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don't tell comedy

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Pick of the Day: Don’t Tell Tapings (in NYC) 3/1 & 3/2
February 28, 2024
News
don't tell comedy, live taping, nyc comedy

Don’t Tell Comedy, the quiet comedy pop-up turned international comedy pop-up sensation (so much so that they’ve kind of become the premier maker of short feature stand-up sets for folks to watch on a regular basis (versus more traditional places like Comedy Central and Netflix or whenever it happens on late night).

Just take a gander for yourself at their archives on their YouTube channel here and you’ll see what we’re talking about and why comedians use these Don’t Tell sets as credits now.

DTC is actually going to their next round of tapings in an abandoned and/or cool hideaway somewhere in Chelsea/Manhattan in NYC this weekend on Fri. Mar. 1st & Mar. 2nd at 7PM ET & 9:30PM ET. Tickets are $31.99 and you can and should go get ’em here before they sell out.

TCB Debriefing 2/5/24: Laura Peek, Grammys, Dick Turpin, Stand Up NY, Materialists, Alan Partridge, Worth the Wait, Jenny Slate, Karen Gillan, Joe DeRosa
February 7, 2024
News
alan partridge, amazon, dave chappelle, dick turpin, don't tell comedy, grammys, jenny slate, joe derosa, karen gillan, Laura Peek, mary tudor, materialists, noel fielding, stand up ny, ticket giveaway, worth the wait

1. Dave Chappelle won another Grammy for Best Comedy Album. Apparently, Chappelle has achieved a new milestone in his storied career of reframing the category of “Best Comedy Album” to award excellence in being massively out-of-touch and somehow failing upwards anyhow (as well as not recording a comedy album, but doing a special, then releasing the audio from said special to count as an “album”).

2. You’ll know the comedy category in The Grammys is fixed when people like the fan-f’n-tastic Laura Peek have a legit shot at winning. Just watch this Don’t Tell set and you’ll know what we mean.

3. Noel Fielding is returning to something more in his late (as opposed to hosting the Bake Off) with starring as one of history’s more charming highwaymen, Dick Turpin, in The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin. Kind of seems like Our Flag Means Death, but on land, no? Take a gander for yourself with the first official trailer here, then look for it to premiere on Apple TV+ on Mar. 1st.

4. The staffers of Stand Up NY are owed so very much and, as such, are going on strike. Please support them in earning a living wage through their GoFundMe here. Stay in the loop/share @stand_up_ny_strike on IG.

5. Celine Song is moving from her critically acclaimed feature debut of Past Lives into rom com territory with, potentially, Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans starring in a project called, The Materialists (Variety). Perhaps, Song will bring prestige back into romantic comedies (because well, Woody Allen isn’t going to do that).

6. Even though you didn’t know you needed more of him, Alan Partridge, Steve Coogan‘s most famous bumbling radio DJ character, is set to make a return and what a relief it is (Deadline).

7. Lana Condor is fashioning herself into a rom com star with her latest role in Worth the Wait, a “modern take on Love Actually (which hopefully means it’s less problematic)” boasting a majorly Asian American cast (Variety).

8. Get your full first look at Jenny Slate‘s hour, Seasoned Professional, here. This might be making comedy history as the first special to be taken seriously while done in shorts starting Feb. 23rd on Amazon Prime.

9. The coolest version of Mary Tudor is going to hit the big screen soon as one Karen Gillan will be playing one of history’s most famous Marys (Variety)

10. Free Joe DeRosa tickets! WE GOT FREE JOE DEROSA TICKETS HERE! GET YOUR FREE JOE DEROSA TICKETS HERE! (seriously, we got some free tix to Joe DeRosa at the swanky Peppermint Club; if you want ’em, just let us know at thecomedybureau@gmail.com)

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A post shared by Joe DeRosa (@joederosacomedy)

11. We’ll leave you with this: One way to host SNL is get fired from it, appeal to whole demographic of disenfranchised men and libertarians with, admittedly, good comedic technique, get a Netflix special, and have SNL feel like they need to balance out their center left perspective for some reason?

TCB Debriefing 1/4/24: After Midnight, Hacks, Eric Andre, Lisa Frankenstein, Funny Woman, Roy Wood Jr., Emmys, Mean Girls, Don’t Tell Comedy
January 4, 2024
News
after midnight, don't tell comedy, emmys, eric andre, funny woman, hacks, lisa frankenstein, mean girls, roy wood jr

1. Taylor Tomlinson officially announces the premiere date of @fter Midnight, following The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, beginning Mon. Jan. 16th with a touch of murder(?).

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A post shared by CBS (@cbstv)

2. Hacks. Spring. Be ready.

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A post shared by Hacks (@hacks)

3. Eric Andre’s latest special, ERIC ANDRÉ LIVE NEAR BROADWAY, is going where he’s most at home, Adult Swim, come Jan. 18th at midnight. With this being at Adult Swim and Eric seemingly having carte blanche there, we hope this will somewhat resemble his legendary b day parties.

1482600 The Eric Andre Show Live – Philadelphia

4. The latest trailer for Lisa Frankenstein further suggests that Diablo Cody has still got it. Please enjoy, then look for it in theaters near you starting Feb. 9th.

5. PBS is essentially doing their own British version of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel called Funny Woman starring Gemma Arterton that’s not actually based on a real person. Take your first look here.

6. While Comedy Central is still figuring out what the hell they want to do with The Daily Show, go out and see Roy Wood Jr. be so damn funny all across the country. Tickets available at roywoodjr.com/tour-roy-wood-jr.

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A post shared by Roy Wood Jr (@roywoodjr)

7. The Primetime Emmys reinstated Writing for a Variety Series as a category, making it so certain shows won’t have to compete against the TV institution that is SNL (Variety).

8. Maybe, just maybe, this musical version of Mean Girls will be worth it? Just see for yourself in this final trailer. At the very least, if you didn’t know the name Reneé Rapp, you will going forward from 2024.

9. We’ll leave you with this: Peep these numbers put up by Don’t Tell Comedy in 2023 alone. Damn.

TCB Debriefing 12/18/23: Ziwe/Santos, Mo Welch, Colin From Accounts, Emma Willmann
December 18, 2023
News
colin from accounts, curb your enthusiasm, dad jokes, don't tell comedy, emma willmann, fox nation, george santos, mo welch, ziwe

1. Breaking: Ziwe proves that Showtime was indeed idiotic for cancelling her show with this old-school Baited style interview with disgraced former Congressman George Santos. Please enjoy what should take up at least a paragraph in upcoming American History textbooks.

2. Sometimes, a hat on a hat works. Mo Welch made an entire comedy special featuring a clever subversion of the “dad joke” trope that is intercut with documentary footage of her reconnecting with her dad, 20 years estranged (oh yeah, it’s called Dad Jokes). Equal parts brash, hilariously dark, heart-string-tugging, and enthralling, Welch amazingly brings all these disparate tones and elements into a beautiful dramedic harmony for a mesmerizing hour special that really lives up to the moniker of a “special”. Watch Dad Jokes now on demand on Veeps.

2. The international Aussie rom com Colin from Accounts gets on with production of its second season (Deadline). Perhaps, in its 3rd season, people will be convinced to pay for Paramount +?

3. Curb Your Enthusiasm will be ending with a 12th season, which means it went 3 seasons further than Seinfeld. Had Seinfeld gone 12 seasons, would it have had a better finale?

4. Emma Willmann tells the truth about not being the best taxpayer (technically, a criminal?) in a damn fun Don’t Tell set. Please enjoy here.

5. We’ll leave you with this: Welp, Fox Nation is putting on a comedy tour.

TCB Debriefing 11/22/23: Jay Jurden, Wellington Paranormal, Toy Story/Frasier, Will Arnett, Sheng Wang
November 22, 2023
News
don't tell comedy, frasier, jay jurden, jimmy kimmel live, sheng wang, toy story, wellington paranormal, will arnett

1. While we are glad that the laugh per minute metric is wholly outdated and not really relied on anymore, Jay Jurden gets more laughs per minute than almost any other comedian out there. He racks up more punchlines and tags than the most quick-witted multi-cam sitcom on top of being sinfully clever and incisive in his observations about sexual and racial identities. Witness the undeniable comedy of Jay Jurden in this latest set on Don’t Tell.

2. One of the best spin-offs of all time, Wellington Paranormal, a spin-off of the original What We Do In the Shadows film, will live on as a podcast (Deadline). Even more delightful is the fact that it will be a meta behind-the-scenes podcast with all the original cast members including Mike Minogue and Karen O’Leary playing their roles from the series discussing how the paranormal investigation mocku–err… documentary series was made.

3. So, there might be more Toy Story and Frasier potentially in the works? Pretty sure sequels had a pretty spotty 2023.

4. Will Arnett gets back to Will Arnett-ing on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

5. Peep these Sheng Wang tour dates. There’s a reason they’re selling out all over the place. He’s damn good and you shouldn’t miss your chance to see him. Tix at shengwangtime.com.

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A post shared by Sheng Wang (@shengwangtime)

6. We’ll leave you with this: Squid Game: The Challenge producer Tim Harcourt, when asked about whether the reality competition series based off of the brutally anti-capitalist Korean satire series Squid Game misses the point of the source material in a THR interview, says:

“I take issue over the notion that Squid Game has just one point. One of the important strands was the capitalist critique. But it’s also a critique of how we are ingrained from childhood to be ultra competitive via these childhood games. It’s also about how people behave under pressure — and that’s what makes reality shows interesting. Even if it’s an artificial or conceited situation, how do people behave? It was also about camaraderie. Also, the drama was about people fending off their desperate circumstances to win a huge prize. Our show isn’t about people in need. It’s about people being presented with an opportunity. So we flip that on its head. So, yes, there is one element [of the original show] that people have latched on to that they think is being not served by a reality show, but I would say it’s a very small part of the original Squid Game.”

We hope this ends up being the source material for a sketch in the fourth season of I Think You Should Leave because that might be the most BS answer we’ve heard all of 2023 (and that’s really saying something).

TCB Debriefing 11/6/23: Rufat Agayev, Catherine Cohen, The Bear, Peaches, James Corden
November 6, 2023
News
catherine cohen, don't tell comedy, emma corrin, james corden sirius, lucie zhang, peaches, rufat agayev, stand up comedy, the bear

1. One would think that, as artists, comedians would have a vast and colorful imagination, but, alas, there are plenty of examples of comedians simply “painting by numbers”. Rufat Agayev is a very refreshing break from the rote examinations of everyday life with pondering our common human ancestry and better uses for the “one chip challenge” and delivering it with authority (comedically undercut with brazen goofiness). All of this is on display in his Don’t Tell set that just dropped today. Please enjoy it here.

 

2. Come for Catherine Cohen and her Come for Me U.S. tour coming all over the nation starting next year. Maybe get a whole posse to come all at the same time? Tickets at catherine-cohen.com/tour.

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A post shared by catherine cohen (@catccohen)

3. The Bear is renewed for its 3rd season and we still haven’t figured out whether it’s a comedy or not (even though it’s rightfully one of television’s most acclaimed series).

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A post shared by The Bear (@thebearfx)

4. Emma Corrin is taking a massive departure from her previous work by embarking on a dark comedy where she plays a scamming gold-digger who, along with French star Lucie Zhang, gets scammed herself. It’s a trio of international firsts as it will be Hong Kong writer/director Jenny Suen‘s first English language film, Emma Corrin‘s first comedy with top billing, and Hollywood icon Cate Blanchett’s first comedy as a producer (Deadline).

5. James Corden will be returning to interviewing celebrities, but not on TV. Instead, he’ll be doing a SiriusXM show called This Life of Mine with James Corden (USA Today). Guess Conan O’Brien has blazed the trail for post late night life in doing podcasts/radio?

6. We’ll leave you with this: Both John Oliver and Matt Rife are guests on The Tonight Show this Wednesday and, for what it’s worth, we actually would have loved to see this pairing on The Late Late Show with James Corden because both of them would have to share a couch and, presumably, roast each other?

TCB Debriefing 10/17/23: Debra DiGiovanni, Katherine Blanford Tour, Demi Adejuyigbe Halloween Costumes, Nate Bargatze,
October 17, 2023
News
debra digiovanni, demi adejuyigbe, don't tell comedy, katherine blanford, nate bargatze, snl

1. Debra DiGiovanni demonstrates why most comedians these days opt to not follow her if at all possible in this exclusive Don’t Tell Comedy set. Her rhythm, exuberance, and irrefutable command of the mic/stage makes her a force to be reckoned with/throughly enjoyed via copious amounts of laughter. Please enjoy it over and over here.

2. Even though we’re so glad that the marvelous Katherine Blanford is in LA now, we are thrilled that the rest of the country is also getting blessed with her sweet and crafty comedy stylings. Dates below and tickets at katherineblanford.com.

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A post shared by Katherine Blanford (@itskatherineblanford)

3. Demi Adejuyigbe has given the assignment for Halloween Costumes, which, honestly, could and should be themes for next year’s Met Gala.

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A post shared by demi adejuyigbe (@electrolemon)

4. Nate Bargatze is set to host the 10/28 episode and we have a feeling his monologue will probably be one of the best the show has had in recent memory.

5. We’ll leave you with this: We’re all done with Twitter, right? It’s Threads now? Yeah, it’s Threads.

Pick of the Day: Don’t Tell Comedy NYC Tapings (in NYC) 10/6 & 10/7
September 29, 2023
News
don't tell comedy, live taping, nyc comedy, stand up comedy

Though the name says otherwise, Don’t Tell Comedy is a nationwide (and, actually, an international) phenomenon. This year alone, they’ll have done thousands of pop up comedy shows in over 140 cities, wherever they may be a weird, cool, non-traditional comedy venue and strong comedy scene might be.

The strength of that brand has lead them into now having taped sets presented on Don’t Tell’s YouTube channel that rival any that you’d see on TV or streaming services. If you’re in the NYC area next week, you could actually be part of the latest round of Don’t Tell Comedy tapings, set for Fri. Oct. 6th in Williamsburg/Brooklyn and Chelsea/Manhattan on Sat. Oct. 7th. You could actually make it a comedy taping hat trick as Comedy Central’s tapings are on 10/5.

Tickets are only $25 and, per the Don’t Tell Comedy protocol, the line-up is secret and exact location is revealed day of after purchase of your ticket. Go get them here before they sell out.

youtube

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 182: Kyle KA & Don’t Tell Comedy Tell All
September 20, 2023
News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report
don't tell comedy, kyle ka

1000 shows over 100 cities in a year sounds like something that the likes of Live Nation could only pull off for some sort of huge touring act. Well, Don’t Tell Comedy will have notched in 3000 shows over 140 cities by the end of 2023. They’ve accomplished that with only doing stand-up comedy shows in secret locations, often backyards, all around the country and, just recently, the world, with secret line-ups, often featuring great up and coming comedy talent. We get the lowdown on all things Don’t Tell Comedy for this week’s TCB Field Report from Don’t Tell’s founder and CEO, Kyle KA.

Follow Kyle @donttellkyle on IG and Don’t Tell Comedy at donttellcomedy.com

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger
Photo by Matt Misisco

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?

Please Enjoy This “Don’t Tell” Set from Dan Donohue
June 12, 2023
News
dan donohue, don't tell comedy, stand up comedy

With late night on hiatus indefinitely due to the WGA Strike and the current disparate nature of finding and watching stand-up sets that aren’t specials (but are part of an established brand), it’s pretty difficult to have a go to place to see who might be your new favorite comedians with great lighting and good sound (and in clips longer than a weird crowd interaction on TikTok or IG Reels).

Thank goodness Don’t Tell Comedy starting taping their full-length sets and putting them on YouTube so you can find such delightful stand-up from such delightful people as Don Donohue.

Don’t Tell Comedy has built quite the reputation with just being a pop-up comedy show institution that spreads across the entirety of North America and they have indeed been putting out an ever growing archive of select sets from their shows. Their latest comes from Donohue who has been steadfastly working his way up the ladder of the LA comedy scene with his sharply honed comedic writing (splendidly sourced from his Buzzard’s Bay, MA) upbringing), timing and command of the stage.

Please enjoy Dan’s set from a recent Don’t Tell show here (and then go down a rabbit hole of Don’t Tell sets here).

Ashley Gavin’s Makes Herself Known as a Great Comedian, No Other Adjectives Needed, with Debut Special “Live in Chicago”
May 11, 2023
News
ashley gavin, comedy special, don't tell comedy, queer comedy, stand up comedy

Almost every single comedian strives to be funny for being funny, no qualifiers needed. That goal is almost self-evident to the art form, especially given its requirement of an audience to laugh at the comedic work being presented on stage. At the same time, there is an ever-evolving conversation surrounding identity in comedy, the privilege, access, and the marginalization that can come of it, sometimes all three at once.

On top of effortlessly delivering a keenly crafted, clever hour of material, rising stand-up star Ashley Gavin really digs deep into this crossroads of the many precarious facets of who one can be as a comedian in her debut special, Ashley Gavin: Live in Chicago. More explicitly, Gavin ponders the success she has gained for being a brash, but gregarious lesbian on stage, but speaking to the truth that she is more than just her lesbian jokes (hence the presence of more solid 9/11 material than you’ve heard in a long, long time). The meta analysis of comedy and its reception in one’s own special is perhaps, going from a trend to movement (see Joel Kim Booster and Andrew Santino’s latest specials).

In the hopes that comedy, especially stand-up comedy, could ever be a meritocracy, Gavin has earned her comedy stripes. She has worked the road for years, played cruise ships (one of the most tedious gigs in comedy), had to tone herself down in so many different ways, etc. all while building an audience and honing her comedic voice. Throughout Live in Chicago, it’s undeniable that Gavin has seasoned veteran comedy chops and has found her own unique, oblique angles for her observations and perspective. Given the material, she almost dares the viewer to tag her as a “9/11 comedian” versus a “lesbian comedian”, when she just wants to explicitly be a beloved comedian.

For what our word is worth, she very much achieves that goal and does so in her very first special.

Ashley Gavin: Live in Chicago is streaming now for free, at your convenience on YouTube.

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.

 

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