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LA Comedy Rundown 5/8/12

May 8, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Mame That Chune @ UCB Theatre Fri. May 11th 8PM $10
Surprise! with Rob & Sofiya @ The Polish Plantation Fri. May 11th 8:30PM FREE

Maya Rudolph & Gretchen Lieberum are Princess @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre Thurs. May 17th & 18th 8:30PM $30 

COMEDY CRAWL
Brink of Extinction with Bryan Coffee @ Steve Allen Theater 8PM $10
FitzDog Radio Live @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
Comedy Bang Bang @ UCB Theatre 8:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Daytime Justice @ iO West 8:30PM $5
Blamblamblam! @ R-Bar 9PM FREE
Holy Fuck @ Downtown Independent Theater 9PM FREE
Public School Stories @ M Bar 9PM No cover/$10 min.
Looking for Lenny Screening @ Hollywood Laugh Factory 10PM $20-$30/2 drink min. 

OPEN MIC RUN
HOLLYWOOD IMPROV 8162 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM-5:40PM/Starts 6PM/lottery/20 spots only/3 min./No purchase necessary
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Starts 5:30PM/Stand-up, sketch, improv all welcome/5 min.
AMSTERDAM CAFE 10905 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM
ANGELS & KINGS BAR 1708 N. Las Palmas Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6:45PM/Starts 7PM/First come, first served/5 min./No purchase necessary
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/Ends 8PM/Sign-up is lottery/One item min.
BROADWAY ALE HOUSE 129 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA/Starts 7PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
THE MOTH @ BUSBY’S EAST 5364 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/storytelling only/5 min./lottery w/cut off/$8
WESTWOOD BREW CO 1097 Glendon Ave., Westwood, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
PEDONE’S PIZZA 1332 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/Ends 9:15PM/5-7min.
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Starts 8PM/mixed mic 
BLUE GOOSE LOUNGE 5201 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/1 drink 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
DAVE’S BAR 708 Broadway, Glendale, CA/Starts 10PM/first come, first served/one item min./8-10 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/bottled water and coffee provided   

Morning Debriefing 5/7/12

May 7, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) Umm, you guys know that This American Life will be performing an episode this Thursday in movie theaters across the U.S. and Canada and Australia, right? 

2) Episode 1 of Paul F. Tompkins uber-classy interview with cocktails show Speakeasy with guest Ty Burrell.

3) Following his Between Two Ferns special that aired last night (which you can now watch online), Zach Galifianakis is now in a political smear-off with Will Ferrell…

4) Tonight on late night:
Admiral General Aladeen (Sascha Baron Cohen) on The Daily Show (Comedy Central 11PM) 
Matt Walsh on Conan (TBS 11PM)
5 Second Films on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC 1:35AM) 

5) Girls’ Lena Dunham on her critics on NPR…

6) Sketch group Dead Kevin doesn’t know how to not do an interview, maybe, right, OK?

7) Comedy abroad-ish:
Dan Telfer @ The Comedy Attic May 10th-12th $12

8) In addition to comedians releasing their own specials, comedy albums on vinyl seem to be taking off as Hannibal Buress will be joining Kyle Kinane and Jonah Ray in releasing his latest special Animal Furnace also on vinyl.

9) On today’s Puddin’, Eddie Pepitone + lemons + Patton Oswalt trying not to break + cameo by David Koechner = a better May 5th, 2012.

10) If you think you have writer’s block, you probably just don’t give a shit about what you’re writing/don’t think what you’re writing is funny.

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LA Comedy Rundown 5/7/12

May 7, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Before You Were Funny @ UCB Theatre Sun. May 13th 9:30PM $5 
Drew Carey Presents: The Best of the Midnight Show @ Irvine Improv Fri. May 11th-Sun. May 13th $30/2 item min. 

COMEDY CRAWL
What’s Up Tiger Lily? @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8PM FREE
Animal Crackers Comedy Experience @ Animal Crackers 8:30PM FREE
Keep It Clean @ 1739 Public House 10PM FREE
Crash Test @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5  

OPEN MIC RUN
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/1 item min./multiple sets allowed/first come, first served
ANCHOR BAR 2675 Irvine Ave., Costa Mesa, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/5 min.
PALACE RESTAURANT 2112 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA (Los Feliz)/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/No purchase necessary
RAINBOW BAR & GRILL 9015 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up before 8PM/Starts 8:30PM/$2 cover/mixed mic
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/no purchase necessary/first come, first served
JAKE’S 38 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA/SIgn-up 9:30PM/Starts 10PM/Lottery/No purchase necessary
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     

Morning Debriefing 5/6/12

May 6, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) The 2nd Annual Comedy Awards airs tonight on Comedy Central at 9PM (meaning you’ll see snarky tweets at 6PM EST) following the Between Two Ferns Special 8:30PM (with celebratory tweets at 5:30PM EST)

2) Get a look at tonight’s Comedy Awards red carpet with Julie Klausner…

The first of my Comedy Awards red carpet videos includes some pretty important talk with Billy Eichner about Amanda Plummer! Plus some other black tie chats with Matthew Perry, Robin Williams, Maya Rudolph, Reggie Watts, The Gregory Brothers, Retta, the cast of Happy Endings, Ty Burrell, Hannibal Burress, Kristen Schaal, & many more jesters and clowns! Thanks for watching. x

3) ALSO, if you wanted a program even though you’re not attending The Comedy Awards tonight because it’s already taped, here’s Laughspin’s liveblog and a list of winners from the Laugh Button

4) Freak Dance the movie is taking the nation by storm…

5) Claudia Cogan is taping an album at the The Little Modern Theater in June. Translation: Please attend for great amounts of laughter.

6) Comedy abroad-ish:
Sean O’Connor & Nick Turner @ Starline Performance Venue (Fresno, CA) TONIGHT 8:30PM $10
The Walsh Brothers @ The Gothic Theatre (Denver, CO)
Thurs. May 17th 8PM $12
Pete Holmes @ Wiseguys Trolley Square (Salt Lake City, UT) Sat. May 19th 7PM $18/1 item min.

7) Jesse Popp’s The Half Hour will air Fri. June 15th on Comedy Central

8) There will be a live premiere party for BOTH The Eric Andre Show and Hannibal Buress’ upcoming special Animal Furnace at the Knitting Factory in NYC. You can’t look at the poster and not go…

   

Get tickets here

9) Really disappointed in not finding any amazing Super Moon jokes on Twitter last night, which really means I’m disappointed in myself for yet again not talking to a real person.

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LA Comedy Rundown 5/6/12

May 6, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
The Eric Andre Show Season 1 Preview @ Cinefamily Mon. May 14th 7:30PM $12 
Don’t Stop or We’ll Die @ Bootleg Theater Mon. May 7th 9:30PM FREE

pic.twitter.com/ti5KtPDQ

COMEDY CRAWL
Jim Jefferies @ Irvine Improv 7PM $25/2 item min.
The Anytime Show with Dominic Dierkes @ Little Modern 7PM FREE
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE
Un Cabaret @ Bar Fedora 8PM $20-$55
Delight and Destroy Presents: Comedy Influential @ The Mint LA 8PM $9
Magic Bag @ Little Modern 8PM $5
French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE
Neal Brennan & Friends @ Westside Comedy Theater 9PM $5
Powerviolence @ The Complex 9PM FREE
Top Story Weekly! w/Ryan Stout @ iO West 9PM $5
Gravid Water @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Shitty Jobs @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5 (stand by only) 

OPEN MIC RUN
DANGERFIELD’S 3 2425 ½ James M. Wood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 3PM/3-5 min./lottery/$1 cover
PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/3 min./No purchase necessary
PARADISE PERKS 15475 Jeffrey Rd., Irvine, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/only 10 spots available
STARLIGHT THEATRE 1125 Victoria St., Costa Mesa, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/mixed mic/No purchase necessary
NERDIST THEATER 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
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 9PM/first come, first served/mixed mic
THE BARREL 4547 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/First come, first served/7 min./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/bottled water and coffee available     

Morning Debriefing 5/5/12

May 5, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) Not to worry (or think that you’re petition on Facebook really had anything to do with it) NBC’s bringing Best Friends Forever back June 1st. Maybe NBC brass just get a real kick out of torturing kids on the Internet?

2) Late World with Zach Galifianakis 3.0?

3) The Midnight Show album "Wow, Whaddya Know!“ is here… 

Wow, Whaddya Know!  It’s The Midnight Show (album)! (Taken with instagram)

4) Brendon Walsh’s The Half Hour will air Fri. May 25th 11PM on Comedy Central.

5) A new promo for Bunk with Kurt Braunohler on IFC in which Kurt touches the faces of contestants and more.

6) Advanced screenings of Bobcat Goldthwait’s God Bless America playing at the Downtown Independent Theater on May 11th-17th and a TBD free screening on May 9th at the New Beverly Cinema

7) Comedy abroad-ish:
Ron Funches @ The Comedy Underground May 11th-12th 8:30PM $20
Chris Fairbanks in Denver
May 23rd-25th
Hari Kondabolu in the Pacific Northwest throughout May
Stripped Stories @ Union Transfer (Philadelphia, PA) Tues. Jun. 19th 8PM $15 

8) What’s What’s Monty (Davey Johnson) shows that we’re celebrating the wrong Cinco De Mayo.

9) Jonas Polsky, known to many for arguing with Myq Kaplan about how to create jokes, wonderfully defends nothing being off limits on comedy… 

10) At an open mic at a bar, few things are funnier than the faces of non-comics that walk in at the sound of "I’m going to rape you unless you say no.”

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LA Comedy Rundown 5/5/12

May 5, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Looking for Lenny Screening @ Hollywood Laugh Factory Tues. May 8th $20-$30/2 drink min.
Lizz Free or Die: The Book, The Tour @ Steve Allen Theater
Wed. May 23rd $15 

Lizz Winstead

COMEDY CRAWL
Jim Jeffries @ Irvine Improv 7PM/9PM $25/2 item min.
La Comedia Mexicana Loca @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 7:30PM FREE
Loud Noises! @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
The Donkey Show @ Dangerfield’s 3 8PM $5
Matt Portman’s Comedy Extravaganza @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8PM $10
Two-Headed Beast: A Storytelling Show @ Stories Books & Cafe 8PM FREE
Dwayne Perkins @ Flappers Claremont 8PM/10PM $17
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10 (stand by only)
Sean Quinn @ Downtown Comedy Club 9PM $10
The Armando Show @ iO West 9PM $10
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World @ New Beverly Cinema MIDNIGHT $8
The Midnight Show with Drew Carey @ UCB Theatre MIDNIGHT $5 (stand by only) 

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
ICE HOUSE 24 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena, CA/Starts 4PM/lottery/5 min./No purchase necessary
DAILY GRIND 109 E. Union St., Pasadena, CA/Starts 5PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary/5 min.
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/One drink min./First come, first served
DANGERFIELD’S 3 2524 ½ James M. Wood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/lottery/3-5 min./$2 cover
THE LITTLE MODERN 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6:30PM/Sign-up 6:15PM/lottery/10 spots only/5 min. each/No purchase necessary
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. 
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery  

Morning Debriefing 5/4/12

May 4, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) Pete Holmes was on TMZ. Is that what qualifies making it in Tinseltown now? Also, does anyone still call it Tinseltown? ALSO, is TMZ going to ambush Drew Carey at UCB tonight? These are questions we want answered.

050212_etrade_still

2) Last night on late night:
Stephen Colbert worried about Lena Dunham
Colbert talked Super PAC with Letterman 

3) Veep’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus chatted with NPR and HBO Connect…

4) The hilarious Jackie Kashian simultaneously gave all the answers to most interviews that she’ll get as well as laying some wonderful truth about comedy including a great answer for what she would do if she wasn’t doing comedy. Please read.

5) Greg Barris imagines his ideal of real love in this completely sincere web video…

6) When Set List: The Improvised Stand-Up Show is over, it still isn’t over as Kumail Nanjiani tried to do an interview following his set, while “no one”, possibly Reggie Watts, was watching him.

7) There’s a trailer now for the Feelings Comedy Tour with Dave Ross, Jake Weisman, and Matt Ingebretson.

8) Ep. 15 of Louis vs. Rick, the story of a man who taught his cat to use instant messaging.

9) If you’re wondering what the latest emoticons that kids are into these days, let Jake Weisman fill you in.

10) I’d like to think there’d be a day where they will be nothing more to adapt into a movie, but originality without a built-in market is always a risky business model, right Hollywood?

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LA Comedy Rundown 5/4/12

May 4, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mic

ON THE HORIZON
The Anytime Show with Dominic Dierkes & Guests Matt Walsh & Harris Wittels @ Little Modern Sun. May 6th 7PM FREE
Not for Nothin’ @ Little Modern
Wed. May 9th 8PM $5

Reggie Watts @ Fonda Theatre Wed. May 30th 8PM $40 

COMEDY CRAWL 
Dead Authors @ UCB Theatre 6:30PM $5
Barely Legal @ Hollywood Improv Lab 7PM $5
Telethon @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
Dwayne Perkins @ Flappers Claremont 8PM/10PM $17
Set List @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10
Frankenmatt @ Second City Hollywood 8PM $10
The 12 Shiny Nickels Show @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $10
Eddie Pepitone Blood Bath @ Fake Gallery 9PM $10
Sean Quinn @ Downtown Comedy Club 9PM $10 

OPEN MIC RUN
ACME COMEDY HOLLYWOOD 135 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 5PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
SET LIST @ FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia, Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/given “set list” of topics to do jokes off of/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
LITTLE MODERN 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6:15PM/Starts 6:30PM/lottery/10 spots only/5 min./No purchase necessary
SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/4 min./no purchase necessary
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6:30PM/Ends 8PM/5 min./One item min.
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
MAX BLOOM’S 200 N. Malden Ave., Fullerton, CA/Starts 7PM/booked show after/no purchase necessary
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
SABOR Y CULTURA 5625 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 8PM/Sign-up is a lottery/5 min. with 3 min. work-in’s/No purchase necessary
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  
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery  

Morning Debriefing 5/3/12

May 3, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) Tenacious D’s music video for their first single from their new album “Rize of the Fenix” got an applause break from us.

2) Jonah Ray is releasing his new album, Hello, Mr. Magic Plane Person, Hello, on 10" white vinyl with dropcard for a free digital download on May 15th. Better beat everyone else to the flea markets for a record player over the next two weekends.

3) A preview of the Between Two Ferns special this weekend with Jon Stewart…

4) Apparently, TMZ thought it was really cool when Robin Williams dropped in at the Nerdist Theater, “a small comedy club on Sunset Blvd.”, last night, but didn’t bother with Patton Oswalt dropping into the Best Fish Taco in Ensenada on Tues.

5) Tonight on late night:
Lena Dunham on The Colbert Report (Comedy Central 11:30PM)
Stephen Colbert on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS 11:35PM)

Last night on late night:
Amy Poehler played 5 Second Impression or Die with Jimmy Fallon 

6) A big congratulations goes to one of our favorite funny people, Erin Gibson, on becoming a writer for Funny or Die!

7) Horatio Sanz dressed up as a luchador tries to fight drogas in NYC in his new web series Espanto. That’s all we need to say besides WATCH.

8) Ashton Kutcher dressed up as a Bollywood director for Pop Chips and it didn’t work out nearly as well…

9) There is a thing called Network Awesome and they’re looking for ‘video people’.

10) Long-ish reads on comedy:
Serial Optimist interview with Ian Edwards
“Say It One More Time and See What Happens” our latest essay at the Nerdist
““YOUR REVIEW OF THAT REVIEW OF THAT REVIEW OF “GIRLS” WAS AWESOME!” by Matt Champagne

11) Comedy abroad-ish:
In Arizona: Marc Maron TONIGHT, Taylor Williamson this weekend, and Jen Kirkman.
Baron Vaughn TONIGHT at Acme Comedy Co. in Minneapolis, MN
Harland Williams at the Jukebox in Peoria TOMORROW 
The Beards of Comedy in Iowa 

12) I wonder who would get more heavily criticized this weekend: the person who writes how they thought the Avengers "suckd ballz” or the comedian who tries to make Junior Seau jokes?

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LA Comedy Rundown 5/3/12

May 3, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Set List @ UCB Theatre Fri. May 4th 8PM $10
Delight and Destroy Presents: Comedy Influential @ Mint LA Sun. May 6th 8PM $7
The Super Serious Show @ Club Fais Do-Do Thurs. May 17th 8PM $13 in adv., $20 

COMEDY CRAWL
Jimmy Pardo Needs Jokes @ Hollywood Center Studios 6:15PM/7:30PM FREE w/RSVP
Comics on Comics @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8PM $10
Justin Willman’s Magic Meltdown @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
Kurt Braunohler in Cool Bird Squirt @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5
Michael Kosta & Maronzio Vance @ Comedy & Magic Club 8PM $15/2 item min.
Sessions with Scott @ Dangerfield’s 3 8PM FREE
The Josh & Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE
Odd Thursdays @ The Palace Restaurant 9PM FREE
Ben Schwartz Presents Snowpants @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only) 

OPEN MIC RUN
ROCKPAPER COFFEE 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/Ends 8PM/lottery
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Starts 6PM/3 min./Counts as audition/No purchase necessary
ZAPATA VIVE 101 S. First Ave., Arcadia, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/20 spots available/5 min.
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
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.
COFFEE BEAN 12930 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA/Starts 7PM/mixed mic/lottery/No purchase necessary
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/mixed mic
NOVEL CAFE
 3760 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 8:30PM/Lottery/3-5 min.
CAFE UNURBAN 3301 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 9PM/No purchase necessary 
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   
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts MIDNIGHT     

Morning Debriefing 5/2/12

May 2, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) You can feed the hysterical star of Puddin’ Eddie Pepitone today at the Arby’s just west of the 101 on Sunset Blvd. Just check out today’s episode…

2) Stream Tenacious D’s Rize of the Fenix RIGHT F’N NOW! Then read Jack Black’s AV Club interview discussing the rise of the D…

3) Air Dates:
Hannibal Buress’ Comedy Central Special ‘Animal Furnace debuts May 20th 11PM
The Eric Andre Show on Adult Swim premieres May 20th 12:30AM (which Hannibal is also on)

4) Ken Marino does a pitch perfect send up of the Bachelor in Burning Love…

5) Following their doc on Woody Allen, PBS lines up one for Johnny Carson…

6) Comedy abroad-ish:
Jim Jeffries and Eddie Ifft’s Talkin’ Shit in Las Vegas in June
Paul F. Tompkins in Minneapolis and Austin
Hannibal Buress in London
The Feelings Comedy Tour with Jake Weisman, Dave Ross, and Matt Ingebretson
TJ Miller Taping at the Comedy Attic in Bloomington, IN
The Midnight Show around the U.S.

                     

7) Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World with Steve Carell to premiere at The LA Film Festival.

8) Tonight on late night:
Amy Poehler on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC 12:35AM)

9) Genius comedy writer Armando Iananucci confirmed Alan Partidge movie with Steve Coogan…

10) All that you need to know about this video is that Jon Dore and Maria Bamford are in it. Now watch.

11) Our picks for the 5 Most Intentionally Funny Videos This Week for the Nerdist.

12) Amazon is looking to make some comedy…

13) I literally made someone roll on the floor laughing last night. It was a sight to see especially considering it was a filthy carpeted floor. I don’t think I’ll ever be funnier than that.

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LA Comedy Rundown 5/2/12

May 2, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Kurt Braunohler in Cool Bird Squirt @ UCB Theatre Thurs. May 3rd 8PM $5
La Comedia Mexicana Loca @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill Sat. May 5th 7:30PM FREE
Rob Delaney @ Constellation Room Wed. May 9th 9PM $10

COMEDY CRAWL
A Night of Comedy: Project ALS Benefit @ The Montalban Theatre 8PM $100-$500
A Kiss From Daddy/Birthday Boys @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5 (stand by only)
Hour Comedy Time @ Atwater Crossing 8PM $7
Michael Kosta & Maronzio Vance @ Comedy & Magic Club 8PM $15/2 item min.
Thai Rivera DVD Taping @ Brea Improv 8PM $15/2 item min.
Tom Segura @ Irvine Improv 8PM $17/2 item min.
Meltdown @ Nerdist Theater 8:30PM $8
Hamclown! @ Little Modern 9:30PM FREE
Beer in the Shower @ Dreams Bar & Cafe 9:30PM FREE
Facebook @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Matty’s Pizza Party 1 Year Anniversary @ Next Stage Theater 10PM $5
Creepshow @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10:30PM $5 

OPEN MIC RUN
ACME COMEDY HOLLYWOOD 135 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Starts 6PM/3 min./No purchase necessary
GRINDHOUSE CAFE 1051 N. Havenhurst, West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
CLUB FORBIDDEN 8512 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/First come, first served/One item min.
REDWOOD BAR & GRILL 316 W. 2nd St., Los Angeles, CA (Downtown)/Starts 6:30PM/No purchase necessary
THE SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Starts 7PM/lottery/No purchase necessary
RAFAS LOUNGE ART GALLERY 1836 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM/Lottery/No purchase necessary
DAVE’S CHILLIN’ AND GRILLIN’ 2152 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/No purchase necessary
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
THE MOTH @ ZANZIBAR 1301 W. 5th St., Santa Monica, CA/Doors open 6:30PM/Starts 7:30PM sharp/Storytelling only/lottery/5 min./10 spots only/$8 cover
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/mixed mic
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  
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts MIDNIGHT   

Morning Debriefing 5/1/12

May 1, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) HBO renewed Girls and Veep for another season!

2) Comedy getting its props:
Bridesmaids and 21 Jump Street round up nominations at the MTV Movie Awards
Funny or Die and Louis CK win big at Webby Awards

3) Tonight on late night:
Seth Meyers on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS 11:35PM)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson & Lennon Parham on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS 12:35AM)
Jim Gaffigan on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC 1:35AM)

Last night on late night:
Steve Martin does the best self-promotion ever on Leno 

4) Kyle Kinane’s Death of the Party is officially on vinyl through Stand Up! Records today…

Death of the Party [vinyl]

5) Paul F. Tompkins will be chatting with comedians/celebrities in a new web series, Speak Easy, on MadeMan.com

6) Check out the first look at the return of Futurama on Comedy Central.

7) A new issue of very funny nerdy, comedy quarterly magazine, Devastator, is out!

8) Comedy interviews:
Lizz Winstead in Vulture
Jon Daly in Serial Optimist
Steven Wright in Esquire

9) Comedy abroad-ish:
Tickets are still available for MaxFunCon in June
James Adomian in Atlanta this weekend

10) Our contributions beyond the Bureau:
Part 2 of our interview with Janeane Garofalo for HAHAJK.com at Bridgetown
Recap of Days 3 and 4 of the LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival

11) This probably sounds horribly self-centered and reinforcing of that SNL sketch about Californians, but today’s general strike also means no traffic, right?

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LA Comedy Rundown 5/1/12

May 1, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Dead Authors w/Paul F. Tompkins as H.G. Wells @ UCB Theatre Fri. May 4th 6:30PM $5
Eddie Pepitone Bloodbath w/Dana Gould and Todd Glass @ Fake Gallery
Fri. May 4th 9PM $10 
Field Day @ Little Modern Sat. May 12th 10PM $3 

COMEDY CRAWL
Rob Delaney @ UCB Theatre 6PM FREE
Comedy Night @ Best Fish Taco in Ensenada
7:30PM FREE
Bruin Up Some Laughs @ Kerckhoff-UCLA 8PM FREE
The 4 & 20 @ All Star Lanes 8PM FREE
Performance Anxiety 1 Year Anniversary @ The Pleasure Chest 8PM FREE
Improv’s Finest @ Hollywood Improv 8PM $5/2 item min.
Comedy Bang Bang @ UCB Theatre 8:30PM $5 (stand by only)
5 Comics & a Side of Fries @ Michael’s Bar & Grill 9PM FREE
Holy Fuck @ Downtown Independent Theater 9PM FREE
The Workshop: Sketch Comedy Show @ Hollywood Laugh Factory 10PM $20-$30/2 drink min. 

OPEN MIC RUN
HOLLYWOOD IMPROV 8162 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 5:30PM-5:40PM/Starts 6PM/lottery/20 spots only/3 min./No purchase necessary
FLAPPERS BURBANK 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Starts 5:30PM/Stand-up, sketch, improv all welcome/5 min.
AMSTERDAM CAFE 10905 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 6:30PM
ANGELS & KINGS BAR 1708 N. Las Palmas Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6:45PM/Starts 7PM/First come, first served/5 min./No purchase necessary
BROADWAY ALE HOUSE 129 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA/Starts 7PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
WESTWOOD BREW CO 1097 Glendon Ave., Westwood, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
COFFEE GALLERY 2029 Lake Ave., Altadena, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/Lottery/5 min.
PEDONE’S PIZZA 1332 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/Ends 9:15PM/5-7min.
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Starts 8PM/mixed mic 
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
DAVE’S BAR 708 Broadway, Glendale, CA/Starts 10PM/first come, first served/one item min./8-10 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/bottled water and coffee provided   

LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival Recap: Days 3 and 4 + Awards

May 1, 2012
Uncategorized
awards, comedy, downtown independent, los angeles

After well over 100 comedy short films have graced the screen of the Downtown Independent Theater, complete with plenty of laughter and applause, The 4th Annual LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival has come to a close. The blocks of films from days 3 and 4 along with the fascinating panels  of comedy stars and comedy new media (Funny or Die, College Humor, and more) rounded out the second half of the festival just as well as the first half. On top of that, the festival had a legitimate awards ceremony hosted by Alonzo Bodden worthy of much bigger film festivals such as Tribeca, as presenter David Higgins (The Wrong Guy) initially “thought” it was when presenting an award.

Here’s a quick rundown of what happened for days 3 and 4 and the awards presentation:

-The “short” short (under 5 min.) still proved to be the crowd favorites as well as some of the films we enjoyed the most.  Christopher Larsen’s Jesus Doppelganger (a man has to decide which Jesus to shoot) and Jeremy Brull’s Honourable Discharge (a infantry man’s fiance gets the worst news she could get) played their one joke brilliantly to uproarious laughter.

-Many of the shorts nailed the note of sheer absurdity. Award winner Speruchet Pan Tournegos by Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman, and Scott Yacyshyn, a sort-of absurd revenge action pho-drama, was intentionally done in a completely made-up language (we apologize in advance if it was an obscure Eastern European dialect that was being spoken). Frequent character in Christopher Guest films John Michael Higgins played an absolutely ridiculous cross-dressing therapist in Dave Rock’s very funny People People. Matt Smulker’s Hiccup also deserves a mention here for leading the audience down that path of a road movie that stops abruptly at the out-of-nowhere twist, which we’re not going to give away (just trust us, it was damn funny).

-There was a celebrity panel on Saturday morning of Carlos Alazraqui, EG Daily, Niecy Nash, John Michael Higgins, and Yeardley Smith, which was especially fascinating considering John Michael Higgins revealed that he wasn’t a big fan of doing improv and Yeardley Smith has been acting right out of high school all the way to her current job on The Simpsons.

-At the new media panel, featuring Funny or Die, College Humor, Fremantle Media, and Break Media, it was absolutely startling and engrossing to hear that they all collectively fear agents and unions more so than CISPA or SOPA.

–Other memorable quotes from the New Media Panel:
“We hope to contribute something to it and the story to hopefully make it not so much about dick jokes, when it’s really about boob jokes.” –Matt Johnson, Fremantle Media, Atomic Wedgie TV
“I know how to make a viral video: fake celebrity sex videos.” –Ally Hord, Funny or Die
“We’re hoping the over-40 demographic will die real soon. It’s a big part of our business plan.” –Spencer Griffin, College Humor

-We heard Funny or Die on HBO is in season 3 of production and the second season of Billy on the Street on FUSE is on its way.

-Something you probably won’t get to see at many other film festivals that was great to see at LA Comedy Shorts was webisodes. David Morgasen’s David Blaine’s Street Magic (spoof of Blaine’s street magic), Hayden Black’s Goodnite Burbank (an attempt at local news in Burbank out of a garage), and Jon Stahl’s Teechers (The Office meets an elementary school) [which should be a web series] gave a great look into the possibilities reality of episodic comedy on the web.

-Dark comedy had an interesting showing during the festival. Both Bob Ray’s Sacked and Darrell C. Hazelrig’s The Dark Companion really walked the line quite cleverly of not being a gritty drama by having puppets be the subject to psychological afflictions or gruesome murder and revenge. James Logan’s Terminator: Termination also pulled the humor off quite well by its spoof of Terminator featuring a toy robot.

Thugs the Musical Trailer

–The Winners of the 2012 LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival Awards
Commie Award (Honorary Award in Comedic Excellence)-Scott Thompson
Best Comedy Short Script-Mary & Louise-Amy Staats
Best Half-Hour Pilot-Rooster & Sons-Drew Mackintosh
Best Comedy Feature Script-White’s Trash-Gregory Porter
Best Animated Comedy Short-Stuper Powers-Rise of the Chipmunk-Greg Bro
Best Comedy Student Film-Mr. Bear-Andres Rosende
Best Comedy Short Shortie (5 min. and under)-Comedy Jam-Bryan Robbins
Best Comedy Short-Speruchet Pan Tournegos by Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman, and Scott Yacyshyn
Audience Award-Thugs the Musical-Kevin Avery
State Tax Credit Exchange’s Best of Fest-The Immigrant-Josh Levy

Morning Debriefing 4/30/12

April 30, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) Jimmy Kimmel and Barack Obama put in solid sets at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

2) Eric Andre knows how to do promos as evidenced by this one for his upcoming Eric Andre Show on Adult Swim.

3) Comedy Bang Bang, the podcast, celebrates their 3 year anniversary with, none other than a bang featuring Paul F. Tompkins, Nick Kroll, Harris Wittels, James Adomian, and even St. Vincent. Comedy Bang Bang, the show, got this awesome double-team billboard in NYC…

4) The results of last night’s Channel 101 Screening are in…

5) Tonight on late night:
Don Rickles on The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS 11:35PM)
Steve Martin and Mario Joyner on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC 11:35PM)
Jim Gaffigan on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS 12:35AM)

6) Moontower Comedy & Oddity Festival coverage from Laughspin:
Nick Offerman
Seth Meyers 

8) The hysterical sketch group, Dead Kevin, demonstrating the art of vomiting.

9) Comedy abroad-ish:
Jarrod Harris in Mississippi TOMORROW 
Iron Comic at the Punchline in SF with Kyle Kinane, Guy Branum, and more TOMORROW 

10) Check out our monthly column at the Serial Optimist, This Is What You Need To Know About Comedy in [Current Month], and us interviewing Janeane Garofalo for HAHAJK at Bridgetown

11) 3 min. or less is a great length for a comedy short film/sketch/web video for anyone wondering.

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LA Comedy Rundown 4/30/12

April 30, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Hour Comedy Time @ Atwater Crossing Wed. May 2nd 8PM $7
Sean Quinn @ Downtown Comedy Club Fri. May 4th & Sat. May 5th 9PM $10
Freak Dance Screenings @ UCB Theatre
May 14th-25th $5-$10 

COMEDY CRAWL
Laughter Against the Machine @ Hollywood Improv Lab 7:30PM/9:30PM $10
What’s Up Tiger Lily? @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8PM FREE
Star Dreck @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
Jon Benjamin Has a Tour @ Echoplex 8:30PM $14
Keep It Clean @ 1739 Public House 10PM FREE 
Crash Test @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5 

OPEN MIC RUN
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
ANCHOR BAR 2675 Irvine Ave., Costa Mesa, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/5 min.
PALACE RESTAURANT 2112 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, CA (Los Feliz)/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/No purchase necessary
RAINBOW BAR & GRILL 9015 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up before 8PM/Starts 8:30PM/$2 cover/mixed mic
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 8PM/no purchase necessary/first come, first served
JAKE’S 38 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA/Sign-up 9:30PM/Starts 10PM/Lottery/3-5 min./No purchase necessary
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     

Morning Debriefing 4/29/12

April 29, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) The Comedy Awards taped last night and both Laughspin and Deadfrog liveblogged it.

2) Louis CK in front of the press after the Comedy Awards and winning his multiple awards…

3) PETE HOLMES IS A JEOPARDY CATEGORY!

4) Days 1 and 2 of the LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival.

5) Steven Wright chatted with the Austin Chronicle while down at Moontower…

6) McSweeney’s got an open letter about “respecting” the audience during an improv show.

7) Jeff Dye’s Money From Strangers to feature Kurt Braunohler, Eric Andre, and more to make people in NYC do their bidding for a cash prize. This comes just in time for all who are grieving the loss of Cash Cab.

8) Comedy abroad-ish:
Reggie Watts around the U.S.
The Jon Hodgman/Kasper Hauser Reunion Special at Cobbs TONIGHT

9) Comedians Davey Johnson and Curt Neill supported the National March Against the War on Women yesterday…

10) Of course, you can joke about people who just died, but just know that you’re going to seem like a real piece of shit if it isn’t funny.

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LA Comedy Rundown 4/29/12

April 29, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Jon Benjamin Has a Tour @ Echoplex Mon. Apr. 30th 8:30PM $14
The Midnight Show with Drew Carey @ UCB Theatre
 Sat. May 5th MIDNIGHT $5 
Superego Live @ UCB Theatre
Fri. May 18th 8PM $10 

COMEDY CRAWL
LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival @ Downtown Independent Theater 10AM $60
Launchpad @ Dangerfield’s 3 4PM FREE
Frolic @ Lyric Hyperion Theatre 7PM $5
The Anytime Show @ Little Modern 7PM $5
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE
“I’m Going Somewhere With This…” Coachella Stories @ The Mint LA 8PM $8
Un Cabaret @ Bar Fedora 8PM $20 
Channel 101 @ Downtown Independent Theater 8PM/10PM FREE
Magic Bag @ Little Modern 10PM $5
Rick Overton: Substitute Global Ambassador @ iO West 8PM $5
Neil Hamburger & Special Guests @ The Satellite LA 8:30PM $8
Powerviolence @ The Complex 9PM FREE
Top Story Weekly w/Asterios Kokkinos @ iO West 9PM $5
Entertainment Hollywood Live @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
World Domination Party Live @ Hollywood Improv Lab 9:30PM $10
Hybrid! @ iO West 11PM $5
Shitty Jobs @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5 (stand by only) 

OPEN MIC RUN
DANGERFIELD’S 3 2425 ½ James M. Wood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 3PM/3-5 min./lottery/$1 cover
RAFA’S LOUNGE ART GALLERY 1836 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 4PM/Lottery/No purchase necessary
PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/3 min./No purchase necessary
NERDIST THEATER 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
TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Sign-up 8PM/Starts 9PM/first come, first served/mixed mic
THE BARREL 4547 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/First come, first served/7 min./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/bottled water and coffee available     

LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival Recap: Days 1 and 2

April 28, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy festival, downtown independent theater, funny or die, los angeles

People’s hunger for comedy shorts, whether they be sketches, web videos, actual in-depth produced short films, is undeniably on the rise. The viral video alone, arguably, has given a shot of life into comedy that has revitalized several other disciplines within the art form. So, why not have an entire festival for it? In it’s 4th year, the LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival fills that void quite well over a scheduled, jam-packed 4 day extravaganza out of the Downtown Independent Theater (an LA destination for comedy, which also houses the amazing weekly stand-up show, Holy Fuck, and monthly comedy shorts screening series, Channel 101).

Under the guidance of Gary Anthony Williams, Jeannie Roshar, and Ryan Higman, a careful selection of films that has included the likes of Scott Thompson, David Alan Grier, Margaret Cho, and more have been screened to filmmakers, industry, and comedy fans alike. Funny or Die even put up a block of their own FOD Exclusives on opening night to lend even more legitimacy to a festival of comedy shorts, despite being plenty “legit” with being the largest comedy film festival in the U.S. 

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happened on Days 1 and 2:

-Interestingly enough, the Funny or Die block of videos had been all available for watching online for at least a week, if not a few months, but got uproarious laughter. There’s something to be said for the longevity of the approximately 3 min. comedy short film and the desire to watch and, consequently, laugh again at it. 

-As said before, there’s a lot of star power to be seen here at the LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival. We’ve seen, in films, anyone from Scott Thompson to his Kids in the Hall co-star Dave Foley to Michael Cera to Margaret Cho twice to Wilmer Valderrama to David Alan Grier to even Morgan Spurlock & Ken Burns in the funny meta mockumentary Glue Man by Joe Pickett. Even though Funny or Die has set the precedent, it’s great seeing comedy big names doing short films.

-There have been plenty of selections from around the world, even so far as Australia, such as Nathan Lovejoy’s funny and endearing Animal Love that’s refreshing to see in a city so saturated in comedy.

-A surprising amount of non-dialogue (or barely any dialogue) shorts played quite well such as Gareth Tunley’s Special Forces (two special forces operatives can’t communicate quietly).

-The shorter has proved the better. Three of our favorite films thus far, Tony Yacenda’s Last Words (the disputing of a civil war hero’s last words), Adam Jones’ The Stay-At-Home Dad: Eat My Meat, and Jason Axinn’s Runyon (two “bros” running into each other in Runyon Canyon) are well under 5 minutes and played to big laughs.

-The panel with legendary comedy writer (SNL, Get Smart), Buck Henry, (even though he claims, “everyone in Hollywood is legendary) was fascinating as he dissected the ending of the Graduate, which he wrote. Apparently, Mike Nichols wished to have an ending that continued on-going internal generational struggle with Benjamin as he was on the bus with Elaine by giving no specific direction to the actors and having the camera roll out on the final shot. The author of the original novel Charles Webb abhorred the ending.

-Another great Buck Henry quote "I never mentioned the word ‘satire’ around Columbia [Pictures] or any other studio because it was a deal killer.”

-Thugs the Musical by Kevin Avery was astounding. Questioning the entertainment industry’s current take on black actors, Avery made an entire musical for marginalized black actors that don’t feel “ghetto” enough for the roles that black actors normally get. Hilarious, poignant, and thought provoking, it’s one of the best shorts we’ve seen so far.

We’re almost running late on a screening for Day 3, so, as you can read, there’s definitely more to come from the wonderful LA Comedy Shorts Festival.

Morning Debriefing 4/28/12

April 28, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) Keith Apicary killin it on KTLA Morning News.

2) Best Friends Forever was taken off of NBC’s schedule. At least it still has not set the same records as CW’s LA Complex (the repeat of the premiere had better numbers than the premiere).

3) The trailer for Judd Apatow’s next project/kind-of sequel to Knocked Up, This Is 40 with Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann…

4) Both Bernie and Five Year Engagement both opened in theaters this weekend and, perhaps, you should go see them before the Summer rush at your local multiplex starts.

5) Neil De Grasse Tyson’s show, Star Talk Radio, just had Paul F. Tompkins, Kristen Schaal, Eugene Mirman, and Wil Wheaton. And you’re not listening now, why?

6) Comedy abroad-ish:
Todd Barry

 

7) Bob’s Burgers on KCRW!

8) We’re at the LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival all weekend at the Downtown Independent Theater watching comedy shorts, panels, and more until we can’t see anymore (a point that doesn’t exist). So look out for recaps coming soon.

9) Jamie Lee and Shawn Pearlman’s anachronistic vlog Anne, Frankly looks for a replacement for Anne Frank with Myq Kaplan, Pete Holmes, Aparna Nancherla, Guy Branum, and Jesse Case. Just know that a lot of hilarious people are doing a really funny webisode for a really funny web series.

10) How many times should I tell myself “There’s no such thing as too much comedy,” to make it true, at least, in the part of brain required for watching too much comedy?

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LA Comedy Rundown 4/28/12

April 28, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Channel 101 @ Downtown Independent Theater Sun. Apr. 29th 8PM/10PM FREE
Laughter Against the Machine @ Hollywood Improv Lab Mon. Apr. 30th 7:30PM/9:30PM $10
Performance Anxiety 1 Year Anniversary @ Pleasure Chest Tues. May 1st 8PM FREE
Kurt Braunohler: Cool Bird Squirt @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5

COMEDY CRAWL
LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival @ Downtown Independent Theater 11AM $60-$159
TJ Miller’s Hangover Matinee: Alice in Wonderland @ Cinefamily 12PM $12
North Star Comedy Hour & Meat Raffle @ Flappers YooHoo Room 7:30PM $10/2 item min.
The Donkey Show @ Dangerfield’s 3 8PM $5
Comedy Slice @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8PM $10
Keith Apicary’s Keith of Rage @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10 (stand by only)
Lost Moon Radio @ Club Fais-Do-Do 8:30PM $10
How to Live with Chelsea Peretti @ UCB Theatre 10PM $10
Guy Branum Presents: Game Show: The Talk Show @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10:30PM $10
The Tomorrow Show with Ron Lynch @ Steve Allen Theater MIDNIGHT $8 

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
DAILY GRIND 109 E. Union St., Pasadena, CA/Starts 5PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary/5 min.
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/One drink min./First come, first served
THE LITTLE MODERN 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6:30PM/Sign-up 6:15PM/lottery/10 spots only/5 min. each/No purchase necessary
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. 
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery  

Morning Debriefing 4/27/12

April 27, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy news, los angeles

1) The Midnight Show is coming out with their own comedy album of their best sketches on May 5th. Mark your damn calendars for the release of “Wow, Whaddya Know!” NOW.

2) 30 Rock went live last night. Spend your entire Friday comparing the West Coast episode to the East Coast episode, but try not to take it to seriously when you inevitably pick a side of which coast is better.

3) Comedy from Deadline:
Will Ferrell to host SNL…
Adam McKay to direct remake of Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier’s Uptown Saturday Night…
The Duplass Brothers team with Todd Phillips to adapt Mule… 

4) Tonight on late night:
Patton Oswalt on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS 12:35AM) 

5) More air dates for Comedy Central’s The Half Hour:
Rory Scovel May 11th 11PM
Nick Vaterott May 25th 11:30PM
Garfunkel and Oates June 8th 11:30PM

6) Comedy pioneer Ernie Kovacs’ album “Percy Dovetonsils Thpeaks” to be released on June 19th.

7) Futurama returns to Comedy Central Wed. June 20th 10PM…

8) Check out Tenacious D feature in Rolling Stone and an exclusive video on why their new album Rize of the Fenix might exacerbate tinnitus.

9) Comedy abroad-ish:
Drew Carey and the Midnight Show at the American Comedy Co. in San Diego THIS WEEKEND
Lauren Ashley Bishop at Comedy Bar Chicago THIS WEEKEND
Rob Delaney has new dates around the U.S.

10) Performing after someone I barely knew, but everyone in the room knew much better than I did, was pronounced dead 10 minutes before my set is something I now can cross off my non-existent bucket list of things I’d rather avoid in comedy. In case you’re wondering, it is, indeed, absolutely weird. 

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LA Comedy Rundown 4/27/12

April 27, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, live, los angeles, open mics

ON THE HORIZON
Lost Moon Radio @ Club Fais-Do-Do Sat. Apr. 28th 8:30PM $10
Public School Stories @ M Bar
Tues. May 8th 9PM

Next Public School show is May 8th with THRILLING stories by Steve Agee, Jake Fogelnest, Shelby Fero, Lisa Beth Johnson, Todd Levin, DC Pierson, and Megan Soule. Hosted by the effervescent Stephen Falk  RSVP here for wonderment!

A Night of Comedy: Celebrating George Carlin’s 75th Birthday @ Comedy & Magic Club Thurs. May 17th 8PM $25-$75 

COMEDY CRAWL
LA Comedy Shorts Festival @ Downtown Independent Theater 10:30AM $60-$159
An Evening with Mary Mack @ ACME Comedy Hollywood 8PM $9
Jim Hamilton & Michelle Biloon Taping @ Nerdist Theater 8PM FREE
Frankenmatt @ Second City Hollywood 8PM $10
Don’t Tell the Neighbors 9:30PM FREE
Stampede! @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10PM $5
Late Night with Howie Kremer @ Second City Hollywood 11PM $5
Bachelorette Party @ Hollywood Improv Lab 11:30PM $5
Steel Chair @ Strait Jacket Society 11:30PM $5 

OPEN MIC RUN
ACME COMEDY HOLLYWOOD 135 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 5PM/First come, first served/No purchase necessary
SET LIST @ FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia, Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/given “set list” of topics to do jokes off of/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
UCB THEATRE 5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/Lottery/10 spots only/5 min./No purchase necessary
LITTLE MODERN 6476 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 6:15PM/Starts 6:30PM/lottery/10 spots only/5 min./No purchase necessary
SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/4 min./no purchase necessary
ROCKPAPER COFFEE CO 7509 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6:30PM/Ends 8PM/First come, first served/5 min./One item min.
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
MAX BLOOM’S 200 N. Malden Ave., Fullerton, CA/Starts 7PM/booked show after/no purchase necessary
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
SABOR Y CULTURA 5625 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 8PM/Sign-up is a lottery/5 min. with 3 min. work-in’s/No purchase necessary
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  
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, CA/Sign-up 11PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/5 min./first come, first served/one drink min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery  

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