ramy youssef – The Comedy Bureau

TCB Debriefing 7/21-8/10: Roy Wood Jr. on CNN, Inside Out TV Series, Saturday Night Trailer+++

1. Roy Wood Jr. will be hosting his own topical panel show on, not Comedy Central, but CNN with Have I Got News For You. While The Daily Show did get Jon Stewart back, there is an unmistakable feeling that they missed out here.

2. Disney’s own version of Comic Con, D23, is this weekend and the big takeaway is that Mickey and company will be sticking with their big hits from Pixar in the form of an Inside Out series, another sequel to The Incredibles, and another sequel to Toy Story (which begs the question how much more existential crises can they explore through the nature of sentient toys).

3. Let’s call that a take 2 on Studio 60, but this time, from Jason Reitman that actually tackles the origin story of SNL head on (and it looks pretty damn great). Take a gander at the trailer for Saturday Night here, then look for it in theaters come Oct. 11th.

4. Adam Sandler took a big leap into the Safdie Brothers’ world when diving into Uncut Gems, and Josh Safdie is returning the favor by directing Sandler’s latest stand-up special, Love You (take a look at the trailer here). Let’s see if this leads to a Safdie Brothers slapstick comedy. Love You will hit Netflix later this month on Aug. 27th.

5. The High Plains Comedy Festival in Denver, CO is still one of the very best comedy festivals around (and is coming up soon on Sept. 19th-21st). Peep their first line-up announcement! THEN, go get your fest passes here.

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6. Given how truly insane the winds of change feels these days, a wave of absurdism/non-sequitur/unapologetic deconstructionist satire in a comedy special (as opposed to more litanies of crowd-work-fueled comedy specials) feels more than needed. Fortunately, Carmen Christopher has come through with his latest and very hilarious special Live from the Windy City that serves up many shots of all those ingredients in addition to thankfully showcasing Christopher’s stand up chops in a non-COVID-socially-distanced setting. If you’re any level of fan of I Think You Should Leave, you might recognized Carmen from a sketch or two and, as such, you’re really going to dig Live from the Windy City (after all, Tim Robinson does have his name attached to this special). Live from the Windy City is now streaming on VEEPS and you can (and should) stream it here.

7. While Abbott Elementary has the hearts and minds of America’s primetime viewing audience, FX is giving the high school work place comedy its own treatment with English Teacher from Brian Jordan Alvarez (that seems to have the same very satisfying bite that Election had over 20 years ago). Also, Sean Patton as Markie might be TV’s latest scene stealer. See for yourself with the trailer here, then look for the premiere on FX/Hulu on Sept. 2nd.

8. James Adomian, who voices many of your favorite adult animated series, is one of comedy’s best minds and voices and has been for years now. Thankfully, his very first hour special is due out on 800 Pound Gorilla on Aug. 16th and then, for everyone, on Sept. 19th. Please enjoy his retro comedy special trailer for Path of Most Resistance here.

9. After having some of the very best moments in season 1 of White Lotus, Natasha Rothwell is taking center stage with her very own series How to Die Alone, a comedy following a carpe-diem-turn for a woman who is afraid to fly, but works an airport. See what Natasha has up her sleeve with the trailer for How To Die Alone here, then look for it exclusively on Hulu come Sept. 13th.

10. Both Punkie Johnson and Molly Kearney are leaving SNL, which means the new cast announcement for the next season might be big (and plenty diverse).

11. Ramy Youssef has signed a first look deal with Netflix, which is yet another step for the rising comedy star. Note that this doesn’t mean he has the answer to achieving peace in the Middle East (only great jokes about it).

12. Quinta Brunson and Stephanie Hsu are teaming up on a comedy feature for Universal. No plot details are available at this time, which leaves us to assume that it’s about a multiverse of public schools that also don’t have enough funding.

13. It’s about time there was a Mitch Hedberg documentary especially considering that he set an intention of telling jokes without references so he could be timeless. Keep an eye out for this doc from 222-2222 Films.

13. While Chloe Radcliffe is in Edinburgh right now racking up well deserved acclaimed for her marvelous solo show, CHEAT, let’s not forget that Chloe is really damn good at stand-up. See her Don’t Tell set here for proof.

14. Not only is the fifth season of Solar Opposites around the corner (Aug. 12th on Hulu) and it just got renewed for another season, but it seems as any lingering controversy with Justin Roiland’s exit is well in the rear view mirror. All looks like a well oiled machine in this trailer for the new season.

15. In addition to Sam Morril making his Amazon debut with his brand spankin’ new special You’ve Changed, there’s, essentially, a bonus track of crowd work/material available exclusively on newly forged comedian streaming platform PunchUp called “Buying Drinks”. If you loved Sam’s rooftop stuff, you’ll love this.

16. In addition to doing a sharply honed high school comedy, it would seem FX is angling on a Gen-Z version of Friends with their new series, Snowflakes. Shout out to comedian Malik Elassal has is kind of having a banner year in 2024.

17. We don’t know how many seasons What We Do In the Shadows will ultimately go, but thank goodness Danny McBride is getting to work on adapting his own vampire comedy from Grady Hendrix’s book The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.

18. While a return to pure comedy might seem unlikely for acclaimed horror director Jordan Peele, him taking on prank series Scare Tactics is a welcome dip back into comedy. Look for Peele to possibly revolutionize prank shows later this Fall on USA Network.

19. We’ll leave you with this: Free tickets to John Early @ The Bellwether on 9/17 anyone? Yes? Hit us up at thecomedybureau@gmail.com and we’ll see if we can hook you up.

TCB Debriefing 5/11-5/18: Spaghetti Fest, Nikki Glaser, Conan O’Brien Must Go, Hulu, Ramy Youssef/Will Ferrell, Only Murders in the Building, Blair Socci, Seth Meyers, Happy Gilmore, Entertainment System Is Down, Rick & Morty: The Anime

May 18, 2024

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blair socci, conan o'brien must go, happy gilmore, hulu, molly gordon, nikki glaser, only murders in the building, ramy youssef, rick and morty, ruben ostlund, seth meyers, spaghetti fest, will ferrell

1. The Elysian is getting ready for the 3rd edition of its never-before-seen-genre/definition-defying comedy festival, Spaghetti Fest, where they look to present completely original, brand new productions that pretty much swing for the fences with whatever their intended goal is. Submissions are open, but are due Jun. 15th for the fest set for this November. Get more details/submit here.

2. Nikki Glaser dazzled the world of Netflix with her set on The Roast of Tom Brady (and blew everyone out of the water; no one even came close to her set). Her brand spankin’ new hour special, Someday You’ll Die is a further display of Nikki still ascending in her comedy powers. She never fails to put on a clinic with stand-up in regards to word economy, diction, delivery, stage presence, and the always tricky part of verisimilitude in one’s performance, but also, sneakily, goes on a journey of comedically exploring the inevitability of death from her vantage point. It’s material that should come off darker, but Glaser’s joke writing and telling are simply that death comes off a much more light topic. Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die is now streaming on Max.

3. Max finally made a smart decision regarding a TV show and renewed Conan O’Brien Must Go for a second season. Fingers crossed that O’Brien can not only travel to way more places for this second season, but will also get Werner Herzog for another brilliant, scorching intro.

4. We were wondering when Hulu was going to get into the comedy specials game with Netflix, Max, and Amazon already firmly planted in it. Looks like that time is now and they’re leading off with a sure bet in Jim Gaffigan (Variety).

5. Coming off the heat from Ramy Youssef in Poor Things, Josh Rabinowitz co-writing Babes, and Will Ferrell being Will Ferrell, the idea of a golf comedy with all these folks is pretty enticing (Variety).

6. Thank goodness that Only Murders in the Building is back for a fourth season and keeping Steve Martin in comedy and Martin Short on screen regularly as it should be. Take a gander at season 4, due out on Aug. 27th on Hulu, with the teaser here.

7. Both figuratively and literally, Blair Socci is one of the most unique and entertaining voices in stand-up comedy right now. See this notion in action with her Don’t Tell Comedy set here.

8. Seth Meyers and his revolutionary casual look as host of Late Night will keep on keepin’ on through 2028 as Meyers just renewed his NBCU deal this past week (Variety).

9. Many millennials are probably getting a sequel that they’ve wanted for a long, long time with Netflix greenlighting a sequel to one of Adam Sandler’s classics, Happy Gilmore (Deadline).

10. Molly Gordon is sitting back at the director’s chair for a new project, Small Parts, after pretty much nothing but love (and well deserved) for Theater Camp last year. Carmy really f’d up, didn’t he? (Deadline).

11. Ruben Östlund, the amazing comedy auteur behind Force Majeure and The Square and Triangle of Sadness, will have Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst, and Daniel Brühl for his latest pic, the wonderfully titled, The Entertainment System of Down. That will have made Östlund taken down masculinity, the art world, rich/beautiful people, and, thankfully, “the biz”.

12. Rick and Morty is officially a cinematic universe unto itself with this first look at Rick and Morty: The Anime, due out to Adult Swim and Max later this year.

13. We’ll leave you with this: Timing standing ovations should be outlawed.

TCB Debriefing 3/21-3/25/24: Ramy Youssef, Stress Positions, YALL Fest, The Studio, Happy Gilmore 2, James Corden

March 26, 2024

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1. The historical moment in which we live right now is so concussive, the want for a voice that would make for any sort of reason or relief is dire. Ramy Youssef might very well be that voice, bolstered even more by the fact that he jokingly dismisses such a notion in his brand new hour special, More Feelings. Within both himself and his comedy, there’s a wondrous contrast between his casual demeanor and meeting the moment with empathy and cleverly hidden, long wick punchlines and call backs. Despite Ramy self-deprecatingly downplaying his own merits, there’s a grace with which he talks about Israel/Palestine, the current state of Muslim and Middle Eastern identities, and more that truly makes More Feelings actually special at a time where the word “special” feels hollow.

2. While comedy about the pandemic might seem beyond well-trodden territory, we’re excited to see John Early in pretty much anything and, from the looks of this trailer, Theda Hammel‘s Stress Positions might just succeed as a quarantine comedy with absurdity and nuance where pretty much everything else has missed the mark. Look for Stress Positions in limited release starting Apr. 19th.

3. Peep the first freshly announced YALLFest, put together by the Yes, And Laughter Lab (AKA YALL), a comedy festival setting its focus on highlighting the intersection between comedy and social justice. It’s set for its inaugural run on Wed. Apr. 17th-Fri. Apr. 19th at the newly revived Asylum NYC. Taking a gander at the line-up, we love a brand new festival with Chris Gethard, Dylan Adler, Kenice Mobley, Kelly Bachman, Atheer Yacoub, Roy Wood Jr., and so many other hilarious, thoughtful folks. Get more details and passes here.

4. Fingers crossed this Seth Rogen Hollywood studio satire, The Studio, blessed with a cast of Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Ike Barinholtz, and Chase Sui Wonders, skewers IP-cursed Hollywood and doesn’t change a single name of anything (looking at you, MCU) (Deadline).

5. If you were wondering what an empire that Carpool Karaoke built looks like now, James Corden’s Fulwell 73 is building a $568 million film and TV studio in Northeast England (Deadline).

6. We’ll leave you with this: Know that Literally Anybody Else is an option for POTUS this year.

TCB Debriefing 3/5-3/8/24: Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda, Problemista, JFL Montreal, SXSW, Alex Edelman, Good One, Ramy Youssef, Jerrod Carmichael, Steve Martin, Something Wicked, Noah Baumbach, Murderbot, Jermaine Fowler, Kenny DeForest

1. Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda is simultaneously a concession by Netflix to make up for continuing to let Dave Chappelle to be their highest paid TERF as well as a beautifully curated showcase of comedians from all ’round the world that are both genderqueer and so damny funny and proof positive of the healing connective powers of comedy. If you sit and watch the Gadsby-handpicked line-up of Jes Tom, Chloe Petts, DeAnne Smith, Asha Ward, Krishna Istha, Mx. Daheli Belle, and ALOK, you’ll see a different color of the fabric of humanity in all of its comedic absurdity, but very and incredibly human all the same. The observations and issues of all the comedians in this special may not be the sorts that you encounter in your own daily life, but their jokes exquisitely highlight a sort of universal ridiculousness of life (especially when it comes to the gender binary) that any open minded, open hearted soul can get behind. Of the comedian showcases that Netflix has done, this very well might be their best (and most affecting) one yet.

Please enjoy Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda on Netflix right now.

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2. Problemista is the sort of work that has to make one wonder what sort of magic did Lorne Michaels shoot down at SNL when Julia Torres wrote there. Torres and co-star Tilda Swinton make an unforgettable duo in a magically real fish-out-of-water, coming-of-age, critical immigrant tale that perfectly showcases Julio’s penchant for the subversive nuance in everyday minutia (i.e. pitching toys that have more dramatic tension and emotional complexity). Don’t be surprised if it’s this year’s Everything Everywhere All at Once (it is an A24 movie after all) with having all the trappings of an ambitious arthouse indie comedy that’s set for wide release on Mar. 22nd. Go get tickets to see and enjoy this treasure if it’s playing in your city right now right here.

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3. JFL Montreal is cancelled this year and looking for creditor protection (CBC), which means, for the first time in decades, there likely won’t be any sort of New Faces of Comedy handpicked by Just For Laughs. That said, it has been the reality for quite some time that JFL New Faces, while a prestigious honor, was one milestone on what is usually a still very circuitous road in the career of a comedian. The fate of JFL Montreal and New Faces along with it have yet to be decided, but we now wonder what will become JFL’s stake in everything else (Moontower, London, Toronto, etc.).

4. SXSW just kicked off today and they have a comedy festival that is alive and well with the expected stacked line-up of comics and shows including:

Aida Rodriguez • Andrew Rannells • Annie Lederman • Beth Stelling • Brian Simpson •
Cazzie David • Chris Fleming • Chris Gethard • Christina Catherine Martinez • Conan
O’Brien • Courtney Pauroso • Doug Benson • Dulcé Sloan • Dustin Ybarra • Erin Jackson •
Frank Oz • Hannah Einbinder • Ikechukwu Ufomadu • Jaboukie Young-White • James
Adomian • Joe DeRosa • John Leguizamo • Jon Gabrus • Jourdain Fisher • Judd Apatow •
Leonard Maltin • Lilly Singh • Lucia Aniello • Luisa Omielan • Lynne Koplitz • Matt Besser •
Napoleon Emill • Natalie Palamides • Nathan Macintosh • Nick Kroll • Nick Thune •
Orlando Leyba • Pamela Adlon • Paul Scheer • Pete Lee • Punkie Johnson • Rich Vos •
Rick Glassman • Robert Smigel • Samantha Bee • Stuart Goldsmith • Tone Bell •
Yamaneika Saunders • Zach Zucker

A.I. Johnny Cash & A.I. Friends Hootenanny • ASSSSCAT • The Comedian’s Comedian •
Entre Nos Presents Comedy Crossroads • Comic Relief US • The Creek and The Cave •

Doug Loves Movies • Famous with a Baby (and Other Sh*t that Didn’t Work Out) • Girl
Cop: A Clown Drama • Gotham Comedy Club • Hollywood Improv • improv4humans •
Maltin on Movies • The Origins of Whatever You Call What We Did with Conan O’Brien
and Robert Smigel • Reel Funny: Creating Comedy from the Director’s Chair • Riffs and
Riff-Raff with Nick Thune & Friends • Samantha Bee Presents Wits End • Stamptown •
The Street Meat: A Comedic Celebration of Food Trucks, Grease Pits, and Sandwich
Shops • The Unfinished Orson Welles Roast of Hollywood • Vanessa 5000 • Variety Power
of Comedy • Yamaneika Saunders Presents: Maestra •

5. To say that Alex Edelman’s Just For Us is critically acclaimed is kind of understating just how much acclaim it has gotten. It’s not often that someone at Alex’s age gets to do their solo show on Broadway after doing several runs Off-Broadway then tour all over the country, yet his special and Alex himself really had something, dare we say, special with the story of him infiltrating a White Nationalist meeting as a Jew. Thankfully, you and the rest of the world that has access to HBO/Max will get to see it this April. Watch the teaser for Alex Edelman: Just For Us here, then get ready for it be released during Worldwide Comedy Month.

6. If you’re obsessed with process in the art form of comedy, you might already be obsessed with Jesse David Fox‘s Good One podcast. Mike Birbiglia is one-upping the podcast by giving an unprecedented look at how he came up with a whole new hour/special/solo show from start to finish as a Good One documentary. Take a gander at what you’ll get to see, then watch Good One: A Show About Jokes on Peacock starting Mar. 26th.

7. Ramy Youssef has More Feelings (as well as a new special) and, from the looks of it, it’s going to be quite timely (you know, Ramy’s MO as a comedian and artist especially in regards to Muslim representation in media/comedy/world). See for yourself here, then watch it exclusively on Max on Mar. 23rd.

8. If you thought Jerrod Carmichael had left it all out there with Rothaniel, just you wait to see his reality show Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show that seems to be dedicated to the actual reality part of the Reality TV genre in a way that Vanderpump Rules or Keeping Up with the Kardashians aren’t. True to his form of breaking down form conventions, it would seem Carmichael is doing a docu series of the aftermath of his special and what he hath wrought in his own life and calling it a reality show. Take a look with the first trailer here, then immediately set a reminder for Mar. 29th to watch this on HBO or Max.

9. This two part documentary for legendary comedians is starting to become a trend. Garry Shandling, George Carlin, and now, Steve Martin with Morgan Neville’s STEVE! (martin) coming to Apple TV+ on Mar. 29th. Take a gander of the latest comedy nerdery must see doc here.

10. A new witch comedy, Something Wicked, is in the works with the one and only June Diane Raphael taking the lead role and Dickinson creator Alena Smith at the helm (Deadline). Fingers crossed that there will be some witchy Hotwives energy present in this show.

11. Following being roped into the box office boffo and critical juggernaut that is and was the Barbie movie, Noah Baumbach is headed back out on his own with his next movie at Netflix that will sports a shiny, shiny ensemble cast of Adam Sandler, George Clooney, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, and Riley Keough (Deadline). Those are all the details for now, but from how much we loved White Noise, we won’t be surprised with a jocular satire that feels, perhaps, all too relevant.

12. Award winning book The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells is not only going to be adapted into an Apple TV+ series (Deadline), but going to do so with Sabrina Wu leading off an ensemble cast of Tattiawna Jones, Akshay Khanna, and Tamara Podemski. A show following a sentient android that wants to watch soap operas will do well to have Wu on the cast.

13. The very next Foot Fist Way may come from Jermaine Fowler and Zach Bornstein, though trade out Tae Kwon Do for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Deadline).

14. We’ll leave you with this: RIP THIS Bald King, Kenny DeForest. Please watch and enjoy his last Don’t Tell Comedy set here.

TCB Debriefing 1/19/24-1/24/24: Jon Stewart, Oscars, Paul Danke, Ramy, Steven Wright, SNL 1975, Jean Claude Van Damme, Richard Pryor

January 24, 2024

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colbert, jean claude van damme, jon stewart, late show, oscars, paul danke, ramy youssef, richard pryor, snl 1975, steven wright

1. Jon Stewart is returning to the role that made him the voice of a generation, kind of. Stewart will resume hosting duties at The Daily Show on Mondays and then serving as an EP all the other days, leaving the rest of the correspondents to switch off hosting duties (NPR). There’s a lot to hope for here as Stewart is returning in an election year when he, somewhat infamously, left during the 2016 election cycle with a potential to have to deal with Trump running under the GOP banner. Also, we’re to assume that he’ll be able to talk freely about China and AI, seemingly two topics that seemed to be dicey while he was at AppleTV+ with The Problem with Jon Stewart.

2. This year’s Oscars might be the most comedy highlighted one in history with American Fiction, Barbie, The Holdovers, and Poor Things all garnering Best Picture nominations and accompanying noms in Best Acting, Writing, and Directing categories. Perhaps, a tip of the cap is deserved to last year’s Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once taking home all the awards to make high art comedies be taken seriously.

Also, Greta and Margot getting snubbed in their respective categories for Barbie is pretty objectively wrong.

See the full list of Oscar nominations, announced this morning, here.

3. Paul Danke has been one of the most reliable fixtures in LA’s vast, decentralized stand-up scene. For several years, Danke has only refined what was already an exacting comedy sensibility that finesses rhythm, specificity, attitude, and self-awareness that he has taken to stages DIY and pristine all over LA county (and CA and, well, the country). He has a knack for making specificity in observation accessible whether it be regarding the fate of the Dodger Dog or Jimmy Buffet’s legacy because of his unassailable cool even if he is taping an hour at a place as “out there” as Humboldt, CA. You can hear all of that and some 70’s soaked tunes on his brand new album, Mad River, fresh off the AST presses. Please enjoy Mad River right now right here.

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4. Ramy Youssef will have “more feelings” (on a new A24/HBO special) that will (probably) not have a solid British accent from the acclaimed Poor Things actor (and celebrated 21st century comedian).

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5. Steven vs. Stephen is quite the fun time and a reminder that Steven Wright is one of the best last night guests. Feel free to go down a YouTube rabbit hole to watch Steven Wright on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson after watching his Late Show interview here.

6. Rachel Sennott will be one of the stars of an SNL origin film from Jason Reitman, SNL 1975 (Deadline). If one of the cast of this movie ends up hosting SNL to promote this movie, it should stand to reason that they just redo 1970s SNL sketches for today.

7. The Muscles from Brussels, Jean Claude Van Damme is seemingly sticking with comedy (after his lauded, self-reflexive movie JCVD) with Le jardinier (Variety). Possible crossover with Le jardinier and The Beekeeper in the not so distant future?

8. After decades of trying to get some sort of biographical adaptation of comedy icon Richard Pryor’s life on screen, it looks like Kenya Barris might be the one to do with it an upcoming 10 part series (Variety). At this point, an entire doc could be made on trying to doing some sort of biopic on Pryor’s life.

9. We’ll leave you with this: Kids heckling clowns, the serious kind, is priceless.

TCB Debriefing 12/14 & 12/15/23: Blair Socci, Poor Things, Carol and the End of the World, Critics Choice/Spirit Awards/Black List, You’re Dating a Narcissist

December 15, 2023

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blair socci, carol and the end of the world, comedy special, critics choice awards, dan guterman, emma stone, martha kelly, netflix, poor things, ramy youssef, spirit awards, the black list, yorgos lanthimos, you're dating a narcissist

1. The voice and the attitude alone make Blair Socci the sort of comedian that you can’t ignore, whether you’re paying for two drinks to sit at a cramped comedy club table or hanging in the back as a comedian. Socci’s delightful cartoon-esque voice and penchant for unfiltered truth are kind of a perfect comedic contrast. In her first hour special, Blair goes in hard on the follies of men, the Disney hegemony versus Only Fans, and, of course, the crime that is the existence of Triscuits and we’re willing to bet that you’d enjoy even if you’re the target of the joke because Blair is just that undeniably funny. Thank goodness a crisp, minimalist special Live from the Big Dog (even though it was shot at Hollywood’s Bourbon Room) is here to give the shine that Blair has deserved for far too long. Blair Socci: Live from the Big Dog is streaming on demand on Veeps. Peep it here.

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2. To say something is Yorgos Lanthimos‘ most ambitious work to date is truly saying something considering landmark dark comedies The Lobster and The Favourite are also in his filmography. Yet, Poor Things boldly stands tall and dreams as absurdly big as possible, highlighting everything beautiful and grotesque in truly being alive (a la being reanimated by a obsessive surgeon), especially as a woman in 19th century Europe, or a pastel colored, dreamy nightmare version of it anyway. Emma Stone delivers yet another performance of a life time as Bella Baxter and Lanthimos sagely utilizes the talents of comedians Ramy Youssef and Jerrod Carmichael for the 2023 comedy that will stick with you, having you stew about all of it’s incisive and fiery commentary on, well, everything in life/society/culture/existence for weeks (and probably months) after the credits roll. Poor Things is playing in limited release now and opens wider on 12/22. Oh, you probably won’t hear a more unique score in any other movie this year thanks to Jerskin Fendrix.

3. Martha Kelly could very well be the voice of us all in the impending end times (and the lead voice in the Dan Guterman Netflix animated series Carol and the End of the World–get your first look here; due out Dec. 15th)

4. All hail Barbie and American Fiction for nominations at The Critics Choice Awards and Spirit Awards coming next year. Honorable mention for Poor Things and Bottoms as well. Comedy is running real strong this awards season.

5. Whole bunch of clear cut (and often dark) comedy in this year’s Black List, the annual list of the best/most popular unproduced screenplays, including the top script which follows a rescue dog suspecting his owner is a serial killer, Bad Boy by Travis Braun, and Alex Kavutskiy & Ryan Perez‘s super meta High Concept. Peep the whole list here.

6. Marisa Tomei, Sherry Cola, and Ciara Bravo are starring in an upcoming rom-com that hones in on a psychologist trying to talk a daughter out of marrying a narcissist, aptly called You’re Dating a Narcissist (THR). The marquee trio is enough to peak interest here, but the atypical rom com structure has us colored very intrigued.

7. We’ll leave you with this: OK everyone, how much longer are we going to woo and cheer for Nicole Kidman during the AMC pre-roll? It’s getting tiresome, especially if it’s coming right before something like Godzilla Minus One.

TCB Debriefing 10/13/23: Omid Singh, Found Footage Fest, The Afterparty, David Krumholtz, Diablo Cody, Ramy Youssef

October 13, 2023

News

comedy special, david krumholtz, diablo cody, found footage fest, free tickets, lisa frankenstein, omid singh, ramy youssef, stand up comedy, the afterparty

1. Omid Singh has tirelessly worked on his stand-up day in and day out for years in the very crowded LA comedy scene. Yet, you wouldn’t even think about the time he’s put in with the ease, self-assuredness, and quiet command of the stage in his first special, Lil Special. Singh seems carefree and yet on-point for tried and true material that includes a very informative Indian dance lesson. Please enjoy what undoubtedly will be a precursor to a great hour special with Lil Special now on YouTube here.

2. Found Footage Fest has found more footage and more dates and cities to spread the gospel of forgotten VHS content. Go get tix at foundfootagefest.com/tour

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3. There will probably be an afterparty after The Afterparty was just cancelled today by Apple TV+, but it’ll very likely be invite only (and have no murder at it).

4. David Krumholtz once graced the Internet as Gigi with WeatherFrom.com, then was in Oppenheimer, and is now set to play a lit professor with six months to live (Deadline). Look for Lousy Carter in early 2024 to continue to a trend of angry professors in dramedies (Lucky Hank, The Holdovers).

5. Diablo Cody returns (note that Juno came out 16 years ago) with her latest project, Lisa Frankenstein (Deadline) that seems to be a teen rom com with a Frankenstein in it? So, maybe akin to Warm Bodies, but way cooler dialogue?

7. We’ve got free tix for Ramy Youssef headlining The Regent in LA next week. Let us know if you want tix at thecomedybureau@gmail.com this weekend and they very well could be yours.

8. We’ll leave you with this: We guess, get Taylor Swift to be a fan of your comedy?

Get Your First Look at Season 3 of Ramy

September 14, 2022

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It has been well over two years since we’ve last got to see Ramy explore the meaning of life and search for purpose from his modern day Muslim perspective in a dramedy-ish way in his critically acclaimed and eponymous series. Ramy himself has taken the stage plenty since then, when it was varying degrees of safer to do so. Hopefully, you got into one of those shows and that would have tided you over in awaiting the arrival of new episodes of Ramy, arguably one of the more daring series on TV without having to get into organized crime or warring fantasy lands.

Ramy and his whole TV family are back (along with Bella Hadid?), much like much of the world and it seems to be picking up, like so many of us, right where we left off in the beginning of 2020 with a crisis of belief, a forever fertile ground for comedy. See for yourself in this season 3 trailer here, then look for it to start streaming on Sept. 30th on Hulu.

Ramy Youssef Signs First Look Deal and Gets Adult Animated Series at Amazon

March 10, 2022

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While Ramy the series isn’t moving forward at Hulu, the show’s namesake, Ramy Youssef, is hardly close from being finished on his end. Announced today, Ramy has inked a first look deal with Amazon to develop and produce projects for one of the biggest companies in the world (and also the place where such amazing boundary pushing shows such as Fleabag and Transparent called home).

Youssef’s very particular brand of dramedy when it comes to TV will be fascinating to see in this first project born from this deal, an adult animated series that will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime. No other details are available at this time for the series, but it’s probably a safe bet that it will be a very personal show that could only come from Ramy’s unique point-of-view being in between worlds of America and desiring to be a more faithful Muslim and would probably only get made on streaming service for the amount of tricky territory that Youssef likes exploring.

Note that this is only the first project from this deal at Amazon and we’re intensely curious to see what else he’s got cooking, which will hopefully be revealed in the not too distant future (maybe when the pandemic truly becomes an endemic).

Ramy Renewed for Season 3 at Hulu

July 10, 2020

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Over the past year, Hulu has done quite a bit to establish itself as a contender in the ever more saturated world of prestige TV. The Peabody and Golden Globe Award winning Ramy is one of the series that has raised the profile of their comedy programming slate to get into the conversation that HBO, Netflix, FX, and Amazon usually dominate.

Ramy Youssef has really given everyone a wholly unique look into the life of being a young Muslim in the 21st century in America and the multitude of nuance in, out, and around his world in the past two seasons.

So, with all of that in mind, Hulu is doing the sensible thing and ordering up a third season of Ramy. We do think that Youssef’s penchant for taking stories to unusual, sometimes uncomfortable places will probably result in doing an episode or some episodes about COVID-19 and we have no doubt that, if he does, it’ll very likely be something revelatory.

?? ? https://t.co/HHbd5cp0Cz

— ramy youssef (@ramy) July 9, 2020

Ramy Season 2 Trailer Sees Ramy Youssef Really, Really Trying to Get Religious

May 1, 2020

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The first season of Ramy broke all sorts of new ground with the perspective that Ramy brings to the world as a millennial comedian navigating his identity as a Muslim in an ever-increasing fluid world . It was an eye-opening series not only for its cinematic look and feel, but Ramy’s unflinching examination of all his deepest fears and his genuine quest to find himself while also pondering what it means to be Muslim these days.

There is absolutely more of that in season 2 as you can see in this Ramy season 2 trailer on top of the ever-stoic Mahershala Ali becoming Ramy’s spritual guide.

See all of this and more in Ramy‘s second season trailer here. Then, look for all episodes to begin streaming on May 29th on Hulu.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Ramy Youssef Win for Comedy at 77th Golden Globe Awards

January 7, 2020

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Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Ramy Youssef Win for Comedy at 77th Golden Globe Awards

While the Hollywood Foreign Press Association still has a very foggy idea as to what should count as a comedy film (and still rope it in with musicals) for their Golden Globes Awards, we’re very glad to see that Phoebe Waller-Bridge scored Best Actress TV Series-Comedy and Best TV Series-Comedy for Fleabag and Ramy Youssef won Best Actor TV Series-Comedy for his eponymous dramedy Ramy.

While there won’t be a third season of Fleabag, it’s great that Phoebe Waller-Bridge is getting her just due now and also that Ramy is getting such acclaim on his first season.

FYI, here’s the full list of winners for the 77th Golden Globe Awards.

Ramy Youssef Signs Overall Deal With A24

December 24, 2019

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Ramy Youssef Signs Overall Deal With A24

A24 is essentially a golden brand these days that carries an air of serious artistic credibility and respect with whatever they work on.

Thus, it’s pretty amazing to see them bring in a comedian for an overall deal. Of course, Ramy Youssef has garnered a ton of acclaim for both his stand-up and TV series Ramy that boldly explore what it’s like to be Muslim in American these days in a peak-TV, dramedy/enrapturing storytelling kind-of-way.

There is a certain cinematic quality to what Ramy does and this collaboration with one of the most beloved studios of today has us excited to see what they come up with.

FYI, Ramy’s already got two shows in the works, one of which will delve into the life of disabled people like Ramy did for Muslims.

Watch Trailer Ramy Youssef’s Debut Hour Special “Feelings”

June 4, 2019

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2019 is shaping up to be a banner year for Ramy Youssef. His eponymous series not only debuted to much acclaim on Hulu and got very quickly renewed for season 2.

Later this month, Sat. Jun. 29th, he’ll have his debut hour special, Feelings, premiere on HBO at 11PM. Also, what a pretty looking special it is on top of seemingly being a stand-up extension of his show.

Take a gander at all of that in Ramy Youssef’s Feelings via this freshly dropped trailer.

Here’s the First Trailer for Hulu’s Modern Day Muslim Comedy “Ramy”

March 12, 2019

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Ramy Youssef’s semi-autobiographical eponymous series seeks to give a that dramedy single camera perspective on what it means to be a young Muslim in America these days.

With A24 and Jerrod Carmichael on board, we were already very intrigued as to what this project might be and, with this trailer, we are even more excited as to the full potential of Ramy. For all the themes and points-of-view that it explores, it would almost seem like this show is long overdue.

If this really is as good as the trailer is promising it to be 2019 is shaping up to be quite a year for Hulu (with PEN15 being pretty much beloved across the board).

Look for all episodes of Ramy to start streaming on Fri., Apr. 19th.

May 27, 2018

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Help refugees resettle via supporting Miry’s List and get a chance to see Rachel Bloom and Milana Vayntrub lead off a stacked comedy show at the lovely Largo at the Coronet Theatre.

Tickets are going for $35 ($80 for artist meet and greet) and you should go get them here.

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

May 5, 2018

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This week, Hulu picked up a sitcom based on the life of Ramy Youssef to series.

This coming Wednesday, you can still see him at The Hollywood Improv Comedy Lab headlining a show. Not sure how much longer you’ll get to see in such an intimate venue.

Tickets are $10 and you can (and really should) get them here.

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

Hulu’s Latest Comedy Series Will Be a Mindy Kaling Version of ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ and a Ramy Youssef Sitcom

May 2, 2018

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Hulu’s Latest Comedy Series Will Be a Mindy Kaling Version of ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ and a Ramy Youssef Sitcom

In the ongoing battle for supremacy in the streaming service (and, by extension, episodic comedy) Hulu’s latest series have lots of potential.

Hulu is bringing another series from one of their stars Mindy Kaling as well as revive the rom com classic as Four Weddings and a Funeral as a TV show. Seems like a solid bet.

Comedian Ramy Youssef will get a sitcom based on his life as an Egyptian-American Muslim in New Jersey. With Jerrod Carmichael’s Carmichael Showteam banner attached, this undoubtedly will be a slightly new angle in the sitcom-based-on-life-of-a-comedian subgenre.

Can’t wait to see what’s to come with teasers and trailers.

April 8, 2018

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The line-up, the hosts, and the poster (done by Joe Karg) are all so gorgeous. It’s almost like you shouldn’t miss out on the latest edition of Repentance at the Lyric Hyperion Theatre & Cafe in Silverlake.

Get your tickets here.

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

Ramy Youssef Muslim Comedy Gets Pilot Presentation Order at Hulu

October 4, 2017

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Ramy Youssef Muslim Comedy Gets Pilot Presentation Order at Hulu

Thanks to Jerrod Carmichael/Ari Katcher, a sitcom from the perspective of an Egyptian American Muslim comedian, Ramy Youssef, might find its way to a major streaming service.

For an idea of what that might be like, perhaps give a watch to Ramy’s recent set on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.