• Events
    • Los Angeles Open Mics
    • Los Angeles Shows
    • New York Open Mics
    • New York Shows
  • Book A Tour
  • Venues
  • News
  • Podcast
  • About
    • About The Comedy Bureau
    • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Digital Wall of Trustees

barbie

divider

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.*

TCB Debriefing 9/18/23: CCSUF, NYCF, Talk Shows Pause Return, Russell Brand, Barbie, Jonah Kills

September 18, 2023
News
barbie, bill maher, comedy central, drew barrymore, jax media, jonah kills, new york comedy fest, russell brand, stand up comedy, wga strike

1. The latest round of Comedy Central’s digital stand-up showcase, “Featuring” or more explicitly “Comedy Central Stand Up Featuring” just announced its New York line-ups for its latest taping. The likes of Ayanna Dookie, Sam Morrison, Chinedu Unaka, Homles, Randall Otis, Lucas Zelnick, Kate Sisk, Tommy Brennan, Grace Kuhlenschmidt, Usama Sidiquee, Mark Smalls, Mav Viola, Asha Ward, Ethan Simmons-Patterson, and Eagle Witt will be taking the Cutting Room stage on Thurs. Oct. 5th. Admission is free so long as you RSVP to the early or late show here. Thank goodness this came along and the arrival of Comics Unleashed on CBS won’t be on the only short form stand-up you’ll see from a TV network.

2. The New York Comedy Festival, running from Nov. 3rd-12th, just made a big announcement for their line-up and schedule which includes:

Get the full schedule/line-up/tickets all at nycomedyfestival.com/schedule

3. Both Drew Barrymore and Bill Maher have paused their return of their respective talk shows, The Drew Barrymore Show and Real Time with Bill Maher (NY Times), following controversy stemming from the ongoing WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes. Considering negotiations are to resume on Wednesday; let’s hope this is a good omen for talks to pick up in earnest and bring the strikes to an end with fair deals all around.

4. Russell Brand is facing allegations of emotional abuse, sexual assault, and rape during the “height of his fame” and nearly every project and endeavor has been put on pause (BBC). We would wonder how has it taken this long for this to come out, but the story of survivors is so frequent that it’s common knowledge that it could take years and years and years for them to step forward when processing trauma.

5. Barbie has just surpassed The Avengers as the 11th highest grossing domestic release in film history with $626 million in U.S. theaters (Variety). If it makes $30 million more at home, it’ll beat the far less raved about Jurassic World to be in the top 10.

6. Showtime is lining up its ducks for when the strike ends, starting with a UK comedy from UK theater impresario Clem Garrity called Jonah Kills (Deadline). Fingers crossed that this is another sign that we’re nearing the end of the strikes, which has lasted 139 days.

7. We’ll leave you with this: Elon Musk is thinking of starting to charge for use of Twitter/X concluding that it might be the best way to combat bots on the platform. It’s also the best way to finally sink Twitter into oblivion besides trying (and kind of failing) to change its name to X.

 

TCB Debriefing 8/23/23: Ever Mainard, SF Sketchfest, A Very Good+ Night of Comedy, Barbie’s New Record

August 23, 2023
News
barbie, don't tell comedy, ever mainard, kennedy center, sf sketchfest

1. If you’ve somehow been a follower of TCB for any amount of time and don’t know Ever Mainard, you need to fix that issue immediately. Thankfully, they have a brand spankin’ new set for you to see, enjoy, and subsequently become obsessed with Ever’s vulnerable sense of mischief. Please enjoy it repeatedly here.

Also, in case you didn’t know, the new Premium Blend/Comedy Central Presents/Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup/late night sets is Don’t Tell Comedy.

2. If you’re perhaps interested at taking a shot at performing at one of the most prestigious, largest comedy festivals in the world, the SF Sketchfest deadline is coming up fast. Submissions are due at 11:59PM PT on Sun. Sept. 3rd. Get more details and send in your stuff here.

3. A Very Good+ Night of Comedy has nothing to do with a new streaming service, but, instead is probably one of the biggest comedy gala benefits of the year. Supporting Jessica Seinfeld’s Good+Foundation that systemically addresses poverty, headliners Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer and Ronny Chieng are all set to perform at Carnegie Hall in mid October (Deadline).

4. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has officially become the highest grossing movie of 2023 thus far, beating out The Super Mario Bros. Movie (CNN). With an IMAX version that includes a post-credit scene, it’s due to beat more records even if it’ll only play in certain parts of Asia and the Middle East.

5. So, do we need to watch stuff on DVD/VHS rather than streaming or cable to support the strike as media consumers?

TCB Debriefing 8/16/23: Scott Pilgrim Anime, Beth Stelling Tour, Beautiful Anonymous, Another Barbie Record, Please Don’t Destroy

August 16, 2023
News
barbie, beautiful anonymous, beth stelling, chris gethard, netflix, please don't destroy, scott pilgrim

1. Take your first gander at the Scott Pilgrim anime series coming exclusively to Netflix on Nov. 17th. The voice cast is pretty much the one from the seminal Edgar Wright movie from 2010 and Wright even has a hand in this. So, we’re hoping for the best out of a spin-off/sequel/adaptation that very likely has the highest of expectations right out of the gate.

2. Have Beth Stelling in your town? Do travel. Girl Daddy will live on as one of the great comedy specials of our time.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Beth Stelling (@bethstelling)

3. Chris Gethard‘s landmark podcast Beautiful Anonymous is opting to go independent after finishing up its contract with SiriusXM/Earwolf (Variety). While he is sure to score better deals with how much of a juggernaut this particular show is (Gethard has a fan base that’s purely dedicated to Beautiful Anonymous), don’t be surprised if he ends up launching his own network. This is somewhat reminiscent of the route that My Favorite Murder took all those years ago.

4. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has officially become the all time top grossing domestic movie for Warner Bros., no other adjectives needed (Deadline). It’s such a cultural milestone that it’ll very likely be the top grossing movie of the year, again, with no other adjectives or caveats needed.

5. With no idea when exactly the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes will end, you also don’t have any idea when SNL will return. Thankfully, there will be a Please Don’t Destroy movie out on Peacock come Nov. 17th.

6. APB to all comedy venues: please have a bar/restaurant right next door if you don’t already have one in your establishment.

TCB Debriefing 8/9/23: Sam Mendes/Armando Iannucci at HBO, Barbie Not in Kuwait, Twisted Metal, Only Murders in the Building, The Invisible Fight

August 9, 2023
News
armando iannucci, barbie, hbo, hulu, kuwait, locarno, only murders in the building, peacock, sam mendes, the franchise, the invisible fight, twisted metal

1. HBO has wisely ordered Sam Mendes & Armando Iannucci’s series, The Franchise, following the inner workings of making a super hero movie (Deadline). So, the pitch would be that one season of Entourage where Vinny plays Aquaman, but done well and for smart people?

2. While getting the green light in Saudi Arabia, Barbie will not screen in Kuwait and possibly not in Lebanon either (THR). Claims that it “promotes homosexuality” and “contradicts values of faith and morality” are being cited as well as “diminishing the importance of the family unit”. Well, that’s almost better marketing than the heaps of praise that Barbie has earned and will guarantee a long run in theaters, much longer than probably first projected.

3. Twisted Metal, the adaptation of the armageddon demolition derby/race video game of the same name on Peacock, sets a record for the streamer as their “most binged comedy premiere” (Deadline). That somehow edges out Poker Face?

4. A friendly reminder that the third season of Only Murders in the Building is now streaming on Hulu, complete with Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep.

5. There is a Soviet Era Kung Fu comedy called The Invisible Fight set to premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland (Variety). From the sounds of the premise, it’s echoes The Last Samurai, but set with Chinese monks/Kung Fu masters and Soviets and done up as a comedy. Oh, Black Sabbath is playing in the background? Hopefully, this gets U.S. distribution.

6. Day 100 of the strike has come to pass and Bob Iger has mainly learned that he shouldn’t say realistic demands are “unrealistic”.

TCB Debriefing 8/7/23: Reservation Dogs, Barbie, Wes Anderson, TCA Awards, Stand

August 7, 2023
News
barbie, reservation dogs, stand up to cancer, tca awards, venice film festival, wes anderson

1. Just a friendly reminder that the third and final season of Reservation Dogs is starting off with a bang and might be the strangest, most beautiful, most heartfelt, funny, and, of course, best yet (Spirit William Knifeman really shines brighter than he has before). They are just a few episodes in with new ones dropping on Wednesday on FX/Hulu.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Reservation Dogs (@rezdogsfx)

2. Whether she deeply, truly knew it or not, Margot Robbie called Barbie making a $1 billion (Variety). With less than three weeks in release, the Greta Gerwig helmed Robbie-starring Barbie surpassed a $1 billion, far outpacing Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, and is on track to make way more as the film is officially set for release in Saudi Arabia and U.A.E. (THR).

3. Perhaps, the most celebrated comedy auteur of our time, Wes Anderson, is getting lifetime achievement honors at the Venice Film Festival in the form of the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award (Deadline). This makes us think of how symmetrical Anderson’s award case must be?

4. The Television Critics Association Awards just announced their winners sans pomp and circumstance due to the double strike. Still, kudos to the winners, though What We Do in the Shadows and The Other Two need more awards pronto.

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy: The Bear
Individual Achievement in Comedy: Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face
Outstanding Achievement in Variety, Talk, or Sketch: I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson
Outstanding New Program: The Bear
Outstanding Achievment in Reality: Jury Duty

(Full list of TCA Award Winners here)

4. The big time comedy/variety special Stand Up to Cancer is set to return in less than two weeks on Aug. 19th at 8PM ET/5PM PT with Jack Black, Ben Falcone, Zach Galifianakis, Brad Garrett, Bill Hader, Jon Hamm, Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, Melissa McCarthy, Matthew McConaughey, and many, many other star-studded cameos. You’ll be able to watch it on all major broadcast networks and stream it on multiple platforms as well. Hopefully, like all live specials these days, they’ll put clips on YouTube to encourage people to watch the whole thing later (THR).

5. Is anyone running open mics on the picket line yet? Maybe just for chants?

TCB Debriefing 8/2/23: Dreaming Whilst Black, Barbie in Middle East, Reservation Dogs, Caitlin Cook

August 2, 2023
News
barbie, caitlin cook, dreaming whilst black, off broadway, reservation dogs, showtime

1. First look at Showtime’s new UK dramedy, Dreaming Whilst Black, from Adjanai Salmon here. If you’ve been dreaming of Insecure with British accents, you might want to get into this starting Sun. Sept. 10th at 10PM on Showtime.

2. Barbie might be banned in the Middle East because, well, it’s probably too queer (and everything) for them (Variety), but actually might surpass that $1 billion mark that Margot Robbie dreamed of at the box office in the next few days (Deadline). That means Barbie might be the most commercially successful Oscar winner since LOTR, even without Middle East box office receipts.

3. A friendly neighborhood reminder that the critically acclaimed, award winning Reservation Dogs is back for its third and final season starting tonight on FX/Hulu.

4. The best show you’ll ever see about bathroom graffiti, The Writing’s on the Stall from Caitlin Cook is set to make it’s Off-Broadway debut at the SoHo Playhouse on Wednesdays-Saturdays in September. You will never look at bathroom art the same way ever again. Go get tix right now right here.

5. Stand-up comedy crowd work needs to evolve past asking “Where are you from?” and “What do you do for a living?”

TCB Debriefing 7/26/23: Futurama, Louis CK Doc, Only Murders in the Building, TMNT,

July 26, 2023
News
barbie, futurama, hulu, louis ck, only murders in the building, teenage mutant ninja turtles, tiff

1. Futurama is back (again), baby. It’s as clever as ever and well aware of how ridiculous it is to be revived yet again, this time on a streaming service (after having its first resurrection on basic cable). The first episode of what will be season 11 is on Hulu now and expect new episodes on Mondays.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hulu (@hulu)

2. A lot of headlines about this year’s Toronto International Film Festival will be made about the lack of star power present due to the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes, but the premiere of a documentary about the accusers of Louis CK ought to be not overlooked in the slightest (Variety). Remember that he barely apologized, if you can even call the circumlocution about what happened a few specials ago “an apology”.

3. Here’s the first full trailer for s3 of Only Murders in the Building. Guest stars Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep do what they do best and will likely steal all the scenes that they’re in. Look for it on Hulu starting Tues. Aug. 8th.

4. Ahead of its international rollout, the latest iteration of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has already scored a sequel and a Paramount+ series (Variety). One has to wonder what sort of formula between ticket pre-sales and trailer views and social media engagement equals multiple greenlights.

5. Ted Cruz and Ben Shapiro are predictably and pathetically mad at Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (HuffPo). Unknowingly, they just gave some of the best pull quotes for the movie that will undoubtedly translate to more box office success.

6. For any sort of live comedy event (or any live event for that matter), can we stop having just a door time and no start time? Please do both.

TCB Debriefing 7/24/23: Chris Fleming, JFL New Faces, Barbie Sets Records, Residuals, Comedy Cellar Streaming

July 24, 2023
News
barbie, chris fleming, comedy cellar, jfl montreal, just for laughs, new faces, peacock, regal cinemas

1. It has been far too long since we’ve gotten a special from the dazzling Chris Fleming. That time is coming to a close soon with the wonderfully named “Hell”. Get your first look at Hell here, then look for it on Peacock on Fri. Aug. 18th.

2. JFL Montreal announces their New Faces of Comedy for 2023. Congrats x 66.

 

3. Barbie set a lot of records for this Barbenheimer weekend including, Largest Domestic Opening of 2023 so far, Largest Grossing Day of 2023 so far, Largest Domestic Opening Weekend for Gerwig, Robbie, and Gosling, Largest Opening Weekend for Movie Based on a Toy (Deadline). Maybe Margot Robbie will end up being right about this being a billion dollar movie?

4. The Comedy Cellar, one of the world’s most famous comedy clubs, will be breaking new ground by live-streaming two of their shows from the venerable stage to Regal Cinemas on Aug. 5th. If you’re looking for a way to get around the 2 drink minimum at the Cellar, this would be a good one.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Comedy Cellar (@comedycellarusa)

5. One might have thought it couldn’t be done, but Elon Musk might have made the letter X uncool for awhile.

TCB Debriefing 7/21/23: Harley Quinn S4, Barbie Previews Best of 2023, Solar Opposites S4, Rick & Morty, Problemista, Danny Masterson

July 21, 2023
News
a24, barbie, greta gerwig, harley quinn, julio torres, justin roiland, problemista, rick and morty, solar opposites, that 70s show

1. Harley Quinn, over 3 seasons, has managed to give a hysterical redo to a character that Margot Robbie has already mastered in live action DCEU. It’s one of the most subversive and raunchiest animated series on TV and season 4 is just around the corner. Take your first gander at the fourth season with this trailer, then look for it to stream exclusively on Max starting Jul. 27th.

2. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie scores the best previews box office best all year thus far with $22.3 million take between Wednesday and Thursday (THR). Going from Lady Bird to Little Women to Barbie, could Gerwig follow the roads of Richard Linklater or Steven Soderbergh and put her stamp on nearly every film genre possible? If that happens, we hope her body of work still ends up being mostly comedy because she’s really damn good at that.

3. Solar Opposites gives a more extended look/listen at/to Dan Stevens replacing Justin Roiland as one of the principal aliens on the show, Korvo, and being fully self-effacing about the whole thing. To be honest, it’s kind of really working for us. See for yourself with the season 4 trailer here, then look for the premiere exclusively on Hulu come Mon. Aug. 14th.

4. Speaking of replacing Justin Roiland in things, Rick and Morty are just going to cast soundalikes and not try to justify a whole character/voice change (THR). Knowing that many of the unprecedented amount of episodes that have been ordered and written and have yet to be animated (along with their still being a WGA strike right now), that’s probably the best choice. Best of luck to whomever will have to deal with Rick and Morty‘s rabid fanbase.

4a. Oh, let’s not forget that there’s an anime version of Rick and Morty coming out from Japanese anime director Takashi Sano and Telecom animation. So far, Morty seems more heroic and Rick seems less drunk, but there appears to be just as much multiversal chaos as ever. Get your first look at Rick and Morty: The Anime here.

 

5. The highly anticipated a24 comedy/Julio Torres vehicle, Problemista, which had been slated for release in just a couple of weeks, has had its release paused due to the double strike (Indiewire). This is somewhat ironic considering there is so much in Problemista that highlights how hard it is to make a living being a creative (especially if you’re an undocumented immigrant).

6. Fresh off of getting convicted of sexual assault, Danny Masterson has been almost entirely omitted from That 70’s Show activation at Comic-Con (Deadline). Whenever they get to That 2020’s Show, they better write a joke addressing this.

6. Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan should do the next AMC screening pre-roll because of the wild popularity of Barbenheimer and it’s irrefutable display of the majesty of cinema as well as that Nicole Kidman one that been overplayed for awhile now (and people still keep gleefully clapping for it).

TCB Debriefing 7/19/23: Adult Swim Festival, Killing It S2, Barbie Pre-Sales, Only Murders in the Building

July 19, 2023
News
adult swim, adult swim festival, barbie, hulu, killing it, only murders in the building, peacock

1. Due to the double strike, the upcoming Adult Swim Festival in San Diego had to amend their schedule (i.e. much of their series experiences/meet & greets had to be canceled) Check the full schedule here.

2. Craig Robinson and Claudia O’Doherty return as one of TV’s most unlikely, but still charming duos with the second season of Killing It, due out Aug. 17th on Peacock. Get your first look here.

3. Greta Gerwig‘s Barbie is the best pre-selling movie this year since Avatar: The Way of Water (Deadline). One can only hope that Gerwig’s take on Barbie is The LEGO Movie of 2023.

4. The cameos of Only Murders in the Building only get better and better. Take a gander at Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd character posters, then set a reminder for Aug. 8th, the season premiere date on Hulu.

5. At this moment in time, is public speaking (and, by proxy, stand-up comedy) still anyone’s greatest fear?

First Full Trailer for Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s “Barbie” Hints at What Could Be Next LEGO Movie

May 25, 2023
News
barbie, greta gerwig, ryan gosling, trailer

Leading up to 2014’s LEGO Movie, there were heavy doubts from nearly everyone as to whether an entire feature length film could be adapted from a toy franchise, especially one that was largely absent of any sort of central cannon or narrative of any kind. The golden touch of Phil Lord and Chris Miller proved almost every doubter wrong and spawned an entire cinematic universe.

Film auteur power couple Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach could very well have the sort of shrewd and clever sensibility to balance adapting a historically broad IP, tell an engaging story with complex characters, be self-aware of the IP’s own inherent issues in society, and razzle dazzle with some panache and cinematic flair. The first full length trailer for the laboriously developed Barbie (remember when Amy Schumer was involved?) shows that might be exactly what’s coming. Come this Summer, Gerwig and Baumbach could be pulling off a Barbie movie that might be far more entertaining that the idea of a live action Barbie movie should be. Also, taking cues from Pixar’s playbook, it’s something that’s clearly written for adults, but has enough pastel and neon colors and high flying song and dance numbers to satisfy the “family friendly” crowd.

Of course, the dissection of the discourse around gender roles and the sexualization of Barbie is probably going to raise the ire of the former Tucker Carlson viewers, but was any sort of studio Barbie movie in 2023 (and not 1960) going to be for them?

Truly, Barbie could be a dark horse, surprise entry into cinemas this year and what a much needed surprise that would be. By the way, does it strike anyone as “kismet” that Will Ferrell essentially is playing the same role in the LEGO Movie as he does here in Barbie?

See all of that for yourself in the Barbie Main Trailer here, then look for it in theaters near you on July 21st.

Sara Schaefer Imagines a New Sort of Barbie Dream House for Quarantine

June 24, 2020
News
barbie, dream house, parody, quarantine life, sara schaefer, sketch comedy

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

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

Enjoy Sara Schaefer’s Quarantine Dream House here.

View this post on Instagram

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

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

So, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach Will Write Warner Bros’ Barbie Movie

July 16, 2019
Uncategorized
barbie, greta gerwig, noah baumbach

So, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach Will Write Warner Bros’ Barbie Movie

It’s rare that you’ll get an audible gasp-ish “What?!?” from us, but that’s definitely what happened when we read the headline for this annoucement.

The movie based on the landmark toy line, Barbie, has switched many hands over the last few years, but this is definitely both a far cry from when Amy Schumer was involved and the original toy itself. 

Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, who collaborated on some of the more celebrate indie comedies/dramedies in the last couple of decades (including Frances Ha and Mistress America), pose an interesting duo to take on a 2019, woke (which is what Warner Bros. is shooting for) Barbie movie. Baumbach isn’t an entire stranger to taking on big budget IP as he did pen Madagascar 3, but Gerwig and Baumbach together could potentially weave some magic here, not unlike Chris Miller and Phil Lord did with The LEGO Movie.

We hope that will be what happens here.

Sony Pictures Has Hired Diablo Cody to Rewrite a Live Action “Barbie” Movie

March 5, 2015
Uncategorized
barbie, diablo cody, sony pictures

(via Deadline)

There has been a movie in the works at Sony Pictures adapting the long standing “Barbie” toy franchise into a movie. With the success that The LEGO Movie has had, there seems to be a shift in having an unconventional and new spin on what a movie based on Barbie could be. 

So, Sony has tapped Diablo Cody to write a draft. While we wouldn’t be surprised at all that many of you reading this are, at the very least, skeptical, we were all this skeptical about a movie about LEGOs being made. Given Cody’s resume, her version of a Barbie movie could be fun ride, especially as a comedy rather than the typical light adventure that most toy based movies go on, but we’ll see if Sony sticks with her and what rating they’ll aim for.

Recent News

divider

  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 263: Shannon O’Neill & Molding Comedy Into a Potholder - While many of you have to come, know, and love the fantastic Shannon O'Neill through… Read More
  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 262: David Drake & The Power of Bowling Alleys - From just the look of Big Break, David Drake's third and latest hour, you might… Read More
  • The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 261: Linzy Beltran & Comedia Por Todo - At the same time, comedy can indeed speak truth to power and also express joy… Read More

Sign up For The Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 The Comedy Bureau
All rights reserved