taix – The Comedy Bureau

Morning Debriefing 1/2/11

1) In regards to Huffington Post’s “50 Funniest People of the Decade”, do those in charge of “informing” the public on “what is comedy” even know what comedy is anymore? Within their end-all, be all list for 2001-2010, they, first off, include Anderson Cooper, a strict journalist. Out of entire 10 years of comedy, the Huffington Post Comedy Staff actually decided to put the names Anderson Cooper amongst names like Mitch Hedberg, George Carlin, Conan O’Brien, and Paul F. Tompkins, which can only leave me to draw the conclusion that, like so many other “Best/Most Ever” lists, this is more of a popularity contest. Just like winning the Grammy for “Best Hip Hop Artist” has no actual bearing on talent so much as it does Soundscan’s numbers on someone’s shitty, air-horn laden, drenched-in-autotune single, being put on this particular list of who were the funniest people in the last ten years doesn’t necessarily indicate that the person “defined comedy” in that time (which is what the name of the list leads readers to believe). I understand that compiling such lists are incredibly stressful and time-consuming as I spent nearly three solid hours composing #Follow2011LAfunniest, a list of who you should follow on Twitter in 2011 (which is way better than Huffington Post version, if I may say so myself). There is a constant debate, even with only one person calling the shots, in trying to decide who makes the cut, but, you have to be objective as possible with what you’re compiling the list for. Thus, Huffington Post should have made “The 50 Funniest People that I Happen To Know About and/or Are Really Popular” to be more accurate. That’s why #Follow2011LAfunniest has people that may not have as many followers as @azizansari, but are consistently funnier than him along their entire log of Tweets. Several people are surprised with omissions of this Huffington Post list considering they are comedians/writers that are much funnier than the one’s featured. However, in deciphering what that list is really based on, I’m surprised that names omitted include Larry King and Russell Peters.

2) Oh, look, all kidding aside, you could physically make all of these shows, for once, on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL (as well as afford them): The Not So Inappropriate Show @ UCB Theatre 4PM $12 (stand-by only), ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7PM FREE, French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: PALMS (call 310 652 6188 before going) 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM, SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed

4) STARTING JAN. 3RD (that’s tomorrow) Scott Aukerman of Comedy Death Ray will host IFC’s own “Comedy Death Ray” featuring a 90 minute block of now-comedy classics like “Arrested Development”, “Freaks and Geeks”, “Undeclared”, “The Larry Sanders Show”, and “The Ben Stiller Show”. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, tune in on IFC at 10PM to not only catch some of the best comedy series ever created, but Scott Aukerman and several other figures within the comedy world weighing in on them.

5) Big Trouble in Little Tokyo. Jokes. Destruction of public property. Fish Tacos. Jackie Kashian & Andy Peters. Don’t miss it. Señor Fish 422 E. 1st St. Sign up 6:30PM. Starts 7PM.

6) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to LIZZY COOPERMAN: “AFFIRMATIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR [HQ]” Lizzy is almost beyond words, but here I am, yet again, writing about her comedic genius. Three Time Tip of the Hat winner Lizzy Cooperman is of such a rare ilk of skilled comedic performer that she still makes me laugh with the same jokes even though I’ve heard them 20 times. You can “witness” her this Tues. Jan 4th at Shooting Gallery @ Club 8572/Palms 8:30PM $10 or Thurs. Jan. 6th at Persona @ The Hollywood Improv Lab 8PM $5. Website. Twitter. Birds of Prey.

7) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Ron Lynch-Comedian of the Future

8) Donate to the Comedy Bureau. In 2011, there are no other problems, except the Comedy Bureau having $nothing.

9) 2011 Comedy Predictions: Getting a Favstar 100 on Twitter will become more important than doing certain rooms/shows.

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Morning Debriefing 12/13/10

1) French Toast @ Taix is the “pleasant surprise” kind of a show. Actually, it’s one hell of a surprise as you are sitting in the lounge of French countryside themed restaurant in Echo Park, Taix, an establishment where comedy might just seem out of place, thinking, “How exactly is this show going to happen?” and then are in for a comedy treat almost in the spirit of the name of the show. Taking cues from comedy venues of the past, French Toast puts on their show right in front of a brick wall with a lovely decorative fireplace and give you a good old fashioned stand-up comedy show with some of the best, trailblazing comics, up n’ coming comics in the country.

Without EVER running too long, host/co-founder Margie Kment

and guest host Heidi Hayward

(co-founder/normal co-host Zach Sherwin could not be in attendance) ensure a tightly run show that proves Margie’s own words of “keep them wanting more.” Last night’s incredibly lucky crowd of both comedy fans and open minded people that stuck around for the show were treated to the likes of comics such as Kyle Kinane (pictured at top), Maria Bamford,

Paul Jay,

Holly Mills,

Nick Thune,

and TJ Miller. Anywhere else in the country, outside of NYC and maybe Chicago, it’s nearly impossible to have a line-up like this in such an intimate venue without charging the audience a single penny to watch the show. In other words, don’t let your Sunday nights in LA drift off in a stupor of watching whatever happens to be on TV, when there’s a great free comedy show. French Toast is on every Sunday at Taix (1911 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA in Echo Park) for FREE. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for details on the next one.

2) While your plans for world domination are still in their formative stages, take a break and go on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL: start off with What’s Up Tiger Lily? @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8PM FREE, then go to The Happy Tiki Comedy Show @ Puka Bar 8PM FREE, then go to Melgard Mondays @ Melgard Public House 9PM FREE, then Lower Crust Comedy @ Genghis Cohen 9PM $5, then Keep It Clean @ 1739 Public House w/Ed Greer, Levi MacDougall, Matt Peters, Tess Barker, Michael Gelbart, and Rye Silverman (1739 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA in Los Feliz) 10PM FREE, then finish with a “yippee-kay-yea motherfucker” at 1988 Nakatomi Corporation Christmas Party @ UCB Theatre 11PM $5 (stand-by only)

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/One item min., CLUB 705 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, CA/Starts 7PM-ish, TRIBAL CAFE 1651 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA (Echo Park)/Starts 8PM, CASEY’S 613 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA (Downtown)/Sign-up (lottery) 7PM/Starts 8PM, SECOND CITY HOLLYWOOD 6560 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 9PM/$5, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed.

4) RT @thecomedybureau @pauljaycomic suggested wearing some sort of reporters fedora with a press pass sticking out of it when out as the Comedy Bureau. Thoughts?

5) THANK YOU PunchlineMagazine.com: Louis C.K.’s “Hilarious” will debut on Comedy Central on Jan. 9 at 10 pm EST; DVD out Jan. 11. You’re welcome.

6) BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE TOKYO OPEN MIC is yet invited back again to Little Tokyo (near downtown) Why? Maybe because we have special guests TONY SAM and JAMIE LEE!?!? Don’t miss it tomorrow @ Señor Fish (422 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA). Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to ROBERT YASUMURA- “@teamyasumura At what point does Fox News just come out and condemn Galileo?” Known throughout comedy circles in LA as one of the well-respected hosts of the Westwood Brew Co. open mic on Tues., Robert has been a fixture in the LA Comedy scene for quite some time. Robert takes his incredibly sharp wit and deadpan demeanor from mics across town to through a thousand people’s Twitter feeds and should not be missed by you. Here’s Robert’s website and Twitter.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Richard Pryor “Being Cool” on the Ed Sullivan Show

9) Want to guess how long it took to write this post as well as edit all the pictures and do all the research for all the shows and open mics and go through everyone’s twitter, tumblr, and facebook feeds and write this very sentence? Donate to the Comedy Bureau and I’ll tell you if you got it right.

10) As you have already read or will very soon read, this is the 50th post of the Comedy Bureau…. which doesn’t really mean anything other than I’m 50 days past moderate to passable brain-to-common sense cooperation.

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Morning Debriefing 12/12/10

1) Last night, instead of performing/watching comedy, I was pretty much coerced into going into my mother’s Christmas work party at the Hilton Alhambra (one of the most Asian-centric parts of town) as a form of Christmas family time bonding, which is simultaneously a horrible situation I have no desire of being in AND a great source for material, especially considering the honest, personal approach I take to my act. Knowing that everyone’s process of developing material for performing comedy is drastically different, I’d like to offer a glimpse into my own personal process where I draw directly from personal experience. Listed below is a series of tweets I wrote throughout the duration of the party/death march of boredom/worst quiz I have ever sat through that will probably turn into 1-2 minutes of material (will keep you updated on progress). Perhaps, all of these random 140 characters or less thoughts will become nothing, but, either way, this is where my my comedy writing process starts…

-Surrounded by first generation Asians in the patient care industry. Already feeling uncomfortable. Step 1 complete.
-I don’t know why I checked Asian/Paciic Islander on any application. I don’t relate to any of these people. #jokesomewhere
-I have more in common with the “table 8” sign than all the Asian people here as it doesn’t tell me, “Go to grad school.”
-Currently listening to lounge version of Girl From Impanema, which sounds like the original if it was dosed with Ambien.
-If someone asks if I do jokes about how I’m not an Asian doctor, I would consider them heckling me in conversation
-I’m uncomfortable with how Asian-centric this party is; I feel about as asian as Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
-“Go ahead and speak Asian! I wasn’t going to talk to you anyway!” something I want to say at this party.
-Yelling “I’m not Asian for fuck sakes” is a bad idea. Christmas Techno music… a much worst idea.
-Christmas parties like this make me understand why cyanide for human consumption was discovered. #toodark? #dontcare
-Someone who can barely speak English is giving speech; needs translator who speaks “shut the hell up I’m hungry as fuck”
-Knowing how to use chopsticks is about as Asian as I get. #igrewupinamerica #damnit #usausausa
-Phone was nearly dead and thus kept me from sharing my hate of this stupid party with the world.
-in a quiz for a prize in which the answer to why did Scrooge change his mind was because he cared about people #bullshit
-My answer to scrooge’s change of heart: fear of the proletariat rise #yeahimpretentious #ihatethisparty
-In a room full of Asians, the answer to How many planets are there in our solar system was somehow 9. #falsestereotypes
-“Tokyo is the most populated city, bitch and that motherfucker doesn’t deserve a TV.” Christmas brings out the best in us.
-Into hour 5 of this party and I just want to yell racial epithets so I can leave.
-Actual Riddle for TV: Harry died on land and people were happy, David dies on land and people were happier. Who are they?
-Answer to riddle in last tweet: they were typhoons. My answer: Go fuck yourself
-For big screen tv, we’re asked to pick out three distinct items in a picture of a bum and a volunteer. #whyamistillhere
-My next set of answers to this quiz are going to be shenanigans, gobbledygook , and complete and utter bullshit.
-It irks me to think why my Dad ever wonders why I appear to be angry on stage. #6hrparty

2) Going on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL is a perfect alternative to going postal on people in the Grove parking structure because you want to show off this year at Christmas. Start off with Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2, then Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas @ Glendale Planetarium 5PM/7PM $10, then Alonzo Bodden @ Brea Improv 7PM $17/2 item min., then Race Riot @ Hollywood Improv 7:30PM $14/2 item min., then ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7:30PM FREE, then Comedy Night @ Chatterbox 8PM FREE, then Please, Thank You, & You’re Welcome @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE, then French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, then Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM $5, then The Comedy Crush Bad Sweater Holiday Show @ The Hollywood Improv 9:30PM $14/2 item min., then Sunday Sunday Sunday @ Improv Space 9:30PM FREE.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM, SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min., SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 6PM/one item min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed

4) The Comedy Bureau Calendars is finally updated in full!!! Every single club listed actually goes to there Calendars/Upcoming shows page. All of the minor inconvenience that remained on that list is now completely GONE offering you ease in searching for shows in LA unless clicking is a “big deal” for you.

5) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to JACKIE KASHIAN-“@jackiekashian I said to him, "so you’ve never done standup before?” he paused. a long time. “open mike?” he said, “well, I was on the bus this one time.” After heckling Sam Kinison many years ago, Jackie has never looked back in her vast and successful journey as a comedienne. Touring throughout the world and having been on TV several times, she shares her uproariously funny anecdotes about her dad, her husband, and herself. Thus, do not miss Jackie’s hilarious podcast Dorkforest or her website, blog, or Twitter.

6) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Jon Stewart Stand Up (1996)

7) If you read the Twitter feed excerpt from above, I think you’ll agree with me in wanting to donate to the Comedy Bureau. Do so right here.

8) As I stride further and further into comedy, I seem to know less and less “real” people. The “jury” is still out on whether this is a good or bad thing. The Comedy Bureau will keep you updated on my/its sanity.

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Post Brunch Update 11/21/10

1) Comedy Garage Thanksgiving Charity Bonanza @ The Comedy Garage was quite simply how comedy inside someone’s garage is supposed to be done. Not to be confused with other attempts at “garage” based live comedy, there were no hints of the inner workings of a comedy club (i.e. matching seats, nicely decorated stage, curtain, etc.) and also none of the pain of spending $15 on cover and having to pay a 2 drink minimum as Comedy Garage is completely free and often has beer to go around or, in last night’s case, FOUR LOKO. Instead of that overwhelming nature of a comedy club, there was a very chill, inviting house party atmosphere with people playing beer pong and enjoying each other’s company on the various collections of chairs and couches huddled around the astroturf-covered stage. One comedian during the show actually commented how the garage would be a high school kid’s dream with all the random assortments of snowmen and plastic penguins with a Gene Simmons mask fixed on it, though there was none of that childish negativity that festered back in high school (or at least that was my experience). In fact, the party goes on smoothly for a few hours before the show to get everyone in the perfect mood for a great live comedy show exceptionally produced by Sean Green, Cornell Reid, and Paul Danke. Despite temperatures dipping below 50, the Comedy Garage proved its great reputation for a “damn good time” with a crowd almost entirely of regular audience members who got to enjoy the likes of Brooks Wheelan, Joselyn Hughes, Alysia Wood, Rob Christensen, and the Comedy Garage gang (Sean, Cornell, and Paul) themselves. The Comedy Garage happens one Saturday a month in a garage in Burbank. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for details on the next one.

2) Harry Potter is estimated at a $125 million opening this weekend and runs about 2 and ½ hours long. The more than 20 shows that I listed over this weekend didn’t even come close to equaling half a percent of that total and offered about 10 times the duration of amazing entertainment. Yeah, I know the numbers don’t work out exactly, but it’s worth it more to go on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL-Start with Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2 (stand-by only), then go to Chris Fairbanks Stand-up Comedy Special Taping @ M-Bar 6:30PM RSVP at fairbankscomedy@gmail.com, then ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 7PM FREE, then Trick @ Bordello Bar 8PM FREE, then Comedy Without a Cause @ Boardners 8PM FREE, then French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, then Dave Nieker’s 5 Comics @ Flappers Burbank YooHoo Room 9PM $10/2 drink min., then Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM, $5, then Mapping the Heavens @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: PALMS 8572 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA/6PM, SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/7PM/one item min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s)/5PM to 11PM/$5/multiple sets allowed

4) With the frequency and ferocity that the Comedy Bureau has been hitting open mics, I’ve updated the Greater LA Open Mic Map with new spots and added the reviews to each spot, letting you know whether it’s “bureau approved” or not right here. Also, the Calendars section just added the Downtown Comedy Club and Second City Hollywood (though I still haven’t figured out a flash workaround that doesn’t take traffic away from their site). Check that out here.

5) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to ABBEY LONDER. On Facebook, Abbey wrote, “Listen lady– I can’t tell whether or not your baby is a boy or a girl. So when I say ‘what’s this little man’s name?’ and you get alllll offended and say ‘what does he look like a boy or something?’ please know that I don’t care. Also: I made your non fat latte with half and half. Happy Holidays, bitch.” Check her out at the Hollywood Improv tonight at 9PM or, if you really like her, go to the second-to-last of her awesome “Sweet and Sour Comedy” at Genghis Cohen this Tuesday 7PM $5/free for comics. Also, THIS is her badass website.

6) I don’t know how Little Tokyo is still standing, but since it is, we’re going to have another BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE TOKYO OPEN MIC this Tuesday Nov. 23rd @ Señor Fish (422 E. 1st St. in Little Tokyo). Sign-up 6:30PM. Starts 7PM. HUGE HINT: I try to not cut off the list, meaning if you get there by 9PM, I’ll get you up. Oh yeah, let’s all go to Holy Fuck!’s One Year Anniversary afterwards.

7) LIVE TWEETING/ME TRYING TO KEEP MY SANITY/CONVINCING PEOPLE I’M NOT GOING TO JUMP OFF THE 4TH ST. BRIDGE nightly, all right here.

8) “Going for donation number 2… Donation number 2, anyone? Anybody?”-The Comedy Bureau Donations volunteer…. if we could afford one. Please donate here.

9) It’s amazing how people always tell me these two things about this blog together. "Jake, I love your blog. It fills a need for LA Comedy.“ and "I’m just waiting to see one or two years down the road when your optimism burns out.” I love all of you too.

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Post Brunch Update 11/14/10

1) “Hook-Up w/Ron Lynch” @ The Steve Allen Theater in all its chaotic hilarity actually spreads an air of actually wanting to “hook-up” as I saw several people, not on the show, exchanging numbers after the show. Host Ron Lynch takes the format of the classic “Dating Game” and nostalgically puts it through a blender to come out with an uproarious live comedy show. There’s an on-call bartender, Davey Johnson as a stressed out stage manager, Brady Novak as a warm-up guy who doesn’t think his career is going to work out, Cornell Reid as the warm-up to the warm-up guy, Randy Liedtke as a psychic/stage hand, “speed rounds” of questioning that no one has ever gotten right, and then the actual questioning of bachelors and bachelorettes for a REAL date. The packed Steve Allen Theater was rolling in laughter the entire time and definitely felt the love. "Hook-Up w/Ron Lynch“ takes the place of the Tomorrow Show at the Steve Allen Theater (4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA [Los Feliz]) once a month. Midnight $8. Check back at the Comedy Bureau for the next one.

2) I should really go with Comedy Triathlon, but COMEDY CRAWL is catchier and less intimidating. See how much laughter you can handle starting off with LIAR @ Flappers YooHoo Room 7PM $10/2 drink min., then Chatterbox Comedy Night @ Chatterbox 8PM FREE, then French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, then Comedy Revival @ Comedy Store Belly Room 8:30PM $5/2 drink min., then Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM $5/21 and over only, and cross the finish line at Sunday Sunday Sunday @ The Improv Space 9:30PM FREE.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: LIBRARY CAFE 800 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 5PM (going to check this one out today), SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA 7PM/one item min., MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 5PM-11PM/$5 cover.

4) The Comedy Bureau is calling an audible by switching it’s Twitter Tip of the Hat to a Tip of the Hat of anything twitter/facebook/video/etc./etc. that’s worthy of mention. Today’s tip of the hat goes to the hilarious and incredibly bold Asterios Kokkinos. Perhaps "bold” isn’t the right word, but judge for yourself by watching him pitch horrible script ideas at a pitch convention here.

6) REVIEWS relinked. Just like I promised, though I broke probably 10 other promises in the promise, but when they’re promises to yourself that you would finish this post by 11PM, it’s OK, right? Again, updated reviews here.

7) Big Trouble in Little Tokyo 2nd Edition, this Tues. Nov. 16th @ Señor Fish. Shameless promotion tactic #13: Raffling off random Japanese Food Item. Sign Up 6:30PM, Starts 7PM. 422 E. 1st St. Do not miss.

8) The Comedy Bureau has “mission objectives”. See if it completes them via his twitter account right here.

9) Be the 2nd Person ever to donate to the Comedy Bureau and go down in history. Seriously. Doubt it? Only one way to find out… DONATE.

10) I’m just going to say being a nice guy both won and was funny last night. Usually, it’s just funny and then nobody wants to hear how sad it is several months later.

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Morning Debriefing 11/7/10

1) Last night at “The Tomorrow Show w/Ron Lynch” @ The Steve Allen Theater, I felt so honored to perform on Ron’s “5 Minutes or Less” version of the show where a simply delightful line-up does 5 minutes before all the power to the stage is cut off. For those not in the “know”, “The Tomorrow Show w/Ron Lynch” has been a stand out even amongst an extremely rare breed of comedy shows in LA that start at midnight and take place outside of a comedy club AND are so funny that those hesistant about going to a comedy show in general WILL have a good time. With one of the best hosts “in the biz” Ron Lynch and his “magic without magic act”, last night lucky crowd witnessed daylight savings time as it happened and nicely packaged 5 minutes from Alex Mesrobian, Sean Green, Jake Kroeger (Comedy Bureau Director/the person writing this blog/me), Rob O’Reilly, Matt Champagne, John Vargas, SAX Carr, Shawn Carlow, Brandie Posey, Carlos Ramos, and Will Weldon, not to mention a fantastic musical performance from spy music extraordinaires Double Naught Spy Car. The Tomorrow Show!!! w/Ron Lynch @ The Steve Allen Theater, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Los Feliz). Every Saturday/Midnight. $8/Free Parking.

2) The extra hour in the day means, you guessed it, a superb comedy show on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL (football’s not worth that hour). Start off with The Breakfast Show w/Adam Shenkman @ The Strange 4PM & 8PM/e-mail AdamOCerealClub@gmail.com for details, then go to Jeff Garlin’s Combo Platter @ UCB Theatre 6PM $2, then go to Christopher Titus @ Brea Improv 7PM $25/2 drink min., then go to French Toast @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, then Top Story Weekly @ iO West 9PM $5, “Tales of the Black Freighter” @ R-Bar 9PM FREE. OK, that’s more than an hour, but you want to go to more than one comedy show tonight. You know that you do…

3) Tonight, the Comedy Bureau will be delving into another edition of OPEN MIC LIVE TWEETING at the Sushi King, which seems like an urban legend among LA open mic as it starts at midnight on Sundays. Stay tuned for what it sure to be either a great time or one of the harder mental endurance/patience tests I’ve ever subjected myself to right HERE.

4) In addition to the Greater LA Open Mic Map, there already exists a Greater LA Comedy Landscape for all the “booked” rooms. The Comedy Bureau brings you yet another amazing innovation by putting conveniently located links at the top of the page that to both maps. When we can afford an R&D department, we’ll look into the next step of intaking your inner thoughts and desires and letting that navigate through the site, but, for now, primitive as it may be, you’ll have to scroll up and click.

5) Newly minted LA Comedy Competition “The Rickie’s” is now taking submissions. Available categories for submission include Impressions/Characters, One-liners, and Musical Comedy. E-mail therickiesINFO@gmail.com with the category you’re submitting for, a 3 min. online clip, and any other questions. Find more details here.

6) News for the Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic: Regular tacos cost $1.50, Señor Fish closes at 1AM, and I might punch co-host Russell Corona in the face, just maybe. Go to Señor Fish, 422 E. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA on Nov. 9th/6:30PM to find out.

7) The Comedy Bureau actually received its first donation from fantastic human being/great comic Jerry Brandt and extends an extra special thank you from all of us (meaning me, the one person who writes and is responsible for everything that goes into this entire agency/blog). Please be the next exemplary citizen by donating to The Comedy Bureau and all my efforts here.

8) “Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww…” I wonder if there is any language where that actually translates to laughter. Wherever that is, that’s where my comedy will obliterate.

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Morning Debriefing 11/1/10

1) Schtick or Treat @ Taix made the word “epic” seem a woeful and paltry adjective in attempting to describe what was one of the best times I’ve ever had a comedy show. Even though there were over 30 performers, it was the epitome of a “good ol’ time” the whole way through. Seriously, what other show in LA can you see “Steve Martin”,“Russell Brand”, “Carrot Top”, “Eddie Pepitone”, “Sarah Silverman”, “Rowdy Roddy Piper”, “Kyle Kinane”, “Gilbert Gottfried”, “Andy Kindler”, “Weird Al Yankovic”, and “Jake Weisman”? That’s right you can’t think of one until 364 days from now, but go to the normally schedule French Toast every Sunday 8:30PM for FREE at the same lovely 321 Lounge @ Taix.

2) Tonight’s “Comedy Crawl” is slightly more manageable, IF YOU CAN TELEPORT!!! Go to What’s Up Tiger Lily? @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill 8:30PM FREE, then Hotel Cafe Presents: Hotel Comedy @ The Hotel Cafe 9PM $15, then Keep It Clean @ 1739 Public House 10PM FREE, then make your last “jump” to Crash Test @ The UCB Theatre 11PM $5. BLAM!!! (if that’s the sound you make when/if you teleport)

3) Like I mentioned yesterday, there’s a new feature in a long line of innovations from the Comedy Bureau that allows you to keep track of most regularly scheduled live comedy in LA. NOW UPDATED WITH THE J-SPOT. Other fine comedy establishments soon to follow. Again here it is, The Comedy Bureau’s very own Calendars.

4) Unlike “real people” with “actual money”, comedians have to/should be working on our act and, as such, THE COMEDY BUREAU will be attempting an open mic run of 3 spots, which, if you know anything about driving in LA, is near impossible. Well, IMPOSSIBLE CAN GO TAKE A DIRT NAP!!! TRIBAL CAFE. GROUND ZERO USC. TAIX. The Comedy Bureau’s very own Bureau Director will be live tweeting during this test of endurance/patience/more patience, so stay tuned for the play-by-play right here.

5) At least, someone likes us. Thanks Shayne-Michael.com

6) Now it has a face. The Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic. NOV. 9TH. 6:30PM. Please don’t forget, mostly because I don’t have any enforceable consequences if you do.

7) Given the impulsive notion of large scale chain retailers in the U.S., is it too early to tell Black Friday jokes?

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Nightly Bulletin 10/31/10

October 31, 2010

Uncategorized

burbank, calendars, comedy, dominic dierkes, echo park, flappers, french toast, hollywood, josh fadem, la, laugh drink repeat, morning debriefing, schtick or treat, taix, ucb

1) Last night was seeming reserved for “getting material” as opposed to actually performing or seeing one of the many damn good shows around town. Let’s just say, I got plenty of material spending a few hours in the early morning hours of Halloween at an El Tacos Gavilan… and none of it was pretty… UNLESS YOU MEAN PRETTY HILARIOUS!!! (seriously, it was quite painful seeing, out of the corner of my eye, obese-trying-way-too-hard-to-be-slutty-girl-devil snarfing down a tray full of greasy, greasy carne asada tacos).

2) Though you’re probably already wearing your costume tour de force ready to destroy Halloween parties across LA county with how ingenious and clever it is, there is still some ghoulish-ly FANTASTIC comedy to go on a Comedy Crawl with Laugh. Drink. Repeat. @ Flappers 7:30PM $10/2 drink min., then the amazing Schtick or Treat @ Taix 8:30PM FREE, where several comedians go as several more successful comedians and do their act (sidenote: I’m on this show), then Nighttime w/Dominic Dierkes @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand-by only), then end the night at another late night Mexican hole in the wall taco stand because I really want this to become a bit/hate myself.

3) Ever find yourself just wanting to seeing comedy with utter desperation, but can’t really navigate through comedy club websites to find what the hell is going on? There’s a new feature from the Comedy Bureau that address that extremely specific annoyance AND it’s right here, a page w/links to every frequent comedy venue calendar in LA, except Largo’s as there site is completely Flash based, but I’ll figure out a work around. Again, this amazing innovation for all you LA Comedy denizens is right here.

4) LA Comedian/pratfall extraordinaire Josh Fadem can’t control himself on Halloween. Funny or Die agrees. Check it out here.

5) You should probably give the guy who says that he’s dressed up as a “happier version of himself if he could afford therapy and it actually worked” a break. He’s probably going through something. Maybe he can’t afford an ironically obscure costume or a costume at all or maybe he’s just trying to make up for that one year when he was 8 and dressed up as the Washington Monument and didn’t understand the phallic significance of what he was doing. Just give him a break. OK?

6) Big Trouble in Little Tokyo Open Mic @ Señor Fish. Nov. 9th. 6:30PM. Past the point of no return, so it DEFINITELY has to be AWESOME!!! More details will be leaked day by day.

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