hollywood – Page 22 – The Comedy Bureau

Morning Debriefing 3/2/11

1) Remember when I said there will be something posted HERE in March? Well, it’s March and later today you’ll find out what I was legally obligated to keep under wraps until now. HINT: Pretty much all comedy competitions are a waste of time.

2) Comedy Central Specials that you NEED TO LOOK OUT FOR: Jay Larson on Mar. 11th and Norm MacDonald on Mar. 12th. More details to come…

3) Have a short/sketch/viral video? Why not enter it in Burbank Film Festival’s Comedy Short Contest?

4) ON THE HORIZON
The Paul F Tompkins Show 9 Year Anniversary @ Largo Sat. Mar. 19th 8:30PM $25 (There’s still tickets for some reason)
Birthday Roast of Tess Barker @ Whitehorse Cocktail Lounge Inn Wed. Mar. 23rd 8:30PM FREE
A Great and Terrible Thing @ Hollywood Improv Lab Tues. Mar. 29th 10:30PM $5

5) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL
Maria Bamford’s Singalong and Comedy Show @ Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock 8PM $5 suggested donation
Birds of Prey @ Comedy Central Stages 8PM FREE
The Fix-Up Show @ ACME Comedy Theatre 8PM $12
Matt Kirshen & Dwayne Perkins @ Irvine Improv 8PM $17/2 item min.
Meltdown @ Meltdown Comics 8:30PM $8
Frolic @ Far Bar 9PM FREE
Comedy Night @ Westside Bar & Grill 9PM FREE
The Ed Galvez Punk House @ Westside Comedy Theatre 9PM $8
Beer in the Shower @ Whitehorse Cocktail Lounge Inn 9:30PM FREE
Anna Lee Lawson Comedy Hour @ Next Stage Theatre 11PM $5

6) OPEN MIC RUN
THE SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 7PM
CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM
CAFE MUSE 6547 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 8PM
LIBRARY A COFFEEHOUSE 3418 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 8:30PM

7) It’s a rare occurrence as I’m actually feeling pretty good. Such is the life of a comedian/comedy journalist/blogger/insomniac…

Report 00131

THE COMEDY BUREAU/@thecomedybureau

March 1, 2011

Uncategorized

comedy, conan, eddie pepitone, hollywood, last comic standing, los angeles, mario kart, puddin, twilight

Puddin’-Eddie Pepitone’s Daily Live Action Comic Strip-“Twilight"

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

Remain Champagne: AN OPEN LETTER TO THAT GUY WHO LIKES EVERYTHING I POST ON FACEBOOK

March 1, 2011

Uncategorized

comedian, comedy, facebook, hollywood, los angeles, matt champagne

Remain Champagne: AN OPEN LETTER TO THAT GUY WHO LIKES EVERYTHING I POST ON FACEBOOK

remainchampagne:

Hey, guy! Look at you! Look who’s all grown up with his own Internet connection! I’m assuming it’s your own Internet connection. I mean, it is your own, right? I suppose it could be your mom’s. Is it your mom’s? Is she right there with you now? Hi, guy’s mom!

Look, whoever owns your…

Morning Debriefing 2/28/11

February 28, 2011

Uncategorized

bridgetown comedy festival, comedian, comedy, comedy central, comedy crawl, comedy show, hollywood, los angeles, morning debriefing, nbc, open mic run, oscars, really funny tweets, snl, usc, zach galifiankis

1) THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO SUBMIT FOR BRIDGETOWN COMEDY FESTIVAL!!!! Details here.

2) Love’em or hate’em, the Oscars took place last night and several of us watched it, and plenty tweeted about it. Handpicked, hometown (LA/Hollywood) favorites were retweeted last night and are now featured here:

“@shanenickerson "Who are you wearing?” ‘Some guy named Ken I murdered.’-serial killer up for an Academy Award, being interviewed by Tim Gunn. #oscars"-Shane Nickerson

“@Puddinstrip I’ve seen Jake LaMotta do a better monologue. #oscars”-Puddin’ Comic Strip

“@kirkfox Strange. Not one nominee was wearing jc penny.”-Kirk Fox

“@NickYoussef "Anne Hathaway thinks Anne Hathaway is hilarious” – Anne Hathaway #Oscars"-Nick Youssef

“@FojasBradley Are the refs watching the #oscars? They don’t seem to be watching this game. #heatvsknicks”-Bradley Fojas

“@sbellelauren "hey everybody, go fuck yourselves” – james franco being interpreted to foreigners"-Lauren Ashley Bishop

“@thatRamosgirl Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi do NOT make me want to pledge money to this telethon. #Oscars”-Vanessa Ramos

“@FrankConniff Billy Crystal at the #Oscars got a standing ovation for everything except his work in movies.”-Frank Conniff

“@pattonoswalt Daniel Day Lewis has the depth of commitment to the craft of acting to die just to liven up next year’s death montage. #Oscars”-Patton Oswalt

“@MrsRupertPupkin I’ve already cried 3 times during the Oscars – Once because I’m out of wine and twice because I’m single. #Oscars”-Lauren Caltagirone

“@moshekasher Who is this jew? #OSCARS”-Moshe Kasher

“@normmacdonald you guys were the 83rd best hosts ever.”-Norm MacDonald

“@paulcibis If the hosts are operating at the level of a high school talent show, why not end with a grade school choir recital? #Oscars”

3) March 12th will probably be the first time in over a decade that I might actually watch SNL in a decade. Zach Galifianakis is hosting. How about that? Someone that has been paid to be funny on a consistent basis to host a program that’s supposed to be funny… what a novel concept… It just might work. Mar. 12th.

4) Recent Articles written by the Comedy Bureau: Tip of the Hat-Eddie Pepitone, Into the “Heart of Darkness” of an Old Fashioned Good Time.

5) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL
What’s Up Tiger Lily? On The Pulse Showcase @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8PM FREE
Cartoon Dump @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $10
No Class Comedy @ Tommy’s Place on USC Campus 8:30PM FREE
Keep It Clean Comedy @ 1739 Public House 10PM FREE

6) OPEN MIC RUN
CLUB 705 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Starts 7PM-ish
JAKE’S 38 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 7:30PM
HARLEM PLACE CAFE 124 W. 4th St. (in alley between Main and Spring St.)/Starts 8PM/e-mail speakeasyopenmic@gmail.com for spots
D’AMORE’S 8369 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 8PM/Purchase required
GROUND ZERO CAFE 615 Childs Way, Los Angeles, CA (USC on campus nestled in between dorms near intersection of Figueroa and Exposition)/USC student Sign-up 9PM/Non Student Sign-up 9:15PM/Starts 9:30PM
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5 Cover/Free coffee & water.

7) Couldn’t have said it better myself: “@kylekinane The idea that art has to have a "best of” category destroys the whole concept.“-Kyle Kinane

Report 00129

THE COMEDY BUREAU/@thecomedybureau

Finally!!! It’s Saturday Night and I Need a Laugh (and I’m in LA)…

February 12, 2011

Uncategorized

comedy, comedy store, elon gold, hollywood, improv, la, laugh factory, ron lynch, saturday night, tomorrow show

To both consumers and producers of live entertainment alike, Saturday is THE prime night. As far as live comedy is concerned, many venues want to put their best foot forward as most of the workforce wants a “good ol’ time” filled with laughter and will pay HANDSOMELY to be entertained.

On Jan. 29th 2011, The Comedy Bureau was indeed out in force to see what a night in LA comedy for those regular 9-5ers that have no idea what “alternative comedy” is or that it even exists or that comedy shows happen outside of comedy clubs. With this mission, the Comedy Bureau went to the three big names that many “normal” people in LA and around the world associate with stand up comedy: The Comedy Store, The Laugh Factory, and the Hollywood Improv. Also, as a contrast, we went to the incredibly underground, cult comedy show The Tomorrow Show w/Ron Lynch at the Steve Allen Theater.

We paid full price. We saw. We shed our attitude as comics and tried to be actual audience members. We took notes.

And with all of that in mind, this, comedy community, is what to expect if you went to see these shows because you wanted to laugh on a typical Los Angeles Saturday night:

The Laugh Factory

Lit with bright names and big faces along Sunset Blvd., the Laugh Factory in Hollywood stands on at the end of a row of beyond hip and trendy AND certainly beyond affordable night clubs and, as such, follows suit with a general admission charge of $25 and a “VIP” charge of $35 with that traditional 2 drink minimum. According to their menu, a single order of Coca-Cola (soft drinks tend to be the cheapest things on comedy club menus) runs $8.

This means: If you were going alone and chose to park for free several blocks away from the Laugh Factory, you would be paying at least $40. If you’re like most people, you’re probably out on a date and will probably pay for valet parking, which will put you in the realm of the night costing $100+.

For that much money one would logically think that you would get to see the biggest names in stand up comedy. At the 10PM show, which is billed as “All Star Comedy”, the line-up included: Chris D’Elia, who just had a Comedy Central Special, but is largely still “on the rise” in regards to being a “name” in stand up comedy, Tony Rock, who is Chris Rock’s brother, Al Del Bene, who been on Comics Unleashed (broadcast network show featuring stand up comics that’s on at the same time as Last Call w/Carson Daly), Dov Davidoff, who also has his own Comedy Central Special, but is largely known for his performance in the Mark Wahlberg vehicle “Invincible” as the childhood friend of Vince Papale that reminds him of his roots, Johnny Sanchez who I also found has his own Comedy Central Special as well as being part of the “Payaso Comedy Slam”, and a secret special guest. Such a line-up isn’t exactly along the lines of the type of comedy that the Comedy Bureau regularly features as this is a very “mainstream comedy” line-up that talks about racial stereotypes, sex, and curses a lot, but then again, everyone has their own personal taste in comedy and I’ve seen such a line-up “kill” a club crowd before.

With that being said, we didn’t know find out who the special guest was because we didn’t see the show. We wouldn’t pay $40 to see Louis CK much less a line-up of comics on the rise that aren’t really aren’t our “cup of tea”.

The Hollywood Improv

Several blocks away from the Sunset Strip, the Hollywood Improv rests in a neighborhood of trendy boutiques along what’s arguably the more famous part of Melrose Ave as a clear stand out with it’s old fashioned neon sign and marquee. In that spirit, the Hollywood Improv actually runs several shows that are closer to what most traditional stand up shows around the rest of the country with openers, features, and headliners. This is unique to the Improv as, currently, no single comic headlines the Comedy Store or the Laugh Factory, though there are several features there as opposed to the standard 1 or 2 in their line-ups and the headliner only gets to do half an hour as opposed to a full hour. Still, this is the closest you’ll get to what most stand up shows are like everywhere that isn’t LA or NYC in LA.

We also looked forward to the sight of slightly friendlier prices. Unlike the Laugh Factory, the cover was only $18 plus the 2 drink minimum, of which a beer, not a glass of Coca-Cola, costs $7. Free street parking was slightly more available at the Improv and much closer to the venue than at the Laugh Factory or the Comedy Store.

Getting into the Improv, we attended the 7:30PM show w/Elon Gold, who has been on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno several times, half-packed with what appeared to be friends of host Ben Morrison, a regular at most of the clubs in the LA area. Morrison opened the show strong, but ran the light/went over his time by about 4 minutes with typical club comic material about masturbation and going to gay bar, which was trying.

Despite that, we were glad to see that other comics on the line-up included a few that have been mentioned, featured, or retweeted on Twitter by The Comedy Bureau: Josh Comers, who currently and deservedly writes for Conan, Jarrod Harris, who has only been on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, but is certainly funny enough for a half-hour special, Michelle Buteau, who has been on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend and has toured regularly throughout the world as far as Amsterdam. All of them, another feature Nigel Lawrence, and headliner Elon Gold, even though he relies heavily on a vast array of voices and characters in a way that isn’t much to our liking, showed the “intimate” crowd a legitimate good time that ran around 2 hours.

Once more, with no regard to my opinion of who was on stage and what material they were doing, people genuinely had a good Saturday night at the Hollywood Improv.

The Comedy Store

The World Famous Comedy Store. Just process that self-proclaimed moniker for a moment and think as to what type of stand up comedy show you would see there. With so much history literally written on the walls of the Comedy Store, many people have come to the assumption that this is the epitome of stand up comedy.

In fact, I’d wager that most people would equate a Saturday night at the Main Room of the Comedy Store, the biggest of the three rooms located there, to be the stand up comedy “end all be all”. Along this notion, we went to the 9PM Main Room show costing us $20 for admission and a 2 drink min billed as 14 National Touring Headliners.

Looking at the posted line-up, we discovered that all the comics were scheduled to do 15 minutes, which already makes the show at least run over 3 hours. Now many show producers have the attitude of “you may come and go as you like” to a show like this, but I argue that a show where the audience WANTS to stay the whole time is infinitely better and will be more likely to have people come back and see the show again.

However, this show ran 4 hours. 4 HOURS. With a line-up (in order) of Kevin Christy, Argus Hamilton, Jeff Altman, Iliza Schlesinger, Dom Irerra, Ahmed Ahmed, Chris D’Elia, Ian Edwards, Rick Ingraham, Sam Tripoli, Mike Young, and Barry Diamond, the show went 4 hours and having fulfilled my 2 drink minimum obligation within the first hour, I was plenty sober and annoyed by the end of the show around 1:30AM.

Now, the aforementioned line-up at this particular show isn’t one that I’d normally go and see (though I did enjoy Argus Hamilton and Ian Edwards), but, in attempting to be objective about this whole report, the crowd of approximately 200 people were legitimately having a good time even when Chris D’Elia, who was getting plenty of laughs, told the audience, “Fuck you!! That’s funny!!!” all the way up until Rick Ingraham.

Ian Edwards had a great set and consequently the show was around 2.5 hour mark, then Ingraham went up and did a very rigid style of crowd work asking anyone within his line of sight “What do you for a living?” An audience member was so annoyed that they shouted, “Tell a fucking joke!”, which was the point where people started walking out on the show. Sam Tripoli continued to walk people as he complained that no one made a connection with him and blamed the audience for not liking punchlines. With only himself and one more comic to go, Mike Young got up and then complained about his spot being nearly a half hour later than the posted time (since most comics went over their time) as well as there being a minute fraction of the original crowd present for his set. With the 20 or so people left in the cavernous Main Room that can actually seat 300, Barry Diamond injected some energy by singing a song and then weaving in and out interesting characters and sheer absurdities that I started to enjoy.

At that point when the show was over the 3 hour mark, Barry Diamond decided to work on his “hour” and simply just kept going and going and going and going some more, and then say he should have gotten off stage long ago, and then kept going. I went from enjoying his act to resenting his refusal to get off stage, both as a comic and an audience member. This isn’t an open mic. This is the Comedy Store Main Room on a Saturday night and people have paid a considerable amount of change to be entertained rather than watch someone work on their hour.

Like I said, I perhaps didn’t enjoy the line-up for the most part, but, objectively, the crowd was having a good rollicking time up until the show was passing the three hour mark and the comics starting blaming the audience, which is when people started leaving and the people they stayed had sort of a feeling of being taken hostage (i.e. couple in front was insulted by comic on stage and was visibly shocked and confused). Going out on a Saturday to the Comedy Store Main Room, this ordeal might be what to expect if you go. Sure, you could just pop in and pop out to see part of the 14 National Touring Headliners that people only marginally know (audience member clearly had no idea who Iliza Shlesinger, arguably the most recognizable name on the line-up, as he mispronounced her name), but do you really want to pay $20 cover, 2 drink minimum, and $15 parking because you don’t want to walk a mile for free parking to do that?

The Tomorrow Show w/Ron Lynch @ The Steve Allen Theater

Appropriately located just outside of Hollywood in Los Feliz, the Tomorrow Show represents the comedy that most people don’t know and subsequently SHOULD KNOW. It’s alternative, indie, underground, unpredictable, and most importantly: funny.

Independently booked, produced, and hosted by the amazing and hilarious Ron Lynch, the Tomorrow Show is a live variety comedy show that includes stand-up, sketch, music, and, on this particular night, a sword swallower. For only $8 with no minimum of any kind (show is B.Y.O.B.), you can get to be a part of this late night madness as the Tomorrow Show appropriately starts at midnight.

Due to the incredibly late, at least by unfortunate Los Angeles standards, start time, the Tomorrow Show remains part of the vast indie/underground/alt comedy scene that many of the “normal” people we met at the Improv and the Comedy Store have no idea exists and consequently has a much smaller turnout than that of a major comedy club. Still, going on its sixth year, the Tomorrow Show has an incredibly loyal fan base that keeps coming back because of the bona fide good time that they have (that was made better as it was under 2 hours).

This night, or early morning, the line-up consisted of Greg Barris, Karl Hess, Robert Selander, Chuck Sklar, Barry Rothbart, Matt Kirshen, sketch group the Doorknockers, and sword swallower Brett Loudermilk. Most of these names are just as unrecognizable to the average person as any of the other names mentioned in this article, but just like at the Improv and the first 2 hours of the Main Room at the Comedy Store, the crowd, small as it was, had a wonderful night/early morning.

With seemingly random interruptions, jokes about zombie conspiracy theories, and absurd, off-the-wall stories, the Tomorrow Show can be categorized as chaotic, especially in the early hours of the morning, but it represents a style of comedy that is different where it isn’t just typical types of jokes about race and/or dicks. Though, it isn’t for everyone, the Tomorrow Show is proof that there’s an alternative where comedy can be something else and even something more.

So Next Saturday Night…

The Comedy Bureau urges you all to simply check here and elsewhere before you go out on a Saturday night to see some live comedy because it does happen outside of Hollywood and outside of a comedy club and it can be something besides overweight balding men shouting obscenities and exploit racial stereotypes AND it can be fantastic.

Special Thanks to Chris Adams, Joe Braza, Russell Corona, Courtney Howerton, and Jeremy Paul in helping making this article possible.

Just For Laughs LA Callbacks Schedule

February 9, 2011

Uncategorized

belly room, callbacks, comedy, comedy store, hollywood, just for laughs, la, laugh factory, montreal

Keeping up with my promise, here’s a rundown of the Just for Laughs-Montreal Showcases next week with callbacks and sketches and more as LA’s best in comedy try to put an even better funny foot forward to go to the actual festival then come back here to be more famous (hopefully).

*this will be updated frequently as more information is received. If there is showcase that’s not on here please e-mail thecomedybureau@gmail.com.

Monday, Feb. 14th
UCB Theatre 5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood, CA 5PM FREE
Sketch Showcase
The Jon Lovitz Comedy Club in City Walk at Universal Studios in Universal City 8PM $5/2 drink min.

Tuesday, Feb. 15th
Three of Clubs 1123 Vine St., Hollywood, CA 8PM FREE
w/Heather Thomson, Will Weldon, and more
The Laugh Factory 8001 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 10PM
w/Erik Charles Nielsen, and more

Wednesday, Feb. 16th
Hollywood Improv Lab 8165 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA 7:30PM FREE
w/Claire Titelman, and more
The Laugh Factory 8001 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 10PM

Thursday, Feb. 17th
Comedy Store Belly Room, 8433 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 7:30PM
w/Andrew DeWitt, Nick Rutherford, and more
The Laugh Factory 8001 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 10PM

Post Brunch Update 1/7/11

1) Due to time constraints and the limits of my own physical abilities, despite personal disregard for my own well being, the Comedy Bureau Morning Debriefing/Post Brunch Update will now be abbreviated to feature all things LA Comedy that need to be posted as early as possible. As such, more involved, intensive articles, reviews, write-ups, opinion pieces, etc. will be featured separately in its own individual post like today’s review of last night’s amazing “Fifty First Jokes” in a few hours.

2) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL has nothing to do with any massive numbers of birds dying or any other signs of a apocalpyse, so that’s enough reason right there to go. Bob’s Burgers @ Largo-The Coronet Theatre 8PM $20, Garfunkel and Oates @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10 (stand by only), Norm MacDonald @ Hollywood Improv 8PM $20, Stood Up Friday Night @ Moving Arts Theatre 10PM $5.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: iCANDY 1708 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/$3 min., TRICLOPS @ SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6:30PM/Starts 7PM, GLENDALE DAYS INN 450 N. Pioneer Dr., Glendale, CA/Starts 8PM, TRINITY CHURCH OPEN MIC 1015 California Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 8PM/must work clean, SAPPHIRE LOUNGE @ NEWPORT BEACH RADISSON 4545 Macarthur Blvd., Newport Beach, CA/Starts 9PM/msg David Marley on Facebook to sign-up, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) The Ultimate Free & Cheap List 1/9-1/16. Thanks Wisepix.

5) Tonight at Gallery 1988 7PM, “Is This Thing On?” debuts scores of artists and their take on some of the most prolific and popular comedians of the current moment (i.e. there’s a painting of Louis CK as a zombie.)

6) Marc Maron and the WTF Podcast was just featured in the New York Times yesterday, which people hopefully don’t attach to the simultaneous death of hundreds of birds just a few days ago like my Dad does (Dad’s opinion of Maron “He seems angry. Hmmmm.”) Just read it. It’s important.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to SHAWN PEARLMAN “@shawnpearlman It’s 10PM. Do you know where my watch is?” Shawn has some of the best, sharpest one liners in Los Angeles and you shouldn’t miss a chance to catch his cleverness. Website. Twitter. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for upcoming dates.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Josh Fadem Stand Up Pratfalls

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau. That is… if you ever want to laugh again. (*note: I have no ability to make people incapable of laughter).

10) I’m on a show tonight that has a theme of “Happily Ever After”. The fact that I’m on a show with that theme is hilarious.

Report 00077

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 1/3/11

1) Why should you be reading the Comedy Bureau? Well… if you’ve ever read the mission statement, you can trust in the entire Comedy Bureau staff to keep you up to date on the best shows, open mics most worthy of your hard earned free time, all pertinent LA Comedy news big and small (all the way from Matt Braunger getting a pilot order from Comedy Central to when Paul F Tompkins is having a live tweeting event), and who really is on the trailblazing forefront of comedy in this town and what they’re doing to make it so, with the personal, one-of-a-kind personal touch of a comedian firmly dug into the trenches of the best and worst that Los Angeles has to offer comedy-wise (This is How to Make It in Comedy?). Just like when people frequently ask me how to get featured here, I tell them, “be funny and I’ll find it.”, conversely, if you want unequivocal, undeniable funny, keep finding your way back to the Comedy Bureau.

2) Boy, oh boy, we’re back in business with a regular COMEDY CRAWL and some of the best shows/comedians/people to make you laugh after sitting in traffic after getting off work on the first Monday of 2011: What’s Up Tiger Lily? @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8PM FREE, Keep It Clean @ 1739 Public House 10PM FREE, Crash Test @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5 (stand by only).

3) OPEN MIC RUN: CLUB 705 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Starts 7PM, ARTIST ANARCHY @ PUKA BAR 710 W. Willow St., Long Beach, CA/Starts 8PM, TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St, Los Angeles, CA (echo park)/Starts 8:30pm, SPEAKEASY @ HARLEM PLACE CAFE 124 W. 4th St., Los Angeles, CA (downtown)/Sign-up via e-mail speakeasyopenmic@gmail.com by 4PM/Starts promptly at 9PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed

4) I understand if you just want to get home and have your comedy just done for you (though that’s pretty much what you do during a live show) Luckily, all you good folks can tune into IFC’s “Comedy Death Ray” w/host Scott Aukerman premiering tonight at 10PM and then catch Matt Braunger on the Late Late Show w/Craig Ferguson 12:35AM on CBS.

5) “Is This Thing On?” Not only, “is it on”, the Gallery 1988 exhibition of 100 artists “taking” on representations of funny people like Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Bill Murray, Louis CK, and many many more is something not to be missed. Starting this Fri. Jan. 7th at Gallery 1988, check back at the Comedy Bureau for more details this week.

6) Something that you might not know about the Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic this Tues.: Señor Fish is open until 1AM and if there’s people still on the list, I’ll keep it running until then. Oh yeah, Jackie Kashian & Andy Peters are going to be there too. That’s enough reasons to go I think. 422 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to JACKIE KASHIAN-“@jackiekashian My Vision Board wants me to get bi-focals.” This is Jackie’s second of the Tip of the Hat and I’m more than happy to give it to her just like I’m happy to go out of my way to see her because she is one of a couple of comedians who I literally witness “just turn it on” whenever they feel like it since they have the ability to do that. Also, her stories about her dad and husband are ones that need to be heard. You can do so tonight at What’s Up Tiger Lily? 8PM FREE, tomorrow at Big Trouble in Little Tokyo, and this Wed. at Meltdown @ Meltdown Comics 8:30PM $8 Website. Twitter. Tumblr. Dorkforest.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Dr. Stangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb-Trailer

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau or I’ll fade out of the picture a la Michael J. Fox in the photo in Back to the Future.

10) If you’ve ever wonder the Comedy Bureau Offices look like, I’ll be driving my car around various open mics around LA tonight. No tours, however, are currently available at this time.

Report 00073

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 1/3/11

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Dr. Stangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb-Trailer

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau or I’ll fade out of the picture a la Michael J. Fox in the photo in Back to the Future.

10) If you’ve ever wonder the Comedy Bureau Offices look like, I’ll be driving my car around various open mics around LA tonight. No tours, however, are currently available at this time.

Report 00070

THE COMEDY BUREAU

The 2010 Post Brunch Update

1) Many who report on comedy in some fashion like to make “best of” lists at the end of every year. As with every list, there’s always debate, so, in the comedic spirit, I’ll stir the pot even further with The Comedy Bureau’s very own “The Very Best of ‘Best of Comedy in 2010” List featuring the top year end comedy lists as decided by Bureau Director Jake Kroeger himself. It doesn’t get any more “postmodern” than this folks…

1. 10 Moments Comedians Made Us Think This Year-Splitsider
2. 10 Best Comedy Albums of 2010-Amazon.com
3. The 10 Must Have Stand Up Comedy DVDs from 2010-Punchline Magazine
4. 15 Funny People We Lost in 2010-Splitsider
5. Top 5 Funniest TV Comedies-Huffington Post-Matt Wilstein
6. 2010 Wasn’t So Shitty After All-Mike Bridenstine

2) WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF another Saturday. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that there’s some great laughs to be found on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL. Start with The Not Inappropriate Show @ UCB Theatre 4PM $12, then go to Michael Rayner @ Flappers Burbank YooHoo Room 7:30PM/9:30PM $20, then Christopher Titus @ Flappers Burbank 8PM/10PM $60, or just go to San Francisco and do the 15th Annual Comedy Countdown @ Palace of Fine Arts 9:30PM $60-$114.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: FLAPPERS BURBANK BAR 102 E. Magnolia, Burbank, CA/Starts 5PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/Starts 5PM/$5/multiple sets allowed

4) The Ultimate Free & Cheap LA Comedy List ½-1/8. Thanks Wisepix.

5) With the popularity of Paul F Tompkins Live Tweeting during a major holiday with his #midnightmass2010, Paul has decided to do it yet again with New Year’s Day and The Twilight Zone Marathon on SyFy. Follow @pftompkins after Midnight PST to join in the after hours/New Year’s fun while you wait for the Rose Parade (because you were waiting to watch the Rose Parade, right?)

6) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to the entire LOS ANGELES COMEDY COMMUNITY that give the entire Comedy Bureau Staff/me something to write about everyday and the inspiration/will to write/perform every night.

7) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: George Carlin-Modern Man

8) Donate to The Comedy Bureau. Leave 2010 on a good note.

9) Last night, a comic asked to be heckled, just like 2010 did.

Report 00070

THE COMEDY BUREAU

The 2010 Post Brunch Update

4) The Ultimate Free & Cheap LA Comedy List ½-1/8. Thanks Wisepix.

7) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: George Carlin-Modern Man

8) Donate to The Comedy Bureau. Leave 2010 on a good note.

9) Last night, a comic asked to be heckled, just like 2010 did.

Report 00066

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/30/10

1) Now for the start of “I Know What You’re Thinking… (No, You Don’t)”, an ongoing series into the psyche of a comedian (me/The Comedy Bureau Director/@blitzkroeger) after a night of comedy in LA—SURE, there were plenty of great shows as “confirmed” by the wondrous updates via my facebook feed that I could have attended last night, but instead, I chose to throw myself back into the pit/den of lions of trying out new material. Over the last week and a half, I’ve tightened my “holidays” material to the point of ad nauseam and decided to get back to work on deconstructing the norms and mores of dating in our times that mostly involves me getting “I’ll be right back” and “You’re too nice.” “You’re such a great guy” is another really popular one. In this spirit, I wrote out a brand new 7 minutes revolving around that topic. Actually, “grossly spat out whilst reading Twitter” would be a more accurate description of what was created. At the open mic, I nearly forgot half of it, remembering mostly just the punchlines and hardly any of the set-ups, transitions, intros, premises, etc. and it was met with the long bouts of silence and false sympathy from the “green” comic in the room who still doesn’t shut up during people’s sets that it deserved. In short, my set was mostly garbage and yet, I felt like it was needed. In being a comedian, as much as I strive to smash the place when I go up, I sincerely believe that a “humbling” set is needed every once in a while to let you know that you’re human and not comedy incarnate (For the record: I have NEVER thought I was comedy incarnate). Still, as honest you have to be with yourself when being an artist developing his or her art, you also have to lift yourself up and try to take something, anything from any performance, which, in this case, was about 5 or 6 lines that worked and actually got laughs the way I wanted despite me rambling them out of my mouth in an almost incoherent, depression-ridden fashion. Tune in next time at the Comedy Bureau to see where those 5 or 6 lines actually go…. or if I just lose it altogether.

2) I don’t have a New Year’s Resolution because it’s just another week on the calendar, just like tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL is another damn fine night of laughter. Start with The 2010 It Sucked Awards @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5 (stand-by only), then go to T’was the Night Before New Year’s Eve @ Hollywood Improv 8PM $14/2 item min., then go to This Comedy Show @ the Jon Lovitz Club 8PM $20/2 drink min./$3 valet parking special, and finish with The Josh & Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed

4) The Greater LA Open Mic Map will be very soon updated with whole new round of open mics for the new year for everyone to try their new year’s resolution material at. Check back at the Comedy Bureau very soon for updates.

5) Though this might sound traitorous, especially since the Comedy Bureau is LA based, if you have New Year’s Eve plans to see a comedy show, LEAVE LA!!! The best New Year’s Eve comedy event will actually be taking place in San Francisco at the Palace of Fine Arts. The 15th Annual Comedy Countdown Dec. 31st 9:30PM will feature the likes of Laurie Kilmartin, Nick Thune, Charlyne Yi, Christina Pazitsky, the Sklar Brothers, and many more. Tickets range from $60 to $114, which is why I’m completely fine with going to a party and donating a few bucks for a keg back here in LA.

6) thecomedystore replied to your post: Morning Debriefing 12/29/10-Y U no Love? Two quick answers: 1) In doing the Comedy Bureau, I’m also a comic whose slowly, but surely growing incapable of the act of love. 2) I hate when people write like preschoolers attempting to draw and color. MORE TO COME SOON. VERY SOON.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to WILL WELDON: “@oldmanweldon To raise awareness about violence against women I tell every guy in Ed Hardy that they probably hit women.” Hailing from Canada, Will has brought has sharpened observations to LA where have they been welcomed certainly by the Comedy Bureau and many others in LA comedy circles. Hopefully, we can make those circles aware of Will’s hilarity increase in size and/or number. All of you good folks reading this can actually see Will at What’s Up Tiger Lily @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill Mon. Jan 3rd, 8PM FREE and Fifty First Jokes @ The Zephyr Theater Thurs. Jan. 6th 9PM $7. Also, don’t miss his website, Twitter, or blog.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Bill Hicks Banned Set on Letterman

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau… Tron made enough money, OK? Spread the wealth.

10) The rain has stoppped…. The skies are clear…. You can even see the mountains in the distance that you never knew existed… AND I STILL CAN’T GET THAT NEW 7 MINUTES ON HOMEWRECKING TO WORK!!!

Report 00069

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/30/10

1) Now for the start of “I Know What You’re Thinking… (No, You Don’t)”, an ongoing series into the psyche of a comedian (me/The Comedy Bureau Director/@blitzkroeger) after a night of comedy in LA—SURE, there were plenty of great shows as “confirmed” by the wondrous updates via my facebook feed that I could have attended last night, but instead, I chose to throw myself back into the pit/den of lions of trying out new material. Over the last week and a half, I’ve tightened my “holidays” material to the point of ad nauseam and decided to get back to work on deconstructing the norms and mores of dating in our times that mostly involves me getting “I’ll be right back” and “You’re too nice.” "You’re such a great guy" is another really popular one. In this spirit, I wrote out a brand new 7 minutes revolving around that topic. Actually, “grossly spat out whilst reading Twitter” would be a more accurate description of what was created. At the open mic, I nearly forgot half of it, remembering mostly just the punchlines and hardly any of the set-ups, transitions, intros, premises, etc. and it was met with the long bouts of silence and false sympathy from the “green” comic in the room who still doesn’t shut up during people’s sets that it deserved. In short, my set was mostly garbage and yet, I felt like it was needed. In being a comedian, as much as I strive to smash the place when I go up, I sincerely believe that a “humbling” set is needed every once in a while to let you know that you’re human and not comedy incarnate (For the record: I have NEVER thought I was comedy incarnate). Still, as honest you have to be with yourself when being an artist developing his or her art, you also have to lift yourself up and try to take something, anything from any performance, which, in this case, was about 5 or 6 lines that worked and actually got laughs the way I wanted despite me rambling them out of my mouth in an almost incoherent, depression-ridden fashion. Tune in next time at the Comedy Bureau to see where those 5 or 6 lines actually go…. or if I just lose it altogether.

6) thecomedystore replied to your post: Morning Debriefing 12/29/10-Y U no Love? Two quick answers: 1) In doing the Comedy Bureau, I’m also a comic whose slowly, but surely growing incapable of the act of love. 2) I hate when people write like preschooler’s attempt to draw and color. MORE TO COME SOON. VERY SOON.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Bill Hicks Banned Set on Letterman

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau… Tron made enough money, OK? Spread the wealth.

10) The rain has stoppped…. The skies are clear…. You can even see the mountains in the distance that you never knew existed… AND I STILL CAN’T THAT NEW 7 MINUTES

Report 00064

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/29/10

1) Seriously, all irony aside, one great BIG thank you to everyone who came out to the Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic last night. IT WAS BLAST!! MATT KNUDSEN AND TONY SAM WERE A BLAST!!! EVERYONE WAS A BLAST!! In fact, management at Señor Fish has liked what we do so much that they’re putting an order in for a spotlight. How about that? The venue actually wanting to help the show. Again, thanks to all your support, only bigger and better things will come along for this room. NEXT WEEK ROUNDHOUSE KICKING THE YEAR OFF: JACKIE KASHIAN & ANDY PETERS!!! Don’t miss out ¼ @ Señor Fish!!!

2) Looking for a new year’s resolution, but don’t know exactly what to abstain from for a month? Perhaps you’ll get inspired at tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL with Lettuce Entertain You (with Stand Up) @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5, Women Who Kill @ Hollywood Improv 8PM $14/2 drink min. The Meltdown @ Meltdown Comics 8:30PM $8, Biscuits & Gravy @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $5, Ed Galvez’s Punk House @ Westside Comedy Theatre 9PM $8, and Nighttime w/Dominic Dierkes @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., LIBRARY A COFFEEHOUSE 3418 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 8:30PM, CAFE ON 2ND (call 626 284 1292 before going) 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 min./10 min. guaranteed, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) Corollary to Pound for Pound Open Mics. Note: Open mics on the weekend are generally pretty rough to do and I usually try to do other things comedy wise, but if you insist on finding somewhere to perform, here are my recommendations.
Saturday: Westside Comedy Theatre-Though short on stage time, people do occasionally wander in.
Sunday: Marty’s/The Open Mic-You do have to pay $5 and there’s no real opportunity for real people to watch you, but you do get to perform as many times as you want as well as experiencing a very diverse crowd of comics.

5) Now a word from some commercial sponsors at T-mobile. OH LOOK… it’s Barry Rothbart. (Note: The Comedy Bureau doesn’t have any sponsors)

6) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to JARROD HARRIS-“@JarrodHarris ‘Hey, everyone makes mistakes.’ – Wayne Harris: I’ll never ask my dad what it was like when I was born again.” Touring throughout the country as part of the Southern Comedy Quartet, Jarrod takes his very personal, painfully funny brand of comedy thankfully throughout the entirety of the Los Angeles comedy scene. You can actually check him out tonight on his show Biscuits & Gravy down at the Hollywood Improv Lab 8PM $5. Don’t miss out on his website, Twitter, or hilarious video series Action Figure Therapy.

7) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Tracy Morgan Interview on Late Night w/ Conan O’Brien

8) Donate to the Comedy Bureau. Please x 10,000,000.

9) I’ve been writing for the Comedy Bureau for 2 months straight and just now realized it. I was really hoping it was a year before I had lost sense of time. Oh well….

Report 00068

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/27/10

1) Hashtags. #whatthehellisthis? #whydoIcare? Partially as a necessity to promote one’s self as a performer and partially as an indulgence into one’s own belief in their own genius, being on Twitter for comedians, not only in LA, but around the world, seems like a natural occurrence. Many comedians indeed just promote their shows/videos/podcasts/etc. while others tweet absolutely everything they do while other others even go further and actually utilize Twitter as a sort of “open mic” for jokes that might actually might make it into their act. Taking that all into consideration, the newest and possibly most interesting “comedian trend” on Twitter is the “joke hashtag” where a random, arcane topic, such as “fat indie bands”, is preceded by the “#” symbol and has no spaces in between, which follows an attempt at that topic. Ex. “@blitzkroeger Rage Against the Blood Pressure Machine #fatindiebands”. If you like subjecting yourself to following 400 people on Twitter and reading EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEIR TWEETS, then you’ll notice that many comedians all the way from big time “names” like Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) to some excellent “no-name” writers spend a considerable amount of time coming up for more tweets to add to that “joke hashtag”, when they will most likely never in their entire lifetime on stage, ever use any of that. In fact, nearly all of these types of tweets are extremely pun based and I can hardly see anyone using them onstage ever, much less on tour/on the road where Twitter terminology is quite possibly a foreign language. Yet, as a comedian, I feel compelled, like it’s running laps during 6th grade P.E. to join in on the “joke hashtag” fest. As this keeps happening and my time to be productive/be the Comedy Bureau is eaten away at, I ask myself why do I succumb to this and I’ve concluded that joining in on these “joke hashtags” is the new form of “riffing” over dinner or while smoking outside that, above all else, keeps you sharp, thinking on your toes, and ready for something that isn’t in your element. As I’ve come to see the value in thinking what some more “#failedrockbandmovies” are, I would say to comics, perhaps join in on some “joke hashtags” to work out your brain for later when writing your own material and, sometimes (emphasis on sometimes) to actually have fun. #whatanovelconcept #articlesnoonecaresabout

2) For branding purposes only, I am maintaining the term “COMEDY CRAWL” for tonight even though there is only one show I would recommend. For tonight, go to Alonzo Bodden @ Comedy and Magic Club 8PM $15/2 drink min.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Starts 8:30PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed

4) It has been brought to my attention that people actually read the CHAIN OF COMMAND section of the Comedy Bureau and are curious as to the nature of the other members. Consigliere Joe Braza, Field Liaison Jeremy Paul, and Assistant to the Field Liaison Russell Corona are all dedicated members of the Comedy Bureau hand picked by me/the Bureau Director himself to ensure that I don’t go completely insane in trying to issue out the “debriefing” everyday. Also, they take care a lot of heavy lifting and any ancillary dirty work that I need done. In addition to all of that, they comprise of some of the funniest folks I know. To all those interested in contributing to the Comedy Bureau, before you find me, I’ll find you OR just e-mail thecomedybureau@gmail.com

5) It was asked of me several weeks ago that I list the “Pound for Pound” Open Mics in the Los Angeles area for every day of the week as I’m the guy whose willing to drive to such mythical places as Alhambra and Carson and even beyond for some stage time. The wait for this list is over… tomorrow and then everyone can see what’s the best place to actually try out material instead of risking doing so when booked.

6) TOMORROW is the premiere of Part 8 of the Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic. Don’t miss cheap food, cheap beer, cheap Tony Sam and Matt Knudsen, some cheap great laughs, and cheap “big trouble” at Señor Fish. Be at 422 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA at 6:30PM for sign-up and 7PM for the start. That is all.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to JAN DAVIDSON-“Interview with a Virgin” Being named one of the “Funniest Moms in America” by Nick at Nite might lead you to believe that Jan Davidson tells cute jokes about her kids, but you couldn’t be more mistaken. Jan is one of the more edgy, innovative, amazing performers amongst, not just mothers, but all comics that I’ve come across in my travels as the Comedy Bureau and certainly a joy to watch. Please check her myspace page and/or back at the Comedy Bureau for more on Jan and her next performance.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Eddie Pepitone heckles himself

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau because I still don’t work for LA weekly or the LA times and don’t have a glass office, which this lovely minimalist inspired site might lead you to believe.

10) In reference to my act, I was just told by my dad that “being unable to get a girl” and “hating your mother” are not relatable topics of discussion. I must be out of touch with our “zeitgeist” as everyone is APPARENTLY successfully dating and are members of a fully functional, totally agreeable nuclear family unit. My apologies Comedy Community/Los Angeles/America.

Report 00066

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/27/10

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Eddie Pepitone heckles himself

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau because I still don’t work for LA weekly or the LA times and don’t have a glass office, which this lovely minimalist inspired site might lead you to believe.

Report 00062

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/26/10

1) The amazingly funny LA comedian Asterios Kokkinos along with his “Family of Tumblrs” has taken comedy via “online minutiae” to an entirely new level. With what essentially is 5 entirely different blogs through upstart social networking site www.tumblr.com, all with a very specific theme, showcases the depth and vastness of Asterios’ knowledge of popular culture and his overall cleverness. From a blog about pitching “horribly awesome” screenplay ideas (Presidentbaby.com), to a blog featuring “What Happened on the Internet Today” (whotit.tumblr.com), to a blog that has transcripts of Asterios’ various hilarious online conversations (chatloggin.tumblr.com), to his own personal blog (asterios.tumblr.com), and even to a blog parodying Billy Joel standard “Movin’ Out” (6acks.tumblr.com), Kokkinos not only offers up several great ways to see his sensational comedy to the entire world, but does so in basically one neatly wrapped online package. Be sure to check out Asterios’ Family of Tumblrs and check back at the Comedy Bureau to see if he adds any more to the 5 featured here as well as when he’s performing LIVE (you really don’t want to miss out on that).

2) Done with Christmas? You should be. Don’t you dare go to a damn sale and succumb to things you don’t need being 70% off. Go on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL, which will cost less than the mysterious $200 receipt you’ll inevitably rack up if you go to any major retailer today. Start with ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE, then go to Holiday All Stars @ Hollywood Improv 8PM $14/2 item min, and finish with Shitty Jobs @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6 PM/one item min., SUNSET GRILL (call 323 851 5557 before going) 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) Why wait until the New Year for this…? Christmas already passed, so here’s is the COMEDY BUREAU MISSION STATEMENT: The Comedy Bureau is, above all, committed to advancing the art form of Comedy in the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and beyond as well as enlightening the general population about the funniest and most creative Los Angeles based comedic performers.

5) The newest member of the Comedy Bureau: Field Agent Joe Braza (there’s absolutely no difference in responsibility between Liaison and Agent). Welcome. (cue mic toss)

6) Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic is BACK-ACK-ACK-ACK-ACK-ACK (6acks.tumblr.com) this Tuesday 12/28 with none other than TONY SAM and MATT KNUDSEN!!! I shouldn’t have to say anything else about $2 fish tacos, etc. Señor Fish. Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to ESTHER POVITSKY-“@Little_Esther I hate it when my slave pulls the "I’m your mother” card.“ Doing shows with Esther BEFORE Joe Rogan "tested” her, so to speak, by taking her on the road, was always a delight. The incredibly petite Esther is deceptive in her comedy with a dry, more honest sense of humor. Here’s her blog and her Twitter, two things you shouldn’t miss.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Mitch Hedberg in That 70s Show

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau, especially if you’re returning something that allows for actual cash and not just store credit. It’s still the time for the “holiday spirit”, right?

10) Now that Christmas has passed, we can go to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day “material”.

Report 00065

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/26/10

5) The newest member of the Comedy Bureau: Field Agent Joe Braza (there’s absolutely no difference in responsibility between Liaison and Agent). Welcome. (cue mic toss)

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Mitch Hedberg in That 70s Show

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau, especially if you’re returning something that allows for actual cash and not just store credit. It’s still the time for the “holiday spirit”, right?

10) Now that Christmas has passed, we can go to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day “material”.

Report 00061

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/23/10

1) The Library: A Coffee House Open Mic serves as yet another example of what driving outside of Hollywood/LA area will get you in terms of looking for decent open mic stage time as a comic. With a set-up resembling the living room of a standard hipster bookworm and no stage, there’s actually a sort welcoming, “at home” atmosphere that I personally find encouraging, especially in the sense that I can go into material productively as opposed to being forced to riff/do aggressive crowd work to get any sort of response. Hosted endearingly by Nick Petrillo, all comics that come down get 7 minutes, without having to pay any sort of cover charge, and there’s usually a small, but real crowd of people that sometimes, surprisingly, knows that there’s a comedy open mic happening and sticks around to listen. To all those not within the immediate Long Beach vicinity, if you can make it out to 3418 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA by 8PM (sign-up is first come, first served), I highly suggest you do so as it another The Comedy Bureau has just deemed it another “Bureau Approved” open mic.

2) I suggest that you flip a coin to decide which of the two shows that you would go to on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL then ignore the result and just go to both of them anyway. Go to Roast of Baby Jesus @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5 (stand-by only) and The Josh & Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: CAFE ON 2ND (call 626 284-1292 before going) 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min. guaranteed, SIPOLOGY (call 562 432 4800 before going) 448 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Starts 8PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) The rain has gone away, but if you’re just too comfy in your day bed watching youtube clips, you can stay right where you are and watch Reggie Watts on Conan at 11PM TBS OR Johnny Pemberton as host of MEGADRIVE on MTV, also at 11PM. Though, you were probably going to watch both of those ANYWAY, right….? Because that’s what you should be doing….

5) Garfunkel and Oates contribution to Christmas lore has been now documented and solidified with the addition of the term “present face” on urbandictionary.com: Present Face-the face you make when you get a really terrible present but don’t want to hurt anybodies feelings. EX. “I could tell martha hated the chess set i got her, you could see that present face from a mile away.” Don’t miss the hilarious video accompaniment to this right here. Also, if you have a “present face” that you would like to share with Garfunkel and Oates, send a picture to mypresentface@gmail.com to help make the Present Face video of 2010.

6) Punchline Magazine’s Punchlist 2010 is still open. GO VOTE…. oh, and if you need some recommendations… here’s a few in this post.

7) As I announced several posts ago, instead of making a simple “10 best of 2010” type of list, I will one-up all other comedy websites/blogs by making a “10 BEST OF ‘best of 2010 lists’ LIST” very soon. From nationally recognized and respected lists to one’s that some guy just made on his Tumblr, they all have been gathered and taken into consideration and are currently being sorted through at the Comedy Bureau so you don’t have to wonder which one to listen to. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for more details.

8) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to MARIANNE SIERK-“@mrrrianne Santa came early – left me a pile of MAGIC TERMITE WINGS next to my window sill. I must have been a very good girl.” The lovely Marianne Sierk is quite deceptive every time she takes the stage as she has a very sweet demeanor, but crushes with her comedy, making sure she brings “the goods” every time. Touring colleges and corporations throughout the country, Marianne should never be missed, even if you have a moderate interest in comedy or laughing in general. Here are Marianne’s Website and Twitter. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for details on her next LA performance.

9) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Reggie Watts-Fuck Shit Stack

10) Donate to the Comedy Bureau so I can afford a bandwagon for everyone to jump on…. so they could donate again.

11) The Comedy Bureau currently has 109 followers on twitter, 62 on tumblr, 114 on facebook, and a startling number of people who know who I am without ever having talked to me…. that number being 2.

Report 00062

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/23/10

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., CAFE ON 2ND (call 626 284-1292 before going) 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min. guaranteed, SANDWICH SPOT (call 310 396-7768) 3101 Ocean Park, Santa Monica, CA/Starts 7PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) The rain has gone away, but if you’re just too comfy in your day bed watching youtube clips, you can stay right where you are and watch Reggie Watts on Conan at 11PM TBS. Though, you were probably going to watch Conan ANYWAY, right….? Because that’s what you should be doing….

6) As I announced several posts ago, instead of making a simple “10 best of 2010” type of list, I will one-up all other comedy websites/blogs by making a “10 BEST OF ‘best of 2010 lists’ LIST” very soon. From nationally recognized and respected lists to one’s that some guy just made on his Tumblr, they all have been gathered and taken into consideration and are currently being sorted through at the Comedy Bureau so you don’t have to wonder which one to listen to. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for more details.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to MARIANNE SIERK-“@mrrrianne Santa came early – left me a pile of MAGIC TERMITE WINGS next to my window sill. I must have been a very good girl.” The lovely Marianne Sierk is quite deceptive every time she takes the stage as she has a very sweet demeanor, but crushes with her comedy, making sure she brings “the goods” every time. Touring colleges and corporations throughout the country, Marianne should never be missed, even if you have a moderate interest in comedy or laughing in general. Here are Marianne’s Website and Twitter. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for details on her next LA performance.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Reggie Watts-Fuck Shit Stack

9) Donate to the Comedy Bureau so I can afford a bandwagon for everyone to jump on…. so they could donate again.

10) The Comedy Bureau currently has 109 followers on twitter, 62 on tumblr, 114 on facebook, and a startling number of people who know who I am without ever having talked to me…. that number being 2.

Report 00058

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/22/10

1) BIG THANKS to EVERYONE who made it out to BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE TOKYO @ SEÑOR FISH last night despite government issued warning of flash floods in the downtown LA area. Dedication and support like this is what makes “real people” say that this OPEN MIC is better than comedy clubs in the OC (claim from an audience member who didn’t know that there was comedy and stuck around until the end of the show). Special thanks once again to MARIANNE SIERK working her magic just like she does on decaf coffee. NEXT WEEK: PART 8 w/TONY SAM!!! AND MATT KNUDSEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2) Three days until Christmas and I’m still short on gifts. I’m going to do/see comedy about that instead of alleviating the problem and so should you. Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL features Christmas Conspiracy @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5, Greg Proops’ Smartest Man in the World LIVE @ Bar Lubitsch FREE 8PM, Last Call Comedy @ Irvine Improv $15/2 item min., Thai Rivera @ Ontario Improv 8PM $10/2 item min., and Ed Galvez’s Punk House @ Westside Comedy Theatre 9PM $8, then go buy gifts at Rite-Aid because they’ll be open. And cheap.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: LIBRARY A COFFEEHOUSE 3418 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 8:30PM, CAFE ON 2ND (call 626 284-1292 before going) 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min., SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) One of the cleverest comics I know in Los Angeles, Aparna Nancherla, was recently interviewed on NPR. Though, the title of the post reads, “Rookie Comedienne Likes Her Chances in LA”, Aparna has a wit and mastery of word play that is deserving of being featured on NPR, which you should check out here.

5) One night, a drifter randomly called out to me, “Yo ASSWIPE!! You got any weed?” as I was walking to my car and, for whatever reason, I wish Larry David was there, not instead of me, but with me, so I could witness his brilliance in action. Here’s a bit of it as Larry David contributes to the NY Times w/ “Thanks for the Tax Cut”.

6) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to ALISON AGOSTI: “@Just_Alison If you’re shopping at Brookstone for a last-minute gift, just don’t get that person anything. You obviously hate them.” "Former" podcaster that several people in the LA comedy community wish to resume her podcast “Live From a Shoebox”, Alison Agosti, though I’ve never personally had the pleasure of meeting her, has quite the delightfully dark sense of humor on Twitter that’s a joy to read everyday. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for details on if she resumes her podcasting duties and absolutely follow her on Twitter and/or her blog.

7) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Ultimate 11 Worst Open Mic Comics-Weird Comic

8) I know that there’s a lot of people that are offering support to Biggest Mistake’s Jen Goldberg’s predicament in her “chipwich debt” to comedian Asterios Kokkinos, but if you have any surplus “support” in the form of donations from helping them out, the Comedy Bureau would greatly appreciate it being sent our way.

9) There is something significant to be said of the “jaded” quotient here in Los Angeles as many comics have moved on to New Year’s Resolution material only three days away from Christmas.

Report 00061

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/21/10

1) TO THE COMEDY COMMUNITY AT LARGE: Steve Landesberg has unfortunately joined the company of Robert Schimmel, Leslie Nielsen, Blake Edwards, and Greg Giraldo with his untimely death yesterday Dec. 20th, 2010. Though death is still more of a tangential concept to me, such events make me wonder what I have done is comedian and what I plan to do in the “bigger picture”, that is, if I can even get to a point to be able to have a “bigger picture” in my sights. Trailing their journey through the road-less world of comedy through the pinnacles and low-points of their career, I don’t feel necessarily more driven than I already am, but I feel more encouraged towards that word that too many Hollywood types consider “dirty”: hope. I have hope, specifically in myself, that there is somewhere to go in this horribly cutthroat industry of ours, that its not just trudging through a horrible cancerous fog of doubt and uncertainty, that there’s a point to doing open mics. Some might call me naive and some might call me insane, (well, most people think I’m insane) but if you don’t have any faith or hope in yourself, then what are you doing telling jokes? May all the aforementioned dead rest in peace, but instead of a moment of silence, let’s all continue what they started in striving to better ourselves in whatever comedic pursuits we’re engaged in, which subsequently will make everyone else better. This is the overall mission of the Comedy Bureau. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming….

2) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL, as you can see, has a couple of shows that are regularly featured here as well as Bobcat Goldthwait. Before you start your possible instantenous judging of my taste, let me remind everyone that since his stint in stand-up, Bobcat has directed sketches for Dave Chapelle as well as World’s Greatest Dad, one of the best films of 2009. So I urge you, be open, be curious and, most importantly of all, ready to laugh when going to Mrs. Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge (for a good cause) @ Red Rock Bar & Eatery 8PM FREE, Bobcat Goldthwait @ Ice House 8PM $15/2 drink min., Holy Fuck! @ Downtown Independent Theater 9PM FREE, and The Ebeneezer Scrooge Telethon @ UCB Theatre 10PM $5.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE TOKYO @ SEÑOR FISH 422 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA (near downtown/Little Tokyo)/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM, WESTWOOD BREWCO 1097 Glendon Ave., Westwood, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 7:30PM/Starts 8PM, COFFEE GALLERY 2029 Lake Ave., Altadena, CA/Starts 8PM, SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) Big Trouble in Little Tokyo BACK IN ACTION for PART 7: NO CHRISTMAS FOR DAVID LO PAN is TONIGHT! Jokes, raffles, fish tacos, potato tacos, cheap beer, as well as wine, women, and song are in fully supply for this evening, not to mention MARIANNE SIERK!!! Señor Fish. 422 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA. Sign-up 6:30PM. Starts 7PM. *Supply of wine, women, and song subject to change without notice.

5) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to RUSSELL CORONA-“@RCoronaJokes It’s the thought that counts, that’s why you’re an afterthought.” Knowing Russell on a personal basis, I can tell all of you, he is a joke writing machine as he literally spends entire days writing one-liners and, occasionally, he has a good one (is this where I would put the smiley face emoticon?). He’ll be joining me tonight in hosting duties down at Señor Fish for the Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic and definitely follow him on Twitter.

6) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: World’s Greatest Dad Trailer (in reference to point about Bobcat Goldthwait above)

7) If I could afford to stand around all day and ask for donations, I really wouldn’t need donations. Please give to the Comedy Bureau if you can (picture me without the beard a la Oliver Twist in the LA rain)

8) If someone says to me again, “The first rule of the Comedy Bureau is don’t talk about the Comedy Bureau”, I’m going to institute the second rule of the Comedy Bureau: “Any person or persons making a Fight Club reference in a metaphor and/or simile to this blog can go shut the hell up for eternity and the eternity after.” Obviously, I get this a lot…

Report 00060

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Post Brunch Update 12/17/10

1) If you love comedy in all aspects of your life, including your daily news, do not miss an opportunity to check out almost brand spanking new HahaJK.com. Bannered on the top of the site by founder Jamie Kennedy is what seems to be their motto, “News the way you want it-Funny,” which the entire Comedy Bureau staff, myself included, says HahaJk.com completely delivers on. Covering the entire U.S. News gamut (politics, money, lifestyle, sports, and so on and so forth), HahaJK.com has a plethora of a “possibly factual” stories that are made even funnier by “possibly” altering a few details such as this story about Carnie Wilson of 80’s female supergroup Wilson Phillips having incredibly difficulty maintaining her weight. HahaJK.com is just in its soft-launch phase and it already has potential to give the Onion a run for its money and certainly put the Huffington Post in its place, especially since one of the Comedy Bureau’s favorites Tony Sam is one of their head writers. So, in case you skipped right here to the end, check out HahaJK.com.

2) On the sixth night of Christmas, my true love (if I had one) went on a COMEDY CRAWL with me, well… not really. If she existed, she probably be incredibly pretentious and want to go to the Silent Movie Theatre instead, but that’s not the case so go see some damn comedy with Dead Authors @ UCB Theatre 7PM $5, Destructo @ Meltdown Comics 7:30PM $6, Adam Carolla @ Irvine Improv 8PM/10PM $30/2 drink min., Bill Burr @ Brea Improv 8PM/10PM $20/2 drink min., Jokes from the Underground @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $5, Comedy Car Hole @ Comedy Car Hole 9PM FREE, Stood Up Friday Night @ Moving Arts Theatre 10PM $5, and We Wish You A Silly Spoofmas: A Holiday Special @ UCB Theatre MIDNIGHT $5.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6:30PM/Starts 7PM, iCANDY 1708 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/$3 min., GLENDALE DAYS INN 450 N. Pioneer Dr., Glendale, CA/Starts 8PM, TRINITY OPEN MIC 1015 California Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 8PM/must work clean, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) If you think that rain here transforms LA into some barren wasteland and INSIST on staying in, then you can watch Maria Bamford is on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS 12:35AM.

5) Ultimate Free and Cheap LA Comedy List 12/19-12/25. Merry Christmas and big thanks to Wisepix.

6) Jimmy Pardo’s entire 12 hour Pardcast-a-Thon featuring a cavalcade (yeah, I like $3 words) of celebrities and funny folks is now available for download and still raising money for Smile Train, a charity dedicated to giving impoverished children in need cleft-palate surgery. They’re over $26,000 now, why not push them over $30,000?

7) Wonder what the Midwest/Dallas-Ft. Worth area thinks of LA comedienne/theWorst.tv’s Shannon Hatch? Of course you do. That’s why you’ll read this interview from Dallas based culture website Serial Optimist.

8) Several people have asked me how they can be featured on the Comedy Bureau. As the Comedy Bureau’s tries to rid the public of comedy “red-tape”, the Comedy Bureau staff maintains a strict policy of bringing the Great Los Angeles Metropolitan Area the best in the LA comedy scene straight from the trenches. Thus, all one has to do be featured here: BE ABSOLUTELY FUNNY.

9) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” Today to CHRISTIAN DUGUAY “@christianduguay Little known fact – all 7-11s offer a murder weapon disposal service.” Christian not only writes gems on his Twitter and does stand-up in LA, but he produces several shows for MTV including Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, an impressive feat considering many comics that get the “Tip of the Hat” seemingly spend almost their entire day tweeting/facebooking/blogging. Follow Christian on Twitter here.

10) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Robert’s Christmas Story

11) Tonight, I’m performing, chronicling, becoming the Super Man from being the “Clark Kent” of LA Comedy at the Hollywood Improv for Jokes from the Underground. Follow me, I mean, The Comedy Bureau on Twitter for another night of comedy misadventures around LA. Also donate, too, or else I won’t get to the show… most likely…

12) I’ve gotten to the status of “that guy who writes a blog.” I think I could end 2010 feeling like I’ve accomplished something.

Report 00056

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Post Brunch Update 12/17/10

4) If you think that rain here transforms LA into some barren wasteland and INSIST on staying in, then you can watch Maria Bamford is on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS 12:35AM.

5) Ultimate Free and Cheap LA Comedy List 12/19-12/25. Merry Christmas and big thanks to Wisepix.

7) Wonder what the Midwest/Dallas-Ft. Worth area thinks of LA comedienne thinks of LA Comedienne/theWorst.tv’s Shannon Hatch? Of course you do. That’s why you’ll read this interview from Dallas based culture website Serial Optimist.

10) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Robert’s Christmas Story

12) I’ve gotten to the status of “that guy who writes a blog.” I think I could end 2010 feeling like I’ve accomplished something.

Report 00054

THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/16/10

1) Apparently, enough people read this blog in the LA comedy community so that The World Famous Comedy Store has taken notice.

The last time I heard anything from anybody at the Comedy Store was a couple a months ago when someone asked me, “Can you bring 5 people?” I’m glad that writing ABOUT comedy as opposed to writing and performing comedy, which I still voraciously commit myself to daily/nightly, is getting me somewhere. Thanks to all who read and there will be a night that I go to the Comedy Store/Improv/Ice House/etc. after I get some cash from Christmas “returns” and I’ll be pleasantly surprised if anybody knows who I am.

2) Yeah, there’s 12 shows on this list. Can I make it to all of them? Of course I can and so should you (STOP WORKING OUT THE “MOVIE PHYSICS” IN YOUR HEAD!!!) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL includes The Super Serious Show @ Smashbox Studios 7PM $18, Crisis on Infinite Comics and Comics 3-yr. Anniversary @ Meltdown Comics 7PM $5, Charlyne Yi @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5, Subversive Comedy w/Jimmy Dore & Friends @ Flappers Claremont 8PM $12/2 drink min., Comedy90210 @ Roxybury Cafe 8PM $5, 4 & 20 @ All Star Lanes 8PM FREE, Adam Carolla @ Irvine Improv 8PM $30/2 drink min., 2nd Annual Best Doorknockers Christmas Pageant Ever!!! @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $10/Two-for-one $5 each, Comedy Speakeasy @ TSR Lounge 8PM FREE, Bill Burr @ Brea Improv 8PM $17/2 drink min., The Produce Section Show @ 767 Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA (downtown) 8PM FREE (say “produce section” to doorman to get in), and certainly the last, but not least by any stretch of the imagination The Josh and Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE. Not that bad, right?

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park, Santa Monica, CA/Starts 7PM, COMEDY CRATE 1061 S. La Brea, Inglewood, CA/Starts 7PM, HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM, CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min., SIPOLOGY 448 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM, TKO SHOW @ 212 CAFE 212 Pier Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 9PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) Staying in because you have become it’s no longer slightly breezy at 70? Watch Johnny Pemberton on MTV’s Megadrive 11PM or Matt Braunger on E!’s Chelsea Lately also at 11PM because you will something actually or verbally destroyed.

5) There are actually more open mics that happen than what I list daily above in the “OPEN MIC RUN” feature. That rundown basically lists what I think is worth your time on a nightly basis, more or less (i.e. you won’t want to entirely quit comedy after doing those rooms). For an even more comprehensive listing, go to the Greater LA Open Mic Map, which lists every open mic I know of (constantly updated).

6) Maria Bamford’s One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! FREE! RIGHT HERE! FROM THE COMFORT OF THE VERY POSITION THAT YOU’RE SITTING IN!!!

7) For the Comedy Bureau “Tip of the Hat”, I follow over 300 people on Twitter, am friends with over 300 comics on Facebook, and follow over 80 people on Tumblr, ALL OF WHICH IS READ BY ME (that does indeed me I read every f’n tweet/blog of every person I follow). This is why I’m severely curtailing following more people on Twitter and Tumblr to keep my sanity. However, if you want to be considered for the “Tip of the Hat”, you can make my life infinitely easier by submitting a status update/tweet/quote/blog post/joke/video/picture that you took/etc. to thecomedybureau@gmail.com with your name, “FYC Tip of the Hat”, and the date in the subject line. Speaking of which…

8) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to DAVE ROSS-“@davetotheross honestly ladies, a side-hug might as well be a fork in the eye.” Dave Ross joins the “Tip of the Hat x 2 Club” here and deservedly so with his dominating and hilarious online presence (Dave’s Cats and Pussy Podcast was nominated by Punchline Magazine as one of the Best New Podcasts of 2010) and his show Holy Fuck!, one of my favorites about town. So… check out Dave’s fantastic website and follow him on Twitter and don’t miss the next edition of Holy Fuck! next Tuesday Dec. 21st at the Downtown Independent Theatre for completely fucking FREE!!!

9) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Bill Hicks on Marketing (RIP Bill Hicks… Dec. 16th was his birthday)

10) “Build it and they will donate.”-Cheap attempt #23 to get people to donate to the Comedy Bureau.

11) TONIGHT: LIVE TWEETING at a Run of Shows OR Open Mics—-follow here to find out where my comedy misadventures take me tonight. (Perhaps I’ll try some of that Asian Christmas work party material….)

12) When going over a joke with the word “normalcy” in it, someone once told me that “normalcy” was a big word. Perhaps, he’s the type of person that would only understand the term “double plus normal way”.

Report 00055

THE COMEDY BUREAU

« Recent News

Older News »