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NBC Starts Comedy Playground Initiative to Launch Two Series in 2015

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NBC Starts Comedy Playground Initiative to Launch Two Series in 2015

NBC is making a bold, but great move, by looking for two new original comedy series via submissions at their brand new Comedy Playground.

There will be taking pitches that will be reviewed by a board made up of Aziz Ansari, Jason Bateman, Robert Carlock, Sean Hayes, Mindy Kaling, Jason Katims, Josh Lieb, Eva Longoria, Adam McKay, Seth Meyers, Todd Milliner, Will Packer, Amy Poehler, Craig Robinson, Maya Rudolph, Mike Schur, Adam Scott and Mike Shoemaker, then narrowed to ten projects for pilot presentations, then will greenlight two series to follow each other in an one-hour block.

We can only hope that they’ll find their next hit comedy series to follow Parks and Recreation and Community for next year.

Fox Coming Out with Improv Show Riot That Will Feature Steve Carell, Jason Alexander, Cheryl Hines, and More

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Fox Coming Out with Improv Show Riot That Will Feature Steve Carell, Jason Alexander, Cheryl Hines, and More

Fox’s is joining in what might be a resurgence of improv of television. Starting next month, Riot will have feature improv from what will be the show’s regulars in John Ross Bowie, Jamie Denbo, Brian Palermo, Jordan Black, Jessica McKenna, Meryl Hathaway, and Rob Gleeson as well as the great Aussie comedian Rove McManus hosting.

They’ll also have Steve Carell, Jason Alexander, Michael Ian Black, Cheryl Hines, Oscar Nunez, Rob Delaney, Will Sasso, Chris Kattan, D.L. Hughley, and much more guest starring.

It’ll be interesting to see how this stacks up against America’s longest running televised improv show, now on the CW, Whose Line Is It Anyway?

Amy Poehler Teaming Up with Tina Fey Again in The Nest

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Amy Poehler Teaming Up with Tina Fey Again in The Nest

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are at it yet again by co-starring in an upcoming film, The Nest. It’s a year between every Golden Globes and we don’t think the general public or the world really wants to wait that long for the two to join forces once more.

Poehler and Fey would probably do more stuff together but they both have network overall deals as well as starring in a bunch of other projects, left and right.

Comedy Winners at The Shorty Awards

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Comedy Winners at The Shorty Awards

The annual Shorty Awards, honoring some of the best on the Internet, announced this year’s winners, which, for comedy, include Patton Oswalt, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Feig, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls at The Party, and Modern Seinfeld.

Congratulations to all those winners and making being on the Internet feel like a good use of our time.

Conan O’Brien Brining Conan to Comic-Con 2015

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Conan O’Brien Brining Conan to Comic-Con 2015

Even though this is more than a year away, Conan O’Brien taping a week of Conan at Comic-Con is definitely Christmas come early for us.

Perhaps, there will just be a booth to get insulted by Triumph?

Curt Neill’s Untitled Screenplays Coming Out as Book July 1st

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Curt Neill’s Untitled Screenplays Coming Out as Book July 1st

Perigee Books has made a great move in compiling Untitled Screenplays, a blog by Curt Neill that features pages from untitled screenplays that are absurd, funny, and possibly fit better as a “lost scene” than anything else, into a book.

Entitled This Movie Will Require Dinosaurs, its release is set for July 1st and you can and should pre-order it now.

Greg & Amy Poehler’s ‘Welcome To Sweden’ Gets Second Season Order At TV4

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Greg & Amy Poehler’s ‘Welcome To Sweden’ Gets Second Season Order At TV4

While the first season has yet to make its U.S. premiere on NBC, Amy Poehler and her brother, Greg, have just gotten a second season in Sweden of their series Welcome to Sweden.

This should be a tell tale sign that we’re in for something good when Welcome to Sweden hits NBC July 10th.

Jay Leno Officially Says He Will Not Be Filling in For Letterman

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Jay Leno Officially Says He Will Not Be Filling in For Letterman

In case any of you, amidst entertaining yourselves with the idea of who will fill in for David Letterman when he leaves CBS next year, thought that his former rival, Jay Leno, might do the gig, then you are officially mistaken. When asked, Leno shut down any notion that he might take over The Late Show.

That being said, “maybe they’ll do Broadway”?

Seth Green, Michael Cera, and Sarah Silverman Are Developing Xbox Series

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Seth Green, Michael Cera, and Sarah Silverman Are Developing Xbox Series

That’s right, Xbox is getting into producing original content and a even a Robot Chicken-like series and a sketch show from Michael Cera and Sarah Silverman are just the tip of the iceberg.

We’re excited to see what comes of all of this Summer, even though we don’t own an Xbox.

If You Can, Watch Both Patton Oswalt’s “Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time” and Premiere of “Silicon Valley”, Then Robot Chicken DC Comics Special

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If You Can, Watch Both Patton Oswalt’s “Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time” and Premiere of “Silicon Valley”, Then Robot Chicken DC Comics Special

At 10PM tonight, Comedy Central will be airing Patton Oswalt’s latest comedy special, which, by the way, is fantastic, Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time and HBO will be premiering their highly anticipated series from Mike Judge, Silicon Valley followed by the season premiere of Veep at 10:30PM.

Whether through DVR or some amazing feat of mental concentration, we urge you to watch both. After that, you can catch Robot Chicken’s DC Comics Special II: Villains in Paradise at 11:30PM on Adult Swim.

LA Film Fest and Funny or Die’s Make Em LAFF Competition Taking Submissions

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LA Film Fest and Funny or Die’s Make Em LAFF Competition Taking Submissions

The LA Film Festival and Funny or Die have joined forces for a short film/web video comedy competition for underrepresented communities in the comedy world.

If you have a video under 5 min that highlights your voice as “artists of color, women and/or LGBT” and submit before May 9th, 2014, then you could win cash, a talent holding deal, and more.

Best of all, it’s free to submit.

Paul Danke Recording Album for AST Records

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Paul Danke Recording Album for AST Records

Fri. Apr. 25th will be the night that the very funny Paul Danke lays down his sweet words to a record, a digital one that is. This comedy album will come from one of the best comedy album labels around AST Records.

Thus, we’d highly recommend both going to the taping at Nerdmelt LA on Apr. 25th (it’s free, by the way) and then picking up the album when it comes, hopefully some time later this year.

Dan Harmon’s Dungeons & Dragons Game Podcast “Harmonquest” To Be Animated

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Dan Harmon’s Dungeons & Dragons Game Podcast “Harmonquest” To Be Animated

Dan Harmon has managed to make a fun podcast out of playing D&D with special guests and it’s about to even made better as it will be animated so we can see exactly what Harmon and company are describing.

There’s a nice preview of it at the link featuring Workaholics’ Blake Anderson.

Key & Peele to Produce ‘Police Academy’ Reboot for New Line

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Key & Peele to Produce ‘Police Academy’ Reboot for New Line

If there is an answer to the question, “Who could possibly make a reboot of Police Academy that might not make me shrug at Hollywood for trying to reuse every possible movie franchise in cinema history?” Key & Peele’s Keegan-Michael Key & Jordan Peele is a pretty good one.

FX/FXx Renewing It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia For Two Seasons, Developing Numerous Projects From RCG

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FX/FXx Renewing It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia For Two Seasons, Developing Numerous Projects From RCG

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been good to FX/FXx in both ratings and establishing a brand and FX/FXx is now returning the favor.

Always Sunny is getting renewed for two seasons to play through 2016 and RCG Productions (Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton) are developing a series that is already greenlit starring Tracy Morgan in addition to three script projects and a pilot.

At least in real life, Mac, Charlie, and Dennis are on top.

Nick Offerman to Play Ignatius J. Reilly in Live Stage Reading of A Confederacy of Dunces

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Nick Offerman to Play Ignatius J. Reilly in Live Stage Reading of A Confederacy of Dunces

After almost being made into a film for decades, a big time staged adaptation of John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces might just see the light of day after all.

Having Nick Offerman play Ignatius in an industry only workshop read definitely helps.

Matt Knudsen Coming Out with New Comedy Album “American” Apr. 29th

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Matt Knudsen Coming Out with New Comedy Album “American” Apr. 29th

On top of almost finishing his second marathon, the hilarious Matt Knudsen is about to release a new comedy album called American.

It’s out Apr. 29th, but until then you can watch his great Conan set.

Brooklyn Comedy Festival Taking Submissions Through Apr. 30th

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Brooklyn Comedy Festival Taking Submissions Through Apr. 30th

This Summer, you could be in a comedy festival in Brooklyn, appropriately called The Brooklyn Comedy Festival, as it’s taking submissions for performers.

You have up until 9PM PST Apr. 30th to submit, so if you live in NYC or plan on being there around then, you should get in on this.

Baby Cow Productions Set For Alan Partridge Sequel

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Baby Cow Productions Set For Alan Partridge Sequel

Not even having made its way into U.S. theaters yet, Alan Partridge is already set for a sequel from Baby Cow Productions. We just saw Alan Partridge (AKA Alpha Papa) last night and can tell you, as hysterical as that we’re thrilled that a follow up is already in the works.

Seriously, Alan Partridge is damn funny and after you go see it this weekend in limited release, we’re sure you’ll want the sequel to come out ASAP.

David Letterman to Retire from CBS in 2015

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David Letterman to Retire from CBS in 2015

That’s right, announced today, David Letterman will step down as host of The Late Show in 2015.

Aside from possible successors or him outlasting Leno, we can only delight to think what Bill Murray will be doing to commemorate his last episode.

Will Ferrell to Star in ‘Match Maker’ Based on Bobby Riggs vs. Billie Jean King

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Will Ferrell to Star in ‘Match Maker’ Based on Bobby Riggs vs. Billie Jean King

One of the most talked about sporting events in history, The Battle of The Sexes, a tennis match in 1973 between men’s tennis star Bobby Riggs and women’s tennis star Billy Jean King is getting a movie adaptation and Will Ferrell is starring.

Remove the mustache, the burgundy suit, and add a tennis racket and we can definitely see Ferrell in this.

Jason Bateman To Narrate New Lego Documentary

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Jason Bateman To Narrate New Lego Documentary

In addition to doing some announcing for The Dodgers, the voice of Jason Bateman will now narrate a new documentary on the world of Lego.

We’re not sure how involved he will be with the project, but one can only hope that he’s bring a little of his sensibilities from Bad Words to his narration for this doc.

Wil Wheaton To Host His Own Clip Show on SyFy, The Wil Wheaton Project

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Wil Wheaton To Host His Own Clip Show on SyFy, The Wil Wheaton Project

As all networks seem to being doing these days, SyFy is branching out a little from their brand to include some comedy. The Wil Wheaton Project will feature none other than Wil Wheaton comedically reviewing “geek culture” weekly.

It premieres Tues. May 27th at 10PM on SyFy and we’re curious how this will stack up to The Soup and Tosh.0.

NYC’s Pretty Good Friends Goes on Tour with Eugene Mirman and Daniel Kitson

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NYC’s Pretty Good Friends Goes on Tour with Eugene Mirman and Daniel Kitson

Eugene Mirman’s Pretty Good Friends is taking a nice little tour to the Minnesota, Chicago, Nashville, and more. Coming along with Eugene will be UK comedian Daniel Kitson. If you’re around these cities in May, you should probably go to these shows.

5/3 – Boston, MA @ Berklee Performance Center
5/9 – Ferndale, MI @ The Loving Touch
5/11 – Minneapolis, MN @ Women’s Club Assembly Hall
5/12 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
5/13 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
5/14 – Nashville, TN @ Belcourt Theater

Comedy Central Sets Up Cop Comedy Pilot From Happy Endings’ Caspe/Libman/Tarses

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Comedy Central Sets Up Cop Comedy Pilot From Happy Endings’ Caspe/Libman/Tarses

Procedural comedies seem to be the hot commodity at the moment, perhaps, thanks to Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s success just in its first season. There’s Tribeca from Steve Carell at TBS, Sober Companion with Nick Frost at Fox, and now a cop comedy pilot from the creator, writers, and producers of Happy Endings David Capse, Matthew and Daniel Libman, and Jamie Tarses.

For the overflow of hour long procedural dramas and their numerous spin offs, we’re liking this trend.