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bonnie mcfarlane

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One of 2020’s Biggest Non-Virtual Comedy Events, Bring Back Laughs, Will Be Released via Comedy Dynamics

April 1, 2022
News
bonnie mcfarlane, bring back laughs, carmen lynch, chris gethard, comedy dynamics, creek and the cave, hannibal buress, ilana glazer, janeane garofalo, Jr., myq kaplan, nore davis, paula poundstone, rojo perez, Roy Wood, sam jay, the lucas brothers, todd barry, tone bell, Victor Varnado

Back in 2020, when we’re all steeped in a different type of chaos and had no idea about when or how a vaccine would come about, our future (and by proxy, the future of comedy) was more uncertain than it has ever been in our lifetimes. Thankfully, there were enough clever and innovative folks that figured how to put comedy shows together unlike they ever were and, at that point in time, many of the biggest comedians, starved of any stage time, were up for anything.

One of the results from that mix was Bring Back Laughs, a big, socially distant comedy fundraiser, outdoors in a parking lot that boasted the likes of Roy Wood, Jr., Chris Gethard, Sam Jay, Rojo Perez, Myq Kaplan, Todd Barry, Carmen Lynch, Victor Varnado, Janeane Garofalo, Tone Bell, Nore Davis, Bonnie McFarlane, the Lucas Brothers, Hannibal Buress, Ilana Glazer, and Paula Poundstone. The Creek and the Cave, which was still in NYC at the time, partenered with Supreme Robot Pictures to throw this comedy benefit for Direct Relief that brought aid to impoverished or endangered folks around the country and the world.

“This performance is based on a series of comedy concerts Rebecca Trent was producing in a parking lot during the pandemic. The performers and the audience were so happy to get outside and benefitting a wonderful charity like Direct Relief is a cherry on top. This performance also made my wife think I’m cool.” said Executive Producer Victor Varnado.

It has been awhile since we’ve seen a pandemic era special, but we did remember seeing the pictures from this and thinking, while in LA, that we almost wished were quarantining in NYC at the time.

Thankfully, Comedy Dynamics is putting this out on all major streaming platforms, both for audio and video soon.

Here’s Your First Look at Colin Quinn’s Drive-In Showcase Special “Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show”

November 10, 2020
News
bonnie mcfarlane, chris distefano, colin quinn, comedy special, dan soder, hbo max, keith robinson, marina franklin, parking lot comedy show, rich vos, robert kelly, sam jay

As drive-in shows were one of the first and only things that were afforded to live comedy in the pandemic, it was inevitable that there would be comedy specials produced from it. So much overhead goes into producing a drive-in show anyway that it only stands to reason that they would shoot the performance and try to do something with it.

Indeed, drive-in stand-up comedy specials are coming. Comedy Dynamics has a handful of them and then there’s Colin Quinn’s showcase of his favorite comics performing at a drive-in in Brooklyn. It’s aptly named Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show, perhaps highlighting how far live comedy has had to adapt in order to get some sense of normalcy (i.e. not doing stand-up on Zoom).

Today, Quinn released a trailer and gave us all the first look of Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show that will feature performances from Sam Jay, Marina Franklin, Dan Soder, Bonnie McFarlane, Chris DiStefano, Rich Vos, Robert Kelly, and, of course Colin Quinn himself.

If you haven’t been to a drive-in stand-up show (they are pretty expensive), you’ll get a taste of the history that has been made this year of comedians, very likely for the first time ever in history, performing to people in their cars who resort to honking and flashing their headlights to, hopefully, show appreciation for a bit.

Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show premieres on HBO Max this Thursday, Nov. 12th.

Can’t believe I accidentally leaked this trailer. “Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show” premiering this Thursday only on @hbomax pic.twitter.com/qEzNpQbv5k

— Colin Quinn (@iamcolinquinn) November 9, 2020

Moontower 2019 Makes First Line-up Announcement

November 15, 2018
Uncategorized
bonnie mcfarlane, gareth reynolds, jenny slate, sklar brothers

It’s never too early to peep what’s going on with comedy festivals in Austin, TX. 

So, you’ll be happy to hear that just a sliver of what’s to come with the 2019 Moontower Comedy Festival will be:

Adam Ray (“About Last Night”)
Andrew Schulz (“Sneaky Pete”, “Guy Code”)
Bonnie McFarlane (“My Wife Hates Me”, Vos roast)
Bowen Yang (“Las Culturistas”)
Brad Williams (“The Degenerates” Netflix)
Carmen Lynch (Conan, “Dance Like You Don’t Need the Money”)
Chris Redd (“Saturday Night Live”)
Dan Soder (“The Bonfire” SiriusXM, “Billions”)
David Spade
Emma Willmann (“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”, Netflix)
Gareth Reynolds (“The Dollop”)
Goddamn Comedy Jam (GDCJ)
Jak Knight (“The Comedy Lineup”, “Big Mouth” Netflix)
Jenny Slate* (“Venom”, “Parks and Recreation”)
Jessica Kirson (“The Comedian”)
Jon Dore (“Conan”, “The John Dore Show”)
Josh Adam Meyers (Goddamn Comedy Jam)
Loyiso Gola (Kevin Hart’s LOL)
Marina Franklin (“2 Dope Queens”, “Friends Like Us”)
Mary Lynn Rajskub (“24”, “Night School”)
Matt Rogers (“Las Culturistas”)
Mike Vecchione (“The Tonight Show”)
Nicole Byer (“Loosely Exactly Nicole”, “Nailed It”)
Orlando Leyba (“The Tonight Show”)
Rich Vos (“My Wife Hates Me”, Vos roast)
Sal Vulcano* “(Impractical Jokers”)
The Sklar Brothers (“Dumb People Town”)
Taylor Tomlinson “(The Tonight Show”)
Tim Dillon (Comedy Central, “The Comedy Lineup”)

If you’re already digging this, mark down April 24–27, 2019 and snag your festival badge (they’re starting at $99 right now) here.

ICYMI: Bonnie McFarlane on The Tonight Show

February 11, 2018
Uncategorized
bonnie mcfarlane, fallon, stand up, tonight show

Always balancing a bouncy, spirited energy with a bit of cynicism, Bonnie McFarlane proved once again that she is one of our favorite people to watch do stand-up on late night with her set on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Please enjoy it here.

SXSW Comedy Festival Line-up for 2017 Announced

February 24, 2017
Uncategorized
austin, bob odenkirk, bonnie mcfarlane, comedy central, comedy festival, dan harmon, doug stanhope, eddie pepitone, janeane garofalo, jason mantzoukas, midnight, morgan murphy, nate bargatze, seeso, sxsw, texas, tom lennon, trutv

Comedians to perform at this year’s SXSW:

Al Madrigal • Andrew Santino • Big Jay Oakerson • Bob Odenkirk • Bonnie McFarlane • Brendon Walsh • Chris Hardwick • Dan Harmon • Dave Hill • Doug Benson • Doug Stanhope • Dulce Sloan • Glenn Wool • Eddie Pepitone • Guy Branum • Horatio Sanz • Janeane Garofalo • Jason Mantzoukas • Jessica McKenna • Joe DeRosa • Joel Kim Booster • John Hodgman • Jon Gabrus • Liza Treyger • Matt Besser • Matt Walsh • Matteo Lane • Michael Ian Black • Morgan Murphy • Nate Bargatze • Nick Swardson • Nick Thune • Nicole Byer • Phoebe Robinson • Rich Vos • Robert Kelly • Sasheer Zamata • Scott Aukerman • Scott Thompson • Sean Patton • Shane Mauss • Shaun Diston • Tim Dillon • Tom Lennon • Wanda Sykes • Whitney Cummings • Wyatt Cenac • and more

A live edition of @midnight, Seeso screenings, Talk Show the Game Show, ASSSSCAT, Dave Hill’s Witch Taint, Shane Mauss’ Good Trip, Harmontown, and Doug Loves Movies are just a few of the other comedy things that you just might want to (uh, we highly recommend it) at this year’s comedy portion of SXSW in mid-March in Austin, TX.

See the comedy schedule here and get passes here.

This Is Not Happening Season 3 Trailer Staying on Brand with More Great Drug/Crime/Failure Stories

October 3, 2016
Uncategorized
ali saddiq, ari shaffir, bert kreischer, bonnie mcfarlane, brian regan, comedy central, dave ross, doug stanhope, maria bamford, season 3, this is not happening

This season of the hit Comedy Central storytelling series, This Is Not Happening with host Ari Shaffir, is going to bring you all sorts of f’d up stories from Doug Stanhope, Maria Bamford, Dave Ross, Brian Regan, Julian McCullough, Bonnie McFarlane, Ali Saddiq, Bert Kreischer with his shirt off, and way more. 

Watch the trailer for season 3 to get a taste of what’s to come as well as how much great screaming is involved in many of these stories.

The new season kicks off on Thursday, October 13th on Comedy Central.

Bonnie McFarlane Returns to “The Late Show”, This Time with Stephen Colbert as Host

July 17, 2016
Uncategorized
bonnie mcfarlane, late show, stand up, stephen colbert

In this new era of late night, you might know that stand-up comedy being featured is a much different beast than it used to be in the heyday of Leno and Letterman. 

Sensibilities are different, the times, they are a changin’, there are less slots for stand-ups on late night, and a literal “tight five” is a thing of the past. Since comedy is more expansive than it’s ever been and the access, thanks to the Internet, is greater than it has ever been, it’s much harder to stand out. 

That being said, Bonnie McFarlane is a good example of someone who bridges this specific gap. She is one of the few women who got to perform stand-up on Letterman and this past week, she just got another great set on The Late Show with its new host Stephen Colbert. As of now, only a few other comedians, Jerry Seinfeld and Nick Griffin, have gotten the distinction of performing on both Letterman and Colbert.

Watch Bonnie’s latest Late Show set and see what we’re talking about here.

Get Bonnie McFarlane’s Memoir “You’re Better Than Me”

March 7, 2016
Uncategorized
anthony bourdain, bonnie mcfarlane, breaking in, coming up in comedy, memoir, you're better than me

Bonnie McFarlane’s journey in comedy is the kind of journey that you almost wouldn’t believe given how cool, calm, and collected that Bonnie is when you see her on stage or hear her on a podcast. Yet, you’ll hear all about what she went through in her new memoir You’re Better Than Me.

From climbing the ranks of stand-up atypically, directing her own films, and being one of a handful of female stand-ups to have done Letterman, Bonnie has more than enough stories to show the improbably winding road she had to take to do comedy on her terms and keep it together all while doing so.

Get You’re Better Than Me fresh off Anthony Bourdain’s publishing arm.

James Adomian, Eric Andre, Rory Scovel, Sean Patton, Bonnie McFarlane, and More To Be at Atlanta’s Red Clay Festival in October

August 24, 2015
Uncategorized
atlanta, billy wayne davis, bonnie mcfarlane, eric andre, georgia, james adomian, red clay comedy festival, rory scovel
image

Just take a gander at that line-up for Atlanta’s Red Clay Festival.

If you’re in or around Atlanta, GA from Oct. 15th-17th, go should definitely get your tickets now.

“The Jim Gaffigan Show” Will Have a Bunch of Comedians Like Dave Attell, Bonnie McFarlane, James Adomian Playing Themselves

April 13, 2015
Uncategorized
artie lange, bonnie mcfarlane, colin quinn, dave attell, james adomian, jim gaffigan, the jim gaffigan show

Just take a look at this call sheet for The Jim Gaffigan Show.

According to them, Dave Attell, Colin Quinn, Eddie Pepitone, Bonnie McFarlane, Aparna Nancherla, Tom Papa, Rich Vos, James Adomian, Artie Lange, and Damien Lemon are all going to play themselves on the upcoming Jim Gaffigan Show that will be on TV Land and Comedy Central this Summer.

As it’s only one call sheet, we’re guessing this is only the tip of the iceberg as to who will be on the show. Maybe Louis C.K. will be on it, which almost might qualify as a crossover episode with Louie?

Bonnie McFarlane’s Investigation on If “Women Aren’t Funny” Now Available on iTunes

September 1, 2014
Uncategorized
bonnie mcfarlane, documentary, rich vos, women aren't funny

Bonnie McFarlane, who just killed on Letterman last week, has just come out with a documentary, Women Aren’t Funny, to hopefully put to bed that ridiculous inquiry of whether women are funny or not. Follow her and her husband Rich Vos as well as their interviews of the likes of Maria Bamford, Sarah Silverman, Joan Rivers, Wanda Sykes, Chris Rock, Todd Glass and more delving into this topic.

It’s available now on iTunes and make this what you watch today, especially as The Simpsons Marathon is ending today.

Please Watch Bonnie McFarlane’s Great Set on Letterman

August 29, 2014
Uncategorized
bonnie mcfarlane, cbs, letterman, the late show

Bonnie McFarlane put up quite the stand up set last night when she returned to the stage at The Late Show with David Letterman. Not only did it blend personal material with big issues of our day like being transgendered, it was damn funny.

Watch it here now.

Portland’s All Jane No Dick Comedy Festival Has Another Great Line-Up

September 24, 2013
Uncategorized
all jane no dick, aparna nancherla, bonnie mcfarlane, cameron esposito, comedy festival, janine brito, lauren lapkus, portland, women in comedy

Portland’s All Jane No Dick Comedy Festival Has Another Great Line-Up

The All Jane No Dick Comedy Festival in Portland, OR highlights many of the best voices in comedy that just happen to be female and with the likes of Bonnie McFarlane, Lauren Lapkus, Cameron Esposito, Aparna Nancherla, Janine Brito, Barbara Holm, Virginia Jones, and more, we think they’ll definitely pull it off. 

It’s happening Oct. 17th-20th and not that bad of a trip from LA to Portland (which we’d hope hope you’d be used to from going to Bridgetown)

Bonnie McFarlane on Being the Writer’s Stand Up Comedian

July 11, 2013
Uncategorized
bonnie mcfarlane, documentary, modern comedian, pbs, scott moran

The latest episode of Scott Moran’s Modern Comedian at PBS Digital features prolific writer and comedian Bonnie McFarlane on her journey through stand-up as primarily someone who loves writing much more than being on stage. The obsession with writing has brought her to write everyday and gives a little insight behind her seemingly non-stop output for comedy.

Watch it here.

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