The Jimmy Dore Show at TYT Network went to Las Vegas right as the primary election for democrats in Nevada was being held to witness the city’s caucus.
His findings are both pretty damn funny, but also, at the same time, saddening as caution is being thrown to the wind in such a hotly contested election.
Watch it all really happen here.
Coming yet again from Comedy Dynamics is another hour special that we’ve been waiting awhile to see. Sentenced to Live is the brand new hour special from the always sharp, politically savvy Jimmy Dore and you can now watch it on Hulu at your convenience.
Here’s a trailer and then the whole thing.
This Friday at the El Portal Theater in North Hollywood, Jimmy Dore will be shooting a brand new 1 hour stand-up special for TV.
It’s been quite awhile since we’ve seen a special from Jimmy and, as that’s the case, you should all be excited to see the sharp, incisive bits that have been gestating in Dore’s head over the last several years.
The taping is at 9:30PM Nov. 7th and you can get your tickets here.
Jimmy Dore’s New Book “Your Country Is Just Not That Into You” Now on Pre-Order
1) LISTEN TO THIS NOW: Paul Scheer reading excerpts from Jim Belushi’s book “Real Men”
Day 4 – How to Fight w/ your Girlfriend by PaulScheer
2) If you still haven’t gotten Jen Kirkman’s latest release Hail To the Freaks
4) The Ultimate Free & Cheap LA Comedy List 6/12-6/18. Thanks Wisepix.
5)
Not to discourage anyone from doing open mics, but sometimes you to just power through it, no matter what’s happening. This picture above of hilarious comedienne Barbara Gray was taken during a live show at the Downtown LA Artwalk on Thurs. Here’s a recap from last night from another open mic, iCandy, that takes place in Long Beach every Friday that had the type of heckler that starts another show while the first show is still happening.
5) If you haven’t checked out any clips for the upcoming Comedy Central series “Jon Benjamin Has A Van”, you can now thank the Comedy Bureau later.
Jon Benjamin Has a VanSpring 2011Preview – You Can’t Shoot Herewww.comedycentral.comComedy CentralTV ShowsComedy Videos
6) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” this week to Tony Sam! Look for profile/article later today.
8) ON THE HORIZON
Jackie Kashian’s Dork Forest @ Nerdist Theater Thurs. July 7th 8PM $10
Jamie Kilstein @ Steve Allen Theater Mon. July 18th 8PM $10
9) COMEDY CRAWL
Space Boners @ Silverlake Lounge 7PM FREE
Conan O’Brien Writers Live @ iO West 7PM $25
North Star Comedy Hour & Meat Raffle @ Michael Woolson Studio 8PM FREE
Hand Schucked @ Moving Arts Theater 8PM FREE
The Anytime Show w/Dominic Dierkes @ Underground Annex Theater 8PM $5
Del Close Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeffrey Tambor @ iO West 8PM $25
Magic Bag @ Underground Annex Theater 8PM $5
Pop & Politics w/Jimmy Dore @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
Re-Animator @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $30
Michael Rayner @ Flappers Claremont 8PM $15/2 item min.
Sappity Tappity: A Drunken Romp Through Liquor Forest @ UCB Theatre 10PM $10
Chris Farley Award: Adam Scott @ iO West 10PM $25
Truth or Dare @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10:30PM $5
LAICF Harold Competition Championship @ iO West 11PM $10
Tomorrow Show w/Lynch, Small, and Anton @ Steve Allen Theater MIDNIGHT $8
10) OPEN MIC RUN
SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Starts 2PM/feedback given at end
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5 min./multiple sets allowed/coffee & water provided
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd and 4th St.)/Sign-up (lottery) 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/no purchase necessary/4 min.
11) So I’m going up tonight in a place accessible only by alley in Garden Grove. I’m not worried so much about being mugged as what I’m supposed to relate to people that frequently walk to their homes via alley ways.
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1) Everyone’s A Comedian: Comedy Is Hard. So, Why Is Everyone Doing It On The Internet? for Internet Week in NY [via SoMuchFunItHurts] w/Judah Friedlander, Michael Ian Black, Sara Benincasa, Alf Lamont, and moderator Sean McCarthy.
2) First image of Sasha Baron Cohen as The Dictator [via Huffington Post]
3) Hello Giggles gets written up in Forbes.
4) Julia Prescott Interview with the Humourdor.
5) Can’t Wait for the Movies: Super 8
Can’t Wait for the Movies: Super 8 – watch more funny videos
6) @BobDucca has a podcast: Affirmation Nation. [via Ploplist]
7) Barb & Whitney Blackout: Do You Want To Go Upstairs? NOTE: Watching this is a great way to start your Thursday.
9) Jesse Miller of the Jesse Miller Talk Show goes to ICM in NY. Make sure to take notes on how to introduce yourself at management companies.
11) COMEDY CRAWL
Real Spit @ Palms 8PM FREE
Comedy Speakeasy @ The Loft 8PM FREE
Subversive Comedy w/Jimmy Dore @ Flappers Burbank 8PM $12/2 item min.
Nick Thune, Arj Barker, Kate Miccuci, and Very Special Guests @ Largo 8:30PM $20
The Josh & Josh Show w/Andrés Du Bouchet @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE
Lot 1 Comedy Crunch @ Lot 1 Café 8:30PM FREE
Comedy Palace @ The Palace Restaurant 9PM FREE
The Los Angeles Comedy Festival: The Armando Show w/cast from Community @ iO West 8PM $25
Stripped Stories @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5
Sweet Sweet Standup @ M Bar 10PM $5
Rest in Peace @ Hollywood Hotel 10PM FREE
12) OPEN MIC RUN
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA 6PM/$4 minimum/first come, first served
COFEE BEAN 16101 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA, Suite 180/Starts 7PM/mixed mic/no purchase necessary
SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/first come, first served
CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/first come, first served/10 min.
CAFE UNURBAN 3301 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 9PM/No purchase necessary
13) If you’re an audience member at a comedy show and you’re debating whether or not to tell a comedian they were funny because you’re shy, tell them they’re funny. We keep count of compliments after shows like college football stars do with stickers on their helmets.
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Director of I AM COMIC, Jordan Brady, gave us here at the Bureau a very kind plug on Jimmy Dore’s Comedy and Everything Else Podcast around 1h23min. Listen to the whole thing as Brady’s an amazing force for comedy.
First, the Nerdist Podcast and now Comedy and Everything Else, what’s next for the Comedy Bureau?
1) It’s official: The Nerdist Theatre has arrived (@nerdmelt) and the back room of Meltdown Comics is no more (well, sort of). Kicking off their inaugural weekend off with Jimmy Dore’s Pop and Politics tonight and a live Nerdist Podcast w/James Gunn tomorrow night, the Nerdist Theatre is sure to be one of the “places to be” in LA.
2) LA via Texas and Texas via LA: Hampton Yount’s experiences at SXSW and Matt Ingebretson and the Hell Yes Fest in the Austinist.
3) The Comic’s Comic is now on Tumblr. I think you should follow.
4) Comedy Central now has a smart phone app for free. Perhaps you can find out when Mash-Up is on at 3:30AM again even more accesibly than visiting the Comedy Bureau.
5) ON THE HORIZON
TJ Miller Makes Mayhem @ Largo Sun. Jun. 5th 8PM $20
6) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL
Two Headed Beast: A Story Telling Show @ Stories Books & Cafe 8PM FREE
Mike Phirman @ Flappers Burbank 8PM/10PM $17/2 item min.
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10 (stand by only)
The Anytime Show w/Dominic Dierkes & Magic Bag @ Underground Annex Theatre 8PM/10PM $5 will get you into both shows
Truth or Dare @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $5
The Thrilling Adventure Hour @ Largo 8:30PM $25 (sold out, tickets may be available at door)
Comediaplex @ Westside Comedy Theatre 9PM $10
The Roast of Justin Bieber @ UCB Theatre 10PM $10
Ryan Stout @ Hollywood Improv 10PM $18
The Midnight Show @ UCB Theatre MIDNIGHT $5 (stand by only)
Tomorrow Show w/Ron Lynch @ Steve Allen Theater MIDNIGHT $8
7) OPEN MIC RUN
SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Starts 2PM/people usually give feedback at end of set
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATRE 1323-A 3rd St., Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd and 4th St.)/Sign-Up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed
8) May I stress that I have ABSOLUTELY no problem with people telling jokes that might be considered controversial or “too soon” as long as they’re inherently funny and not depending on mere hyperbole/graphic detail. Perfect example from comedian Brooks Wheelan posted only a few days after the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan: @brookswheelan This whole Japan thing is the biggest win dolphins have had since the ‘72 undefeated season. #LARRYCSONKA. Nicely done, Brooks. Nicely done.
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1) Yeah, comedy is an art form… The Village Voice thinks so.
2) Today is the postmark deadline for Film and Live Performance submissions to the LA Comedy Festival.
3) LA’s own Garfunkel and Oates being written about in Toledo.
4) The Ultimate Free & Cheap LA Comedy List 3/20-3/26. Thanks Wisepix.
5) So, apparently, there’s a comedy club in Santa Clarita… The Comedy Stop… Investigation to follow.
6)
The Midnight Show on your TV… It could be possible…
7) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL
Jimmy Dore @ Flappers Claremont 8PM $15/2 drink min.
Tea Time w/Heather Thomson @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $5
Stood Up Friday Night @ Moving Arts Theatre 10PM $5
Second Column Podcast LIVE @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10:30PM $5
The BEATdown @ UCB Theatre Midnight $5
8) OPEN MIC RUN
SET LIST @ FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia, Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/given set list to improv off of
iCANDY 1708 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/$3 min.
SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6:30PM/Starts 7PM
MAX BLOOM’S 200 N. Malden Ave., Fullerton, CA/Starts 7PM
GLENDALE DAYS INN 450 N. Pioneer Dr., Glendale, CA/Starts 8PM
9) Though it’s annoying to hear one-liners from homeless people, at least they don’t use notes when performing. That was refreshing.
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1) The Bridgetown Comedy Festival (@bridgetown on Twitter) in Portland (it’s a big festival that relatively close to LA) has been officially announced!!! I.E. April 21st-24th with some of LA’s best including Kyle Kinane, Brent Weinbach, James Adomian, Jimmy Dore, Moshe Kasher, Mike Phirman, Jan Davidson, and much more!!! More details to come as we get them here at the Comedy Bureau.
2) #HigherStakesChildrensBooks-hilarious way to get through Tuesday on Twitter. Follow this hashtag to find stuff like this “@pattonoswalt Blueberries for Salo: 120 Day of Sodom” (may or may not be NSFW)
3) What to Watch/DVR This Week via Splitsider
4) Want to win guest spot on the Longshot Podcast w/Eddie Pepitone, Sean Conroy, Jamie Flam, and Amber Kenny? Make a video and you could be famous* (*amongst comedy nerds)
5) This Town is Big Enough for the Both of Us… and Even More-where the new comedy haunts in LA are.
6) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL
The Good Luck Show @ The Good Luck Bar 7:30PM FREE
Out of the Wheelhouse @ Palms Bar 7:30PM FREE/$10 drink min.
Alonzo Bodden @ Comedy & Magic Club 8PM $15/2 drink min.
Comedy Death Ray @ UCB Theatre 8:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Lower Crust Comedy @ Genghis Cohen 9PM $6
Holy Fuck! @ Downtown Independent Theater 9PM FREE
7) OPEN MIC RUN
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE TOKYO @ SEÑOR FISH 422 E. 1st, Los Angeles, CA (downtown)/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM
COFFEE GALLERY 2029 Lake Ave., Altadena, CA/Starts 8PM
WESTWOOD BREWCO 1097 Glendon Ave., Westwood, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 7:30PM/Starts 8PM
8) Gilbert Gottfried got fired from Aflac as their spokesperson through tweeting what were deemed as offensive jokes about the recent disaster in Japan. Given the current state of the insurance industry, I’m pondering when they started caring about image?
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Much of what we feature and write about here at the Comedy Bureau often takes place in a out of the way bars, coffee shops, garages, or even someone’s living room, in a few cases, as those are the places where we go to find our particular taste in comedy (also, most of the shows are free, which is a great incentive). Yet, I understand that might be an intimidating notion for some people to go to a show where there is no stage, where the couch that you’re sitting on is perhaps where someone sleeps or where “the magic happens”. Perhaps, you might think that it’s just a bunch of no-talent open mic’ers doing their own show on their “own turf”. Rest assured that is not the case as plenty of comics on “those” line-ups are regularly on TV, paid to perform on the road, and are a part of an ultra-competitive comedy scene.
Thanks to both Jamie Flam, the new manager of the Hollywood Improv Lab, and Chris Hardwick, Jonah Ray, Matt Mira, and everyone else over at the Nerdist podcast for slowly, but surely revamping the back room of Meltdown Comics in Hollywood into the Nerdist Theatre, this really unique and specific problem has been now solved.
Over the past month and in the month to come, there has been a nice streak of shows popping up at both venues. First off, brilliant comedians Eddie Pepitone and Glenn Wool did their own special shows at the Improv Lab and while the back room of Meltdown Comics has had the fantastic Meltdown with Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani (recently profiled on Last Call with Carson Daly) for awhile, the Nerdist Podcast has taken to sponsoring several comedy events from a special screening of Black Dynamite, a comedy art show, and a special night of Pop and Politics with comedian Jimmy Dore.
Not too long ago, the awareness of both rooms was largely peripheral as shows and events, especially the kind featured here at the Comedy Bureau, would take place sporadically. Being at the Improv Lab and the back room of Meltdown was largely viewed by a number of people as sort of an abstract idea, almost as if it was weird to put on a show there. Last year, I heard a show producer at the Improv say, “Wait, we’re not at the Lab, right? If we are, we’re screwed. No one’s going to come.” At that time, approximately two years earlier, there would be, in a given week, only one or two shows at the Lab and maybe zero happening at Meltdown Comics. In a city where a line-up at the South by Southwest Arts Festival is a typical Monday night, anyone from normal people who love to laugh and comedy fans didn’t think much of a show taking place at either venue.
Now, the legitimacy for the two institutions keeps growing as solid establishments for live comedy as many of their shows and line-ups are not unlike those of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre considered by many to be one of the most popular venues in LA. Instead of the occasional stand up comedy showcase that used to rarely take place, the Improv Lab is now having variety shows, interview shows, sketch and improv shows, and one show where some of LA’s best do their first five minutes they’ve ever written. The Nerdist Theatre might even have a weekly open mic in the works hosted by their very own Matt Mira (details to come as the Comedy Bureau receives them) in the coming months. According to the Comedy Bureau “standards and practices”, those are bona fide comedy theatre that need to be attended regularly, not only to keep their doors open, but also because where you can see, in this humble blog’s/site’s opinion, where live comedy is going.
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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Recently: The Supreme Court backed the protests of the Westboro Baptist Church against homosexuals in the military as they reasoned “hurtful speech” is still protected by the Constitution. Apparently, “confusing speech” is also protected as Jimmy Dore found out while getting heckled.
1) Apparently, enough people read this blog in the LA comedy community so that The World Famous Comedy Store has taken notice.
The last time I heard anything from anybody at the Comedy Store was a couple a months ago when someone asked me, “Can you bring 5 people?” I’m glad that writing ABOUT comedy as opposed to writing and performing comedy, which I still voraciously commit myself to daily/nightly, is getting me somewhere. Thanks to all who read and there will be a night that I go to the Comedy Store/Improv/Ice House/etc. after I get some cash from Christmas “returns” and I’ll be pleasantly surprised if anybody knows who I am.
2) Yeah, there’s 12 shows on this list. Can I make it to all of them? Of course I can and so should you (STOP WORKING OUT THE “MOVIE PHYSICS” IN YOUR HEAD!!!) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL includes The Super Serious Show @ Smashbox Studios 7PM $18, Crisis on Infinite Comics and Comics 3-yr. Anniversary @ Meltdown Comics 7PM $5, Charlyne Yi @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5, Subversive Comedy w/Jimmy Dore & Friends @ Flappers Claremont 8PM $12/2 drink min., Comedy90210 @ Roxybury Cafe 8PM $5, 4 & 20 @ All Star Lanes 8PM FREE, Adam Carolla @ Irvine Improv 8PM $30/2 drink min., 2nd Annual Best Doorknockers Christmas Pageant Ever!!! @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $10/Two-for-one $5 each, Comedy Speakeasy @ TSR Lounge 8PM FREE, Bill Burr @ Brea Improv 8PM $17/2 drink min., The Produce Section Show @ 767 Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA (downtown) 8PM FREE (say “produce section” to doorman to get in), and certainly the last, but not least by any stretch of the imagination The Josh and Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE. Not that bad, right?
3) OPEN MIC RUN: SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park, Santa Monica, CA/Starts 7PM, COMEDY CRATE 1061 S. La Brea, Inglewood, CA/Starts 7PM, HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM, CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min., SIPOLOGY 448 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM, TKO SHOW @ 212 CAFE 212 Pier Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 9PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.
4) Staying in because you have become it’s no longer slightly breezy at 70? Watch Johnny Pemberton on MTV’s Megadrive 11PM or Matt Braunger on E!’s Chelsea Lately also at 11PM because you will something actually or verbally destroyed.
5) There are actually more open mics that happen than what I list daily above in the “OPEN MIC RUN” feature. That rundown basically lists what I think is worth your time on a nightly basis, more or less (i.e. you won’t want to entirely quit comedy after doing those rooms). For an even more comprehensive listing, go to the Greater LA Open Mic Map, which lists every open mic I know of (constantly updated).
6) Maria Bamford’s One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! FREE! RIGHT HERE! FROM THE COMFORT OF THE VERY POSITION THAT YOU’RE SITTING IN!!!
7) For the Comedy Bureau “Tip of the Hat”, I follow over 300 people on Twitter, am friends with over 300 comics on Facebook, and follow over 80 people on Tumblr, ALL OF WHICH IS READ BY ME (that does indeed me I read every f’n tweet/blog of every person I follow). This is why I’m severely curtailing following more people on Twitter and Tumblr to keep my sanity. However, if you want to be considered for the “Tip of the Hat”, you can make my life infinitely easier by submitting a status update/tweet/quote/blog post/joke/video/picture that you took/etc. to thecomedybureau@gmail.com with your name, “FYC Tip of the Hat”, and the date in the subject line. Speaking of which…
8) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to DAVE ROSS-“@davetotheross honestly ladies, a side-hug might as well be a fork in the eye.” Dave Ross joins the “Tip of the Hat x 2 Club” here and deservedly so with his dominating and hilarious online presence (Dave’s Cats and Pussy Podcast was nominated by Punchline Magazine as one of the Best New Podcasts of 2010) and his show Holy Fuck!, one of my favorites about town. So… check out Dave’s fantastic website and follow him on Twitter and don’t miss the next edition of Holy Fuck! next Tuesday Dec. 21st at the Downtown Independent Theatre for completely fucking FREE!!!
9) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Bill Hicks on Marketing (RIP Bill Hicks… Dec. 16th was his birthday)
10) “Build it and they will donate.”-Cheap attempt #23 to get people to donate to the Comedy Bureau.
11) TONIGHT: LIVE TWEETING at a Run of Shows OR Open Mics—-follow here to find out where my comedy misadventures take me tonight. (Perhaps I’ll try some of that Asian Christmas work party material….)
12) When going over a joke with the word “normalcy” in it, someone once told me that “normalcy” was a big word. Perhaps, he’s the type of person that would only understand the term “double plus normal way”.
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1) Apparently, enough people read this blog in the LA comedy community so that The World Famous Comedy Store has taken notice.
The last time I heard anything from anybody at the Comedy Store was a couple a months ago when someone asked me, “Can you bring 5 people?” I’m glad that writing ABOUT comedy as opposed to writing and performing comedy, which I still voraciously commit myself to daily/nightly, is getting me somewhere. Thanks to all who read and there will be a night that I go to the Comedy Store/Improv/Ice House/etc. after I get some cash from Christmas “returns” and I’ll be pleasantly surprised if anybody knows who I am.
2) Yeah, there’s 12 shows on this list. Can I make it to all of them? Of course I can and so should you (STOP WORKING OUT THE “MOVIE PHYSICS” IN YOUR HEAD!!!) Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL includes The Super Serious Show @ Smashbox Studios 7PM $18, Crisis on Infinite Comics and Comics 3-yr. Anniversary @ Meltdown Comics 7PM $5, Charlyne Yi @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5, Subversive Comedy w/Jimmy Dore & Friends @ Flappers Claremont 8PM $12/2 drink min., Comedy90210 @ Roxybury Cafe 8PM $5, 4 & 20 @ All Star Lanes 8PM FREE, Adam Carolla @ Irvine Improv 8PM $30/2 drink min., 2nd Annual Best Doorknockers Christmas Pageant Ever!!! @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $10/Two-for-one $5 each, Comedy Speakeasy @ TSR Lounge 8PM FREE, Bill Burr @ Brea Improv 8PM $17/2 drink min., The Produce Section Show @ 767 Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA (downtown) 8PM FREE (say “produce section” to doorman to get in), and certainly the last, but not least by any stretch of the imagination The Josh and Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE. Not that bad, right?
3) OPEN MIC RUN: SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park, Santa Monica, CA/Starts 7PM, COMEDY CRATE 1061 S. La Brea, Inglewood, CA/Starts 7PM, HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM, CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min., SIPOLOGY 448 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM, TKO SHOW @ 212 CAFE 212 Pier Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 9PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.
4) There are actually more open mics that happen than what I list daily above in the “OPEN MIC RUN” feature. That rundown basically lists what I think is worth your time on a nightly basis, more or less (i.e. you won’t want to entirely quit comedy after doing those rooms). For an even more comprehensive listing, go to the Greater LA Open Mic Map, which lists every open mic I know of (constantly updated).
5) Maria Bamford’s One-Hour Homemade Christmas Special! FREE! RIGHT HERE! FROM THE COMFORT OF THE VERY POSITION THAT YOU’RE SITTING IN!!!
6) For the Comedy Bureau “Tip of the Hat”, I follow over 300 people on Twitter, am friends with over 300 comics on Facebook, and follow over 80 people on Tumblr, ALL OF WHICH IS READ BY ME (that does indeed me I read every f’n tweet/blog of every person I follow). This is why I’m severely curtailing following more people on Twitter and Tumblr to keep my sanity. However, if you want to be considered for the “Tip of the Hat”, you can make my life infinitely easier by submitting a status update/tweet/quote/blog post/joke/video/picture that you took/etc. to thecomedybureau@gmail.com with your name, “FYC Tip of the Hat”, and the date in the subject line. Speaking of which…
7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to DAVE ROSS-“@davetotheross honestly ladies, a side-hug might as well be a fork in the eye.” Dave Ross joins the “Tip of the Hat x 2 Club” here and deservedly so with his dominating and hilarious online presence (Dave’s Cats and Pussy Podcast was nominated by Punchline Magazine as one of the Best New Podcasts of 2010) and his show Holy Fuck!, one of my favorites about town. So… check out Dave’s fantastic website and follow him on Twitter and don’t miss the next edition of Holy Fuck! next Tuesday Dec. 21st at the Downtown Independent Theatre for completely fucking FREE!!!
8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Bill Hicks on Marketing (RIP Bill Hicks… Dec. 16th was his birthday)
9) “Build it and they will donate.”-Cheap attempt #23 to get people to donate to the Comedy Bureau.
10) TONIGHT: LIVE TWEETING at a Run of Shows OR Open Mics—-follow here to find out where my comedy misadventures take me tonight. (Perhaps I’ll try some of that Asian Christmas work party material….)
11) When going over a joke with the word “normalcy” in it, someone once told me that “normalcy” was a big word. Perhaps, he’s the type of person that would only understand the term “double plus normal way”.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
1) Due to legal reasons, there will be something written here in March 2011.
2) If you were able to make it to the 11 shows I posted yesterday, this should be a breeze, that is, if you killed you’re doppelganger clones. Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL: The Super Serious Show @ Smashbox Studios 7PM $15/Free Beer, then Jimmy Dore and Friends @ Flappers Burbank 8PM $12/2 drink min., then The Josh and Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8PM FREE, then Comedy Speakeasy @ TSR Lounge 8PM (call 323-568-1616 for details/to be in audience), then Comedy90210 @ Roxbury Cafe (459 N. Roxbury Dr., Beverly Hills, CA) 8PM $5, then The Joe Braza Comedy Invitational Finals @ The Seafood Shack 8:30PM FREE, then The Charlyne Yi Show (she was on Conan last week and I didn’t post it like I should have right here) @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5, then WTF? w/Greg Berman @ Flappers Burbank 10PM $12/2 drink min.
3) OPEN MIC RUN: SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park Ave., Santa Monica, CA 7PM, HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1760 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/7PM, CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min., SIPOLOGY 448 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/Must work clean and no material about religion or politics, TKO SHOW @ 212 CAFE 212 Pier Ave., Venice, CA 9PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5 cover/multiple sets allowed.
4) The Comedy Bureau “Tips its Hat” to Aparna Nancherla today. @aparnapkin “found out that the sound of one hand clapping is me patting myself on the back. #selfcongratulatoryphilosophy” Follow her “musings and amusings” on Twitter here or her blog here.
5) Though Reggie Watts is mainly NYC performer, he’s in town for the week as shown here on Conan. His show at Largo is sold out tonight, but there is a large segment of the LA population that tends to flake out, so show up and maybe you’ll have a chance.
6) The Comedy Bureau would like to welcome a new member in its Chain of Command: Field Liaison Jeremy Paul. Let the title take you wherever you want it to, but Jeremy would like you to know that his dick stays hard and HE JUST DON’T GIVE A SHIT. Once more, welcome to The Comedy Bureau, Jeremy Paul.
7) The Comedy Bureau is out and about in the best and worst of Los Angeles and the Greater LA Metropolitan Area to tell you good decent folk where to go and where to never ever even dream about going in LA Comedy. Find out what’s going on via LIVE TWEETING here.
8) Basically, if you’re not bent on world destruction or don’t think that Dane Cook is what smart comedy sounds like, you should donate to The Comedy Bureau, so we can make those two things never ever happen. Accomplish this right here.
9) Again, due to legal reasons, there will be something written here in March, perhaps a few weeks earlier for reasons I’m also legally not allowed to discuss.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
1) The Garfunkel and Oates Hour @ UCB Theatre took me by surprise, in the best way possible, even when I expected the “unexpected”. Having already seen the lovely and talented duo of Kate Micucci and Riki Lindhome separately, I suspected farcical/risqué songs from the unassuming, almost incongruous pair (Lindhome is a foot taller and plays guitar next to the petit Micucci who plays a ukelele). Yet, their abundant charm coupled with their cleverly worded and obscure reference-filled (John Donne and Spiro Agnew, just to name a few) songs about douchebags ruining the party, sex with animals, and the learning curve of hand jobs, was far past anything I had in mind for the evening. AND THEN… Justin Long, who, according to Lindhome, has only been in Herbie: Fully Loaded, read published poems by Michael Madsen that could be described as transcendent… via a certain, horrible, undeserving self-importance. One of the poems is merely about watching out for “the shit” because it’s “everywhere”. It was another thing in the Garfunkel and Oates Hour that completely blindsided me as I usually don’t expect much out of big-shot actors performing live comedy. The Garfunkel and Oates Hour is every 2nd Friday of the month at the UCB Theatre, 5919 Franklin Ave. 8PM/$10. They also perform at several other venues/dates around LA. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for details.
2) Yeah, I know it’s Saturday and Manny Pacquiao is going to beat whatever daylights that Antonio Margarito has left in him, which is EXACTLY the point. I KNOW THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN. There’s no suspense left, which is why you should go see some great live comedy instead. Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL starts off with Jimmy Dore @ Flappers Claremont 8PM/10PM $15/2 drink min., then B.O.R.E.D. Tour starring Mike Phirman @ Flappers Burbank-YooHoo Room 9:30PM $10/2 drink min., then Nick Kroll Does Comedy @ UCB Theatre 10PM $10 (stand by only), then The Twelve Shiny Nickels Show @ The Fake Gallery 11PM $5, then Showbizzle.com’s Last Call Comedy @ Hollywood Improv 11:30PM $14/2 item min., then Midnight Madness @ The Hollywood Laugh Factory 11:59PM $20/2 drink min., and then finish strong with a knockout at Ron Lynch’s Tomorrow! presents HOOK-UP! @ The Steve Allen Theater MIDNIGHT $8.
3) OPEN MIC RUN: MARTY’S 5PM to 11PM/$5 cover/7351 W. Sunset Blvd. (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s), SUNSET GRILL 7PM/one item min./7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA, BURBANK MOOSE LODGE 7:30PM/1901 W. Burbank Blvd. Call (818)-843-0284 before going as I’ve never tried this mic before.
4) Today’s Comedy Bureau’s Twitter Tip of the Hat goes to JIM HAMILTON. “@Jim_Hamilton I don’t know what to wear this time of year, because the only clothes I own are Hypercolor shirts and Christmas sweaters.” Follow him and some of the best one-liners in LA here.
5) The Greater LA Open Mic Map has been updated, specifically put in order by day and time so it’s EVEN EASIER for any and all of you aspiring/working/making-it comics wanting to find an open mic. Any listings without details are as such because I have yet to actually go there and see how horrible/tolerable it is. More info on each individual room to be added soon. Check all of the above here.
6) That REVIEWS archive I promised, right here. Everything will be re-linked tomorrow, mostly so I have something else to write about.
7) Follow the Comedy Bureau on its not-all-that-secret mission to bring great comedy out to the deserving public on twitter as it live tweets every night. Do so right here.
8) I wonder what a Comedy Bureau jingle would sound like… support/donate and find out here.
9) I convinced someone to try stand-up last night and I can’t help but wonder if I did a bad thing… He might have been President, but now he’ll try to be one of us wondering what angle about the President hasn’t been explored at an open mic. Luckily, I don’t believe in karma.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
1) Holy Fuck! @ The Downtown Independent Theatre deservedly earned it’s name last night. Despite it being on a night that it isn’t usually scheduled on, the presence of the Downtown LA Artwalk, another live stand up comedy show also in Downtown LA, Holy Fuck! told the odds to go seriously FUCK themselves as an entire movie theatre (over 100 people) showed up to see some of LA’s heaviest hitters in comedy. In fact, show producer/awesome comedian/all around great guy Dave Ross proves that, if done correctly, you can make a great comedy show in a completely non-traditional comedy venue at the ultra-hip Downtown Independent Theatre. When Louis CK dropped in a few months ago, he pointed out the high ceilings, the deep stadium seating, and several other obstacles comedians would have to fight while perform and got HUGE LAUGHS will doing it. On this edition of Holy Fuck!, the huge crowd that told the artwalk to fuck off were almost spoiled with performances from cross-dressing/straight-man (you read that right)/host for the evening Rye Silverman, Zach Ames, Ed Salazar, Susan Burke, Howard Kremer, musical duo Limo Driver, Dave Ross, Laura Kightlinger, and the one and only (and the Comedy Bureau uses that phrase sparingly) Eddie Pepitone. OH, DID I MENTION IT’S FREE?!? It’s a completely free show that you should never miss on pain of kicking yourself in the face. Holy Fuck! is usually on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. 9PM. HOLY FUCKING FREE! @ Downtown Independent Theatre 251 S. Main St. Stay tuned here for details.
2) Hopefully the COMEDY CRAWL will put the Artwalk to shame. We can start off to that goal tonight by going to Ron Lynch @ Flappers Yoo Hoo Room 7:30PM $10/2 drink min., then go to Jimmy Dore @ Flappers Claremont 8PM/10PM $15/2 drink min., then go to Race Riot @ The Hollywood Improv Lab 8PM $5, then go to Garfunkel & Oates Hour @ UCB Theatre $10 (stand by only), then go to 10 Comics in the Lounge @ Comedy and Magic Club 8:15PM $10, then go to Tremendosaur and Friends @ Tommy’s Place/USC 9PM FREE, then Stood Up Friday Night @ Moving Arts Theatre 10PM $5, then finish off with Hot Toddy @ iO West 10:30PM $5. Once again, you’re welcome.
3) OPEN MIC RUN: SILVERLAKE LOUNGE-sign up (lottery) at 6:30PM/starts at 7PM/2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake), iCANDY-sign up at 6PM/starts at 7PM/1708 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA, GLENDALE DAYS INN-8PM/450 Pioneer Dr., Glendale, CA, NEWPORT BEACH RADISSON -9PM/4545 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach, CA/message host David Marley for sign-up, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC-5PM to 11PM/$5 cover/7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel, past Big Mama’s & Big Papa’s)
4) The Ultimate Free & Cheap LA Comedy List strikes again for 11/14-11/20… in a for-the-good-of-mankind way. Thanks Wisepix.
5) The Comedy Bureau tips it’s non-existent/metaphorical Twitter hat today to Lizzy Cooperman. RT @lizzycoooperman You call him a bad dancer. I call him a handicapped centipede. #twoleftfeet. Follow her here.
6) It has been brought to the Comedy Bureau’s attention that actual people read and appreciate the reviews featured here. As this is the case, there will be a REVIEWS archive in case you were ever wondering which are the hot shows to check out in the vast decentralized amazing place that LA is AND you didn’t want to scroll and search through all these posts looking for it.
7) Whatever the Comedy Bureau is doing tonight in comedy, with comedy, or any other preposition related to comedy will be live tweeted here. Please follow.
8) If you like Morning Debriefings more than Daily Reports, donate to the Comedy Bureau as it needs to make money doing this in its spare time AKA pretty much every waking minute. Again, donate.
9) Doing comedy every night literally stretches time as two weeks ago seems like two months to me, which makes me feel better as it seems I’ve been doing this blog a lot longer than I actually have. Though, it also makes it seem like I’ve been alone a lot longer (i.e. years seem like epochs)
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
1) Tales of the Black Freighter @ R-Bar is what people should think of a LA comedy show, as opposed to what they might see at the Comedy Store and the Hollywood Improv on a given night. Located in the heart of K-town on 8th St., as opposed to the gentrified glitz of Wilshire Blvd., with several Mexican hole-in-the-walls and Korean BBQs, one walks into R-bar and is immediately transported into yet another state of mind with there being a password (that they will just give you) to enter the extremely intimate bar, an entirely dark wooded interior, and offerings of the Sazerac from the friendly, neighborly staff AND THEN, there’s a great comedy show. With Last Comic Standing Finalist James Adomian hosting and telling his version of Russian joke families, Eddie Pepitone, Karl Hess, Jimmy Dore, and Eric Andre gave the audience the complete fantastically opposite experience of a Hollywood comedy show. Details of the Tales of the Black Frieghter will come as the Comedy Bureau receives them, but there is another regularly scheduled, one-Tuesday-a-month live comedy show at R-bar (3331 W. 8th St., Los Angeles, CA) called Blamblamblam hosted by Matt Peters. Don’t miss the next one on this Tues. Nov. 9th at 9PM for FREE.
2) We still haven’t hit a night without a fantastic “Comedy Crawl” and tonight is certainly no exception. In fact, it’s going to one damn good night of comedy, that’s almost entirely free, on a daylight savings Monday that certainly needs it. Start off with some What’s Up Tiger Lily? @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8PM FREE, The Happy Tiki Comedy Show @ The Puka Bar 8:30PM FREE, Stand Up Comedy Night @ Old Towne Pub (66 N. Fair Oaks, Pasadena, CA) 10PM FREE, Keep It Clean @ 1739 Public House 10:30PM FREE, and finish it off with The Incubator @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5.
3) If anyone actually followed the live tweet of last night’s sojourn to Sushi King for the supposed midnight open mic, you would have found that they moved it to Tuesday. Personal sidenote: I don’t know how receptive Sushi King is to comedy if they ACTUALLY THOUGHT I was going to have sushi delivered from Hollywood to Long Beach after I showed up for a comedy open mic at midnight. Live tweeting tonight from Marty’s/The Open Mic at 5PM. Follow here.
4) If you are opting to stay at home tonight, you better be watching the return of Conan O’Brien on TV/the world having hope or at least having some great fun before it goes down in flames. 11PM on TBS.
5) RT @ Braunger LA comics! @sarahtiana is collecting merch for the troops. Drop off your CDs, records, etc at the Improv, Comedy Store, and the Icehouse.
6) I’ll say it again: Greater LA Open Mic Map. Greater LA Comedy Landscape. Both now with buttons and will be updated regularly. I wish paying my overdue parking ticket was this easy.
7) DON’T HAVE FEAR even though there will be some Big Trouble in Little Tokyo with the Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic kicking off and kicking hard tomorrow night Tues. Nov. 9th at 6:30PM. Please don’t be square/no show. Come to Señor Fish, 422 E. 1st. St., Los Angeles, CA (I apologize. You can be square, but please come down because it will be “that” much greater if you do)
8) I could give you a million very depressing reasons that no one really needs to hear about what I go through to run the Comedy Bureau, but, instead, I’m just going to say, if you are able and willing, please donate here.
9) Walking for 2 hours around Koreatown, horribly alone, might just be a great way to get material, though I’m pretty sure writing, “You ever been so alone that you wished you’ve been mugged just to remind you of your existence?” isn’t really all that funny. It sounds “forced”, but I’ll find that out for sure at an open mic tonight.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
