zainab johnson – The Comedy Bureau

TCB Debriefing 10/4/23: Beth Stelling Special, The Drew Barrymore Show, Chloe Troast on SNL, Moshe Kasher, Zainab Johnson,

October 4, 2023

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1. The long awaited follow up from Girl Daddy, a special that will be remembered as one of the best of this decade, is finally here. That’s right, Beth Stelling brand new special, If You Didn’t Want Me Then, has just been released on Netflix this morning and delivers on the high expectations that were riding on it. Stelling is somehow even more self-assured in this hour (when that’s already her specialty), commanding the theater and anyone watching it as a special on Netflix with such ease and casual grace. It’s that sort of ever present sense of calm (reinforced by her choice of tea rather than the standard issue bottle of water on the stool) that makes her punchlines and tags and asides pop so acutely. Her continued, evolving portrait of herself as a woman in this day and age is so rich and full even though it feels like an old friend (albeit, your funniest friend) is just catching you up to speed over the last few years. Just give Beth her own late night talk show already. While we wait for that to happen, enjoy If You Didn’t Want Me Then now streaming on Netflix here.

2. The Drew Barrymore Show is now set to return after the debacle of trying to return during the WGA Strike, then rescinding the announcement. That said, her head writers Chelsea White, Cristina Kinon and Liz Koe have declined the offer to return as a result of not only Drew trying to get back on the air during the strike, but finding out via social media ticket giveaways (THR). So, expect at least one, if not a few, “very special episodes” of The Drew Barrymore Show when it finally makes back to TV

3. Chloe Troast will be SNL’s newest cast member and, as of this debriefing, the only new cast member to be added this season. We hope this signals a continuation of SNL getting weirder and wilder as it has with Sarah Squirm, Please Don’t Destroy, James Austin Johnson, and Bowen Yang.

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4. Some folks actually did get around to their King Lear during lockdown. One of those folks is the brilliant comedian Moshe Kasher. Moshe already has one astounding memoir under his belt with Kasher in the Rye and is set to release his next one, Subculture Vulture: A Memoir in Six Scenes, on Jan. 30th. Kasher is such an exquisite writer and storyteller that he shouldn’t have to make a promo on IG to promote the book, but he did anyway so you can enjoy something until the book’s release. Pre-order Subculture Vulture here.

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5. Take your first gander at Zainab Johnson‘s very first hour special, Hijabs Off, due out on Oct. 24th on Amazon Prime. It’ll be the perfect time to watch it as you probably also try to get two day shipping on whatever last minute costume you’re coming up with for Halloween.

6. We’ll leave you with this: Should we rebrand the term “gallows humor” as “2020s humor”?

TCB Debriefing 9/28/23: The Curse, Cam Gavinski, Late Night Returns, Big Mouth S7, Fingernails, Ziwe, Zainab Johnson, Invisible

September 28, 2023

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1. Take your first peek at what hath Nathan Fielder, The Safdie Brothers, and Emma Stone wrought with a teaser for their “haunted” real estate series, The Curse, set to premiere on Nov. 10th Showtime/Paramount+.

2. Cam Gavinski proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the best way to break the rules in comedy is to know them with one hell of a debut special how to make everything about you forever and always. We’ll share more thoughts soon, but, for now, please enjoy a grand 90 minute, very tightly rehearsed meta comedy epic here.

3. Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Stephen Colbert are all set to return to their desks on Oct. 2nd (and effectively kick that punk Gutfeld to the curb) along with John Oliver coming in a day early on Oct. 1st with Last Week Tonight. Expect a new episode of Real Time with Bill Maher this Friday as well (Variety).

4. A “Making of Airplane!” is in the works (Deadline) and you ought to know that there will be plenty of old folks saying that they couldn’t make a movie like this today (despite the Internet being chock full of much more controversial content).

5. As October is technically the spookiest month of the year, it only makes sense that the adult animated series that simultaneously makes you burst out laughing about the most embarrassing moments of your adolescence. Get ready with this first trailer for season 7 of Big Mouth, set to premiere on Oct. 20th on Netflix.

6. Fingernails is The Office meets Black Mirror? See for yourself on Nov. 3rd on AppleTV+.

7. Unsurprisingly, tickets for Ziwe’s Black Friend Tour are selling out fast and have resulted in more dates being added. Go get your tickets at ziwe.com before you miss out and are forced to think how you would have fared on a round of Baited.

8. Zainab Johnson, who you have probably have seen on Upload, but hopefully have seen do delightful stand-up, is having her debut hour on Amazon Prime, come Oct. 24th, with the wondrous title, Hijabs Off.

9. We’ll leave you for this: Drew Carey not only covered people’s tabs at Swingers and Bob’s Big Boy for the entire duration of the WGA Strike, but included one extra day as a victory breakfast/lunch/dinner.

Pick of the Day: Thank You Very Much: A Juneteenth Comedy Show (in LA) 6/18

June 10, 2022

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As Juneteenth, a major milestone in slavery coming to an end in the U.S., is now a federal holiday, there are, of course, comedy shows/happenings to go right along with it, especially ones celebrating black comedians, giving them shine when they still aren’t receiving it the way they deserve.

The very funny Dave Helem is putting on a very special stand-up showcase, Thank You Very Much, in South Central’s cultural hub, Leimert Park, at The Metaphor Club to highlight some of those very same comedians that represent some of LA’s very best.

For this Juneteenth show, Dave will bring in

Zainab Johnson (Upload, Bust Down)
Chris Spencer (Black-ish, The Real Husbands of Hollywood)
Clayton Thomas (Family Time, Uncle Buck)
Chinedu Unaka (Insecure, House Party)
Candice Thompson (The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon)

Thank You Very Much: A Juneteenth Show is set for Sat. Jun. 18th at 8PM PT, again, at The Metaphor Club. Tickets are $20 and you can (and should) go get them here.

Pick of the Day: Stand Ups For Ukraine! (in LA) 6/5

June 2, 2022

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Over 3 months ago, an unprovoked, yet hostile Russia invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine and have subjected the people of Ukraine to an untold amount of death, destruction, and senseless havoc. Ukrainians have valiantly stood their ground and defied any initial expectations of Russia steamrolling through their country.

That said, Putin is still pushing on with his efforts and, thusly, Ukraine needs all the aid that it can get in any way that it can. That’s why you can and should support Nova Ukraine, an org providing emergency humanitarian aid and relief to those in need in Ukraine’s borders, by going to the Hollywood Improv this Sunday, Jun. 5th at 7PM PT for Stand Ups for Ukraine.

All proceeds from the show will be going to Nova Ukraine on top of the fact that you’ll get to see a superb LA comedy line-up in Craig Robinson, Kira Soltanovich, Atsuko Okatsuka, Chris Porter, Todd Glass, Zainab Johnson, Carol Leifer, Dan Kinno, Andrey Belikov.

Tickets are $25 (plus 2 item min.) and you can (and should) get tickets here.

Pick of the Day: Secret Show at The Blind Barber (in LA) 7/26

July 21, 2021

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LA has many a secret comedy show, but many don’t actually carry the name of “Secret Show” (and, if they do, they often aren’t worthy of the moniker). Yet, the actual Secret Show that has been happening for years at the barbershop-turned-speakeasy, The Blind Barber, is one of LA’s best underground stand-up comedy shows thanks to its stewards Grant Lyon, Andy Peters, Dave Waite, and Nick Anthony.

For obvious reasons, they had to take several months off, but they’re officially back for a COVID-19 free show (proof of vaccination or negative test results within 72 hours required at door) next week! On Mon. July 26th, The Secret Show at the Blind Barber crew will be putting on two shows, 7:30PM PT & 9:30PM PT.

You can and should RSVP for the show here, before tickets run out (and they usually do).

Their first line-up is stacked with

Beth Stelling – Netflix’s The Standups
Asif Ali – Marvel’s WandaVision
Andy Woodhull – Comedy Central Half Hour
Felicia Michaels – Showtime, MTV
Zainab Johnson – Last Comic Standing

As the show often sells out pretty quick, get on their mailing list at barbersecretshow@gmail.com and for their sister show in Highland Park at barbershowhp@gmail.com.

Pick of the Day: The Ocean Show (in LA) 6/6

June 2, 2021

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Without a doubt, The Ocean Show has the most gorgeous back drop of any live comedy show with the sunset glistening cinematically off of the Pacific Ocean. Also, it’s a very outdoors stand-up show that literally happens on the sands of Malibu’s heavenly Will Rogers State Beach.

There’s so much room to distance and keep to yourself/your bubble while enjoying many of LA’s finest. One of our favorite moments in comedy of all last year actually came at this show when Moses Storm frolicked in the ocean in a suit only to attempt to finish his set while soaking and freezing.

This edition of The Ocean Show is set for this Sun. Jun. 6th with a line-up that includes the Blair Socci, Zainab Johnson, Jeremiah Watkins, and DJ Demers.

“Doors” at 6PM PT and the show at 6:30PM PT and tickets are $20. Please go get them here and make this very worthy trek to the beach.

May 6, 2018

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On Deck, the baseball game version of a stand-up comedy show (really, they have innings, umpires, etc. etc.) is marking 2 years here in LA.

The line-up features plenty of LA comedy starters including Marcella Arguello, Alice Wetterlund, Chris Garcia, Sheng Wang, Zainab Johnson, and Jak Knight.

The On Deck 2 Year Anniversary will be on Thursday, May 17th at Dynasty Typewriter at Hayworth Theater at 8PM. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. 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.