hot tub with kurt and kristen – The Comedy Bureau

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 208: Kurt Braunohler & 20 Years of a Weekly Comedy Show

March 20, 2024

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2005 seems both so recent and yet so distant, but that marks the time at which a happenstance pairing of Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal backstage at the Peoples Improv Theater in NYC eventually led to run of the longest running, most beloved weekly live comedy shows in comedy history, Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen.

Coming up on its 20th anniversary (and subsequent swan song), Hot Tub has been a treasure in LA, NYC, and wherever its toured (notably, for us, in Portland & Edinburgh). Kurt joins us this week to give an oral history of what is and will always be one of the landmark comedy shows of the this part of the 21st century.

Follow Kurt @kurtbraunohler across socials and at kurtcomedy.com. Find all things Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen @hottub_show across socials.

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger
Photo by @nickgast

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 151: Joel Mandelkorn & The Re-Rebirth of Hot Tub

February 15, 2023

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

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One of our favorite guests/people/minds in comedy, Joel Mandelkorn, returns as has one of LA’s biggest comedy shows, Hot Tub with Kurt Kristen, the show he has co-produced for almost a decade here in LA. Joel fills us in, as part of the “new normal” we live in, on moving the show from its historic time of 8PM on Mondays (it had that time in NYC for all the years that it ran there as well) to Wednesdays, being permanently outside, and his thoughts on Angelenos being properly prepared for any wintry conditions.

Also, “hot” takes on the return of @midnight, Tina & Amy’s four city tour, and more.

Follow Joel @cleftclips and follow Hot Tub with @hottub_show across socials.

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

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

Pick of the Day: Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen @ Permanent Records Roadhouse (in LA) Wed. Starting 1/11

January 5, 2023

News

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Finally, at long last, Hot Tub with Kurt Braunohler & Kristen Schaal is returning (again). There was a brief window last year where we got some semblance of what we left on Mondays nights in 2019, but then it went away again (and we didn’t know how long it would be gone this time).

Thank gracious goodness that Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen, one of LA comedy’s most venerable weekly comedy shows, is coming to a new home starting next week with a new day as well. Starting Jan. 11th, Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen will be at Permanent Records Roadhouse in Cypress Park/Glassell Park on Wednesdays at 8PM sharp.

This first 2023 Hot Tub will, as you’d expect, will have an unbelievably stacked line-up of treasured comedians that just happen to reside in the City of Angels including Nick Kroll, Sheng Wang, Christina Catherine Martinez, Blair Socci, and Sophie Buddle.

Advanced tickets are already sold out, but there will be door tickets available for $12. Note that you’ll probably want to be there early if you want to be able to snag them (the pupusas a couple doors down is a pretty great option while you wait, FYI).

Follow @hottub_show closely to get advanced tickets for the coming weeks.

*poster by Adrienne Lobl

Pick of the Day: Return of Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen (and Launch of Patreon) 9/14

September 10, 2020

News

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Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen has been such a bedrock in the world of community wherever it has been. NYC, LA, festivals across the country, etc. have gotten blessed with Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal and the extremely well curated and produced line-up of stand-ups, variety acts, and other marvelous weirdos every Monday for several years.

Even in this pandemic, Hot Tub Home Edition, presented by CleftClips along with Hold The Phone Comedy, has brought some peace and joy to Mondays (as well as a reminder that it is Monday in a world where time feels meaningless). They took August off, but are now coming back in this coming Mon., Sept. 14th and will be launching a Patreon that has also sorts of exclusive goodies for supporters. Depending on what tier you sign-up for, you can get discounted merch, access to archived shows, live audience access for Hot Tub Home Edition, and even Q&As with Kurt and Kristen.

Sign-up for Hot Tub’s Patreon and support one of comedy’s most venerable indie institutions here.

If you can’t spare the support, you can still enjoy Hot Tub Home Edition for FREE at holdthephone.tv every Monday at 8PM PT/11PM ET.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 2: Joel Mandelkorn & Live-streaming Live Comedy

April 8, 2020

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

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This second episode of The Comedy Bureau Field Report goes a bit behind-the-scenes as TCB founder Jake Kroeger sits (remotely) down with one of the best comedy producers around, Joel Mandelkorn (Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen, The Super Serious Show, Toasty, plenty of short films and TV projects). Having co-produced (with producer/life partner Mandee Johnson) Hot Tub with Kurt [Braunohler] and Kristen [Schaal], absolutely one of LA’s best weekly comedy shows, Joel had to hit the ground running into translating that show into a live-stream stand-up show because of, well… you know, the global pandemic. Also, we go to 40 minutes, but it’s worth it.

They talk the challenges and nuances of such an endeavor as well as a workplace comedy TV series set in the times of COVID-19 already being in the works, premium free series that are suddenly free at HBO and IFC, (as always) what you should be watching and listening to (GAYME SHOW and Butterboy), and what we think the future holds for the sort of comedic bits that’ll work months from now in seeing live comedy again.

Tune into Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen Home Edition on Mondays at 8PM PST/11PM EST at holdthephone.tv, Follow Joel @cleftclips and follow The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB’s GoFundMe.

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

Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen Is Back On! (via Livestream)

March 23, 2020

News

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One of the pillars of LA comedy is the amazing, weekly Monday (mostly) stand-up show, Hot Tub with Kurt & Kristen. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to plenty of suspensions of live comedy shows across the board right now leading to a big wave of livestreaming, especially in the last week.

Thus, Hot Tub is joining in, starting tonight, on said wave, thankfully, at its same time, 8PM on Mondays with yet another fantastic line-up. In fact, it might be the first time that Hot Tub has ever done this and this might be the first live comedy show in LA to return via livestreaming.

This first livestreamed Hot Tub has a line-up of:

Ian Abramson
Dana Donnelly
Chris Garcia
Maya May
Caleb Synan
Sarah Tollemache
Nick Turner
Nick Ciarelli and Brad Evans

You’ll just have to watch it on Twitch at 8PM PDT/11PM EST. Tune in via Twitch here: http://bit.ly/hottubstream. Also, they’ll be taking donations during the show via Twitch, but you can donate to the comedians performing before the show here.

Poster by Adrienne Lobl