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Pick of the Day: Live at Tribeca Drive-In @ Rose Bowl
July 2, 2020
News
comedy dynamics, daniel rugg webb, dave helem, drive in theater, erica rhodes, ester steinberg, live comedy, stand up comedy

With the return to popularity that drive-in theaters have gotten during these months of lockdown, it’s no surprise to see that other forms of entertainment are opting to try to do something at a drive-in that isn’t just screening a movie because people can stay in their cars to stay safe as the COVID-19 pandemic persists (as well as being one of the very few permitted public events right now). That indeed includes live comedy. LA hasn’t gotten the experience of a live drive-in stand-up comedy show yet, though that will be changing next week.

Comedy Dynamics is hosting four exclusive nights of live stand-up comedy, July 9th-12th at 9PM, at the Tribeca Drive-In pop-up at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena. The Tribeca Drive-In itself actually starts screening movies tonight.

Headlining will be a handful of comedians that you ought to get to know since they’ll, as far as we’ve seen, probably rise further up the comedy ladder than they already have very soon. That includes Dave Helem, Ester Steinberg, Daniel Webb, and Erica Rhodes performing 7/9-7/12 respectively.

Tickets are $26 per vehicle and you can go get tickets here. If you do go, do take proper caution and limit physical contact, wear a mask, and maintain distance at all times. Also, please note that Comedy Dynamics will be taping these performances for “later viewing” if you’d rather stay safe at home and still watch.

Yassir Lester Fools Internet with Fake Jersey Mike’s BLM Post to Highlight Performative Corporate Gestures
July 1, 2020
News
blm, jersey mike's, parody, satire, yassir lester

Plenty of corporations are trying to join in on the cultural uprising around the globe sparked off by the murder of George Floyd. Yet, as corporations often do when it comes to taking a stance, they fall short of the mark and often make tone deaf, performative gestures.

To point this out, Yassir Lester made a fake Jersey Mike’s post on Twitter that claimed that they would offensively rename a sandwich as a point of solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Though there was no connection to an official Jersey Mike’s social media account, plenty of people ran with it like it was a real statement from the real Jersey Mike’s.

With that being the case, Lester, 12 hours later, owned up to creating the hoax and then asked, “How bad off are we that we thought a corporation would rename a sandwich, offensively, as a statement of solidarity?” He also added, “Why is no one using Google?” as it would indeed having been easy to see that this wasn’t a real advertisement by Jersey Mike’s.

Lester went on to be more emphatic about his faux Jersey Mike’s tweet remarking that corporations of all kinds often say that they will offer support to communities in need, but, often, no one knows where that money is going. Marginalized groups are more in need of direct support through defunding police, access to health care and housing, etc. and corporations shouldn’t just seem like they’re doing enough by ill-advised performative gestures on social media. Again, this one was fake, but you have certainly received some sort of corporate/company newsletter in your inbox that actually falls short of supporting marginalized people getting what they need to live like so many of us with any modicum of privilege.

For our money, this is high level satire that is so effective that it might just open people’s eyes to yet another thing that they were unfortunately overlooking.

The tweet went viral and, despite his explanation, there is local news coverage that talks to people who still seem to miss the point.

Literally what is jersey Mike’s doing. pic.twitter.com/9XohWNOa4n

— Yassir Lester (@Yassir_Lester) July 1, 2020

It was me. pic.twitter.com/bWMsnQFlgU

— Yassir Lester (@Yassir_Lester) July 1, 2020

Here is the news covering the Jersey Mikes tweet and I can’t stop laughing. https://t.co/rIQ3uKrDeX

— Yassir Lester (@Yassir_Lester) July 1, 2020

TCB Field Report Ep. 14: Naomi Ekperigin & Connection
July 1, 2020
News, Slider, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
carl reiner, curb your enthusiasm, naomi ekperigin, zoom comedy

The latest TCB Field Report has the amazing comedian/writer/podcaster Naomi Ekperigin zooming with TCB’s Jake Kroeger this week. Naomi and Jake take time to remember the late, great Carl Reiner and also dissect what lies ahead with comedy on TV with the renewal of Curb Your Enthusiasm (i.e. how relatable will Larry be in a post-pandemic world?) as well as how Hollywood is still missing the mark in achieving true racial equity. Ekperigin also lets us in on how her podcast and now, weekly Twitch live-stream, Couples Therapy, has been fostering community in quarantine and her personal experience finding connection through doing comedy on Zoom.

Also, Jake would like to apologize for referring to the character Lawrence on Insecure as Louis. Please forgive him.

Shout outs: Eddie Pepitone’s For The Masses, Chris Fairbanks’ Rescue Cactus, Eric Andre’s Legalize Everything, John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch.

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: Lapkus & Tompkins Sings the Blues 7/7
June 30, 2020
News
dynasty typewriter, improv, lauren lapkus, paul f tompkins

No matter if it’s in a tiny black box or a theater like Dynasty Typewriter or virtually on Zoom, a live improv show featuring the uncanny talents of Paul F. Tompkins and Lauren Lapkus is something that you should catch. Their artful tomfoolery is some of the best improv that we’ve seen amongst numerous other shows/teams/podcasts, etc. over several years (as you might know if you’re reading this).

Presented by Dynasty Typewriter, Tompkins and Lapkus will be doing an exclusive virtual two person improv show next week called Lapkus & Tompkins Sing the Blues. Tickets are only $5-$10 and you can (and should) go get them here.

R.I.P. Carl Reiner, 1922-2020
June 30, 2020
News
carl reiner

At this point, you’ve probably heard of the passing of true comedy legend Carl Reiner at the age of 98. You’ve also probably heard or seen highlights of his magnificently lengthy career listed off stretching all the way back to him writing on Sid Caesar’s Show of Shows and creating The Dick Van Dyke Show all the way to being instrumental to Steve Martin’s The Jerk to his life long collaboration with Mel Brooks (over 60 years) and the numerous, numerous of memorable roles and cameos in dozens and dozens of movies and TV shows. Perhaps, you’ve even heard some friends recount their favorite memories with Reiner or people lucky enough to have encounters with him throughout his life.

We unfortunately haven’t had any personal encounters with Reiner and certainly, we don’t want to take any more of your time summarizing his career when you’ve likely read it five times over by now (though we urge you to go watch any and all of his work, go down a Carl Reiner YouTube rabbit hole, etc.).

What we will say is that Reiner, as is with his life long comedy partner Mel Brooks, had such unbelievable longevity with his sense of humor, spanning so many decades, and yet, still kept a youthful, exuberant silliness to him even in his elder years. Almost no one, even the best comedians, gets to be that funny for that long and it should be the lofty aspirations of any comedian of any kind to maintain such a level to their comedic voice as long as Reiner has.

Case in point, enjoy an appearance of Reiner on Conan from three years ago here.

Rest in peace Carl and may we binge watch and revel in your catalog for awhile now and for many years to come.

Please Watch and Listen to Blair Socci’s Powerful/Cathartic Set About Sexual Abuse
June 29, 2020
News
blair socci, sexual abuse, stand up

One of the more amazing things that comedy does is reveling with darkness and demons in such a way that makes people feel less alone. Blair Socci, who we’ve enjoyed see become a great staple around the LA comedy scene, ran this particular set at Faded LA that’s entirely about how she was sexually abused when she was a teenager. It’s a revelatory set (yet, still aggressively upbeat as is Blair’s nature) that is as truthful and vulnerable as we’ve seen anyone get in stand-up.

Sharing experiences like this, especially through the lens of comedy, is the sort of shining-the-light-on-the-darkness that likely makes other people that went through such trauma to feel unafraid to share their story. From there, really understanding how pervasive sexual abuse/harassment/assault is, we can hopefully move forward and not let that sort of harm hide in the shadows any longer.

Please, watch, enjoy, and listen to Blair’s set here.

Pick of the Day: Comedy, Coping, & Change: Finding Hope in Humor 6/30
June 29, 2020
News
chris gethard, maria bamford, mental health, panel discussion, the wrap, tyler davis, wyatt cenac

Whether it’s a more traditional stand-up show or a webinar panel discussion or something else altogether, a line-up of Maria Bamford, Wyatt Cenac, Tyler Davis, and Chris Gethard is something that you should show up for.

The Wrap and Topic are bringing us all such a panel discussion entitled Comedy, Coping, & Change: Finding Hope in Humor and we have no doubt that it’ll be the sort of conversation that’s heartfelt, riveting, funny, and healing, especially with a line-up that has channeled so much of their energy and comedy towards changing attitudes on mental health, social justice/reform, and overall humanity.

This Comedy, Coping, & Change: Finding Hope in Humor panel is set for this Tues. 6/30 at 4:30PM PT/7:30PM ET. All you have to do to join in RSVP here.

FYI, Rory Scovel Has Been Releasing Great Morsels of His Stand-Up Every Week
June 26, 2020
News
rory scovel, stand up

The second wave of realizing that the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t gone away, which also means the prospect of live-in-person stand-up is getting put on hold for even longer. That also means brand new bits, specials, albums of stand-up are going to take on some new form (done via Zoom or at drive-in) or they’ll be never-before-seen-or-released material from yesteryear.

Rory Scovel has plenty of his past performances, that are always equal parts beautifully ephemeral and sharply crafted, taped and, since quarantine started, began releasing bits every week. Scovel is definitely the sort of comedian whose performances are so unique to themselves, as he’s always so present and takes advantage of the moment and the space, to see excerpts from his sets is like getting an official bootleg collection track by track. If a Scovel bootleg collection were up for sale from Rory, you could definitely count us in for pre-order.

So, go get into Scovel’s weekly stand-up collection here, especially this bit that was done a month before lockdown and that will probably be relevant for quite some time.

Pick of the Day: Comics 4 Rent Control 6/27
June 26, 2020
News
comic isolation, francesca fiorentini, kate willett, naomi ekperigin, rental affordability act

Rent Control was an issue that was already important before the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown followed. Now, months into sheltering at home, it’s an issue that’s more than important than ever.

So, in support of the Rental Affordability Act, Comics 4 Rent Control are putting another show to raise money to fight the alarming increase in rent prices in California. They’ve got a terrific line-up of stand-ups  sourced from around the country including Naomi Ekperigin, Francesca Fiorentini, and Kate Willett and a $1 donation gets you a ticket to the exclusive live-stream show.

This latest edition of Comic Isolation is set for Jun. 27th at 7PM PT/10PM ET. Go donate and get your tickets here.

Here’s Our The Future of Future of LA Comedy Roundtable Discussion
June 25, 2020
News
christian chavez, comedy reopening, echoes on pico, flappers, hot Tub, joel mandelkorn, roundtable discussion

Earlier this week, we assembled a panel of folks behind the scenes of LA comedy to discuss where they’re currently at with the state of the world and what might lie ahead. The panel consisted of Joel Mandelkorn (CleftClips, Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen), Christian Chavez (owner of Echoes on Pico), Joshua Snyder (Booker of Flappers Comedy Club) who stepped in for Flappers Owner Babrara Holliday, and TCB’s founder Jake Kroeger as moderator to give us all a nice strata of different segments in comedy.  Thanks again to Hold The Phone Comedy to hosting this live-stream.

The discussion goes through a myriad of the crucial topics in regards to reopening, safety, sustainability, inclusion, and more and though there isn’t a specific answers to how anything is going to happen in the not so distant future, it’s a conversation that got the wheels turning and offered a glimpse of what the different corners in LA comedy are thinking right now.

You can now stream the whole Future of Future of LA Comedy Roundtable discussion here.

 

Pick of the Day: Stimulus Solidarity Fundraiser Hellraiser 7/1
June 25, 2020
News
andy beckerman, eric andre, fat tony, jo firestone, joel kim booster, john early, lorelei ramirez, mitra jouhari, naomi ekperigin, solomon georgio, ziwe fumudoh

Beloved comedy horror troupe Helltrap Nightmare and the DSA LA are putting on another incredibly jam-packed comedy/music live-stream fundraiser, Stimulus Solidarity Fundraiser Hellraiser. Again, they’re raising money for marginalized immigrants who have been severely financially affected by COVID-19 and have yet to receive or are even excluded from any sort of federal funding/stimulus check.

So, share any portion of the money that you’ve got coming in and you’ll get to see the likes of:

Eric Andre
Naomi Ekperigin
Andy Beckerman
John Early
Jo Firestone
Solomon Georgio
Lorelei Ramirez
Fat Tony
Jerry Paper
Jena Friedman
Josh Epstein
Mitra Jouhari
Joel Kim Booster
Yung Chomsky
Ziwe Fumudoh
Chris Estrada
Patti Harrison
Ayo Edebiri
Angel Castillo
Xenia Rubinos
Ruby McCollister
Nnamdi
Hosted by Sarah Squirm and AJ Marroquin

Stimulus Solidarity Fundraiser Hellraiser is set for Wed., July 1st at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Donate and get in on this exclusive live-stream at bit.ly/dsa-la-stimulus

NOTE: those that have already donated will also be emailed a link the morning of July 1st!

Dadaism Is Alive and Well in Eric Andre’s “Legalize Everything”
June 24, 2020
News
eric andre, legalize everything, netflix

The tenets of Dadaism (absurdist, abstract, illogical, anti-capitalist) line-up pretty damn close to the comedy of Eric Andre. The Eric Andre Show is as bonkers of a reaction against the traditional late night talk show as could be imagined and fits in line with the art movement that rose to prominence in the late 1910s and 1920s (oh, just another time when the world was at each other’s throats and there was a global pandemic).

This new hour special Legalize Everything from Andre is an ever clearer cut example of dadaist comedy 100 years after the movement started. Andre zips all over the place at a frenetic pace, but manages to hammer the subversive, anti-authority message (the title is “Legalize Everything” after all) throughout. Expertly and hilariously deconstructing the mythos of the show COPS with giant act outs to commenting, satirically contrasting the evils of factory farming with sexual desire, and also doing a whole bit on the lasting harm done by theologian John Calvin altogether make for something that feels more absurd and pointed than your general absurdist comedy. Even his story about going to a sex worker in Amsterdam, which seems pretty grounded at first takes a non-sequitur turn.

Dadaism rose under somewhat similar circumstances to 2020 and perhaps the time for Andre’s grandiose, wild visions of our world is right for the world that we’re in now. Go see Legalize Everything for yourself and enjoy Eric’s latest hour and see it as it’s now streaming on Netflix.

Sara Schaefer Imagines a New Sort of Barbie Dream House for Quarantine
June 24, 2020
News
barbie, dream house, parody, quarantine life, sara schaefer, sketch comedy

You’re well aware that the COVID-19 pandemic persists and that it will for a good number of months ahead as the curve has not flattened and that life seems unsure like it was March/April.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say that a Barbie Dream House wouldn’t be the same for these times either. Sara Schaefer went ahead and actualized what that might look and created a great, timely, and hilarious sketch for the quarantine life and societal uprising that we’re all a part of now.

Enjoy Sara Schaefer’s Quarantine Dream House here.

View this post on Instagram

REPOSTED TO IGTV – HERE IS THE FULL VERSION! I forgot regular Instagram cuts off videos after 1 minute. Please rewatch for the crucial third act ?. A play in three acts. By me and @scottmoran9876, music by @emburgler. #barbie

A post shared by Sara Schaefer (@saraschaefer1) on Jun 23, 2020 at 12:18pm PDT

Pick of the Day: Thrilling Adventure Hour 6/27
June 24, 2020
News
annie savage, autumn reeser, busy philipps, color of change, craig cackowski, hal lublin, janet varney, joshua malina, marc evan jackson, mark gagliardi, naacp legal defense fund, paget brewster, paul f tompkins

It has been quite some time since the last round of Thrilling Adventure Hour (as the whole world changed even more so since the last show than it was changing already with the pandemic), but they’ll finally be back this Sat. Jun. 27th 5PM PT/8PM ET for another splendid round of the long-running, beloved old-time radio show (now virtual) that’s set to benefit two organizations that striving for the change that so many people want right now: NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Color of Change.

The WorkJuice Players will all be in attendance in the Zoom room including Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Busy Philipps, Joshua Malina, Janet Varney, Hal Lublin, Annie Savage, Craig Cackowski, Mark Gagliardi, Autumn Reeser, and Marc Evan Jackson.

NOTE: If you miss the live-stream but bought a ticket, the stream will remain available for 48 hours after showtime. After that, the stream will be available to purchase using a new link, which will be announced via our social media.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 13: Eddie Pepitone Takes Over
June 24, 2020
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
astronomy club, eddie pepitone, for the masses

The great Eddie Pepitone stops by, virtually, to Zoom with TCB’s Jake Kroeger as his brand new hour special For The Masses just got released this week. Pepitone’s particular brand of satirical dark comedy is almost tailor made for the time that we’re living in and that’s clearly evident in their conversation that wanders around Eddie’s visions of his past, present in the pandemic, and future for whatever that may be. Also, Jake manages to squeeze in a bit of news about Boots Riley’s new series and saving Astronomy Club.

Follow Eddie and everything he’s doing at eddiepepitone.com and get For The Masses here.

Sign the petition to save Astronomy Club here.

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

White House Correspondents Dinner on Aug. 29th Cancelled, Virtual Event in the Works
June 23, 2020
News
whca, white house, white house correspondents dinner

Just announced today, the White House Correspondents Dinner that was going to rebound from having a historian and having comedians roast the D.C., the press, and, of course, Trump with a live, in-person event on Aug. 29th is now cancelled. They had Hasan Minhaj and Keenan Thompson on deck and it looked like it’d be one of the few live events that might signal a tide turning in the pandemic as well as a great follow-up to the on-going cruel joke that is the Trump Administration.

Yet, cases are back on the rise in the U.S. and things that had reopened too fast are now scaling back. The fate of live performance is definitely hanging in the balance and thus, the event often referred to as “Nerd Prom” has cancelled its in person engagement. The WHCA says that they’re working on transitioning to a virtual event, but nothing else has been announced as of yet. One could only hope that Minhaj and Thompson stay on.

As more details come, we’ll keep you in the loop.

Eddie Pepitone’s “For The Masses” Might Be the Sort of Dark Comedy Stand-up Special You Need Right Now
June 23, 2020
News
800, comedy special, eddie pepitone, for the masses, stand up

Though it was shot over a year ago and the world is such a wildly different place than it was in February 2019, the words, rants, bits, and asides of Eddie Pepitone in his latest hour special For The Masses is more relevant than ever.

For The Masses is the perfect title for Pepitone’s latest (on top of being his best hour yet). Eddie’s stand-up is simultaneously for the disenfranchised/a challenge to the power structures that surround us all as well as an exquisite deconstruction of the comedic form (as Eddie is famous for going on tangents, commenting on tangents, and bringing it all back somehow). That has been Pepitone’s brand for decades at this point, but there is a special spirit that is caught in this Pepitone special, directed by frequent collaborator Steven Feinartz. There is an electricity throughout the crowd (full disclosure, we were there) and Eddie was as sharp as we’ve ever seen him. There is always an air of dark comedic prophecy that comes with Eddie’s stand-up that gets joyfully contrasted with abject silliness and absurdity. Whether it’s about late capitalism, dictators, or how Eddie specifically envisions how forgetful he would get as his brain deteriorates with age, Pepitone is one of the best when it comes to reckoning with genuine dark comedy that’s so unbelievably funny.

Eddie Pepitone: For The Masses just released today. You can get it here. Go get and enjoy the special that is pretty in line with the zeitgeist though it was taped several months ago.

Here’s a bit of a teaser by the way.

My new special FOR THE MASSES is now on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play and more! Go watch it before I die!!! Album out too! Directed by @stevenfeinartz Get it here: https://t.co/mBACExgUaK pic.twitter.com/FMnwH8HCRu

— eddie pepitone (@eddiepepitone) June 23, 2020

Pick of the Day: The Female Gaze 6/27
June 23, 2020
News
female gaze, panel discussion

As a parody of The View, The Female Gaze features a wide variety of great female comedians, many of the best in NYC, getting to fearlessly express their opinions, hot takes, and more as part of a gigantic panel. In the before times, it was a big UCB stage show, but now has gone virtual on YouTube.

In fact, the panel features for this latest virtual edition of The Female Gaze will include:

Lauren Adams (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Caitlin Bitzegaio (Buzzfeed Live!), Amanda Dieli, Mariola Figueroa, Sudi Green (SNL writer), Tessa Hersh (H&R Block spokesperson), Cody Lindquist (Broad City, Our Cartoon President), Alise Morales (Our Cartoon President / Tooning Out The News), Monique Moses (Astronomy Club), Nayomi Reghay, Janie Stolar (Watch What Happens Live), Glo Tavarez (The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show), Natasha Vaynblat (Comedy Central), Moujan Zolfaghari (At Home with Amy Sedaris)

The Female Gaze live stream will be on YouTube at info.thefemalegazeshow.com. Tune in at Sat. Jun. 27th at 5PM PT/8PM ET. Donations will be taken during the show.

 

Boot Riley Is Making a New Show About a 13 Ft. Black Man in Oakland “I’m a Virgo”
June 22, 2020
News
boots riley, i'm a virgo, jharrel jerome

The mind behind the groundbreaking, hysterical, satirical comedy, Sorry to Bother You, from 2018 has a new series coming.

Multi-hyphenate Boots Riley sent this tweet out earlier today featuring promo art by Colin Laurel:

I have a show
about a 13-ft tall Black man who lives in Oakland.

It’s called I’m A Virgo.

Jharrel Jerome is playing the lead.

I’m doing this w Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res. We haven’t decided on the network/streamer.

It’ll be dark, absurd, hilarious, and important. pic.twitter.com/pzOGDxMaaO

— Boots Riley (@BootsRiley) June 22, 2020

With that little detail, the prospect of whatever I’m A Virgo specifically ends up being has us truly excited. Sorry to Bother You was such a wildly imaginative and critical vision of a future and such a hilarious tour-de-force that anything else Riley was and is coming as well as will be coming out with had to be something that we ought to pay close attention to. Blending a bit of magical realism into satire has served him well thus far and our mind is racing as to what Riley has up his sleeve with a 13 ft. tall black man played by Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us, Moonlight) in Oakland that’s supposed to be dark, absurd, and hilarious.

We hope that the show gets picked up ASAP after the bidding war that should be following Boots Riley’s tweet.

Please Get and Enjoy Chris Fairbanks’ New Hour Special “Rescue Cactus”
June 22, 2020
News
chris fairbanks, comedy special, now streaming, stand up

Throughout all of our years of watching live comedy (or comedy in general), few are as mastered at being purely silly as Chris Fairbanks. The dedication and care that Fairbanks puts into his wonderfully ridiculous bits are evident in how intricate his comedy can get and we’ve enjoyed the dozens and dozens of times that we’ve seen all of that up close. Whether it be acrobatic level word play or outright tomfool observations, Fairbanks has always delivered on every stage.

Capturing Chris’ joyful lightning in a bottle and releasing in some form or another hasn’t in some time, but thankfully, there’s this brand new hour special, Rescue Cactus just released today. It’s a marvelous collection of the sort of high flying absurdity that Chris couples with his animated, yet slightly grounded delivery. It’s the sort of contrast that heightens the comedy in such a superb way (even the pre-taped, staged opening embodies this notion).

Simply put, if you need a big dose of silly, get and enjoy Chris Fairbanks’ Rescue Cactus now.

Help Get “Astronomy Club” a Second Season and Sign This Petition
June 22, 2020
News
astronomy club, caroline martin, james iii, jerah milligan, jonathan braylock, keisha zollar, monique moses, petition, ray cordova, shawtane bowen

Established and celebrated all black comedy sketch group Astronomy Club got to make an entire TV series at Netflix year under their banner. This first season of Astronomy Club: The Sketch Show was one of the best runs of sketch comedy in 2019 with a balance of silly cleverness and succinct satire. In our opinion, especially as it made our 100 Best of 2019 list, it was definitely a show that easily deserved a second season.

Yet, as you might know, Netflix cancelled the series after said first season, almost unceremoniously at the beginning of the month, amidst the weeks of protests led by Black Lives Matter. You’ve heard the call to lift and amplify melanated voices. So, there’s a chance to do so by signing a petition for bringing back Astronomy Club for a second season at Netflix or elsewhere.

On top of all the petitions that you’re probably signing right now, we kindly ask if you add this one to your “to sign list” and help truly promote inclusion of BIPOC voices and bring back one of the best sketch series from last year.

bump. https://t.co/13xrTdPTfZ

— James III (@James3rdComedy) June 15, 2020

Pick of the Day: The Future of the Future of LA Comedy 6/23
June 22, 2020
News
barbara holliday, christian chavez, covid-19, jake kroeger, joel mandelkorn, lockdown, phase 4, reopening, youtube

At this unprecedented moment of three months of lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global uprising against systemic racism and oppression and police brutality, the idea of when live comedy will come back or where it will fit in these historic times we’re living through is a question that seems far from having an answer or an even an attempt at an answer. In LA specifically, live comedy falls under the category “Phase 4” of reopening, which seems to be far, far away at a date TBD.

Thus, we here at The Comedy Bureau are attempting to attempt to have some sort of conversation with The Future of the Future of LA Comedy.

Perhaps, this virtual roundtable discussion could lead to some start to some answers about live comedy in LA going forward in regards to reopening, safety, sustainability, diversity/inclusion, and supporting the plethora of important causes happening right now.

Joining TCB founder Jake Kroeger will be a panel of people that operate throughout all corners of the LA comedy scene including Joel Mandelkorn (producer of Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen, CleftClips), Barbara Holliday (owner/booker of Flappers Comedy Club), and Christian Chavez (owner of Echoes on Pico). Their discussion will hopefully be the start of getting on the same page as we believe that comedy and live performance in general will come back safely and maybe better than ever.

The Future of The Future of LA Comedy will be live-streamed this Tuesday, June 23rd at 3PM PT/6PM ET thanks to the fine folks at Hold The Phone Comedy. Please tune in at bit.ly/tcblayoutube.

Ziwe Fumudoh’s Latest “Baited” Interview with Caroline Calloway Is Hysterical, Wild, and Crucial
June 19, 2020
News
baited, caroline calloway, ziwe fumudoh

Part of the work that is supposed to be done right now in dismantling white supremacy is having conversations that show every bit of it in all of its forms whether it be a small wrinkle of it or an outlandish mess.

That’s part of what Ziwe Fumudoh‘s weekly Instagram live-stream Baited (that stems from a show that she did in the past) accomplishes as she interviews non-black allies about their engagement and commitment to racial equity. Ziwe does an exquisite job in keeping the tension throughout every interview, never letting up on hilariously challenging the views of her guests at every turn, making for some great, often cringe-worthy, unsure answers from self-identified allies.

This latest edition of Baited illustrates this magnificently with guest, Caroline Calloway, a noted influencer and self-admitted controversial one to boot. Their conversation was the perfect crystallization of the moment that we’re having right now in America and across the globe. We are all reckoning with all of our unconscious biases and continuing to potentially put our foot in our mouths as we start to become more aware of said biases. These growing pains are showcased throughout their entire conversation, proving how necessary they are, and, if anything, a reflection of how much more of the work that needs to be done. Calloway seems to put herself as a sacrificial lamb for white guilt, almost knowing that she’s going to slip up before hand, which, for what is supposed to be a satirically comedic interview, makes for something explosive and almost unbelievable.

We’ll let the interview (embedded in 5 parts below) do the rest of the talking as we don’t want to spoil the shock you might justifiably have if you haven’t seen it. Also, tune in every Thursday to Baited @ziwef at 8PM PT/5PM ET on Instagram to catch what might very well may be the most important comedy live-stream of 2020.

Comedy Central Orders a Daria Spin-Off “Jodie” with Tracee Ellis Ross as EP and Star
June 19, 2020
News
comedy central, daria, jodie, tracee ellis ross

(via Deadline)

The COVID-19 pandemic having shut down and subsequently forcing live action production to vastly reconfigure itself has pushed up animated production to the forefront. Comedy Central is certainly headed in this direction with what they have in their slate.

With Hollywood saying that they’re dedicated to true inclusion and diversity, an order for a spin-off of Daria starring the black character from Daria, Jodie Landon, that would star the voice of and be EP’d Tracee Ellis Ross seems like a nice intersection of all things that Comedy Central, and a lot of other networks, are striving for right now. Called Jodie, it will indeed focus on the journey of the titular character and be updated for the times for the current generation coming of age. Our curiosity is definitely peaked with a Gen-Z spin-off of Daria with black woman at the center of it, but we’re not sure when this will air as of right now (hopefully, sometime later this year?).

Let’s hope that Comedy Central and other networks don’t stop here and order up completely original shows from BIPOC too.

IFC Renews Sherman’s Showcase for Season 2 & Black History Month Spectacular Premieres Tonight
June 19, 2020
News
ifc, sherman's showcase

(via Deadline)

IFC’s variety sketch series Sherman’s Showcase from Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin not only got a renewal for a second season this week at its network IFC, but got the season pick-up right before the premiere of their Black History Month Spectacular special tonight at 10PM on AMC. Sherman’s Showcase has a hell of time jumping around history with all sorts of sketches under the guise of a classic musical variety show.

This bodes well for the inclusivity and amplifying of BIPOC voices that Hollywood says that they’re going to do going forward, especially following the unfortunate cancellation of another black sketch series Astronomy Club at Netflix after one season.

The second season of Sherman’s Showcase is set to come in 2021 (though any sort of release date is tentative at this point in the pandemic) and will air on both IFC and AMC. For now, you can and should enjoy Sherman’s Showcase’s Black History Month Spectacular tonight on this Juneteenth.

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