Curb Your Enthusiasm is coming back for season 9 on HBO on Sunday, October 1st.
As you can clearly see in the season 9 trailer, Larry David hasn’t lost in step in being a grouch. If anything, he may have actually upped his game a bit in being curmudgeon.
The running gag of any long time host leaving their show is what they’re going to do afterwards as if they don’t have any sort of money whatsoever to fall back on for awhile.
Jeff Garlin picks up that torch here.
After some clever anti-promotion promotion for his TV show, The Goldbergs, Garlin spent the majority of his interview on last night’s Daily Show offering one of his best friends, Jon Stewart, a spot on his aforementioned show.
The offer, however, isn’t to play one of The Goldbergs. Watch it all here.
It’s going to be another big music and performing arts festival week in San Diego for KAABOO from Fri. Sept. 18th-Sept. 20th and part of that big weekend will have a very solid comedy line-up.
Anthony Jeselnik, Ron Funches, Joel McHale, Lewis Black, Tig Notaro, Tim Meadows, Hasan Minhaj, Iliza Shlesinger, Chris D’Elia, and Jeff Garlin are all set to play the three day festival that also has over a hundred different music acts down in San Diego’s Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds.
Passes are going up fast. So, if you want to go, you better get yours now.
Tonight’s Episode of Conan Has Jeff Garlin, Andy Daly, and Todd Barry
It’s rare that a late night talk show these days has a line-up full of comedians, almost similar to how long it takes for planets to align.
Yet, tonight’s Conan on TBS features, as mentioned above, Jeff Garlin, Andy Daly, and Todd Barry all in the same hour. In short, it should be a whole bunch of fun on top of the whole bunch of fun that Conan already is.
Don’t miss it. TBS 11PM.
1) Paul Provenza & the Art of Stand-Up Comedy on NPR.
2) Steve Martin & Ed Helms with banjos for Rolling Stone [via Comedy Nerds United]
3) Curb Your Enthusiasm returns for it’s last season (maybe) tonight. HBO. 10PM.
4) Many wonder what, “Carmeggedon”, the shutting down of the 405 Freeway on July 16th will look like. Tony Sam and Aparna Nancherla help give us an idea.
5) Craig Vanswers whether he likes dogs (sort of…)
7) ON THE HORIZON
6) COMEDY CRAWL
Set List @ Flappers YooHoo Room 7PM $10/2 item min.
8 Ball Stand-Up @ Westwood Brew Co 7:30PM FREE
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE
Re-Animator: The Musical @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $30
French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE
Powerviolence @ The Complex 8:30PM FREE
Top Story Weekly! w/Greg Proops @ iO West 9PM $5
BIFF’s Flappers Funny Film Fest @ Flappers Burbank 9PM $10/2 item min.
Hot Sauce @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Love Machine Comedy Show @ M Bar 10PM FREE/$10 min.
Skinny Sundays @ Hollywood Improv 9:30PM $14/2 item min.
Shitty Jobs @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5 (stand by only)
7) OPEN MIC RUN
PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/lottery
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
NERDIST THEATRE 7522 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (back room of Meltdown Comics)/Sign-up 7:15PM/Starts 7:30PM/lottery/30 spots available/no purchase necessary
TSUNAMEDY @ TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 9PM/first come, first served/mixed mic
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/bottled water and coffee available
8) Oh yeah, go see Beginners as soon as possible. Maybe not alone while nothing but happy couples sit around you and you’re clearly on the verge of crying, but you guys should go see it the first chance you get.
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1) The Comedian/King of Comedy 2? [via Punchline Magazine]
3) Thai Rivera’s releasing his album TOMORROW at the Ontario Improv at 8PM. The pic below can get you in for free (drag and drop to a folder or your desktop, and print).
4) Forget about exclusionary, overpriced dance clubs, check out The Legacy Music Dance Party with Brent Weinbach and Rob F.
The Legacy Music Dance Party – watch more funny videos
5) If you insist on getting your comedy through the small screen, the 2nd premiere night of Jon Benjamin Has a Van is tonight on Comedy Central 10:30PM and TOMORROW, Kyle Kinane is on Conan 11PM TBS.
Kid Farm Channel
Tags: Atom.com | Funny Videos | Tournament | Upload
7) Interview with Emily Gordon, the Nerdist Theatre Director. [via DelusionsOfGrandeur]
8) When you’re on the local news and Jimmy Kimmel parodies you, you’re doing something right. The Walsh Brothers’ planking video has done exactly that.
Planking Los Angeles: MyFoxLA.com
9) Tips to Get More of Stand-Up Videos. [via Connected Comedy]
11) ON THE HORIZON
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop @ Regent Theatre Fri. June 24th
Comedy Off The Record @ The Basement Lounge Sun. 26th 8PM $5
Everything is Festival @ Cinefamily June 30th-July 4th
12) COMEDY CRAWL
Smartest Man in the World w/Greg Proops @ Bar Lubitsch 7PM FREE
LA Indie Improv Tournament @ Room 101 8PM For Donation
Meltdown @ Meltdown Comics 8:30PM $8
The Ed Galvez Punk House @ Westside Comedy Theater 9PM $8
Frolic! @ Far Bar 9PM FREE
Beer in the Shower @ Dreams Cafe & Bar (at Dunes Inn) 9:30PM FREE
Facebook @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
The Mostly Normal Show @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10:30PM $5
The Anna Lee Lawson Comedy Hour @ Next Stage Theater 11PM $5
13) OPEN MIC RUN
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
THE SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 7PM
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/first come, first served
CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min. guarantee
CAFE MUSE 6547 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 8PM
LIBRARY A COFFEE HOUSE 3418 Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 8:30PM
LIQUID ZOO 7214 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/first come, first served/7 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 min./multiple sets allowed/first come, first served/coffee and bottled water available
14) Saw a guy recently tape the comic before him at an open mic and I warned him that he shouldn’t really be doing that to which he responded, “Oh, I just want to show what a good comedian is like and then me, a bad comedian.” Is that where we are at open mics now? Just being bad for instructional purposes?
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1) TJ Miller is going to be the lead in a movie! [via Hollywood Reporter]
2) Norm MacDonald’s Me Doing Standup
4) Tonight (if you don’t feel like going out to support live comedy) there’s Jeff Garlin making an appearance on Conan 11PM on TBS and the first night of the premiere of Jon Benjamin Has A Van 10:30PM on Comedy Central.
5) Independently produced Beer in the Shower has a new location starting tomorrow at Dreams Cafe (5625 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA). It’s still free it still has a hell of line-up with Kyle Kinane, James Adomian, Baron Vaughn, and more, AND it’s only a few blocks from the original location. Don’t miss out, tomorrow 9:30PM.
6) I got a chance to catch the Tulsa Skull Swingers composed of hilarious people in their own right: Craig Anton, Ron Lynch, Blaine Capatch, and Amit Itelman at 3 Clubs last night. Simply amazing. Imagine Link Wray retrofitted for a comedy variety show and you’ll start to get an idea… Stay tuned here at the Bureau for details about their next month.
7) Art and Slapstick Comedy: Josh Fadem and his pratfalls.
8) The 2 & 45 @ All Star Lanes on Mon. July 18th at 8PM will feature Brandie Posey and Barbara Gray both doing 45 min. sets. This could very well be one of those “I saw them back when they were performing at a bowling alley in Eagle Rock” type of moments.
10) COMEDY CRAWL
Performance Anxiety @ The Pleasure Chest 8PM $7
Drunk on Stage @ Akbar 8PM $5
Comedy Night @ Hamburger Mary’s West Hollywood (w/Drew Droege, Sharon Houston and more) 8PM FREE
The Mixer @ The Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $6
Comedy Bang Bang @ UCB Theatre 8:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Holy Fuck! @ Downtown Independent Theater 9PM FREE
Public School Show @ M Bar 9PM FREE/$10 min.
Jeff Garlin @ Second City Hollywood 9PM FREE
Blamblamblam!!! @ R-Bar 9:30PM FREE
11) OPEN MIC RUN
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE TOKYO @ SEÑOR FISH 422 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/6 min./first come, first served/no purchase necessary
LIBRARY A COFFEE HOUSE 3418 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
IRON GIANT OPEN MIC @ TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/mixed mic/no purchase neccesary
WESTWOOD BREW CO 1097 Glendon Ave., Westwood, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 8PM/first come, first served/$4 min.
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St., Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd St. Promenade and 4th St.)/Sign-up 9:45PM/Starts 10PM/lottery/$1 cover
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 min./multiple sets allowed/bottled water and coffee provided
12) So, the funniest things I’ve said in 2011 have been “These are the times when I want a bucket of chicken to throw at people I hate,” and “I write about comedy and I suck at it.” OK everyone, I get the message.
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1) Louis CK dropping in at the Frolic Show. You’ve got to wonder if he’ll come up with a bit about trendy Asian Restaurants after this.
2) The LA Improv Comedy Festival @ iO West starts today! (Yes, we reported yesterday that said festival would start today, but many people, when not reminded, think, “I remember that was supposed to start some time this month.” We’d like to try to avoid this for such events)
3) Jimmy Pardo’s Never Not Funny Podcast Season 9 is here!!!
4) Jon Stewart’s Ratings are Higher Than Fox News [via ManintheMittle (via PoliticusUSA)]
5) Why you never miss the monthly sketch barrage known as the Midnight Show at UCB Theatre [via LiezlWasHere].
Pre-movie Trivia
What Happens When You Lose at “Shoot Now, Ask Questions Later”
7) ON THE HORIZON: At the Nerdist Theater
Pop & Politics w/Jimmy Dore Sat. June 11th 8PM $10
A Night with Jeff Garlin Mon. June 13th 8PM $10
Carnyville w/Dana Gould & David Koechner Thurs. June 23rd 8PM $10
8) COMEDY CRAWL
The 4 & 20 @ All Star Lanes 8PM FREE
Celebrity w/Joel McHale @ iO West 8PM $25
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
9) OPEN MIC RUN
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
CLUB 705 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Starts 7PM-ish/no purchase necessary/first come, first served
RED ROCK 8782 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/$5 min./multiple sets allowed/first come, first served
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/no purchase necessary/first come, first served
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 min./multiple sets allowed/bottled water and coffee provided
10) A kid asked me yesterday, “Does being a comedian pay well?” Oh, the things that little one will have to learn…
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THE COMEDY BUREAU/@thecomedybureau
1) LA Comedy Shorts Festival taking place mostly at the Downtown Independent Theater April 7th-11th. Details here.
2) Last night at the Tomorrow Show presents WEIRD, I got a chance to see Paul Rust, Harris Wittels, and Michael Cassady as newly formed band “Don’t Stop or We’ll Die”, as one hell of a comical musical ruckus. They’re playing at Meltdown Comics April 23rd 8PM $8. Do. Not. Miss. This.
3) Continuing in awesome comedy music acts that I saw last night at the Tomorrow Show, I had a chance to be berated for not being from Portland by MOP, which was not at all shocking and also, hilarious. Though this clip isn’t “music”, but since I don’t know where they’re playing next, it’ll have to do.
4) The Tip of the Hat this week (technically, last week) goes to none other than Paul F. Tompkins for making it to his 9th Anniversary Show. Article to follow today (Seriously, it will come out later today. I didn’t write/post it last night because I would have started punching walls if I stayed at the Bureau offices for another minute yesterday)
5) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL
Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE
Powerviolence @ The Complex 8:30PM FREE
French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE
We’ll All Be Dead Someday @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $5
Top Story Weekly! w/Sean Patton @ iO West 9PM $5
The Hilarium @ Hollywood Improv 9PM $14/2 drink min.
6) OPEN MIC RUN
PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/$5 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
7) Comedians doing open mics today seem somewhat more dedicated than marathon runners because they could do open mics tomorrow and skip the rain.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU/@thecomedybureau
1) In an ongoing confusion about the upcoming Comedy Awards, what exactly is “breakthrough” about any of the nominees for Breakthrough Performer of the Year? Most of these people have been around comedy for quite some time and are somewhat established, but the only thing that I can figure in regards to being breakthrough is that they have something, a TV show mostly, that’s really popular this year, as opposed to someone just having a whole round of debuts on the late night circuit as a comic whose name is just started to get known around entertainment and comedy circles alike. To be accurate, the award should be called Biggest Jump by a Comedic Performer in IMDB Starmeter This Year.
2) A big change is coming to the Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic as we’re now only featuring one special guest and this Tuesday, it’s going to be a great one as we’re having Brendon Walsh come down right before he goes on the Spring Value Tour with Neil Hamburger and Todd Barry.
3) ON THE HORIZON: Jimmy Dore’s Pop and Politics @ Meltdown Comics Sat. Apr. 2nd $10
4) Tip of the Hat Profile/Article of Ron Lynch to come later today…
5) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL
Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2
Armenian National Committee Fundraiser Starring Jackie Kashian @ Flappers Burbank $49.50/2 drink min.
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE
Comedy Barre @ Barre Vermont 8PM FREE/2 drink min.
Powerviolence @ The Complex 8:30PM FREE
French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE
Another Gentle Evening with Josh & Dan @ Fake Gallery 8:30PM FREE
Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM $5
Gravid Water @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
5) OPEN MIC RUN
PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/$5 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
6) I think have come to a point where I can only “nerd out” about comedy because all that I know. Unfortunately, that’s what I do for “work”, so I think I’ve become that guy who just can’t stop talking about work no matter where he is. Details on this development to follow.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU/@thecomedybureau
1) Last night, instead of performing/watching comedy, I was pretty much coerced into going into my mother’s Christmas work party at the Hilton Alhambra (one of the most Asian-centric parts of town) as a form of Christmas family time bonding, which is simultaneously a horrible situation I have no desire of being in AND a great source for material, especially considering the honest, personal approach I take to my act. Knowing that everyone’s process of developing material for performing comedy is drastically different, I’d like to offer a glimpse into my own personal process where I draw directly from personal experience. Listed below is a series of tweets I wrote throughout the duration of the party/death march of boredom/worst quiz I have ever sat through that will probably turn into 1-2 minutes of material (will keep you updated on progress). Perhaps, all of these random 140 characters or less thoughts will become nothing, but, either way, this is where my my comedy writing process starts…
-Surrounded by first generation Asians in the patient care industry. Already feeling uncomfortable. Step 1 complete.
-I don’t know why I checked Asian/Paciic Islander on any application. I don’t relate to any of these people. #jokesomewhere
-I have more in common with the “table 8” sign than all the Asian people here as it doesn’t tell me, “Go to grad school.”
-Currently listening to lounge version of Girl From Impanema, which sounds like the original if it was dosed with Ambien.
-If someone asks if I do jokes about how I’m not an Asian doctor, I would consider them heckling me in conversation
-I’m uncomfortable with how Asian-centric this party is; I feel about as asian as Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
-“Go ahead and speak Asian! I wasn’t going to talk to you anyway!” something I want to say at this party.
-Yelling “I’m not Asian for fuck sakes” is a bad idea. Christmas Techno music… a much worst idea.
-Christmas parties like this make me understand why cyanide for human consumption was discovered. #toodark? #dontcare
-Someone who can barely speak English is giving speech; needs translator who speaks “shut the hell up I’m hungry as fuck”
-Knowing how to use chopsticks is about as Asian as I get. #igrewupinamerica #damnit #usausausa
-Phone was nearly dead and thus kept me from sharing my hate of this stupid party with the world.
-in a quiz for a prize in which the answer to why did Scrooge change his mind was because he cared about people #bullshit
-My answer to scrooge’s change of heart: fear of the proletariat rise #yeahimpretentious #ihatethisparty
-In a room full of Asians, the answer to How many planets are there in our solar system was somehow 9. #falsestereotypes
-“Tokyo is the most populated city, bitch and that motherfucker doesn’t deserve a TV.” Christmas brings out the best in us.
-Into hour 5 of this party and I just want to yell racial epithets so I can leave.
-Actual Riddle for TV: Harry died on land and people were happy, David dies on land and people were happier. Who are they?
-Answer to riddle in last tweet: they were typhoons. My answer: Go fuck yourself
-For big screen tv, we’re asked to pick out three distinct items in a picture of a bum and a volunteer. #whyamistillhere
-My next set of answers to this quiz are going to be shenanigans, gobbledygook , and complete and utter bullshit.
-It irks me to think why my Dad ever wonders why I appear to be angry on stage. #6hrparty
2) Going on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL is a perfect alternative to going postal on people in the Grove parking structure because you want to show off this year at Christmas. Start off with Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2, then Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas @ Glendale Planetarium 5PM/7PM $10, then Alonzo Bodden @ Brea Improv 7PM $17/2 item min., then Race Riot @ Hollywood Improv 7:30PM $14/2 item min., then ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE, then Comedy Night @ Chatterbox 8PM FREE, then Please, Thank You, & You’re Welcome @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE, then French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, then Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM $5, then The Comedy Crush Bad Sweater Holiday Show @ The Hollywood Improv 9:30PM $14/2 item min., then Sunday Sunday Sunday @ Improv Space 9:30PM FREE.
3) OPEN MIC RUN: PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM, SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min., 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) The Comedy Bureau Calendars is finally updated in full!!! Every single club listed actually goes to there Calendars/Upcoming shows page. All of the minor inconvenience that remained on that list is now completely GONE offering you ease in searching for shows in LA unless clicking is a “big deal” for you.
5) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to JACKIE KASHIAN-“@jackiekashian I said to him, "so you’ve never done standup before?” he paused. a long time. “open mike?” he said, “well, I was on the bus this one time.” After heckling Sam Kinison many years ago, Jackie has never looked back in her vast and successful journey as a comedienne. Touring throughout the world and having been on TV several times, she shares her uproariously funny anecdotes about her dad, her husband, and herself. Thus, do not miss Jackie’s hilarious podcast Dorkforest or her website, blog, or Twitter.
6) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Jon Stewart Stand Up (1996)
7) If you read the Twitter feed excerpt from above, I think you’ll agree with me in wanting to donate to the Comedy Bureau. Do so right here.
8) As I stride further and further into comedy, I seem to know less and less “real” people. The “jury” is still out on whether this is a good or bad thing. The Comedy Bureau will keep you updated on my/its sanity.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
1) The Midnight Show @ UCB Theatre is actually the first pure sketch show to be reviewed here at the Comedy Bureau and I’d be hard pressed to find a better one to start off with. Interestingly enough, as the consistently hilarious host Brody Stevens left the stage after warming up the packed-to-standing-room-only UCB Theatre, I realized that I had not seen a sketch-only comedy show in quite some time, which, after last night’s Midnight Show, is something I am hoping to correct if it all possible. The collection of furiously swift sketches had this great absurdity about them that, as the show progressed, made me drawn in even further as an audience member to where exactly they were headed. One of my favorite sketches of the night that illustrates this perfectly was a fake TV spot for a futon store where sensational Hal Rudnick started off yelling why you would need to buy futon with a voiceover saying, “Futon!” at the end of each sentence, but quickly devolved into Hal making increasingly disturbing suggestions of not going “missionary” on a “Futon!” as that will break her pelvic bone “Futon!” With a fantastic cast of Nic Wegener, Hal Rudnick, James Pumphrey, Stephanie Allynne, Jeff Sloniker, Curtis Rainsberry, and Cale Hartmann, the Midnight Show startles and jolts in the best way possible on a very late Saturday night/early Sunday morning with sketches and video clips with the deft producing of Michael Busch and Megan Reeves and the superb, discerning direction of Joe Wagner. The Midnight Show is on the first Saturday of every month at the UCB Theatre (5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood, CA) at Midnight and only costs $5.
2) If you’re not watching Tangled this weekend, you should go on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL. However, if you are watching Tangled this weekend, you DEFINITELY need to go on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL. Start off with Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas @ Glendale Planetarium 5PM/7PM $10/$5 for under 12, then Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2, then ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE, then French Toast: MC Mr. Napkins CD Release Party @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, then The Thrilling Adventure Hour @ Largo 8:30PM $25, then Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM $5, and be glad that you didn’t support 3D.
3) OPEN MIC RUN: HAHA CAFE 5010 N. Lankershim Blvd., N. Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 6PM, PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM, SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, 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) STOP BEING A F’N SHUT IN AND GO SEE AMAZING WORLD OF ITS OWN THAT LA IS!!!! OK, if that didn’t work, you can watch Comedy Central’s Hot List at 10PM on Comedy Central featuring their top breakout comedians of this year which includes plenty of good folks featured regularly at the Comedy Bureau including Kyle Kinane, Reggie Watts, and Chelsea Peretti, that is, if you still insist on being a shut-in.
5) How about that? Merrill Davis in LA Weekly. That’s MERRILL DAVIS in LA WEEKLY! (Look, I typed it out twice so click the link and read it, OK?)
6) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to RYAN STOUT-“@stoutryan I’ve been sexually harassing this woman and I’m worried because I don’t think she knows about it. #LayingItOnThin #TooSubtle” Forget about his Comedy Central Presents special, his frequent appearances on Chelsea Lately, and other spots on TV, Ryan is one of the sharpest writers I know throughout all of LA and just “crushes” audiences wherever he goes (got an applause break at my open mic) all in a very dapper suit. Here’s his website and please follow him on Twitter here.
7) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Henny Youngman heckles Milton Berle 1966
8) “Reason #3,212 to DONATE the Comedy Bureau: (imagine you being hypnotized) Because you wanted to.” Just tweeted this right here.
9) People wonder why I’m so positive and upbeat in this blog for the majority of it. To those people, I say, “You should see my act sometime.”
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
1) Comedy Garage Thanksgiving Charity Bonanza @ The Comedy Garage was quite simply how comedy inside someone’s garage is supposed to be done. Not to be confused with other attempts at “garage” based live comedy, there were no hints of the inner workings of a comedy club (i.e. matching seats, nicely decorated stage, curtain, etc.) and also none of the pain of spending $15 on cover and having to pay a 2 drink minimum as Comedy Garage is completely free and often has beer to go around or, in last night’s case, FOUR LOKO. Instead of that overwhelming nature of a comedy club, there was a very chill, inviting house party atmosphere with people playing beer pong and enjoying each other’s company on the various collections of chairs and couches huddled around the astroturf-covered stage. One comedian during the show actually commented how the garage would be a high school kid’s dream with all the random assortments of snowmen and plastic penguins with a Gene Simmons mask fixed on it, though there was none of that childish negativity that festered back in high school (or at least that was my experience). In fact, the party goes on smoothly for a few hours before the show to get everyone in the perfect mood for a great live comedy show exceptionally produced by Sean Green, Cornell Reid, and Paul Danke. Despite temperatures dipping below 50, the Comedy Garage proved its great reputation for a “damn good time” with a crowd almost entirely of regular audience members who got to enjoy the likes of Brooks Wheelan, Joselyn Hughes, Alysia Wood, Rob Christensen, and the Comedy Garage gang (Sean, Cornell, and Paul) themselves. The Comedy Garage happens one Saturday a month in a garage in Burbank. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for details on the next one.
2) Harry Potter is estimated at a $125 million opening this weekend and runs about 2 and ½ hours long. The more than 20 shows that I listed over this weekend didn’t even come close to equaling half a percent of that total and offered about 10 times the duration of amazing entertainment. Yeah, I know the numbers don’t work out exactly, but it’s worth it more to go on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL-Start with Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2 (stand-by only), then go to Chris Fairbanks Stand-up Comedy Special Taping @ M-Bar 6:30PM RSVP at fairbankscomedy@gmail.com, then ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7PM FREE, then Trick @ Bordello Bar 8PM FREE, then Comedy Without a Cause @ Boardners 8PM FREE, then French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, then Dave Nieker’s 5 Comics @ Flappers Burbank YooHoo Room 9PM $10/2 drink min., then Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM, $5, then Mapping the Heavens @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5.
3) OPEN MIC RUN: PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/6PM, SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/7PM/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) With the frequency and ferocity that the Comedy Bureau has been hitting open mics, I’ve updated the Greater LA Open Mic Map with new spots and added the reviews to each spot, letting you know whether it’s “bureau approved” or not right here. Also, the Calendars section just added the Downtown Comedy Club and Second City Hollywood (though I still haven’t figured out a flash workaround that doesn’t take traffic away from their site). Check that out here.
5) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to ABBEY LONDER. On Facebook, Abbey wrote, “Listen lady– I can’t tell whether or not your baby is a boy or a girl. So when I say ‘what’s this little man’s name?’ and you get alllll offended and say ‘what does he look like a boy or something?’ please know that I don’t care. Also: I made your non fat latte with half and half. Happy Holidays, bitch.” Check her out at the Hollywood Improv tonight at 9PM or, if you really like her, go to the second-to-last of her awesome “Sweet and Sour Comedy” at Genghis Cohen this Tuesday 7PM $5/free for comics. Also, THIS is her badass website.
6) I don’t know how Little Tokyo is still standing, but since it is, we’re going to have another BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE TOKYO OPEN MIC this Tuesday Nov. 23rd @ Señor Fish (422 E. 1st St. in Little Tokyo). Sign-up 6:30PM. Starts 7PM. HUGE HINT: I try to not cut off the list, meaning if you get there by 9PM, I’ll get you up. Oh yeah, let’s all go to Holy Fuck!’s One Year Anniversary afterwards.
7) LIVE TWEETING/ME TRYING TO KEEP MY SANITY/CONVINCING PEOPLE I’M NOT GOING TO JUMP OFF THE 4TH ST. BRIDGE nightly, all right here.
8) “Going for donation number 2… Donation number 2, anyone? Anybody?”-The Comedy Bureau Donations volunteer…. if we could afford one. Please donate here.
9) It’s amazing how people always tell me these two things about this blog together. "Jake, I love your blog. It fills a need for LA Comedy.“ and "I’m just waiting to see one or two years down the road when your optimism burns out.” I love all of you too.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
1) Last night at “The Tomorrow Show w/Ron Lynch” @ The Steve Allen Theater, I felt so honored to perform on Ron’s “5 Minutes or Less” version of the show where a simply delightful line-up does 5 minutes before all the power to the stage is cut off. For those not in the “know”, “The Tomorrow Show w/Ron Lynch” has been a stand out even amongst an extremely rare breed of comedy shows in LA that start at midnight and take place outside of a comedy club AND are so funny that those hesistant about going to a comedy show in general WILL have a good time. With one of the best hosts “in the biz” Ron Lynch and his “magic without magic act”, last night lucky crowd witnessed daylight savings time as it happened and nicely packaged 5 minutes from Alex Mesrobian, Sean Green, Jake Kroeger (Comedy Bureau Director/the person writing this blog/me), Rob O’Reilly, Matt Champagne, John Vargas, SAX Carr, Shawn Carlow, Brandie Posey, Carlos Ramos, and Will Weldon, not to mention a fantastic musical performance from spy music extraordinaires Double Naught Spy Car. The Tomorrow Show!!! w/Ron Lynch @ The Steve Allen Theater, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Los Feliz). Every Saturday/Midnight. $8/Free Parking.
2) The extra hour in the day means, you guessed it, a superb comedy show on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL (football’s not worth that hour). Start off with The Breakfast Show w/Adam Shenkman @ The Strange 4PM & 8PM/e-mail AdamOCerealClub@gmail.com for details, then go to Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2, then go to Christopher Titus @ Brea Improv 7PM $25/2 drink min., then go to French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, then Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM $5, “Tales of the Black Freighter” @ R-Bar 9PM FREE. OK, that’s more than an hour, but you want to go to more than one comedy show tonight. You know that you do…
3) Tonight, the Comedy Bureau will be delving into another edition of OPEN MIC LIVE TWEETING at the Sushi King, which seems like an urban legend among LA open mic as it starts at midnight on Sundays. Stay tuned for what it sure to be either a great time or one of the harder mental endurance/patience tests I’ve ever subjected myself to right HERE.
4) In addition to the Greater LA Open Mic Map, there already exists a Greater LA Comedy Landscape for all the “booked” rooms. The Comedy Bureau brings you yet another amazing innovation by putting conveniently located links at the top of the page that to both maps. When we can afford an R&D department, we’ll look into the next step of intaking your inner thoughts and desires and letting that navigate through the site, but, for now, primitive as it may be, you’ll have to scroll up and click.
5) Newly minted LA Comedy Competition “The Rickie’s” is now taking submissions. Available categories for submission include Impressions/Characters, One-liners, and Musical Comedy. E-mail therickiesINFO@gmail.com with the category you’re submitting for, a 3 min. online clip, and any other questions. Find more details here.
6) News for the Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic: Regular tacos cost $1.50, Señor Fish closes at 1AM, and I might punch co-host Russell Corona in the face, just maybe. Go to Señor Fish, 422 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA on Nov. 9th/6:30PM to find out.
7) The Comedy Bureau actually received its first donation from fantastic human being/great comic Jerry Brandt and extends an extra special thank you from all of us (meaning me, the one person who writes and is responsible for everything that goes into this entire agency/blog). Please be the next exemplary citizen by donating to The Comedy Bureau and all my efforts here.
8) “Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww…” I wonder if there is any language where that actually translates to laughter. Wherever that is, that’s where my comedy will obliterate.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU