Recent News – Page 82 – The Comedy Bureau

Get Your First Look at Baroness Von Sketch’s Fifth Season at IFC

September 24, 2020

Aurora Browne, baroness von sketch, Carolyn Taylor, ifc, jennifer whalen, Meredith MacNeill, season 5, trailer

Though Portlandia was pretty much the face of IFC for its eight season run, the cable network has also been growing another sketch series, the Canadian born-and-bred Baroness Von Sketch, for quite some time now. It’ll be premiering its fifth season next month, specifically on Wed. Oct. 14th on IFC and has effectively taken the torch from Portlandia in heading up IFC’s branding of clever, forward thinking sketch comedy.

Carolyn Taylor, Meredith MacNeill, Aurora Browne, and Jennifer Whalen make up Baroness Von Sketch and really do keep the fire alive for sketch comedy over at IFC over their past four seasons.

From the looks of this trailer, they do really look to offer up their best season yet.

Pick of the Day: Rifftrax-Starship Troopers 9/29

September 24, 2020

News

rifftrax, starship troopers

Now, more so than any time in recent memory, would be a great time to pick apart a movie that can arguably be categorized as a recruitment tool for the military, Starship Troopers. This hyper stylized adaptation of the Robert Heinlein novel is beloved for how over-the-top it gets and kind of became a cult classic instantly.

So, why not join some of the best folks around when it comes to riffing during a movie, the RiffTrax crew of Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett doing a virtual riffing on Starship Troopers (via the free Scener app)?

They’ll be doing just that on Tue. Sept. 29th at 5:30PM PT/8:30PM ET. Tickets for RiffTrax: Starship Troopers are available now at the nice price of $9.99 and can (and should) be snagged here.

Nick Skardarasy Pulls Off Doing a Charming Live Stand-Up Special, “Thin Walls” by Taping It With His Neighbors in His Apartment Building

September 23, 2020

News

comedy special, nick skardarasy, stand up comedy, thin walls

Taking a cue from the NBA’s bubble, a clever Nick Skardarasy made his very first comedy special by making the crowd and venue his apartment building. As such, he performed stand-up for a real crowd, gave all of his neighbors in his building a free live show to watch both in person and from the comfort of their own home, and, on top of all of that, got to tape his very first half hour stand-up comedy special, Thin Walls: An evening with my neighbors.

Skardarasy had been climbing up the ranks in LA comedy before lockdown took place. With such uncertainty of when normal stand-up comedy can be done in its traditional manner (packed in a dark room with low ceilings), all of comedy, not just stand-up, has tried so many different things. There is the plethora of live-stream comedy online, but there has also been plenty of drive-ins, doing stand-up on the other side of a glass window, shows in parks, etc. done all over the country. Seeing the layout of his building and growing very close with his neighbors, Nick got the idea that he could attempt performing in front of a very specific live crowd (you’ll notice that his neighbors are still socially distanced and masked) and maybe, just maybe, get his very first special out of it.

He had already been working on putting an extended set together of his acute observations, smartly written into jokes and bits and call backs, juxtaposed with glimpses into his personal life and history. While in quarantine, Nick worked on it as much as he could by structuring it, acknowledging the world before and after the pandemic hit, and rehearsing it with the grace of his girlfriend between the walls of his apartment (hence the title). Taking the stage for the special, Nick appeared as if he indeed been working the set out at clubs and bars and got it pretty damn tight.

There is also a genuine layer of sweetness (in addition to Nick’s very sweet demeanor in general) that’s dabbed throughout the special with director Jon Zucker cutting in talking head interviews with Nick’s neighbors speaking earnestly about their quarantine and how they’ve been getting through it. It’s the sort of thing that you might have seen in HBO’s last several conceptual comedy specials.

The result ends up being an effervescent vision of that normalcy we all crave right now via a well-crafted half hour of classic stand-up that’s also very aware of the precarious times that it’s being performed in. Essentially, this special almost makes you forget that it was happening during a time of a global pandemic and uprising.

Nick Skardarasy’s Thin Walls: An evening with my neighbors is streaming right now, for free, on YouTube, for your absolute convenience here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 26: Fifi Dosch & Being Out/Getting Out

September 23, 2020

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

art of self defense, chappelle, emmys, fifi dosch, jenny slate, lgbtq, little nicky, pen15, quibi, save our stages, schitts creek, sf sketchfest, trans lives

Fifi Dosch has taken one hell of a road to get where she is now as a trans woman who, after achieving her goal of getting to the status of paid regular at one of the most legendary comedy clubs in the world, The Comedy Store, found that there was something still very much missing in her life. Dressing up as a woman on stage brought Fifi to the realization that of who she really was and prompted her transition to being an out trans woman. Additionally, that was followed up with, just a week or so before recording this very episode, a decision by Fifi to move on from stand-up entirely, despite being well on her way to her previous goals, to focus on writing and spending more time with the simple pleasures of her life. Fifi takes TCB’s Jake Kroeger through this whole journey as well as dishing out hot takes on this year’s Emmy winners in comedy, SF Sketchfest going virtual for 2021, the “rally to reopen”, and Jenny Slate’s newest hosting gig at Quibi.

Follow Fifi at @fifidosch on Twitter and IG and please listen/subscribe to Fifi Quest.

Shout outs: season 2 of PEN15, The Art of Self-Defense, Little Nicky starring Adam Sandler

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: Maria Bamford-Help You Help Me Help You 9/26

September 23, 2020

News

live stream, maria bamford, rushtix

The comedy of Maria Bamford is one of a kind in that it’s some of the best comedy that the art form has ever seen and also manages to hold space for being so boldly vulnerable and inspirationally life-affirming simultaneously.

Certainly, Bamford has been a supreme source of respite during these times with the plethora of online comedy she has taken part in. This weekend will be especially special as this Sat. Sept. 26th at 7PM PT/10PM ET will have Maria engage in a hybrid of comedy and group therapy (billed as stand-up meets questionable advice) for her 2-hour interactive live-stream experience, Help You Help Me Help You!

Note on participating: All ticket holders will be able to opt-in if they want to randomly be selected to share the virtual stage with Maria.

Tickets are $15 and can (and very much should be) gotten at RushTix here.

Jenny Slate To Host Docu-Series About Organic Aphrodisiacs, “Sex Plants”

September 22, 2020

News

jenny slate, quibi, sex plants

(via Deadline)

Though Quibi has been having quite the tough time launching and getting their sea legs (at a time when the entire entertainment industry is trying to get a new set of sea legs in the world under COVID-19) and are entertaining the idea of potential options to keep going (i.e. a sale or new sources of funding) and, very likely, The Social Dilemma is encouraging people to spend less time on their phones (i.e. the only place you can watch Quibi), they did manage to score some Emmy nominations and a couple of wins as well and they do keep ordering very intriguing things.

Today, the announced another very interesting thing with the order of travel docu-series, Sex Plants. Comedian/actress/writer/voice of Marcel the Sea Shell with Shoes On Jenny Slate will be serving as host and touring the world to explore natural aphrodisiacs as well as having open conversations about, of course, sex. Slate’s vulnerability and frankness should be a pretty entertaining pairing with this topic.

It’s series order like this from Quibi that makes us wonder if they’re going to keep access to their content library limited to mobile devices only.

Watch QED Astoria’s Kambri Crews Lead Off #SaveNYComedy Rally

September 22, 2020

News

kambri crews, qed astoria, save ny comedy, save our stages

Like the world over, comedy venues and other small indie venues have been shut down due to the pandemic for six months and, just like at the beginning of lockdown, there’s unfortunately little guidance as to how or when venues might be able to reopen safely. The unpredictable nature of COVID-19 coupled with the unpredictable nature of people disregarding safety measures does make it hard to figure out any sort of timetable, but being stuck in the darkness as to what to do at all, leaves many of these venues in danger of surviving to the other side of lockdown.

In New York City, Kambri Crews, founder of QED Astoria, led off a #SaveNYComedy press conference and rally earlier today featuring other comedy venue owners from all around NYC, a State Senator, and comedians Ophira Eisenberg and Christian Finnegan to press New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on being part of the dialogue of what to do in order to survive, especially when trivia nights at bars are happening and bowling alleys are currently open in New York.

Together, these venues are looking to do outdoor shows and/or limited capacity shows and get metrics on what venues in NYC might be able to operate under (there are over 2400 in the NYC area alone, FYI) from Cuomo’s office.

Give the press conference a watch here.

Pick of the Day: Thrilling Adventure Hour: Choose Our Adventure 9/26

September 22, 2020

News

annie savage, busy philipps, craig cackowski, hal lublin, janet varney, joshua malina, marc evan jackson, mark gagliardi, paget brewster, paul f tompkins, thrilling adventure hour

The beloved radio hour of the Thrilling Adventure Hour has popped up throughout this pandemic to do their classic show virtually (often raising plenty of money for charity) complete with the WorkJuice Players (Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Busy Philipps, Joshua Malina, Janet Varney, Hal Lublin, Annie Savage, Craig Cackowski, Mark Gagliardi, and Marc Evan Jackson).

This weekend, Sat. Sept. 26th at 5PM PT/8PM ET, they’ll be returning for a very special performance of the Thrilling Adventure Hour where YOU get to pick which scripts they’ll be performing (in addition to having a post-show virtual cocktail hour). The only way to get to pick is to get tickets to the show of course, but they’re even offering you to name your price (though $10 is suggested).

Go snag your tickets before they sell out here.

Yep, PEN15 Season 2 Is One of 2020’s Best Seasons of TV

September 21, 2020

News

anna konkle, maya erskine, pen15

As far as we have seen (and we have binged so much TV together since we have to stay at home seemingly endless amounts of time), the best TV comedy series in 2020, thus far, clearly comes down to the second seasons of both What We Do In The Shadows and now, PEN15 (kudos to Hulu for exclusively streaming the pair). Honestly, with Schitt’s Creek sweeping at the Emmys last night, this showdown might extend to awards season as well.

This latest batch of PEN15 carried pretty high expectations as creators Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, and Sam Zvibleman enraptured us all with the first season of an incredibly honest coming-of-age dramedy, which is incredibly impressive having to follow in the wake of the likes of a crowded field of critically acclaimed, unrelentingly honest coming-of-age dramedies including Eighth Grade, Lady Bird, and Big Mouth. Konkle and Erskine’s bold choice to play their teenage selves next to real kids really paid off in a way that we’ve never seen before in any sort of coming-of-age series or movie.

In this brand new season, PEN15 really takes the magic of Konkle and Erskine being the most convincing adult children of all time and hysterically runs with it to new heights. The more fantastical moments of this new season not only happen more often this time around but are bolder, more truthful, and so damn funny.

We truly don’t want to give any very satisfying surprises away here. However, this second season really swung for the fences with the adult/kid duality of Anna and Maya, allowing for the sheer absurdity of how genuinely strange and painful those teenage years in the year 2000 to really shine. The episodes of “Three” and “Play” in particular really ratchet up the cringe-worthy tension, sit in it, and then break it in such unexpected, beautifully hilarious ways that would, again, only happen as adults convincingly playing the child versions of themselves.

The accuracy of the year 2000 being depicted in the show is painstakingly spot-on in such a damningly funny fashion. Yet, PEN15 does seem to stand apart in that it is more than its nostalgia for the turn of the millennium and truly capturing the awkwardness and heartbreak of being in middle school, even more so in this second season (especially when it comes to exploring the further separation of Anna’s parents).

Again, PEN15’s second season, though far too short to have us last us through more of the pandemic, currently stands, for our money, as a frontrunner for best comedy and best TV lists in 2020.

All episodes of season 2 of PEN15 are now streaming at Hulu and we highly suggest, for your own peace of mind and a break from the weight of the world seeming like it’s going to end bearing down on you, to go binge watch it right now.

SF Sketchfest Is Going Virtual (and Postponing What Would Have Been Their 20th In-Person Festival)

September 21, 2020

News

baron vaughn, bobcat goldthwait, dana gould, david koechner, janet varney, jonah ray, maria bamford, paul f tompkins, plan 9 from outer space, sf sketchfest

Though some big time festivals and awards ceremonies have happened in the last month or so, they have been done so in a strange fashion with largely no audience, limited attendees, and everyone in masks, observing social distancing when possible, and still relying largely on remote interviews/guests/presenters.

One of the world’s biggest and most renowned comedy festivals, SF Sketchfest happens at the beginning of the year and, a few months ago, late January might have seemed like a safe time for when the pandemic might have been over, but that more and more seems to be not the case given the progress of vaccines and the continued return of COVID-19 case numbers rising around the world. So, SF Sketchfest has opted to postpone what would have been their 20th year and their big shindig for 2021 and, as you might guess, go virtual with live-streaming events to give the SF Sketchfest loyal something to look forward to.

They’ll be starting this virtual SF Sketchfest programming with a bang by doing a very special adaptation of cult movie classic Plan 9 From Outer Space that will feature miniature special effects and a marvelous cast including Maria Bamford, Bobcat Goldthwait, Dana Gould, David Koechner, Jonah Ray, Paul F. Tompkins, Janet Varney, Baron Vaughn and more TBA & musical accompaniment by Eban Schletter. This special virtual edition of Plan 9 From Outer Space is set for Thu. Oct. 29th at 6PM PT.

Tickets are $10 and can be snagged here.

Follow @sfsketchfest on Twitter and @sf_sketchfest on IG for updates on more happenings for the virtual SF Sketchfest.

#Pick of the Day: Mary Houlihan’s Painting Party (Starts 9/22)

September 21, 2020

News

live stream comedy, mary houlihan, planet scum

Near the beginning of lockdown, one of the more delightful recurring live-streams was a morning show that was meant for kids (though it definitely had plenty for existential-fear ridden adults to enjoy) put on by one Mary Houlihan. Everything during this time has changed so rapidly and Houlihan’s show changed as well moving to night time and being a little less for kids and then having to take time away from all of that together.

Fortunately, Houlihan is returning to some regularly scheduled programming via a brand new show, all of her own design, Mary Houlihan’s Painting Party, streaming live on Tuesdays at Planet Scum at 5PM PT/8PM ET. Not only will there be painting lessons, but Mary will be playing old web games in what is promised to be “Bob Ross meets Pee Wee’s Playhouse” (perhaps, the perfect break from reality, right now?)

Mary Houlihan’s Painting Party starts going weekly on Tuesdays this week, 9/22, at planetscum.live.

Christina Catherine Martinez Will Be Shooting Her First Comedy Special at End of November (and Yes, It Will Be in an Empty Gallery)

September 18, 2020

News

Normally, when we’d announce someone taping a special, we’d also be hipping you to some sort of exclusive date that you could attend said taping and give you a link to where you could buy tickets or RSVP for seats. As we are far, far, far away from normal times, you best bet that any attempt a doing a comedy special will involve an entire reimagining of the whole concept.

Leave it to one of the most imaginative voices in comedy right now, Christina Catherine Martinez, to dream up a way to her very first comedy special while LA county will be in some sort of lockdown for some time to come. Thanks to HRLA and Actual Size and their Time Space Money Artists in Residence, Martinez will have an empty art gallery at her disposal to put together a special that will, we’d imagine, clash the literary, art, and comedy worlds together in a truly beautiful and silly way.

HRLA notes about this artists in residence program, “Our physical space will not be open to the public during this period; we will however, share a range of projects online and some work will be viewable from the sidewalk outside Actual Size. We are deeply grateful to Actual Size for sharing their space with these artists.”

Whether it’s bits of it online or from the street as it’s being made or later when it’s a completed special, you should keep tabs on Christina to see whatever she has plotted for this hour.

View this post on Instagram

Pleased to announce I will be spending the last week of November losing my shit (filming a special) in an empty gallery ??? thank you @humanresourcesla

A post shared by Christina Catherine Martinez (@xtina_catherine) on Sep 18, 2020 at 9:35am PDT

Watch Trailer for Sweetly Bizarre, DIY Indie Comedy “The Planters”

September 18, 2020

News

alexandra kotcheff, hannah leder, the planters, trailer

Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder pulled off an entire feature film, The Planters, without the aid of a crew last year almost as if they had to do it under strict COVID-19 protocol for film production. That alone would be worth some notoriety, yet the film itself, from the looks of this trailer, has such a vibrant, offbeat zest to this literally DIY buddy comedy that makes it even more worthy of attention.

Thankfully, after making the rounds on the festival circuit, you’ll get to see what Kotcheff and Leder did all on their own as The Planters will get a virtual release on Fri. Oct. 9th.

For now, get a sense of what might be so special in The Planters trailer here.

Sneak a Look at the Making of Season 2 of PEN15 Before You Absolutely Get Into the Season 2 Today

September 18, 2020

News

anna konkle, maya rudolph, pen15

Since the brilliant coming-of-age series PEN15 finished its first season, we’ve been very eagerly awaiting the premiere of season two (and the pandemic sure hasn’t helped in making us less impatient). Fortunately, that day is here and PEN15‘s second season has kicked off on Hulu.

If you’re as obsessed with Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle’s spot-on capturing of what middle school was like in America in the year 2000, you might enjoy a behind the scenes look for what’s to come on PEN15 featured in this featurette here.

Then, go get to watching the whole of season 2 already as all episodes are streaming right now.

#PickoftheDay: The New Yorker Festival: Natasha Lyonne & Maya Rudolph talk with Michael Schulman (Live-stream) 10/9

September 18, 2020

News

The New Yorker is taking the cue from a lot of festivals that are happening in 2020 and going the virtual route. They’ve got quite an extensive line-up varying from all sorts of corners of culture that include conversations with Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Elizabeth Warren, Ira Glass and Malcolm Gladwell, Fiona Apple, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and more.

We’d like to highlight one particular event where Natasha Lyonne and Maya Rudolph will be virtually chatting with The New Yorker’s Michael Schulman for a conversation that has simply been described as “laughing matters”. Rudolph is just coming off of an Emmy win today for her work in Big Mouth and Lyonne and Rudolph are such characters that this virtual panel discussion should be one to remember.

Lyonne and Rudolph’s talk with Schulman is slated for Fri. Oct. 9th at 3PM PT/6PM ET. Tickets are going for $19.95 and you can (and should) go get here.

Conan Has a Nemesis In His Cardboard Audience at Largo

September 17, 2020

News

conan, conan o'brien, team coco

Late night is still experimenting with how to account for the fact that they can’t have a live audience like they used to. Most are still going without any sort of crowd even though they’re returning to their stage. Bill Maher is having limited, distanced audience.

Always one for a bit when there’s even the slightest chance for one, Conan O’Brien has opted to pack Largo, where he has been taping for weeks now, with cardboard cut outs of ardent Team Coco fans. Of course, Conan made sure, with complete control over how this audience could look, made sure to have one cut out of a very clearly dissatisfied person in the crowd.

Even during a pandemic, Conan’s brand of sly daftness can’t be held down. Please enjoy here and brighten your day a bit.

Desus & Mero Just Got Renewed for Season 3 at Showtime

September 17, 2020

News

Honestly, it’s glad to hear that any show is staying on the air right now, but it’s especially heartening to hear that Desus & Mero, the one late night show that will probably manifest their cry of #1 show in late night into existence relatively soon, just got picked up for a third season at Showtime (that’s in addition to their time at VICE). Both Desus Nice and The Kid Mero will have a whole other season of their signature fast and loose riffing that brings such a vibrant energy to late night that really can’t be found on any other show.

They’ll still be airing twice a week on Sundays and Thursdays for now through October, but will return in 2021. Hopefully, a certain person and certain sets of people get voted out of office and they could maybe start riffing on a few less dire issues and be back in studio with maybe a few folks in the crowd (a sign of things potentially getting better?).

Even if that doesn’t happen, at least they’ll be around to clown on the end times like they only can.

??? pic.twitter.com/xPEVUC7zho

— DESUS & MERO on SHOWTIME (@SHODesusAndMero) September 16, 2020

Pick of the Day: Black Comics Matter-Benefit for Comedy Gives Back 9/24

September 17, 2020

News

BIPOC, calise hawkins, comedy gives back, dewayne perkins, franqi french, janelle james, nowhere comedy, rob haze, stand up comedy

Though progress has been made for racial equity and meaningful representation for BIPOC, there is still a ways to go in that regard. Next Thursday, Sept. 24th at 6PM PT/9PM ET is a good chance to keep moving the needle forward with the Ladies of Comedy Association’s fundraiser for black performers via a BIPOC specific fund at Comedy Gives Back, an organization dedicated to bettering the lives of comedians, a group that historically doesn’t do well looking after themselves.

Slated to perform at noted virtual venue, Nowhere Comedy Club, is a stellar line-up critically acclaimed and rising star comedians including Janelle James, Dewayne Perkins, Calise Hawkins, Rob Haze, and host Franqi French.

Tickets are ranging from $20 to $500 and you can (and should) go get them here now.

Get a Peek at “How To with John Wilson” the Latest Project/Scheme/Show Nathan Fielder Is Involved In

September 16, 2020

News

hbo, hbo max, how to, john wilson, nathan fielder

Since the end of Nathan For You, millions of folks have been wondering what will be the next thing from the hysterically enigmatic Nathan Fielder that we all can obsess over. Sure, he’s fought anti-semitism via his outerwear company Summit Ice, but the next show that Fielder devises is what the general public is looking for.

Well, that time is just about here as How To with John Wilson is coming to HBO on Oct. 23rd at 11PM. The docu-series follows one John Wilson showing all of us how to navigate such a complex, often baffling city like NYC. Fielder is serving as executive producer on the series and that assuredly means that there will be plenty of twists and some sort of blurring between comedy and performance art.

From the looks of this teaser, there is a bit of Joe Pera Talks With You energy present here, but something tells us that there’s more sly subterfuge here and, like Nathan For You, it would appear that titular John Wilson is dealing with real referee supply store sales people, furniture cover specialists, etc.

Perhaps we’ll get a full trailer that will give us a bit more of a hint as what Wilson and Fielder have up their sleeve. If not, honestly, that’s fine too as it seems potentially very rewarding to keep the mystery up for as long as possible until the premiere.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 25: Lisa Curry & Coming Oh So Close

September 16, 2020

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

adam sandler, beth stelling, borat 2, guy branum, john cena, katie hughes, last week tonight, lisa curry, nicole byer, ryan hamilton, taylor tomlinson, wipeout

It takes a special sort of comedian to release their very first hour of comedy during a global pandemic after going through recording it far from home in the UK. Lisa Curry is that special sort of comedian on top of having a really great penchant for dark humor. Curry zooms with TCB’s Jake Kroeger about taking such a leap as well as Curry coming very, very close to so many big breaks, but coming up short or being left in the dark as to what happened until she reads her fate in the trades. That even includes coming close to plenty of this week’s news items covering Last Week Tonight‘s renewal, Nicole Byer and John Cena hosting the newest Wipeout, Borat 2, and Guy Branum getting to develop his very own scripted series at NBC.

Follow Lisa Curry at LisaCurry.net and please get her brand new debut album Alive for a While.

Shout Outs: Adam Sandler’s 100% Fresh, Taylor Tomlinson’s Quarter Life Crisis, Ryan Hamilton’s Happy Face, Beth Stelling’s Girl Daddy, Katie Hughes’ Queen of the Castle

Pick of the Day: The Dollop LIVE Online 9/24

September 16, 2020

News

dave anthony, gareth reynolds, the dollop

It has our stance for quite awhile that The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds is both one of the best podcasts for satirically exploring all the weird dark corners of American history and beyond and also one of the most important podcasts around because it brings to light important events and details that one definitely didn’t get while in your standard issue history class.

Knowing your history has always been very important, but seems more vital at this point in time where the whole world is reckoning with its past and how it lead to this present and could lead to a more dystopian future.

So, one absolutely shouldn’t miss out on a virtually live episode of The Dollop next week, Thurs. Sept. 24th at 6PM PT. Tickets are going for $20, but if you pay $75 you’ll get a virtual 1-on-1 meet-and-greet with Dave and Gareth. In either case, please go get tickets here!

Robert Smigel Is EP’ing An Election Themed Puppet Special “Let’s Be Real” for Fox

September 15, 2020

News

2020 election, biden, election special, let's be real, puppets, robert smigel, trump

Robert Smigel, the mind (and hand) behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, the legendary insult comic dog hand puppet, is going back to puppets for a special satirical election special over at Fox. Smigel is attached as EP for Let’s Be Real, which will seemingly feature Trump and Biden puppets as to slyly suggest their nature as puppets.

As far as we know, there won’t be any Triumph the Insult Comic Dog like there was in 2016 when Smigel used his hand and a copious amount of miniature cigars to follow the campaign trail for Clinton and Trump as well as the DNC and RNC for Triump’s Election Watch Special on Hulu. Thus far, with this teaser, Let’s Be Real seems to be a little reminiscent of No, You Shut Up! on Fusion that featured an all puppet panel that Paul F. Tompkins, in real human form, had to attempt to wrangle as they argued on either side of the political divide a few years ago.

Having all puppets is undoubtedly a safer route than going to an idiotic Trump rally where Trump encourages attendees to enjoy the event without any sort of face covering, but that probably limits the amount of man on the street bits that Smigel has done so expertly over decades with Triumph.

The general election is not too far away, whether you like that or not, and the premiere of this special is also not too far away either. Let’s Be Real will premiere on network television on Fox on Oct. 1st at 9PM ET/PT.

Michelle Buteau’s First Hour Special “Buteaupia” Gets a Trailer

September 15, 2020

News

buteaupia, comedy special, michelle buteau, netflix, stand up

Michelle Buteau has had dozens and dozens of TV appearances and gigs and a handful of stand-up specials (though none an hour long until now) in all her years of being a stand-up comedian. Her unshakeable confidence and undeniably joyful exuberance has made of that very well deserved and, as such, Buteau having an hour special should have definitely happened already.

Buteau is getting her due now with Welcome to Buteaupia, her very first hour stand-up special on Netflix and it really could be the jolt of life that you need right now in lockdown.

Get your first look at Welcome to Buteaupia with this trailer here, then look for it to stream on Netflix on Tues., Sept. 29th.

Pick of the Day: The Yard Theater Fundraiser 9/25

September 15, 2020

News

amrita dhaliwal, ashley ray, black francis, chris walsh, dean evans, erica rhodes, fundraiser, jon huck, mark fite, michael rayner, save our stages, yard theater

The Yard Theater in LA was just getting on its feet with building out its live programming schedule featuring comedy, music, theater, etc. just before lockdown started. They had plenty of classes and open mics as well and were poised, under the guidance of one John Ennis, to return this space (The Yard Theater used to be another multi-purpose variety venue called The Fake Gallery, FYI) to being a beloved, go-to indie venue.

You already know the story from there when March of this year came around and as we are in our sixth months of all venues being dark in LA, The Yard Theater is putting together one hell of a live-stream fundraiser to keep the ability to reopen in the future.

Slated for The Yard Theater Fundraiser Fundstacular are:

The Pixies’ Black Francis

Erica Rhodes

Jon Huck

Mark Fite

Ashley Ray

Amrita Dhaliwal

Brett Johnson
Michael Rayner

Neal Dandade

John Tottenham

Ellen Sugarman
Chris Walsh

Dean Evans

& More

That’s pretty damn great and brings in some of LA’s best from all sorts of corners of performance. Tickets range from $15-$31.50 (will include an exclusive button and poster) and you can and very, very much should get them here.

Guy Branum Semi-Autobiographical Family Comedy in Development at NBC

September 14, 2020

News

development, guy branum, nbc

(via Deadline)

One of the best minds in comedy we have today, for our money, is Guy Branum. Erudite in topics both niche and mainstream, whipsmart, and as sharp as any with his comedic diction and delivery, Branum’s comedy spans so many different forms including stand-up, podcasts, and, of course, the amazing Talk Show the Game Show. Please listen to Branum’s Effable if you’re one of the uninitiated to his comedy.

So, we’re thrilled that Branum is not only getting another shot at making his own show, but getting to do so on broadcast network television and doing so with developing a single camera scripted series partially based on his own life. Loosely, Branum will play a lawyer (Guy really did graduate from law school) who brings his mother and niece to live with him from a “small conservative farm town” to WeHo after the passing of his father.

Branum is long overdue for such an opportunity and this could be potentially a very high profile representation for LGBTQIA+ folks. So, we can only hope that he gets to make the show he truly wants to make and that it’ll get to make it to air on NBC in relatively quick manner.

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