donald glover – The Comedy Bureau

TCB Debriefing 9/14/23: Henry Sugar, Adam Sandler Tour, Diffidate delle Imitazioni, Murray Hill, Big Mouth, Mr & Mrs Smith, Our Flag Means Death

September 14, 2023

adam sandler, big mouth, Diffidate delle Imitazioni, donald glover, henry sugar, mr and mrs smith, murray hill, our flag means death, rai tv, wes anderson

1. It shouldn’t really come as a surprise that a Wes Anderson film adapted from a Roald Dahl book would seem to be an utter delight and yet another colorful addition to Anderson’s storied filmography. We’re thrilled that it was only a few short months ago that Asteroid City came out and we’re now treated to another helping of Wes Anderson so soon. So, without further adieu, take your first gander at The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar starring Benedict Cumberbatch, due out on Netflix on Sept. 27th.

2. Adam Sandler is going back on tour from Oct. 12th-Dec. 12th (Billboard). His last tour and special were some of Sandler’s most cherished work to date, especially outside of things like Uncut Gems.

3. Diffidate delle Imitazioni (literally translated as Beware of Imitations, but will be called Fake Show in English) is a brand new Italian comedy game show, ordered by Rai, where Italian celebrities will improvise based off of suggestions and prompts generated by AI (Deadline). Though it might try, AI will not best Clive Anderson as an improv show host.

4. Frequent scene stealer Murray Hill (Live & Beth and Somebody Somewhere) is coming out with his very first memoir, Showbiz! My Unexpected Life as a Middle-Aged Man, which appears to have more than just a story of making it in the Big Apple. It’s set for 2025 release, but we’re sure we’ll get tid bits and morsels leading up to that day.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Murray Hill (@murrayhill)

5. Just a little more than a month of waiting before you get Big Mouth season 7 (specifically, Oct. 20th on Netflix).

6. The premiere of Donald Glover and Maya Erskine‘s Mr. and Mrs. Smith is delayed due to the ongoing strike and its prohibition of promoting certain big time movies and TV series (THR). If the studios do end up going rogue from the streamers and tech giants, we might have to wait even longer to see this.

7. This full length trailer for season 2 of Our Flag Means Death almost makes you want to go back in time to make piracy more like it is between Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby. Season 2 sets sail on Thurs. Oct. 5th.

8. Nothing Bill Maher does on this writer-less return of Real Time will top Conan O’Brien spinning his wedding ring.

TCB Debriefing 7/28/23: Emmys Postponed, Donald Glover/Lando, Curious Creators Grant, This Fool, How To With John Wilson

July 28, 2023

News

curious creators, donald glover, emmys, how to with john wilson, lando, sag aftra strike, star wars, this fool, wga strike

1. Though the 75th Primetime Emmys were slated for Sept. 18th, they have been postponed due to the double WGA/SAG-AFTRA Strike (BBC News). Whenever the next Emmys happens, we would bet people are going to go far over their time for speeches. Get ready for the most grandstanding over music that the Emmys has probably ever seen.

2. Donald and Stephen Glover are writing a Lando Calrissian series for Disney+ (Variety). We’re not sure what the Glover brothers have up their sleeve or what Kathleen Kennedy will let them get away with, but we hope that the Glovers will end up making something that’s the Legion of Star Wars.

3. If you happen to be looking for some grant money for doing comedy, why not try applying to Curious Elixirs‘ Curious Creators Grant that will award $1,500 cash to 8 artists in support of their work. Deadline is midnight ET on Sept. 8th. Get details/submit here.

4. The return of both critically acclaimed and fan favorite comedy series This Fool and How To With John Wilson are happening tonight on Hulu and HBO, respectively. This Fool premieres its second season John Wilson is bowing out with his third and final season of one of the most unique and entrancing shows in TV history.

5. Any takers on which network/studio/streaming service will do a limited series about the double strike and how long after the strike they’ll wait to do it?

TCB Debriefing 7/14/23: Deadpool 3 Stopped, Command Z, Mrs. & Mrs. Smith

July 14, 2023

News

deadpool 3, donald glover, maya erskine, mrs and mrs smith, steven soderbergh

1. A minute past midnight is when history was set and SAG-AFTRA went on strike, joining their fellow union, the WGA in arms, for a fight for fair wages, which pretty much shuts down the entire entertainment industry in its tracks. Case in point, Deadpool 3, which was in the middle of filming, has been ceased production (Variety). Get ready for plenty more announcement likes this.

2. Steven Soderbergh, one of cinema’s auteurs most dedicated to always switching things up, is coming out with a time-travel (with a souçon of Being John Malkovich) comedy called Command Z. Michael Cera is a floating virtual head and beloved NYC comedian Chloe Radcliffe makes her feature debut along side Roy Wood Jr. Oh yeah, the time travel, body inhabiting machine is a dryer(?) This ought to be fun. Watch the trailer here.

3. Once a lesser known Hitchcock film, then a seminal movie for both Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, and now a TV series for Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is coming soon to Amazon Prime. Get a tiny glance of this latest incarnation of the Mrs. & Mrs. here.

4. Note to all comedy photographers from comedians: please stop taking pictures of comics from the side/profile. It’s almost always our worst side.

Give Donald Glover an Award Right Now for Playing Mr. Chocolate on the Latest Episode of Atlanta

October 13, 2022

News

atlanta, donald glover, mr chocolate, parody, satire, tyler perry

The first season of Atlanta saw acclaim and awards heaped on Donald Glover and company and rightfully so. The shape-shifting comedy series has broken so much new ground with form, narrative, tone, etc. on top of being one of the sharpest satires ever, when it comes to the black experience. It’s almost a modern day version of Ralph Ellison’s long celebrated Invisible Man, but done through the lens of a stealthily absurd comedy series.

Now, in its fourth and final season, Glover is still showing he has plenty more up his sleeve to surprise us all. This latest episode “Work Ethic!” might be one of the series’ very best moments as Donald dons a fat suit, a robe, and a coffee mug of grits to play Mr. Chocolate, a thinly veiled dig at the entertainment titan that is Tyler Perry.

Perry’s success has proven controversial as much of his work wheels and deals in broad stereotypes of both black and white people, but is often free from criticism due to his commitment to employing so many black creatives and laborers on all of his productions based in Atlanta. From top to bottom, every bit of the Tyler Perry subgenre (including the Madea franchise and every other property that begins its title with “Tyler Perry’s”) is searingly dissected and sent up in this episode in “Chocolateland” (a parody of real life Tyler Perry Studios). Glover shines a floodlight on the notion that the studio’s efforts are so much “for the culture” that provide enough cache to make up for its exploitative content and practices.

Leave it to Donald Glover to play a character that seems half Tyler Perry, half The Architect from The Matrix Trilogy in such damningly hysterical piercing of the mythos propping up Perry. Without question, it is and will be one of the funniest performances on a screen of any size this year. As said above, give it awards ASAP.

Enjoy a bit of that performance here, then watch the whole episode on Hulu now.

OK, Here’s Your Actual First Look at the Fourth and Final Season of Atlanta

August 2, 2022

News

atlanta, donald glover, final season, fx, trailer

A few weeks ago, we caught a vibe of what the fourth and final season of Atlanta would be like, but it wasn’t any actual scenes from what’s to come. It was just a very, trippy, albeit, on-brand announcement teaser (though we wouldn’t be surprised if there are hints as to what will happen when Earn, Paper Boi, Darius, and Van all return from their tour in Europe).

Well, you can wonder a little less as the official trailer just dropped and we all get a real good look at how either everything’s changed back home, with them, and with the world (through Glover’s very sharply drawn lens).

Take a gander here, then get ready for this last round of Atlanta on FX on Sept. 15th (next day onHulu)

Just a Slightly Bit More Mystery Is Revealed with Latest Atlanta Season 3 Trailer

March 4, 2022

News

atlanta, brian tyree henry, donald glover, fx, lakeith stanfield, zazie beetz

From top to bottom, every fiber of Donald Glover’s Atlanta seems unique unto itself. There’s almost no other non-anthology series in the history in television that switches things up with characters, arcs, tone, narratives, etc. as much as the award winning Atlanta. Part of the thrill of watching any episode is truly not knowing what it going to happen as no single episode is a blueprint for another and we can only hope that Glover’s defiance of the long held trappings of genre inspires a whole new generation of television.

Still, we’re overwhelmingly curious what lies in store for Earn, Paper Boi, Earn, Darius, and Van as they leave Atlanta for the first time for Paper Boi’s European tour. This latest trailer for this third season gives us a little window into what sort of chaos the four get into. Though, don’t be surprised if this season goes so far beyond whatever you see here.

It’s pretty clear that they’ll show how black people are still othered in Europe and not just in America and do a wonderful job satirically putting that on display.

This Teaser Atlanta Season 3 Is Slightly Less Mysterious Than the Last One

December 28, 2021

News

atlanta, donald glover, fx, season 3

Part of the allure of Atlanta is never knowing quite what to expect. The very DNA of the show defies having any sort of formula or tone or main character and has made some of the best television this side of the millennium.

So, with a highly anticipated, long awaited season 3, we’re all beset with the conundrum of wanting any sort of details on what lies ahead for Paper Boi and Earn’s trip to Europe, but knowing full well that there’s way more to this season than a rising star rapper having their first European tour as shown with the very first teaser of this season.

All that said, here’s a bit less of a cryptic look at this season here. Oh yeah, the wait for new Atlanta will be over on Mar. 24th.

This Season 3 Teaser of Atlanta Is the First New Bit of Atlanta We’ve Seen in Years

November 1, 2021

News

atlanta, donald glover, fx, season 3, teaser

There are a lot of mysteries to the much lauded Donald Glover series Atlanta including the sort of schedule it goes by. Glover’s penchant for breaking form, shifting tone, refocusing characters, etc. are part of the electricity of the show and why it was immediately beloved by viewers and critics alike from season 1.

Parallel to that is the actual production and release of the show, which seems to be teased in passing by Glover or FX’s John Landgraf out of nowhere. Even then, we’re not exactly sure what or when to expect other than a somewhat quixotic journey through the hip hop world in Atlanta, GA.

That said, three years ago, the series teased the next season promising rapper Paper Boi the next level of his career with Earn in tow. The world has irreversibly changed since then and we can only imagine what Glover and company has cooked up to bring us season 3 of Atlanta during this side of the COVID-19 pandemic. The echoes of “it’s after the end of the world” hints at the show reckoning with what we’re all reckoning with.

See for yourself in the season 3 teaser here, then look for the season 3 premiere of Atlanta in 2022 (hopefully in the earlier part of it)

TCB Field Report Ep. 76: DeAnne Smith & Transplanting Again

September 8, 2021

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

deanne smith, donald glover, enrico colangeli, fuquan johnson, john mulaney, kate quigley, la comedy, ny comedy, phoebe waller bridge

The superb DeAnne Smith joins TCB’s Jake Kroeger for this week’s TCB Field Report as they have just re-transplanted themselves from LA to NYC (with love for both cities and their respective comedy hubs). Also, DeAnne fills us in their upcoming special which would expressly taped with some of their exes in the audience (complete w/interviews after the taping) and explains the joy they found in live-stream, front facing camera comedy.

Follow DeAnne @deanne_smith on Twitter and IG and get tickets to DeAnarchy on 9/15 and DeAnne Smith & Acquaintances on 9/17.

Also, at the time of this recording, DeAnne is looking for a more permanent spot in NYC. If you have leads DM them.

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

Amazon Taps Phoebe Waller-Bridge & Donald Glover to Reboot Mr. & Mrs. Smith as Series

February 15, 2021

News

amazon, donald glover, francesca sloane, mr mrs smith, phoebe waller bridge, reboot

(via Deadline)

So, Amazon is taking a proven IP and gathering two of the most sought after voices in comedy right now and stirring it all on a pot together. Let’s hope that works.

Both Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Donald Glover created two of the most acclaimed comedies of the last few years in Fleabag and Atlanta, respectively. Both shows had them starring and leading the charge creatively resulting in a plethora of glowing reviews, award nominations, and even a good chunk of award wins.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith was a blockbuster spy/action adventure rom com that most folks know from 2005 starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt with Doug Liman, one of the best action directors around, at the helm. As you may well know, it was a commercial success.

We’re curious to see how two of comedy’s current geniuses along with Atlanta writer/producer Francesca Sloane will reboot the series (we’d guess that it’s going to be quite different from the movie) at Amazon and make it more than just relying on something that has worked before a few times with beloved names attached.

As the wheels turn in our head, we’re imagining something between Run, Killing Eve, and the music video for This Is America. That works for us, but we’ll just have to wait, probably awhile because of COVID-19, and see what Waller-Bridge, Glover, and Sloane actually have their up sleeve.

Pick of the Day: ATLANTA ROBBIN’ SEASON: A Drive-In Fundraiser for LA Black-Owned Businesses (in LA) 11/13

November 9, 2020

News

atlanta robbin season, black owned business, donald glover, drive in theater, fundraiser, hiro murai, stefani robinson

This week, you’ve got a chance to not only go to a drive-in theater for one of the better screenings that we’ve come across during quarantine, but you’ll be able to support a very good and crucial cause.

In one evening, you can watch (or probably re-watch if we had to guess) four remarkable episodes of the critically acclaimed, award winning, brilliant series Atlanta, get out of the house to go to a drive-in theater, and support black owned business in LA (specifically Eso Won Books, Hot & Cool Cafe, and The Underground Museum). Oh yeah, there will be an exclusive pre-recorded Q&A with EP/director Hiro Murai and EP/writer Stefani Robinson following the screening of Episodes 3, 5, 6, and 8 of season 2 AKA Atlanta: Robbin’ Season.

This Atlanta Drive-In Fundraiser is set for Fri. Nov. 13th at 7:30PM PT at the Vineland Drive-in and tickets are $50. Please go get them right now right here.

Atlanta’s Getting a Fourth Season at FX

August 6, 2019

Uncategorized

atlanta, donald glover, fx, renewed, season 4

Atlanta’s Getting a Fourth Season at FX

With the amount of ground that Donald Glover, Hiro Murai, and more have broken with three seasons of Atlanta, one has to wonder what is next for the critically acclaimed, genre/form defying Atlanta.

The possibilities for the series seem boundless, which is a thing that we’re glad for Glover to have, and, with its constant knack for reinvention, that it could just keep going if it chose to do so.

In any case, round of applause for a fourth season of Atlanta and keep a close eye out for a teaser.

Atlanta Renewed for Season 3 at FX

June 8, 2018

Uncategorized

atlanta, donald glover, fx, renewed, season 3

Given how Atlanta has already won awards in its first two seasons on top of being one of TV”s most acclaimed comedies, Donald Glover is having a red hot 2018, renewing Atlanta for another season is a pretty sensible move by FX.

Atlanta: Robbin’ Season Premieres Tonight

March 1, 2018

Uncategorized

atlanta, donald glover, fx, season 2

Atlanta had one of the most amazing freshman runs of a TV series in recent memory. With all of the accolades and awards, you’d think it had been on the air for three seasons already.

Tonight, season 2 AKA “Robbin’ Season” premieres on FX at 10PM. In the meantime, you can just enjoy these promos.

Atlanta’s Season 2 Trailer Is Here

February 13, 2018

Uncategorized

atlanta, brian tyree henry, donald glover, fx

Atlanta has gotten so much acclaim and won awards that it’s easy to forget that they are only now coming into their second season.

Also, you’ll be watching a young Lando Calrissian navigating the hip-hop business, which is a fun layer that the Internet will undoubtedly have loads of memes to point out.

In any case, Atlanta looks like it’ll be delivering even higher stakes in their second season as you can see in this trailer.

Atlanta: Robbin’ Season (season 2) premieres on Thurs., Mar. 1st on FX.

Atlanta Looks Cinematic as Ever in Teaser for 2nd Season

January 18, 2018

Uncategorized

atlanta, donald glover, teaser

The first season of Atlanta scored plenty of critical acclaim as well as actual award wins.

From the looks of this teaser, Donald Glover and Brian Tyree Henry are going to keep this hot streak going.

Look for the second season premiere of Atlanta on Thurs. Mar. 1st on FX.

Donald Glover and His Brother Stephen Glover Will Now Get to Make an Animated Deadpool Series for FXx

May 10, 2017

Uncategorized

animated, deadpool, donald glover, fxx, series order, stephen glover

Donald Glover and His Brother Stephen Glover Will Now Get to Make an Animated Deadpool Series for FXx

Donald Glover and Stephen Glover or, The Glover Brothers, if we may, made their presence known right out of the gate with the award winning Atlanta (Donald created, starred in and wrote the series and Stephen also wrote along with doing some of the music for the show).

Now, they’ll get to take the R-rated comedy box office smash hit action comedy Deadpool and adapt for television on FXx for 10 episodes. At that network, we’re guessing the tone, style, and “blueness” of the humor will be mostly preserved.

At this point, we have no doubt that Glover could get score an EGOT if he wanted.

Donald Glover Signs Overall Deal at FX Following Big Golden Globes Win, Has Season 2 of Atlanta Set for 2018

January 12, 2017

Uncategorized

atlanta, development, donald glover, fx, overall deal

Donald Glover Signs Overall Deal at FX Following Big Golden Globes Win, Has Season 2 of Atlanta Set for 2018

Perhaps, without anyone noticing, Donald Glover has become a power player on his own terms on multiple fronts in Hollywood.

Think about him going from being one of the principal cast members on the beloved TV series Community to also being a stand-up comedian to dropping of all of that to start a very good run as rapper/singer Childish Gambino.

Already, that’s a hell of career.

Now, add being the key creative and star on Atlanta, one of the most critically acclaimed series of 2016 in just its first season, and scoring an overall deal at FX moving forward. Glover’s track record is now among the most impressive in entertainment. Season 2 of Atlanta can’t even debut until sometime next year because of his busy production schedule.

It would be hard to imagine Glover not getting to do whatever he wants at this point.

Atlanta Is the Big Comedy Winner at Golden Globes

January 9, 2017

Uncategorized

2017, atlanta, donald glover, fx, golden globes

For the most part, the lumping of musicals with comedy gave way to the rightfully beloved La La Land sweeping up several awards at last night’s Golden Globes.

Still, Donald Glover’s dramedy set in the back-drop of Atlanta’s hip hop scene Atlanta took home Best Musical or Comedy TV series as well as a statue for Glover himself. In case you forgot, Atlanta is only on its freshman season.

FX has been really on a streak this year and is standing toe-to-toe with premium cable and streaming networks in critical acclaim. We’ll just have to see what the rest of the awards season brings.

The rest of the comedy winners for The Golden Globes this year are:

Atlanta-Best Musical or Comedy TV Series
Donald Glover, Atlanta-Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy TV Series
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish-Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy TV Series
Zootopia-Best Animated Feature Film

The full list of winners can be found here.

74th Golden Globe Comedy Nominations: Deadpool, Atlanta, 20th Century Women

December 12, 2016

Uncategorized

20th century women, atlanta, deadpool, donald glover, florence foster jenkins, golden globe awards, jonah hill, nominations

74th Golden Globe Comedy Nominations: Deadpool, Atlanta, 20th Century Women

*comedy nominees in italics

FILM

BEST MOTION PICTURE-COMEDY OR MUSICAL
20th Century Women
Deadpool
Florence Foster Jenkins
La La Land
Sing Street

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Lily Collins, Rules Don’t Apply
Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen
Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Colin Farrell, The Lobster
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Jonah Hill, War Dogs
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins
Dev Patel, Lion
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals

BEST MOTION PICTURE-ANIMATED
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
My Life as a Zucchini
Sing
Zootopia

BEST MOTION PICTURE-FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Divines (France)
Elle (France)
Neruda (Chile)
The Salesman (Iran/France)
Toni Erdmann (Germany)

TELEVISION

BEST TELEVISION SERIES-COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Atlanta
black-ish
Mozart in the Jungle
Transparent
Veep

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Sarah Jessica Parker, Divorce
Issa Rae, Insecure
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle
Donald Glover, Atlanta
Nick Nolte, Graves
Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

As always with the HFPA and The Golden Globes, there are some out-of-left-field surprises with their nominations like War Dogs or Graves, which didn’t gain nearly as much praise as perennial prestige comedies like Transparent or Veep.

Still, Deadpool is showing strong with a Critics Choice win last night and nominations here today. That’s especially impressive considering it’s a movie that’s an R-Rated action comedy, one of the most underrepresented types of movies when it comes to awards season. Also, Atlanta continues to an impressive freshman run and bodes well for FX.

Though a potential dark horse late comer, keep an eye out for Mike Mills’ 20th Century Women, which one of favorite movies of the year.

Get the full list of nominees here.

Atlanta Had Some Fake Commercials That Really Blurred the Lines Between the Surreal and Real

October 12, 2016

Uncategorized

ahmad white, atlanta, coconut crunchos, donald glover, fake ads, fake commercials

Donald Glover said that he thought of his series Atlanta on FX as a sort of Twin Peaks with rappers.

Glover made good on the Twin Peaks part of that equation with these surreal, satirical, poignant fake ads that echo old Miss Cleo commercials and will haunt the rest of breakfast cereal commercials you watch from now on.

FX Renews Atlanta and Better Things for Their Second Seasons

September 20, 2016

Uncategorized

atlanta, better things, donald glover, fx, pamela adlon, renewed

FX Renews Atlanta and Better Things for Their Second Seasons

FX heard how much you like Donald Glover’s Atlanta and Pamela Adlon’s Better Things.

Just a couple of weeks in and FX has seen ratings and the great critical reception and has just ordered up another season of both Atlanta and Better Things. With a strong showing at this year’s Emmys, FX is only looking to be a stronger network to contend with than it already is.

FX Puts First Episode of “Atlanta” Up on YouTube

September 7, 2016

Uncategorized

atlanta, donald glover, fx, premiere

Donald Glover’s new series Atlanta continues to buzz in the morning after its premiere and to assure that keeps on going, FX has been kind enough to put the whole first episode on YouTube for your convenience.

Watch it here.

Donald Glover’s Atlanta Premieres Tonight on FX

September 6, 2016

Uncategorized

atlanta, donald glover, fx, premiere

10 on FX.

The rap dramedy set in Atlanta that Donald Glover has described as a “Twin Peaks with rappers” called Atlanta finally premieres tonight.

To get you in the mood, here’s a really pretty montage from the show that really shows what “Twin Peaks with rappers” might look like.

Donald Glover’s Atlanta Finally Gets a Full Trailer

August 12, 2016

Uncategorized

atlanta, donald glover, fx, trailer

After several months of teases and promos, the hip hop dramedy Atlanta from Donald Glover has finally got a full trailer that really shows off all the colors the show will be painting with on the canvas of Atlanta’s hip hop scene.

With Empire already being well established at this point, Atlanta looks like, from the trailer, it could definitely be a more nuanced and satirical contemporary.

Look for the series premiere of Atlanta on September 6th on FX.

Older News »