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TCB Debriefing 6/15/24-6/24/24: Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person, Reggie Watts, Alex Edelman, Onika McLean, Between the Temples, Elijah Wood, John Hastings, Marge Simpson/Nancy MacKenzie, Space Balls, Resident Alien, What’s Funny Fest, Murray Hill, Eric Idle, Eugene Mirman, Mr. Bean, Free Eric Andre Tix

June 24, 2024
News
alex edelman, between the temples, carol kane, eric andre, eric idle, eugene mirman, humanist vampire seeking consenting suicidal person, jason schwartzman, john hastings, just for us, mr bean, murray hill, nancy mackenzie, onika mclean, reggie watts, resident alien, space balls, the-simpsons, tonys, veeps, what's funny fest

1. Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person. We’re sold on just the title alone (and how charming that it’s also French). It definitely feels like part of the Last Lovers Left Alive side of the vampire comedies. Please enjoy the trailer here. If you’re digging it, it’s rolling out in limited release now.

2. It has almost been a decade since the brilliant Reggie Watts has released a proper new hour, but, thankfully, we’re not going to reach that decade mark. Watts’ new comedy special Never Mind is set to premiere on VEEPS (the new streaming service of du jour it would seem) next month. Take a gander of what sort of esoteric hijinks Watts gets into this time with the trailer for Never Mind here.

3. Alex Edelman officially won a damn Tony for his nearly unbelievable solo show, Just For Us. May this set a precedent for more stand-ups to win Tonys for their shows about how they put their lives on the line just out of curiosity amongst other things.

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4. In and around, high and low, and all around the five boroughs, Onika McLean is a name you’ll see all around the NYC comedy scene and that’s largely because she’s killing it wherever she goes with a sweetness-tinged honesty. See what New Yorkers get to see all the time with her set from Don’t Tell here.

5. Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane together and it’s not a Wes Anderson movie? Take a gander at what might be an extremely charming comedy of later age comedy from Nathan Silver, Between the Temples, here, then look for it in theaters very soon.

5. Elijah Wood spent so many years of his life in New Zealand playing Frodo Baggins in the monumental cinematic achievement that is the Lord of the Rings film trilogy and he is now set to kind of flip that experience by returning to NZ in a film where he plays a “washed up Las Vegas illusionist” looking for a mythical panther (ok, so maybe it’s kind of the same?) in the upcoming Bookworm (Deadline).

6. John Hastings has put a special that’s actually more of a fascinating documentary about how well-read and sharp he is at crowd work no matter where he is in the world. It’s almost as if there were some sort of crowd work decathlon, you might want to put your money on Hastings. See why with his special John Hastings: The Times They Are a John Hastings here.

7. The voice of Marge Simpson, Nancy MacKenzie, has passed away at 81 (Deadline). RIP and let it be known that we’re not interested in an AI generated sound alike of Marge.

8. A sequel to Mel Brooks’ landmark Star Wars parody, Space Balls, is in the works with Josh Gad set to star (Variety). What are the odds that this sequel is called Space Balls: The Foreskin Awakens?

9. Resident Alien, the current show you can watch Alan Tudyk put on a clinic when it comes to comedic character acting, is getting fourth season, though it will be at USA Network rather than SyFy (THR). This announcement will probably double as a reminder that the USA Network is still going.

10. Years before JFL Montreal had to postpone and Just For Laughs had to figure out its money woes, JFL Chicago got the axe. Thankfully, Lil’ Rel and Knowledge Beckom are bringing a big time comedy festival to Chicago, a city that more than deserves one with Whats Funny Fest this fall (Deadline).

11. Murray Hill has such a knack for stealing scenes, most recently in Somebody Somewhere, that it’s about time he got his own show. Thankfully, that process is underway with Hill developing a campy gumshoe comedy “Shorty Big Time” (Deadline).

12. Not sure if there will ever be another Monty Python live tour, but you can count on Eric Idle touring his solo hour, a familiar title of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, LIVE! that’s touring throughout the U.S. and Australia from Sept. to Nov. Go get tix here (and don’t wait for them to sell out).

13. Eugene Mirman is going on tour in September and November as well (though just the Midwest and West Coast) with his An Evening of Whimsy and Mild Grievances. Fingers crossed that he does live Russian language lessons from I’m Sorry (You’re Welcome). Get tix here!

14. There is going to be a whole channel dedicated to Rowan Atkinson‘s seminal character, Mr. Bean (Deadline). If this is the way to get folks on board with Blackadder, so be it.

15. We’ll leave you with this: Remember, we got some free tix to giveaway for The Final Eric Andre Show LIVE @ The Bellwether on July 19th. If you want in, let us know at thecomedybureau@gmail.com.

TCB Debriefing 4/26-5/3: SF Sketchfest, Ian Abramson, Dave Merheje, Peabody Awards, Alex Edelman/Tonys, Keke Palmer/SZA, Scooby Doo, Chonga Girls, The Ugly Stepsister, Netflix, Jerry Seinfeld

May 3, 2024
News
alex edelman, chonga girls, dave merheje, ian abramson, jerry seinfeld, keke palmer, netflix, peabody awards, scooby doo, sf sketchfest, sza, ugly stepsister

1. SF Sketchfest, one of the biggest comedy festivals in the entire world, is now taking submissions for (pretty much) anything and everything for next year’s festival (Jan. 16th-Feb. 2nd). Find out more details, deadlines, submission fees, and more at sfsketchfest.com/get-involved.

2. Ian Abramson has told jokes in a shock collars controlled by the audience, challenged comedians to perform in an empty space while an audience watch a live feed from a remote location (and this was well before the pandemic), and even created his own DIY version of SNL when COVID-19 indefinitely postponed Saturday Night Live in 2020. With such daring feats, it’s almost unbelievable that Ian hasn’t done the simple, tried and true format of a comedy special (especially since Ian is one of the most original and purely silly comedians working today). Thank goodness for Heist, Ian’s first hour special that was just released by Comedy Dynamics, which, effectively is a greatest hits of the beautifully intricate absurdist comedy that Ian has perfected. Many a time there is a dual joy to be had from an Abramson bit in the mere spectacle of him being able to do it (or survive it in the case of the shock collar) and how surreally and deeply funny it really is. Suffice it to say that if you’re pining for the stand-up of 70s Steve Martin, get into everything Ian Abramson right now.

3. Dave Merheje continues his well deserved ascent in comedy with a killer Don’t Tell set. Per usual, Dave blurs the line between being off-the-cuff and doing material better than almost anyone since he’s so extremely present on stage. Please enjoy his set here.

4. The Career Achievement and Trailblazer Award for this year’s Peabody Awards are going to comedy with the honors going to the comedy legend Mel Brooks and potential comedy legend in the making Quinta Brunson (Variety).

5. Alex Edelman will be getting the T of EGOT covered very soon because of the brilliance of Just For Us.

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6. Don’t be surprised if the upcoming Keke Palmer and SZA buddy comedy from Issa Rae is the buddy comedy you didn’t know you were waiting several years for (Deadline).

7. Though it’s far from a sure thing, Tinseltown is dead set on cashing in on live action versions of animated IP, hence another go at a live action Scooby Doo (Deadline).

8. Fingers crossed that The Chonga Girls will have the magical ingredient to make multicam work (it’s a long way to fall from Seinfeld to Big Bang Theory, FYI) as a concept again with their CBS project in development (Deadline)

9. If you were wondering if there was going to be some sort of gritty reboot of all the Disney canon following Winnie the Poo: Blood and Honey, indeed that is a thing. Just check the villain origin story vehicle that is The Ugly Stepsister coming as the first feature from Norwegian director Emilie Blichfeldt (Variety).

10. Netflix is sticking with their stars by giving specials to pretty their biggest stars (that don’t keep tripling down on problematic trans jokes) Ali Wong, Bert Kreischer, Deon Cole, Fortune Feimster, Gabriel Iglesias, Jo Koy and Michelle Buteau. Wonder if they’ll ever get back to their roots when started off with a not-yet-famous Ali Wong, Tom Segura, and Jen Kirkman.

11. We’ll leave you with this: Jerry Seinfeld is still not over not being able to do his iPhone bit at colleges?

TCB Debriefing 3/5-3/8/24: Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda, Problemista, JFL Montreal, SXSW, Alex Edelman, Good One, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, Steve Martin, Something Wicked, Noah Baumbach, Murderbot, Jermaine Fowler, Kenny DeForest

March 8, 2024
News
alex edelman, gender agenda, good one, hannah gadsby, jermaine fowler, jerrod carmichael, jfl montreal, julio torres, june diane raphael, just for us, kenny deforest, mike birbiglia, netflix, noah baumbach, problemista, ramy youssef, stand up comedy, steve martin, sxsw

1. Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda is simultaneously a concession by Netflix to make up for continuing to let Dave Chappelle to be their highest paid TERF as well as a beautifully curated showcase of comedians from all ’round the world that are both genderqueer and so damny funny and proof positive of the healing connective powers of comedy. If you sit and watch the Gadsby-handpicked line-up of Jes Tom, Chloe Petts, DeAnne Smith, Asha Ward, Krishna Istha, Mx. Daheli Belle, and ALOK, you’ll see a different color of the fabric of humanity in all of its comedic absurdity, but very and incredibly human all the same. The observations and issues of all the comedians in this special may not be the sorts that you encounter in your own daily life, but their jokes exquisitely highlight a sort of universal ridiculousness of life (especially when it comes to the gender binary) that any open minded, open hearted soul can get behind. Of the comedian showcases that Netflix has done, this very well might be their best (and most affecting) one yet.

Please enjoy Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda on Netflix right now.

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2. Problemista is the sort of work that has to make one wonder what sort of magic did Lorne Michaels shoot down at SNL when Julia Torres wrote there. Torres and co-star Tilda Swinton make an unforgettable duo in a magically real fish-out-of-water, coming-of-age, critical immigrant tale that perfectly showcases Julio’s penchant for the subversive nuance in everyday minutia (i.e. pitching toys that have more dramatic tension and emotional complexity). Don’t be surprised if it’s this year’s Everything Everywhere All at Once (it is an A24 movie after all) with having all the trappings of an ambitious arthouse indie comedy that’s set for wide release on Mar. 22nd. Go get tickets to see and enjoy this treasure if it’s playing in your city right now right here.

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3. JFL Montreal is cancelled this year and looking for creditor protection (CBC), which means, for the first time in decades, there likely won’t be any sort of New Faces of Comedy handpicked by Just For Laughs. That said, it has been the reality for quite some time that JFL New Faces, while a prestigious honor, was one milestone on what is usually a still very circuitous road in the career of a comedian. The fate of JFL Montreal and New Faces along with it have yet to be decided, but we now wonder what will become JFL’s stake in everything else (Moontower, London, Toronto, etc.).

4. SXSW just kicked off today and they have a comedy festival that is alive and well with the expected stacked line-up of comics and shows including:

Aida Rodriguez • Andrew Rannells • Annie Lederman • Beth Stelling • Brian Simpson •
Cazzie David • Chris Fleming • Chris Gethard • Christina Catherine Martinez • Conan
O’Brien • Courtney Pauroso • Doug Benson • Dulcé Sloan • Dustin Ybarra • Erin Jackson •
Frank Oz • Hannah Einbinder • Ikechukwu Ufomadu • Jaboukie Young-White • James
Adomian • Joe DeRosa • John Leguizamo • Jon Gabrus • Jourdain Fisher • Judd Apatow •
Leonard Maltin • Lilly Singh • Lucia Aniello • Luisa Omielan • Lynne Koplitz • Matt Besser •
Napoleon Emill • Natalie Palamides • Nathan Macintosh • Nick Kroll • Nick Thune •
Orlando Leyba • Pamela Adlon • Paul Scheer • Pete Lee • Punkie Johnson • Rich Vos •
Rick Glassman • Robert Smigel • Samantha Bee • Stuart Goldsmith • Tone Bell •
Yamaneika Saunders • Zach Zucker

A.I. Johnny Cash & A.I. Friends Hootenanny • ASSSSCAT • The Comedian’s Comedian •
Entre Nos Presents Comedy Crossroads • Comic Relief US • The Creek and The Cave •

Doug Loves Movies • Famous with a Baby (and Other Sh*t that Didn’t Work Out) • Girl
Cop: A Clown Drama • Gotham Comedy Club • Hollywood Improv • improv4humans •
Maltin on Movies • The Origins of Whatever You Call What We Did with Conan O’Brien
and Robert Smigel • Reel Funny: Creating Comedy from the Director’s Chair • Riffs and
Riff-Raff with Nick Thune & Friends • Samantha Bee Presents Wits End • Stamptown •
The Street Meat: A Comedic Celebration of Food Trucks, Grease Pits, and Sandwich
Shops • The Unfinished Orson Welles Roast of Hollywood • Vanessa 5000 • Variety Power
of Comedy • Yamaneika Saunders Presents: Maestra • 

5. To say that Alex Edelman’s Just For Us is critically acclaimed is kind of understating just how much acclaim it has gotten. It’s not often that someone at Alex’s age gets to do their solo show on Broadway after doing several runs Off-Broadway then tour all over the country, yet his special and Alex himself really had something, dare we say, special with the story of him infiltrating a White Nationalist meeting as a Jew. Thankfully, you and the rest of the world that has access to HBO/Max will get to see it this April. Watch the teaser for Alex Edelman: Just For Us here, then get ready for it be released during Worldwide Comedy Month.

6. If you’re obsessed with process in the art form of comedy, you might already be obsessed with Jesse David Fox‘s Good One podcast. Mike Birbiglia is one-upping the podcast by giving an unprecedented look at how he came up with a whole new hour/special/solo show from start to finish as a Good One documentary. Take a gander at what you’ll get to see, then watch Good One: A Show About Jokes on Peacock starting Mar. 26th.

7. Ramy Youssef has More Feelings (as well as a new special) and, from the looks of it, it’s going to be quite timely (you know, Ramy’s MO as a comedian and artist especially in regards to Muslim representation in media/comedy/world). See for yourself here, then watch it exclusively on Max on Mar. 23rd.

8. If you thought Jerrod Carmichael had left it all out there with Rothaniel, just you wait to see his reality show Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show that seems to be dedicated to the actual reality part of the Reality TV genre in a way that Vanderpump Rules or Keeping Up with the Kardashians aren’t. True to his form of breaking down form conventions, it would seem Carmichael is doing a docu series of the aftermath of his special and what he hath wrought in his own life and calling it a reality show. Take a look with the first trailer here, then immediately set a reminder for Mar. 29th to watch this on HBO or Max.

9. This two part documentary for legendary comedians is starting to become a trend. Garry Shandling, George Carlin, and now, Steve Martin with Morgan Neville’s STEVE! (martin) coming to Apple TV+ on Mar. 29th. Take a gander of the latest comedy nerdery must see doc here.

10. A new witch comedy, Something Wicked, is in the works with the one and only June Diane Raphael taking the lead role and Dickinson creator Alena Smith at the helm (Deadline). Fingers crossed that there will be some witchy Hotwives energy present in this show.

11. Following being roped into the box office boffo and critical juggernaut that is and was the Barbie movie, Noah Baumbach is headed back out on his own with his next movie at Netflix that will sports a shiny, shiny ensemble cast of Adam Sandler, George Clooney, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, and Riley Keough (Deadline). Those are all the details for now, but from how much we loved White Noise, we won’t be surprised with a jocular satire that feels, perhaps, all too relevant.

12. Award winning book The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells is not only going to be adapted into an Apple TV+ series (Deadline), but going to do so with Sabrina Wu leading off an ensemble cast of Tattiawna Jones, Akshay Khanna, and Tamara Podemski. A show following a sentient android that wants to watch soap operas will do well to have Wu on the cast.

13. The very next Foot Fist Way may come from Jermaine Fowler and Zach Bornstein, though trade out Tae Kwon Do for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Deadline).

14. We’ll leave you with this: RIP THIS Bald King, Kenny DeForest. Please watch and enjoy his last Don’t Tell Comedy set here.

The 101 Best Things in Comedy We Were Witness To in 2023 in No Particular Order

January 2, 2024
News
aaron jackson, academy museum, addi somekh, addie weyrich, albert brooks, alex edelman, alexander payne, alison stevenson, American fiction, andy iwancio, ari aster, asteroid city, barbie, beau is afraid, ben roy, Ben Wasserman, beth stelling, blair socci, bottoms, brad wenzel, cam gavinski, carol and the end of the world, chad damiani, chop and steele, chris estrada, chris fleming, civil dead, clay tatum, cole escola, cunk on earth, david drake, david gborie, demi adejuyigbe, Diane Morgan, dicks the musical, dream scenario, drew lausch, emma morgan, emma seligman, emma stone, ever mainard, extraordinary, fortune feimster, frankie quinones, futurama, gareth reynolds, green room, greg barris, greta gerwig, handsome podcast, hari kondabolu, harley quinn, hasan minhaj, how to with john wilson, i think you should leave, il fungo, jackie johnson, jackie kashian, james adomian, james hamilton, jamie loftus, jay jurden, jenny zigrino, jerrod carmichael, jesse david fox, jessica sele, joe kwaczala, joe pera, joe zimmerman, john early, john oliver, john waters, josh sharp, joy ride, julia sweeney, katherine blanford, kyle ayers, kyle kinane, langston kerman, last week tonight, lbj the play, leslie liao, Mae Martin, marc maron, maria bamford, mark vigeant, michael j feldman, mike bridenstine, mike lindell, mo welch, molly gordon, moses storm, nate craig, nick lieberman, paul giamatti, paul provenza, perfect amount of wrong, poor things, protected under parody, Rachel Coster, rachel kaly, rachel mac, Rachel Sennott, raine allen miller, reservation dogs, richard perez, richelle meiss, rob reiner, rye laine, sabrina wu, sam walt jones, scout durwood, steph tolev, sunanda, the holdovers, the other two, theater camp, this fool, tig notaro, tim robinson, Tina Friml, tom thakkar, tyler jackson, veronica osorio, wes anderson, whitmer thomas, yorgos lanthimos, zach teague, ziwe

Sorry for the delay and getting this on the 2nd. As always, we wanted to be thorough and not miss out on anything in late December like other lists (and, boy howdy, there were). Anyhow after working tirelessly through New Year’s Day up until now, here is our grand list of the 100 best things in comedy we saw/heard/etc. in 2023, in no particular order.

*An egregious error has been made in not including Gary Gulman’s brilliant new hour special. It’s so egregious that we are, for this one time only, expanding from 100 to 101. May Gary forgive us for the tardy inclusion.

  1. Jerrod Carmichael turned awards hosting on its head with his performance at The Golden Globes (kind of like he did with his SNL monologue and he should be hosting way more things).
  2. In addition to stealing every scene that they were in for Joy Ride, Sabrina Wu has more than put themselves on their map as a stand-up, especially with a stand out set on Netflix’s Verified Stand-Up.
  3. Cole Escola might have just outdone Eddie Murphy in regards to how many characters you can comically play on screen at the same time with their “lost” pilot for the Western “drama”, Our Home Out West.
  4. Diane Morgan’s Philomena Cunk has reached Alan Partridge status with Cunk on Earth.
  5. Between her interview with George Santos and her seminal collection of essays, Black Friend,, Ziwe‘s iconic status continues to grow and Showtime will look more and more stupid for cancelling her show.
  6. LBJ the Play achieves comedic brilliance while also, somehow, bridging the wide gap between President Lyndon B. Johnson and gender identity.
  7. The Perfect Amount of Wrong by Mike Bridenstine gives a great portrait of how kindred spirits in a comedy scene, specifically North Chicago alt-comedy, can evolve into some of the most celebrated performers of our time (and make you wonder what the magical ingredients are in 2024 to make that sort of thing happen again).
  8. The hysterical Rachel Kaly attempted to get back on Conan after appearing as a child with jokes that she wrote when she was a child. The journey was thankfully all captured in the blisteringly hilarious short film ATTN: CONAN O’BRIEN.
  9. Everyone who got to see Ben Wasserman do what will likely the best show to ever happen at a funeral home/mortuary/cemetery with Live After Death has been forever changed for the better.
  10. Yorgos Lanthimos outdid himself again with the exquisite, towering, fairy tale satire that is Poor Things featuring a career defining turn from Emma Stone (and Ramy Youssef).
  11. Kyle Kinane‘s Shock and Struts delivered the goods, almost in the way that the truck in a 20+ min. closing story delivered him and his truck out of the desert.
  12. Michael J. Feldman‘s solo show No, But I’m Definitely in a Better Place Than I Been in a Long Time is the solo show we both all deserve (and can revel in as it hits that gallows humor nerve perfectly).
  13. Addie Weyrich must have set some sort of record by having the overwhelming majority of the audience at The Addie Show individually take part of the show (complete with one of over 100 note cards with specific instructions on it).
  14. Addi Somekh made us rethink both balloon hats and the world arounds us with Inflatable Planet.
  15. Sure, Meg Ryan made a return to form in a rom com this year, but Rye Lane, the feature debut of Raine Allen Miller, in our minds, is the top of the pops for romantic comedies in 2023.
  16. Mae Martin plus a forest of trees on stage plus Abbi Jacobson directing equals Sap, one of the most dreamy comedy specials in recent memory.
  17. Mark Vigeant never ceases to amaze with his commitment to the bit, cleverness to go meta, and his vulnerability, all on wondrous display with his solo show, Mark Pleases You.
  18. Chad Damiani‘s half hour of silent improv is a ridiculous treat, even as shirts come off, sweat flies everywhere, and the narrative thread is often illusory.
  19. Scout Durwood pulls out all the stops for the marvelously off-the-rails cabaret/variety show Everybody Go Go and you should take up every opportunity to see it wherever and whenever you can.
  20. The songs, the moves, and the sharp comedy of Drew Lausch and Zach Teague are a force to be reckoned with.
  21. Greg Barris offers both a restorative emotional experience and a deluge of silliness with his latest album Deep Healing.
  22. The Other Two will forever be remembered as having some of the very best industry jokes of any comedy of all time. It’s almost worth working some awful Hollywood desk to enjoy every bit on the show.
  23. In a comedy world of unrelenting truth tellers and edgelords, one Tyler Jackson opts to revel in purely absurd bits and is masterful at it.
  24. Rachel Mac’s Teacher of the Year makes a case for Rachel Mac being one of the funniest teachers working today, which is saying a lot because, whether you know it or not, many teachers live a double life as a comedian.
  25. We got witness the top-to-bottom brilliance of Richard Perez with his solo show, I Have To Do This, and he has made new romances just a little more tolerable/bearable though this collection of (somewhat) grounded rom com vignettes.
  26. Joe Zimmerman’s special Cult Classic faithfully holds up the torch for classical, observational stand-up comedy without sounding like Seinfeld and being able to find a refreshing angle on killing baby Hitler.
  27. The fact that Bottoms is the second Emma Seligman/Rachel Sennott feature length film and that the first one was Shiva Baby should prove to you that they have a lot more delightful, hysterical havoc to wreak on the big screen in the not so distant future.
  28. May your very first special be as on point as Blake Wexler’s Daddy Long Legs.
  29. Cam Gavinski: how to make everything about you forever and always is yet more evidence of Cam being someone who has so much ambition and vision with their comedy, but has the rare ingenuity to actually pull it off.
  30. Very few people break down comedy and analyze it at the molecular level quite like Jesse David Fox does. The Vulture editor and long time host of Good One conclusively summarizes all of his succinct and astute observations on comedy in his appropriately titled Comedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture-and the Magic That Makes It Work by Jesse David Fox.
  31. Greta Gerwig’s take on Barbie was a feat on so many levels (financially, philosophically, tonally) all while being so damn fun. Don’t be surprised if comedy runs the table again this awards season.
  32. Being unapologetically genuine and exuberant are a great pairing for comedy and Rachel Coster is a perfect example of that.
  33. As far as taking big swings for specials, very few swung as big as Alison Stevenson with making up a streaming service for her special VUBITV+ Presents: Alison Stevenson: H*rny B*tch: A Comedy Special to “premiere” on and do a bunch of BDSM bits on top of it. It’s such a good time because of it.
  34. Tina Friml is a shining gem amidst a field of angrily smoldering embers and you should go seek out her stand-up whenever you can.
  35. It’s called Hell, but Chris Fleming and his groovy attire front what might be the silliest special on a major streaming platform. Kudos to Fleming keeping true to being utterly ridiculous.
  36. The imagination of Sam Walt Jones is wonderfully bigger than most as shown, just this year, by doing an entire live parody series of Survivor that actually spans several weeks and feels like a splendidly mutated Wonderland version of the show.
  37. LA got a wonderful addition to its scene this year with one Katherine Blanford whose warmth and cleverness ought to see her go real far in Tinseltown.
  38. The sultry voice of Leslie Liao blends comedically so well with her frank observations about herself and it has been a true joy to see her rise out of the ranks.
  39. Langston Kerman and David Gborie seem to be able to do no wrong with their podcast My Momma Told Me even though it’s dedicated to parsing out (and “legitimately” considering) some of the most ridiculous conspiracy theories out there.
  40. Richelle Meiss had a hit on her hands with an unauthorized musical parody of The Bachelor and she did an equally pitch perfect send up of Real Housewives this year. We would love if she just took on all trash TV with her musical parody prowess.
  41. Moses Storm got back to his more experimental comedy roots this year and devised a solo show, Perfect Cult, where he created a cult with the audience. Storm’s mixing of his own experiences, which, in turn, inform how he creates this in-show cult is so fun that you might just want to follow Storm wherever he goes.
  42. Veronica Osorio put all of her being, experiences, desires, and penchant for mischief into her Venezuelan Shamanic clown show, Medicine Woman, and made for one of the most enchanting, mystifying, original solo shows we saw all year long.
  43. Kyle Ayers is unfortunately afflicted with Trigeminal Neuralgia (AKA “Suicide Disease”) and yet, through his own indomitable comedic will, made a non-stop laughs solo show, Hard to Say.
  44. Beth Stelling‘s latest special If You Didn’t Want Me Then is so undeniably good (kind of like Girl Daddy) it should be the calling card for Beth to be in anything and everything that she wants to be.
  45. Kristoffer Borgli‘s Dream Scenario is one of the most radical movies of the year and did so by having Nicholas Cage play one of his most unassuming roles in his entire career. For our money, it’s the best and most original comedy about dreams since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
  46. Julia Sweeney‘s story about the death of her mom, when we heard it at UnCabaret, is one of the best, purest distillations of a comedian’s archetypal relationship with their parents.
  47. So much comedy on the big screen this year had wonderful bite to it, but American Fiction might have some of the most devastatingly funny lines delivered perfectly by Jeffrey Wright and crafted by Cord Jefferson.
  48. Mo Welch went above and beyond in going meta and daring with Dad Jokes, a half stand-up special/half docu-special with super dark dad jokes and then trying to reconnect with your estranged dad.
  49. Alex Edelman infiltrating a White Nationalist meeting as a Jew and turning it into Just For Us is every bit as illuminating and hilarious and resonant as you think it could be (and then some).
  50. As one can see from Live from the Big Dog, the comedic power of Blair Socci will not be denied.
  51. The Academy Museum’s exhibit John Waters: Pope of Trash is an ornate tribute to the auteur and one of the best displays of camp cinema/humor/etc. we’ve ever seen.
  52. How Hasan Minhaj handled the controversy around his New Yorker interview highlighted so much about comedy that people should never forget.
  53. Joe Pera’s first hour special Slow & Steady is a perfect distillation of Joe’s calming and politely off-kilter comedy that is the perfect salve for these times. Also, Joe has the best audience cutaway to the security guard of any special ever.
  54. LA now has its own, postmodern bouffant troupe Il Fungo and, as a postmodern bouffant troupe is wont to do, they bridge the sublime and the silly wonderfully.
  55. While comedians riffing off each other is well-mined territory in podcasts, Mae Martin, Fortune Feimster, and Tig Notaro hanging out on The Handsome Podcast has a magical quality to it.
  56. Julian Velard has the most amazing existential song about being a piano player being asked to play Billy Joel’s Piano Man in his marvelous musical solo show Julian Velard… Is in the Middle of Something.
  57. John Early is up to his meta hijinks in his HBO special Now More Than Ever that dresses up his hilarious stand-up in the middle of a classic rock doc. Also, bonus points go to John for the way he points out his parents in this hour
  58. A very special Green Room with Paul Provenza happened this year as it was all in Paul’s backyard and showed how comedy can shine the through darkest of traumas with Doug Stanhope, Andy Andrist, Kristine Levine, Annie Lederman, and Henry Phillips.
  59. Though Demi Adejuyigbe isn’t doing his September videos anymore, he is still dishing out brilliance in other forms as he did in 2023 with his declaration for 2023 Halloween costumes.
  60. For all the talk about The Boys, best not sleep on a UK satire on super powers from Emma Morgan, Extraordinary, which is decidedly less explicit and (maybe more) charming, in the keep-calm-and-carry-on British manner.
  61. As far as a classical looking and sounding comedy special goes in 2023, it doesn’t get much better than Nate Craig: Live at the Green Mill.
  62. For a show that’s so unpredictable and existentially rapturous, let’s all hold hands and take a moment for the final season of How to With John Wilson coming to a close last year.
  63. NYC comedy darling James Hamilton put out one hell of a debut album with I Don’t Deserve These Deals; the sort of album that makes you wonder how wrong the Grammys are about their nominations for Best Comedy Album.
  64. Thank goodness for the doc following Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett‘s fake strongman duo Chop & Steele and capturing how you might have to go, legally, to defend looking stupid on TV for fun.
  65. Let the hilarious weirdness of the life of one Jessica Sele wash over you with her debut album Weird Vibes.
  66. The new, new, new, NEW Futurama, believe it or not, is pretty damn good (and fully aware of how many times it has been revived).
  67. Albert Brooks: Defending My Life is a great and necessary reminder of how much Albert Brooks is a comedy pioneer as a performer/actor/director as well as a touching tribute from one of his best friends, Rob Reiner.
  68. Joe Kwaczala not only delivers on his album’s title of Funny Songs & Sketches, but cleverly delivers a grand variety of ingenious, innovative bits that points to Joe perhaps deserving a full on sketch show somewhere.
  69. While Barbie rode high this year, let us not forget the R-rated comedy of 2023, Joy Ride (that also a touching story about identity, adoption, and taking the baton from Crazy Rich Asians and running wild with it).
  70. Harley Quinn, now in its 4th season, continues to be a bright, hysterical, subversive light in the imploding world of comic book based IP.
  71. The NYC branch of Comedians You Should Know really made moves this year and one of those moves was one of its heads, David Drake, putting out his very first special that hit the perfect mark of self-deprecation with That’s It.
  72. At this point, you’d wonder how John Oliver could possibly up the ante with his prank calls to action with Last Week Tonight. Then, John went ahead and fixed a New Zealand bird election for the Pūteketeke and gave us an answer.
  73. If you want to see victory and self-acceptance and healing and an irresistibly funny solo show, look no further than Jackie Johnson: How To Get a Second Husband.
  74. Clay Tatum and Whitmer Thomas’ Civil Dead is a charming lowkey twist on what it means to be a ghost and/or the buddy comedy.
  75. Protected Under Parody might be the best sketch show going in LA even though it happens in the bar area of a hip movie theater.
  76. If you don’t already know the name Steph Tolev, you best know it now and remember it fully. The self-ascribed “Queen of Filth” is playing all over the country now and she’s as good at going blue and working a crowd as anyone out there.
  77. Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson made one of the most unhinged, unapologetically queer comedy of the year with Dicks: the Musical, doing A24 proud for their first musical. Let it be known that 2023 could be called the “Year of Dicks and Bottoms”.
  78. Countless hours of comedic observations have been dished out about generational differences, but the amazing Jenny Zigrino has some of the best and sharpest jokes in that realm in her special Jen-Z.
  79. Marc Maron pulled a hat trick with his latest hour in offering one of his most touching, darkest, and best specials yet with From Bleak to Dark.
  80. The only saving grace of Mike Lindell existing is that James Adomian keeps getting to play him brillliantly on Kimmel as he did throughout the year and even over this past holiday season.
  81. Even though Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, and Nick Lieberman had a touching, laugh riot of a tribute to theater kids everywhere with Theater Camp, this feature debut of Gordon and Lieberman is the definitive mockumentary of 2023.
  82. If you’ve mowed through dozens of specials and wondered if comedy has become stale/complacent/hollow, get a shot in the arm with Ben Roy‘s latest hour Hyena and rest easy (after laughing a whole damn lot).
  83. Brad Wenzel and his latest hour, joke. joke. joke. shows that the art form of the one liner, a corner of comedy that often seems to be of yesteryear, is alive and well (and can thrive in the 2020s).
  84. All hail the best sketch show on television, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, full stop. No further explanation should be needed.
  85. Her book Raw Dog, in our minds, has elevated Jamie Loftus into the status of comedy luminary (and is the sort of humor that the Mark Twain Prize actually seeks to honor if you read the award’s mission statement).
  86. The series of IG reels/Tik Tok It’s Not an Issue with Ever Mainard and their Mom on is simply blissful ridiculousness between a mom and their non-binary adult child.
  87. Wes Anderson retains his pristine symmetrical comedy auteur status with his most self-reflexive (and cheeky) work yet, Asteroid City.
  88. If they were a wing of a modern art museum dedicated to video art as dramedy, it should have the entire season of Carol & The End of the World playing on a loop. Hats off to Dan Guterman for creating a beautiful existential valediction to 2023 in the form of an adult animated series.
  89. As time passes, the comedic observations about pandemic times have become more and more worn, but such original and insightful and personal voices like those of Hari Kondabolu make for something special as he did with Vacation Baby.
  90. It might be strange to have a veritable set list as the title of your special, but England, Weed & The Rest from Gareth Reynolds belies his expert skills, especially when it comes to crowd work and making fun of being English. Salutations to Birthday Chicken.
  91. While working the road can wear on the psyche and will of a comedian, some get energized by the challenge and Tom Thakkar is clearly having so much damn fun playing clubs night in and night out wherever he is. That energy (along with thoughtful material about race and politics) is captured wonderfully on Thakkar Noir.
  92. Andy Iwancio not only has some of the very best trans jokes (go figure that the best trans jokes would come from a trans person) in her album Better Living Through Femmistry, but joyfully gets rambunctious about the recording of her album during the actual recording of it.
  93. The genre mash-up of horror and comedy (and your whole outlooking on existence and meaning) might be changed forever (and for the better) because of Ari Aster‘s Beau Is Afraid.
  94. Sunanda‘s solo show dedicated to their love of Britney Spears and their journey to self-actualization from it, the aptly names Sunanda Loves Britney,
  95. Comedy in pathos might have been best displayed in 2023 in the latest collaboration of Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti with The Holdovers.
  96. The trios of Chris Estrada/Frankie Quiñones/Michael Imperioli and Jake Weisman/Matt Ingebretson/Pat Bishop continue on their path to making one of the best comedies of this decade, balancing satirical subversion and the ludicrous all set in a grounded East LA with season 2 of This Fool.
  97. The third season of the modern day indigenous dramedy Reservations Dogs completes a wondrous arc and achieves its best episodes yet making for a rare instance of a TV series getting to do what it set out to do.
  98. The fact that Jackie Kashian made a special using the rearview camera of a car is so funny on its own and then there’s the fact that Jackie is also one of the funniest comedians working today that make Looking Back special.
  99. Whether you go by laughs per minute or just gut feeling, Jay Jurden is indisputably one of the best stand-ups on any stage these days. Just watch his Don’t Tell set, if you haven’t already, and you’ll see what we’re saying.
  100. Even though she might be against the organized religious aspects of it, let’s canonize Maria Bamford as a saint for her brilliant special Maria Bamford: Local Act and hit book Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult.
  101. Gary Gulman is a paragon of the art form of comedy in every single facet of it since he has, perhaps, the deepest understanding of the craft of stand-up, and that has been the case with Gary for a long time. His latest hour, Born on 3rd Base, might be his very best work yet.*

Pick of the Day: Alex Edeman: Just for Us (in LA) 11/10-11/26

November 3, 2023
News
alex edelman, dtla, just for us, los angeles comedy, mark taper forum, solo show, storytelling

Alex Edelman’s Just For Us is probably one of the most acclaimed live solo shows of this year (and last year) considering its several extensions Off Broadway and then ascending to Broadway. Edelman’s hilarious and captivating tale of sneaking into White Nationalists meetings as a Jewish person is already shot and scheduled to be released as a special, but it’s going on the road first.

One of Edelman’s first stops will be here in LA at the Mark Taper Forum in DTLA that, as far as comedy in recent memory goes, only Mike Birbiglia has played. It’s a big run, but don’t rest on your laurels to buy tickets because they’ll likely get bought up very, very fast.

So, Just For Us is set to run from:

1/10-11/26

Tues-Sat @ 8PM PT

Sat. matinee @ 3PM PT

Sundays @ 2PM PT & 7PM PT

*Dark on Thanksgiving

*No matinee on 11/11

*Fri. Matinee 11/26 @ 3PM PT

Tickets are $40-$150 and stop reading this go get them now right here.

 

Pick of the Day: Alex Edelman: Just For Us on Broadway (in NYC) 6/22-8/19

April 6, 2023
News
alex edelman, broadway, hudson theatre, just for us

There’s a fair chance that you’ve gotten to catch Alex Edelman‘s internationally acclaimed show Just For Us as it has played Off Broadway for a run that was extended six times (in addition to touring globally to even more praise). Still, several millions of folks live in the Greater NYC Area and have likely missed on their first chance to catch Edelman’s riveting show about what happened following Alex going undercover at a White Nationalist meeting (as Alex is a Jew and very much not a White Nationalist).

With it being such a timely story on top of winning awards and glowing reviews seemingly wherever it plays, Edelman is getting to mount Just For Us once more, but this time on one of the biggest types of stages a comedian can play, Broadway. From Jun. 22nd through Aug. 19th, Edelman will be doing Just For Us up big at The Hudson Theatre playing nearly every night of the week (except for Sunday).

Tickets start at $44 and you better snag them up quick at justforusshow.com as we’ll not at all be surprised if they sell out quick yet again.

Pick of the Day: UnCabaret (in person) 7/10

June 23, 2021
News
alex edelman, beth lapides, hannah einbinder, jamie bridgers, julia sweeney, uncabaret

It was one of our favorite shows pre-pandemic. It continued being one of our favorites when they transitioned to going virtual. Now, after a year and a half, you’ll get to the legendary, long-running comedy-variety show UnCabaret, in person, in the newly reopened El Cid in Silverlake.

As always, it’ll have creator and fearless leader, Beth Lapides, and the tight house band led by Mitch Kaplan lead off the evening’s agenda on Sat. Jul. 10th with doors opening at 8:30PM PT. Coming from the virtual UnCabaret, they’ve got their favorites (almost a celebrated recurring cast at this point) lined-up with  Julia Sweeney, Laura Kightlinger, Dana Gould, Justin Sayre, and Jamie Bridgers.

As it’s the first show back, it ought to be extra magical in the most UnCabaret way possible.

Tickets are going for $24.60 and you really ought to go get them before they sell out here.

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

July 13, 2020
News
800 pound gorilla, alex edelman, stand up

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.

 

Pick of the Day: Uncabaret Zoom Edition

April 10, 2020
News
alec mapa, alex edelman, beth lapides, comedy show, jamie bridgers, julia sweeney, kate willett, kira soltanovich, storytelling, uncabaret, variety show

UnCabaret with Beth Lapides, the legendary comedy/storytelling/music variety show, has been around for over a quarter of a century and it has no intention of stopping or slowing down even if it has change things up a little bit for the time being.

While we’re all observing our “safer at home” order here in LA, we all can’t take a seat in the gorgeous Rockwell Table & Stage, but UnCabaret, Beth, and UnCabaret music director Mitch Kaplan will be pushing forward with their show via the more popular than ever video conferencing platform Zoom and feature a, per usual, wonderful, wonderful line-up including Julia Sweeney, Alec Mapa, Alex Edelman, Kira Soltanovich, Kate Willett, and Jamie Bridgers.

UnCabaret Zoom Edition is happening this Sun., Apr. 12th at 7:30PM PT/10:30PM ET. Get more details/register for a free ticket here.

The show is indeed free, but donations will be gladly accepted and split between artists. Venmo @BethLapides or PayPal Beth@uncabaret.com.

Please Enjoy Alex Edelman’s Latest Set on Conan About Two of  His Heroes

October 30, 2019
Uncategorized
alex edelman, coco gorilla, conan, late night, michael collins, neil armstrong, robin williams, stand up comedy

Alex Edelman just served us all another great stand-up set on Conan that showcases Edelman’s knack for weaving sharp writing and imagination together.

Indeed, Alex talks about two heroes, though, it’s almost up to you to decide if it’s any pairing of Coco the Gorilla, Robin Williams, Michael Collins, or Neil Armstrong.

Watch, enjoy, and decide the two heroes for yourself here.

October 4, 2019
Uncategorized
alex edelman, business casual, courtney pauroso, natalie palamides, neil hamburger, viggo venn

Many of the most decorated and celebrated performers of the renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Melbourne International Comedy Festival will gather under the wondrous roof of the Lyric Hyperion for one hell of a night of internationally award winning comedy, Stamptown Comedy Night, of clowning, characters, stand-up, and so much more. 

Just look and marvel at that line-up up there in the poster. Zach Zucker will even be presiding over the evening as his clown-inspired ideation of a stand-up, Jack Tucker. 

So, don’t miss out on Stamptown Comedy Night, happening Fri. Oct. 11th at 10PM. Tickets are $15 and you can (and very much should) get them here.

January 30, 2019
Uncategorized
alec mapa, alex edelman, beth lapides, chris pierce, comedy show, denise fraser, jamie bridgers, julia sweeney, los angeles, los feliz, merrill markoe, mitch kaplan, stand up, storytelling

The legendary storytelling/new material show Uncabaret (it has been running for a quarter of a century) is settling into its new home in Los Feliz at the swanky Rockwell Table & Stage. 

That being said, it’s not a weekly affair anymore and thus, we’re keeping an eye out for you for the show’s upcoming dates including this one near the end of March with yet another stacked line-up (from several different generations of comedy by the way).

Anyways, tickets are going from $10-$30 (plus a 2-item min.) and you can get your tickets here.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, screenings, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

Conan Serves Up Another Great Late Night Debut with Alex Edelman

March 1, 2018
Uncategorized
alex edelman, conan, late night, stand up, team coco

In 2018, Conan O’Brien still keeps steady with the carrying the late night stand-up torch by not only frequently featuring comedians at the end of an episode, but highlighting acts that are more than ready for their first late night appearance. 

Earlier this week, we all got to enjoy the delightful Debra DiGiovanni and last night, Alex Edelman, an internationally acclaimed American comedian, got to put his best foot forward on late night for the very first time on Conan.

See the sharp comedic stylings that has brough Edelman through this very circuitous route here.

A Rory Scovel Special, “Besser Breaks the Record”, The UCB Show, and More Available for Streaming When Seeso Officially Launches

December 9, 2015
Uncategorized
alex edelman, barrell house, before the morning after, greg proops, jena friedman, matt besser, nbc, rory scovel, seeso, stand up, ucb show

(via Deadline)

Seeso is really making up for all that lost time on NBC’s comedy slate over the last couple of years.

Just in its beta stage right now, you already know that Seeso has a lot to offer even though they’re just getting started. 

Now, they’ve gotten an official launch date: Thurs. Jan. 7th.

In addition to their vast array of offerings, they’ll adding a bunch of original content including a show called Before the Morning After where comics like Greg Proops, Jena Friedman, and Alex Edelman will riff at a diner, the long awaited hour stand-up special from Rory Scovel, Matt Besser breaking ridiculous records on Besser Breaks the Record, live variety and stand-up shows The UCB Show and Live From The Barrel House, an animated comedy The Cyanide & Happiness Show, an Australian musical comedy series with puppets, Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane, and a modern dating game show, Dave & Ethan: Lovemakers.

With other shows from Jonah Ray, Cameron Esposito & Rhea Butcher, Dan Harmon, Thomas Lennon/Robert Ben Garant/Kulap Vilaysack, and more also on the way, Seeso is making the $3.99/month subscription fee sound worth it.

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