Following up her fantastic first book Gawky: Tales of an Extra Long Awkward Phase, the amazing storyteller, author Margot Leitman is coming out with a 2nd book.
Sasquatch Books will publish this currently untitled book in Oct. 2015. In the meantime, you should read or re-read Gawky.
After a long deliberation/our good friends at the fantastic Goorin Bros. Hats wanting to do a comedy show, we along with Goorin present the very first Night Cap at Goorin Bros. Hat Shop on Melrose Ave. (7627 Melrose Ave. to be exact) here in LA.
Remember this: Fri. Feb. 21st, doors at 8:30PM, starts 9PM (Tip: repeating 25 times helps).
There’ll be comedy, hats, comedy plus hats, and even a hat giveaway! Oh yeah, the wonderful comedic talents of Sean Patton, Baron Vaughn, Margot Leitman, Andy Peters, and more as well as some guy who works here at The Comedy Bureau, Jake Kroeger.
The show costs only $5 to attend, which is, we’d bet, cheaper and better than any other night cap you’ve had, so get your tickets now..
Flyer by Deborah Etta Robinson
If the names Margot Leitman and Hannah Gansen are brand new to you, let their book and album, respectively, be your introduction to their wonderful comedy. Leitman’s “Gawky: Tales of an Extra Long Awkward Phase” features her hysterical true life stories and Gansen’s “Al The Bum” showcases her brilliant silliness in a collection of songs about North Korea and transgendered centaurs.
Please buy these now.
Not only is she a four time Moth Grandslam winner (that’s incredibly hard to do), Margot Leitman and her stories are so hilarious, poignant, personal that we are thankful that they are coming to book form in Gawky: Tales of an Extra Long Awkward Phase.
You can pre-order the book here, which you should do in case it wasn’t obvious, and then make sure to attend the book release party at UCB in LA on Tues. May 7th at 9:30PM and/or book signing at Skylight Books on Thurs. May 9th 7:30PM.
Comedians Jess Lane and Lee Rubenstein have made a great spot on reality TV parody in her new web series, “Queer Bones”. Following a store of the same name selling novelty items from other dimensions with the very funny Margot Leitman , we’re all in luck this is just a made up satire of a thing that we can laugh at instead of an alternative programming executive giving an oddities store their own show.
A few very fun things…
Stripped Stories is now a podcast! Listen to episode 1: boundaries with Erin Judge, TuRae, Jessica Delfino, our sidekick producer Zach Dressler, and your hosts Margot Leitman & me! Subscribe at iTunes.
Also we’re starting up our fall tour, Monday Aug 29, we’re at Zanies Chicago and Thursday Sept 1, UCB NYC. For tickets, info and other tour dates visit strippedstories.com. And yes, we did get fancy new photos by Anya Garrett, thanks for noticing!
Lastly, I’m headlining Mottley’s Comedy Club in Boston THIS WEEKEND Fri Aug 26 & Sat Aug 27. Get tickets here and please spread the word.
You are the best! No really, YOU ARE THE BEST!
1) The Josh and Josh Show @ Bar Lubtisch made me so incredibly glad that I didn’t drop $60 on watching Louis CK at the Gibson Amphitheatre last night. From top to bottom, The Josh and Josh Show transcends all stereotypes of the “comedy bar show” even though its located at the very posh Bar Lubitsch. Set perfectly in a back room that’s gorgeously decorated in an almost nostalgically vaudevillian, but very chic leaning sensibility, show producers/hosts/performers/entertainer extraordinaries Josh Haness and Joshua Weinstein make you forget that you’re one in the hippest bars in LA because they have the vibe of all those great warehouse parties that I never went to in college going on right from the start. The back room was packed to standing room only with people that WANTED to watch the show, which always makes for a great rapport between the comedians and the audience. Thus, I got that great feeling that all artists get when watching an exhibition within their own medium: I forgot that I was actively watching comedy and simply enjoyed listening to whatever was being said. Last night’s extremely lucky audience got to enjoy the immense talents of Margot Leitman, Jan Davidson, Marianne Sierk, Rick Shapiro, Mike O’Connell, Joshua Weinstein, and Matt Braunger all under the amazing umbrella of host Josh Haness. That’s seriously a line-up that we all should pay money for, but, another great aspect of the Josh and Josh Show is that it’s completely free. Also, there’s a dance party afterwards with enough good looking singles to go around for everyone. The Josh and Josh Show is definitely “Bureau Approved” and would be even more so if could come up with something to distinguish it as so. The Josh and Josh Show takes place every Thursday in Bar Lubtisch (7702 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA) at 8:30PM.
2) “It’s a good day for comedy”-What everyday should be. Make it so with a COMEDY CRAWL starting with YooHoo Friday @ Flappers YooHoo Room 7:30PM $10/2 drink min., then Garfunkel and Oates Hour @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10 (Stand-by only), then Comics and Comics @ Meltdown Comics 8PM $5, then Ho Ho HOliday Hilarity @ Lineage Performing Arts Center 8PM $15, then Hot Toddy @ iO West 8:30PM $5, then The Ghetto Bird Social Club @ Bridenstine’s Place 9PM FREE, then Say Something Funny Bitch Holiday Extravaganza and Charity Event @ Malo 9PM $10, then finish a fantastic night with Stood Up Friday Night!: TSA Patdowns @ Moving Arts Theatre 10PM $5.
3) OPEN MIC RUN: SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM, SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6:30PM/Starts 7PM, iCANDY 1708 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 6PM/Starts 7PM/$3 min., GLENDALE DAYS INN 450 N. Pioneer Dr., Glendale, CA/Starts 8PM, TRINITY BAPTIST CHURCH 1015 California Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 8PM/Must work clean, 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) ON THE AIR/OFF THE QT-Louis CK on the Tonight Show 11:35PM NBC.
5) Ultimate Free and Cheap LA Comedy List 12/5-12/11. It’s all in the name. Thanks Wisepix.
6) Host of ‘Comics Unleashed’/Entertainment Studios Head Byron Allen just announced a brand new show up for debut “Who Wants to Date a Comedian?”, which, first off, seems like it should be called “How Most Comedians Get Their Material” or “Why Do Most Comedians Hate Themselves?”. Secondly, this feels like all those seasons of “Last Comic Standing” when contestants were put through embarrassing challenges like having to write jokes in a Bed, Bath, and Beyond then perform a few hours later. Does TV even know what “comedy” is anymore? More evidence for the side of “not a fucking clue” keeps piling up everyday.
7) The Comedy Bureau “Tip Its Hat” today to JOE WAGNER-“When a man and a woman love each other very much… they often fuck it all up.” I called Joe Wagner a legend once and he said I was insane, which is what I think a legend would say. Either way, Joe has been in the “industry” for a long time working alongside with the likes of Zach Galifianakis on “Late World with Zach”. Currently, he writes/performs/walks all around LA, dazzling folks with completely “being in the moment” (i.e. chasing a man off stage and getting an applause break while doing so). Check back at the Comedy Bureau for details on Joe’s next show and/or stroke of genius.
8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Bill Burr gives a Philly a talking too… Part One and Part Two.
9) I’ll be performing at an “AA room” tonight. That’s right comedy show after an AA meeting. Oddly enough, I’ve done this show before and bombed and, ironically, am going back to this AA room for redemption. Read all about on the Comedy Bureau’s Twitter and donate for all the driving involved as it seems going to Garden Grove is almost like going to Mars, that is, if Mars was comprised of industrial parks.
10) Literally tried to “out-depress” another comic and won, which brought them up, but reminded me that I still got drunk in the dark while listening to Gregorian Chants. Oh well… (I’m fine guys… really)
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THE COMEDY BUREAU
1) The Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic @ Señor Fish thanks everyone for coming out and making it a bigger room. Also, thanks to “cheeseburger cookies” that were raffled off tasting like normal vanilla flavored/chocolate filled cookies. Come next Tues. Nov. 23rd for the mayhem/fun and another random Japanese food item. Sign up 6:30PM. Starts 7PM. 422 E. 1st St. in Little Tokyo.
2) Stripped Stories @ UCB Theatre gave an increasingly rare experience amongst live comedy shows where performers actually talk about themselves as honestly as they possibly can. So much painful/endearing humor can be drawn from the horrible/amazing things that happen in life and Stripped Stories showed, beyond a shadow of doubt, how great that can be. Though the name of the show might lead you to believe it’s just a bunch of vulgar sex stories, I believe that “stripped” is in reference into how every performer on the show strips their normal stage persona and become vulnerable and hilarious in a way that I never expected. In from NYC, Giulia Rozzi and Margot Leitman stopped here in LA with their amazing show at the UCB Theatre and hosted/shared some sensational and hysterical stories with Michelle Buteau, Tony Sam, and a few musical confessions from Wendy Ho. Stripped Stories tours nationwide and check back at the Comedy Bureau for the details for the next show.
3) OK, we’ve talked about cloning and I’m pretty sure traveling through time to get to COMEDY CRAWL in its entirety. Well, you’re going to have to BOTH for tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL: Start off with The Frolic Show! @ Barbarella Bar 8PM FREE, then travel back in time to The Laughing Skull Showcase @ Irvine Improv 8PM $15/2 item min., make a clone, send it to “If This Doesn’t Work Out I’m Moving Home” A Variety Hour @ Harlem Place Cafe 8PM FREE, then have the clone go back in time to Comedy on the Rocks @ Red Rock Eatery & Lounge 8PM FREE, then travel to the future, or present, to Meltdown @ Meltdown Comics 8:30PM $8, then meet up with your clone at Biscuits and Gravy @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $5, make another clone and send it to Silver Mullet @ The Hideout 8:30PM FREE, then send the first clone to Punk House @ Westside Comedy Theatre 9PM $8, and go ahead and teleport to Comedy is Dead @ Hollywood Forever Cemetery 9PM $20, then take yourself to Beer in the Shower @ Whitehorse Cocktail Lounge Inn 10PM FREE, and then gather everyone at Anna Lee Lawson Comedy Hour @ The Next Stage Theatre 11PM $5, then kill the clones and destroy the time machines because they turned out to be your doppelgangers bent on making 2010 the new 2012.
4) OPEN MIC RUN: THE BASEMENT 149 Linden Ave., Long Beach, CA/6:30PM, THE SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 7PM, LIBRARY A COFFEE HOUSE 3418 E. Broadway, Long Beach CA/8PM, CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St. Sign-up 7PM/Starts at 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd. (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/can go up multiple times.
5) Holy Fuck! The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” to Dave Ross. “@davetotheross ask not what your country can do for you… ask China. they have money.” Follow him on Twitter here. Great guy/comedian/obsessed with the F word Dave Ross also his year anniversary of his amazing show Holy Fuck! next Tues., Nov. 23rd, 9PM @ Downtown Independent Theatre, which is something not to be missed.
6) The Comedy Bureau will be in at a few open mics, a comedy competition doing only 3 min., and wondering what has become of the comedy scene in Long Beach tonight. Hear all about it as I’ll/we’ll be LIVE TWEETING the whole time here.
7) Donate and I’ll temporarily lift my belief that karma doesn’t exist AND something good will happen to you. Test that theory here.
8) Tony Parker/Eva Longoria divorce jokes vs. more Prop. 19 failing jokes. I’m wondering which of the two I’ll hear more tonight and why I’d rather hear more 9/11 jokes.
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THE COMEDY BUREAU