james adomian – The Comedy Bureau

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 235: James Adomian & (All the) Path(s) of Most Resistance

October 2, 2024

One of comedy’s most brilliant chameleons and searingly funny voices, James Adomian, has just released his very first hour special, The Path of Most Resistance. It’s an astounding hour of comedy and James leaves it all out on the stage for the benefit of us all. We talk it up with our good friend and one in a lifetime talent, Adomian, about the journey to this special as well as every other facet of the comedy industry along the way (as well as a brilliant dream about performing for aliens).

Follow James @jadomian across platforms and watch/listen/enjoy Path of Most Resistance wherever you get your comedy specials.

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

TCB Debriefing 8/11-9/21/24: Emmys, Langston Kerman, James Adomian, Tim Robinson, Tommy Dassalo, and more!

September 21, 2024

News

armando iannucci, ben stiller, chair company, conner o'malley, emmys, golden globes, james adomian, jfl, langston kerman, mickey 17, nikki glaser, pack theater, tim robinson, wgis, will and harper, will ferrell

*apologies for taking so long to getting to posting these. running a theater and a bureau is almost humanly impossible

1. Even though an actual comedy, Hacks, won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series at this year’s Emmys, The Bear still won plenty of categories this time around, enough to make the case for getting rid of genre in the Emmys or whatever the hell we have to do to make What We Do in the Shadows get another goddamn Emmy.

2. Good news for all the I Think You Should Leave faithful: HBO has made the very wise decision to greenlight Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin’s series The Chair Company. While the premise of a man stumbling into a conspiracy at the company he works at after an embarrassing incident is vague, Robinson and Kanin might be the very best in capturing how absurd corporate culture has become that it makes the collective unconscious want to scream about the tiniest minutia.

3. Simply put, Langston Kerman has the most flowery ways (given his background in poetry) to exquisitely paint some of the darkest jokes we’ve heard in recent memory and, as such, his new hour special, Bad Poetry, is a luminous, yet dark, enthralling gem of stand-up comedy (and one of the very best specials of 2024). Please enjoy Bad Poetry, now streaming on Netflix.

4. James Adomian is such a comedic force of nature and has been for years and years, on stage, screen, and podcast, in costume and out, it’s criminal that Path of Most Resistance is only his very first hour special (amongst many other things). Adomian, of course, delivers on the goods in this new hour; the goods being his signature masterfully impressions (often sounding like a dead ringer for whomever James is impersonating) that are infused with his whipsmart, sharply drawn observations on even the most niche facets of culture and politics (making a bit on nature doc legend, David Attenborough, hilariously accessible). We would be hard pressed to say that even a good percentage of comedians leave it all out on the stage for an hour special, but the progression of sweat through Adomian’s shirts throughout the special should prove that he gave you his all and getting “all” from Adomian is something to be truly cherished.

Please enjoy Path of Most Resistance, now streaming on YouTube here.

5. Beloved indie comedy outfits, The Pack Theater and World’s Greatest Improv School AKA WGIS, are being reborn, yet again, right next to The Clubhouse in LA. They’ve got a GoFundMe going to pay for their basic needs in remodeling and having important things like, you know, A/C. Please donate/support/share here. When set, Los Feliz might have the greatest concentration of comedy in LA, specifically the 1600 N. block of Vermont Ave.

6. It’s not like Will Ferrell hasn’t been in funny tearjerkers before (Elf if you’re thinking too hard), but the doc, Will & Harper, in which he goes on a road trip with one of his closest friends, a former SNL head writer, looks to be on a whole other level. Peep a look at all the emotional strings it will pull in the trailer here, then look for it on Netflix next week on Sept. 27th.

7. Ben Stiller has taken a bit of a shine, as of late, to being in the producer’s chair with his hands in everything from Severance to and In the Dark. That said, don’t count him out as top-billed marquee talent as TIFF hit, Nutcrackers, got snatched up by Hulu in a sizzling 8 figure deal. It’s a classic-ish fish-out-of-water comedy set in the world of ballet, but done so out in the sticks. Fingers crossed that they don’t put all the best bits in the trailer.

8. Boon Joon-ho might have landed on his most “fun” movie yet. Quotation marks necessitated as this dark comedy follows a not so distant future where people can volunteer for scientific study that has them die and get reprinted (rather than reborn) with their consciousness intact. Robert Pattinson might be on to a performance here that might outdo him playing Batman, truly (and don’t forget a stellar supporting cast of Toni Collette, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun, and Mark Ruffalo). Take a look at the wicked dystopian mischief of Mickey 17 with the trailer here, then look for it in theaters on Jan. 31st.

9. Armando Iannucci, one of the sharpest voices and mind we have in comedy in this Golden Age of TV, is putting his sights on comic book movies or, rather, the insanity that goes into making them with his latest HBO series, The Franchise. Get a taste of what’s to come here, which looks promising as it’s the satire of In the Loop and Veep, but in an MCU movie.

10. Nikki Glaser is set to host the next Golden Globes and will likely make up for many of the missteps that Golden Globes have made in the recent past. Also, don’t be surprised if Glaser, with what should be an arsenal of gleaming roast jokes, will outshine Ricky Gervais’ past heralded Golden Globes hosting performances.

11. All late night guests, please take notes from Conner O’Malley on Seth Meyers and please make your interviews more entertaining/worth watching.

12. Just For Laughs isn’t dead. Following a bankruptcy scare, they have set dates for their return that will not include the heralded Montreal festival, but one in Sydney later this Fall. New owners ComediHa! have a tall order ahead of them if they’re aiming to bring back JFL to the prominence that it had about 15 years ago.

13. For all that’s bandied about whether comedy specials are really that “special”, Aussie comedian Tommy Dassalo really went for something wildly different (and subsequently very special) with his new hour show Scam Artist. The giant screen filled with his very own animation that’s sequenced in with his material on top of a carefully woven about the infectiousness of being scammed to only turn around and getting into scamming yourself is a beautiful mash-up of pastel playfulness, subversive bite, and unfettered honesty. Dassalo’s raising the bar on specials (without cutting away to doc footage or a sketch) and doing so while telling a wickedly funny story about fooling people into thinking he’s part of the seminal electronica band, Hot Chip. Please enjoy Scam Artist here.

14. Only Murders in the Building keeps marching on as one of the pinnacles of comedy intersecting America’s obsession with true crime as season 4 has already set off and very little time passed before getting a season 5 renewal order.

15. The latest comedic offering about time travel, specifically time loops, is here with Omni Loop, now in limited release and on demand. This Bernardo Britto feature boasts a cast of Mary Louise Parker and Ayo Edebiri (and the fun device of a black hole growing inside one’s chest cavity). See for yourself with Omni Loop’s trailer here, which suggests something way better than the overrated Palm Springs.

16. Secret line-up, live comedy pop-up juggernaut, Don’t Tell Comedy, has struck a first look deal with TheYearOfElan to produce unscripted content, a far cry from just doing pop up shows in backyards.

17. Raphael Bob-Waksberg, the creator of BoJack Horseman, finally has another animated series lined up, Long Story Short. It’s a comedy that follows the dynamics of a family over time, which, if you know BoJack Horseman, ought to go some pretty radical places. Look for its premiere in 2025 on Netflix.

18. The dark mind that brought us Oldboy and Decision to Leave is finally getting into a comedy. That’s right, Korean auteur Park Chan-wook is making a comedy, I Can’t Help It, adapting the American novel The Ax by Donald Westlake. Considering it follows a man who gets violently desperate after being laid off by a paper company, this very well might be what Chan-wook would do with an episode of The Office.

19. Inside Out 2 is the first animated movie to gross over a billion dollars overseas. That’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll see Inside Out 3, 4, and probably 5 (and you’ve got to wonder if they’ll get as existential as the Toy Story franchise).

20. See what often lies on the other side of film school with the trailer for Morgan Evans’ Micro Budget, filled with a cavalcade of comedy stars including Bobby Moynihan, Chris Parnell, Maria Bamford, Emilea Wilson, Patrick Noth, Brandon Micheal Hall, Jordan Rock, Nichole Sakura, Carla Jimenez, Hal Linden, Jon Gabrus, Kate Flannery, Matt McCoy, Mike Mitchell, and Neil Casey.

21. Please read up on what Emmy/Grammy award winning Alex Edelman learned from doing a Broadway show about hate here.

22. For all the jokes that are made about astrology, documentarian Peter Kerekes follows a real life astrologer, Luciana, and her clientele to see where their hopes and subsequent readings take them. From the looks of Wishing on a Star, the sheer truth of it seems highlight how quietly absurd (and hysterical) life can be. See for yourself with the trailer here.

23. Ruben Östlund and Roy Andersson have served Sweden well in offering some of the most innovative, genre-redefining comedies in recent memory. Ernst De Geer might end up joining them with his debut feature The Hypnosis, a dark comedy about a hypnosis going sideways, perhaps not the way that some folks wanted. Take a gander at the trailer here, then stream it on MUBI now.

24. Ted Lasso is very close to having a season 4, which definitely means you’ll have another crack at Coach Lasso’s biscuits when they gear up for this next season.

25. While Netflix will have a Jamie Foxx comedy special touching upon his recent medical emergency, Hulu and Amazon are continuing to stack their comedy special deck with Ilana Glazer, Jessica Kirson, and George Lopez.. Expect more big time specials from all the big time streamers throughout 2025.

26. We’ll leave you with this: Just askin’; anyone want free tickets for Ben Schwartz on 10/5 at the Orpheum?

TCB Debriefing 7/21-8/10: Roy Wood Jr. on CNN, Inside Out TV Series, Saturday Night Trailer+++

1. Roy Wood Jr. will be hosting his own topical panel show on, not Comedy Central, but CNN with Have I Got News For You. While The Daily Show did get Jon Stewart back, there is an unmistakable feeling that they missed out here.

2. Disney’s own version of Comic Con, D23, is this weekend and the big takeaway is that Mickey and company will be sticking with their big hits from Pixar in the form of an Inside Out series, another sequel to The Incredibles, and another sequel to Toy Story (which begs the question how much more existential crises can they explore through the nature of sentient toys).

3. Let’s call that a take 2 on Studio 60, but this time, from Jason Reitman that actually tackles the origin story of SNL head on (and it looks pretty damn great). Take a gander at the trailer for Saturday Night here, then look for it in theaters come Oct. 11th.

4. Adam Sandler took a big leap into the Safdie Brothers’ world when diving into Uncut Gems, and Josh Safdie is returning the favor by directing Sandler’s latest stand-up special, Love You (take a look at the trailer here). Let’s see if this leads to a Safdie Brothers slapstick comedy. Love You will hit Netflix later this month on Aug. 27th.

5. The High Plains Comedy Festival in Denver, CO is still one of the very best comedy festivals around (and is coming up soon on Sept. 19th-21st). Peep their first line-up announcement! THEN, go get your fest passes here.

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6. Given how truly insane the winds of change feels these days, a wave of absurdism/non-sequitur/unapologetic deconstructionist satire in a comedy special (as opposed to more litanies of crowd-work-fueled comedy specials) feels more than needed. Fortunately, Carmen Christopher has come through with his latest and very hilarious special Live from the Windy City that serves up many shots of all those ingredients in addition to thankfully showcasing Christopher’s stand up chops in a non-COVID-socially-distanced setting. If you’re any level of fan of I Think You Should Leave, you might recognized Carmen from a sketch or two and, as such, you’re really going to dig Live from the Windy City (after all, Tim Robinson does have his name attached to this special). Live from the Windy City is now streaming on VEEPS and you can (and should) stream it here.

7. While Abbott Elementary has the hearts and minds of America’s primetime viewing audience, FX is giving the high school work place comedy its own treatment with English Teacher from Brian Jordan Alvarez (that seems to have the same very satisfying bite that Election had over 20 years ago). Also, Sean Patton as Markie might be TV’s latest scene stealer. See for yourself with the trailer here, then look for the premiere on FX/Hulu on Sept. 2nd.

8. James Adomian, who voices many of your favorite adult animated series, is one of comedy’s best minds and voices and has been for years now. Thankfully, his very first hour special is due out on 800 Pound Gorilla on Aug. 16th and then, for everyone, on Sept. 19th. Please enjoy his retro comedy special trailer for Path of Most Resistance here.

9. After having some of the very best moments in season 1 of White Lotus, Natasha Rothwell is taking center stage with her very own series How to Die Alone, a comedy following a carpe-diem-turn for a woman who is afraid to fly, but works an airport. See what Natasha has up her sleeve with the trailer for How To Die Alone here, then look for it exclusively on Hulu come Sept. 13th.

10. Both Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney are leaving SNL, which means the new cast announcement for the next season might be big (and plenty diverse).

11. Ramy Youssef has signed a first look deal with Netflix, which is yet another step for the rising comedy star. Note that this doesn’t mean he has the answer to achieving peace in the Middle East (only great jokes about it).

12. Quinta Brunson and Stephanie Hsu are teaming up on a comedy feature for Universal. No plot details are available at this time, which leaves us to assume that it’s about a multiverse of public schools that also don’t have enough funding.

13. It’s about time there was a Mitch Hedberg documentary especially considering that he set an intention of telling jokes without references so he could be timeless. Keep an eye out for this doc from 222-2222 Films.

13. While Chloe Radcliffe is in Edinburgh right now racking up well deserved acclaimed for her marvelous solo show, CHEAT, let’s not forget that Chloe is really damn good at stand-up. See her Don’t Tell set here for proof.

14. Not only is the fifth season of Solar Opposites around the corner (Aug. 12th on Hulu) and it just got renewed for another season, but it seems as any lingering controversy with Justin Roiland’s exit is well in the rear view mirror. All looks like a well oiled machine in this trailer for the new season.

15. In addition to Sam Morril making his Amazon debut with his brand spankin’ new special You’ve Changed, there’s, essentially, a bonus track of crowd work/material available exclusively on newly forged comedian streaming platform PunchUp called “Buying Drinks”. If you loved Sam’s rooftop stuff, you’ll love this.

16. In addition to doing a sharply honed high school comedy, it would seem FX is angling on a Gen-Z version of Friends with their new series, Snowflakes. Shout out to comedian Malik Elassal has is kind of having a banner year in 2024.

17. We don’t know how many seasons What We Do In the Shadows will ultimately go, but thank goodness Danny McBride is getting to work on adapting his own vampire comedy from Grady Hendrix’s book The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.

18. While a return to pure comedy might seem unlikely for acclaimed horror director Jordan Peele, him taking on prank series Scare Tactics is a welcome dip back into comedy. Look for Peele to possibly revolutionize prank shows later this Fall on USA Network.

19. We’ll leave you with this: Free tickets to John Early @ The Bellwether on 9/17 anyone? Yes? Hit us up at thecomedybureau@gmail.com and we’ll see if we can hook you up.

Pick of the Day: The Dollop 10 Year Anniversary (in LA) 4/27

March 20, 2024

News

dave anthony, gareth reynolds, james adomian, karen kilgariff, live podcast, los angeles comedy, the dollop

Though perhaps he did not know that having Gareth Reynolds riff, often startled, at the true absurdity of a deep cut history lesson (and how often alarmingly relevant it is today), but Dave Anthony had some kind of hunch that his excavating a particular flavor of American history (and the history of wherever this podcast his toured) with comedic act outs and banter would be something to chase wherever it led.

10 years later, The Dollop, reigns as one of the best pieces of edutainment around, not just in the podcast realm. Hundreds upon hundreds of episode of Dave and Gary and, from time to time, some amazing guests (Rory Scovel, Wil Anderson automatically come to mind) give the best slice of history that makes us all really rue the history education we received at any level of schooling.

With that in mind, Dave and “Gary” are celebrating the momentous 10 year anniversary of The Dollop in LA at The Palace Theatre in DTLA on Sat. Apr. 27th at 7PM with very, very special guests James Adomian and Karen Kilgariff. We bet even if this is the first time of hearing about the Dollop, you’d have grand ole time. Tickets start at $60 and you best go get them here.

The 101 Best Things in Comedy We Were Witness To in 2023 in No Particular Order

January 2, 2024

News

aaron jackson, academy museum, addi somekh, addie weyrich, albert brooks, alex edelman, alexander payne, alison stevenson, American fiction, andy iwancio, ari aster, asteroid city, barbie, beau is afraid, ben roy, Ben Wasserman, beth stelling, blair socci, bottoms, brad wenzel, cam gavinski, carol and the end of the world, chad damiani, chop and steele, chris estrada, chris fleming, civil dead, clay tatum, cole escola, cunk on earth, david drake, david gborie, demi adejuyigbe, Diane Morgan, dicks the musical, dream scenario, drew lausch, emma morgan, emma seligman, emma stone, ever mainard, extraordinary, fortune feimster, frankie quinones, futurama, gareth reynolds, green room, greg barris, greta gerwig, handsome podcast, hari kondabolu, harley quinn, hasan minhaj, how to with john wilson, i think you should leave, il fungo, jackie johnson, jackie kashian, james adomian, james hamilton, jamie loftus, jay jurden, jenny zigrino, jerrod carmichael, jesse david fox, jessica sele, joe kwaczala, joe pera, joe zimmerman, john early, john oliver, john waters, josh sharp, joy ride, julia sweeney, katherine blanford, kyle ayers, kyle kinane, langston kerman, last week tonight, lbj the play, leslie liao, Mae Martin, marc maron, maria bamford, mark vigeant, michael j feldman, mike bridenstine, mike lindell, mo welch, molly gordon, moses storm, nate craig, nick lieberman, paul giamatti, paul provenza, perfect amount of wrong, poor things, protected under parody, Rachel Coster, rachel kaly, rachel mac, Rachel Sennott, raine allen miller, reservation dogs, richard perez, richelle meiss, rob reiner, rye laine, sabrina wu, sam walt jones, scout durwood, steph tolev, sunanda, the holdovers, the other two, theater camp, this fool, tig notaro, tim robinson, Tina Friml, tom thakkar, tyler jackson, veronica osorio, wes anderson, whitmer thomas, yorgos lanthimos, zach teague, ziwe

Sorry for the delay and getting this on the 2nd. As always, we wanted to be thorough and not miss out on anything in late December like other lists (and, boy howdy, there were). Anyhow after working tirelessly through New Year’s Day up until now, here is our grand list of the 100 best things in comedy we saw/heard/etc. in 2023, in no particular order.

*An egregious error has been made in not including Gary Gulman’s brilliant new hour special. It’s so egregious that we are, for this one time only, expanding from 100 to 101. May Gary forgive us for the tardy inclusion.

Jerrod Carmichael turned awards hosting on its head with his performance at The Golden Globes (kind of like he did with his SNL monologue and he should be hosting way more things).
In addition to stealing every scene that they were in for Joy Ride, Sabrina Wu has more than put themselves on their map as a stand-up, especially with a stand out set on Netflix’s Verified Stand-Up.
Cole Escola might have just outdone Eddie Murphy in regards to how many characters you can comically play on screen at the same time with their “lost” pilot for the Western “drama”, Our Home Out West.
Diane Morgan’s Philomena Cunk has reached Alan Partridge status with Cunk on Earth.
Between her interview with George Santos and her seminal collection of essays, Black Friend,, Ziwe‘s iconic status continues to grow and Showtime will look more and more stupid for cancelling her show.
LBJ the Play achieves comedic brilliance while also, somehow, bridging the wide gap between President Lyndon B. Johnson and gender identity.
The Perfect Amount of Wrong by Mike Bridenstine gives a great portrait of how kindred spirits in a comedy scene, specifically North Chicago alt-comedy, can evolve into some of the most celebrated performers of our time (and make you wonder what the magical ingredients are in 2024 to make that sort of thing happen again).
The hysterical Rachel Kaly attempted to get back on Conan after appearing as a child with jokes that she wrote when she was a child. The journey was thankfully all captured in the blisteringly hilarious short film ATTN: CONAN O’BRIEN.
Everyone who got to see Ben Wasserman do what will likely the best show to ever happen at a funeral home/mortuary/cemetery with Live After Death has been forever changed for the better.
Yorgos Lanthimos outdid himself again with the exquisite, towering, fairy tale satire that is Poor Things featuring a career defining turn from Emma Stone (and Ramy Youssef).
Kyle Kinane‘s Shock and Struts delivered the goods, almost in the way that the truck in a 20+ min. closing story delivered him and his truck out of the desert.
Michael J. Feldman‘s solo show No, But I’m Definitely in a Better Place Than I Been in a Long Time is the solo show we both all deserve (and can revel in as it hits that gallows humor nerve perfectly).
Addie Weyrich must have set some sort of record by having the overwhelming majority of the audience at The Addie Show individually take part of the show (complete with one of over 100 note cards with specific instructions on it).
Addi Somekh made us rethink both balloon hats and the world arounds us with Inflatable Planet.
Sure, Meg Ryan made a return to form in a rom com this year, but Rye Lane, the feature debut of Raine Allen Miller, in our minds, is the top of the pops for romantic comedies in 2023.
Mae Martin plus a forest of trees on stage plus Abbi Jacobson directing equals Sap, one of the most dreamy comedy specials in recent memory.
Mark Vigeant never ceases to amaze with his commitment to the bit, cleverness to go meta, and his vulnerability, all on wondrous display with his solo show, Mark Pleases You.
Chad Damiani‘s half hour of silent improv is a ridiculous treat, even as shirts come off, sweat flies everywhere, and the narrative thread is often illusory.
Scout Durwood pulls out all the stops for the marvelously off-the-rails cabaret/variety show Everybody Go Go and you should take up every opportunity to see it wherever and whenever you can.
The songs, the moves, and the sharp comedy of Drew Lausch and Zach Teague are a force to be reckoned with.
Greg Barris offers both a restorative emotional experience and a deluge of silliness with his latest album Deep Healing.
The Other Two will forever be remembered as having some of the very best industry jokes of any comedy of all time. It’s almost worth working some awful Hollywood desk to enjoy every bit on the show.
In a comedy world of unrelenting truth tellers and edgelords, one Tyler Jackson opts to revel in purely absurd bits and is masterful at it.
Rachel Mac’s Teacher of the Year makes a case for Rachel Mac being one of the funniest teachers working today, which is saying a lot because, whether you know it or not, many teachers live a double life as a comedian.
We got witness the top-to-bottom brilliance of Richard Perez with his solo show, I Have To Do This, and he has made new romances just a little more tolerable/bearable though this collection of (somewhat) grounded rom com vignettes.
Joe Zimmerman’s special Cult Classic faithfully holds up the torch for classical, observational stand-up comedy without sounding like Seinfeld and being able to find a refreshing angle on killing baby Hitler.
The fact that Bottoms is the second Emma Seligman/Rachel Sennott feature length film and that the first one was Shiva Baby should prove to you that they have a lot more delightful, hysterical havoc to wreak on the big screen in the not so distant future.
May your very first special be as on point as Blake Wexler’s Daddy Long Legs.
Cam Gavinski: how to make everything about you forever and always is yet more evidence of Cam being someone who has so much ambition and vision with their comedy, but has the rare ingenuity to actually pull it off.
Very few people break down comedy and analyze it at the molecular level quite like Jesse David Fox does. The Vulture editor and long time host of Good One conclusively summarizes all of his succinct and astute observations on comedy in his appropriately titled Comedy Book: How Comedy Conquered Culture-and the Magic That Makes It Work by Jesse David Fox.
Greta Gerwig’s take on Barbie was a feat on so many levels (financially, philosophically, tonally) all while being so damn fun. Don’t be surprised if comedy runs the table again this awards season.
Being unapologetically genuine and exuberant are a great pairing for comedy and Rachel Coster is a perfect example of that.
As far as taking big swings for specials, very few swung as big as Alison Stevenson with making up a streaming service for her special VUBITV+ Presents: Alison Stevenson: H*rny B*tch: A Comedy Special to “premiere” on and do a bunch of BDSM bits on top of it. It’s such a good time because of it.
Tina Friml is a shining gem amidst a field of angrily smoldering embers and you should go seek out her stand-up whenever you can.
It’s called Hell, but Chris Fleming and his groovy attire front what might be the silliest special on a major streaming platform. Kudos to Fleming keeping true to being utterly ridiculous.
The imagination of Sam Walt Jones is wonderfully bigger than most as shown, just this year, by doing an entire live parody series of Survivor that actually spans several weeks and feels like a splendidly mutated Wonderland version of the show.
LA got a wonderful addition to its scene this year with one Katherine Blanford whose warmth and cleverness ought to see her go real far in Tinseltown.
The sultry voice of Leslie Liao blends comedically so well with her frank observations about herself and it has been a true joy to see her rise out of the ranks.
Langston Kerman and David Gborie seem to be able to do no wrong with their podcast My Momma Told Me even though it’s dedicated to parsing out (and “legitimately” considering) some of the most ridiculous conspiracy theories out there.
Richelle Meiss had a hit on her hands with an unauthorized musical parody of The Bachelor and she did an equally pitch perfect send up of Real Housewives this year. We would love if she just took on all trash TV with her musical parody prowess.
Moses Storm got back to his more experimental comedy roots this year and devised a solo show, Perfect Cult, where he created a cult with the audience. Storm’s mixing of his own experiences, which, in turn, inform how he creates this in-show cult is so fun that you might just want to follow Storm wherever he goes.
Veronica Osorio put all of her being, experiences, desires, and penchant for mischief into her Venezuelan Shamanic clown show, Medicine Woman, and made for one of the most enchanting, mystifying, original solo shows we saw all year long.
Kyle Ayers is unfortunately afflicted with Trigeminal Neuralgia (AKA “Suicide Disease”) and yet, through his own indomitable comedic will, made a non-stop laughs solo show, Hard to Say.
Beth Stelling‘s latest special If You Didn’t Want Me Then is so undeniably good (kind of like Girl Daddy) it should be the calling card for Beth to be in anything and everything that she wants to be.
Kristoffer Borgli‘s Dream Scenario is one of the most radical movies of the year and did so by having Nicholas Cage play one of his most unassuming roles in his entire career. For our money, it’s the best and most original comedy about dreams since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Julia Sweeney‘s story about the death of her mom, when we heard it at UnCabaret, is one of the best, purest distillations of a comedian’s archetypal relationship with their parents.
So much comedy on the big screen this year had wonderful bite to it, but American Fiction might have some of the most devastatingly funny lines delivered perfectly by Jeffrey Wright and crafted by Cord Jefferson.
Mo Welch went above and beyond in going meta and daring with Dad Jokes, a half stand-up special/half docu-special with super dark dad jokes and then trying to reconnect with your estranged dad.
Alex Edelman infiltrating a White Nationalist meeting as a Jew and turning it into Just For Us is every bit as illuminating and hilarious and resonant as you think it could be (and then some).
As one can see from Live from the Big Dog, the comedic power of Blair Socci will not be denied.
The Academy Museum’s exhibit John Waters: Pope of Trash is an ornate tribute to the auteur and one of the best displays of camp cinema/humor/etc. we’ve ever seen.
How Hasan Minhaj handled the controversy around his New Yorker interview highlighted so much about comedy that people should never forget.
Joe Pera’s first hour special Slow & Steady is a perfect distillation of Joe’s calming and politely off-kilter comedy that is the perfect salve for these times. Also, Joe has the best audience cutaway to the security guard of any special ever.
LA now has its own, postmodern bouffant troupe Il Fungo and, as a postmodern bouffant troupe is wont to do, they bridge the sublime and the silly wonderfully.
While comedians riffing off each other is well-mined territory in podcasts, Mae Martin, Fortune Feimster, and Tig Notaro hanging out on The Handsome Podcast has a magical quality to it.
Julian Velard has the most amazing existential song about being a piano player being asked to play Billy Joel’s Piano Man in his marvelous musical solo show Julian Velard… Is in the Middle of Something.
John Early is up to his meta hijinks in his HBO special Now More Than Ever that dresses up his hilarious stand-up in the middle of a classic rock doc. Also, bonus points go to John for the way he points out his parents in this hour
A very special Green Room with Paul Provenza happened this year as it was all in Paul’s backyard and showed how comedy can shine the through darkest of traumas with Doug Stanhope, Andy Andrist, Kristine Levine, Annie Lederman, and Henry Phillips.
Though Demi Adejuyigbe isn’t doing his September videos anymore, he is still dishing out brilliance in other forms as he did in 2023 with his declaration for 2023 Halloween costumes.
For all the talk about The Boys, best not sleep on a UK satire on super powers from Emma Morgan, Extraordinary, which is decidedly less explicit and (maybe more) charming, in the keep-calm-and-carry-on British manner.
As far as a classical looking and sounding comedy special goes in 2023, it doesn’t get much better than Nate Craig: Live at the Green Mill.
For a show that’s so unpredictable and existentially rapturous, let’s all hold hands and take a moment for the final season of How to With John Wilson coming to a close last year.
NYC comedy darling James Hamilton put out one hell of a debut album with I Don’t Deserve These Deals; the sort of album that makes you wonder how wrong the Grammys are about their nominations for Best Comedy Album.
Thank goodness for the doc following Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett‘s fake strongman duo Chop & Steele and capturing how you might have to go, legally, to defend looking stupid on TV for fun.
Let the hilarious weirdness of the life of one Jessica Sele wash over you with her debut album Weird Vibes.
The new, new, new, NEW Futurama, believe it or not, is pretty damn good (and fully aware of how many times it has been revived).
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life is a great and necessary reminder of how much Albert Brooks is a comedy pioneer as a performer/actor/director as well as a touching tribute from one of his best friends, Rob Reiner.
Joe Kwaczala not only delivers on his album’s title of Funny Songs & Sketches, but cleverly delivers a grand variety of ingenious, innovative bits that points to Joe perhaps deserving a full on sketch show somewhere.
While Barbie rode high this year, let us not forget the R-rated comedy of 2023, Joy Ride (that also a touching story about identity, adoption, and taking the baton from Crazy Rich Asians and running wild with it).
Harley Quinn, now in its 4th season, continues to be a bright, hysterical, subversive light in the imploding world of comic book based IP.
The NYC branch of Comedians You Should Know really made moves this year and one of those moves was one of its heads, David Drake, putting out his very first special that hit the perfect mark of self-deprecation with That’s It.
At this point, you’d wonder how John Oliver could possibly up the ante with his prank calls to action with Last Week Tonight. Then, John went ahead and fixed a New Zealand bird election for the Pūteketeke and gave us an answer.
If you want to see victory and self-acceptance and healing and an irresistibly funny solo show, look no further than Jackie Johnson: How To Get a Second Husband.
Clay Tatum and Whitmer Thomas’ Civil Dead is a charming lowkey twist on what it means to be a ghost and/or the buddy comedy.
Protected Under Parody might be the best sketch show going in LA even though it happens in the bar area of a hip movie theater.
If you don’t already know the name Steph Tolev, you best know it now and remember it fully. The self-ascribed “Queen of Filth” is playing all over the country now and she’s as good at going blue and working a crowd as anyone out there.
Josh Sharp and Aaron Jackson made one of the most unhinged, unapologetically queer comedy of the year with Dicks: the Musical, doing A24 proud for their first musical. Let it be known that 2023 could be called the “Year of Dicks and Bottoms”.
Countless hours of comedic observations have been dished out about generational differences, but the amazing Jenny Zigrino has some of the best and sharpest jokes in that realm in her special Jen-Z.
Marc Maron pulled a hat trick with his latest hour in offering one of his most touching, darkest, and best specials yet with From Bleak to Dark.
The only saving grace of Mike Lindell existing is that James Adomian keeps getting to play him brillliantly on Kimmel as he did throughout the year and even over this past holiday season.
Even though Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, and Nick Lieberman had a touching, laugh riot of a tribute to theater kids everywhere with Theater Camp, this feature debut of Gordon and Lieberman is the definitive mockumentary of 2023.
If you’ve mowed through dozens of specials and wondered if comedy has become stale/complacent/hollow, get a shot in the arm with Ben Roy‘s latest hour Hyena and rest easy (after laughing a whole damn lot).
Brad Wenzel and his latest hour, joke. joke. joke. shows that the art form of the one liner, a corner of comedy that often seems to be of yesteryear, is alive and well (and can thrive in the 2020s).
All hail the best sketch show on television, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, full stop. No further explanation should be needed.
Her book Raw Dog, in our minds, has elevated Jamie Loftus into the status of comedy luminary (and is the sort of humor that the Mark Twain Prize actually seeks to honor if you read the award’s mission statement).
The series of IG reels/Tik Tok It’s Not an Issue with Ever Mainard and their Mom on is simply blissful ridiculousness between a mom and their non-binary adult child.
Wes Anderson retains his pristine symmetrical comedy auteur status with his most self-reflexive (and cheeky) work yet, Asteroid City.
If they were a wing of a modern art museum dedicated to video art as dramedy, it should have the entire season of Carol & The End of the World playing on a loop. Hats off to Dan Guterman for creating a beautiful existential valediction to 2023 in the form of an adult animated series.
As time passes, the comedic observations about pandemic times have become more and more worn, but such original and insightful and personal voices like those of Hari Kondabolu make for something special as he did with Vacation Baby.
It might be strange to have a veritable set list as the title of your special, but England, Weed & The Rest from Gareth Reynolds belies his expert skills, especially when it comes to crowd work and making fun of being English. Salutations to Birthday Chicken.
While working the road can wear on the psyche and will of a comedian, some get energized by the challenge and Tom Thakkar is clearly having so much damn fun playing clubs night in and night out wherever he is. That energy (along with thoughtful material about race and politics) is captured wonderfully on Thakkar Noir.
Andy Iwancio not only has some of the very best trans jokes (go figure that the best trans jokes would come from a trans person) in her album Better Living Through Femmistry, but joyfully gets rambunctious about the recording of her album during the actual recording of it.
The genre mash-up of horror and comedy (and your whole outlooking on existence and meaning) might be changed forever (and for the better) because of Ari Aster‘s Beau Is Afraid.
Sunanda‘s solo show dedicated to their love of Britney Spears and their journey to self-actualization from it, the aptly names Sunanda Loves Britney,
Comedy in pathos might have been best displayed in 2023 in the latest collaboration of Alexander Payne and Paul Giamatti with The Holdovers.
The trios of Chris Estrada/Frankie Quiñones/Michael Imperioli and Jake Weisman/Matt Ingebretson/Pat Bishop continue on their path to making one of the best comedies of this decade, balancing satirical subversion and the ludicrous all set in a grounded East LA with season 2 of This Fool.
The third season of the modern day indigenous dramedy Reservations Dogs completes a wondrous arc and achieves its best episodes yet making for a rare instance of a TV series getting to do what it set out to do.
The fact that Jackie Kashian made a special using the rearview camera of a car is so funny on its own and then there’s the fact that Jackie is also one of the funniest comedians working today that make Looking Back special.
Whether you go by laughs per minute or just gut feeling, Jay Jurden is indisputably one of the best stand-ups on any stage these days. Just watch his Don’t Tell set, if you haven’t already, and you’ll see what we’re saying.
Even though she might be against the organized religious aspects of it, let’s canonize Maria Bamford as a saint for her brilliant special Maria Bamford: Local Act and hit book Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult.
Gary Gulman is a paragon of the art form of comedy in every single facet of it since he has, perhaps, the deepest understanding of the craft of stand-up, and that has been the case with Gary for a long time. His latest hour, Born on 3rd Base, might be his very best work yet.*

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

December 23, 2023

News

conan o'brien, gary gulman, golden globes, james adomian, jimmy kimmel live, jo koy, mike lindell, people's joker, run the burbs, surrounded, the holdovers

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?

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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.

Pick of the Day: James Adomian Stand Up Comedy Special Taping (in LA) 9/14

August 17, 2023

News

800 pound gorilla, comedy album, james adomian, live taping, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy, the elysian

It has been well over a decade since the release of the brilliant comedy album Low Hanging Fruit from the always astounding James Adomian. Though we’d like to have a new hour from Adomian to binge and listen on repeat much sooner, James has been, over the last 11 years, a little busy touring as Bernie Sanders opposite Anthony Atamanuik’s Trump, and playing several voices on your favorite adult animated series, doing one of the best hidden gem podcasts The Underculture, amongst several other things.

Thankfully, this Adomian drought will come to an end as James is set to tape his very first stand-up comedy special and brand new hour next month for 800 Pound Gorilla Media. At The Elysian on Thurs. Sept. 14th, James will give those in attendance the meticulously honed collection of hysterical, incisive socio-political coupled with the most spot-on impressions you’ve ever heard or seen.

Tickets are only $15 right now for either 7:30PM or 9:30PM tapings and you best go get tickets here now.

A Meditation on Mike Lindell Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live in a Claw Machine (Yes, That Really Happened)

February 3, 2023

News

james adomian, jimmy kimmel, jimmy kimmel live, mike lindell

The intention of satire is to highlight the oft-taken-for-granted absurdities of the real world through cartoonish or ironic depictions that are even more heightened (and often comedic because of it). With that in mind, where is satire’s sharpened point when the exaggeration is moot because, well, the real world absurdity decided they wanted to be in on the bit, no matter how much they’re debasing themselves?

Such is the quandary presented on this week’s Jimmy Kimmel Live when frequent monologue target Mike Lindell, the troubled CEO of My Pillow, not only agreed to appear yet again on Jimmy Kimmel Live, but agreed to do so in a claw machine, at Jimmy’s request, only to be hysterically discovered, also again, by Kimmel’s go to Lindell impersonator, the brilliant James Adomian. Throughout most of the interview, which was still very funny despite how unbelievable this all felt, there was a lower third, which doubled as a My Pillow sales reminder and a place to comedically tighten the screws on Lindell with “promo codes” that read “CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS NUT AGREED TO DO THIS?” and “WE’RE GOING TO LEAVE HIM IN THERE”.

Lindell guffawed the entire time in addition to repeating his own bit of trying to give kids the toy prizes that he was submerged in while uttering “It’s a rigged game!” It’s hard to imagine something more ridiculous than the real Mike Lindell being interviewed while seated in a game devised for impatient children and then having to face a caricature of himself pretending to be in crisis (and that includes losing out on a campaign to be a RNC Chair by a massive landslide after boasting he was leading in polls over and over).

One has to wonder is this even satire at this point or adding to insult to injury since the injured asked to be hilariously insulted? There are points at which satire is so heightened that it ceases to be comedic and, perhaps, this is the reverse? Is it better to describe this as “gonzo comedy” because of Lindell’s involvement in his own ridicule (and note that Kimmel doesn’t really hold back in that regard)?

Donald Trump proved to be a similar challenge as it was difficult to be more outrageous, for comedic purposes, than what Trump really said and did during his time as POTUS. However, Trump would never take part in a bit where he was the punchline or the butt of the joke. Arguably, being a punchline at the Seth Meyers-hosted White House Correspondents Dinner is what bolstered him to run for office in the first place. Lindell, on the other hand, seems glad at the opportunity to laugh at his own expense, but in a far different, much more performative way than at a comedy roast. It feels as though he’s laughing the whole time to appear as though Kimmel’s jabs at him are ineffective, but, as you can see in the clip above, it’s absolutely baffling that he wants to come off as though he is having a good time when he is being made out to be the most ridiculous thing in a pile of toys.

It could be very easy to see this particular appearance as an outlier when it comes to what political comedy and satire are trending towards today. However, there is a parallel, unsettling feeling here to Elon Musk’s episode of SNL and how awkward the whole affair ending up being (as well as it being foreshadowing of how farcical he would be when taking over Twitter). We can’t imagine where Mike Lindell will head to or what he will do next, but coming back into a position of being taken seriously is likely not one such possibility. There’s an uncanny valley feeling to these incidents and, as far as we can gather, a reflection of objective truth being more disjointed than ever in 2023, even when it’s supposed to be a joke.

SF Sketchfest 2023 Adds Fred Armisen Residency, James Adomian, Alison Leiby, and More

December 5, 2022

News

2023, alison leiby, dumb people town, fred armisen, james adomian, sf comedy, sf sketchfest

SF Sketchfest, the first mighty comedy festival of every year, is really happening once more. The nearly three week comedy extravaganza that takes over all of SF already has a gigantic line-up, but has just announced more than a few additions that might just make you make the trek to San Francisco if you weren’t already planning to (or just going in general if you already live in the Bay Area).

Just added for 2023 SF Sketchfest are:

Fred Armisen Residency: Comedy for Bass Players but Everyone is Welcome
3 nights with a different guest bass player each night – special guests TBA
The Red Room Orchestra play the music of “Twin Peaks” & “Repo Man”
Dumb People Town with The Sklar Bros. and Daniel Van Kirk
James Adomian with Jes Tom
Ilana Glazer Presents: Alison Leiby: Oh God, A Show About Abortion
Mic Drop: A Night of Music, Rap and Comedy with Drennon Davis, EpicLLOYD, Eliza Skinner and more
Behind the Bastards with Robert Evans
The Setup with Abhay and Richard Sarvate

Again, this edition of the festival runs from 1/20-2/5 and, you’re thinking what we’re thinking, you’ll want to go snag tickets here.

Pick of the Day: (2nd Return of) Blamblamblam (in LA) 4/19

April 18, 2022

News

Anna Seregina & Kyle Mizono, blamblamblam, brian kiley, brodie reed, chris thayer, comedy show, free show, james adomian, k town, los angeles comedy, max beasley, ron lynch, stand up comedy, steph tolev, Vanessa Jeha

In November 2021, we thought we had reached a threshold where we all the things that we knew and love in comedy could somewhat return to happening as regularly scheduled pre-pandemic.

Then, Omicron hit and set most folks/shows/etc. back for months. Thankfully, we’re back to where they rescheduled their shows to or decided to return again and that includes one of LA’s torch bearing shows, Blamblamblam. Faithfully housed in what seems like the lower decks of tall ship in K-Town’s one and only R-Bar, Blam has offered up an otherworldly monthly comedy show for almost a decade and a half.

There’s such a mystical energy to it even when it’s simply a well curated collection of comedians from many corners and disciplines of the art form by one DeMorge Brown. This 2nd return of Blamblamblam is set for this Tues. Apr. 19th at 9PM ish PT (doors at 7PM PT) and a barnburner of a line-up including Ron Lynch, Brodie Reed, Max Beasley, Anna Seregina & Kyle Mizono, Chris Thayer, James Adomian, Vanessa Jeha, Steph Tolev, Brian Kiley, and host Paul Danke & resident mischief starter Davey Johnson are all set to welcome Blam back into the world of living once more.

Oh yeah, it’s free to attend in case we didn’t sell you on it enough already.

Pick of the Day: Blam! Blam! Blam! (in LA) 12/14

December 13, 2021

News

anna seregina, daniel webb, davey johnson, jamel johnson, james adomian, james fritz, kimberly clark, lizzy cooperman, nana the cat lady, paul danke

Yet another touchstone LA comedy show returns on this side of the pandemic. Truly, we just had no idea who or what was going to survive when March 2020 came to pass. There was a point at which we, and so many others, legitimately thought that perhaps none of it would come back. We continue to thankful for the instances where some of our favorite things in comedy have survived and are making a big, big comeback.

One such thing is another one of the LA comedy scene’s longest running comedy shows, Blam! Blam! Blam!, the monthly institution at K-Town’s super cool R-Bar is making its first official show since lockdown happen right at the end of 2021. For years, we loved spending a late night on Tuesdays at 3331 W. 8th St. with Paul Danke at the helm and a beautiful mix, curated by DeMorge Brown, of stand-ups, characters, and the always mind-bending surprise from Davey Johnson.

This return of Blam! Blam! Blam! has all of its favorites including:

James Adomian
Lizzy Cooperman
James Fritz
Nana the Cat Lady
Kimberly Clark
Anna Seregina
Jamel Johnson
Daniel Webb
Tom Waits

Don’t miss out this Tues. Dec. 14th. Get there at 9PM PT if you want street parking to be slightly less difficult.

Pick of the Day: Community Power: Hugo Soto-Martinez Fundraiser (in LA) 11/16

November 12, 2021

News

andrea more, atwater village, club tee gee, dan mintz, demi adejuyigbe, fundraiser, hugo soto martinez, james adomian, kate berlant, los angeles comedy, sandy honig, stand up comedy, steve hernandez

Many of the very best line-ups for comedy shows often come with the purpose of raising money for a worthy cause. That was definitely true all of last summer as gala level line-ups assembled on Zoom to raise money for mutual aid, undocumented relief, and local representative campaigns.

That will be true yet again as Hugo Soto-Martinez is raising money for a run at LA City Council (quick reminder that two LA City Council members were indicted on federal charges in the last year or so and we need good folks in those seats) as someone who is a more fair, equitable, and safe life for Angelenos. Thus, he has been doing pop-up comedy fundraisers as of late.

This latest edition of Community Power will feature the stellar comedy stylings of:

Dan Mintz (Tina from Bob’s Burgers!)
Kate Berlant
James Adomian
Demi Adejuyigbe
Sandy Honig
Steve Hernandez
Andrea More

That’s beyond a stacked show on Tues. Nov. 16th at 7PM PT at Club Tee Gee and one that you pretty much shouldn’t miss for any reason. Tickets start at $10 and sales all go towards Hugo Soto-Martinez for City Council 2022!

Go get them here before they sell out (Tee Gee is a beautiful and very intimate venue, so space is limited, FYI).

Pick of the Day: Rod Stewart Live: The Return of James Austin Johnson and Sarah Squirm (in LA) 10/27

October 19, 2021

News

james adomian, james austin johnson, los angeles comedy, permanent records roadhouse, rod stewart live, sarah squirm, solomon georgio

It was only a few short weeks ago that LA comedy favorites James Austin Johnson and Sarah Squirm were plucked to be on SNL and blazing a trail ever since. SNL is taking a week off and letting them do whatever they want, which, thankfully, includes coming back to LA and getting in on shows here once more.

One of them will be the show that JAJ help found, Rod Stewart Live, now happening at Permanent Records Roadhouse in the Eastside’s Glassell Park this coming Wed. Oct. 27th at 8PM PT. They’ll be joined by an equally fantastic bill of Solomon Georgio and James Adomian and RSL co-hosts Sam Wiles and Zach Pugh.

The show is only $10 (proof of vaccination required). Go get your tickets here before they sell out (they usually sell out anyway and we bet this’ll go even faster.

Pick of the Day: The Comedy Bureau Double Anniversary LA 10/25

October 12, 2021

News

anniversary, byron bowers, clown zoo, dave ross, hannah einbinder, james adomian, la comedy, reggie watts

Not only are we celebrating our 10th and 11th years keeping the lights on TCB (again, we weren’t going to mark a decade of being a comedy institution by doing a show on Zoom), but we’re doing double the anniversary by doing it up with our favorite comedians on either coast. The NYC Double Anniversary is happening this Fri. Oct. 15th at Union Hall 7:30PM ET (get your tickets while you still can) and then we have the LA Double Anniversary at LA’s shiniest, new venue, The Elysian (located in Frogtown at 1944 Riverside Dr.) on Mon. Oct. 25th at 8PM PT.

It’s a dream line-up of our absolute favorites from past, present, and future, in and around all corners of comedy including:

James Adomian
Hannah Einbinder
Reggie Watts
Dave Ross
Byron Bowers
Clown Zoo

Also, TCB’s founder and director (and so many other things) Jake Kroeger will be serving as host.

Tickets are only $15 and you best get your tickets right here right now. If you somehow pull off going to both shows, we’ll give you one of our limited edition enamel pins that usually reserved for our top Patreon backers.

Pick of the Day: Eddie Pepitone & Friends (in LA) 7/12

July 2, 2021

News

dana gould, dynasty typewriter, eddie pepitone, james adomian, la comedy, stand up comedy

The NY Times named Eddie Pepitone’s For the Masses 2020’s Funniest Comedy Special. That special just happened to be shot at Dynasty Typewriter at The Hayworth Theater back in 2019. We just happened to bare witness to one of the tapings and it remains as one of the best nights of stand-up comedy we’ve ever seen.

2 years and a a good portion of a pandemic later, Pepitone is back at the very same hallowed venue to rumble its walls and seats with rolling laughter (along with some pals in James Adomian, Dana Gould, JT Habersaat, and Steve Lolli) on Thurs. Jul. 12th at 8PM PT.

Tickets are $20 now and $25 on the day of and you best go get your tickets before they sell out.

Moontower Comedy Festival Is Happening This Year and Just Made Their First Line-Up Announcement

June 10, 2021

News

andy kindler, atx, austin, bob the drag queen, dave attell, doug loves movies, goddamn comedy jam, hannah einbinder, james adomian, margaret cho, maria bamford, moontower comedy festival, moshe kasher, sklar brothers

OK, are fingers are crossed (and vaccinated) that this time, this edition of the Moontower Comedy Festival is going to stick. They’ve had to reschedule it more than once throughout the pandemic as the prospect of big time gatherings, especially ones that are indoors seem like a distant dream only a few months ago.

That dream seems to be getting closer to reality with the vaccine rollout pushing forward in the U.S. There are better prospects of things like comedy festivals, such as Moontower in Austin, TX, to happen in full force again. Currently, they’re scheduled the festivities for Sept. 22nd-25th, 2021 and, just like they used to do in the before times, have an already massive line-up in their first announcement including Margaret Cho, Dave Attell, Maria Bamford, The Goddamn Comedy Jam, Endless Honeymoon, and so much more.

Do note that Texas does have one of the lowest percentages of COVID-19 vaccination in the country and we sincerely hope it gets way better by the time September rolls around. If you’re game for comedy festivals in just a few months, you best go get your passes/badges right here right now.

Round 1 is here! ? 100+ comedians are invading downtown Austin Sept 22nd-25th to celebrate the 10th year of the Moontower Comedy Festival! Stand-up, podcasts, parties, shows, surprises & more wrapped up into for 4 days of funny ? Badges on sale now: https://t.co/LM5GmRJOyZ pic.twitter.com/apOTPooQvi

— Moontower Comedy (@MoontowerComedy) June 10, 2021

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 58: James Adomian & The Upcoming Aftermath

May 5, 2021

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

armenia, james adomian, jimmy kimmel live, mike lindell

Coming to know James Adomian remains as one of our fortunate strokes of luck in all of our time in comedy. The brilliant comedian, impressionist, voice over artist joins us for this week’s TCB Field Report to recount how he has made it through all the continuing trials and tribulations of the last year including, but certainly not limited to, international comedy tours getting cancelled, the tragedy that befell Armenia by way of Azerbaijan, and no critical breaks on rent. That said, Adomian still voiced a cornucopia’s worth of cartoons on major networks, streaming services, and even on Snapchat. Also, James got to satirically confront the My Pillow guy Mike Lindell on Jimmy Kimmel Live as Mike Lindell and is ready to get back into the swing of comedy, virtual and otherwise.

Follow James @jadomian on IG and Twitter, buy tickets to his Nowhere Comedy club headlining show on Fri. 5/7, and please support The Children of Armenia Fund.

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

James Adomian’s Mike Lindell Comes Face to Face with the Real(?) Mike Lindell

April 29, 2021

News

james adomian, jimmy kimmel, jimmy kimmel live, mike lindell

Jimmy Kimmel Live could have kept tapping the brilliant James Adomian for his masterful impersonation of My Pillow’s Mike Lindell and that, by itself, would have been a very satisfying running bit.

Yet, the late night gods were dreaming about something a bit bigger and getting a little bit gonzo with the whole thing. Jimmy Kimmel, after dedicating several minutes of his monologue that he has dedicated to roasting Mike Lindell, invited him on the show and, surprisingly (and against the advice of everyone) accepted the invitation.

We had a feeling that Adomian’s Lindell might be part of a bit within and around Lindell chatting with Kimmel, but what actually happened was so much better. Jimmy had the latter half of his monologue centered on dealing with a severely disheveled Lindell as played by Adomian. Of course, it was hysterical and thrilling with the real Mike Lindell lurking around backstage.

Then, Kimmel brings out the (supposedly) real Mike Lindell and has a somewhat jovial conversation that does eventually turn to trading jokes about Mike’s former crack addiction for Lindell, yet again, voicing some of his more wild beliefs about voter fraud. In the last two minutes, Adomian comes out to do his Lindell to Lindell himself. It’s amazing and it kind of left Mike with no moves except to laugh at the (only slightly) funhouse mirror version of himself, which, as you can imagine, doesn’t happen too often.

Well, Adomian has actually gotten to do that quite a bit including with Bernie Sanders and Andy Kindler because, well, James is just that magical.

You’re Watching James Adomian’s Brilliance as My Pillow’s Mike Lindell on Kimmel, Right?

April 16, 2021

News

james adomian, jimmy kimmel live, late night, mike lindell, my pillow

For so long, late night was relegated to MacGyver-ing its shows due to the pandemic, having to do interviews over Zoom and doing their take on a lack of audience on top of dealing with America and the world being more in crisis than it has been in a very long time. There were a lot of growing pains and even as they figured it out as the months wore on, it just wasn’t the same late night irreverence that the whole time slot is meant for.

Honestly, the tonal and format issues were a bit of a problem even before the pandemic, but part of that did have to do with a notable lack of the comedic brilliance of one, James Adomian. Noted for his characters, impressions, his own stand-up, and a litany of treasured podcasting (please revisit The Underculture), Adomian has, in our opinion, not gotten his due even though he was Bernie Sanders opposite Anthony Atamanuik’s Trump and is the voice of so much of your favorite animated series.

Thankfully, Jimmy Kimmel Live tapped Adomian to play My Pillow founder Mike Lindell as Lindell has really seemed to become more unhinged and wild as of late, even more so than his desperately earnest My Pillow ads. Adomian has been doing an impression of Lindell for years and it’s truly a blessing that it’s now getting put to good use with one of the best late night bits in however long it has been since March 2020.

Let’s hope this means we get more of Adomian anywhere and everywhere (maybe give him his own sketch show already?).

Enjoy Adomian as Lindell on Kimmel in his two appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live here and here.

Pick of the Day: James Adomian Live! 5/7

April 12, 2021

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james adomian, nowhere comedy club, stand up comedy, virtual comedy

We miss so much that went away from just over a year ago. That’s especially true when it comes to a good majority of comedians that took the last year as a hiatus/a nap/a break/a period of renewal/soul searching. One comedian we very much miss seeing regularly is the comedic force that is James Adomian.

Adomian’s mastery of voices/characters coupled with his sharp, whipsmart, pointed world view always had us busting up in stitches whether it’s as Bernie Sanders or even his latest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! as My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell.

Fortunately, Adomian will be doing a virtual headlining gig at Nowhere Comedy Club on Fri. May 7th at 6PM PT/9PM ET and it’ll be quite the opportunity for any and all to see James’ take the (virtual) stage once more .

Tickets start from $10 and you can (and very, very much should) go get them here.

Austin Sketch Fest Is Going Virtual for 2020 with Adomian/Atamanuik & Jamie Loftus Headlining

SXSW was cancelled.

Moontower was originally postponed to next month, but then got postponed to next year.

So, it would seem that Austin, TX was going to be without a comedy festival for 2020.

Cue ColdTowne Theater’s Austin Sketch Fest, which has stepped up to the virtual plate and will be live-streaming their festivities this week on Thurs. Aug. 21st and Fri. Aug. 22nd. Sketch groups and performers from all around the country are taking part including James Adomian and Anthony Atamanuik who will do the 2020 version of their beloved Trump vs. Bernie pairing and will go up as Trump vs. Biden (Adomian, of course, has a pitch perfect Biden impression) and the ever inventive and splendidly mischievous Jamie Loftus with her solo show, Boss Whom Is Girl, that expertly parodies tragic entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes.

Along side them will be these sketch groups: Secret Crush, Archnemesis, Victrola, Latinx Comedy Pechanga, TV Party, Pendulum, Royale, Rat City, The Executives, Self Esteem Party, Dynamo, Chlane, Red & Yellow, Prayer Circle, After School Snack, and Pete Parsons.

Best of all, you’ll be able to stream this at ColdTowne’s Twitch channel for FREE. Tune in on 8/22 at 4:30PM PT/6:30PM CT/7:30PM ET and on 8/22 at 3:30PM PT/5:30PM CT/6:30PM ET.

December 17, 2019

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anthony atamanuik, james adomian, parody, satire, trump vs bernie

Anthony Atamanuik and James Adomian’s Trump vs. Bernie remains as one of the best works of political comedy in the past decade.

Whether or not Trump gets actually impeached and thrown out of office to the curb and making this more fictional, you should never miss a chance for some of comedy’s best iterations of Donald Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders verbally spar to things that are both unbelievably hilarious, but incredibly prescient.

Trump vs. Bernie’s latest LA date will be Tues. Jan. 14th at 7:30PM at The Lodge Room in Highland Park. Tickets are $25-$30. Please go get them here.

Bernie Sanders and James Adomian’s Bernie Sanders Finally Meet for Special Ep. of The Underculture

November 21, 2019

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bernie sanders, bernie vs bernie, james adomian, underculture

We don’t believe in destiny or fate or any sentient force guiding the direction of humanity.

However, we’re pretty sure that presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders getting to sit down and have an in-depth conversation with James Adomian’s stellar impersonation of Bernie Sanders was inevitable and supposed to happen in this universe (or any theoretical universe or dimension that one could possibly imagine).

Thus, for a very special episode of Adomian’s wonderful podcast The Underculture, the actual Bernie and James’ Bernie really got to the nuances of percentages, hand waving, free college tuition, and all the other hits. It truly is a magical conversation that you can watch video of here from Forever Dog or, if you really want to blow your mind, listen to the Underculture podcast episode and get lost in which Bernie is which (because James’ impression is just that good).

September 24, 2019

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bryan safi, comedy show, drew droege, james adomian, live readings, marc anthony samuel, sam pancake

This Thursday, you might want to make your way up to Highland Park to spend an evening in the gorgeous Owl Bureau as esteemed comedian/actor/playwright Drew Droege will be gathering the likes of other funny luminaries including James Adomian, Bryan Safi, Sam Pancake, and Marc Anthony Samuel for a special evening of reading “lady monologues”.

Frankly, this evening, called NightOwl has a line-up that we’d probably watch do a live reading of almost anything.

This event is FREE to attend so long as you RSVP at nightowl@chandeliercreative.com.

August 6, 2019

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bernie sanders, democratic primary, forever dog, james adomian, joe biden, marianne williamson, parody, primary debates, satire, the underculture

As we’re diving into the inevitable madness of the 2020 election cycle, the one and only James Adomian and his fantastic podcast, The Underculture will bring a much needed Election Clusterf*ck where James and his absolute favorite performers will do their much better version of the recent primary debates with James, of course, reprising his masterful impression of Senator Bernie Sanders.

Just the idea of trying to fit all of the candidates onto one stage as opposed to splitting them up to two nights should be worth the price of admission!

The Election Clusterf*ck with James Adomian & Friends is set to happen next week, Sat. Aug. 17th at 10PM at Dynasty Typewriter. Tickets are $15 now and $20 on the day of. Please go get tickets here.

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