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audible

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Keegan-Michael Key Will Be Taking Us All Through “The History of Sketch Comedy” Next Year

November 16, 2020
News
audible, comedy history, history of sketch comedy, keegan michael key, key and peele

When it comes to the history of comedy, so much of it is and has been dedicated to stand-up comedy. Yet, as you’d hopefully know, stand-up is only one facet of the art form. Sketch comedy also has a wide and wild history that is very deserving of an extensive and deep retrospective. Sure, SNL gets debated over plenty and there are documentaries and books on the likes of Kids in the Hall and even the doomed The Dana Carvey Show.

Yet, the entire expanse of sketch comedy needs a Ken Burns level of attention to detail and that’s what it’ll get with upcoming Audible audio series, The History of Sketch Comedy, that will be narrated and co-written by none other than Keegan-Michael Key, a sketch comedy icon in his own right just from being Obama’s Anger Translator alone. Key, along with co-writer/director Elle Key, will journey through all of sketch comedy’s past, from 16th century to now, over ten half-hour episodes.

If you are or someone you care about is obsessed with sketch comedy, you might want to get an Audible subscription as and early holiday gift as The History of Sketch Comedy will get an exclusive Audible release on Jan. 28th, 2021.

Photo by Cliff Lipson

Audio Production Continues To Expand Under COVID-19 as Team Coco Signs Overall Deal with Audible

October 5, 2020
News
audible, team coco

Whether it be television or movies, the prospect of production moving forward during the pandemic is still largely uncharted territory, which is why there are still plenty of stops and starts with devising, observing, and reevaluating safety protocol with crews and talent gathering to shoot something.

So, the allure of production that can largely be down remotely and with very few people gathering has gone up. Plenty of shows that were live action have done special animated episodes or gone with a very special episode that has a high end Zoom look/feel to it.

Audio productions, limited series or podcasts, have also ticked up as they indeed can be entirely done remotely and Team Coco is taking advantage of that angle. They just signed an over-all deal to develop and produce all sorts of audio projects whether they be scripted, unscripted, docu-series, or something else altogether. They’ve already broken ground in this area with the likes of the delightful Frontier Tween, not to mention the massive success of  the podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.

Already, Team Coco has their first series lined up with A Total Switch Show takes a more darkly comic turn on the well-trodden premise of two very different people switching bodies, though they won’t get to switch back no matter what they do or how much they grow. Real life mother and daughter Lea Thompson and Zoey Deutch are set to star for this Team Coco x Audible series.

We have no doubt that Team Coco’s already burgeoning audio empire will burgeon even more following this deal.

Of Course Maria Bamford’s Self-Help Guide to Doing an Hour of Stand-Up Is Hysterically Self-Aware and Meta

September 4, 2020
News
audible, how to, how to do comedy, maria bamford, self help

There are so many books on how to do stand-up and a plethora of teachers that offer courses on how to do stand-up. Often, those books are very reductive in their understanding of comedy and can often feel dated and, even more importantly, not feel/seem/be that funny.

Cue Maria Bamford’s You Are (A Comedy) Special: A Simple 15-Step Self-Help Guide to Forcibly Force Yourself to Write and Perform a Full Hour of Stand-up Comedy.

Bamford created yet another marvel of comedy, following her handful of brilliant hour specials as well as her critically acclaimed TV show and beloved web series, with a colorful guide on her process of developing her own hour of material. For those in the know, Maria’s particular process for developing comedy is so incredibly unique, which shouldn’t be surprising as Maria is one of the most distinct voices (or collection of voices) in comedy history. This two hour plus audio guide details every step of Maria creating and honing her own hour, which is, in of itself, such a hysterical trek through Maria’s mind (very similar to her stand-up). As such, You Are (A Comedy) Special is unlike any other guide to doing comedy that more encourages you to find your path rather than paint by numbers. That’s probably one of the biggest takeaways you can have from any comedy course.

Get a bit of a taste of the audiobook here.

Maria Bamford’s You Are (A Comedy) Special: A Simple 15-Step Self-Help Guide to Forcibly Force Yourself to Write and Perform a Full Hour of Stand-up Comedy is available now, exclusively on Audible. Go get it here.

Some beloved Behind the Scenes of the making of my @audible_com Original "You are (A Comedy) Special" that's available NOW!!

HERE-> https://t.co/XvcGYtdc3E pic.twitter.com/s5mnr4Nnx7

— Maria Bamford (@mariabamfoo) September 3, 2020

November 27, 2018
Uncategorized
audible, elon musk, james adomian, parody

James Adomian Voices Elon Musk  in an Entire Parody Audiobook About Elon Musk’s Vision of the Future Perfectly Titled “Welcome to the Future Which Is Mine” by Scott Dikkers

The age old maxim “You can’t make an omelette without cracking a few eggs,” seems to be taken to another level by technological entrepreneur and innovator Elon Musk. With failed launches of rockets, selling pre-orders for flamethrowers seemingly out of nowhere, and launching, of all things, one of his own cars into space, it would seem that there are a lot to questions to ask of someone who many see as a savior of the future. 

This is where the brilliant politically satire from Scott Dikkers, one of the founders of The Onion, and James Adomian comes in. Adomian in a spot on impression of Musk guides us through an entire audiobook Welcome to the Future Which Is Mine that sends up what Musk’s vision of the future and what it really might end up being. Here’s a delightful taste of it.

Don’t be surprised to see if this ends up being Adomian’s next character he goes around the country playing (he already did it at SXSW earlier this year).

If you’re into it, you can get Welcome to the Future Which Is Mine by Not Elon Musk off of Amazon here: amzn.to/2PHtl5b.

August 8, 2018
Uncategorized
audible, august, bad reception, comedy show, long form improv, los angeles, release party, ucb sunset

Of the many things that you should keep your ears perked up for on premium audio streaming platform, Audible, the upcoming series Bad Reception from Justin Michael and Eric Martin should be at the top of the list.

Bad Reception gathers some of the best improvisers around including Drew Tarver, Betsy Sodaro, Paul F. Tompkins, D’Arcy Carden, Dan Lippert, Carl Tart, Mary Sasson, and more to weave the tall tale of the “incident” that befell South Grampers in Northern California. The story of the “movie butter capital of the world” is completely improvised in 13 acts and constructed completely through various phone (and phone related) conversations. 

Having gotten a sneak listen to it, we really enjoyed the tinge of the fantastical given by a Choose Your Own Adventure book, except improvisors are making all the choices and are definitely making up their own satisfyingly absurd choices. 

So, there will be a release party for Bad Reception later this month, Saturday, August 18th, at UCB Sunset at 9PM. The creators and much of the cast will be there. Tickets are $12 and you can (and should) go get them here.

Oh, you can pre-order Bad Reception (avail. Aug. 21st) on Audible here.

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

Danny Solomon Indeed Has “Genius” Bits on New Album “Genius”

June 15, 2018
Uncategorized
audible, comedy album, danny solomon, genius, rooftop comedy, stand up
image

When it comes to the process of dissecting and mining life observations for so-called comedic gems, Danny Solomon sure knows how to find true diamonds in the rough.

That is to say that Danny’s new hour on his album Genius really showcases he expert ability in hone some pretty complex, yet funny premises into through-and-through fully realized, laugh-out-loud bits. Pointing out the absurdity of his nightmares in comparison to the horrors of his real life and his ingenious angle on time travel (which, to our knowledge, we have never heard before) are great example of this.

So, we urge you to enjoy this new hour Genius from Danny Solomon as it just dropped today. You can get it on iTunes here.

“Sklars and Stripes” Audio Documentary Series Shows How Sklar Brothers Come Up with Material for Whichever City They’re Playing

April 6, 2018
Uncategorized
audible, documentary, sklar brothers, stand up
image

Coming up with jokes will always be a mystifying, magical process. Every comedian does it differently and their inspiration can range from anything  including molecules to the entirety of the known universe.

The Sklar Brothers are fantastic comedians that definitely have a knack for the craft of joke writing itself. As such, Audible Comedy recorded an audio documentary series that followed Jason and Randy through their gigs across the U.S. Specifically, their actual observations about a place and time are juxtaposed with the distilled jokes that they tell later on. It’s a fascinating glimpse into a facet of the comedic process of two of the quickest wits in comedy.

Sklars and Stripes spans 12 chapters across 10 different cities, which includes a chapter where they had to perform the week after the 2016 election, and is definitely worth a listen. Get it all and hear it on Audible here.

July 24, 2017
Uncategorized
audible, cole stratton, comedy in the dark, gary anthony williams, improv comedy, live podcast, long form improv, los angeles, santa monica, stephanie courtney, the bat

The Bat has some of the best improvisers around doing an entire show for you shrouded in darkness. It’s a live taping for Audible, but you can be a part of the show and have your suggestions not only dictate the scene, but sound effects as well. 

This episode of the show will happen Wednesday, August 2nd at the Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica will feature special guests Stephanie Courtney, Gary Anthony Williams, Tawny Newsome, and Phil Lamarr. 

Tickets are $5 and you can (and should) get them here.

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

Dr. Katz Officially Lives on Audible Comedy Series “Dr. Katz: The Audio Files”

June 8, 2017
Uncategorized
audible, audible channels, dr katz, jonathan katz
image

After over 15 years, the beloved series Dr. Katz has gotten revived thanks to Audible. 

Jonathan Katz and Laura Silverman reprise their roles and are joined by a cavalcade of your favorite comedy folks including Dana Gould, Eddie Pepitone, Weird Al Yankovic, Maria Bamford, Emo Philips, Ron Funches, and much more in a possibly more addicting format as an audio series, Dr. Katz: The Audio Files.

Through Audible, there are 15 episodes of Dr. Katz: The Audio Files for you to listen to every week when they release new episodes. In fact, three episodes are up right now for free with guests Andy Kindler, Sarah Silverman, and Ray Romano. 

If you have an Audible subscription or Amazon Prime, you can go ahead and listen to the whole series, as it comes out, for free. You can also subscribe to Audible Channels for premium original audio series as well as Dr. Katz for $4.95 a month.

If it’s any indication of what you might be in for, we went to the live taping of this revived Dr. Katz this past week with guests Paul F. Tompkins, Jon Hamm, Kristen Schaal, and Al Madrigal and it was every bit as charming as we remember the series being all those years ago.

May 20, 2017
Uncategorized
audible, cinefamily, dr katz, fairfax, jonathan katz, laura silverman, live recording, melrose, silent movie theatre, weho

To kick off a brand new, upcoming Dr. Katz audio series on Audible, Dr. Katz: The Audio Files, Jonathan Katz, Laura Silverman, and 5 very special celebrity patients will record a live episode at Cinefamily next month. 

Yes, you read that right. There is new Dr. Katz coming out very soon.

Tickets are $25 for general admission and $40 for VIP and you can them here.

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

Husband and Wife Kurt Braunohler and Lauren Cook Have a New Audio Series Wedlock on Audible

April 20, 2017
Uncategorized
amazon prime, audible, audio series, kurt braunohler, lauren cook, podcast, relationships, wedlock

Most couples don’t start an audio series together examining the trials and tribulations of relationships. 

Then again, most couples don’t create their own tube race held on the LA River on top of being performers and writers.

With that in mind, real life daring, married couple Kurt Braunohler and Lauren Cook have their own Audible audio series called Wedlock with six episodes available to listen to for free through Amazon Prime. Guests include a famous cam girl, hostage negotiators, a shaman, and Jim Gaffigan.

Here’s a bit of a preview.

5th Annual NYC Podfest Is Next Month

March 13, 2017
Uncategorized
audible, bell house, brooklyn, comedy festival, festival, kids in the hall, michael ian black, nyc, podcast festival
image

How To Be Amazing with Michael Ian Black, Kevin McDonald’s Kevin McDonald Show, Hold On with Eugene Mirman, Risk! Trues Tales Boldly Told, Another Round with Tracy Clayton and Heben Nigatu, Mike Myers, Janeane Garofalo, David Cross, and much much more are coming to The Bell House in Brooklyn next month for the 5th Annual NYC Podfest.

Pretty swell, huh?

Given how well podcasts tour these days, we’d urge you to buy tickets sooner rather than later. Already, a few shows for this NYC Podfest are sold out. 

Get more details and tickets here.

Audio Versions of Tig Notaro, Jen Kirkman, and Henry Phillips’ Latest Comedy Specials Now Available

August 5, 2016
Uncategorized
audible, boyish girl interrupted, channels, comedy album, comedy special, hbo, henry phillips, i'm gonna die alone and I feel fine, jen kirkman, netflix, tig notaro

Boyish Girl Interrupted, I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine), and Neither Here Nor There are now available for the “listening-inclined”. 

If you’re either the sort of person that prefers their stand-up with audio only or one that doesn’t have an HBO or Netflix account/password, you can now get to listen to three comedy specials from three of our favorite comedians making the rounds these days.

Tig Notaro’s Boyish Girl Interrupted, first premiered as an HBO special, is now on iTunes.

Jen Kirkman’s I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine), first premiered as a Netflix special, is also now available on iTunes.

Henry Phillips’ Neither Here Nor There is set to premiere as a comedy special on Vimeo On Demand on August 15th, but you can stream the audio version on Audible’s streaming service, Channels, if you’re an Audible member right now. On August 19th, the album version will be available digitally at iTunes and wherever else digital albums or sold.

So, get in on all of these, especially for the fact that you can now probably clock in three new hours of fine comedy while working.

Henry Phillips’ “Neither Here Nor Here” Coming Out Soon as Special and Album

July 12, 2016
Uncategorized
audible, comedy album, comedy special, henry phillips, neither here nor there, rooftop comedy
image

Announced today, Henry Phillips’ (who you have probably seen when we’ve posted about Henry’s Kitchen) latest hour Neither Here Nor There from Rooftop Comedy will be coming soon. 

You’ll have range of options to enjoy a great combo of stand-up and song from Henry starting with it streaming on Audible’s audio streaming service Channels on July 22nd, then released as a comedy special through Vimeo on August 15th, and then released as a digital album on August 19th.

You can mark your calendars for all these dates, but we’ll be sure to remind you when they come around too.

Amazon Acquires Rooftop Comedy via Audible

October 28, 2014
Uncategorized
amazon, audible, rooftop comedy

(via The Hollywood Reporter)

The company you always hear so much about while listening to your favorite podcasts, Audible, will now be more than for just hearing audio versions of books. 

Audible has just brought Rooftop Comedy into their fold, which really means that Rooftop is now part of Amazon’s fold. Other than partnering Audible, Rooftop doesn’t seem like they’ll be changing course much and will continue in their current direction of taping and distributing live comedy like the Holy F*ck album, but, presumably, with a little more corporate weight behind them.

We’re curious to see if the number of people listening to comedy albums off of Rooftop’s label will get a spike from this. 

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