800 pound gorilla – The Comedy Bureau

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 227: Ryan Bitzer & Ian Adkins & An International 800 Pound Gorilla

July 31, 2024

800 Pound Gorilla went from indie comedy record label to a force to be reckoned with as 800 Pound Gorilla Media wheeling and dealing in hour specials all around the world, especially voices that you might have not in North America and U.S. comics that might not have had the chance to reach beyond the lower 48. We talk to 800 Pound Gorilla’s Ryan Bitzer and Ian Adkins about 800 Pound Gorilla’s journey over the last 8 years, how they’ve done what they’ve done despite people thinking it was impossible, and going about comedy distribution in a way that attempts to directly connect their favorite comedians to their biggest fans.

Follow all things 800 Pound Gorilla at 800poundgorillamedia.com

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

TCB Debriefing 3/1-3/4/24: Dan Soder, DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD, Hacks, Worldwide Comedy Month, Martin McDonagh

March 5, 2024

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1. Much of the art form of stand-up comedy comes in subtleties. The skills of presence and delivery and writing often are best when they’re seamless in someone’s act. If you throw in some of the very best impressions/voices at the ready, you’ll get a fantastic piece of stand-up from one Dan Soder. Soder’s second special, On The Road, just released on YouTube covers a lot of common ground when it comes to subject matter, but Dan’s almost undeniable warmth, specificity in his takes, and uncanny knack for nailing a voice of a character really this 40 minute special crackle, almost without you knowing it since it’s delivered so very casually. A more classical, observational style of stand-up can still very much work in 2024, especially if your name is Dan Soder. Please enjoy Dan Soder: On The Road here.

2. It would make sense that a movie called DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM THE END OF THE WORLD throws pretty much every traditional cinematic and narrative convention aggressively out of a window. Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude made a foreign comedy/satire that thankfully isn’t a cutesy rom com or fish-out-of-water story, but something that feels more akin to an episode of The Eric Andre Show. See for yourself with the official trailer here.

3. Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder return as one of the best duos that television has to offer these days on Hacks. Please enjoy a taste of what’s to come with season 3 with Hacks S3 teaser here (then set a reminder for the premiere on May 2nd on Max).

4. 800 Pound Gorilla Media is declaring April as Worldwide Comedy Month and given what April 1st is, was there really any other choice.

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5. For as much as Hong Kong has really squashed any sort of subversive ideas, especially regarding beliefs, philosophies that don’t fall in line with Beijing and Xi Jinping, it’s pretty curious that one Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, 3 Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Banshees of Inisherin), one of the more subversive voices we have in film and theater, is having a “Masterclass Retrospective” in the upcoming Hong Kong International Film Festival (Deadline)

6. We’ll leave you with this: NYC comedian Nomie K. Baker joins in a 24 hour vigil to demand the NYC City Council call for a ceasefire in Gaza and a sobering reminder that innocent folks are dying every day in Gaza and that noise should be continued to be made for a ceasefire until it happens.

Pick of the Day: James Adomian Stand Up Comedy Special Taping (in LA) 9/14

August 17, 2023

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It has been well over a decade since the release of the brilliant comedy album Low Hanging Fruit from the always astounding James Adomian. Though we’d like to have a new hour from Adomian to binge and listen on repeat much sooner, James has been, over the last 11 years, a little busy touring as Bernie Sanders opposite Anthony Atamanuik’s Trump, and playing several voices on your favorite adult animated series, doing one of the best hidden gem podcasts The Underculture, amongst several other things.

Thankfully, this Adomian drought will come to an end as James is set to tape his very first stand-up comedy special and brand new hour next month for 800 Pound Gorilla Media. At The Elysian on Thurs. Sept. 14th, James will give those in attendance the meticulously honed collection of hysterical, incisive socio-political coupled with the most spot-on impressions you’ve ever heard or seen.

Tickets are only $15 right now for either 7:30PM or 9:30PM tapings and you best go get tickets here now.

DeAnne Smith’s “Chiweenie In A Tank Top” Is a Perfect Spoonful of Sugar for Talking About Identity

August 15, 2023

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Mary Poppins’ refrain of a “spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” is, unknowingly, a core function of comedy. The underlying philosophies and messages from a comedian are often dissolved into the sweetness of their well-crafted jokes. That said, many a comedian these days opt out of the sugar-quality of comedy and instead decide to serve their medicine/message with a generous portion of even more sour tasting medicine.

DeAnne Smith is and has long been a bright and shining example of the former as they employ their preternatural warmth and extremely keen joke writing chops to actually explore those “pesky” modern day identity politics of gender, sexuality, and what to do when running into Jon Hamm. Such nuanced depth is thankfully caught on digital wax on their latest release, the perfectly titled Chiweenie In A Tank Top.

Recorded live at the Curious Comedy Theater in Portland, OR, DeAnne gave an extensive tour of so many spectrums (and even joyfully ribbed what was a very open-minded crowd). Pronouns, feminism, hotness, the death penalty, writing a joke about the death penalty, and more highly debatable are dissected with aplomb. What’s intriguing is that Smith doesn’t necessarily present this an hour of comedy necessarily as an answer for every debate, but, instead gives a hysterical account of their life and how they’re faring in a world that’s (thankfully) continuing to evolve. That’s definitely a sweeter angle to play than joking about what one clearly thinks is explicitly capital G and B, good and bad.

Essentially, the message here is that spectrums don’t have to be frustrating and can be a beautiful thing if you feel lost, in between, or outside of the “norm”. Just think about that in regards to the title, Chiweenie In A Tank Top (a great line lifted from this very lovely, affirming hour of stand-up).

DeAnne Smith’s Chiweenie In A Tank Top is now streaming pretty much everywhere you get your comedy albums. Listen in here.

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After Everything We’ve All Been Through Since 2019, Ben Roy Delivers Yet Again with “Hyena”

August 1, 2023

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Nearly 20 years in, Denver comedy luminary Ben Roy has nearly perfected his euphoria-fueled-shot-in-the-arm style of comedy that combines the energy of a Battle of the Bands showdown with the vivid and expansive detail of an impressionist painting. Roy’s comedy is a true thing of raw hilarious beauty. That sentiment continues to be true with his latest hour, fresh off the presses from 800 Pound Gorilla, Hyena.

Many a comedian over the last year or two have released what will likely be their one and only special that will touch on the COVID-19 pandemic and, as such, there is more than plenty of well-trodden territory when it comes to dealing with COVID and post-pandemic life. Roy visits said territory, but he’s such a satisfying force of nature to watch and nails the specificity and details in his writing that Hyena isn’t going to make you go through another tiresome COVID chunk. If anything, Ben’s firebrand persona makes him even stand out here when talking why he’s pro-vaccine, but for reasons that are hilariously political and transparently self-serving. More so than most other “catch-up from 2019” specials, Ben’s take/observations on the last three years are what we hoped such a comedy special would be in 2023.

We’ve talked about the vast spectrum of color that Ben uses with his pen (probably one of those tactical ones that can break through a car window) before with his past hours. It’s so mesmerizing (e.g. his game show pitch for “It’s Asbestos”) that it’s worth noting once more. Roy conjures up imagery not unlike Patton Oswalt, but goes at it with his punk rock conviction giving some sort of feeling that you’re laughing at the color palate of a nuclear tinged horizon at sunset. That’s one of the big reasons Hyena as well as every other Ben Roy release before this are so compelling to watch/listen to.

At the moment, you can rent Ben Roy: Hyena exclusively from 800 Pound Gorilla to see Roy murder at one of most comedians’ all time favorite comedy clubs, The Comedy Works in Downtown Denver for only $10. Come Thurs. Aug 10th, you’ll be able to stream Hyena for free, at your convenience, on 800 Pound Gorilla’s YouTube Channel.

Please Enjoy a Damn Fine Debut Hour from Tom Thakkar, “Thakkar Noir”

July 25, 2023

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Tom Thakkar inalienably has fun on stage.

It’s a simple notion to be sure, but it’s beyond evident that he has so much fun doing all of his bits and act-outs and asides to the crowd in a way that seems atypical of so many comedians these days. Many of the hour specials and albums that end up in our inbox at TCB often highlight how much a comic that is going through the motions, merely trying to never do this hour again and, consequently, seeming disconnected from the crowd in front of them. In contrast, Thakkar gleefully revels in getting into his material for his latest hour Thakkar Noir, much to the endless delight and applause of the live crowd at The Comedy Fort in Fort Collins, CO, that you can’t help but get charmed into joining in on the laugh riot.

Tom’s voice is so animated, at times even sounding like a classic Morning Zoo-esque DJ, that it comedically compliments his sharp, satirical tongue. From dissecting the experience of his ethnically ambiguous biracial background (and making fun of the mostly caucasian crowd in front of him on top of it) to enlightening everyone on the benefits of a “hot people tax”, Thakkar often has a subversive depth to his material. It’s the proverbial medicine with a very sweet spoonful of sugar.

Tom pokes and prods his audience when he gets into material that could be divisive, but contains such a warmth that he more than gets away with it. Having a genuine smile through most of your special also helps in that regard as well as very nimble, fast-paced delivery that never ever feels exhausting (even with his absurd Welcome to the Jungle/Margarita Madness bit).

Thakkar Noir is a rollicking hour that signals lots more to come from a comedian that many comedians already loved and, hopefully not too long from now, many others in and out of tight knit comedy circles will love too.

Tom Thakkar: Thakkar Noir is now streaming on select platforms, including YouTube, now. Please take your pick and enjoy it thoroughly and repeatedly here.

“Vacation Baby” Shows Hari Kondabolu’s Amazingly Intelligent, Socially Conscious, Self-Aware Sense of Humor Survived the Pandemic

April 25, 2023

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Several comedy specials that have rolled out in the last year or so have been a varying blend of material that had already been worked out for years before lockdown, of how they fared during the pandemic, and, usually, attempts to get back to some sort of “normal” life. It can almost be considered its own sub-genre of comedy special with its tropes of surface level jokes about COVID-19 and being more divided than we have ever been. Of course, as with all well-trodden territory in comedy, there are still ways to be insightful, original, and, most importantly, refreshingly funny about the whole thing.

Hari Kondabolu, a comedian who is high-brow and socially conscious and, simultaneously, a meticulous joke-smith that aims to be as accessible as he is inclusive, delivers such work with his latest special, Vacation Baby. Kondabolu’s last special, Warn Your Relatives, came in 2018 on Netflix (and he also released albums that were compilations of older material during the pandemic) and was, again, the great balance of playing to the top of Hari’s intelligence and being chock full of hard punchlines. Vacation Baby, released last week, picks up, almost effortlessly where he left off nearly five years ago seamlessly connecting whip-smart material about Indian identity, socio-economics, and politics along with raising a child during the pandemic, staying relevant as an older Indian comedian, and a beautifully human story about ignoring e-mails from AOC when she first ran for Congress. Kondabolu taping it at veritable hometown venue for himself, The Bell House in Brooklyn, has the comforting feeling of unpausing from early March 2020 and enjoying the processed humor of everything that has happened almost until now.

For the more alt-comedy-ish folks out there, there’s a meta running gag throughout the hour that exemplifies just how much range Kondabolu’s comedy really covers. With all of that intact after everything we’ve all been through, Hari shouldn’t have to worry about relevance as a voice in comedy, part of great, vulnerable bit in Vacation Baby, for a long time to come.

Hari Kondabolu: Vacation Baby is now streaming completely free on YouTube at 800 Pound Gorilla’s page here. Watch and please enjoy ASAP.

You Know That the World Gets a Bit Better When Kyle Kinane Releases a New Hour; This Latest One Being “Shocks & Struts”

March 23, 2023

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Ever since Death of the Party, Kyle Kinane has been releasing truly beautiful hours of comedy that showcase the artistry that can happen with just the a mic, mic stand and one’s tightly honed thoughts and words. That was true in his landmark debut album and is still so very true with his latest special, Shocks & Struts, fresh off the presses from 800 Pound Gorilla Media.

The comedic world view of Kinane is equal parts epic poetry and some of the keenest observations in all of comedy and, above all else, a missive of hope in people and of the world despite the absurdity in the world he has so deftly highlighted in all of his jokes. This latest hour sees Kinane coming off the pandemic, after having left LA, resettling in Portland, getting a van, and playing the road without having lost an iota of his comedic prowess. The only difference is that this special taps into a world that seems as scarier than any other in our lifetimes with the pandemic, the threat of AI, the very real consequences of climate change, etc. etc. Again, Kyle so colorfully and masterfully weaves and paints a funny, yet quietly beautiful picture of a world where, perhaps, vaccines causing autism is the key to combatting the “Singularity”.

Also, Kinane, as an almost signature part of his comedic repertoire, highlights humanity in a hopeful way despite whatever snap judgments he has. On Death of the Party, it was being relieved when going #2 at a scary bar and here, on Shocks & Struts, it’s getting saved in the desert from a “dude” named “Garrett” who had an egregiously gigantic truck.

As we said in the headline, the world is just a bit better with a new Kinane special and such is the case right here right now with Shocks & Struts. You can rent the special for another week from 800 Pound Gorilla Media or watch it on YouTube com Mar. 30th.

A Kyle Kinane Special, Shocks & Struts, Approaches

March 7, 2023

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One of the best comedy voices in our generation/era belongs to one Kyle Kinane. Kyle might get bashful with such a statement, but that humility feeds the ingenious bits and poetic hilarity that has seen him through several brilliant hours of comedy. When we first started covering comedy over a decade ago, we fell in love with Death of the Party, Kinane’s first album and pretty much watched this 10 minute bit about oversized pizza on repeat for a week.

Needless to say, the prospect of another special of Kinane’s coming out soon is extremely exciting and has been long awaited (Trampoline in a Ditch came out in 2020). Shocks & Struts is that special and Kinane just posted a teaser that has us thinking there is something very special coming on this month with this hour.

See for yourself here and then, likely, pay $10 because you’ll want to see as soon as you can starting Mar. 15th.

Howdy gang. New special on deck. March 15th for $10 dollars for you early birds, or wait until March 30 and get it for FREE.https://t.co/IiHdzLeImE pic.twitter.com/V2fokMcQXf

— Elon Musk (for serious Im totally him) (@kylekinane) March 7, 2023

Andy Sandford Finally Gets to Release Terrific Latest Hour “Basket Case” After Having to Not Tape It in Spring 2020

November 28, 2022

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The ripple effect of COVID-19 shutting down live, in-person performances will reverberate for years to come. Along with the rows of big time live tours and tapings for both specials and albums for comedians had to be indefinitely put on hold, there are untold numbers of small time productions of albums, specials, big time one-offs, etc. that just didn’t get to happen in 2020.

Atlanta’s Andy Sandford had slated a taping for a full hour special in 2020 right around when every single type of in-person gathering (that wasn’t grocery shopping) was prohibited. Added on top of having to pre-empt that taping, Sandford encounter non-COVID-19 and COVID-19 issues, all while the world felt as close to ending as many of us have ever encountered, leading to only getting around to having hour shot, edited, and released to just about a week ago, November 2022.

That’s all to say that the artisanal quality of Andy Sandford’s jokes were worth the wait (such was the case before the pandemic).

All of his material is remarkably balanced on almost every level, a rare quality in comedian these days. There’s complete truth, abject abursity, hard punchlines, frank vulnerability (sometimes in the form of talking head interview clips), callbacks, getting meta with old jokes, wordplay, vivid imagery, etc. etc. Andy goes to great lengths to seamlessly blend all of those elements (a lesser comedian might seem sporadic and uneven trying to check all those boxes simultaneously) into beautifully intricate scaffolding constructing the hour of Basket Case. Even when he makes his COVID jokes, they feel less like well-trodden territory (see most comedians’ COVID jokes about any number of things they ate or put in their mouth when growing up and consequently “not being scared of COVID”) and fresh, sharp jokes on what might be the most relatable topic in all of human history.

Sandford left NYC after a decade and now resides back in Atlanta, which means Basket Case, now streaming for free on YouTube courtesy of 800 Pound Gorilla, is probably your best chance to see Sandford ASAP (i.e. how you should generally go and see him).

Betty White’s Dean Martin Celebrity Roast Will Stream Later This Month

January 11, 2022

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Amidst looking up several various clips and stories of the legendary Betty White, you might have noted that she was the honored guest of a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast. That was back in time (the seventies) where roasts were actually honoring people with friends rather than being a dressed up excuse to have very good comedians be mean to celebrities that have become popular enough to inspire a significant percentage of haters.

Well, you probably won’t find the whole thing streaming anywhere (or even on a DVD?), but, thanks to 800 Pound Gorilla Records, they’ll be streaming the entirety of Betty’s edition of The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast on their YouTube Channel. Starting on Mon. Jan. 17th at 3:30PM PT/6:30PM ET, you’ll get your chance to honor White as she would have turned 100 and see her be honored for the comedy legend was/is/will continue to be.

Here’s a trailer to bring you back into the world of those classic roasts here.

Please Enjoy Jackie Kashian’s New Special “Stay-Kashian”, Finally Arrived on This Side of the Pandemic

November 17, 2021

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For all the comedians that didn’t take a break during this historic global pandemic, Jackie Kashian managed to perform more than almost anyone and, more importantly do so safely. A large part of that had to do with her actual affinity towards virtual comedy (truly, Jackie’s joke can transcend the emotional distance of Zoom) and her tireless work ethic to the art form of stand-up comedy.

The result of countless hundreds of hours of Zoom, drive-in shows, outdoor shows, etc. etc. as well as numerous attempts to record her latest hour only to be thwarted by a new wave of COVID protocols brought on by the COVID-19 variants is this latest hour Stay-Kashian. The special seems to pick right up where Jackie left off in March 2020 when live in-person stand up went away for an extremely long “sabbatical”.

Quite simply, Stay-Kashian is a very good hour of stand-up as Jackie is particularly good at crafting them (arguably one of the very best these days). Kashian has always hit a dream comedic balance of personal, observational, satirical, clever, and aspirational with the rapid fire delivery of a multi-cam sitcom and this latest special is a further testament to that. Most comics end up doing just OK with aiming for two of those adjectives.

Kashian goes to the well of a lot of her best material, her family, specifically her father full of oblique, yet keen wisdom. That said, it’s more clear in this hour than ever before that Jackie could dissect any topic with her colorful twists of description and sharp moral observations that we could really listen to her joke about anything (as we often do during Jackie & Laurie).

Clearly, the pandemic couldn’t stop the comedy of Jackie Kashian and Stay-Kashian is proof positive of that.

Please enjoy it as a special that you can stream on YouTube here and stream it as an album here thanks to 800 Pound Gorilla.

Rory Scovel: Live Without Fear, One of Our Favorite Specials in Recent Memory, Will Be on YouTube 6/24

May 19, 2021

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Two years ago, we were fortunate and privileged enough to get a sneak peek at Rory Scovel‘s latest special Rory Scovel: Live Without Fear (and collaboration with director Scott Moran). We were blown away at the lightning-in-a-bottle that was captured through a handful of entirely improvised stand-up sets (there wasn’t even a never-before-seen-topic as there would be with Set List or a mere suggestion from the audience).

Even though we had no idea where else it would screen or how else would people see it, we wrote about it anyway because the fly-on-the-wall look at Scovel’s daredevil-ish stand-up antics was inspiring. In fact, it was moving in a way that we hadn’t really felt in a comedy special, perhaps, ever before. In fact, it made our 100 Best List for 2019 because it was really that damn good and there was still no news as to how or where or when people could go watch Rory Scovel: Live Without Fear.

So, it’s truly thrilling news to know that 800 Pound Gorilla Media is going to release Rory Scovel: Live Without Fear on YouTube come Thurs. Jun. 24th. We’ll hold off on saying anymore for now. Until then, you can a look at an exclusive clip of the comedy docu-special over at Vulture.

Please Enjoy Fern Brady’s Debut Special “Power & Chaos”

April 29, 2021

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Along side the names of Craig Ferguson, Billy Connolly, and Daniel Sloss, you should add the name Fern Brady to the Scottish-comedians-you-should-know part of your memory.

Brady faithfully continues to hold up a certain Scottish sense of humor that derives from a dark cleverness. That sensibility is woven deeply through her very first special that just came out, Power & Chaos, and makes it a refreshing and satisfying hour of stand-up to get wrapped up in. Also, it’s quite the treat to hear the perspective of not only a woman, but one who is bisexual and is on the autism spectrum through the sound of an exuberant Scottish accent.

Throughout this debut hour, Fern espouses a great sense of calm as she winds her way through her stances on feminism, Brexit, and people trying to do a paltry Scottish accent at her. Thus, the title is quite apt and you should go see all this for yourself when looking to watch a brand new comedy special.

Fern Brady: Power & Chaos is now streaming both as a special and an album and you can get into it here.

Tim Heidecker Announces and Releases Trailer for First Stand-Up Special “An Evening with Tim Heidcker”

October 15, 2020

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Tim Heidecker is a comedian, but very rarely does stand-up. Tim is much more renowned for his ultra absurdist work under the banner of Tim & Eric and, most recently, a decidedly non-comedic music album “Oh We Drift Away” with beloved indie singer-songwriter Weyes Blood.

Whenever Tim does stand-up, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he has something up his sleeve besides standing on stage with a mic and straight-on telling jokes. There’s a subtle, but very subversive angle that Tim plays with satirizing what a good deal of mainstream stand-up is. So, for this hour special, An Evening with Tim Heidecker, you’ll notice that Tim makes sure that things, on the surface, look extra conventional and then show off the “cracks in the veneer”. It’s a fine line to walk, but Tim does pull it off.

You can see all of this for yourself in this trailer for An Evening with Tim Heidecker, then you can see the full extent of Tim’s version of stand-up when it premieres on Oct. 23rd at 6PM PT/9PM ET on YouTube.

Please Get Katie Hughes’ Debut Album “Queen of the Castle”

September 14, 2020

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Because of the restrictions of the pandemic, we don’t get surprised like we used to with comedians that we’ve never seen live before that just happen to be on one of the many shows that we used to watch on a nightly basis. Also, there is still only a certain percentage of comedians that are even doing live-streamed comedy right now and the sliver of live, outdoor shows that are happening around the country (not really in LA still) can only be seen locally. Coming across something new, like all things right now, is harder than it used to be.

That’s all to say that it was very nice surprise to hear Katie Hughes‘ debut album Queen of the Castle as Hughes is based out of Atlanta nixing any chances to see her live on stage over the last several months. For a debut album, Hughes as charmingly self-assured and confident in her blend of personal revelations and wildly colorful set of assorted characters throughout her own life, especially for her very first record. Hughes’ specificity in her voices and writing about her journey from her growing up poor in North Carolina to dishing out her brand of artisanal, vulnerable silliness is so rich and really makes Queen of the Castle a satisfying listen. Again, it was such a joyful surprise to listen to Hughes for the first time and we’re excited to what she whips up in the years to come (you know, when stand-up comedy can happen like it used to).

Katie Hughes: Queen of the Castle comes out Tues. Sept. 15th from 800 Pound Gorilla Records. You can (and very much should) pre-order/buy/stream it here.

Kyle Kinane’s “Trampoline in a Ditch” Is Another Classic Kinane Album That Comes with Bonus Stories & Animated Shorts

July 23, 2020

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Kyle Kinane‘s first comedy album, Death of the Party, came out over 10 years ago and gloriously announced the arrival of Kinane and his grand, painterly style of stand-up that blended observations and stories with both a poetic, salt-of-the-earth grace and a keen eye for the deeply embedded absurdities of life. Every hour since has seen Kinane refine said style while successfully managing to adjust his perspective with his rising success.

This latest album from Kyle, Trampoline in a Ditch, shows that, 11 years later, he is still very much a masterful artisan when it comes to writing and detailing his bits and stories into these ornate, yet unmistakably homespun jokes. Tying the paranormal to white privilege or his subconscious finding a way to subvert the beauty of water fall or even a layered tale of having a DUI are just a small sampling of what is his most sprawling album (probably one of the most sprawling comedy albums in comedy history). In fact, Trampoline in a Ditch runs just over an hour and 40 minutes because, in addition to an hour of stand-up, there are separate stories that haven’t found a home in previous releases from Kyle. Of course, Kinane is one of the best storytellers in comedy and these bonus tracks really make you get your money’s worth for this album.

In addition to all of that, Kinane wanted to bring a new element into the fold for what is effectively a double album. Different bits from Trampoline in a Ditch will be animated in different styles rather than just. seeing more of the Kyle you know and love on stage with a mic and a mic stand. The very first animated bit from CJ Cook is pretty spectacular and follows the opening of the album. Please enjoy it here.

Kyle Kinane: Trampoline in a Ditch comes out Friday, July 24th from 800 Pound Gorilla Records. Please do yourself a favor and pre-save or pre-order it right now.

Please Get and Enjoy Alex Edelman’s New Hour Until Now

July 13, 2020

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Currently, there is a distinction between American comedy and comedy in the UK and Australia. Specifically, the difference respectively comes with mixing a melting pot of various short sets and extended bits versus a prevalence towards storytelling and thematically crafting an entire hour from the get go. Alex Edelman is one of a handful of comedians that actually straddles both worlds, especially since he’s an American comedian that frequently and successfully plays in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival quite a bit along with the rest of the UK.

Edelman’s latest hour Until Now is another testament of the melding of short form observational comedy with the influence of having done more solo show-esque performances overseas. Alex has plenty of very honed, punchline filled observations on this album, but the thorough exploration of the millennial mindset is very well organized and effective. Edelman gives a hysterical, three dimensional picture of the world that millennials are brought in and the highs and lows of how they deal with said world whether it’s entitlement or being too progressive for past generations (or maybe even for each other). This spirit especially gets delightfully captured with his story about graduating college and how misinterpreted a moment to oneself can be taken out of context.

So, go get, listen to, and enjoy Alex Edelman’s Until Now, fresh from 800 Pound Gorilla, here.

Please Get and Enjoy Doug Smith’s Debut Album “Barely Regal”

December 3, 2019

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NYC’s Doug Smith serves up a terrific debut album here with Barely Regal. Smith has carved out his place in NYC comedy as a stand-up and co-created one of favorite things awhile ago in the experimental stand-up show, See You in Hell.

There seems to be a very classic feel to Barely Regal with Doug’s myriad of stories and observations of his life and straightforward, low key delivery. Also, Smith’s debut album still feels current, modern, and relevant as he makes that “classic feel” work for these times that we live in. There is an undeniable earnestness throughout this hour and careful, pinpoint consideration as to where get silly (including his amazing This Is Not Happening story included at the end).

So, please go get and enjoy Barely Regal, out now from 800 Pound Gorilla Records., here.

Please Get and Enjoy Emmy Blotnick’s Fantastic New Album “Party Nights”

June 5, 2019

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800 pound gorilla, comedy album, emmy blotnick, party night, stand up comedy

Ever since we saw Emmy Blotnick start dropping by LA years ago, we’ve thoroughly been delighted in her unabashed excitement that she exudes on stage though seeming, at first glance, perhaps modest and reserved. Her giddiness for sharing her comedy with you is infectious and part of why, for us, her well observed jokes connect so well.

Her latest hour on the newly released album Party Nights is a perfect showcase of all of this. From the get go, there is an unmistakable throughline of joy in Blotnick’s performance, even during the most self-deprecating lines, that make Party Nights a really wonderful comedy album. After listening to it, we almost want to hear Emmy’s take on, well, anything at all for how simultaneously subversive and fun it would be.

Party Nights now is available from 800 Pound Gorilla here.

Gastor Almonte’s New Album/Special “Immigrant Made” Is a Beautiful Collection of Stories That Highlight the Importance of Immigrants in America

April 5, 2019

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800 pound gorilla, comedy album, comedy special, east brooklyn, gastor almonte, immigrant made, nyc

A lot of people have a lot of very different, very hardline opinions about immigration these days. We hope that they do remember that the majority of the country are immigrants and that the immigrant experience is integral to the fabric of the mighty U.S. of A.

East Brooklyn’s Gastor Almonte takes pride in his parents emigrating to this country and relishes that he is the fruit of the seeds that his mother and father planted. Of course, that fruit is the freedom to make an entire comedy special about that very notion and Almonte does it with wonderful poise throughout a collection of carefully constructed long form stories on Immigrant Made. Though straight forward and subtle in his delivery, Almonte observations about his world and his place in it are simultaneously funny and full of genuine heart.

Get a taste of all of that here in the trailer.

You can get in on Immigrant Made now where you listen to comedy albums and stream it on Amazon. Do so here.

Ben Roy’s New Album “Ooze Your Delusions” Is a Really Great Way to Enjoy Laughing Through Your Rage

November 17, 2018

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800 pound gorilla, ben roy, ooze your delusions, stand up

On performance of his jokes alone, Ben Roy is a thrill to watch and listen to. It’s almost as if his comedy is to stand-up as MC5′s Kick Out the Jams was a shock to sixties’ rock.

Ooze Your Delusions, Ben’s follow-up to No Enlightenment to Sobriety, picks up right where he left off being the best, bombastic firebrand comic and yet poetic throughout his rants all at the same time. Truly, it’s a great way to release rage that you might have right now for some reason via Ben channeling his own rage into comedy. Also, he does all of this without really getting political, which might be refreshing for some Trump-weary comedy fans.

Ooze Your Delusions is available now from 800 Pound Gorilla Records here.

Please Enjoy Another Clinic of Cleverness with Louis Katz’s Latest “Katzkills”

November 9, 2018

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800 pound gorilla, comedy album, louis katz, stand up

To be a comedian that often delves into blue material and wheels and deals in extremely clever wordplay and misdirection and make it all work for audiences in 2018 is a very tall order.

Yet, Louis Katz delivers another hour with Katzkills that gets bawdy and arcane and even downright silly in his very well constructed bits from wire to wire. Katz’s unwavering confidence and delivery sweetens every punchline making for a very, very fun listen.

You can get Katzkills now from 800 Pound Gorilla Records wherever and however you listen to comedy albums here.

Ted Alexandro’s New Hour “Senior Class of Earth” Is a Finely Crafted Hour of Comedy in 2018

October 17, 2018

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800 pound gorilla, all things comedy, senior class of earth, stand up, ted alexandro

Due to the nature of showbiz and the instantaneous demand of something new, crafting an hour of comedy often is rushed and, consequently, ends up looking rushed. You’ll find that there’s no connective tissue between the material and the arc of tone and energy seem random at best.

Ted Alexandro’s Senior Class of Earth is a welcome break from all of that.

Ted Alexandro is a great comedian and an exemplary artisan of the form. He has done it before, but Ted shows again what a well crafted hour of stand-up can be (and can be for the world weary audiences of 2018) with Senior Class of Earth. As always, Ted is so perfectly laid back in this special/album with his performance that he can sail through choppy waters and keep the audience on board the whole time. That’s not so easy these days with the mere mention of a certain political figure or divisive topic freezing up comedy audiences immediately.

Here’s a trailer to get a taste of what we’re talking about.

So, we urge you to get and enjoy Senior Class of Earth, available now as a special from All Things Comedy and as an album from 800 Pound Gorilla.

It’s not part of the special, but Ted showed how very good he is at making the medicine go down with a spoonful of sugar in this recent set about Louis CK and Cosby.