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comedy special

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Please Watch and Enjoy Ester Steinberg’s Burning Bush Where Ester Kills at a Drive-In
April 28, 2021
News
comedy special, ester steinberg, stand up

As you may well know, much of comedy and the comedians in it have taken a hiatus or shifted to something else throughout the last year. Maybe they gave a crack at Zoom and decided to wait it out for the return to people gathering in tight, crowded, dimly lit places to watch stand-up.

The few that have opted to take on the challenge of doing live stand-up and, further than that, do an entire special have tried anything and everything that they could possibly think of while trying to not further the transmission of COVID-19. Drive-ins, no audience, doing it over Zoom, etc. (though no one seemed to try what Harland Williams’ did several years ago by doing stand-up all alone in the desert).

Comedy Dynamics tapped four comedians to drive-in specials that were shot live at the parking lot of the world famous Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Ester Steinberg was one of those four and truly rose to meet the challenge. She had to perform in front of a field of cars that often honked and flashed their headlights in appreciation (as laughter is often to hear while doing a drive-in show) as she taped her very first special, Burning Bush. In the entire history of comedy, no such endeavor had been undertaken because, well, it goes against so many best practices of live comedy (outside, people separate from each other, physical barrier to connecting to the crowd). Steinberg has had more than enough experience fiercely grabbing hold of the audience’s attention working the road and doing her own weekly room at the Kibitz Room at Canter’s that it’s no surprise that she made this experiment really work for her.

Keep in mind, at the point of the pandemic, almost no comedian had performed in person for six months. So, to have enough material to even do a special, care about said a material, gear up to do it, and then do it in front of cars like no other comedian has ever really done before is such an unbelievable feat. Again Ester’s command of the stage and her blend of clever observations and truthful vulnerability made her first hour sing, even under what are truly unfair circumstances.

See for yourself as Ester Steinberg; Burning Bush is now streaming on demand on Amazon and Apple.

My one-hour comedy special comes out March 30th. ?BURNING BUSH ? avail on Amazon and iTunes @comedydynamics @Tribeca pic.twitter.com/wO71mTGs8o

— Ester Steinberg (@EsterKay) March 28, 2021

Bo Burnham Is Coming Out With His Own DIY Special, Made During COVID-19
April 28, 2021
News
bo burnham, comedy special, netflix

When it comes to conceptual comedy, especially when it comes to doing it in a comedy special, Bo Burnham is one of the most imaginative and skilled comedians around today in that regard. what. still stands, even now, as one of the more innovative works of comedy in the entire history of comedy.

So, with the obvious challenges that the COVID-19 has presented with people having to be distanced and masked and gathering, especially in the way that live comedy is traditionally presented, Burnham, we think, could probably dream something up that would work.

Thus, he is just wrapping up such a special called Inside that he made entirely by himself without a crew or audience (as opposed to most other comedy specials that have been made in this time including Sam Morrill, Nate Bargatze, Colin Quinn, Tiffany Haddish’s They Ready). There’s a bit of a teaser that reveals Bo solo at a piano in a real dramatic light, but nothing much else.

Burnham’s last special was in 2016, so this small tidbit is more than enough to look forward to seeing billboards around town leading up to, possibly, another trailer, to, eventually, the release of the special (which will be a date TBD). Also, it will be his the first special since Eighth Grade, directing Chris Rock’s Tamborine, and his great role in the Oscar nominated A Promising Young Woman, and that wondering where Bo’s creativity is now even makes Inside even more enticing.

hi. i made a new special. it was filmed by me, alone, without a crew or an audience, over the course of the past year. it is almost finished. i hope you like it. pic.twitter.com/5a59IUrzVj

— Bo Burnham (@boburnham) April 28, 2021

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 52: Danny Jolles & Oh Yeah, We’ve Been Doing This for a Year
March 24, 2021
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
a black lady sketch show, comedy special, culturally cancelled, danny jolles, kat burns, russell peters, six parts, wga awards

Without really knowing that it was coming, we’ve been at The Comedy Bureau Field report, officially, for a year now (quarantine has a funny way of messing with our perception of time). On our anniversary(?), we’re thrilled to have the great Danny Jolles with us to not only celebrate the release of his fabulous first hour special, Six Parts, but also recount his very long, delay-filled journey through the last year leading up to this point. Danny persevered despite, like so many folks in comedy, having their entire identities stripped of them (as well as so many life-changing career prospects). Also, “hot” takes on WGA Award winners, A Black Lady Sketch Show returning next month, and Russell Peters calling his upcoming podcast Culturally Cancelled. Oh, and there’s a big shout out to the one of the best choreographers in the biz, Kat Burns.

Follow Danny @dannyjolles on Twitter and IG and please watch/enjoy/share his hour special Six Parts, now streaming on YouTube.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

Please Enjoy Danny Jolles’ Absolutely Delightful First Hour Special “Six Parts”
March 23, 2021
News
800 pound gorilla records, comedy special, danny jolles, don't tell comedy, stand up comedy

Though the reopening of America from COVID-19 is stumbling heartily along, the normal pace of things are far from where they used to be in 2019/early 2020. That includes the deluge of comedy specials from streaming services and networks alike drying almost all the way up.

That said, the few comedy specials that do come out these days do tend to stand out, especially if they’re a great reminder of the communal experience of live comedy and, for so many of us that have been stuck in the trauma-lined hamster wheel of the never ending news cycle, what it’s like to have a hearty laugh at honed, pointed observational humor and stories from a very funny, very polished stand-up comedian.

Danny Jolles‘ first hour special Six Parts is both this sort of harkening back to the joy of watching stand-up with people in person while also being a very well-crafted hour of stand-up comedy that is very much up-to-date (minus the pandemic in case you’re not ready for/tired of COVID jokes). Jolles has always had a certain timelessness to his humor and that really shines here. We would attribute said shine to Danny’s ever present thoughtfulness in his jokes no matter how light or heavy the subject matter may be.

Charmingly, this whole special cuts between a six different DIY set-ups including an art gallery and a surfboard shop. Each location represents a different thematic passage of the hour and is yet another element that reaffirms that timeless feel to this debut hour. Spanning the entirety of the pandemic, Six Parts is one of the best specials we’ve seen while having to stay in lock down (making it truly earn it’s “special” status).

Best of all, you can just stream the whole thing on YouTube, free of charge or any subscription. Get into Danny Jolles’ Six Parts presented by Don’t Tell Comedy and 800 Pound Gorilla Records here.

 

Watch Trailer for Nate Bargatze’s Latest Special Made During COVID Era “The Greatest Average American”
March 5, 2021
News
comedy special, nate bargatze, netflix, stand up comedy

The attempts at doing stand-up during COVID-19 have tried all sorts of things with varying levels of recklessness and/or safety. The prospect of making a comedy special or shooting any sort of comedy to be streamed or aired has forced all sorts of experiments with drive-in shows or performing in front of a wall of TVs or doing stand-up in an open field.

To imagine, a year ago, as COVID-19 took grasp, it was hard for any of us to imagine what live comedy in person would ever look like, much less what a Netflix special might look like.

Now, with the impending arrival of Nate Bargatze’s latest hour, which is always worth watching because of Nate’s charming, subtle, yet so sharply observed comedy, you can see a full on hour special with the entire audience masked and distanced from each other. It’s almost like we’re seeing a parallel universe or one from one of those alternative history series.

Go see for yourself in this trailer for Nate Bargatze: The Greatest Average American here.

Nate Bargatze’s “The Greatest Average American Special” to Drop on Netflix on Mar. 18th
February 17, 2021
News
comedy special, nate bargatze, netflix, stand up comedy

The flow of comedy specials that would come out isn’t where it used to be, especially at Netflix. Yet, just because they’re not kicking out two or even three specials a week doesn’t mean they’re out of the goods.

Nate Bargatze’s latest hour The Greatest Average American is set to come out before too long. Well, specifically, it’s about a month away with a premiere date of Thurs. Mar. 18th. The soothing, slow burn delivery of Bargatze coupled with his fascinating, out-of-left-field observations have always busted us up and it’s been really a treat to see Nate become one of the go-to comics at The Tonight Show and having his first hour on Netflix really raise Nate’s profile more so than it already have been.

Again, look for The Greatest Average American on Mar. 18th on Netflix at netflix.com/NateBargatzeTheGreatestAverageAmerican

Pick of the Day: Patton Oswalt Livestream Comedy Special 2/20
January 11, 2021
News
alice's kids, comedy live-stream, comedy special, patton oswalt, rush tix, stand up comedy

If you’re reading this, you probably know that any chance you get to see Patton Oswalt perform, whether he’s headlining or not, is a chance that you most certainly should take.

Well, come Sat. Feb. 20th at 6PM PT/9PM ET, we will all have our latest chance to see Patton do a brand new special livestreamed via RushTix. It’s an exclusive virtual performance that Oswalt says will feature, ““Even MORE new material than last time! Even MORE quarantined and pasty! More psychotic! More sleep-deprived! Come watch the fun and the horror!”

In addition to getting to catch Patton’s new hour, there will be money raised for Alice’s Kids, a great org dedicated to providing critical short term financial assistance to children.

Tickets are going for $20-$75 (premium price includes VIP After Party). Go snag them up here before they sell out.

 

Here we go! Saturday, February 20th, 6pm EST! My new LIVE STREAMING comedy special! Head to https://t.co/0Y9ELizQLd and grab your ticket now! New material! After-show hang! I’ll be drunk! pic.twitter.com/1OSTnRHajz

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) January 11, 2021

Get First Look at Amazon Comedy ‘Eulogy’ Special “Yearly Departed”
December 14, 2020
News
amazon prime, bye 2020, comedy special, Natasha Legerro, natasha rothwell, patti harrison, phoebe robinson, rachel brosnahan, sarah silverman, tiffany haddish, yearly departed, ziwe

Though eulogies don’t really cross into the territory of comedy specials, this year hasn’t been a time for anything normal. Actually, 2020 is the focus of said special entitled, “Yearly Departed” and is a good-riddance send-off to the year that has and continues and will traumatize all of us living through it.

For 2020 getting kicked to the curb, this special has a marvelous and feisty line-up of comedy folks including Rachel Brosnahan, Tiffany Haddish, Patti Harrison, Natasha Legerro, Sarah Silverman, Natasha Rothwell, Ziwe, and Phoebe Robinson hosting for the evening.

It’s a roast of 2020 at 2020’s funeral and it sure looks like the socially distanced party had a hell of a time letting 2020 know what they thought of it (even though we’ll have to likely deal with so much of 2020 for a good chunk, if not most of, 2021).

Get your first look at YEARLY DEPARTED with its trailer here, then look for it to stream on Amazon Prime on the Eve of New Year’s Eve, Dec. 30th.

 

Natalie Palamides’ Nate Is The Perfect Comedy Special to End 2020 With
December 1, 2020
News
comedy special, natalie palamides, nate, netflix

In terms of comedy specials, what would be an apt way to close out this year, this awful, insane, seemingly never-ending year? There may not be a consensus answer to that question, but we personally feel that the proper comedy special to end on would be something that’s equal parts absurd, cathartic, experimental, self-reflexive, hilarious, and poignant.

There is a plethora more of adjectives that can be thrown at Natalie Palamides’ solo show comedy special Nate-A One Man Show, but it’s a rare lightning rod of a comedy special that is very much the perfect cap, comedy wise, to put on 2020.

For several years, Palamides has brought some of the most innovative, bonkers, and delightfully disturbing characters to the stage and gaining more acclaim and become a perennial international comedy festival darling (both at Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Edinburgh Fringe Festival specifically). That includes this solo show developed with director Phil Burgers, Nate, where Palamides takes on the personage of “Nate”, a man wrestling with his toxic masculinity in a world that’s slowly kicking toxic masculinity to the curb. In this regard, Natalie really revels, in a legitimately edgy way (and not just because of the playful nudity), with presenting such a thing both critically and comedically in a solo show.

Palamides jovially runs towards discomfort and tension that comes from her thorough audience interaction during this “one-man” show, a rarity in any sort of comedy special. In fact, maybe only Todd Barry’s Crowd Work Tour had more play with the audience and even Todd didn’t physically wrestle an audience member or went through the most ridiculous demonstration of consent with the crowd.

Palamides’ dissection of the toxic male ego matched with her mischievousness from her background in clowning for this solo show is more than a just a holding up a mirror to society. Palamides forces the viewer to step into the world of this metaphorical mirror to see how insane it is, which is compounded by the fact that it is pretty much the very world we live in. Nate’s quest to find love and acceptance and lack of acknowledgement to his own pain feels both very starkly real and as ludicrous as Nate’s fake body hair that’s prominently displayed throughout the whole show.

As the audience for the taping is physically part of Nate’s quest to “express” himself as a man, there is a palpable engagement, both at the hysterical moments and the heavy moments (especially in regards to the concept of consent throughout the whole show) that hasn’t been seen in any comedy special that we can think of. Also, Natalie hilariously juxtaposes it with a pretty grand dick joke thanks to a very, very pliable, stretch dildo.

Executive producer Amy Poehler has a talking head clip before Nate starts explaining that some audiences have left confused and even mad, but also remarking, “that’s art, baby.” Though comedy has been a legitimate art form for decades now, the idea of it having art mentioned in the same breath seems to be still foreign. Thanks to specials like Nate and fearless, wild, imaginative performers like Natalie Palamides, such a notion won’t be strange for much longer. If that doesn’t give you a certain hope that we need at the end of this year, we don’t know what else to tell you.

Nate-A One Man Show is now streaming on Netflix.

Pick of the Day: LPR.TV: Chris Gethard Fully Improvised Live-streamed Special 12/10
November 27, 2020
News
chris gethard, comedy special, fully improvised, le poisson rouge, lpr, stand up

When it comes to taking on the unknown in comedy these days, Chris Gethard has proven time and time again that he’s willing to dive head into uncharted waters even if it definitely seems like an ill-advised idea. For Gethard, that has made for several genuine and unforgettable moments that make up the beautiful tapestry that is Chris’ comedy career.

Next month, Gethard is going to be at it again, jumping in without a clear idea of what’s going to happen, as he is set to fully improvise an entire live-stream stand-up comedy special. Le Poisson Rouge in NYC via LPR.tv tapped Chris to do some stand-up and Chris obliged and upped the ante with this experiment. His vulnerability, truth, and honesty (along with years of stand-up, improv experience, and spontaneous conversations with strangers on Beautiful Anonymous) are what, we believe, should make this improvised stand-up special, done virtually to boot, will be something that’s indeed special.

LPR.TV: Chris Gethard is set for Thu. Dec. 10th at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Tickets are $16-$19.99 and you can and very much should get them here.

Natalie Palamides’ “Nate” Special Gets First Teaser
November 23, 2020
News
amy poehler, comedy special, natalie palamides, nate, netflix, solo show

One of the most groundbreaking, revolutionary shows we’ve ever seen (and we do not throw around such a claim lightly or frequently at all) was Natalie Palamides’ Nate. Her critical acclaimed, award winning solo show had Natalie taking on the role of a toxic masculine guy, Nate, reckoning with his toxic masculinity.

As always with the case with Palamides, it’s a wild journey that really goes deep, pushes boundaries, and is a rare comedy solo show that can genuinely be described as breathtaking (and it was that way for the several times we saw Nate while it was being developed).

Thankfully, Amy Poehler took a liking to Natalie and Nate and brought it to Netflix to be made into special for the world to see and we have no doubt that it will be a lightning rod of a comedy special. We truly cannot wait for it.

You can just a tiny, but very enticing taste of what’s to come with Nate in this teaser here, then look forward it to stream on Netflix on Tues. Dec. 1st.

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

“Entre Nos: LA Meets NY” Has Chris Estrada and Ian Lara Co-Headlining a Comedy Special
November 3, 2020
News
chris estrada, comedy special, hbo, hbo latino, ian lara, stand up comedy

It would have seemed that stand-up comedy specials from the before times have been exhausted as Netflix and HBO haven’t released a comedy special with a live audience in quite some time. Yet, there’s still a bit of that good ol’ comedy before the pandemic took hold that’s left to see.

HBO Latino is set to release a brand new co-headlined special with LA’s Chris Estrada and NY’s Ian Lara for a bi-coastal comedy special, Entre Nos | LA Meets NY: Chris Estrada and Ian Lara. Either of them could carry their own special (Estrada has been a personal favorite of ours around the LA scene for years), but we’re glad to see that they’ll have an HBO credit to their name.

Get a taste of this latest Entre Nos special with this trailer and then look for it to premiere on HBO Latino on Fri. Nov. 13th at 9:30PM ET/PT and then also streaming on HBO Max.

Tim Heidecker Announces and Releases Trailer for First Stand-Up Special “An Evening with Tim Heidcker”
October 15, 2020
News
800 pound gorilla, abso lutely, comedy special, stand up comedy, tim heidecker

Tim Heidecker is a comedian, but very rarely does stand-up. Tim is much more renowned for his ultra absurdist work under the banner of Tim & Eric and, most recently, a decidedly non-comedic music album “Oh We Drift Away” with beloved indie singer-songwriter Weyes Blood.

Whenever Tim does stand-up, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he has something up his sleeve besides standing on stage with a mic and straight-on telling jokes. There’s a subtle, but very subversive angle that Tim plays with satirizing what a good deal of mainstream stand-up is. So, for this hour special, An Evening with Tim Heidecker, you’ll notice that Tim makes sure that things, on the surface, look extra conventional and then show off the “cracks in the veneer”. It’s a fine line to walk, but Tim does pull it off.

You can see all of this for yourself in this trailer for An Evening with Tim Heidecker, then you can see the full extent of Tim’s version of stand-up when it premieres on Oct. 23rd at 6PM PT/9PM ET on YouTube.

Nick Skardarasy Pulls Off Doing a Charming Live Stand-Up Special, “Thin Walls” by Taping It With His Neighbors in His Apartment Building
September 23, 2020
News
comedy special, nick skardarasy, stand up comedy, thin walls

Taking a cue from the NBA’s bubble, a clever Nick Skardarasy made his very first comedy special by making the crowd and venue his apartment building. As such, he performed stand-up for a real crowd, gave all of his neighbors in his building a free live show to watch both in person and from the comfort of their own home, and, on top of all of that, got to tape his very first half hour stand-up comedy special, Thin Walls: An evening with my neighbors.

Skardarasy had been climbing up the ranks in LA comedy before lockdown took place. With such uncertainty of when normal stand-up comedy can be done in its traditional manner (packed in a dark room with low ceilings), all of comedy, not just stand-up, has tried so many different things. There is the plethora of live-stream comedy online, but there has also been plenty of drive-ins, doing stand-up on the other side of a glass window, shows in parks, etc. done all over the country. Seeing the layout of his building and growing very close with his neighbors, Nick got the idea that he could attempt performing in front of a very specific live crowd (you’ll notice that his neighbors are still socially distanced and masked) and maybe, just maybe, get his very first special out of it.

He had already been working on putting an extended set together of his acute observations, smartly written into jokes and bits and call backs, juxtaposed with glimpses into his personal life and history. While in quarantine, Nick worked on it as much as he could by structuring it, acknowledging the world before and after the pandemic hit, and rehearsing it with the grace of his girlfriend between the walls of his apartment (hence the title). Taking the stage for the special, Nick appeared as if he indeed been working the set out at clubs and bars and got it pretty damn tight.

There is also a genuine layer of sweetness (in addition to Nick’s very sweet demeanor in general) that’s dabbed throughout the special with director Jon Zucker cutting in talking head interviews with Nick’s neighbors speaking earnestly about their quarantine and how they’ve been getting through it. It’s the sort of thing that you might have seen in HBO’s last several conceptual comedy specials.

The result ends up being an effervescent vision of that normalcy we all crave right now via a well-crafted half hour of classic stand-up that’s also very aware of the precarious times that it’s being performed in. Essentially, this special almost makes you forget that it was happening during a time of a global pandemic and uprising.

Nick Skardarasy’s Thin Walls: An evening with my neighbors is streaming right now, for free, on YouTube, for your absolute convenience here.

Michelle Buteau’s First Hour Special “Buteaupia” Gets a Trailer
September 15, 2020
News
buteaupia, comedy special, michelle buteau, netflix, stand up

Michelle Buteau has had dozens and dozens of TV appearances and gigs and a handful of stand-up specials (though none an hour long until now) in all her years of being a stand-up comedian. Her unshakeable confidence and undeniably joyful exuberance has made of that very well deserved and, as such, Buteau having an hour special should have definitely happened already.

Buteau is getting her due now with Welcome to Buteaupia, her very first hour stand-up special on Netflix and it really could be the jolt of life that you need right now in lockdown.

Get your first look at Welcome to Buteaupia with this trailer here, then look for it to stream on Netflix on Tues., Sept. 29th.

Please Enjoy Ted Alexandro’s “CUT/UP”, An Hour Special Stitched Together From Several of Ted’s Recent Sets
September 7, 2020
News
comedy cellar, comedy special, helium portland, stand up comedy, ted alexandro, village underground

At this time, there is still no way other to put together a special that features a full audience inside a proper comedy venue right now. The prospect of getting packed into a comedy club or small theater for a special or just a night of comedy is still far off because of COVID-19. So, Ted Alexandro made the best of what he had, which was assembling an hour of tape of him headlining and doing the same hour at The Comedy Cellar and Village Underground in NYC and Helium Comedy Club in Portland.

Though it might seem like a new frontier, putting an hour comedy special from several different performances isn’t entirely without precedent. Dave Attell did it wonderfully with Road Work, Maria Bamford really went all over the place with Old Baby, and Adam Sandler followed suit with 100% Fresh.

Ted’s new hour CUT/UP stands apart from these three “cut-up specials” as this hour had to be made this way. A well deserved round of applause should go to Matthew L. Weiss for editing and maintaining Ted’s rhythm in bits while cutting between different performances.

Ted himself delivers another very satisfying hour of stand-up that feels both classic and very of the moment. Alexandro’s craftsmanship as a stand-up is undeniable, which is part of why he continues produce so many great bits that move and shift with the ever changing times like with gun control crisis as well as how he evolves in his own life with him just about to become a father.

You can spend the rest of this Labor Day (or any other day for that matter) enjoying Ted Alexandro’s CUT/UP for free as the entire special is streaming on YouTube right here.

HBO Max Announces a New Trio of Specials from Colin Quinn, Phoebe Robinson, and Aida Rodriguez
August 21, 2020
News
aida rodriguez, colin quinn, comedy special, hbo, hbo max, phoebe robinson, stand up comedy

Hot off the heels on releasing four different stand-up specials yesterday, HBO Max has just announced three more (in addition to the back half of the Team Coco specials whose production got interrupted by lockdown).

One will be a drive-in special curated, directed, and headlined by Colin Quinn taped in Brooklyn. Quinn’s line-up has yet to be announced (but we’ll keep you in the loop)

Another one will be Phoebe Robinson’s debut special (done solo from Jessica Williams and 2 Dope Queens).

Lastly, Aida Rodriguez will have her very first hour special where she will get to put her brand of unfiltered, calls-it-like-she-sees-it comedy on its biggest stage yet.

This trio of specials is a more than solid addition to their comedy programming slate over at HBO.

We are pondering about one small thing: are there going to be those hybrid comedy specials done over at HBO and HBO will just use HBO Max for more conventional stand-up specials? We’ll just have to wait and see at this point.

Beth Stelling’s Debut Hour Special “Girl Daddy” Shows Beth at Her Best Yet
August 20, 2020
News
beth stelling, comedy special, girl daddy, hbo max, stand up

Beth Stelling‘s debut hour special Girl Daddy exemplifies all the things that we’ve known and loved about Stelling for years and years. The magnetism of her stage presence is undeniable, she’s balanced in how silly/clever and how genuine/vulnerable she is, and we can’t help but want to just keep hearing her talking about whatever she wants to talk about.

Girl Daddy shows off all those qualities no matter how dark or how fun loving Beth goes with her stories and observations. Often, Stelling will switch between the two extremes in the same breath and do so flawlessly. In fact, she exudes nothing but a sense of command and confidence throughout this hour that make any sudden tonal shifts completely work. Also, Beth’s material really highlights the power and resilience of women through her experiences with men (both good and bad), her family, and the entire world, expertly accented by Beth’s unshakeable poise and calm.

Beth Stelling: Girl Daddy is now streaming on HBO Max and you really ought to go watch it ASAP.

Please Enjoy the Trailer for Beth Stelling’s HBO Max Special “Girl Daddy”
August 10, 2020
News
beth stelling, comedy special, conan, hbo max, stand up, team coco

Starting soon, HBO Max will start their roll out of their stand-up specials, continuing HBO’s expansion into the streaming space. Several months ago, Conan and HBO had struck a deal to produce a handful of comedy specials exclusively for the streaming service. They got to taping some of them, and then, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, interrupting any and all production.

Thankfully, the always splendid and delightful Beth Stelling got her special Girl Daddy in the can before all of that happened and will thusly be releasing her special next week on Thurs. Aug. 20th at HBO Max. A trailer for Girl Daddy was just posted today and shows off more of Beth’s signature undeniable warmth and sharp wit.

Give it a watch here, while you wait for next week to start streaming (you can and should also go watch/listen to everything else Beth’s done in the meantime; it’ll really make your day).

 

Trailer is here for my @hbomax special Girl Daddy pic.twitter.com/LCuVAQ1cp5

— Beth Stelling (@BethStelling) August 10, 2020

Sam Jay Makes One Hell of an Hour Special Debut with “3 In The Morning”
August 5, 2020
News
comedy special, netflix, sam jay, stand up comedy

When it comes to doing your first hour special as a comedian, it’s not uncommon to do a greatest hits, perhaps, play it a little safe and wandering through well-trodden territory with material that has been tested with success over and over.

That is not what Sam Jay did with her very first hour special on Netflix, 3 In The Morning. Sam made one of the boldest, self-assured hour debuts that we can remember ever seeing. On her album Donna’s Daughter and her 15 min. special on Netflix’s Comedy Line-up, Jay showed her penchant for being an unfiltered and succinct hysterical truth teller.

There’s plenty of that from the get go in 3 in the Morning in talking about the love of her life and gender roles for lesbians. Jay takes even bigger risks, and does so confidently later on. There is plenty of tension, some of which she even calls out, when it comes to discussing trans people and airing her grievances with the #MeToo movement in the latter half of the special, but she forcefully snaps said tension with quite the punch at the end. Jay’s confidence from wire-to-wire is commanding and keeps you fixated on her and stories and bits, no matter how dark they might get. Jay’s a rare talent for how she pulls off running, not walking, on a comedy tight rope.

Sam Jay: 3 in The Morning is now streaming on Netflix and you can go stream it right now if you haven’t already.

Pick of the Day: Ron Funches “Awakening” Live Stream Comedy Special 9/5
July 22, 2020
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The spirit of Ron Funches in these times, in all of its tireless joy and positivity, has been an inspiration during quarantine. Even the pixie like sound of his laugh can brighten one’s day. So, it stands to reason that an entire comedy special from Funches would very much be a thing to look forward and that’s what’s coming next month.

On Saturday, September 5th at 7PM PT/10PM ET, Funches will present his latest hour live for all the world to see on a live-stream. Ron is aptly (for the times we’re living in) calling this hour “Awakening” and having the fantastic Blair Socci and Gabe Dinger open up the show..

Tickets are $10 ($50 if you’d like a post show virtual meet & greet). You can and very, very much should get tickets here.

“Sam Jay: 3 In The Morning” Netflix Special Trailer Is Here
July 21, 2020
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comedy special, netflix, sam jay, stand up comedy

The descriptors of “unfiltered”, “raw”, and “honest” get thrown around quite a bit in comedy these days. So many comics are described in such a way that it can be hard to not only suss out what that might mean and, more importantly, who is really damn funny while being “unfiltered”, “raw”, and “honest”.

For our money, Sam Jay is truly an embodiment of what is to truly be such and honest and raw and unapologetic comedian and do so deftly and hilariously. You’ll get to see an hour of that with her upcoming special, 3 In The Morning, coming to Netflix next month on Tues. Aug. 4th.

Get a bit of look of what Sam will be serving up with this trailer here

Eddie Pepitone’s “For The Masses” Might Be the Sort of Dark Comedy Stand-up Special You Need Right Now
June 23, 2020
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800, comedy special, eddie pepitone, for the masses, stand up

Though it was shot over a year ago and the world is such a wildly different place than it was in February 2019, the words, rants, bits, and asides of Eddie Pepitone in his latest hour special For The Masses is more relevant than ever.

For The Masses is the perfect title for Pepitone’s latest (on top of being his best hour yet). Eddie’s stand-up is simultaneously for the disenfranchised/a challenge to the power structures that surround us all as well as an exquisite deconstruction of the comedic form (as Eddie is famous for going on tangents, commenting on tangents, and bringing it all back somehow). That has been Pepitone’s brand for decades at this point, but there is a special spirit that is caught in this Pepitone special, directed by frequent collaborator Steven Feinartz. There is an electricity throughout the crowd (full disclosure, we were there) and Eddie was as sharp as we’ve ever seen him. There is always an air of dark comedic prophecy that comes with Eddie’s stand-up that gets joyfully contrasted with abject silliness and absurdity. Whether it’s about late capitalism, dictators, or how Eddie specifically envisions how forgetful he would get as his brain deteriorates with age, Pepitone is one of the best when it comes to reckoning with genuine dark comedy that’s so unbelievably funny.

Eddie Pepitone: For The Masses just released today. You can get it here. Go get and enjoy the special that is pretty in line with the zeitgeist though it was taped several months ago.

Here’s a bit of a teaser by the way.

My new special FOR THE MASSES is now on Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play and more! Go watch it before I die!!! Album out too! Directed by @stevenfeinartz Get it here: https://t.co/mBACExgUaK pic.twitter.com/FMnwH8HCRu

— eddie pepitone (@eddiepepitone) June 23, 2020

Please Get and Enjoy Chris Fairbanks’ New Hour Special “Rescue Cactus”
June 22, 2020
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chris fairbanks, comedy special, now streaming, stand up

Throughout all of our years of watching live comedy (or comedy in general), few are as mastered at being purely silly as Chris Fairbanks. The dedication and care that Fairbanks puts into his wonderfully ridiculous bits are evident in how intricate his comedy can get and we’ve enjoyed the dozens and dozens of times that we’ve seen all of that up close. Whether it be acrobatic level word play or outright tomfool observations, Fairbanks has always delivered on every stage.

Capturing Chris’ joyful lightning in a bottle and releasing in some form or another hasn’t in some time, but thankfully, there’s this brand new hour special, Rescue Cactus just released today. It’s a marvelous collection of the sort of high flying absurdity that Chris couples with his animated, yet slightly grounded delivery. It’s the sort of contrast that heightens the comedy in such a superb way (even the pre-taped, staged opening embodies this notion).

Simply put, if you need a big dose of silly, get and enjoy Chris Fairbanks’ Rescue Cactus now.

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