If you are even the least bit considering a career as a stand-up comedian I suggest you watch this video.  It talks about all the crap you need to put up with to get an actual paying gig as a comic. The video is funny because it’s true and super duper depressing.  Now please excuse me while I go cry into my pillow.  (That all being said, I wouldn’t give a set to a cheetah with striped baby blue pants and a backwards green trucker hat either. Get a job hipster.)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecuf3fBhq2Q

Those who know Comedy Nerds favorites Nick Turner know that he likes to scream. Man does he like to scream. He’s so loud.  Funny…but loud. So what better place for Nicky T then the Scream Room?  Check out this new video by Nick and Jason “The Face” Saenz (also features Kevin Allison, Katina Corraro, Travis Irvine and more).

Also check out Nick and Jason’s new site.

This week we’re joined by guests Lou Fernandez and Rachel Korowitz as we review the 30 Rock adult parody. We watched it in Dustin’s living room, and then recorded our reactions. I thought watching a movie like that with friends would be awkward but instead, it turned out to be very very awkward. You might notice that this post is a little strangely worded, but that’s because there are certain words that would get us blocked by certain sites, so let me see if I can explain this in a way you’ll understand. You see, when a Mommy who sort of looks like Tina Fey and a Daddy who supposedly looks like Alec Baldwin, but not really, love each other very much and go onto a chintzy looking set with a picture of Miami in the background and a camera crew is there and… Oh, on second thought, just listen to the episode.

photo from flickr by Josephwashere

It is the first of May.  You know what that means.  Get on it people!

(In case you haven’t seen this, it’s sort of NSFW)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-77ElyvRxI

I remember when I was a childhood performer in my elementary school we always had to perform lame songs like If I Had A Hammer and Singing In the Rain (we didn’t have plays at my school, just musical chorus crap).  My most jealous moment as a fourth grader was watching a friend’s school recital where she got to performed We Build This City by Jefferson Starship.  I always thought, why can’t we do something cool.  Something real.  Something gritty. Something like Huey Lewis and The News.  We were 10.  We were ready for it!  But this…I mean…wow!



www.youtube.com/watch?v=uovMpapeCJQ

I think the cure might be a little Seasonal Affective Disorder.  Check out the latest song done by Miss CKC (Carolyn Castiglia), TMC (Tom McCaffrey), Beena Steena (Mara Herron).*   It cures what ails you…unless it’s herpes, then go see a doctor.  Actually go see a doctor for anything medical.  Prevention and early detection are the best cure.  And then this song when used with your doctor’s recommendation for treatment will also help.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1KNAciMBL4

Shot/Directed/Edited by Anya Garrett. f/ Beatboxing by Andrew Gutterson. Recorded/Mixed by Soce the Elemental Wizard.

(The Required Reading series returns this week, along with the return of featured writer and past podcast guest Mike Blejer. Enjoy!)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN1WN0YMWZU

This sketch first appeared as part of the third series of the BBC Radio show “That Mitchell and Webb sound” in 2007 and then came out as a video sketch on “That Michell and Webb Look” in 2008.

It’s a great sketch that you could really imagine being done as a part of a stand-up routine. But why bother going to all the effort of imagining it when you can see it in the following clip:

To be clear, I am in no way suggesting that Whitney Cummings stole this bit, and for all I know she could have been performing it long before the Mitchell and Webb series wrote it. Sir Issac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz invented/discovered the principles of differential Calculus at around the same time in the 1600s, so I wouldn’t get too riled up about it, though I’m sure that some people back then were all like “Leibniz did it first, Newton just had a bigger microphone, whatever the hell that is! Newton is a theory thief! Blacklist him from this æfen’s Middeneaht Show with Conan O’Brien, that dirty Irish cur!” (Because A. people were even more racist then, and B. The name Conan comes from “An old name from con “a hound” or “swift-footed warrior” and in the form conan means “little hound” or “little warrior.” Get it? “Little hound” the cur? Cur means mongrel dog? oh man, I crack etymologists UP!)

Anyway, I just think it’s a testament to the power of the observation (the way people talk about sports teams is funny). But mostly I think people should check out that Mitchell and Webb Sound and Look, because them is some damn good sketches. Very tightly constructed and a great display of game-based sketch writing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Mitchell_and_Webb_Sound
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Mitchell_and_Webb_Look

Also in addition to those shows, Peep Show, and Magicians they did the I’m a Mac I’m a PC ads in the UK. Check them out Here

Check out this super not safe for work promo/sketch for Louis C.K.’s new show on FX.  It’s a joke but I am 100% sure that some celebrity has had this exact conversation (I’m looking at you guy who plays Turtle on Entourage).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jPZpptlABM

I give the the Brits a lot of crap on the podcast (give me my taxes back you bastards!) but they do on occasion have a few comedic successes (Python, Izzard, John Oliver, The Queen).  I recently happened upon a show that aired on BBC One this past fall called Walk On The Wild Side that I think is another one of those successes.  Unfortunately according to all the reviews it died a miserable horrible death over the six shows that actually made it to air. It’s not an original concept, it’s all together immature and I don’t know what the hell the turtle is talking about, but I enjoyed it and I think you will too, if even for just the first 10 seconds.

REQUIRED READING -

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ1HKCYJM5U

When Sarah Silverman isn’t out there making the world laugh she is figuring out how to feed them.  That’s right.  Sarah Silverman has figured out a way to solve world hunger and as far as I can tell her plan is flawless.

SARAH SILVERMAN -- SELL THE VATICAN

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bObItmxAGc

Nick Kroll is not a bad guy.  He’s actually a hilarious, very cool and very nice guy but man can that guy play a great douche.    The dudes over at Funny or Die know this and put together this video with Nick and Jon Daly being the lovable crime solving douches known as the Ed Hardy Boyz.  It’s funny and it hits on the things I love doing the most: hitting on women and hanging out at Vodka parties.  (For the record I don’t ever do either of those things as I am both married and too old to go to vodka parties.)  Again, Nick Kroll is not a douche he just plays one on TV very well.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month which means 31 days of keeping boobies safe.  Take the time to check out this video from FunnyorDie.com featuring Alyson Hannigan, Emily Deschanel, Kat McPhee, Minka Kelly and Jaime King. Then visit www.su2c.org to donate to accelerated cancer research.  And don’t forget to make sure all the women in your life get checked for breast cancer.   It’s important.

There are a ton of comedy series on the net, but none aimed so clearly at nerds and specifically video game nerds as The Guild (okay, maybe Red Vs. Blue is close too  Why are you always correcting me).  So fresh from this years Blizzcon (put on by the folks that brought you World Of Warcraft and Starcraft) I felt it vitally important to share with y’all the awesome/sexy/funny music video The Guild debuted there.  And I highly suggest you check out the full series at watchtheguild.com.  Get caught up quick because season 3 kicks off any day now.  If you’re a frequent reader or comedy nerds you may recognize the star Felicia Day from the Dr. Horrible series (which is getting a sequel next year!!!).  Fun fact: It was The Guild that inspired Dr. Horrible.  Both of which make me very happy.

Required Reading -- Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=urNyg1ftMIU

This past week i started a comedy class at the UCB theater and I was reminded of this amazing sketch from SCTV.  What I found the most surprising though was how few people in the class had ever heard of SCTV.  SCTV came straight outta Canada y’all and was the proving ground for some true comedy legends:  Eugene Levy, Rich Moranis, John Candy, Catherine O’Hara among many others.  Thanks UCB bringing this sketch back into my life.

SCTV -- HI-Q

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s8qwG0tkU4

It’s such a beautiful day here in NYC that I couldn’t help but make this week’s required reading a love song.  Well, sort of a long song.  If you consider a love song a song that talks about getting double teamed, which I do, then this is a love song.  Frankly I don’t even consider it a love song if it doesn’t talk about getting double teamed.  My parents brought me up right.  And if you want to play it with your special someone here are the chords for this Flight of Conchords song.  Also, start getting excited for the release of their new album on October 12th.

FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS -- IF YOU’RE INTO IT

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY8jaGs7xJ0

This week’s sort of late Required Reading comes from one of my favorite voices in the comedy world, Jon Benjamin.  It’s an sneak peak at an upcoming FX show called Archer starring Benjamin, Chris Parnell and Aisha Tyler.  I will literally listen to Jon Benjamin talk about anything so him has a spy, how could that go wrong?  It can’t.  That’s how.

JON BENJAMIN – ARCHER

The State DVD is finally out.  Whatever you are doing right now instead of getting it is dumb.  While you are at it might I also suggest you check out The Baxter.  A funny and quirky little movie featuring most of the guys in The State plus Paul Rudd and Michelle Williams (who is just as cute as a button in this movie).  Don’t be fooled by the fact that you can only really find it on IFC right now, it not pretentious or anything.

I totally love the idea behind it too.  There are so many movies about a super awesome hero character that fights to get back the woman that he loves and stops her at the alter before she’s about to marry some loser whom she promptly dumps and runs off with the hero.  The Baxter is about the loser who gets dumped (several times actually).  The clip doesn’t do it justice, but I promise you will enjoy the movie or your money back (the money you pay to read The Comedy Nerds, which is zero money, not the money you spend on the movie.)

THE BAXTER -- GROMWELL

www.youtube.com/watch?v=R86WZgLyvJ4

The morning sucks.  We can all agree on that, right?  We hate morning people soooo much.  That being said, the breaka breaka dawn just got a little bit better because Comedy Central has started playing old Dr. Katz episodes every morning starting at 8am (that’s the breaka dawn as far as I am concerned).  Once you get past the Squigglevision, which i initially found annoying and now find endearing, it’s fun way to start your day.  Check out some clips below.

In honor of The Comedy Nerds team meeting Kevin McDonald from The Kids In The Hall we just had to make him part of our Required Reading.  We were all lucky enough to watch his one man show Hammy And The Kids.  It was the story of his legendary comedy career set against the background of his surprising and painful home life and especially his alcoholic father.  He was able to turn these many tragic events in his life into hilarious jokes but you could see that pain was still there.  I had no idea that he had grown up like that.  Although this week’s Required Reading sketch probably should have given it away.

THE KIDS IN THE HALL -- DADDY DRANK

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSeZxjLhxV4

The first episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien airs tonight (come back tomorrow to hear our special Tuesday podcast reviewing the whole thing) so for this week’s Required Reading we look to the future.  All the way to…The Year 2000.

LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN – IN THE YEAR 2000

In this week’s podcast we talked about truth in comedy. Well no one is more truthful than Louis C.K. Louis is at his best when he’s talking about his kids. He does an awesome job of being truthful and angry while still seeming like a good guy, but I still wonder what’s going to happen when his kids grow up. Hopefully they will forgive him when they realize that it’s because he called his daughter an asshole on TV that he could buy them all solid gold teddy bears.

LOUIS C.K. -- HAVING KIDS

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACMb-xTax-o

Lost in all the buzz coming out of the upfront is the news that ABC has canceled According To Jim.  It is a sad day for all comedy snobs.  What will we point to as a show that represents everything that is wrong with sitcoms today?  Oh yeah, Two And Half Men.  Sorry.  Go about your day.  Thanks for that ABC.

Once again, it doesn’t need to be old to be awesome.  If you’ve listened to the podcast or seen any of my sketch shows you know I am a huge fan of meta comedy.  This week’s SNL did it pretty gosh darn well.  And if it’s Justin Timberlake and SNL it’s probably going to be good.  I want to hate him sooooo much, but he is funny.  It’s not fair.  (pouty face)

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – IMMIGRANT TALE

I recently started following Yahoo Starting Point on Twitter exclusively because it tells me what day it is (national fancy pants day, national turnip day, etc.).  As it turns out today is both Star Wars day and….. Respect For Chickens Day.  So of course today’s Required Reading has to come from the Star Wars Episode of Robot Chicken. And if you are wondering why the Emperor is so pissed, check out how much it would cost to replace.

THE EMPEROR GETS A CALL ABOUT THE DEATH STAR

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKlU88CRuYQ

This week’s reading is not necessarily required but I highly suggest it.  First off, it’s got Mr. T in it so obviously I pity the fool that doesn’t watch it.  Second off, the whole purpose of the video is to teach you how to “get some nuts”. By nuts I am pretty sure they mean testicles and you love testicles so you’ll love this.  Enjoy!

MR. T -- GET SOME NUTS

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTwaX2AAAlQ

With the debut last night of “Sit down, Shut Up” last night on Fox (which I thought was funny almost entirely because of it’s inside jokes.  “Come on!  We’ve got to win this thing.  It’s the pilot!”) it got me thinking about other network animated series. So this week’s required reading comes from one of the funniest but most often missed animated shows made in somewhat recent years “Home Movies”.  Any true comedy nerd will instantly recognize the coach’s voice.  Enjoy three (that’s right.  I said it.  Three!) clips form this often great show.  You can still catch reruns on Adult Swim and I think is available on DVD.

HOME MOVIES -- CURSING

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT6Qe046Vuw

HOME MOVIES -- OF COURSE YOU’RE STUPID

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNrB9xmGPoY

HOME MOVIES -- NEVER TALK IN THE LIBRARY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qQeELrI-Zg

With a new Comedy Central Presents and CD/DVD on the way, Christian Finnegan has a lot going on.  This week’s Required Reading is a clip from his past special and it’s one that all guys can relate to and are a little afraid of.  Enjoy.

CHRISTIAN FINNEGAN – CHANDRA AND THE BIRDS AND THE BEES

This week’s Required Reading proves that it doesn’t need to be old to be classic.  It comes from rising star and incredible talent John Mulaney. This clip is from his Comedy Central Presents that aired his past Friday.  As a person who also doesn’t feel at all like an adult I can totally relate to this clip and I am sure it has happened to me and I didn’t even realize it.  I could not be happier to see John finally getting the attention he deserves.  I’ve watched and performed with John many times and have always been impressed.  He’s a great performer and a great guy! You can buy his new CD “The Top Part” here.

JOHN MULANEY – SUBWAY STATION CHASE

This week’s Required Reading is another one I can’t believe it took me so long to get to.  Maria Bamford is one of the best and most original stand-up comedians working today.  She is a member of the “Comedians Of Comedy” and an all around funny chick in everything that she does.  I am constantly impressed at all of the amazing voices she can do.  They’re not impressions, just voices.  Completely convincing and perfect voices.   Watch the clips.  You will see what I mean.

MARIA BAMFORD – NEMISIS

MARIA BAMFORD – CULTS

If you have ever read anything on this site then there is a 99.999999999999995% chance that you have seen Anchorman.  Being a fan of comedy is being a fan of Anchorman.  So this week it’s double dose of video from the movie I have the most memorized. Plus some interesting trivia from IMDB:

Adam McKay has said that in the first draft of the script, the story was about a planeload of news anchors who crash in the mountains and discover that the plane which they collided was carrying monkeys and martial arts equipment, leading to a battle between cannibalistic newsmen and star-throwing monkeys. (it’s not too late Adam.  I’ll put up some money to see that produced.)

The first draft of the screenplay included suggested actors for various roles: -- Champ Kind: John C. Reilly -- Brick Tamland: Chris Parnell -- Brian Fantana: Ben Stiller -- Ed Harken: Ed Harris -- Garth Holiday: Dan Aykroyd -- Frank Vitchard: Alec Baldwin -- The script also specified another member of the news team, Marshall Connors, with William H. Macy suggested for the part.  (Again, it’s not too late.  I would also love to see that movie made)

Ron Burgundy’s license plate is “IM #1.” (New York doesn’t allow the #, but IMNBR1 is available as of press time)

THE FIGHT SCENE -- ANCHORMAN

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwkUosiayRA

THAT TIME OF THE MONTH -- FROM WAKE UP RON BURGUNDY

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHByqqkDQ4s

This week’s Required Reading is brought to us by The Kids In The Hall.  It’s simple.  It’s funny.  It’s about people eating people.  Everything a good comedy sketch should be.

THE KIDS IN THE HALL -- UNEXPERIENCED CANNIBAL

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sfET8ALfuI

This week it’s another double shot of videos.  I can not for the life of me understand how Eddie Izzard is not a household name (I mean if I had to guess it would be because he is a transvestite and people are stupid about things like that).  He is one of the funniest comedians working today.  Enjoy and trust me, when you are done with these clips you will want to see much much more.

EDDIE IZZARD -- STAR WARS CANTEEN

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp69rg6Hdlo

EDDIE IZZARD -WORLD WAR II

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6omQ5JjjLsE

In this week’s podcast we talked about how The Academy Awards are reluctant to give an award to or even nominate comedies. There is one category however that Oscar is a little less uptight about, Best Original Song.  So this week we pay tribute to two Oscar nominated songs that may not have won but we love anyway.  And seriously, how did these songs lose?

RAY PARKER JR. -- GHOSTBUSTERS (NOMINATED 1984)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvkKX035484

SOUTH PARK -- BLAME CANADA (NOMINATED 1999)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYSYipouABI

On Friday we said goodbye to Late Night With Conan O’Brien.  If you are even remotely a fan of Conan you have probably seen this clip.  If not, good for you because this is probably one of the funniest man on the street segments ever created.  I would normally be very against a character who has a catch phrase, especially if that catch phrase is “…for me to poop on” but somehow it just works here.  Enjoy!

STAR WARS FANS – TRIUMPH ON CONAN

Our last podcast was about commitment.  We focused primarily on stand-up but one of the best examples comes from the world of sketch comedy.  Phil Hartman was the embodiment of commitment.  No matter the character or the premise Phil was one hundred percent devoted to the idea.  He was able to draw you in to whatever he was doing because was so…there.   It was surprisingly difficult however to find sketches online from Phil (no Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer.  Seriously internet, you frighten and confuse me) but here is a classic from his first season on SNL.

PHIL HARTMAN – ONE MORE MISSION

In honor of the official end of the football season (yeah, the pro-bowl was yesterday) and the start of the baseball season soon and George Carlin’s big Grammy win, this week’s Required Reading involves all those things.  We are so damn topical.  Seriously.

If you like sports you will like this clip.  If you hate sports you will like how it makes fun of sports.  If you are just “ah whateva’” about sports, stop being so non committal.  That’s why you can’t find a real relationship.  You need to open your heart if  you ever hope to find true love.   (Warning: This clip doesn’t actually have anything to do with finding true love.  Or does it?  Or doesn’t it?  Or does it?)

GEORGE CARLIN -FOOTBALL VS BASEBALL

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmXacL0Uny0

feature photo from flickr by: bcjordan

This weeks Required Reading turns to the oh so very NSFW Eddie Murphy.  If you were like me and was “on the welfare” as a kid you will appreciate this clip from Delirious.  I know some people have forgotten but before Eddie was Norbit, Dr. Dolittle, and the Klumps he was an amazing stand up comedian.  He’s even recently mentioned that he plans on retiring from movies and returning to stand up.  I have to say, lately I have avoided him like the super flesh eating plague but if his return to stand up brings more material like this I will return.  But if he comes on stage in a fat suit, so help me god…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVN2qmYC_W4

This week’s Required Reading pays tribute to the SNL Digital short.  They restored our faith in Saturday Night Live and proved just how viral original scripted content could be.  Lazy Sunday kicked it all off.  Dick In A Box took it to the next level.  And Natalie Raps, well, it was highly ignored but I think it’s great and I am so impressed that she did.  Show Natalie some love.  Listen to her singing about wanting to F@#K dudes.

This week’s Required Reading comes from sketch comedy gods Mr. Show with Bob and David.  Everyone has seen a bad audition sketch.  This is not one of them.

THE AUDITION -- MR. SHOW WITH BOB AND DAVID.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ZNX1jqbOk

Photo from flickr by mecredis

There is no bigger comedy nerd than Patton Oswalt.  He’s super smart, hilarious and appeared in just about every cult/alternative comedy/cool indy/I think I am better than you because I’ve heard of it comedy show ever…and Ratatouille.   In No Reason to Complain (I don’t want to ruin it, but he still found reasons to complain) he has a pretty strong prediction as to how George Bush wants to end his presidency and since W only has a week to go we figured it was our responsibility to warn you about it in case it happens.   (The first part of the clip talks about other stuff, but it’s still damn funny.)

PATTON OSWALT – THE MOTHER F’n APOCALYPSE

photos on flickr from mikelehen & Zach Klein

Each week we post a item that is a must know for comedy nerds. Of course this is somewhat subjective so please feel free to comment and post links to your personal Required Reading or email us to suggest what you think should make the list. You can reach us at Info(at)thecomedynerds(dot)com.

This week’s required reading comes from the long canceled MTV comedy The Sifl & Olly Show.  It was, as far as we know, the only nationally broadcast show for teens and adults to be done almost entirely by sock puppets.  At the time many people avoided the show because, well, it was a show done almost entirely by sock puppets.  What they missed was a funny, silly and often very clever sketch comedy show.  It’s downfall was probably that is was ahead of it’s time.  If it had come out in the days of Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim it would surely have been a more successful show.  Instead Sifl and Olly will most likely only a be a small footnote in comedy history.  If you like this video we also suggest you hit You Tube and check out My United States of Whatever and many more Sifl and Olly classics.  Yes, sock puppet comedy can have classics.

Silf & Olly – The Panda Song

Each week we post a item that is a must know for comedy nerds. Of course this is somewhat subjective so please feel free to comment and post links to your personal Required Reading or email us to suggest what you think should make the list. You can reach us at Info(at)thecomedynerds(dot)com.

This week’s required reading comes indy comedic musician Jonathan Coulton.  This is one of his more famous songs and hopefully it will get you in the Christmas Spirit.  If it doesn’t work, trying buying us a gift.  That will make everyone feel good.

JONATHAN COULTON – CHIRON BETA PRIME

Each week we post a item that is a must know for comedy nerds. Of course this is somewhat subjective so please feel free to comment and post links to your personal Required Reading or email us to suggest what you think should make the list. You can reach us at Info(at)thecomedynerds(dot)com.

This week’s required reading comes from often mentioned on the podcast comedian Brian Regan. It’s from his first album.

BRIAN REGAN – STUPID IN SCHOOL

Each week we post a item that is a must know for comedy nerds. Of course this is somewhat subjective so please feel free to comment and post links to your personal Required Reading or email us to suggest what you think should make the list. You can reach us at Info(at)thecomedynerds(dot)com.

Welcome to our new weekly feature Required Reading.  If you are going to call yourself a comedy nerd these are the sketches, routines, comedians and shows that you need to know.  Each week we’ll post a item that is a must know for comedy nerds.  Of course this is somewhat subjective so please feel free to comment and post links to your personal Required Reading or please email us to suggest what you think should make the list.  You can reach us at Info(at)thecomedynerds(dot)com.

We kick it all off with The State.  It’s not thought provoking.  There’s no social commentary.  But if you are a comedy nerd and somebody asks you how to make pudding, you better say, “I cook and then I chill.  Awww yeah.”

THE STATE – 240 DOLLARS WORTH OF PUDDING