TCB Debriefing 12/20 & 12/21 & 12/22/23: Gary Gulman, James Adomian/Mike Lindell, Holdovers, People’s Joker, Surrounded, Jo Koy/Golden Globes, Run the Burbs
1. Gary Gulman just put every outlet and publication that dare put out a best-of-year-end list to shame with his latest, finely tuned masterwork, Born of Third Base. This latest hour was so meticulously put together, but, as is with the very best of stand-up comedy, gracefully presented with seemingly only the slightest twinge of effort. Gulman very well might be the very best observational comedian out there that manages a perfectly balanced plate of social commentary, personal vulnerability, and verbal acrobatics. This hour, Born on Third Base, not only strongly echoes this notion, but earns Gulman very clever dig at the observational comedy giant, Jerry Seinfeld (and doing it without ever uttering “What’s the deal with…?”). Even beyond that, Gulman delves deeply into being meta, more so than he ever has and hysterically shows the seams of his jokes as further proof that Gulman has mastery over pretty much any skill in stand-up comedy.
Gary Gulman: Born on Third Base is now streaming on Max. Please enjoy.
2. James Adomian dazzles again on Kimmel as Mike Lindell for a Christmas “special” that feels all too real and hilariously absurd at the same time. Please enjoy here.
3. The hit period dramedy that reunited Alexander Payne with his muse Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers, is coming to Peacock right before NYE on Dec. 29th. If you were “holding over” this is just coming in the nick of time to keep you sane.
4. The People’s Joker got pulled from TIFF due to copyright infringement issues (Variety). This will be an important precedent set for the legal standard of “parody” going forward (and we don’t have a good feeling about it).
5. Get your first non-VR look at the VR-forward stand-up series based on the hit in-the-round, crowd work show created by Mike Falzone, Surrounded.
6. Jo Koy will be hosting the very next Golden Globes. Any takers on how many times CBS/Paramount+ and the HFPA will mention this is the first time an Asian person alone (Andy Samberg co-hosting with Sandra Oh really negates the diversity, doesn’t it?) has hosted The Golden Globes?
7. We’ll leave you with this: Despite NBC executives largely thinking otherwise, Conan O’Brien had found an audience when he first embarked on being a late night host with Late Night with Conan O’Brien. It was college students (and this was well over a decade before you could watch Conan remotes on YouTube). That’s all to say that an audience for your comedy might be just around the bend.
