG @thecomedycoopla.

Want to stay up-to-date with The Comedy Co-op? Interested in volunteering? Click the link in the bio to sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest updates and volunteer opportunities! #werestagingacoop #thecomedycoopla pic.twitter.com/KVC4Gsgs8k

— The Comedy Co-op (@thecomedycoopla) August 2, 2021

Pick of the Day: Atsuko Okatsuka presents hi (in NYC) 9/27

Los Angeles has been so fortunate to be treated to the comedic stylings of Atsuko Okatsuka for years. Her zest and curiosity for life coupled with her sharply observed scrutiny of the world around her (and so much lovely dancing) is such a joy and why we see Atsuko as much as we can.

Atsuko is about to headline her own nationwide tour Atsuko Okatsuka presents hi (runs Sept. 2nd-Oct. 4th) for the first time, which includes a stop in NYC, specifically The Bell House in Brooklyn on Mon. Sept. 27th at 7:30PM ET. You should really get tickets to it before it sells out (not to mention that you’ll get, for the price of admission, to see her grandma and husband join in on the show).

Tickets are $20 and you can (and very much should) go get them here.

Pick of the Day: The Improvised Shakespeare Company (in LA) 8/14

improvised shakespeare company, largo, largo at the coronet theatre

The fate of improv, as things are opening back up and vaccinated audiences and performers are finding their ways back to each other, is still quite foggy. Stand-up, with only one performer on stage, was slightly easier to navigate when it come to having safety protocols, but having a whole improv team of people that were often going to be right next to each other (if not outright embracing or jostling one another) takes on a whole other level of consideration for COVID-19 measures when doing live shows.

Fortunately, we’re at a point where, as mentioned before, there is a way forward, which means we’ll be able to see the likes of the astounding feats of The Improvised Shakespeare Company. An entire troupe dedicated to making a Shakespearean play hilariously out of thin air while using the Bard’s own particular language has seen The Improvised Shakespeare Company around the globe (and even have Sir Patrick Stewart sit in with them from time to time) and find a home as the prestigious Largo at the Coronet Theatre.

So, they are gearing to returning to the Largo stage this month, specifically on Sat. Aug. 14th at 7PM PT & 9:30PM PT to dazzle us all again and you shouldn’t miss out. The $46 ticket ($35 plus $11 service fee) might just be worth it. Go get them before they inevitably sell out here.

All We Have to Do Is Wait Until Fall for Joe Pera Talks With You Season 3

adult swim, joe pera, joe pera talks with you, jptwyst, season 3

Arguably more soothing than the Great British Baking Show, Joe Pera Talks With You, over two seasons, has managed a magical blend of gentleness and mischief. Pera’s soothing vice and the often pastoral locales that Joe is in for the show make for an irresistible small town charm, though Pera’s wry cleverness is very clearly woven throughout every fiber of his show.

So, as terrifying as both 2020 and 2021 have been, at the very least, there’s another round of Joe Pera Talks With You to bring us just some much needed moments of hilarious peace. Adult Swim announced that the third season will be airing this Fall just today. Hopefully, the world won’t be too flooded and/or on fire by then.