But as I’ve thought so much more about Trump in the last year, there’s nobody more Trumpy than Selina. In some ways, she has been Trumpy for six seasons. So much of the show is her barging into things headfirst, saying the wrong thing, screwing up, getting caught, lying about it. If that’s not Trump, I don’t know what is. Everyone keeps asking, “Well, how has Trump changed things?” Trump, in a weird way, is sort of doing us. We’re not doing him.
Over five days last week, each executive order related to a story we’ve done in the past three years,” Oliver said Monday during a roundtable with journalists to promote the fourth season of the show, which bows Sunday. He called it a “depressing exercise” for his producers to re-tweet links to stories on the fate of Iraqi military translators, the immigrant visa application process, and financial industry rules governing retirement and investment programs (“wave goodbye to it as it sails away in the distance”), among other topics.
John Oliver on Trump Administration (via Variety)
Here’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver YouTube page which features all of their deep dive pieces in case you want a comedic refresher of much of what’s at stake right now.
Also, take a deep breath, and realize that Last Week Tonight finally returns this Sunday.
In general I’m interested in seeing if the Trump presidency will be shocking enough to finally see the emergence of comedy that is politically dangerous and appropriately disrespectful of power, like the situation demands, and like we really needed all along.
I’m looking forward to mainstream television continuing its decline, to the point where publicist-driven celebrity non-satire is ignored in favor of the more dangerous stuff we’re seeing in live comedy (and some podcasts like Chapo Trap House), and where this underground culture could very well overtake the official televised culture that has failed so thoroughly to matter.
After a long absence, The Twilight Zone returns with one of the most ambitious, expensive and controversial productions in broadcast history. Sci-fi writers have dabbled often with alternative history stories – among the most common is the “What If The Nazis Had Won The Second World War” setting – but this huge interactive virtual reality project, which will unfold on TV, in the press, and on Twitter over the next four years, sets out to build an ongoing alternative present. The story begins in a nightmarish version of 2017 in which huge sections of the US electorate have somehow been duped into voting to make Donald Trump president. It sounds far-fetched, and it is, but as it goes on it becomes more and more chillingly plausible. Today’s feature-length opener concentrates on the gaudy inauguration of President Trump, and the stirrings of protest and despair surrounding the ceremony, while pundits speculate gravely on what lies ahead. It’s a flawed piece, but a disturbing glimpse of the horrors we could stumble into, if we’re not careful.
…often described as part of the alt-comedy scene, a designation so overused it barely means anything anymore…
At the end of the day everyone needs to just keep going, and if you wallow in self-pity or you focus on negative things that might slow you down you will never get to confront your own Dane Cook on your own FX show. You know what I mean.
The Louis CK Talking To Dane Cook Scene Is Genuinely Important | Videogum
Quote of the day. If you’re wondering.
(via lizlet)
Seeing her (Joan Rivers’) movie, the Piece Of Work movie, was a huge inspiration. That’s why she’s in the show. She’s not hanging on, she’s thriving. Part of the episode is her playing onstage, and she’s playing at Atlantic City, so we went down there with a small crew just to shoot some footage of her separate from the episode. We just went to see her, and I went in there, and I love Joan Rivers, I always have. But when I saw her onstage, I couldn’t believe it. She darts around, she’s got so much energy. She just kills. She’s better than me, and I’m literally close to half her age, and I can’t run around like she does. It made me want to go back to the gym before I tour again. I would love that, when all this melts away, and I’ve just got my loyal following in casinos around the country like Joan, boy, that would be a gift, just to have that.
I am so delighted to confirm that I was right and you were wrong. From now on when you say something which hurts me, I will remember to read your early Bridesmaids opinions and predictions and that will soothe me.
Judd Apatow, in an e-mail to Nikki Finke. Finke had derided Bridesmaids upon its release, and yesterday, Bridesmaids surpassed Knocked Up as the most successful Apatowian venture to date.
(via popculturebrain)
@thecomedygarage Guess who’s back motherfuckers?! COMEDY GARAGE Saturday 5/23. @corneezy @greenroomshow @pauldanke coming atcha from SILVERLAKE now babay!
Comedians always say to me, ‘I don’t know where to go. Do I go to New York or do I go to L.A.?’ I say, ‘Look, if you want to continue training, go to New York. If you think you’re ready to get in the ring, go to L.A.’ You can’t hide in L.A. The business is everywhere. Whatever you do onstage is going to be seen by somebody, and it’s going to be talked about to somebody.
THIS TOUR REPRESENTS A NEW ERA IN COMEDY IVE PUT TOGETHER THE FUNNIEST MOST IGNORANT COMEDIANS YOU EVER SEEN AND WE WILL TRAVEL THE EARTH BRINGING LAUGHTER JOY LOVE AND PAIN SUNSHINE AND RAIN,SO BRACE YOURSELVES BECAUSE WE ARE COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU
1. Comedy is a community. Other comics are your resource. Comics who are on your level — that’s important. A lot of comics are restless — they want to network with the pros who they perceive as ‘one level up’ from them. Those guys can’t help you much. It’s your peers that will help you. Forget the dog-eat-dog stuff; like it’s just you and your jokes against the world. That used to work, but not anymore. Make friends with people who make you laugh, produce shows together, build an audience together. Don’t worry about trying to climb your way up the comedy scene, just hold hands with your friends and you’ll all rise up like a balloon, laughing along the way.
2. Comedy is a lonely road. Other comics are your enemy. Comics who are on your level — they must be destroyed. All comics are restless — they want to decimate the competition so that there is only one “level” left and they are the only one on it. The pros can’t help you much. Neither can your peers. Forget the dog-eat-dog stuff; like it’s just you and your jokes against the world. It’s even worse than that. You don’t have any jokes. Make friends with people who cannot possible encroach on your career’s success in any way. Produce shows specifically to sandbag people in the scene. Terrorize the audience. Worry constantly about trying to climb your way up the comedy scene, kicking your peers in the shins, watching them fall as you run to the finish line, laughing all the way.
3. Comedy is a landscape, a vast landscape. Other comics will come and go. Comics who are above, below, and at your level, though they are part of a community, at the end of the day, are also individuals that want to be in the spotlight – that’s important. A lot of comics are restless in wandering around helter skelter for an answer — they want to network with “so and so” at “this and that room” (whether they’re pros or not) because they perceive that’s a level they need to be at even if it’s below from where they are. Those guys won’t help you much. If anything, many of them want to watch and see if you can take the inevitable suffering, maybe throw you a bone, and then watch you suffer more. Your peers will help you to a point, but longevity and success in this game depends on your own constitution. Forget the dog-eat-dog stuff; like it’s just you and your jokes against the world. That used to work, but now you need that along with a whole lot of luck. You can increase your odds by making friends with people who make you laugh, producing shows together, and building a following together, but that might not even be enough to make it anywhere in a comedy scene. Just hold onto your love of doing comedy whether you rise up like a balloon or crash and burn miserably over and over like a dysfunctional phoenix because you need to be laughing all the way or else you’re in this mess for the wrong reasons.
1. Tom Shillue, via The Comic’s Comic
2. Allen Strickland Williams, via The Allen Strickland Williams Super System
3. Jake Kroeger, via The Comedy Bureau
“I don’t think he knew how aggressive Maron would be,” Gallagher’s manager Craig Marquardo said, adding that Gallagher is not at all sorry for walking out on the interview and that Gallagher “doesn’t care.” In fact, Marquardo relayed that after Gallagher left the interview he was seen being mobbed by fans on the street, where the comic took pictures with fans and signed autographs. “Where would you rather be?” Marquardo said.
Marc Maron reacts to Gallagher’s WTF storm-off, Gallagher’s rep responds
Hopefully he was able to bum a cup of coffee.
(via somuchfunithurts)
Yes I’m okay- thanks so much for asking. Yes.
No really- I’m okay.
Yes. Yes. I feel like you’re not even listening. I’m okay.