idiot – The Comedy Bureau

Pick of the Day: Stamptown (in NY & LA)

June 7, 2021

clowning, comedy shows, daniel simonsen, idiot, jo firestone, jordan temple, la comedy, Marcia Belsky, martin urbano, nyc comedy, rosebud baker, stamptown, stavros halkias, zach zucker

Before lockdown, you may have not gotten a chance to catch the madcap variety show that is Stamptown hosted by one of its fearless leader Zach Zucker, but you damn well better not miss your chance this time around. It’s a wild round-up of comedians from every corner of comedy, though it definitely leans in to comedy’s more chaotic, alternative edges.

They’re currently doing recurring shows in both NY and LA, outdoors and indoors, for fully vaccinated audiences. They’ve got a backyard show lined-up for Jun. 15th in NYC as well two indoors shows, Jun. 17th @ Asylum NYC and Jun. 23rd @ Union Hall.

Follow them @stamptown on IG for further updates on shows as they sell out pretty quick.

Line-up for 6/17:
Rosebud Baker
Marcia Belsky
Please Don’t Destroy
Aj Holmes
Steve Girard
Daniel Simonsen
Jordan Temple
& Emily Wilson

Line-up for 6/23:
Jo Firestone
Martin Urbano
Larry Owens
Daniel Simonsen
Stavros Halkias
Marcia Belsky

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 33: Chad Damiani & Clowning/Idiot in a Pandemic

November 11, 2020

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

adult swim festival, chad damiani, clowning, idiot, long form improv, sacha baron cohen

Before COVID-19 took hold, a new form of “clowning” that was so much more rebellious and absurd than most other live comedy, or even any clowning you likely would have seen in the past, had really started to take hold in Los Angeles. Through the last few years, such inspired, spirited, and ingenious performers like Chad Damiani were instrumental into not only pushing the boundaries of what you could do with blending characters, improv, physical comedy, etc. on a live stage, but pushing the boundaries of what you could do with live comedy as a whole. Chad dives into the whole world of clowning/idiot, with TCB’s Jake Kroeger, as it was in 2019 going into 2020 and what the clowning/idiot community has had to do to adapt to the pandemic (a growing number of outdoor shows in parks). Also, some quick “hot” takes on Adult Swim Festival’s full virtual line-up and Sacha Baron Cohen setting his sights for Mark Zuckerberg.

Follow Chad @thechaddamiani on Instagram

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

December 9, 2019

Uncategorized

chad damiani, clowning, experimental comedy, idiot, jet eveleth

Beloved clowns Chad Damiani and Jet Eveleth have been doing this thing where they “attempt” to put up a version of some well-known play or production with a bit of live direction, then have to deal with things not going according to plan (which is ultimately part of the plan).

So, they’re gathering up a bunch of their favorite clown/idiot compatriots to take on the Nativity Show, which is the sort of holiday chaos we’re down for.

We’re excited to see what they all do with what they’re calling The Best Version of the Nativity Show. It’s set for Fri. Dec. 13th at the brand spanking new venue Silver Park Arts. Tickets are $7.89 and you can (and very much should) get them here.

September 2, 2017

Uncategorized

clowning, comedy show, dtla, experimental comedy, idiot, john gilkey, live comedy, los angeles, think tank gallery, wet the hippo

If you’re wondering what people are doing at the edges of comedy in terms of experimenting with the form, challenging methods, etc., you might want to check out The Idiot Hub.

The Idiot Hub is an absurdist comedy collective, started by one John Gilkey, that likes to peel back every convention and trope of comedy that they can in favor of something silly and visceral. Starting off in 2013 as the ensemble known as Wet The Hippo, they have since expanded into other shows that you might have heard or seen around LA such such as The Murge and The Vivian Beckley Performing Arts Players and classes.

Typical performances will have a very sizable cast and aim to be more interactive, very physical, defy expectation, and be absent of a “fourth wall”. For instance, The Murge will have Gilkey pick and guide/heckle players into some sort of crazy bit as if a stand-up was directing a very otherworldly improv scene.

The Murge and The Vivian Beckley Performing Arts Players will be doing their next show at The Think Tank Gallery in Downtown LA as part of Drinkin’ Smokin’ & West Coastin’ on Saturday September 9th starting at 9PM.

Tickets are $17-$23 and you can (and should) get them here.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

March 16, 2011

Uncategorized

glenn beck, idiot, kyle kinane, middle east, revolution, toast, tsunami, uprising, yahoo sucks

kylekinane:

The front page of Yahoo.com, because “Fuck you, everyone” just doesn’t meet their expectations of subtlety.

I’m not looking for the masterminds behind a free email service to break down the way of the world, but TOAST? The headline, five days after a world catastrophe, in the midst of a Middle Eastern revolution, while soldiers are still dying in an unjust war, while our country still bobs up and down in state of instability, and the headline is fucking TOAST? How about “We’re gonna take a day off so as not to offend you with how blatantly we’ve checked-the-fuck-out of day to day existence?” No, still need to run a story. Here’s how to make toast.

Oh, motherfucker.

BRING ME THE HEAD OF WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAYING “YEAH, GO AHEAD AND RUN THE TOAST PIECE.”

Japan’s earthquake/tsunami is not a message from God, as Glenn Beck would like you to think. I can accept that. If it’s true, that God is trying to warn us for being un-Christianly, it means God’s a fucking prick and fuck him anyway. If it’s false, it means Glenn Beck’s a frothing moron. Either way, the point is made. Either God is real and he sucks or God is fake and his believers have shit-for-brains. Personally, I think Japan’s earthquake/tsunami, while undeniably tragic, is the way the Earth and it’s scientific make-up works. Sometimes it’s beautiful and sometimes it’s horrific, but nature is unpredictable. We need to just rally and find a common goal, which is to just help out your neighbor. It’s 2011, and now “neighbor” means “everyone.” Yahoo deciding to put on it’s front page HOW TO MAKE FUCKING TOAST is a sign that we, as a culture, as a species, as a creation of circumstance and biology, have reached a point TO CALL IT QUITS. I mean, it’s not even an article on how to make bread—it’s an article on how to strategically burn bread. It’s an entire write-up on how to accurately destroy, to a degree, something that is heralded as a benchmark of human accomplishment.

Glenn Beck can ease up on this fictional “God” that’s giving us warning signs that the end is near. We’re providing them for ourselves. And the number of people that actually believe Glenn Beck as a truth-teller is one of the most glaring signs of all.

Glenn Beck is not a prophet, but a sign of the apocalypse.

Of course, sometimes Jesus does show up in a piece of toast…