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puppets

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Pick of the Day: Puppet Up! (in LA) 7/14-7/16 & 7/21-7/23

July 11, 2023
News
henson alternative, henson studios, los angeles comedy, puppet up, puppets

Puppet Up! is finally back. The Henson Alternative is assembling once again to bring you some of the best puppetry getting into the sort of chaos and mischief that isn’t really for kids. Pretty much every year, lucky LA folks will have a chance to not only step foot on the legendary Henson Recording Studios lot, specifically on the Charlie Chaplin Soundstage, immersed in Hollywood history, but also get to see many of the very best puppeteers/comedy folks (including Colleen Smith, Donna Kimball, Drew Massey, Geneviève Flati, Grant Baciocco, Raymond Carr, Ted Michaels, and music from Dan Ring) cut loose and go blue.

This 2023 edition of Puppet Up! will run from on the weekends for the next two weeks on Jul. 14th-16th & Jul. 21st-23rd with early and late shows on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets start at $75 and you best go get them here right now.

Pick of the Day: Bob Baker Day (in LA) 4/30

April 10, 2023
News
bob baker theater, family friendly, free show, los angeles, los angeles comedy, puppets

If you’re in LA, you can clearly see we’re to our regularly scheduled programming of sunshine. So, with that in mind, you ought to look forward to one of the few family friendly things that we shout out here at TCB, the legendary Bob Baker Theater‘s Bob Baker Day, done annually at the gorgeous LA State Historic Park.

Every year, it’s an outdoor carnival filled with games, music, and, of course, puppets/marionettes. There’s always a very special line-up of very special guests and you’ll be thrilled to know that is still very much free to attend. Bob Baker Day runs from 10AM-5PM and is slated for Sun. Apr. 30th at, again, LA State Historic Park (located right next to Chinatown, just North of DTLA).

Get more details and updates at bobbakerday.com.

Drennon Davis’ Inside Voices Shows What Happens When Quarantining with Puppets

February 26, 2021
News
cory loykasek, drennon davis, puppets

Whatever your situation in quarantine has been, it undoubtedly has been a challenge. The isolation we have all felt for nearly a year has drove up us the wall or is currently driving us up the wall. Even if you’re with a long time partner, odds are that you’ve never spent this much time with them and had your relationship with them tested like this ever before.

Now, imagine if you’re just looking to puppets in all this time to find comfort and community like comedian/musician extraordinaire Drennon Davis. At this point, it might be more than just a nice escape from reality as you can clear see in Drennon’s new series Inside Voices.

Please enjoy its very first episode here.

Bob Baker Day Is Going Virtual for 2021, But Will Explore Los Angeles With Its Marionettes

February 18, 2021
News
bob baker day, bob baker marionette theater, metro arts, puppets

One of LA’s best treasures, The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, takes one day, Bob Baker Day, out of the year to really pull out all the stops and highlight why they are such the aforementioned local jewel.

Of course, they still can’t do their normal all day festival that would take place in person that is effectively like an entire carnival for the theater featuring puppet shows, live music, workshops, etc. Instead, while the pandemic has most of us stuck at home, they’re doing something different, but equally charming and also cleverly innovative.

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater will be putting on, in collaboration with Metro Arts, a virtual tour of Los Angeles starting at LA’s famed Union Station. This Bob Baker Day virtual LA tour will show off the city as well as feature plenty of the marionettes and puppets that the theater is famed for. Get a sneak peek of what’s in store with this featurette here.

Look for this exclusive Bob Baker Day to start on Sat. Feb. 27th and then be available to virtually watch/engage/play with for 7 days.

 

Robert Smigel Is EP’ing An Election Themed Puppet Special “Let’s Be Real” for Fox

September 15, 2020
News
2020 election, biden, election special, let's be real, puppets, robert smigel, trump

Robert Smigel, the mind (and hand) behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, the legendary insult comic dog hand puppet, is going back to puppets for a special satirical election special over at Fox. Smigel is attached as EP for Let’s Be Real, which will seemingly feature Trump and Biden puppets as to slyly suggest their nature as puppets.

As far as we know, there won’t be any Triumph the Insult Comic Dog like there was in 2016 when Smigel used his hand and a copious amount of miniature cigars to follow the campaign trail for Clinton and Trump as well as the DNC and RNC for Triump’s Election Watch Special on Hulu. Thus far, with this teaser, Let’s Be Real seems to be a little reminiscent of No, You Shut Up! on Fusion that featured an all puppet panel that Paul F. Tompkins, in real human form, had to attempt to wrangle as they argued on either side of the political divide a few years ago.

Having all puppets is undoubtedly a safer route than going to an idiotic Trump rally where Trump encourages attendees to enjoy the event without any sort of face covering, but that probably limits the amount of man on the street bits that Smigel has done so expertly over decades with Triumph.

The general election is not too far away, whether you like that or not, and the premiere of this special is also not too far away either. Let’s Be Real will premiere on network television on Fox on Oct. 1st at 9PM ET/PT.

Disney+ Will Have a Talk Show Hosted by a Blue Alien Puppet “Earth to Ned”  from Jim Henson Co.

October 25, 2019
Uncategorized
disney plus, earth to ned, eliza skinner, puppets, talk show

Disney+ Will Have a Talk Show Hosted by a Blue Alien Puppet “Earth to Ned”  from Jim Henson Co.

We so enjoyed No, You Shut Up! with Paul F. Tompkins, we were curious when puppets mixing it up with real folks would pop up once again some sort of talk format. 

Disney+ is taking up that niche by doing their version of a talk show with a blue alien puppet (that looks much much friendlier than another blue alien talk show host Gorburger). The alien is one that becomes obsessed with pop culture and, thus, interviews actual celebrity guests. 

While all of that is well and good and the combo of puppets and real people is always fun, we’re truly excited to know that the one and only Eliza Skinner is the head writer and co-EP of this new Disney+ talk show, Earth to Ned. There is a lot of ways this show could go, but we feel pretty good about Earth to Ned being in the trusty hands of both Eliza and the Jim Henson Co.

October 22, 2019
Uncategorized
bob baker marionette theater, comedy show, eagle rock, highland park, los angeles, puppets, when puppets are your only friends

A new Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Eagle Rock has its doors open now and, along with it, one of its best shows, When Puppets Are Your Only Friends has returned as well.

Join multi-talented puppeteer/comedians Molly Fite and Jared Ramirez for their latest edition of the show in Bob Baker’s new spot next week on Mon. Oct. 28th. Joining them for puppets, bits, songs, and more (meant for 18 and older FYI) will be Wesley Doloris, Karl Herlinger, Eli Presser, Nox Berf as well as Bob Baker Marionettes and Joe Selph of Rene & His Artists.

Tickets are $20 and you can (and very much should) get them here.

Win Tickets to See Jonah Ray, Kate Berlant, Nina Conti at Next Week’s Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen

April 5, 2018
Uncategorized
comedy show, DoLA, free comedy, free tickets, hollywood, kristen schaal, kurt braunohler, los angeles, los feliz, puppets, silverlake, stand up, the virgil, ticket giveaway
image

From the heights of being the host of the new MST3K to expert puppetry from across the pond to the several dimensions that Kate Berlant occupies, next week’s Hot Tub, per usual, ought to be a doozy.

As you also should know by now, we’ve got a pair of tickets for you to win to catch this magic. Enter here: http://thecomedybureau.dola.com/giveaways

February 22, 2018
Uncategorized
bob baker day, carnival, dtla, eastside, echo park, free entertainment, free show, los angeles, puppets, things to do

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater will actually be shutting down the street around the venue in celebration of the 4th Annual Bob Baker Day this weekend. 

That does means that there will be puppets in the streets! 

Also, Bob Baker Day 2018 will feature:
• Grand Marshal – DJ Lance Rock of Yo Gabba Gabba and his Opening Ceremony Puppet Procession (starring YOU!) with the
• Live DJ music from OK-GO’s Tim Nordwind
• Gigantic Pop-up Puppet Museum
• Bob Baker-themed Fun + Carnival Games
• Walk-Around Entertainment
Captain Tall Tale – Adventurer
Kaycee Kreig, Hula Hoop Extraordinaire
Oskar the Accordian Player
• Outdoor Main Stage Musical Entertainment :
Master of Ceremonies, King Kukulele with…
very be careful,
Tiny & Mary,
Radioactive Chicken Heads,
Safari So Goody
Healing Gems (web: https://healinggems.bandcamp.com/)
• Puppet Workshops from the Los Angeles Guild of Puppetry and the Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s Imagination Academy
• Vendors
Coast to Coast Mobile Vintage Shop
Miracle Mile Toy Hall
Tiny Bangs,
Yasmin Floral Design
Girl Scouts Troop No. 85
Earl Newman Limited Edition Bob-Baker inspired prints, and more!
• Artisan Boutique by the People of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater
Ongoing Puppet shows in our Theater (additional cost), and much, much more!

Oh, did we mention that pretty much 98% of this is FREE!

Get more details here.

February 16, 2018
Uncategorized
bob baker, bob baker marionette theater, comedy shows, dtla, echo park, eliza skinner, jared ramirez, molly fite, puppets, ron lynch, variety show

The great puppet variety comedy spectacular known as When Puppets Are Your Only Friends finds its way to LA’s premiere puppetry venue, The Bob Baker Marionette Theater this Sunday, Feb. 18th at 8PM.

Molly Fite and Jared Ramirez will be joined the lovely talents of:
Eliza Skinner (Comedy!)
Ron Lynch (Prestige! SORCERY!)
Pam Severns (Puppets!)
Kaycee Krieg (Variety!)
Live music from Duk!
w/ Mischief and Mime from
Invisible Women (Nicky Soupi Giraffe & Juliana Giraffe)

Tickets are $15 and you should go get them here.

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

January 26, 2018
Uncategorized
comedy variety show, dynasty typewriter, experimental comedy, hayworth theater, jay london, karl herlinger, kate micucci, liquid feet, los angeles, michael rayner, natalie palamides, puppets, ron lynch, stand up

Though once thought to be possibly far and gone, the legendary comedy variety extravaganza Tomorrow! Show with Ron Lynch is coming back and coming back soon! 

The Steve Allen Theater is sadly no more, but Ron and company will be enjoying burning the midnight oil with chaotic glee at a new home in LA’s newest comedy venue The Hayworth Theater.

Unsurprisingly, the line-up is full of Tomorrow! favorites and ought to not be missed. 

Tickets will be $10. Get more info here.

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

January 23, 2018
Uncategorized
dtla, free comedy, free tickets, koreatown, los angeles, macarthur park, magic, puppets, ticket giveaway, variety show, westlake

LA’s newest, shiniest comedy venue Dynasty Typewriter at Hayworth Theater isn’t even officially open yet, but you can start seeing what they’re all about in their soft opening “Dawn of the Dynasty” weekend shows.

Even better, we’ve got tickets for you to win for this weekends show which include the wondrous likes of Ron Funches, Hampton Yount, Fahim Anwar, Scout Durwood, Emily Heller, Derek Hughes, Pam Severns, Brian Finkelstein, Kimberly Clark, and more. 

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

Melissa McCarthy to Star in Human and Puppets Murder Mystery Comedy “The Happytime Murders”

May 4, 2017
Uncategorized
happytime murders, henson alternative, jim henson, melissa mccarthy, puppets

Melissa McCarthy to Star in Human and Puppets Murder Mystery Comedy “The Happytime Murders”

If Spy was any indication, this might be the next big hit for McCarthy as it has plenty of opportunity for big physical comedy gags and expletive laden burns. That’s in addition to the novelty of having an R-rating and puppets, from Henson Alternative no less, go together.

This being the case, we’re curious to see where exactly this movie will land with the R-rating. For instance, would their murderer perhaps be a leader of a small cult trying to start a race war? How gruesome can the puppet murders be?

It might be too early to tell, but we’d bet that fans of No, You Shut Up! with Paul F. Tompkins might be thoroughly intrigued by this as well.

April 29, 2017
Uncategorized
bel air, beverly glen, festival, los angeles, puppets, sherman oaks, west la

Tomorrow is time for the Skirball Cultural Center’s annual Puppet Festival. All throughout the center, puppeteers for all sorts of audiences will be performing from 10AM-4PM

General admission is $12 and you can (and should) get your tickets here. 

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

December 19, 2016
Uncategorized
bob baker marionette, drennon davis, east hollywood, hollywood, jared ramirez, los angeles, los feliz, molly fite, puppets, silverlake, the virgil, variety show, virgil village

Some of the best puppets and stand-up and music and modern clowning and way more are coming together to offer up a damn fine variety show, When Puppets Are Your Only Friends, hosted by Molly Fite and Jared Ramirez, this Tuesday at The Virgil. 

Best of all, admission is free. Get more details here.

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

December 7, 2016
Uncategorized
bob baker marionette theater, charlyne yi, chris fairbanks, comedy show, dana gould, eddie pepitone, janet varney, john ennis, los angeles, maria bamford, puppets, stand up, variety show

Wonderful puppetry at The Bob Baker Marionette Theater, music, and other holiday trappings in addition to a line-up of Maria Bamford, Laraine Newman, Charlyne Yi, Eddie Pepitone, Dana Gould, Janet Varney, John Ennis, and Chris Fairbanks is what you got in store for next week’s Cavalcade of Christmas.

Sound good?

Tickets are $40 and you’ll want to get them here.

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

August 25, 2016
Uncategorized
andres du bouchet, comedy show, dana gould, los angeles, lyric hyperion, matt mccarthy, pam severns, pony spam, puppets, sean keane, september 1st, silverlake, stand up, tony sam, variety show, what to do

The amazing Tony Sam and Pam Severns are putting together a brand new comedy variety show, Pony Spam, that will not only feature the likes of puppets, stand-up, music, and more, but will feature many of the top echelons of each of those fields. 

For their first show, they’ve got:
Dana Gould
Andres Du Bouchet
Matt McCarthy
Phoebe Bottoms
Sean Keane
Jared Ramirez

See what we’re saying? 

The first Pony Spam is on Thursday, September 1st at 8PM at The Lyric Hyperion Theatre & Cafe (2106 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles, CA) and costs $5 at the door.

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

May 11, 2016
Uncategorized
andy kindler, cass bugge, comedy shows, drennon davis, east hollywood, ithamar enriquez, los angeles, los feliz, mike o'brien, puppets, silverlake, the virgil, victory lap, virgil village

More details here.

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

Fusion Put “No, You Shut Up! Election Special Report #2″ on YouTube

November 23, 2015
Uncategorized
election, fusion, jim henson company, no you shut up, patton oswalt, paul f tompkins, puppets

The second special episode of No, You Shut Up! with Paul F. Tompkins is now on YouTube in full, thanks to Fusion.

You can see more puppets and Paul debate it out as well as Patton Oswalt “announce” a presidential run and the NYSU team actual talk to real life California State Assembly member, Ted Lieu.

Watch it all here to get your NYSU fix until it comes back for its fourth season on Feb, 4th.

Season 3 of “No, You Shut Up with Paul F. Tompkins” Is Under Way at Fusion

November 18, 2014
Uncategorized
fusion, no you shut up, paul f tompkins, puppets, season 3

On set with @pftompkins. I’m sure he’s tweeting at me in this pic. New season of @NoYouShutUp is coming soon! pic.twitter.com/8pelA4nzpN

— H. Alan Scott (@HAlanScott) November 18, 2014

According to the tweet above from H. Alan Scott as well as a tweet from Paul F. Tompkins himself, Fusion is making a third season of the fantastic panel debate show with puppets, No, You Shut Up with Paul F. Tompkins.

So, in the time that they’re making season 3, you should go get Fusion.

There Are Plenty of No, You Shut Up with Paul F. Tompkins Clips on YouTube Now

July 3, 2014
Uncategorized
fusion, jim henson, no you shut up, panel, paul f tompkins, puppets

There Are Plenty of No, You Shut Up with Paul F. Tompkins Clips on YouTube Now

While Fusion is still gaining its footing as a brand new cable channel, there was previously only few ways to watch the wonderful puppet panel debate show No, You Shut Up with Paul F. Tompkins, one of them being going to Fusion to watch their clips on their own media player.

Now, there’s a decent amount of clips you can and should watch over and over on YouTube at the link. 

Paul F. Tompkins Having More Fun Debating with Puppets on No, You Shut Up

April 3, 2014
Uncategorized
ageism, debate, fusion, panel, paul f tompkins, puppets

The panel debate show No, You Shut Up with Paul F. Tompkins has a whole new batch of clips to watch as well as playing weeknights on Fusion at 6:30PM PST.

Check this one out where Paul steps in hot water for treating a doll as if it’s just cute.

Fusion Having ‘No, You Shut Up! with Paul F. Tompkins’ Cover State of The Union Address

January 27, 2014
Uncategorized
fusion, no you shut up, obama, paul f tompkins, puppets, sotu, state of the union

Fusion Having ‘No, You Shut Up! with Paul F. Tompkins’ Cover State of The Union Address

Yes, Paul F. Tompkins and a myriad of a puppets, together known as Fusion’s No, You Shut Up, some of which are animals and aliens, will be responsible for the coverage and analysis of President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union Address this week. 

Finally, this will be some live State of the Union analysis that we care about. Smart move, Fusion.

So, Paul F. Tompkins Will Be Hosting a Political Panel Discussion Show with Puppets Premiering Tonight on Fusion

November 1, 2013
Uncategorized
fusion, panel discussion, paul f tompkins, premiere, puppets

So, Paul F. Tompkins Will Be Hosting a Political Panel Discussion Show with Puppets Premiering Tonight on Fusion

We have gotten to the bottom of the mysterious pictures of Paul F. Tompkins sitting on a crossfire debate like TV set with a bunch of puppets that have been floating around online over the last week or so.

It turns out that Paul will indeed be hosting a panel discussion show on politics (and probably more) with puppets on brand spanking new network Fusion (check if you can get it here) called No, You Shut Up airing on Fridays at 9:30PM. 

Yes, that means it premieres tonight 9:30PM.

Tonight, We Find Out What This Puppet/Paul F. Tompkins Panel Show is All About on Fusion

October 28, 2013
Uncategorized
fusion, no you shut up, paul f tompkins, puppets

           

image

Though there is next to nothing on their site about it and just some random tweets, this picture of Paul F. Tompkins in front of a TV screen on set, “No, You Shut Up” supposedly with puppets and Paul F. Tompkins is premiering tonight at 9:30PM on Fusion (which is also launches tonight at 7:30PM-find it on your TV service provider here).

We’re ready to get to the bottom of this and perhaps find our new favorite show.

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