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matt besser

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SXSW 2022 Announces SXSW Comedy Festival Line-Up for This Year (Yep, the First One Since 2020)

February 28, 2022
News
asssscat, byron bowers, comedy festival, creek and the cave, eddie pepitone, jim gaffigan, joe derosa, john cleese, jon daly, matt besser, mitra jouhari, rosebud baker, shane torres, sxsw, the comedy store, three busy debras

In Jan./Feb. 2020, we were so excited that we were getting to go to SXSW for their big comedy shindig for the first time. For years, SXSW’s comedy off-shoot was a pretty big, fantastic swell of comedy in Austin, an already very solid, thriving comedy scene as is.

2020 was 2020 and, of course, that didn’t happen. SXSW was actually one of the world’s first major festivals to postpone indefinitely due to COVID-19.

Now, here in Feb. 2022, SXSW is thankfully resuming their comedy festival and are doing things up bigger than we remember from last time. From Mar. 11th-19th, those in attendance will get to see the comedy stylings of:

Alyssa Stonoha • Andy Haynes • Anthony Atamanuik • Blair Socci • Bonnie McFarlane • Bruce McCulloch • Byron Bowers • Camilla Cleese • Danielle Schneider • Doug Benson • Dulcé Sloan • Eddie Pepitone • Eleanor Kerrigan • Emma Willman • Ian Lara • Jessica Michelle Singleton • Jim Gaffigan • Joe DeRosa • John Cleese • John Gemberling • Jon Daly • Kiry Shabazz • Liza Treyger • Logan Guntzelman • Marina Franklin • Mary Lynn Rajskub • Matt Besser • Matthew Broussard • Mike Lawrence • Mike Yard • Mitra Jouhari • Nick Thune • Punkie Johnson • Rich Vos • Ricky Velez • Rosebud Baker • Sandy Honig • Scott Thompson • Sean Patton • Shane Torres • Stuart Goldsmith • Vanessa Gonzalez • Yamaneika Saunders

as well as special presentations/events:

Adult Swim Presents Three Busy Debras Season 2 Sneak Peek •  ASSSSCAT (the first in-person since 2020) • The Comedian’s Comedian • A Night at the Comedy Store • Comedy with the Cleeses • The Creek & The Cave • Doug Loves Movies • Find Your Beach • Gotham Comedy Club • improv4humans • Matt Besser’s 420 Show • Roast Battle • The Stand NYC • Wide World of Dougs • Would You Bang Him?

Since SF Sketchfest had to postpone again, this will be the first big comedy festival of 2022 and you wouldn’t want to miss that, now would you?

If you don’t already have a badge for SXSW, you best get on that right now, right here.

Pick of the Day: High & Mighty 1st Annual 4/20 Mega Sesh

April 15, 2021
News
4/20, adbullah saeed, gilli nissim, high and mighty podcast, john flynn, jon gabrus, mark rennie, matt besser, mike glazer, miles gray, shaun diston

While the pandemic does have us all stuck at home, that does not actually stop any and all of us from getting blazed. Well, maybe it’s a little harder if it’s not entirely legal or decriminalized where you live and for that, we’re truly sorry and we hope that changes very, very soon.

That said, the hysterical Jon Gabrus is going to celebrate this very special 4/20 in 2021 via The High & Mighty podcast with the very first High & Mighty 4/20 Mega Sesh that ought to be a grand ol’ time of cannabis-fueled hijinks and riff seshes with many of the best and your favorite funny folks.

That will include:

Abdullah Saeed & David Bienenstock (Great Moments in Weed History)
John Flynn & Mark Rennie (Two Old Queens)
Mike Glazer & Mary Jane (Weed + Grub)
Ry Prichard (@CannibasEncyclopedia)
Gilli Nissim (We’re Gross w Gilli)
Shaun Diston (The Church of Shaun Diston)
Matt Besser (improv4Humans)
Miles Gray (The Daily Zeitgeist)

Sounds more than chill, right? Of course it does. High & Mighty 1st Annual 4/20 Mega Sesh goes live on Tues. Apr. 20th at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Tickets are only $10 and you need to go snatch them up here.

Pick of the Day: ASSSSCAT for Charity 5/1-5/2

April 30, 2020
News
amy poehler, andy daly, asssscat, bobby moynihan, d'arcy carden, ian roberts, jon gabrus, lauren lapkus, lennon parham, matt besser, matt walsh, rob corddry, ucb

ASSSSCAT, the marquee show for the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatres across the country, is returning to do their signature long form improv show via a YouTube live-stream over four different shows this weekend for four separate worthy charities.

No matter where or when ASSSSCAT was happening, it was always sold out back when it happened in person. For this special charity, live-stream edition, you will have to get your chance to see UCB’s best without having worry about buying tickets weeks in advance or standing hours in a line. Also, it’s heartening to see ASSSSCAT is back after the closures of UCB Hell’s Kitchen and the NYC training center.

The teams, as you can see below, makes for a star studded affair. All of the founding UCB 4 (Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts)  are slated to perform throughout the four shows in addition to Bobby Moynihan, Ego Nwodim, D’Arcy Carden, Lauren Lapkus, Carl Tart, Seth Morris, Andy Daly, Lennon Parham, Jessica St. Clair, Sean Conroy, Eugene Cordero, Anthony Atamanuik, Jon Gabrus, John Gemberling, and so much more.

The four shows happening on Fri. May 1st & Sat. May 2nd will be dedicated to raising funds for Frontline Responders Fund, Project C.U.R.E., NYC Mayor’s Fund: Food For Heroes, and LA COVID-19 Crisis Fund.

By the way, they’re all scheduled out so you’ll be able to watch them all. Tune in May 1st & May 2nd at both 5PM PT/8PM ET & 8PM PT/11PM ET on UCB’s YouTube channel here.

December 20, 2018
Uncategorized
amy poehler, ian roberts, long form improvisation, matt besser, matt walsh, upright citizens brigade

Welp, the UCB4 (ostensibly THE Upright Citizens Brigade) are playing the UCB Inner Sanctum (which probably can hold more people than both theaters at UCB Franklin and UCB Sunset combined) next year. So, you might want to mark your calendar for Jan. 12th or watch for more tickets being released as the day of comes closer.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, screenings, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

December 20, 2018
Uncategorized
amy poehler, ian roberts, long form improvisation, matt besser, matt walsh, upright citizens brigade

Welp, the UCB4 (ostensibly THE Upright Citizens Brigade) are playing the UCB Inner Sanctum (which probably can hold more people than both theaters at UCB Franklin and UCB Sunset combined) next year. So, you might want to mark your calendar for Jan. 12th or watch for more tickets being released as the day of comes closer.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, screenings, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

March 5, 2018
Uncategorized
andy daly podcast pilot project, beverly grove, beverly hills, chris tallman, comedy show, earwolf, erinn hayes, largo, live podcast, los angeles, mack mcconville, matt besser, matt gourley, paul f tompkins, weho, west hollywood

The Andy Daly Podcast Pilot Project is going live next month at Largo!

For this edition, Daly will be a “German pretzel salt inspector” named August Lindt who does a travel themed podcast with some of Earwolf’s most popular go-to guests/players. 

Tickets are $30. This will most likely sell out, so you ought to get them here ASAP.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, screenings, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

February 19, 2018
Uncategorized
comedy show, free comedy, free show, hollywood, horatio sanz, improv, jessica mckenna, long form improv, los angeles, matt besser, scott aukerman, ucb, upright citizens brigade, zach reino

The hosts of improv4humans, Off Book: The Improvised Musical, and Comedy Bang! Bang! plus Horatio Sanz are all coming together to have one wondrous night of sing-a-longs and improv.

Matt Besser’s Hootenany Sing-A-Long Improv Comedy Experiment is FREE and all you have to do is show up at UCB Sunset this Friday.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

August 14, 2017
Uncategorized
comedy show, erin whitehead, hollywood, improv, lauren lapkus, live comedy, los angeles, mary holland, matt besser, sold out, stephanie allynne, ticket giveaway, ucb, ucb sunset, wild horses

Wild Horses (that’s Erin Whitehead, Mary Holland, Stephanie Allynne, and Lauren Lapkus) are absolutely one of the best improv teams around. So, any chance you get see them “prance” is one you should take.

Their show on Thursday at UCB Sunset has been sold out for sometime and just happens to feature Matt Besser, one of the UCB 4, as the special guest.

If you still want to go, you might just be in luck as we’ve got tickets that you can win.

Enter here: http://thecomedybureau.dola.com/giveaways

The UCB 4 to Reunite for Performance at Carnegie Hall, Becoming One of the Few Improv Teams/Troupes to Ever Play The World Renowned Venue

June 28, 2017
Uncategorized
2018, amy poehler, carnegie hall, del close marathon, ian roberts, matt besser, matt walsh, nyc, ucb, upright citizens brigade

The UCB 4 to Reunite for Performance at Carnegie Hall, Becoming One of the Few Improv Teams/Troupes to Ever Play The World Renowned Venue

For a very long time, playing NYC’s Carnegie Hall as a comedian was an unquestioned achievement in comedy of the highest order. As is, playing Carnegie Hall is an incredibly rare feat no matter what your artistic discipline might be. 

Still, mostly comedians that play Carnegie Hall are stand-up comedians. We looked through the list of past performers, we found that the only other instance of improv was Drew Carey doing night with some Whose Line Is It Anyway? folks like Jeff B. Davis and Greg Proops for the New York Comedy Festival. The Firesign Theatre, which only had an improvised feel, also performed there several decades ago.

So, Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, and Matt Besser, often referred to as The UCB 4, will be kicking off 2018′s Del Close Marathon performing together once again and simultaneously being one of the only groups to do their version of long form improv on such a hallowed stage. 

With that in mind, you better keep a close eye on tickets going on sale if you want to go. 

19th Annual DCM Line-Up, Schedule, Tickets, and Passes Now Available

May 19, 2017
Uncategorized
adam pally, amy poehler, becky drysdale, bobby moynihan, dcm, dcm19, del close marathon, gil ozeri, heather anne campbell, hebecky drysbell, horatio sanz, ian roberts, improv4humans, improvised seinfeld, jason mantzoukas, jo firestone, jon glaser, long form improv, matt besser, matt walsh, nyc, scott adsit, tony atamanuik, ucb
image

One of the most renowned, if not the most renowned, improv events in the world is just around the corner.

The 19th Annual Del Close Marathon is coming next month and it, per usual, has an extremely stacked line-up as you can see above.

If you’re planning on going (and we hope that you would be) get your tickets and passes ASAP.  

Matt Besser Holding Nationwide improv4humans Improv Contest

December 1, 2016
Uncategorized
dcm, del close marathon, improv, improv4humans, long form improv, matt besser, submissions

The winners will get to perform at next year’s DCM.

Across the entire country, one of the founding members of The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and creator of the improv4humans podcast, Matt Besser, is looking for the best improv team around. 

If you’ve got a team that can execute in the improv4humans form, then you might have a shot to be flown out to NYC for the world’s most highly regarded improv comedy festival, Del Close Marathon.

Get all the details, deadlines and more for contest4improv4humans here.

October 16, 2016
Uncategorized
andy richter, holiday special, hollywood, jon daly, lauren lapkus, live taping, matt besser, paul rust, seth morris, ucb, ucb sunset

Tapings are happening on Sunday, October 23rd at 4PM and 7PM at UCB Sunset. 

Get tickets now as this will probably sell out pretty fast.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows/events as well as open mics and maps are embedded at www.thecomedybureau.com.

UCB Signs First Look Deal with Universal Cable Productions

June 21, 2016
Uncategorized
amy poehler, first look deal, ian roberts, matt besser, matt walsh, nbc universal, ucb, universal cable productions, upright citizens brigade

(via Deadline)

This is one of UCB’s biggest deals yet. 

Throughout movies and television, you can see the influence that the Upright Citizens Brigade has had on comedy over the last several years. Not only are founders Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts doing well for themselves, but the alumni of the UCB brand are probably in all of your favorite things to watch or maybe running them from behind the scenes. 

Now, with signing a first look deal with NBC Universal’s Universal Cable Productions, you’re going to see even more of UCB folk on TV. Shows for the vast array of cable networks under NBC Universal’s banner (including USA, Oxygen, Esquire, E!, Bravo, Telemundo, and many more) will be developed by UCB.

Already they’ve got five shows in the works ranging from a haunted house mockumentary to an overwrought satire of a sorority house to a TV adaptation of We Can Fix You featuring the likes of Besser, Roberts, Jeff Hiller, Pam Murphy, Betsy Sodaro, Horatio Sanz, Laura Grey, Megan Stein, and more.

Latest Episodes of Great Minds with Dan Harmon Have John Wilkes Booth Play Lincoln and Buddha Do Product Placement

June 20, 2016
Uncategorized
andy dick, dan harmon, danny pudi, history channel, john wilkes booth, lincoln, matt besser, product placement, siddhartha, spencer crittenden, ucb

Dan Harmon’s short form series Great Minds at History Channel’s Night Class returned with more to take some delightful license with bringing historical figures to the present day and put them (as well as Dan) into morally and ethically comprising situation to humor the rest of us.

The latest episodes that have Danny Pudi play a Buddha who gets drawn into product placement and Andy Dick play a John Wilkes Booth that’s coerced into playing Lincoln accomplish this quite well.

18th Annual Del Close Marathon Announces Line-Up and Schedule

May 17, 2016
Uncategorized
alison rich, ben schwartz, betsy sodaro, bobby moynihan, broad city, chris gethard, cipha sounds, d'arcy carden, dcm, dcm18, del close marathon, drew tarver, gil ozeri, horatio sanz, improv, jaons mantzoukas, john gemberling, match game 76, matt besser, mike birbiglia, nick kroll, nicole byer, owen burke, sasheer zamata, scott adsit, shannon o'neill, tami sagher, the swarm, ucb, ucb ny

The names on the flyer are only a fraction of the flocks upon flocks of teams and performers that will be performing in NYC for the literally non-stop Del Close Marathon from Fri. June 24th-Sun. June 26th (i.e. shows will be happening for 24 hours a day the whole weekend).

Take a gander at the whole routinely massive line-up and schedule right here.

Individual tickets are now on sale, but passes won’t be available until the actual DCM begins.

March 27, 2016
Uncategorized
bad news bears, cinefamily, doug benson, fairfax, film festival, john mulaney, keegan michael key, matt besser, patton oswalt, rob corddry, tig notaro, wayne federman, wayne federman international film festival, zach galifianakis

Comedians and their favorite movies meet yet again for Wayne Federman’s 5th International Film Festival at Cinefamily. 

Tig Notaro, John Mulaney, Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis, Keegan-Michael Key, Doug Benson, Matt Besser, and Rob Corddry all present (i.e. talk at length why this movie means so much to them) The Bad News Bears, Withnail & I,  The Burbs, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and more.

The 5th Annual WFIFF goes from Thursday, March 31st to Sunday, April 3rd. Get your tickets here.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows and open mics with corresponding maps are embedded at www.thecomedybureau.com.

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

Watch Trailer for Short Film “Arikippiana” from Matt Besser, Horatio Sanz, Drew Tarver, and Hillary Matthews

March 20, 2016
Uncategorized
drew tarver, go90, hillary matthews, horatio sanz, jash, matt besser, verizon

Jash has got a lot of stuff going at Verizon’s new go90 app. One of those things is a brand new short film from UCB founder Matt Besser, Horatio Sanz, Drew Tarver, and Hillary Matthews

It follows a Southern newspaper struggling to come into the modern world of journalism through the hire of a recent Harvard grad.

Get a taste of it with this trailer.

JASH Announces Line-up for First Jash Fesht

March 4, 2016
Uncategorized
comedy festival, doug benson, el-p, henry phillips, jash, jash fesht, jon dore, kate berlant, matt besser, michael cera, palm springs, reggie watts, sarah silverman, tim & eric, todd glass, yacht

Online network JASH is getting into the comedy festival game by throwing their own Jash Fesht on the weekend of Apr. 1st-3rd at Snapshot Studios in Palm Springs. 

As you can see, the line-up is nicely stacked between comedy, music, and folks that blur the line of both disciplines. 

Tickets are on sale now for $50-$100.

NBC’s Grand Experiment, Seeso, Has Officially Launched

January 8, 2016
Uncategorized
30 rock, a bit of fry & laurie, before the morning after, brazil, fletch, funny as hell, garth margenghi, kids in the hall, launch, matt besser, monty python, rory scovel, seeso, snl, the office, ucb show, world of alan partridge

You can get in on the experiment here.

Comedy specials from Rory Scovel and Matt Besser, Kids in the Hall, SNL, Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place, Before the Morning After, A Bit of Fry & Laurie, 30 Rock, The Office, The World of Alan Partridge, Funny as Hell, Brazil, Fletch, Monty Python (series and films), The UCB Show, and oh so much more are now available at the convenience of some keystrokes, some clicking, and $3.99 a month now that Seeso, NBC’s exclusive comedy streaming service has officially launched.

In case you weren’t already enticed, you can sign-up for Seeso here.

A Rory Scovel Special, “Besser Breaks the Record”, The UCB Show, and More Available for Streaming When Seeso Officially Launches

December 9, 2015
Uncategorized
alex edelman, barrell house, before the morning after, greg proops, jena friedman, matt besser, nbc, rory scovel, seeso, stand up, ucb show

(via Deadline)

Seeso is really making up for all that lost time on NBC’s comedy slate over the last couple of years.

Just in its beta stage right now, you already know that Seeso has a lot to offer even though they’re just getting started. 

Now, they’ve gotten an official launch date: Thurs. Jan. 7th.

In addition to their vast array of offerings, they’ll adding a bunch of original content including a show called Before the Morning After where comics like Greg Proops, Jena Friedman, and Alex Edelman will riff at a diner, the long awaited hour stand-up special from Rory Scovel, Matt Besser breaking ridiculous records on Besser Breaks the Record, live variety and stand-up shows The UCB Show and Live From The Barrel House, an animated comedy The Cyanide & Happiness Show, an Australian musical comedy series with puppets, Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane, and a modern dating game show, Dave & Ethan: Lovemakers.

With other shows from Jonah Ray, Cameron Esposito & Rhea Butcher, Dan Harmon, Thomas Lennon/Robert Ben Garant/Kulap Vilaysack, and more also on the way, Seeso is making the $3.99/month subscription fee sound worth it.

See What The UCB 4 Have Up Their Sleeve for “The UCB Show” Coming Soon to Seeso

December 5, 2015
Uncategorized
amy poehler, ian roberts, matt besser, matt walsh, seeso, ucb 4, ucb show

(via EW)

If you’ve been fortunate enough to live in either NYC or LA and frequent shows at the multiple Upright Citizens Brigade Theaters, you’ll be happy to know some of the most talented, but yet-to-be-discovered talent are about to be put on a more worldwide stage with the upcoming UCB Show.

If you don’t, you’re probably in for one hell of a surprise.

The original UCB 4, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, Amy Poehler, and Matt Besser have corralled the best and brightest alums and current performers of UCB and put them all on stage at UCB Sunset.

See what’s in store and what you should be getting hyped for in this trailer for The UCB Show.

Upright Citizen Brigade’s Best To Be Featured in The UCB 4 Produced “The UCB Show” Taping Live This Week at UCB Sunset

August 24, 2015
Uncategorized
amy poehler, ian roberts, live taping, matt besser, matt walsh, ucb show, upright citizens brigade

You’re going to see long lines near Sunset and Western all week long.

Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, and Matt Besser are putting together an in-house variety series that they’re calling The UCB Show.

Though the line-ups haven’t been announced, you can probably bet on most of the folks who have their photo hung in the lobbies of any of the four UCB theatres might be on the show like James Adomian.

The tapings are 7:30PM/9:30PM tonight through Thurs. at UCB Sunset. They’re free, but all the reservations are currently full. However, as with most UCB shows, there will be a stand by line.

Fortunately, because this is a taping, you’ll very likely get to see what the lucky hundred or so people will get to see this week.

Agee Making Out with Kinane, Bad Wrestling Moves with Chris Jerico, and More on @midnight

March 17, 2014
Uncategorized
chris hardwick, jonah ray, kyle kinane, matt besser, midnight, olympics, rob delaney, steve agee, wil wheaton, wrestling

If you haven’t been keeping up with “@midnight with Chris Hardwick” lately, you’ve been missing out on: 

Steve Agee made out with Kyle Kinane
Buzzspeed with Rob Delaney/Ali Wong/Tommy Johnagin
Bad Olympic Events with Matt Besser/Ian Roberts/Matt Walsh
Bad Wrestling Moves with Chris Jerico/Kurt Braunohler/Andy Kindler
Failed Podcasts with Jonah Ray/Wil Wheaton/Matt Mira
Sweet Emoji with Nikki Glaser/Steve Agee/Kyle Kinane

Basically, you need to catch up/rewatch/or get into “@midnight​”

Watch Another Great Episode of Homeland Parody, ‘Law of the Land’

September 6, 2013
Uncategorized
baron vaughn, brendon small, homeland, matt besser, parody, ron lynch, samm levine

Whether you’re acquainted with all the dramas surrounding terrorist cells and homeland security or not, Law of the Land at David Cross/French Kiss Records’ FKR.TV is a pretty great, hilarious comedy version of all those shows. Not to mention they have an amazing cast of Ron Lynch, Brendon Small, Matt Kirshen, Chris Walsh, Samm Levine, Baron Vaughn, Matt Besser, Ali MacLean and more.

Give their second episode a watch here. 

The UCB Comedy Improv Manual by Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts Out Now

August 22, 2013
Uncategorized
ian roberts, improv comedy, matt besser, matt walsh, ucb

The UCB Comedy Improv Manual by Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts Out Now

When considering who are the modern masters of improvisational comedy/who should write an instructional book on improv, a good place to start with that list is the founders of The Upright Citizens Brigade. 

Luckily, that just happened as Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts, ¾ of the original UCB 4 (the other one if Amy Poehler and we’re guessing she’s got a little busy with everything she’s doing to join in here) have written and released an instructional book on long form improvisational comedy.

If you have any interest in improv to any degree, The UCB Comedy Improv Manual just might be a good thing to buy.

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