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Recent News

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Please Watch and Enjoy Ester Steinberg’s Burning Bush Where Ester Kills at a Drive-In

April 28, 2021
News
comedy special, ester steinberg, stand up

As you may well know, much of comedy and the comedians in it have taken a hiatus or shifted to something else throughout the last year. Maybe they gave a crack at Zoom and decided to wait it out for the return to people gathering in tight, crowded, dimly lit places to watch stand-up.

The few that have opted to take on the challenge of doing live stand-up and, further than that, do an entire special have tried anything and everything that they could possibly think of while trying to not further the transmission of COVID-19. Drive-ins, no audience, doing it over Zoom, etc. (though no one seemed to try what Harland Williams’ did several years ago by doing stand-up all alone in the desert).

Comedy Dynamics tapped four comedians to drive-in specials that were shot live at the parking lot of the world famous Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Ester Steinberg was one of those four and truly rose to meet the challenge. She had to perform in front of a field of cars that often honked and flashed their headlights in appreciation (as laughter is often to hear while doing a drive-in show) as she taped her very first special, Burning Bush. In the entire history of comedy, no such endeavor had been undertaken because, well, it goes against so many best practices of live comedy (outside, people separate from each other, physical barrier to connecting to the crowd). Steinberg has had more than enough experience fiercely grabbing hold of the audience’s attention working the road and doing her own weekly room at the Kibitz Room at Canter’s that it’s no surprise that she made this experiment really work for her.

Keep in mind, at the point of the pandemic, almost no comedian had performed in person for six months. So, to have enough material to even do a special, care about said a material, gear up to do it, and then do it in front of cars like no other comedian has ever really done before is such an unbelievable feat. Again Ester’s command of the stage and her blend of clever observations and truthful vulnerability made her first hour sing, even under what are truly unfair circumstances.

See for yourself as Ester Steinberg; Burning Bush is now streaming on demand on Amazon and Apple.

My one-hour comedy special comes out March 30th. ?BURNING BUSH ? avail on Amazon and iTunes @comedydynamics @Tribeca pic.twitter.com/wO71mTGs8o

— Ester Steinberg (@EsterKay) March 28, 2021

Bo Burnham Is Coming Out With His Own DIY Special, Made During COVID-19

April 28, 2021
News
bo burnham, comedy special, netflix

When it comes to conceptual comedy, especially when it comes to doing it in a comedy special, Bo Burnham is one of the most imaginative and skilled comedians around today in that regard. what. still stands, even now, as one of the more innovative works of comedy in the entire history of comedy.

So, with the obvious challenges that the COVID-19 has presented with people having to be distanced and masked and gathering, especially in the way that live comedy is traditionally presented, Burnham, we think, could probably dream something up that would work.

Thus, he is just wrapping up such a special called Inside that he made entirely by himself without a crew or audience (as opposed to most other comedy specials that have been made in this time including Sam Morrill, Nate Bargatze, Colin Quinn, Tiffany Haddish’s They Ready). There’s a bit of a teaser that reveals Bo solo at a piano in a real dramatic light, but nothing much else.

Burnham’s last special was in 2016, so this small tidbit is more than enough to look forward to seeing billboards around town leading up to, possibly, another trailer, to, eventually, the release of the special (which will be a date TBD). Also, it will be his the first special since Eighth Grade, directing Chris Rock’s Tamborine, and his great role in the Oscar nominated A Promising Young Woman, and that wondering where Bo’s creativity is now even makes Inside even more enticing.

hi. i made a new special. it was filmed by me, alone, without a crew or an audience, over the course of the past year. it is almost finished. i hope you like it. pic.twitter.com/5a59IUrzVj

— Bo Burnham (@boburnham) April 28, 2021

Watch Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder Square Off/Come Together as a Comedy Legend and Up and Comer in “Hacks” Trailer

April 28, 2021
News
hacks, hannah einbinder, hbo max, jean smart

While the premise of distant generations of comedy coming together as a sitcom has been tried before with the likes of The Comedians (Billy Crystal and Josh Gad), Late Night (Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling) and the ill-fated Mulaney (Martin Short and John Mulaney, the latest attempt at it seems like it may succeed where these others have perhaps come up short.

Hacks, from the minds of Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky, brings together pioneering comedian and “Queen of Vegas” Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and a feisty, whipsmart up-and-comer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) who is tasked with writing jokes for her and making her relevant. The trailer, which just got posted today, promises something very biting and, especially if you just watched Hysterical on FX or Hulu, rings true to women’s journey in trying to make it in comedy both in yesteryear and right at this very moment. Also, we have a sneaking suspicion that Smart and Einbinder have hilariously fiery chemistry, which ought to make Hacks the latest thing to binge watch.

See for yourself here, then look for Hacks on HBO Max, starting May 13th.

Pick of the Day: IIBA’s Sixth Annual Comedy Night for Immigrant Rights 5/13

April 28, 2021
News
bassem youssef, francesca fiornetini, immigrant rights, margaret cho, naomi ekperigin

Though they’ll have to do it virtually, the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area is doing their annual comedy fundraiser, their sixth one in fact, in order to support the access they provide to those immigrating to the U.S.

In order to go big for this very special virtual version of their big time fundraiser, they’ve assembled a gala worthy line-up that includes Margaret Cho, Bassem Youssef, Naomi Ekperigin, and host Francesca Fiorentini.

As if this wasn’t enough to get you to chip in for a great stand-up show for a critical cause, there’s even a VIP option to have a “VIP Wine Tasting” with wine from Duckhorn Vineyards that would be delivered to your door (have to have your orders in by today, Apr. 28th).

So, this IIBA’s Sixth Annual Comedy Night for Immigrant Rights goes live at Thurs. May 13th at 7PM PT/10PM ET. Tickets are $40-$125 (even and tax-deductible). Get more info/tickets here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 57: Babs Romen & What Comedy Is Supposed To Do

April 28, 2021
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
adult animation, another round, anti vaxxers, babs romen, flintstones, joe rogan, leonardo dicaprio

Babs Romen has been anything from Mitzi Shore’s right hand to a big time network development executive to a producer of the improvised stand-up international phenomenon Set List and everything in between. She knows the business and the art of comedy in and out and that made for a great, deep chat on the purpose of comedy and what she seeks to do with it, specifically Set List, as the world aims to open again. Also “hot” takes on an English remake of the Oscar winning Another Round, an adult animated spin-off of The Flintstones, and, yep, Joe Rogan’s nonchalant anti-vaxxer stance.

Follow Babs Romen on FB here & on Twitter @babsromen. Keep up to date on Set List @setlistshow on Twitter and IG.

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: WORST SUMMER EVER – A comedy fundraiser of summer memories 5/15

April 27, 2021
News
alyssa limperis, asian prisoner support, Ayo Edebiri, Caleb Hearon, jinkx monsoon, larry owens, megan gailey, natalie palamides, patti harrison, rob huebel, robby hoffman, sherry colar, storytelling, virtual comedy, yassir lester

Well, we’re coming up on another summer that’s, at best, weird. At worst, well, you probably know because you lived through 2020. Join in a beautiful cavalcade of comedians recounting what their worst summer were (perhaps, a good majority will be from 2020?), which will be one hell of a night of summertime storytelling for the live-streaming event, WORST SUMMER EVER.

The likes of the following will be recounting their harrowing summer tales:

Alex English
Alyssa Limperis
Ayo Edebiri
Caleb Hearon
Dhruv Uday Singh
Grace Kuhlenschmidt
Jinkx Monsoon
Langston Kerman
Larry Owens
Megan Gailey
Molly Kearney
Natalie Palamides
Noah Findling
Patti Harrison
Rachel Sennott
Rob Huebel
Robby Hoffman
Ruby McCollister
Sandy Honig
Sherry Cola
Solomon Georgio
Sydnee Washington
Sydney Steinberg
Tashi Condelee
Yassir Lester
&
hosts Jared Golstein and Hannah Pilkes

In addition to what might be the live-stream of the Summer even before Summer 2021 kicks off, donations will be accepted for access for WORST SUMMER EVER and will go towards supporting Asian Prisoner Support Community AsianPrisonerSupport.com for their crucial work, especially at a time where so much of Asia is in upheaval (Hong Kong and Myanmar just to name a couple)

WORST SUMMER EVER goes live on Sat. May 15th at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Get more info/donate/RSVP here.

Master of None Season 3 Is Apparently Centered on Lena Waithe and Called “Moments in Love”

April 26, 2021
News
Lena waithe, master of none, naomi ackie, netflix, season 3

An entire four years will have passed since the arrival of season 2 of Master of None and this impending third. In that time, Aziz Ansari, co-creator and the show’s star (up until now) got embroiled in #MeToo controversy, released a very strategic response and apology in the form of his last stand-up special, and has opted to not be the center of the third season.

This teaser, just released today, just offers a bit of demystification to a recent announcement that new episodes of Master of None were coming soon and they were going to focus on a story co-written and co-starring Lena Waithe, who has played Denise in past seasons of the show. More specifically, this new batch would come under the banner of Master of None presents “Moments in Love”. From the teaser, we see that it follows a relationship, not unlike the very first season, between Lena and Naomi Ackie and all the moments, little and big, that comprise a deeply connected relationship in these times.

This is an undeniably unexpected turn for the show, but it’s also undeniably intriguing. There is a rise in lesbian love stories in the zeitgeist (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, The World to Come, Mythic Quest), but ones that involve two women of color are definitely not as present as their white or partially white counterparts. Aziz and Lena wrote this new Moments in Love portion of Master of None that will fill in said void. The deliciously cinematic showcase of such a rarely-seen-on-TV couple, especially with Lena’s award winning pen, is perhaps the right move for the show now that we’re in even deeper into a global reckoning than we were in 2017.

We shall see what Aziz and Lena hath wrought with all episodes of Master of None presents Moments In Love on May 23rd.

Oscar Winning Dramedy ‘Another Round’ Set for English Language Remake with Leonardo DiCaprio Attached

April 26, 2021
News
another round, leonardo dicaprio, mads mikkelsen, thomas vinterberg

(via IndieWire)

Another Round, hot off the Oscar win for Best International Feature, is getting an English language, American remake with none other than Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star. Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round‘s director and co-writer, will step away from any sort of official capacity in this remake, but is personally looking forward to having a conversation with DiCaprio’s production banner Appian Way to see what they might be doing.

Ire has been already been drawn from the announcement despite Vinterberg’s openness to the possibilities of what a remake might be, especially with someone of DiCaprio’s stature and caliber. Not only is the idea of an English remake upsetting to many, but it’s a little more than odd that Mads Mikkelsen didn’t immediately come to mind to star as he both speaks very good English and has a very established and bankable name in the U.S.

More so than that, English remakes of such critically acclaimed films overseas haven’t really lived up to their original counterparts as of late. Downhill is a very painful, very recent example of this. Some thought it crucial that an English language remake of the brilliant Force Majeure from Ruben Östlund with Will Ferrell and Julia Louis Dreyfus find its way to theaters. The result was a paltry impression that lost so much of its nuance, ethos, and deeply biting satire of masculinity in place of not having to read subtitles. You can see a bit of the same dynamic with The Upside starring Kevin Hart vs. The Intouchables or Delivery Man starring Vince Vaughn vs. Starbuck (even though it was the same director).

All that said, Vinterberg has given the remake his blessing and we can only hope that his optimistic curiosity doesn’t get dashed from what comes of this.

Thomas Vinterberg Defends DiCaprio Remake of ‘Another Round’: ‘I Don’t Know If Mads Would Do Such a Thing’ https://t.co/btMHEf4NXf pic.twitter.com/SrOC6pGrfK

— IndieWire (@IndieWire) April 26, 2021

Pick of the Day: The Good Good Laugh Show (Benefitting #STOPAAPIHATE) 4/29

April 26, 2021
News
atsuko okatsuka, garron chiu, jes tom, julia shiplett, miss shu mai, stand up comedy, stop aapi hate, teresa lee

Sure, there’s an anti-Asian hate crimes bill making its way through Congress and two Asian women won Oscars last night, but that still doesn’t mean the fight against anti-Asian hate crimes is over. There was such an alarming rise of those hate crimes that are very well documented at this point that turning the tide is going to be a long and daunting fight.

So, supporting orgs like #STOPAAPIHATE are crucial to making long, lasting sustainable change and thus enjoying comedy shows benefitting such orgs is a great way to do just that. That’s part of why you should check out The Good Good Laugh Show live-stream that’s raising money for #STOPAAPIHATE this Thurs. Apr. 29th at 7PM PT/10PM ET.

The other part of why you shouldn’t miss out here is that it has a fantastic line-up of Asian and Pacific Islander comedy and drag acts including:

ATSUKO OKATSUKA
GARRON CHIU
JES TOM
JULIA SHIPLETT
MISS SHU MAI
& host Teresa Lee!

Get your tickets for $15 for The Good Good Laugh Show right here.

Jon Dore & Rory Scovel Discuss Their Legendary Simultaneous Late Night Sets on Conan

April 23, 2021
News
conan, jon dore, rory scovel, team coco

In the pantheon of late night stand-up sets, one set that will always stand out on the merits of its daring, execution, and sheer absurdity is the 2011 performance by both Jon Dore and Rory Scovel who do separate stand-up sets at the very same time on Conan, side by side. The sheer dedication to the bit and their flawlessness in their performance is no only a testament to the comedy of both Dore and Scovel, but daring to be as aspirational in silliness as possible.

Dore and Scovel revisit this historic set with Conan booker JP Buck on Conan’s The Set Up and break down and reveal what went into these four hysterical minutes. Please, please, please enjoy their discussion here.

Pick of the Day: Sh*tShow: F*ck It Edition 4/30

April 23, 2021
News
brooklyn, emily flake, gastor almonte, jessica delfino, kendra cunningham, littlefield, ophira eisenberg, shalewa sharpe

Even at the very start of lockdown, we had the idea that whenever in person shows could happen again that live-streaming them simultaneously would probably be the way forward.

Well, it looks like that is going to actually become more of a thing as a good deal of Littlefield NYC’s shows will have very limited capacity and also live-stream the show from the venue for a nice price, so the rest of the world (and definitely more folks than the venue can hold) can tune in.

So, one such show is that you can try this out with is the beloved NYC favorite SH*TSHOW, hosted by Ophira Eisenberg and Emily Flake. They’re back at it with a splendid NYC line-up of Shalewa Sharpe, Gastor Lamonte, Jessica Delfino, and Kendra Cunningham and you don’t have to be in Brooklyn, at Littlefield, in-person to watch. You can just pay $5 and get a live-stream link for the show, but witness it like it was something that you were actually at.

SH*TSHOW: F*ck It Edition goes live on Fri. Apr. 30th at 4:30PM PT/7:30PM ET and you can (and should) go get tickets here.

Dave Chappelle Starting “The Midnight Miracle” Podcast with Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli; Maybe It’ll Be Chappelle’s Show 2.0?

April 22, 2021
News
dave chappelle, luminary, podcast, talib kweli, yasiin bey

Dave Chappelle shook up the world of comedy when going to Africa in the middle of the production of Chappelle’s Show 3rd season. It was 2005 and Dave Chappelle was unequivocally the biggest name in comedy back then and lines from the show’s sketches were probably quoted several times a second by people around the world.

As you well know, Chappelle took a long hiatus and then gradually started making his way back into stand-up probably clocking more stage time than any other comedian in history by doing shows or drop-ins that were infamous for often going far past two hours. Then, there was the official return with a whole row of Netflix specials and continuing to do stand-up, even releasing a “very special” special at the height of last Summer’s protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd.

Still, Dave has not taken the reins to his own show since 2006 and it hasn’t been the same since.

That all might change with the arrival of a new Luminary podcast The Midnight Miracle that Dave is doing with two of the most renowned rappers around, Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli. It “will feature conversations punctuated with sketches, impersonations, archival audio clips, a musical soundtrack and guest interviews.” (via Deadline). This teaser doesn’t reveal much of anything, but one can see how it very much be a continuation of Chappelle’s Show with that particular mix of things.

As to what exactly The Midnight Miracle will be, if it’ll even take on more of Dave’s more sobering tone these days than the more sarcastic and satirical nature of his legendary sketch series from over 15 years ago, and how much it will affect comedy history will just have to be seen when the podcast drops.

"To the one who has created the all…"
Talib Kweli, Yasiin Bey, and Dave Chappelle welcome you to The #MidnightMiracle. pic.twitter.com/dHBF1wJIYf

— Luminary (@hearluminary) April 21, 2021

Pick of the Day: Bad Trip Watch Along with Live Commentary (on Clubhouse) 4/25

April 22, 2021
News
bad trip, clubhouse, eric andre, watchalong

Bad Trip served as a bright spot when it dropped on to Netflix at the end of February with Eric Andre being, well, Eric Andre and strangers showing kindness at a time where we most of us would need to see the humanity in people again.

Also, it’s one of the more ambitious prank films to have been released in recent memory considering how much they involve real folks in their insane storyline.

With all of that in mind, Andre and director Kitao Sakurai will be doing a watch-a-long with live-commentary for their creation, Bad Trip, on Clubhouse that will offer up stories/details/behind-the-scenes that you would very likely not get anywhere else.

All you have to do to get the watch-a-long live commentary is have Clubhouse, follow Eric, Kitao, or IHEARTCOMIX on Clubhouse, and tune in at 7PM PT/10PM ET after you’ve cued Bad Trip up on Netflix. Then, let Eric and Kitao’s chaos reign for your enjoyment.

Pick of the Day: We Called Your Mom with Beth Stelling and Diane Duval 5/8

April 21, 2021
News
beth stelling, dynasty typewriter, podcast, we called your mom, yassir lester

It shouldn’t come as surprise that Beth Stelling would do something as sincerely precious as start a podcast with her very own mother, Diane Duval, where they call the mother’s of comedians/artists and talk up their children. The podcast is perfectly titled, We Called Your Mom.

Beth and Diane will be doing a very, very, very, VERY special live-stream episode via Dynasty Typewriter wherein they’ll actually be reunited in person for the first time in a year (since you know what started) and “there will be hugs, announcements, stories, songs and more.” Also, they’ll be chatting with the hysterical Yassir Lester and his mom, Vicki!

Think of this as both a heads up on what will be a truly lovely show and a friendly reminder that Mother’s Day is on that weekend.

We Called Your Mom goes live on May 8th at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Tickets are only $15 and you absolutely should go get them right this moment right here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 56: Jessica Watkins & Getting Through

April 21, 2021
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
annie mumulo, cinderella, jessica watkins, kristen wiig, livenation, seth rogen, specialish, ticketmaster

Far before the pandemic ever began or was even a whisper of a thing, Jessica Watkins took it upon to herself to simultaneously make a stand-up comedy special and walk across America. She did indeed accomplish both, but it was not at all what she expected, which is a very timely experience to have as we’ve all had to go through the intense journey of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watkins’ captured her entire experience in a documentary called SPECIALish, a stunningly beautiful portrait and meditation on having purpose and drive in comedy, art, and life. After finishing the journey in 2014, the doc has been set for release on May 11th and, of course, TCB’s Jake Kroeger talks to Jessica all about that especially in relation to that journey in 2014 and how things have been comparatively in the terrifying specter of 2020/2021. Also, “hot” takes on Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumulo’s Cinderella evil stepsisters movie in the works, potential anti-trust case for LiveNation/Ticketmaster, and Seth Rogen’s silent action comedy passion project.

Follow Jessica at @ajessicawatkins on IG and Twitter and look out for SPECIALish on streaming platforms on May 11th.

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

FYI, We’re the Jury for a Special Showcase at The Las Vegas 420 Cannabis Comedy Festival

April 20, 2021
News
420, cannabis comedy festival, las vegas, rampantly

As you might have heard, there is a week long comedy festival, The Las Vegas 420 Cannabis Comedy Festival run by our great pals at Rampantly kicked off on Cannabis Day, 4/20. It’s a week of specially curated showcases that bring together the comedians that have thrived doing stand-up virtually over this last year.

We’re honored to take part as a special jury for the festival that will actually handpick our very own line-up for an extra special Comedy Bureau All-Stars on Sat. Apr. 24th at 6:45PM PT/9:45PM ET. All of our staff will have our ears to the ground and eyes wide open (virtually, of course) through all the primetime stand-up shows through Friday at The Las Vegas 420 Cannabis Comedy Festival to select our personal best of the fest line-up.

We’ve gotten to judge plenty of comedy shows/festivals/competitions, but we have the esteemed privilege of getting to make a special show of our favorites rather than just deliberate with our judges to pick just one winner. It ought to be a very special evening for all TCB loyal (and comedy fans in general).

The Las Vegas 420 Cannabis Comedy Festival is actually underway as of this post and going on every night through this Saturday (including our Comedy Bureau All-Stars showcase). Get more info about the fest itself at Rampantly.la and more info on our show here.

Please Enjoy Emmy Blotnick Espouse the True Joys of Weighted Blankets on The Tonight Show

April 20, 2021
News
emmy blotnick, late night, stand up, tonight show, weighted blanket

As things are supposedly reopening for the umpteenth time, there does seem to be, at least partially, a sense that we can pick up right where we left off long, long ago at the beginning of 2020.

There is world beyond the pandemic (even though it’s still not over) and, in regards to doing stand-up comedy on late night, which is probably as topical as stand-up comedy gets on linear television without your very own show, there is room to talk about things like weighted blankets.

(Also, if you’re worried about people not talking about “what’s going on”, trust that there will be more than plenty of comedy about COVID-19, white supremacy, etc. that will be written and performed for several years to come.)

Case in point: Emmy Blotnick‘s absolutely terrific latest late night appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon wherein she details the marvelous virtues of owning a weighted blanket. It’s among one of the funniest sets of stand-up sets we’ve seen in awhile and it’s almost like you could have seen this in Jan. 2020 just like you’re watching it now in Apr. 2021 and it’s just as sharply funny in both times and places.

That’s a testament how damn funny Emmy is. With that said, enjoy Emmy Blotnick on The Tonight Show here.

 

Pick of the Day: Gilbert Gottfried Does Set List Live! 4/23

April 20, 2021
News
carmen morales, gilbert gottfried, improvised stand up, nowhere comedy club, set list

Before lockdown, when international comedy was able to be done in person, there was a phenomenon known as Set List that challenged comedians ’round the world to improvise stand-up based off of absurd, never-before-seen topics as if it was a part of their long-standing, best-selling act. It had played almost every single comedy festival in existence and had been a TV show in both the UK and Australia.

Of course, in person comedy has taken a “sabbatical” due to the pandemic, but the virtual space has provided for plenty of new avenues and innovation and transition in comedy. Set List, given it’s reach and the fact that both comedians and audience discover a never-before-seen topic together makes it kind of a dream for virtual comedy, which is why we’re thankful to see the iconic Gilbert Gottfried do a whole Set List show (with Carmen Morales opening) this Friday at 5:30PM PT/8:30PM ET via Nowhere Comedy Club.

Gottfried speaking on completely random topics, after all of what the world has been through, really ought to be one of the more thrilling comedy experiences throughout the entirety of this virtual era of live comedy.

Tickets start at $10 and you can (and very much should) get them here.

FX Is Trying Its Hand at a Another Talk Show with Artist David Choe

April 19, 2021
News
choe show, david choe, fx

(via Deadline)

Even though there has been more ripples in the world of late night over the last few years (Desus & Mero, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, The Amber Ruffin Show), the Jimmys and the classic talk show format laid out by the original Tonight Show in the 50s still represents a good deal of what late night is in 2021.

That said, Conan O’Brien is ditching that format for something more akin to sketch on HBO Max, John Oliver/Sam Bee/Trevor Noah represent a whole relatively new political wing of late night, and there has been plenty of new short lived new comers that were poised to potentially shake things ups (Hasan Minhaj, Busy Phillips, VICE Live!)

FX has had a pretty great batting average with their programming in the last decade in terms of acclaim and loyal viewership and some of that has to do with really going against the grain in the TV landscape and developing one-of-a-kind shows like Atlanta and The Americans. With that in mind, they’re poised to try a bit of an experiment with the talk show (and ostensibly, late night) realm by giving rabble rouser/artist David Choe his own interview/talk show, The Choe Show. He’ll be interviewing guests while painting a portrait of them and that’s as far as the format has been outlined. This, at this point, seems like a far cry from their own past attempts at late night with Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell and Brand X with Russell Brand.

Choe is definitely a dynamic personality with plenty of spicy takes on pop culture that could potentially be enough to drive a talk show (especially with the portrait angle). He definitely has shown his irreverence on Ugly Delicious or his own various projects he has done with VICE. FX’s willingness to take the sort of chances that others were weren’t willing to take, again, has proven to really work out for their very savvy network brass. Having Choe rather than a comedian or established stage/screen actor/personality (James Corden) is a fascinating choice and we’re curious to see what both FX and Choe have up their sleeve, even if just for sheer novelty. Of course, we think that there’s probably much more to that and there is undeniably a lot of potential that could be had with a portrait being a standing part of the interview for the show.

We shall see what that might be when The Choe Show premieres on Jun. 25th.

Pick of the Day: ‘Stand Up for Asian Americans’ to benefit Red Canary Song 5/14

April 19, 2021
News
Calamity Chang, comedy benefit, Damian Dragon, Frankie Sharp, Jasmine Rice Labeija Poppy Liu, livestream comedy, margaret cho, red canary song, Telly Leung

We say this a lot on our podcast, but there are so many causes to support at this time. There’s rallying against anti-Asian hate, supporting working rights, and decriminalizing sex work in order to properly support sex workers to just name a few.

Stand Up for Asian Americans is big live-stream comedy benefit that will support all those issues above through the wondrous org that is Red Canary Song, a grassroots collective of Asian & Migrant sex workers organizing transnationally. That alone should peak your interest in supporting their efforts through tuning into this comedy live-stream set to go live on Fri. May 14th at 5PM PT/8PM ET.

Yet, this show gets better as the one and only Margaret Cho will be headlining and be joined by a slew of fantastic Asian American comedians and performers including Telly Leung, Jasmine Rice Labeija
Poppy Liu, Calamity Chang, Damian Dragon, Frankie Sharp. So clear out your plans for at least one night that weekend as Stand Up for Asian Americans will go live on 5/14 and have repeat airings on 5/15 5PM PT/8PM ET and 5/16 at 4PM PT/7PM ET.

Tickets are only $20 and 100% of net proceeds go to Red Canary Song. So, go get more info and your tickets already!

Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumulo Are Now Working on a Live Action Cinderella Evil Stepsisters Movie for Disney

April 16, 2021
News
annie mumulo, cinderella, evil stepsisters, kristen wiig

(via Deadline)

Even though Wiig and Mumulo would have to work in the confines of both Disney and the Disney canon and that they will likely not play Cinderella’s infamous stepsisters themselves, the prospect of any of Annie Mumulo and Kristen Wiig’s next projects, following the instant classic that is Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar, are incredibly enticing.

The fact that they are working to develop a movie focused on those very same evil stepsisters of the legendary Cinderella has our mind racing for all the possibilities. We hold any hope that Disney will allow them to be as weird and offbeat and non sequitur as they want to be. That free-wheeling absurdist sense of humor is at what at the core of the Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Truly, if Wiig and Mumulo get to make whatever this project ends up being on their terms, it would most certainly to stand alone in Disney’s catalog, but what a grand standalone movie this would be.

Pick of the Day: The Anti-Influencer Hour with Rachel Resnik Anniversary 4/17

April 16, 2021
News
anti influencer hour, character comedy, clowning, rachel resnik, sketch comedy, virtual comedy

The Pack Theater has been a rare success story during a dark time for live performance/comedy venues doing a big fundraiser at the beginning of lockdown here in America, then full tilt transitioning into a virtual venue several weekly shows and a healthy offering of classes.

One of the recurring shows that has been party to this success is Rachel Resnik’s Anti-Influencer Hour, which originally was organized and live-streamed while Rachel was in Paris, France and, as such, sourced comedians, sketch folks, clowns, etc. from all over the globe to do wonderfully out there bits and characters (the sort that would make up for us all not being able to go to the Edinburgh Fringe in person for another year).

This Saturday Apr. 17th at 7PM PT/10PM ET, The Anti-Influencer Hour celebrates a year of live-streaming some delightfully off-beat comedy on The Pack’s Twitch Channel. Join them in their first anniversary as, best of all, it’s free to watch (they’ll be taking donations as well).

You’re Watching James Adomian’s Brilliance as My Pillow’s Mike Lindell on Kimmel, Right?

April 16, 2021
News
james adomian, jimmy kimmel live, late night, mike lindell, my pillow

For so long, late night was relegated to MacGyver-ing its shows due to the pandemic, having to do interviews over Zoom and doing their take on a lack of audience on top of dealing with America and the world being more in crisis than it has been in a very long time. There were a lot of growing pains and even as they figured it out as the months wore on, it just wasn’t the same late night irreverence that the whole time slot is meant for.

Honestly, the tonal and format issues were a bit of a problem even before the pandemic, but part of that did have to do with a notable lack of the comedic brilliance of one, James Adomian. Noted for his characters, impressions, his own stand-up, and a litany of treasured podcasting (please revisit The Underculture), Adomian has, in our opinion, not gotten his due even though he was Bernie Sanders opposite Anthony Atamanuik’s Trump and is the voice of so much of your favorite animated series.

Thankfully, Jimmy Kimmel Live tapped Adomian to play My Pillow founder Mike Lindell as Lindell has really seemed to become more unhinged and wild as of late, even more so than his desperately earnest My Pillow ads. Adomian has been doing an impression of Lindell for years and it’s truly a blessing that it’s now getting put to good use with one of the best late night bits in however long it has been since March 2020.

Let’s hope this means we get more of Adomian anywhere and everywhere (maybe give him his own sketch show already?).

Enjoy Adomian as Lindell on Kimmel in his two appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live here and here.

Pick of the Day: High & Mighty 1st Annual 4/20 Mega Sesh

April 15, 2021
News
4/20, adbullah saeed, gilli nissim, high and mighty podcast, john flynn, jon gabrus, mark rennie, matt besser, mike glazer, miles gray, shaun diston

While the pandemic does have us all stuck at home, that does not actually stop any and all of us from getting blazed. Well, maybe it’s a little harder if it’s not entirely legal or decriminalized where you live and for that, we’re truly sorry and we hope that changes very, very soon.

That said, the hysterical Jon Gabrus is going to celebrate this very special 4/20 in 2021 via The High & Mighty podcast with the very first High & Mighty 4/20 Mega Sesh that ought to be a grand ol’ time of cannabis-fueled hijinks and riff seshes with many of the best and your favorite funny folks.

That will include:

Abdullah Saeed & David Bienenstock (Great Moments in Weed History)
John Flynn & Mark Rennie (Two Old Queens)
Mike Glazer & Mary Jane (Weed + Grub)
Ry Prichard (@CannibasEncyclopedia)
Gilli Nissim (We’re Gross w Gilli)
Shaun Diston (The Church of Shaun Diston)
Matt Besser (improv4Humans)
Miles Gray (The Daily Zeitgeist)

Sounds more than chill, right? Of course it does. High & Mighty 1st Annual 4/20 Mega Sesh goes live on Tues. Apr. 20th at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Tickets are only $10 and you need to go snatch them up here.

Pick of the Day: Laughs for LLS 4/18

April 14, 2021
News
atsuko okatsuka, brad wenzel, debra digiovanni, fundraiser, kimberly clark, leukemia lymphoma society, mk paulsen, Troy Walker

A line-up of Debra DiGiovanni, MK Paulsen, Kimberly Clark, Atsuko Okatsuka, Troy Walker, Brad Wenzel, and hosts Lynn Maleh and DJ Paul Antonio is such a fantastic, wide-ranging, hysterical collection of comedians from wire-to-wire that’s very much worth good money, end of story. Just take our word for it if you’re worried about what their “credits” might be.

This coming Sunday, April 18th, you’ll get a chance to see this crackling line-up from wherever you are during this pandemic and you get the added bonus of supporting the critical work of the LLS (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) that has been fighting blood cancer around the world since 1949 via Chelsea Derkacz’s Woman of the Year Fundraiser.

Laughs for LLS will go live on Sun. Apr. 18th at 5PM PT/8PM ET. Tickets are going for $20 and you can (and very much should) go get them here.

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