TCB Debriefing 8/31/23: Brooks Wheelan, Amber Ruffin, Ridiculousness, Rick and Morty S7,
1. Brooks Wheelan has done some daring things for comedy including, but not limited to running an entire marathon on a whim on next to no training at the beginning of quarantine. For his latest feat, Wheelan will be taping his brand new hour special in the far reaches of Anchorage, Alaska at the appropriately named Bear Tooth Theater. To our knowledge, Brooks will have what will be one of very few hours of comedy recorded and released in Alaska (the only other one that comes to mind is Glenn Wool’s I’ll Ask Her). Go get tickets for Wheelan’s taping, if you’re up there, here.
2. While the future of The Amber Ruffin Show and late night in general is unclear, Amber Ruffin is already working on adapting the book she co-wrote with her sister Lacey Lamar (Deadline). Of course, nothing definite is set as the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are still in effect. Also, isn’t it weird that Strike Force Five doesn’t include Ruffin, especially considering she is now the only non-cis-hetero-white-man in late night?
3. The writers of Ridiculousness, many of whom are comedians, are putting up the possibility of unionizing under the banner of the WGA to a vote (Deadline). One can hope that this is yet another small step to comedians having their own union?
4. Yes, Rick and Morty is such an international phenomenon that Adult Swim can make content out of just announcing episode titles, which usually don’t give almost anything away. That’s what they did here, but they better have more Rick and Morty teasers as the premiere is still several weeks away on Oct. 15th on Adult Swim.
5. If you’re legitimately exploring a comedic premise that has to do with your fondness for any time in the past being a “simpler time”, perhaps do some soul searching.
