tsr lounge – The Comedy Bureau

Morning Debriefing 12/9/10

1) For the sake of LA Comedy, I did 23 minutes at an open mic in Alhambra where I was only supposed to do 10, but was not given the light by anyone including the host, then checked out two shows of the 6 SIMULTANEOUSLY RUNNING shows at the Eagle Rock Comedy Festival, one of which was so rowdy that prompted the tweet, “@thecomedybureau Why can’t Lakers beat down the Clippers like their beating comedy right now?”. I could have ended the night there, but from Long Beach to Alhambra to Eagle Rock, I felt the need to go to the depths of the shadiest parts of Hollywood for one of the best shows in town to end the night properly, “The Jesse Miller Talk Show”. With Ron Babcock, April Richardson, Jason Nash (who brought a REAL homeless man on stage with him), Johnny Pemberton (check him out as the badass host of Megadrive tonight MTV 11PM), and the Jesse Miller Mogul Management crew (Andre Hyland as Jesse Miller, Anna Lee Lawson as Tanya Starlet, Paul Oyen as Daryl, and Matthew Cardapole as the for-hire Elf), the night was emphatically ended with a howl and “straight-up” huge laughs when, as depicted above, there was a contest to throw a real Christmas wreath in attempt to land it on top of Daryl’s head. This comedy sojourn was all for the sake of LA Comedy, which is why at one point in the night, I yelled, “I AM THE COMEDY BUREAU!”

2) Be part of LA Comedy history with the groundbreaking comedy spectacles on tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL with Day 4 of Comicthon @ Hollywood Laugh Factory HAPPENING RIGHT NOW (going for world record for longest running continuous live comedy show) one unwrapped toy, Eagle Rock Comedy Festival @ Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock & More 8PM FREE, The Comedy Speakeasy @ The TSR Lounge 8PM FREE (call 323-568-1616 to be part of live audience), Persona @ The Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $5, The Josh and Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE, The Produce Section Show @ 761 Central Ave., Los Angeles, CA 8:30PM FREE (say “produce section” to doorman to get in), and The Last Akaaba Presents @ The Seafood Shack (that isn’t the name of the show; it’s really their last show) 8:30PM FREE, Smug Shift @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5

3) OPEN MIC RUN: HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM, THE SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 7PM, CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min. guaranteed, SIPOLOGY 448 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/must work clean and no material on religion and politics, TKO SHOW @ 212 CAFE 212 Pier Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 9PM, 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) As suggested above, you should never miss Andre Hyland’s Jesse Miller’s Talk Show and now the opportunity to do so is now available. STRAIGHT UP! The Jesse Miller “Straight Up” DVD is now available from Andre Hyland himself featuring over 20 different videos of Jesse Miller and his clients at Mogul Management including clips from their Comedy Central Pilot, Jesse walking around Cincinnati shouting that the Bengals are going to the Super Bowl with the tattoos to prove it, and other ‘Hard as Hell’ videos. Go to source for the “Straight Up” DVD here.

5) Comedic force of nature Mike O’Connell has made a book of his thoughts in poetry form available to the public TO WITNESS HIS MAD GENIUS!!! Please pick up ’Impractical Pocket Poesy’ here.

6) Rooftop Comedy National College Comedy Competition is BACK!!! Coming in spring, the competition will scour 32 different schools to find the best in comedy (categories include Stand Up and Films) all across the U.S. Also, submission is completely FREE! Check back at the Comedy Bureau for more details.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to EDDIE PEPITONE: “@eddiepepitone Twitter is God’s way of saying fuck you to the novel.” Eddie is not only a prolific “tweeter”, but to see him live is to experience comedic brilliance like you’ve never seen before. You can actually have the privilege of doing so tonight at Persona @ The Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $5 (mentioned above) and this Saturday Dec. 11th “Tomorrow w/Ron Lynch” @ Steve Allen Theater (4773 Hollywood Blvd. in Los Feliz) MIDNIGHT $8 or vote for him as the Best Tweeter for Punchline Magazine’s Punchlist 2010 via Facebook here. Oh yeah, don’t miss his website and, just in case I haven’t made it quite clear, FOLLOW EDDIE PEPITONE ON TWITTER right here.

8) From the “You Should Have Been There” Lagoon: Andy Kaufman “I Trusted You”

9) The Comedy Bureau Donation Box is still waiting for a 2nd donation.

10) “Be offensive. Say some racist shit. Be fucking offensive. Fuck it. If someone gets pissed, fuck it.”-Real person that I met two days ago

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THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 12/2/10

1) OPEN LETTER TO PERFORMERS AT OPEN MICS: I know that we are all somewhat selfish, mostly insecure artists begging for validation that due to being in LA usually means laughter/compliments/kudos instead of money. However, at an open mic, the expectation is to WORK OUT material, which means it’s OK if that “brilliant” ten minutes you have just written about your ethnicity doesn’t work. That material “not working” is part of building an act and you have to combine honesty with yourself and faith in your material to “make it work”. So, at an open mic, DON’T ASK THE AUDIENCE/JUST COMICS WHETHER WHAT YOU JUST DID WAS FUNNY OR NOT. Open mics are NOT workshops where talking and asking are permitted. Open mics are intended, though it can be hard to gauge due to the setting, to simulate performing in front of an audience without the pressure. If you really want to know if it was funny, ask yourself, “Did they laugh?” and you’ll have your answer (that’s part of being honest with yourself). Asking for validation not only tests the already short patience of everyone else waiting to go up, but also brings about an atmosphere where everyone feels like they can offer suggestions during other people’s sets, which subsequently ruins the opportunity to try material without a chance for an honest response at all. If it’s quiet during your set at an open mic, do not worry about it as, again, the expectation isn’t to be funny, but to work out your act. In conclusion, at an open mic, stay quiet, listen, and laugh if someone says something funny, then go up and just do your act. That’s it. Do this as much as possible because the comedy community here in LA will recognize and respect “hard work” and you will become better (if you strive to make improvements).

2) Yes, Louis CK is in town, but I can’t afford that so I’m going to a show that very well might be just as good that’s completely free. That’s why I make the COMEDY CRAWL every night to give all you good folks some options. Start off with Christina Davis CD recording @ Room 5 7:30PM $10, then Comedy Speakeasy @ TSR Lounge 8PM FREE (call 323-568-1616 to be audience member), then Comedy and Cocktails @ Hollywood Improv 8PM $14/2 item min., then Comedy90210 @ Roxbury Cafe 8PM $5, then Literally Funny @ The Last Bookstore 8PM FREE, then Red Zebra @ Crocker Club 8PM FREE, Running Your Mouth-The Game Show @ Hudson Guild Theatre 8PM FREE (call 323-960-5519) then Louis CK: Word @ The Gibson Amphitheatre 8:15PM $57.60, then The Josh and Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE, then Paul Scheer’s 2nd Annual Sexy Christmas Spectacular @ Largo 9PM $20, then How to Live with Chelsea Peretti @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park, Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM, HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont, Los Angeles, CA/Starts 7PM, CAFÉ ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min. guaranteed, TKO SHOW @ 212 CAFE 212 Pier Ave., Venice, CA/Starts 9PM, MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA (walk up Martel past Big Mama’s and Papa’s).

4) As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I’ve updated both the Greater LA Open Mic Map and The Greater LA Comedy Landscape with a “highlighted line” of everything that’s happening comedy wise tonight, which there’s plenty (i.e. the line is all over the place. Check all of this by clicking OPEN MIC RUN and COMEDY CRAWL at the appropriate links posted.

5) The Paul F. Tompkins DVD is finally HERE thanks to the great folks at AST Records! Well, not quite yet… “You Should Have Told Me” will officially drop on Dec. 14th, but will be available for pre-sale next week at AST Records. The Comedy Bureau will remind you plenty until then…

6) If you’re agoraphobic, too acclimatized to LA weather and can’t handle the cold, or just love watching TV, don’t miss Matt Braunger (mentioned several times here at The Comedy Bureau) tonight on Chelsea Lately 11PM on E! and Johnny Pemberton on MTV as the host of Megadrive at 11PM.

7) The Comedy Bureau “Tips Its Hat” today to NEIL HAMBURGER for his “tweeting storm” on the upcoming feature film Yogi Bear-“Yogi Bear Oscar campaign to include mailings of narcotics-laden "picnic baskets” to drug-addicted Oscar voters. #bestpicture/Yogi Bear" becomes first film to be banned in Poland since “Hitler’s Giant Cock And Great Ideas Also” was banned from theaters in 1967/Taco Bell to put Aykroyd and Timberlake’s feces into refried beans during December to help prepare fans for experience of watching film/George W. Bush in “Decision Points”: “Say what you will, but no Yogi Bear movie was released during my 8-year Presidency”. #true/(CNN): “Aykroyd Channeled Spirits Of Charles Manson, Benito Mussolini During Yogi Bear Voiceover Sessions And Subsequent Serial Rapes”/(CNN): Popov Vodka to sponsor asphyxiation of children heard complaining about Yogi Bear movie on school playgrounds.“ Touring the entire U.S., Neil Hamburger takes his uniquely original brand of comedy that involves clearing his throat all throughout his act and often times holding several drinks while performing to wherever people will appreciate/hate him as he is heckled quite often (he released a record where he is severely heckled), which warrants comparisons to Andy Kaufman’s Tony Clifton. Neil has his own self-titled show in Los Angeles that’s currently on hiatus, but you can enjoy his website here and amazing Twitter here.

8) From the "You Should Have Been There” Lagoon (in conjunction with yesterday’s post): Stand Up Comedy Boot Camp Trailer

9) I’m using Coinstar today to afford lunch. Please donate to the Comedy Bureau and read about the inspired material/comedic journey from this event on Twitter here.

10) Steve-O is headlining the Irvine Improv this weekend. I hate initialisms and think they limit expressivity in the English language, but, seriously WTF!?!?

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THE COMEDY BUREAU

Morning Debriefing 11/18/10

1) Due to legal reasons, there will be something written here in March 2011.

2) If you were able to make it to the 11 shows I posted yesterday, this should be a breeze, that is, if you killed you’re doppelganger clones. Tonight’s COMEDY CRAWL: The Super Serious Show @ Smashbox Studios 7PM $15/Free Beer, then Jimmy Dore and Friends @ Flappers Burbank 8PM $12/2 drink min., then The Josh and Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8PM FREE, then Comedy Speakeasy @ TSR Lounge 8PM (call 323-568-1616 for details/to be in audience), then Comedy90210 @ Roxbury Cafe (459 N. Roxbury Dr., Beverly Hills, CA) 8PM $5, then The Joe Braza Comedy Invitational Finals @ The Seafood Shack 8:30PM FREE, then The Charlyne Yi Show (she was on Conan last week and I didn’t post it like I should have right here) @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5, then WTF? w/Greg Berman @ Flappers Burbank 10PM $12/2 drink min.

3) OPEN MIC RUN: SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park Ave., Santa Monica, CA 7PM, HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1760 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA/7PM, CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$3 cover/10 min., SIPOLOGY 448 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/Must work clean and no material about religion or politics, TKO SHOW @ 212 CAFE 212 Pier Ave., Venice, CA 9PM, 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 cover/multiple sets allowed.

4) The Comedy Bureau “Tips its Hat” to Aparna Nancherla today. @aparnapkin “found out that the sound of one hand clapping is me patting myself on the back. #selfcongratulatoryphilosophy” Follow her “musings and amusings” on Twitter here or her blog here.

5) Though Reggie Watts is mainly NYC performer, he’s in town for the week as shown here on Conan. His show at Largo is sold out tonight, but there is a large segment of the LA population that tends to flake out, so show up and maybe you’ll have a chance.

6) The Comedy Bureau would like to welcome a new member in its Chain of Command: Field Liaison Jeremy Paul. Let the title take you wherever you want it to, but Jeremy would like you to know that his dick stays hard and HE JUST DON’T GIVE A SHIT. Once more, welcome to The Comedy Bureau, Jeremy Paul.

7) The Comedy Bureau is out and about in the best and worst of Los Angeles and the Greater LA Metropolitan Area to tell you good decent folk where to go and where to never ever even dream about going in LA Comedy. Find out what’s going on via LIVE TWEETING here.

8) Basically, if you’re not bent on world destruction or don’t think that Dane Cook is what smart comedy sounds like, you should donate to The Comedy Bureau, so we can make those two things never ever happen. Accomplish this right here.

9) Again, due to legal reasons, there will be something written here in March, perhaps a few weeks earlier for reasons I’m also legally not allowed to discuss.

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THE COMEDY BUREAU