If you can’t understand Spanish, then it might be a little difficult to understand your homework assignment in Spanish class.
UCB’s Beige take that idea to all new heights. Watch what you should have been doing in Spanish/any foreign language class here.
UCB sketch team Beige answers the question what if we all spoke like people did when they spelled old with an extra “e” at the end, but still had way too many roommates in our apartment.
Watch what that answer is right here.
If you could consciously will yourself into and out of a coma, then you might want to entertain yourself even further by trying these ways of waking up as conveniently curated by UCB’s sketch team Scraps.
Watch and take notes (and, oh yeah, laugh because it’s pretty funny) here.
As promised, Showtime has posted The House of Lies Live improv comedy special, taped at the UCB Theatre here in Los Angeles, online for all of us to enjoy. Yes, it does have Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell doing improv with the likes of Ben Schwartz, Lauren Lapkus, and more.
So, you can watch it now or you can watch it/watch it again on Showtime tomorrow/New Year’s Eve at 10PM.
Put Your Hands Together Celebrates Its One Year Anniversary in Jan.
It’s a lot to ask a brand new live show in LA’s vast comedy scene to replace the slot of something like Comedy Bang! Bang! at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (previously known as the legendary Comedy Death Ray), which is currently a hit podcast on Earwolf and TV show on IFC. Yet, Put Your Hands Together has made a name for itself over a year with it’s host Cameron Esposito having a hell of a year and being voted into one of LA Weekly’s yearly best lists.
So, celebrate the first year of Put Your Hands Together at UCB on Tues. Jan 7th 8PM with a wonderful line-up including: Matt Braunger, Rhea Butcher, Katie Crown, Ron Funches, Karen Kilgariff, Kyle Kinane, Howard Kremer, Brendon Small, Paul F. Tompkins, your fantastic host Cameron Esposito, and more TBA!
UCB’s Beige puts on another great sketch presenting the real life version of what your Mom thinks living in the big city is like.
Watch your frustrated calls/talks with your Mom come to life here.
Showtime Kicking Off New Year’s Eve With ‘House of Lies’ Improv Special
The cast of Showtime’s House of Lies actually did a couple of improv shows at the UCB Theatre here in LA, which are now going to be aired as a New Year’s Eve special. So, you can stop making fun of Ryan Seacrest for an hour and watch Ben Schwartz, Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell, as well as guest improvisers Eugene Cordero, Lauren Lapkus, and more offer up something entertaining that isn’t pop stars singing their hits.
If you can’t wait a day more, this House of Lies Improv Special will also be online the day before.
Andy Kindler Taping an Album in December
The hilarious Andy Kindler has decided to take this most recent comedy chunk and make it into album material by recording a comedy album at UCB Theatre here in LA.
On Dec. 3rd and 5th at 9:30PM, Kindler will tape his very next comedy album and you absolutely shouldn’t miss out, especially to see how meta Andy might get with his own jokes.
UCB Sketch team Beige offers up a very informative sketch on why just lying about your birthday to get free stuff at a diner perhaps isn’t the best idea no matter how much cake, etc. you get.
The Midnight Show does a fine job in providing us with a reminder of what could be going on at pumpkin patches across the country.
Watch “Pumpkin Fucker” here. It’s NSFW, but that should go without saying because, you know, the sketch is called Pumpkin Fucker.
We’re thrilled that LA Weekly, for it’s annual Best of Awards, picked:
Nerdmelt Showroom for Best Comedy Club
Crave: The Comedy Rave for Best Underground Westside Comedy Club
Put Your Hands Together w/Cameron Esposito @ UCB Theatre for Best Live Stand Up Comedy Podcast
What’s even greater is that both Nerdmelt and Crave aren’t even comedy clubs in the traditional sense and yet, both prevailed. It must be a sign of the times…
UCB’s Pantsuit gives us the ideal situation for whenever someone drops a pun and then follows it with “No pun intended.”
And by ideal situation, we mean throwing accusations around aggressively and being fraught with tension. Watch exactly what we mean here.
The UCB Comedy Improv Manual by Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts Out Now
When considering who are the modern masters of improvisational comedy/who should write an instructional book on improv, a good place to start with that list is the founders of The Upright Citizens Brigade.
Luckily, that just happened as Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts, ¾ of the original UCB 4 (the other one if Amy Poehler and we’re guessing she’s got a little busy with everything she’s doing to join in here) have written and released an instructional book on long form improvisational comedy.
If you have any interest in improv to any degree, The UCB Comedy Improv Manual just might be a good thing to buy.
The UCB Improv Manual To Come Out Soon
The improv manual to one of the most popular and successful improv schools in the world is to be released for purchase soon. The Upright Citizens Brigade Improv Manual was just revealed during the most recent Del Close Marathon this past weekend and will be available for purchase soon.
Maybe now we can all get those inside jokes improvisers make to each other?
Filmmaker, Writer, and UCB’s Creative Director Todd Bieber got a never before seen look into what goes into one of the most legendary improv shows in the world of improv, ASSSSCAT. It’s one of the longest running and most well known long form improv shows now running on both in NYC and LA. Amy Poehler, one of the founding members of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, gives a tour through UCB Chelsea on a typical night of ASSSSCAT with the likes of Chris Gethard, Zach Woods, Horatio Sanz, Ms. Poehler herself, Jon Hamm, all being in the same room.
Not only is she a four time Moth Grandslam winner (that’s incredibly hard to do), Margot Leitman and her stories are so hilarious, poignant, personal that we are thankful that they are coming to book form in Gawky: Tales of an Extra Long Awkward Phase.
You can pre-order the book here, which you should do in case it wasn’t obvious, and then make sure to attend the book release party at UCB in LA on Tues. May 7th at 9:30PM and/or book signing at Skylight Books on Thurs. May 9th 7:30PM.
Every show of UCB Maude team Beige is put entirely online if you’re not in NYC to catch it. We highly suggest that you watch if that’s the case just so you don’t miss things like this wonderful sketch about Ravens’ QB Joe Flacco reading a book written without any aid of anyone else.
In recent years, there has been a race for the most organic food possible, devoid of chemicals, preservatives, and more. As with anything, you can go too far as shown in this funny sketch by UCB’s Horse + Horse directed by David Bluvband (Human Fish on The Chris Gethard Show).
The Midnight Show is one of the funniest sketch groups around and all of you should catch them live if you can (you know, they just went on tour with Drew Carey around the country). However, if you missed your chance to do so, they’ve just started a YouTube channel of their sketches performed live.
First up, candy sandwiches…
1) Comedy on shelves today with the Sklar Brothers’ “Hendersons and Daughters”, Jamie Kilstein’s “Libel, Slander, and Sedition”, TJ Miller’s “The Extended Play E.P.” (which also feat. Brandon Johnson, Pete Holmes, and more), and Conan Can’t Stop.
2) Good signs from the “TIFF front”, Bobcat Goldthwait’s God Bless America does quite well.
3) The Midnight Show has very important PSA for the next time you’re speeding…
4) Don’t miss Baron Vaughn appearing on Conan tonight (TBS 11PM).
5) And the return of Lewis Black came to be…
6) There’s something called Comedy Royal and it looks pretty amazing… [via CNU]
7) Puddin’-“Lust” w/guest Megan Amram
8) COMEDY CRAWL
The Moth @ Busby’s East 7PM $8
Performance Anxiety @ The Pleasure Chest 8PM FREE
Bill Burr @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre 8PM/10PM $20
Fortune Feimster & Michael Palascak @ Irvine Improv 8PM $15/2 item min.
The 4 & 20 @ All Star Lanes 8PM FREE
Comedy Bang Bang @ UCB Theatre 8:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Maximum Exposure @ Max Steiner’s 9PM FREE
Blamblamblam @ R-Bar 9PM FREE
Do You Think You’re Funny? @ Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center 9PM
Holy Fuck @ Downtown Independent Theater 9PM FREE
Public School Stories @ M Bar 9PM No cover/$10 min.
9) OPEN MIC RUN
THE MOTH @ BUSBY’S EAST 5364 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA/open mic for stories/Doors at 7PM/Starts 7:30PM/$8 cover/10 spots only picked by lottery
LIBRARY A COFFEE HOUSE 3418 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
WESTWOOD BREW CO 1097 Glendon Ave., Westwood, CA/Sign-up 7:30PM/Starts 8PM/lottery/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 8PM/first come, first served/$4 min.
BIG FISH 5230 San Fernando Blvd., Glendale, CA/Sign-up 8:30PM/Starts 9PM/5 min. spots/Stops 10PM for booked show
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St., Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd St. Promenade and 4th St.)/Sign-up 9:45PM/Starts 10PM/lottery/$1 cover
MAX STEINER’S 2500 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA/Starts 10PM after booked show/sign-up is first come, first served
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 min./multiple sets allowed/bottled water and coffee provided
10) LA Weekly featured the Top 5 most annoying billboards and Whitney wasn’t on the list. I call shenanigans.
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1) South Park creators Matt Stone & Trey Stone crash a screenwriting class. [via CCinsider]
2) The Midnight Show’s take on how to deal with your finances. If only we only all had readily available snakes…
3) Open calls for LA comedy folks:
–Eagleheart needs extras for this Tuesday 9/13.
–A12thWayToReachMe is looking for participants in a run through of a new games show next Thurs.
–@AlisonAgosti needs a dude to play “shirtless male groupie” for a Channel 101 video.
4) The Big Fish Bar & Grill officially has an open mic starting next week.
5) Though we really don’t approve of the Roast of Charlie Sheen (see why here), please follow the hilarious Justin Ian Daniels on Twitter @funnyjustin as he will be at the taping tonight interviewing people for Laughspin.
6) ON THE HORIZON
The Collective Showcase @ Hollywood Improv Wed. Sept. 13th 8PM $14/2 item min.
The Walsh Brothers Show w/Bill Burr @ UCB Theatre Sat. Sept. 17th MIDNIGHT $5
SXSW Comedy Showcase @ Nerdist Theater Mon. Sept. 19th 8PM $8 in adv./$10 day of
7) COMEDY CRAWL
Space Boners @ Silverlake Lounge 7PM FREE
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10 (stand by only)
The Anytime Show w/Dominic Dierkes @ Underground Annex Theater 8PM $5
The Thrilling Adventure Hour @ Largo at the Coronet Theater 8:30PM $25 (sold out, tickets may be available at door)
The Back Room @ UCB Theatre 10PM $10
Magic Bag @ Underground Annex Theater 10PM $5
The Tomorrow Show Presents CLOWNS! @ Steve Allen Theater MIDNIGHT $8
8) OPEN MIC RUN
SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Starts 2PM/feedback given at end
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5 min./multiple sets allowed/coffee & water provided
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd and 4th St.)/Sign-up (lottery) 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/no purchase necessary/4 min.
DANGERFIELD’S 2 2860 Glenview Ave., Los Angeles, CA/Starts after booked show around 7PM/Spots are 5 min.
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery
9) There was so much drama at open mics this week, I almost thought that Last Comic Standing was coming back with a whole new format.
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1) CNN takes a look at comedy after 9/11 with Bill Burr, Chris Hardwick, Marc Maron, and Rob Riggle. [via Laughspin]
2) A Kumail Nanjiani bit about heroin gets the cartoon pony treatment.
3) Expanded thoughts on the Oschack-USC debacle on Laughspin.
5) The season finale of the Compatish, which pits the gang in a contest of painting trees, can be decided by whose painting is sold for the most money on eBay. So far, someone is going to pay $10 for Adam’s “snatch tree”.
6) Dan Dringle gives you a couple great reasons to buy a Motorola Tablet and maybe a hug.
7) You may think that doing comedy on a megaphone outdoors at a park might not work, but we wholeheartedly disagree.
9) ON THE HORIZON
The Good Bits @ Witzend Wed. Sept. 14th 8PM $5
The Smartest Man in the World with Greg Proops @ Nerdist Theater Tues. Sept. 20th 8PM $10
Hollywood Stands Up @ ACME Comedy Theater Tues. Sept. 27th 8PM
10) COMEDY CRAWL
Dead Authors @ UCB Theatre 6:30PM $5
RISK! True Tales Boldly Told @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10
The 12 Shiny Nickels Show @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $10
Andre Hyland Presents: The Jesse Miller Talk Show @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10:30PM $5
Up Late with Adam Fisher & Special Guest Paul F. Tompkins @ Comedy Sportz LA 10:30PM $10
11) OPEN MIC RUN
SET LIST @ FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia, Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/given “set list” of topics to do jokes off of/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/4 min./no purchase necessary
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
MAX BLOOM’S 200 N. Malden Ave., Fullerton, CA/Starts 7PM/booked show after/no purchase necessary
GLENDALE DAYS INN 450 N. Pioneer Dr., Glendale, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/No foul language/No purchase necessary/first come, first served
FLOODLAMP OPEN MEG[APHONE] 3201 W. Verdugo Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts around 8PM or sundown/lottery/no purchase necessary
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 min./multiple sets allowed/first come, first served/coffee and bottled water available
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts MIDNIGHT
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery
12) Any comic that tells a crowd that they don’t deserve their “big closer” doesn’t deserve to learn that saying that will never be funny.
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1) Whatever you think of Katt Williams and his comedy, he deserves a round of applause for standing by his material and what he said on stage in this interview on CNN. [via Laughspin]
2) Patton Oswalt’s Finest Hour is upon us next week (as long as you get Showtime).
3) National Sketch Writing Month is a real thing that’s happening RIGHT NOW. [Via Splitsider]
4) While a long running open mic in Long Beach closes, another one rises. Next week at Max Steiner’s (2500 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, CA) from 10PM to Midnight, Jerry Brandt and Chris Adams will do exactly that.
5) Wisepix’s The Ultimate Free & Cheap LA Comedy List for 9/4-9/10.
6) Though we’re sure you’ve probably seen this on much more high profile sites then ours, HDNet picked up Goodnight Burbank and David Cross will have an recurring role on Modern Family.
7) As the Joan Rivers episode of Louie expired on Hulu, I edited and expanded The Comedian’s Guide to Feeling Better About Making It In Comedy and posted it on Laughspin. Read both and you probably won’t care about one which one makes you feel better (even if you don’t do comedy).
8) ON THE HORIZON
Weird Al Yankovic @ City National Grove of Anaheim Fri. Nov. 11th 8PM $40/$65
Weird Al Yankovic @ Pantages Theatre Sat. Nov. 12th 8PM $50-$75
9) COMEDY CRAWL
The Meltdown Presents Comedy at the FYF Fest @ LA State Historic Park 12:15PM/2:40PM/4:25PM $40
Hannibal Buress @ Hollywood Improv 8PM/10PM $20/2 item min.
ASSSSCAT @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10 (stand by only)
The Anytime Show w/Dominic Dierkes @ Underground Annex Theater 8PM $5
Two-Headed Beast: A Storytelling Show @ Stories, Books, & Cafe 8PM FREE
Battleship Pretension @ Nerdist Theater 8PM $10
Long Way Down @ “The Scum Palace” (on the roof) 8PM FREE
Quick & Funny Musicals @ UCB Theatre 10PM $10
Magic Bag @ Underground Annex Theater 10PM $5
Hour of Power Presented by the Devastator @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10:30PM $5
The Midnight Show w/Jerry O’Connell @ UCB Theatre MIDNIGHT $5 (stand by only)
The Tomorrow Show Presents 5 Minutes or Die @ Steve Allen Theater MIDNIGHT $5
10) OPEN MIC RUN
SPOT CAFE 4455 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA/Starts 2PM/feedback given at end
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
MARTY’S/THE OPEN MIC 7351 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/5PM to 11PM/$5 min./multiple sets allowed/coffee & water provided
WESTSIDE COMEDY THEATER 1323-A 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica, CA (in alley between 3rd and 4th St.)/Sign-up (lottery) 6PM/Starts 6:30PM/no purchase necessary/4 min.
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery
11) Watched 5 romantic comedies yesterday and while already noting that such fairy tale relationships like those never happen, the male leads also put up with an unrealistic amount of bullshit.
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1) Erin Gibson & Bryan Safi are just killing it as Michelle and Marcus Bachmann.
Michele Bachmann is a Crazy Comedian – watch more funny videos
2) There’s still to vote for comedy panels at next year’s SXSW, please vote for Banded Together: Touring as a Stand-up Group with Sean Patton, Kristine Levine, Julie Seabaugh and more as well as Political Humor 2.0 with Greg Proops, Rory Albanese, Alf Lamont.
3) Steve Heisler points out lazy writing in comedy.
4) The Comedian’s Guide to Feeling Better About Trying To Make It In Comedy.
5) Rob Delaney gives Katy Perry’s lyrics a proper treatment like a mother on the board for MADD would, that is, if they were funny.
7) Jarrod Harris gets interviewed about Action Figure Therapy.
8) ON THE HORIZON
Hannibal Buress @ Hollywood Improv Sat. Sept. 3rd 8PM/10PM $20/2 item min.
TJ Miller “The Extended E.P.” CD release party @ Hollywood Studio Bar & Grill Mon. Sept. 12th 8PM FREE
The Dorkforest Live @ Nerdist Theatre Mon. Sept. 12th 8PM $10
9) COMEDY CRAWL
Celebrity Funeral: Nicholas Cage @ UCB Theatre 8PM $10
Keith Apicary’s Apicarnage Show @ Nerdist Theatre 8PM $8 in adv./$10 at door
The 12 Shiny Nickels Show @ Hollywood Improv Lab 8:30PM $10
10) OPEN MIC RUN
SET LIST @ FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia, Burbank, CA/Sign-up 5PM/Starts 5:30PM/given “set list” of topics to do jokes off of/first come, first served/no purchase necessary
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts 6PM/$4 min./first come, first served
SILVERLAKE LOUNGE 2906 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA (Silverlake)/Sign-up (lottery) 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/4 min./no purchase necessary
SUNSET GRILL 7439 W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA/Starts 7PM/one item min.
MAX BLOOM’S 200 N. Malden Ave., Fullerton, CA/Starts 7PM/booked show after/no purchase necessary
GLENDALE DAYS INN 450 N. Pioneer Dr., Glendale, CA/Sign-up 7PM/Starts 8PM/No foul language/No purchase necessary/first come, first served
TRINITY CHURCH 1015 California Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Starts 8PM/must work clean/no purchase necessary/first come, first served
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 min./multiple sets allowed/first come, first served/coffee and bottled water available
HOLLYWOOD HOTEL 1160 N. Vermont Ave., Hollywood, CA/Starts MIDNIGHT
FLAPPERS BAR 102 E. Magnolia Ave., Burbank, CA/Sign-up 10PM/Starts MIDNIGHT/lottery
11) Someone just told me of that they saw a sign for an open mic at a Scientology Center on Melrose. Anyone know about any more info on this?
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