save our stages – The Comedy Bureau

Congress’ Proposed $900 Billion COVID-19 Relief Bill to Include $15 Billion for Movie Theaters/Live Venues/Museums

December 21, 2020

covid 19 relief, save our stages, stimulus bill

(via CNBC)

Congress seems to be reaching some sort of deal with their latest, vastly overdue COVID-19 relief bill with $900 billion budgeted to cover unemployment insurance, rental assistance, vaccine distribution, etc. Part of that proposed bill, which Congress is looking to vote on tonight, will be $15 billion that will go to serve as relief for movie theaters, live venues (we’re hoping that means comedy venues as well), and cultural institutions such as museums.

The specific breakdown of where and how that will be distributed or how many venues (or even which specific venues) might get this relief funding will have to be seen as Senate and House leaders have just agreed on it. Based off of the fact that latest round of direct payments to Americans has shrunk from $1200 to $600 in this bill, our guess is that it’ll be a minimal amount of relief and it might not be enough for some venues to stay afloat as the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out over the next several months. In the meantime, we’ll just have to keep doing direct relief/mutual aid for venues via GoFundMe or benefit shows.

New Proposed Stimulus Bill Would Give $15 Billion to Movie Theaters and Live Venues

December 4, 2020

News

save our stages, stimulus package

(via Variety)

The fate of movie theaters and live entertainment very much still uncertain in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. When and how to go about reopening is guess work even though the vast majority of venues have been dark for most of 2020. Relief or even the promise of relief has been hard to come by, especially knowing that live entertainment will be one of the last things to come back once things start to legitimately reopen after a vaccine has been distributed. Comedy clubs/theaters/venues have been feeling the bleakness of the situation since packing in people into dark rooms is one of the best ways to accelerate the transmission of COVID-19.

The Senate continues to debate the finer points of a new, much needed and very, very much overdue stimulus bill that is currently totaling over $900 billion, $15 billion of which will be earmarked for movie theaters and live venues. As to whether that’ll pass or if that will even be enough, we unfortunately will have to wait and see (though, again, relief was needed months ago for everyone). A very probable, tiered, long reopening process will keep many live venues struggling for awhile even after a vaccine arrives.

For now, if there’s a way to support your favorite local live venue or movie theater virtually or otherwise, please support them if you can.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 26: Fifi Dosch & Being Out/Getting Out

September 23, 2020

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

art of self defense, chappelle, emmys, fifi dosch, jenny slate, lgbtq, little nicky, pen15, quibi, save our stages, schitts creek, sf sketchfest, trans lives

Fifi Dosch has taken one hell of a road to get where she is now as a trans woman who, after achieving her goal of getting to the status of paid regular at one of the most legendary comedy clubs in the world, The Comedy Store, found that there was something still very much missing in her life. Dressing up as a woman on stage brought Fifi to the realization that of who she really was and prompted her transition to being an out trans woman. Additionally, that was followed up with, just a week or so before recording this very episode, a decision by Fifi to move on from stand-up entirely, despite being well on her way to her previous goals, to focus on writing and spending more time with the simple pleasures of her life. Fifi takes TCB’s Jake Kroeger through this whole journey as well as dishing out hot takes on this year’s Emmy winners in comedy, SF Sketchfest going virtual for 2021, the “rally to reopen”, and Jenny Slate’s newest hosting gig at Quibi.

Follow Fifi at @fifidosch on Twitter and IG and please listen/subscribe to Fifi Quest.

Shout outs: season 2 of PEN15, The Art of Self-Defense, Little Nicky starring Adam Sandler

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).
Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT

Watch QED Astoria’s Kambri Crews Lead Off #SaveNYComedy Rally

September 22, 2020

News

kambri crews, qed astoria, save ny comedy, save our stages

Like the world over, comedy venues and other small indie venues have been shut down due to the pandemic for six months and, just like at the beginning of lockdown, there’s unfortunately little guidance as to how or when venues might be able to reopen safely. The unpredictable nature of COVID-19 coupled with the unpredictable nature of people disregarding safety measures does make it hard to figure out any sort of timetable, but being stuck in the darkness as to what to do at all, leaves many of these venues in danger of surviving to the other side of lockdown.

In New York City, Kambri Crews, founder of QED Astoria, led off a #SaveNYComedy press conference and rally earlier today featuring other comedy venue owners from all around NYC, a State Senator, and comedians Ophira Eisenberg and Christian Finnegan to press New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on being part of the dialogue of what to do in order to survive, especially when trivia nights at bars are happening and bowling alleys are currently open in New York.

Together, these venues are looking to do outdoor shows and/or limited capacity shows and get metrics on what venues in NYC might be able to operate under (there are over 2400 in the NYC area alone, FYI) from Cuomo’s office.

Give the press conference a watch here.

Pick of the Day: The Yard Theater Fundraiser 9/25

September 15, 2020

News

amrita dhaliwal, ashley ray, black francis, chris walsh, dean evans, erica rhodes, fundraiser, jon huck, mark fite, michael rayner, save our stages, yard theater

The Yard Theater in LA was just getting on its feet with building out its live programming schedule featuring comedy, music, theater, etc. just before lockdown started. They had plenty of classes and open mics as well and were poised, under the guidance of one John Ennis, to return this space (The Yard Theater used to be another multi-purpose variety venue called The Fake Gallery, FYI) to being a beloved, go-to indie venue.

You already know the story from there when March of this year came around and as we are in our sixth months of all venues being dark in LA, The Yard Theater is putting together one hell of a live-stream fundraiser to keep the ability to reopen in the future.

Slated for The Yard Theater Fundraiser Fundstacular are:

The Pixies’ Black Francis

Erica Rhodes

Jon Huck

Mark Fite

Ashley Ray

Amrita Dhaliwal

Brett Johnson
Michael Rayner

Neal Dandade

John Tottenham

Ellen Sugarman
Chris Walsh

Dean Evans

& More

That’s pretty damn great and brings in some of LA’s best from all sorts of corners of performance. Tickets range from $15-$31.50 (will include an exclusive button and poster) and you can and very, very much should get them here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 20: Kyle Kinane & Tranquility (Sort Of)

August 12, 2020

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

amc, boogie monster, cherubic, george carlin, hey girl, judd apatow, kyle kinane, mike carrozza, niva, peacock, running the light, sam tallent, sara schaefer, save our stages, stand up, trampoline in a ditch

The brilliant Kyle Kinane hops on Zoom with TCB’s Jake Kroeger for this week’s Field Report with just having released his latest album, a comedic work of grandeur called Trampoline in a Ditch. Jake and Kyle talk the thought behind releasing a 100 minute comedy album and the phenomenon of the podcast fan via Kinane’s shows that he co-hosts, The Boogie Monster and Hey Girl. They get into some quick takes (and some hot tangents) on AMC doing true crime comedy, Judd Apatow doing a George Carlin doc, and Peacock’s latest comedy programming line-up. Also, there’s quite a bit of reminiscing of Kinane’s comedy throughout his career that you really ought to look up when you get the chance.

Follow Kyle @kylekinane and get into the Boogie Monster co-hosted by Dave Stone and Hey Girl co-hosted by Matt Braunger. Support NIVA at saveourstages.com.

Shout outs: Mike Carrozza’s upcoming album Cherubic, Sara Schaefer’s Grand: A Memoir, and Sam Tallent’s Running the Light.