Pick of the Day: SF Sketchfest’s Festpocalypse 1/30

It’s the first day of 2021 even though it feels like 2020 is still going on and doing it’s terrible, terrible thing, you can, if you’re up for it, try to start the year anew.

In that regard, we’d like to remind you of the first real big comedy event of the year (it’s still virtual, FYI): SF Sketchfest’s Festpocalypse. Coming in at the end of January right around when SF Sketchfest, one of the world’s biggest comedy festivals would normally happen, Festpocalypse will be a virtual event at a proportion that SF Sketchfest hasn’t ever done. Just take a gander at that line-up on the flyer. Even though it’s taking place over one day only, it really is a bill that they’d have at their normally scheduled, three week comedy festival extravaganza that takes over San Francisco.

Also, you should note that Festpocalypse is a fundraiser for SF Sketchfest to keep going in the future when doing a big time festival will be allowed.

Festpocalypse is set for Jan. 30th and will begin streaming at 5PM PT/8PM ET. Tickets start at only $20, but go up if you want to snag some merch. Go get them here.

SF Sketchfest Announces Virtual “Festpocalypse” Fundraiser This Coming January

OK, so there won’t be an in-person SF Sketchfest come this January. You already knew that, right?

Just because that’s the case, doesn’t mean that SF Sketchfest, one of the world’s biggest comedy festivals, won’t forego doing anything. In fact, they’ve got something pretty big on deck, virtually of course, called Festpocalypse. It will be a special, massive one night only event that will raise money to keep SF Sketchfest alive and well and going after all of the COVID-19 pandemic is finished.

How massive is it? Well, take a gander at who they have slated for Festpocalypse:

The Kids in the Hall, The State, Mr. Show’s David Cross & Bob Odenkirk, The Upright Citizens Brigade, Parv & Pudi with Parvesh Cheena and Danny Pudi, plus “Saturday Night Live” alumni Fred Armisen, Dana Carvey, Rachel Dratch, Janeane Garofalo, Tim Meadows, Laraine Newman, Sasheer Zamata and original writer Alan Zweibel. Sketch troupes Kasper Hauser, The Latino Comedy Project, White Women and Australia’s Netflix sensations Aunty Donna appear as well.

Festpocalypse also features top stand-up comics and writers including Brits Eddie Izzard and Noel Fielding, plus Margaret Cho, Jo Firestone, Ron Funches, Chris Gethard, Dave Hill, Joel Kim Booster, Bobcat Goldthwait, Emily V. Gordon, Dana Gould, Eugene Mirman, Arden Myrin, Aparna Nancherla, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Kevin Pollak, Greg Proops, Jonah Ray, Paul F. Tompkins, Reggie Watts and more. Also, live short film riffing with RiffTrax featuring “Mystery Science Theater 3000” alumni, fake Uptown Showdown debates, a visit with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and “Weird Al” Yankovic, a game show hosted by Jimmy Pardo, movie games hosted by Doug Benson, swift justice from Judge John Hodgman and Bailiff Jesse Thorn, and a rare reunion of The Slipnutz members Andy Blitz, Jon Glaser and Brian Stack.

Film and television stars slated for appearances include Alan Arkin, Paget Brewster, Chris Elliott, Elliott Gould, Christopher Guest, Jon Hamm, John Michael Higgins, Michael Hitchcock, Bill Irwin, Jane Lynch, Oscar Nuñez, Andrea Savage, and Aisha Tyler, as well as The Tenderloins, creators of the hit show “Impractical Jokers.” Cult cinema aficionado and drag superstar Peaches Christ will take a look back at the festival’s past film celebrations.

The show also features improv by Groundlings alumni The Black Version, the esteemed Improvised Shakespeare Company and festival regulars Theme Park. Musical performances will include Bill Frisell, Jean Grae, Rhett Miller, The Milk Carton Kids, Eliza Skinner, Epic Lloyd, Jonathan Coulton, Paul and Storm, and John Roderick.

How will they fit that much show into one night? We’re not really sure, but you best clear out Sat. Jan. 30th so you can watch, enjoy, and support SF Sketchfest via Festpocalypse starting at 5PM PT/8PM ET so you can pack in all of what’s listed above (i.e. all the live comedy you could possibly want from SF Sketchfest from the comfort of your own quarantine).

Tickets start at $20, which is pretty swell price. If you can’t make it on Jan. 30th, you’ll be able to watch it through Feb. 1st. Go get your tickets at sfsketchfest.com right now.

#Pick of the Day: SF Sketchfest Presents Plan 9 From Outerspace 10/29

October 28, 2020

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baron vaughn, bob odenkirk, bobcat goldthwait, dana gould, david koechner, janet varney, jean grae, jonah ray, kat aagesen, laraine newman, maria bamford, oscar nunez, paul f tompkins, plan 9 from outer space, sf sketchfest, tim meadows

In the search for a way to safely celebrate and somewhat adequately celebrate Halloween, might we suggest a special virtual adaptation of one of the most renowned cult films of all time, Plan 9 From Outer Space.

The amazing Dana Gould will be at the helm for this special live-stream event presented by, as they’re foregoing an in-person festival when they would normally have it in January, SF Sketchfest. Gould has led live-reads of Plan 9 From Outerspace over the years, but this edition will be special as there will be an original cast member, a real prop flying saucer which was used on set in Ed Wood’s shoot as well as a cast chock full of stars including Maria Bamford, Bobcat Goldthwait, Jean Grae, David Koechner, Tim Meadows, Laraine Newman, Oscar Nunez, Bob Odenkirk, Jonah Ray, Paul F. Tompkins, Janet Varney, Baron Vaughn, Kat Aagesen, plus musical accompaniment by Eban Schletter.

This very special edition of Plan 9 From Outer Space is set for Thurs. Oct. 29th at 6PM PT/9PM ET. Tickets are $10 and you can (and very much should) get them here.

SF Sketchfest Is Going Virtual (and Postponing What Would Have Been Their 20th In-Person Festival)

September 21, 2020

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baron vaughn, bobcat goldthwait, dana gould, david koechner, janet varney, jonah ray, maria bamford, paul f tompkins, plan 9 from outer space, sf sketchfest

Though some big time festivals and awards ceremonies have happened in the last month or so, they have been done so in a strange fashion with largely no audience, limited attendees, and everyone in masks, observing social distancing when possible, and still relying largely on remote interviews/guests/presenters.

One of the world’s biggest and most renowned comedy festivals, SF Sketchfest happens at the beginning of the year and, a few months ago, late January might have seemed like a safe time for when the pandemic might have been over, but that more and more seems to be not the case given the progress of vaccines and the continued return of COVID-19 case numbers rising around the world. So, SF Sketchfest has opted to postpone what would have been their 20th year and their big shindig for 2021 and, as you might guess, go virtual with live-streaming events to give the SF Sketchfest loyal something to look forward to.

They’ll be starting this virtual SF Sketchfest programming with a bang by doing a very special adaptation of cult movie classic Plan 9 From Outer Space that will feature miniature special effects and a marvelous cast including Maria Bamford, Bobcat Goldthwait, Dana Gould, David Koechner, Jonah Ray, Paul F. Tompkins, Janet Varney, Baron Vaughn and more TBA & musical accompaniment by Eban Schletter. This special virtual edition of Plan 9 From Outer Space is set for Thu. Oct. 29th at 6PM PT.

Tickets are $10 and can be snagged here.

Follow @sfsketchfest on Twitter and @sf_sketchfest on IG for updates on more happenings for the virtual SF Sketchfest.

Ian Abramson’s 7 Minutes in Purgatory Gave a Preview of What Comedy Would Be Like During COVID-19 Pandemic

April 9, 2020

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bobcat goldthwait, comedy central, experimental comedy, ian abramson, jon dore, maria bamford, michelle buteau, stand up comedy

When it comes to comedians performing without a traditional audience like is the temporary norm for now, you might have heard references to comedy specials recorded years ago from Drew Michael or Harland Williams (Michael recorded it on a sound stage for HBO and Williams stood on a rock in the desert and did his hour).

We’d actually like to point you to something that is an even more apt comparison and a pretty spot on precursor to what how live comedy is performed and consumed right now. The ever innovative Ian Abramson put himself on the map a bit with ultra-innovative (at the time) live comedy show called 7 Minutes in Purgatory where comedians had to perform remotely, though near an actual venue without any chance to hear the laughs of the live audience that was in attendance for the show.

For the crowd, they were treated to watching a live feed of the comedian in the remote performance space and got to watch them try and perform. If you’ve seen a stand-up comedy show on Twitch, Instagram Live, Zoom, etc., you ought to know that 7 Minutes in Purgatory gave us a preview (even though it was unaware of doing so) of what was to come.

It was and is a great show and a daring comedic experiment that had comics recalibrate their act, try a daring bit that leans into the format, or automatically go into uber self-deprecation (exactly like they do now).

As an artifact of the before times, it’s even more fascinating to see what doing comedy in the way we have to do right now was like when we didn’t have to do that.

Get into the Comedy Central digital series version of 7 Minutes of Purgatory, that includes performances from Michelle Buteau, Jon Dore, Maria Bamford, Bobcat Goldthwait & Caitlin Gill, and more here.

bobcat goldthwait

Pick of the Day: SF Sketchfest’s Festpocalypse 1/30

SF Sketchfest Announces Virtual “Festpocalypse” Fundraiser This Coming January

#Pick of the Day: SF Sketchfest Presents Plan 9 From Outerspace 10/29

SF Sketchfest Is Going Virtual (and Postponing What Would Have Been Their 20th In-Person Festival)

Ian Abramson’s 7 Minutes in Purgatory Gave a Preview of What Comedy Would Be Like During COVID-19 Pandemic

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