Last week Michael Ian Black totally lost his shit on stage when an audience member compared Obama to Hitler.  Personally I’m glad he did it.  The audience member, not so much.

In this episode we look at how much a comedian should put their own politics and opinions into their act.  What is their responsibility to the audience?  What is their responsibility to themselves?

Also, find out what’s so special about September 2nd and why it makes Dan a happy (but very sad) person.

photo from flickr by lochnessjess

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

In the week’s episode, we answer some questions from the mailbag. One listener wanted to know the best cities to do comedy in. We spoke on the topic with surprising authority considering 95% of the shows we’ve ever done have been in New York. Another listener asked about when thriving comedy scenes suddenly dry up, and what, if anything, you can do about it. Answer: cry. A lot.

Plus! Be the first on your block to buy Christmas Garbage Shoot Monster! Dustin stars in the lamest Death Wish sequel ever! And Dan will ruin your day. Guaranteed.

So Crocogator didn’t win last night, but it was still a blast! Thanks to Channel 101 NY for screening it.

On a happier note, this. Just watch this:

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON

Out to get you to come to Channel 101 NY this Wednesday, that is. (Boom. Nailed it.)

Dustin and Dan created a five minute pilot called “Crocogator” that will be screened at Channel 101 NY, Wednesday 8/18 at 7:30 at 92YTribeca. You have to come to the live show to vote for us, plus the show is a blast, so we hope to see you there! More info can be found here.

Thievery. In the comedy world there is no greater crime. Should you ever steal? The answer is simple: No. Never. Don’t do it. Except…

What if you come up with something on your own, only to discover there is something similar out there? What if you were doing something first, then a more popular comedian starts doing something like it? What if a comic has a great premise, but they are doing a horrible job of developing it? Can you go in like comedy child services, take it away and give it a better home in your act? And what about all those (alleged) joke thieves that seem to be doing quite well for themselves? Why should you play the game when crime seems to pay so well? We’ll talk about all of it in this completely original episode that is nothing like you’ve ever heard ever!

photo from flickr by cjkarr

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.

Let me tell you a story about something that really happened to me. I recorded a podcast about how much personal material should you talk about on stage. Some people reveal every last terrible detail of their lives. But do you want to walk around in the world having everyone know your deepest, darkest secrets? What about the people in your life, can you talk about things they may have done? Or do barriers equal the death of creativity and comedy, so just throw it all out there? I pee in the shower. There I said. Deal with it America.

Plus! Dan and Dustin are the Aces of Terrible Cakes! CHiPs is back, for some reason. And why is it so hard to give away your internal organs?

from flickr by nepolon

E! Online is reporting that 30 Rock’s Grizzwald “Grizz” Chapman just received a brand spanking new kidney.

Grizz has been battling chronic kidney disease for that past two years and now is looking at a full recovery, if that’s what you call it when someone gives you a kidney.  At least I think someone gave it to him.  It’s possible that he just got fed up and took someone’s kidney, but that doesn’t sound like the Grizz we all know and love. (Dot Com on the other hand…)

Congrats Grizz!

Is there a big comedian of which you are a fan? If so, then Carl Arnheiter has probably talked to them on his fantastic show Inside Joke. Carl specializes in smart, fun, insightful talks with the biggest names in comedy. This week we talk to Carl about some of the people he’s talked to and what he’s learned about comedy while doing it. Carl tells us how the show got started (it involves Jon Stewart, so it’s a pretty good story), and how it has evolved. If you like good talk about comedy, this is the episode for you.

Plus! Did you know there were caddies in the movie “Caddyshack”? Suing younger versions of yourself for defamation: The hot new way to make money? And the dangers of watching too much British comedy, Guv’ner.

photo from inside-joke.com, by Andrew Dickerson.

If you are an improv nerd then today is the bestest day of the year.  The Del Close Marathon begins today at the UCB Theater (and a bunch of other locations as well.  Visit the site for more details.)  For the uninitiated, the Del Close Marathon is to improv nerds what the Playboy Mansion Lingerie Parties are to regular nerds: fun, unbelievably awesome and leaving you feeling very dirty at the end.

DCM12 will be three days of non stop improv.  It’s a bunch of great groups, late night craziness and at least one person that stays all three days who smells like a sewer.

For more info visit the website and do yourself a favor and check out a bunch of the shows.

The comedy club. Perhaps no other words in the English Language fill a comic with such a strange mixture of excitement and dread. Comedy clubs are where the people are, the people who have paid to have you make them laugh. They are also the place of annoying owners, broken mic stands, uncomfortable greenrooms, and drunk hecklers. This week, we try and imagine what the perfect comedy club would look like. Come along with us, to the land of imagination! (The land of imagination has a two-drink minimum).

Plus! Dustin in prison! No more bad comedy club names! And I would pay anything to see The Coen Brother’s “Garfield”.

photo from flickr by josewolff

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

This week comedian Ben Kissel stops by to talk to us about using pop culture as a basis for your comedy. Sure, it’s a good way to get a quick laugh, but if you’re not careful, your jokes may have the shelf life of Vanilla Ice and Justin Bieber fighting to the death with pet rocks and pogs. Done masterfully though, and it can not only be great, but transcend the time and place it was created. Also, remember pogs? Oh man. Pogs.

Plus! Hot in the city! Demolition Man! Silly Bandz! And don’t you hate when you suddenly realize you forgot to do spy stuff?

You can check out Ben’s website here, his podcast here, and and his sh!t list here.

To prove that if there is a divine being he has a dark sense of humor and therefor is like me and therefor I am partially divine,  KGW is reporting that a bunch of people dressed as zombies got into a car crash in Portland. It’s 2010 people, why did it take this long for people dressed as zombified americans to get into a car crash? When the paramedics finally arrived they thought the wounds were way worse then they really were and I’m sure at least one dude thought that zombie apocalypse was finally upon us (which it is not, but it’s coming people.  Get your shotguns and duct tape ready. It’s gonna be a bad one.  I hear this time it’s personal).  Don’t worry.  Everyone was fine, except for the whole being the living undead.

Can you hear that? If you listen real close you can hear the faint sound of the very last part of my childhood being bound, tortured and kill by the very last person who I have who I every thought would try to hurt me, Steve Urkel.  TMZ is reporting today that police are investigation Jaleel White of “Family Matters” fame for allegedly punching the mother of his child right in the implant, which I assume means he punched her in the boob because that’s where most people keep their implants. For serious, who punches people in the boob?  Allegedly Steve Urkel does..

Here’s what TMZ had to say:

Sources familiar with the police report tell us … the alleged victim claims White allegedly punched her in one of her breast implants while they were driving on Pacific Coast Highway two weeks ago, with an infant in the car.  We’re told, she claims when they got home White allegedly slapped her, and pushed her into a toilet so hard it broke the tank.

A rep for Jaleel tells TMZ, “There was absolutely no battery … no abuse … and the incident never happened.”

The rep continues, “This is just a ploy in an ongoing custody battle over their young daughter to tarnish his name.”

He should just blame it all on Stefan, oh wait, no I mean Jafan.

Our week of Friars Club fun concludes with Boston’s own Vanity Project. (Click to listen, right click to download)

Friars Club fun continues with our interview with Free Love Forum…(Click to listen, right click to download)

On July 11th 1804, Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Two hundred years later, two improvisers imagine why.

We couldn’t fit all the Friars Club fun into the podcast so check out our interview with Code Duello. (Click to listen, right click to download)

America is so far behind the rest of the world.  We have poor a poor education system, inadequate health care and the mullet is still completely legal.  Well, according to gawker, Iran has solved at least one of those problems.  They are just the progressivist.   As of today anyone seen wandering around Iran all business in the front, party in the back is going straight to the big house (just as the good lord intended.) as are any other folks with “decadent western cuts”.  Wait, the mullet is a decadent hair cut?

If your planning a trip over to Iran and you just need to know if your flattop or your Adam Lambert glam cut will get you hard time you’ll have to wait for the Modesty and Veil Festival later this month (which I hear is totally the new Bonnaroo.  Get your tickets now cool kids).

photo from flickr by photonooner

This week we are reporting from the FrISC, which is the Friars Club Improv and Sketch Competition. 5 Sketch teams and 5 Improv teams went up against each other and the winner went home with $10,000 to make a short film that will be shown at the Friars Club Film Festival. Dan talks to Sue Constantine, executive director of FrISC, L.A. sketch team “The Midnight Show”, and (spoiler alert!) sketch winners “Harvard Sailing Team” and Sylvia Ozols and Zach Woods of the winning improv team “The Stepfathers”. And get an peak inside the famed Friars Club (well, it’s audio, so I guess that would be a whisper inside?) We have more talks with other sketch and improv teams from the competition we’ll be putting up on the website all week, so be sure to come on by and check ‘em out!

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

Louis CK kicked off his new show last night and it got it so much righter than Lucky Louis.  The two episodes that aired were funny and even at certain times touching.  To me the big problem with Lucky Louie was the chemistry that was suppose to be there and wasn’t.  Louie is all about his lack of chemistry with the rest of the world and it works perfectly.  If you are a fan of Mr. C.K. stand up then you will already be pretty on board.  The show bounces back and forth between him performing at the Cellar and Carolines (I keep seeing his tweets about being in the audience for those like 10 minutes too late) and scenes from his “life”.  While I thought the show could have been a little bit more cohesive it made up for it some heart breaking and hilarious honesty.  Also he showed his ass crack right there on the first night, so you gotta give him credit for that.

There is ESPN Classic. There is VH1 Classic. There is Boomerang (which is like Cartoon Network Classic). There is the History Channel, The Military Channel and the Military History Channel.* So with all these channels, this week Dan and Dustin, along with special guest Michael Hartney, humbly suggest a channel that doesn’t exist, but we wish it did: Comedy Central Classic. We present what our schedules would be for this non-existent (but would totally awesome if it did exist) TV network. Where would you schedule reruns of Strip Mall? Would “Make Me Laugh” still make you laugh? Are you willing to give Marc Maron a little attention and watch “Short Attention Span Theater”? Well curl up on the couch, put on your iPod, and let’s all pretend like it’s 1996 all over again.

Plus! Truth bombs are dropping on the England! We have a sitcom emergency. And a little town called Taloosa.

*Not a joke.

I was looking for a project for this summer and I’ve decided that I am going to read the book “Twilight” and report back to you folks here about my experience. Why am I doing this? One, I am so far away from the target audience, and I want to see what it is like to read a book that is not, and never was, intended for me. When I watched Monty Python for the first time, despite the humor being largely universal, there are still references to 1960’s British life that I had no understanding of. I maintain that I actually had a better experience,  than the people who originally watched it. The show was already so weird that these seemingly random allusions to what I assumed to be invented people, places and culture movements made it seem like it had been beamed from some distance planet. (I mean really, Stratton-upon-Avon? There was no way that was the name of a real place.) So will I find things in “Twilight” that were not intended? There’s only one way to find out.

Secondly, I am a huge fan of passing fads. Ephemeral media whose popularity burned blindingly bright, only to be wadded up and tossed into a garbage can across the room. No matter how we want to remember it now,  Kris Kross and Crash Test Dummies were just as popular as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. And there ain’t a goddamn thing anyone can do about that. So I want to jump into a passing fad as it zooms by. Am I wrong about “Twilight”? Will it be a Pet Rock or the new “Wizard of Oz”? Only time will tell, but as I dive in, I’ll talk about what I think it’s chances are of holding on.

Which leads me to what I do know about Twilight. It’s not much, I haven’t actively avoided it, but I haven’t actively avoided the latest Algerian elections and I don’t know much about those either. Both just don’t come up too much in the circles I run in. Here is what I do know:

• The books involve vampires.

• These vampires glow in the dark.

• The main character’s name is Bella.

• Bella falls in love with a vampire, but they break up, presumably due to the pressure of he being a vampire and her not.

• Bella also falls in love with a werewolf.

• At no point does she fall in love with a mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, or the Leprechaun from the movie “Leprechaun”. At least not that I know of.

So what will I learn on my journey? Will I fall under the spell of the story of a love that dare not speak it’s name or go near garlic? We’ll see. Check back here for the first installment next week. See you then!

In this week’s episode we take a look at the comedy writing lingo and the rules of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker, the film making trio that brought you Airplane!, The Naked Gun and Top Secret! Showing that even in comedies as seemingly scattershot as the ZAZ films, there is a method to the madness. You have to know why the rules work before you break them, or you may find you have deadly silence in places where you were expecting laughs to be. (I’ve been there. It’s not fun.)

Plus! Soccer talk! The confusing corporate structures of “The Office”. We totally recognize people on “Last Comic Standing”. And a desperate plea for a listeners to google something. We would do it ourselves, but you know, we’re, like, busy and stuff.

In case you haven’t seen the new Ok Go video here it is.  As usual, it’s one amazing take and also as usual they make me feel lazy about everything I’ve ever done.  Also here is the best dancing baby in the world.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2fpgpanZAw

Comedians Ben Kissel and Adam Wirtz have been hard at work at a new web series called Ben’s Shit List.  Think The Daily Show.  Think Tosh.O.  Think The Soup.  Now stop thinking and start watching because it’s really funny.

This week’s comedy foot soldier is Comedy Nerd’s favorite Michael Hartney or as I like to call him the hardest working man in sketch comedy (Admittedly, I mostly use that in formal settings, like when the Queen is around).  Michael is a big part of the UCB sketch community and it seems like every day he is adding another project (seriously, check out his list of plugs at the bottom).

He’s simply one of the funniest guys I know and he’s got a stage presence like no else I have ever seen. I am 100% sure that he will be famous one day and I have every intention of begging him to let me ride his coattails.  Don’t miss his highly anticipated one-man show, So I Like Superman, Thursday, June 17th at 6pm at UCB.  Get tickets here before they all go away.

What’s the most important thing you learned since you started doing comedy?
Know yourself. It’s crucial on both the creative and business fronts of this business.

How did you know you were meant to be a comedian?
On March 25th, 1989, I watched my first episode of Saturday Night Live. Mary Tyler Moore was the host. Phil Hartman did this sketch called “Robot Repair”. After I had picked up all the pieces of mind that were blown all over my bedroom floor, I realized that I wanted to do exactly what I had just seen.

What’s been your brightest moment as a comedian?
Last summer, I played Sting at this UCB show called “The Greatest Concert Ever”. I got to be on stage and interact with amazing, amazing talents like Matt Besser, Horatio Sanz, and James Adomian. The fact that my bit went well was just icing on the cake.

What’s been your darkest moment as a comedian?
My first sketch group, Skeeger, did a set at Variety Underground that had zero laughs. Zero. It was the exact same set that we did at Ash Wednesday the night before, at the very same venue, which had killed. So it was a good lesson for us about rolling with punches. Wait; not zero laughs. There was one laugh. My impression of Tom Hanks murdering and burying Jon-Benet Ramsey went well. That isn’t a bit, by the way. It totally happened.

What is your favorite thing going on in comedy right now?
It’s pretty exciting that hilarious people that I know and love are finding success. Not only is it great to see, but it also makes me feel like I myself might not have to waitress for the rest of my life.

What is the scariest thing going on in comedy right now?
What passes for a comedic film these days. I haven’t seen a movie that’s truly funny from start to finish since I Love You, Man. And that came out last spring.

Who do you think is today’s most underappreciated comedian/comedy actor?
There’s a million underrated comedy geniuses, but the fact that Jason Mantzoukas isn’t a household name is especially unjust.

What’s the best advice you ever received as a comedian?
Build a life for yourself outside of comedy. Friendships, romances. A support system. A ton of success won’t matter much if there’s nobody to share it with.

What’s the worst advice you ever received as a comedian?
Move to LA.

What is your craziest show experience?
Skeeger did a show at a bar across from the Manhattan chapter of the Hell’s Angels. Our bartender, who looked like Iggy Pop’s thinner, creepier biker brother mistook a line from our sketch as an insult toward him. He started loudly threatening to kill me until I broke, explaining to him that we were just doing a sketch and that we weren’t addressing him. He promptly apologized and resumed bartending.

What is the biggest source of your comedy?
I do a lot of characters, so I draw from the behavior of the people around me. Family, co-workers, crazy people on the subway. It’s why I’m not huge on listening to my iPod. I miss too much good stuff.

How would you describe your comedy?
It’s mostly dancing.

Quick Hitters
I would like to be known for… my seven-year run on SNL.

Shoot me if I ever… become bulletproof.

I think most comedians are… straight.

The one thing I have never seen a comedian do, but would love to is… fly under his own power.

My favorite comedy bit that I was not involved in is… seasons 1 through 35 of SNL, seasons 1 through 20 of The Simpsons, seasons 1 through 9 of Seinfeld, seasons 1 through 1 of The Comeback, seasons…

My favorite comedy bit that I was involved in is… a sketch show my group Secret Hospital did called The Dinner Table. It was a hilarious sketch show, but it also had heart, and it all took place in the same world, which slowly was revealed as you watched. It just felt like a complete piece of work. And it felt more like theatre than sketch usually does, which I’m a fan of.

People often say they are attracted to a sense of humor. I think that is… true when seeking a mate, and untrue when merely seeking a place to bury your dong.

I would like to plug… my one-man show, So I Like Superman, Thursday, June 17th at 6pm at UCB. You will believe a nerd can believe a man can fly. Chris Kelly directs.

…my improv show The Gator, Tuesdays in June at 11pm at UCB

...my sketch team High Treason’s monthly show at Maude Night, Monday, June 21st at 8pm at UCB

…my monthly gay variety show, The Same Sex-Tacular, which I co-host with the incomparable John Flynn. We both play Tim Gunn and do a real design challenge and runway show during the show. It’s kind of a big deal. The next one will be sometime in July at UCB.

…Caitlin Tegart’s sketch play, Waiting For Obama, Saturday, July 3rd at 7:30pm at UCB. I play George Washington!

…these awesome web shorts I did for Lipton Brisk with Chuck Liddell:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97s4RMsiw1c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1yRV1Oluqc

Sketchfest NYC 2010 has come and gone. You tell yourself to just relax and enjoy it, but it’s hard to stuff that much fun into a single weekend and before you know it, you are waking up a little hungover with aching stomach muscles and smelling vaguely of cigarettes and a McDonald’s dumpster and Sketchfest is over. But we did our best to capture as much of the magic as we could in our own fleeting way through the power of some microphones, a Macbook, and maybe a little something called The Power of Love (or maybe it was “I Want a New Drug”, it’s hard to remember). So sit back and listen to these interviews with sketch comedy powerhouses B.O.F., Two Man No Show, FUCT, Team Submarine, and Audience of Two and keep the spirit alive. Remember, it’s only 362 more days until next year’s Sketchfest!

Don’t forget to check out interviews with Fearsome, Two Fun Men, and Dave and Ethan at thecomedynerds.com.

Last night Sketchfest NYC came to end with a huge party of sketch, drinking and debauchery.  We tried to stay sober enough to bring you a recap of all the great comedy.  Groups included Dave & Ethan, Germans. Pangea 3000. Free Love Forum, Rue Brutaila, Elephant Larry and MURDERFIST.

Click Here to listen to our audio recap of the evening and our interview with Dave and Ethan.

Sketchfest NYC continued last night and again it was packed houses and awesome shows.

The groups included 2 Fun Men, New Excitement, 2-Man No Show, Long Pork, Fearsome, Last Call Cleveland, Dirty Jeans and Thunderchief, The always amazing Kimmy Gatewood and FUCT.

Click Here to listen to our audio recap of the entire night and our interview with 2 Fun Men.

Sketchfest NYC kicked off Thursday evening and we were there and apparently so was everyone else.  The UCB Theatre was packed for every show and the groups delivered.

The awesome line-up included BOF, Harvard Sailing Team, Audience Of Two, Sidecar, Livia Scott, Mace Bacon and a bunch of rockin’ musical comedy acts.  The highlight of the night was SNL alums Tom Davis and Chevy Chase who shared some great personal stories.

Click Here to listen to our audio recap of the entire night and our interview with Fearsome about their new show Grease 3: Threace

TMC, CKC, Beena Steena and Oasis are back at it again.  It’s called How To Make A Hip Hop Hit 101.  If you didn’t know now you know mother f’er.  Turn up your speakers, pour some PBR on the floor of your studio apartment and get ready for some Trizzle Threat.  Also, I am pretty sure they will be at the Sketchfest NYC’s Sketch Rocks music show tomorrow at 11pm so go see them live.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtWu0mhuTkM

Some of the best sketch comedians in the country are coming to the UCB theater this weekend for Sketchfest NYC 2010 and for the second year in a row we will be there to cover all the action.  We’ll talk to the groups, recap the shows and babble on endlessly about our love of good sketch comedy.

Check out the line-up and get tickets here then come back here each morning to get our take.

Thursday, June 10
7pm Best of Friends WITH Harvard Sailing Team
8pm Audience of Two WITH Sidecar
9pm Live and Let Livia WITH Mace Bacon: Worst Guy Ever
10pm Tom Davis: 39 Years of Short-Term Memory Loss
11pm Sketch Rocks: The Music Show

Friday, June 11
7pm Two Fun Men WITH New Excitement
8pm 2-Man No-Show WITH Long Pork
9pm Fearsome presents Grease 3: Threase
10pm Team Submarine WITH Last Call Cleveland
11pm Dirty Jeans & Thunderchief WITH Kimmy Gatewood: 3000 Miles to Figure it Out
12am FUCT

Saturday, June 12
7pm Dave & Ethan WITH Germans GET
8pm Pangea 3000
9pm Free Love Forum WITH Rue Brutalia
10pm Elephant Larry
11pm MURDERFIST

MacGruber was the first SNL movie released in a decade and the box office, to put in gently, was a little disappointing. On this week’s episode, we take a look at the history of SNL movies, and see how each fared both commercially and artistically. And no matter how much money they made, or what the critics thought, every one of these movies has a group of fans that love it (okay, maybe not It’s Pat, but personally, I really liked Stuart Saves His Family). Will we have to wait another decade for an SNL movie to appear, or will we soon be lining up to see Here Comes Gilly? Only time will tell.

Plus! Betty White is the Highlander. Dudley get molested. We got the Gute. And why won’t Tom Selleck just buy a damn helicopter all ready!

In this week’s episode a rabbi, a priest and two podcasters walk into a bar and…ah forget it, those are never funny.  This week we look at religions place in comedy.

How does having faith in a God of some kind effect your sense of humor?  Can you make good jokes about God that aren’t sacrilegious?  Are most comedians going to burn in hell?  Will Dan get some angry letters for his comments at the end of the podcast.  I can tell you for sure that the answer is yes to at least one of those questions.

photo from flickr by Gustavo (lu7frb)

If you are looking for a new home to raise a family have I got place for you.  It’s already getting a lot of buzz from the Wall Street Journal:

“Pristine, charming 3-story, waterfront…with beautiful views.” According to the listing agent, recent improvements include a renovated boathouse, central air and a deck and patio.

Yeah, so it’s the Amityville Horror house where a bunch of people where killed.  But hey, what house doesn’t have bleeding walls these days?  That is why the 1.5 million dollar asking price is totally fair.  Think about it.  The house has the frickin’ gateway to hell in the basement.  It’s walls talk to you in your sleep and make you want to kill your family and it’s still going for 1.5 million.  If that doesn’t say end of the recession I don’t know what does.

On this week’s episode we talk about the television upfronts. Every year the networks put on a big show and present what they have coming in next year. “It’s a family that gets super powers! Ta da!”  It’s all for the advertisers, but we peek through a hole in the fence Little Rascals-style and give you who-that and the what-for of the coming TV season. What new shows will premier? What beloved favorites are canceled? What shows will start a half hour earlier then they currently do? Can you feel it? Taste it? This is the new excitement.

Also? Tom Selleck buys a helicopter and water balloons. A talking dog with shifty eyes. And we say CougarTown a lot. I mean, like, a lot.

photo from flickr by same_same

I don’t know who made this, but if someone informs me, I will happily give them credit. I do know that the responsible person is awesome.

On this week’s episode, we do nothing less than try and help the youth of America. After all, I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Isn’t that nice? I wrote that.

Anyway, we got an email from a listener who is about to graduate high school and wants to someday host his own late-night talk show. So we talk about what he (and maybe you) can do to get there. We tried to be both encouraging and discouraging (because, let’s face it, we’re talking about an field with a extremely low success rate), but we love this stuff too much and end up being just straight up encouraging. What can we say? We’re just too positive. We let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be. Yeah, that’s nice.

photo from flickr by Mr. Mark

Word came late last night from deadline.com that the big wigs over at Comedy Central have canceled The Sarah Silverman Program.  While I have to admit in full disclosure that I stopped watching the show midway through season 2 because Sarah seemed to cartoonishly unlikable to allow for the story to have any meaning I will still miss the show.  It was good to finally have a gross female voice on TV.  We’ve had plenty of Al Bundy’s and Archie Bunker’s on TV to bring us a man saying terrible things only to learn a lesson at the end (only toforget it immediately at the start of the next episode), but Sarah was one the first female voice that I can remember to do that.  It was brave and often very funny.  Did it step over the line sometimes?  Sure, but she was breaking new ground (yes, through poop jokes) and I admire her and the show for it.  Sorry to see you go Sarah.

There are some questions that are impossible to answer:  What is the meaning of life? How do you define beauty?  Why is Betty White So Awesome?  In this episode we try to answer at least one of those questions.

Her Facebook induced SNL appearance was one of the most anticipated episodes in recent history, but why?  Could anyone else have created such a buzz?  Let us know what you think!

photo from flickr by The Enabler

In this week’s episode Dustin and Dan take an in depth look at, oh forget it. Just forget it. Writing these things is too hard. I quit. I just quit.

Naaaah, I’m just joshing with ya. But that did illustrate the topic this week: Quitting. You’ll hear a lot of good advice about sticking it out, not giving up on yourself, finishing what you started, all the Puritan work ethic stuff. But what if the best thing you can do is pull up stakes, leave a brief note and get the heck out of there? This week we’ll discuss how to know when you should give up. Grab a six-pack of Miller High Life, because it’s Quitting Time!

photo from flickr by Zoë Campbell

The White House Correspondents Dinner was this evening and in an attempt to stay super bland they invited Jay Leno.  Although I am not sure why since President Obama is so clearly on Team Coco.  Here’s what he had to say:

“I am glad that the only person whose ratings fell more than mine is here tonight. Great to see you, Jay. I’m also glad that I’m speaking first – because we’ve all seen what happens when somebody takes the time slot after Leno”

From what I’ve heard that got a bigger laugh then anything Leno said all night.

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

So after everyone and their mother posted the clip of Nick Madson stealing Patton Oswalt’s material yesterday Nick posted a reply.  This was his response:

Mr. Oswalt.

I would like to sincerely appologize [sic] to you for everything that has transpired in the last couple days. It is not now, nor was it ever my intent to make a career for myself, or to profit by telling other comics jokes. I understand the work that goes into making something your own, and the pride that one takes in that.

I want to let you know that I was not trying to build a career for myself by telling jokes that you and others had written. I was trying to put together a little show for my good friend, to possibly try and raise some money for his theatre that he is still in the process of getting off the ground. Without a lot of time to prepare for said show, I decided I would pull some of my favorite bits together from comedians I admire, to create a funny performance that might raise some money for his theatre. I did not want to be taped, and I did not want to become a youtube [sic] star, and was not looking for my 5 minutes of fame (however negative). I should have informed the Hilltop Theatre owners that I was going to do a performance made up of jokes and bits from my favorite performers.

Please know that I do not travel around the country telling your jokes. This was a performance that I did as a fundraiser for a crowd of about 12 of our friends. I know this appology [sic] does not take anything back, and does not by any means make anything right. I do not know what I can say, or exactly how to appologize [sic], as I have no personal manager or any one to consult with about my first public scandel [sic]. I hope you can trust I will not go around telling your jokes, and I am sincerely sorry that all of this had to happen. I wish I could take it back and do things differently, but I cannot.

My Deepest Appologies [sic]

Nick Madson

The only problem is that the apology much like Nick’s act is a complete and total lie.  Patton checked and it turns out the it wasn’t a fundraiser, he was paid, he never told anyone he was stealing and claimed it was for a special he was taping later this fall.  WOW!  Dude.  This is bad.  You should not talk any more.  Just stay down.  Here is Patton’s full reply.  You will want to take a read because it is awesome…and frankly I want to make sure I give him as much credit as possible so he doesn’t go after me too.

A comedian stole a bunch of Patton Oswalt’s material and tried to pass if off as his own.  That’s a bad idea.  Like a really bad idea.  He’s not happy about it either.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=twW8GgrbWwc

This week we break down the top 5 Daily Show correspondents of all time.  Seriously, this was hard.  They are all funny.  But someone had to do it (read your Bibles people, it is in there) and we took on the task.

Did your favorite make the list?  Take a listen and find out.  Let us know in the comments who you think should be on the top 5.

Comedy Nerds favorite Tom McCaffrey is rockin’ the mic once again with his new song Less Money, More Problems.  He’s poor with money but rich with rhymes (that sounded less lame in my head. I guess I could go back and erase it…nah.  I mean it’s true.  Tom possesses a plethora of rhymes but a dearth of cash.)  Enjoy!

Just when you thought it was dead and went out like it should, word comes out today from Deadline.com that HBO has picked up Curb Your Enthusiasm for a ten episode second season.  Love the show.  Hate the idea of them holding on too long.

This week we recorded the show live on the internet and listeners wrote in to comment. We’re going to do it again soon, so if you’d like to listen and talk to us and other Comedy Nerds fans, watch this site and we’ll let you know the next time we go live!

We welcomed Comedy Nerds favorite Nick Turner back to talk about Conan O’Brien’s decision to move his show to TBS, land of Tyler Perry and “Just Shoot Me” reruns. Is it a bad idea? Or is it so crazy it just might work? And if it does, what will that do to your DVR queue? Oh, the trials and tribulations of the modern person…

Plus! The birth of Jazz Legend, and the death of nerdy character Nick Turner. The sexual orientation of Dan’s laugh. And universality of Channel 9.

In a move that literally no one saw coming Conan is headed for TBS this November, which as you know is “very funny.” The show will start at 11pm and the super awfulness that is Lopez Tonight will move back to midnight. First reactions: Happy Conan is coming back. Second reaction: You mean the reruns of Family Guy and The Office network? I think this move represents a 25% increase in TBS’ original programing. Third reaction: Conan is going to basic cable and not going to Comedy Central? Someone screwed up there. Even Conan was quoted as saying: “In three months I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly.” Also, the show will now be presented by Tyler Perry.

Folks, some weeks we have a show for you and some weeks we have a show. Know what I’m saying? You don’t? Hmm. Let me start over.

This week we welcome the delightful Abbi Crutchfield and Andrew Singer (who is also known as Soce, The Elemental Wizard, which is only like the best name ever). They talk about co-producing and co-hosting their show Positively Awesome. Perhaps their tales will teach Dan and Dustin a thing or two about peacefully co-hosting a show. But probably not.

Plus! When is a comedy show like “American Gladiators”? (hint: when it’s awesome!) A bubble-boy bit fails to pay off! Trust falls! And we play a track from Soce called “Running Free”.

See what I’m saying people? That is a show!

Image from flickr by lonesome:cycler

This Wednesday we are going to streaming the podcast live on ustream.tv and right here on the site.  If you’ve ever wanted to join in on the conversation, yell at us for things we missed or just ask us a question now is your chance.

We’ll be starting the show at 7:30 pm eastern time on Wednesday April 14th.  You’ll be able to comment on the site and we’ll respond to whatever you say as we go (except things that reference sexual acts and our mothers/fathers/wives) and if it works out we may even invest in a hotline to have people call in during the show.

UCB awesome dude and close personal friend of Diddy Chris Gethard has been cast as the lead in a new Comedy Central series along side Chris Parnell and Horatio Sanz.  The series was originally set to star Jon Heder of Napoleon Dynamite fame but Heder left over creative differences.  His differences are our good fortune as Chris Gethard is one hilarious and super nice dude.  Congrats Chris!

They said it couldn’t be done. But we did it. It’s done. It happened. Get used to it. The Comedy Nerds has hit it’s 100th episode.

And to commemorate this auspicious occasion, The (Wo)man. The Myth. The Legend. Sound Engineer has stepped out from behind the audio console and in front of a microphone. She’ll talk about overcoming stage fright and making it to 100 episodes.

Plus! I am the man who will fight for your honor. I’ll be the hero you’re dreaming. We’ll live forever, knowing together that we did it all for the glory of love. 100!!!

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

In this week’s episode we welcome comedic actress and character maven Ann Carr. She talks with us about how she comes up with the characters she brings to the stage, and her new web series “The Actress”. And we get all James Lipton and ask if we can “meet” a few of these crazy folks inside her head.

Plus! Dan pitches Ann on his screenplay involving six different sizes of fat suits. A bowl of five thousand brown M&M’s. AND INSIDE JOKE ATTACK!!!!

Photo by Anya Garrett.

This week’s comedy foot soldier, Nick Turner, should be very familiar to fans of our podcast.  Nick is one of hardest working comics in NYC.  He’s got his hands in everything.  He does stand-up (hosting one of the longer running shows in the city), sketch (with a bunch of folks including me sometimes), makes online videos (for College Humor amongst many others)  and he even appeared in a promotional video with Stephen Baldwin.  Have you been a promotional video with Stephen Baldwin?  No? Then Nick Turner wins!!!!!  Nick makes everything he works on better and is comedic talent that needs to get unleashed on the world.

What’s the most important thing you learned since you started doing comedy?
Work. It’s all about the work. The harder you work, the easier it is.

How did you know you were meant to be a comedian?
I’ve been fired 12 times. What the fuck else am I gonna do? I learned pretty early on that being funny was my worth. Also, I use it to mask my insecurities. And I have a lot of insecurities.

What’s been your brightest moment as a comedian?
The 11th time I was asked to appear on The Comedy Nerds podcast. (Editor’s Note: Mine too.)

What’s been your darkest moment as a comedian?
Having to move to DC for a while cause I was so broke. DC was fine but just the fact that I wasn’t moving forward where I wanted to was tough.

What is your favorite thing going on in comedy right now?
People booking me on shows.

What is the scariest thing going on in comedy right now?
Expectations.

Who do you think is today’s most under appreciated comedian/comedy actor?
Nick Turner. Fuck the world.

What’s the best advice you ever received as a comedian?
No amount of networking will get you as far as getting better at comedy will.

What’s the worst advice you ever received as a comedian?
Bringers.

What is your craziest show experience?
I was touring w/ this play a few year ago and one of the shows ended in a mini riot where an audience member was choked out and one of the actors was repeatedly punched and kicked. Insanity.

What is the biggest source of your comedy?
My own personal poverty. If I ever become successful my act is toast.

How would you describe your comedy?
Yelly (Involves a lot of yelling. I found my voice, and it is loud)

Quick Hitters

I would like to be known for… years to come

Shoot me if I ever… shoot you w/o probable cause

I think most comedians are… not actually comedians

The one thing I have never seen a comedian do, but would love to is… Beat up a heckler

My favorite comedy bit that I was not involved in is… Happy Fun Ball. Google it.

My favorite comedy bit that I was involved in is… I’m Gonna Kill the President. Google it. (Editor’s Note: Google at your own risk.  We are not responsible if you get arrested.)

People often say they are attracted to a sense of humor. I think that is… My one saving grace.

I would like to plug… Too Cool for School. I host the Show w/ Jason Saenz every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month at Coco 66 in Greenpoint.

In this week’s episode we go over the list “Date Night ” director Shawn Levy had in the latest issue of “Entertainment Weekly” on how to direct comedians in a movie. Do you need to treat comedians like they are bratty little children? We want to say no, but the answer is, yeah, probably.

Plus! Dustin once again bests Dan in an imaginary future full of pointless inventions. The hilarious outtake reel from “Schindler’s List” that is no doubt out there somewhere. And “Sad News From The Past” gets happy!

picture from flickr by dreamagicjp

Jon did a LONG (in Daily Show terms) Glen Beck impression/parody last night and every moment of it is awesome.  No more talking.  Just watch!

Ann Carr is a super talented comedic actress and she’s making a damn good web series called appropriately enough “The Actress” and I highly recommend checking it out.  I’ve seen a lot of web series type things and this is one of the best.  So many of them turn into these loud farty, quick hitty, contrived pieces of crap.   This is not that.

This is a smart, subtle, funny and kind of real look at the struggles of trying to survive as an actress in New York City.  Below is episode 2 (you can find episode one here ) and look for episode 3 coming out mid-April.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa-4NBJbRxc

The good news just keeps on coming for Comedy Nerds favorite Baron Vaughn.  It was reported last night that USA picked up “Facing Kate” with Baron as a regular character.  If you are not already a huge fan of the dude you soon will be.  He’s one of the most talented and nicest guys in the business and I look forward to seeing him on my TV.

On this week’s show we discuss seizing opportunities, and we seized the opportunity to have the always fantastic Kenny Zimlinghaus come on and help us work it out. It’s a rough world out there, no matter how good you are you’ll get kicked in the teeth a few times. How do you keep your spirits up and recognize a good chance when it comes along? And can you learn to be happy with what you all ready have?

Plus! Would this be a better show if it was “Friends Nerds”? Lindsey Lohan lets us know she is a filthy drunken skank. And DIG UP THE GRAVE! DIG UP THE GRAVE! DIG UP THE GRAVE! DIG IT UP!

If you haven’t already experienced the brilliance that is Reggie Watts then stop it!  Reggie Watts is  funny and absurd and very unique and you need to letting him make you laugh.  Check out this video to promote his upcoming album and DVD “Why Shit So Crazy?”  But we warned it is just as not safe for work as it is awesome.

The comedy contingent of Bonnaroo was announced today and it is frickin’ awesome.  I would be wiling to sell a semi-vital organ to to these shows.  First off, Conan O’Brien!  Do you even need a second off?  Fine, if you are going to be greedy about it here is the full line-up including Comedy Nerds favorite Baron Vaughn:

Conan O’Brien
Margaret Cho
Aziz Ansari
Jeffrey Ross Roasts Bonnaroo
Greg Giraldo
Bo Burnham
Doug Benson
Nick Kroll
Paul Scheer
Rob Huebel
John Roberts
Baron Vaughn
Chelsea Peretti

Conan will be performing and hosting two of the nights.  Bonnaroo is June 10th-13 in Manchester, TN.  You can order tickets here.  Feel free to get tickets for me as well.

One of the most annoying things about running a comedy show (other than finding a venue, booking guests, promoting the show and finding a tech person) is keeping track of times for comedians and giving them the light.  Perhaps it’s because I am crazy necrotic but I end up getting so caught up in timing that I have a tough time enjoying the show.  There must be something someone can do to help me!

Oh wait, there totally is.  A comedian/software engineer from San Francisco named Toby Muresianu felt our pain and made an app for the iPhone called “The Light”.  Let’s be honest, it’s rare that a comedian has any other useful skill to offer society so we all really lucked on this one.

The App lets you set a a countdown timer and then reminds you at fixed times when the comedian’s time is almost up, then it lets you give them a bright light with the time left.  It’s a super convenient app for any show producers and best of all it’s free!  So click here and download it to your iphone.  And tell’em Dustin sent ya.  They won’t know who the hell that is so it will be a little awkward but fun.

The lovely Betty White has finally confirmed that she will be appearing on an upcoming episode of SNL accoring to People:

When asked by PEOPLE, “Are you doing Saturday Night Live,” she answered, “Yes,” even if she remains perplexed by the groundswell of support.  “I don’t know why or how,” she says, “but it’s been wonderful.”

Why were we all supporting you Betty White?  Because you are fun cool lady who still gets it. And lets be honest Betty, you’ve always been at your best when you are a bit naughty (don’t read anything sexual into that you pervs.  Okay maybe a little) and SNL knows that and will have you doing awesome things (I vote for making out with Jenny Slate or doing Really? with Seth and Betty).  Plus you’ve made us laugh since…well, pretty much as long as anyone who is reading this has been alive.  I can’t wait!

This week’s episode of The Comedy Nerds is filmed in front of a live studio audience. Okay, not really but we did discuss that strange beast known at as the studio audience. A group of strangers you can’t see who have been carefully primed to laugh and cheer at everything you say and do.

How do you avoid becoming spoiled by this? Can you tell the difference when they applaud for you, and when they applaud just because the “Applause” sign lit up? Oh it is a conundrum, I’ll tell you that.

Plus! I’m not out of order! You’re out of order! It’s my football now! A break in our Cold Case! And once a upon a time, someone got kicked by a pony.

photo from flickr by Your Secret Admiral

Hey, remember that void left by Conan being off the air? Remember how we all need something awesome in late night to make up for the vortex of unfunnyness that is Jay Leno?  Well, I think after a year on the air Jimmy Fallon is finally proving he can be that awesome thing we need.  Yeah, the dude kicked off his first episode paying people to lick things for money.  I remember that.  But that was one year ago.

Last night he made up for everything by reuniting the cast of California Dreams.  Some people might have forgotten about them entirely.  Others may never have known who they were in the first place.  But for the vast vast majority of us who still have a poster of The Dreams on their wall or who relentlessly try to convince people to call them Sly so they can be cool 90′s style this was moment that will be remembered FOREVER!

Thank you Mr. Fallon.  Thank you cast of California Dreams.  Thank you Peter Engel for making all those wonderful shows about teenagers getting into hilarious situations (What up City Guys and Hang Time!). Most of all, thank you nostalgia for making these shows way more entertaining in my memory then they really were.  Check out the video below of them rocking the world with the California Dreams theme song.  On an unrelated note, has anyone seen my AARP card.  I though I left in next to my pills.  Who are you again?

This week we ask the question “Is comedy cool?” On one hand, a lot of cool people seem to like it, so that’s cool. But comedians do a lot of ridiculous, humiliating things. That’s not cool. Dan and Dustin will try to get to the bottom of it, while contemplating the cool paradox: if you try to be cool, you are not cool, if you don’t try to be cool, you are cool. Unless you’re not. But then maybe the sheer amount of your uncoolness makes you cool. I know three things that are definitely cool no matter what though, smoking behind the school, hoverboards, and recording an entire episode about whether something is cool or not. Bam! Super-cool!

Plus! Why did celebrities take second jobs on Scooby Doo? The rules that govern 80s movie house parties. And we decide to Cold Case that shit. Let’s do this!

Stephen Colbert finished his amazing coverage of the Vancouver Olympics last night with an interview with Olympic Gold Medalist Shani Davis.  NBC’s Al Micheals said he would repeat his famous “Do you believe in miracles?” line if after winning Gold Shani Davis said thank you Stephen.  Well folks, it’s time to start believing in miracles! And aliens!  For entirely unrelated reasons! Or at least that’s what they want you to think!

Andrew Koenig’s body was found today in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. It appears he took his own life. You can read more on cnn.com and watch the press conference.

I can’t tell you how much I hate that this is how the story ends. My heart goes out to his friends and family.

First they came for Transformers and I did not speak out because the show was already ridiculous.

Then they came for G.I. Joe and I did not speak out because Marlon Wayans needs the work.

Then they came for Speedy Gonzales and I told them to go F*&K themselves because that’s a stupid f*&king idea.

Reuters in reporting that George Lopez has signed on tobe the voice of Speedy Gonzales in a new movie by New Line Cinema.  Correction the new lest racisty Speedy Gonzales.

“We wanted to make sure that it was not the Speedy of the 1950s — the racist Speedy,” said the comedian’s wife Ann Lopez, who will serve alongside him as a producer. “Speedy’s going to be a misunderstood boy who comes from a family that works in a very meticulous setting, and he’s a little too fast for what they do. He makes a mess of that. So he has to go out in the world to find what he’s good at.”

That path becomes clearer once Speedy befriends a gun-shy race-car driver.

Now before you go thinking, wasn’t the original Speedy Gonzales cartoons (which apparently won a flippin Academy Award) kind of boring as it is?  Won’t it be difficult to make such a repetitive and simplistic character into a full length movie?  Don’t worry because “Garfield scribes Alec Sokolow and Joel Cohen will write the script”.   So as you can see it’s in good hands.

Also, didn’t Family guy already do this…(warning, clip is super low quality)

This week’s Comedy Foot Soldier, Joselyn Hughes has rocked all the big comedy scenes in the United States.  She started it all off in Chicago.  But  soon she was like, “I can go bigger” and headed to New York City.  Then she was like “I can go warmer!” and made the move out to LA.  Now she’s making tanned west coasters laugh on stage and everyone laugh online as a blogger for the Comedy Central show Tosh.0.  Plus she’s got one of the most entertaining twitter accounts out there.

What’s the most important thing you learned since you started doing comedy?
Patience. Patience. Wait for it… patience.  See what I did there?

How did you know you were meant to be a comedian?
When I started it was the first time I ever felt like I fit in anywhere. (Violins playing) It just felt right. Like that whole running in a field of flowers with a microphone kind of right.

What’s been your brightest moment as a comedian?
Every time I’m part of a great show and hanging out with everyone on it afterwards. That’s the best.

What’s been your darkest moment as a comedian?
Having to push through a bad set — in the middle, it can be dark. And in that moment, you feel like it’s the darkest. But as long as you keep going and keep your shit together, it’s always better by the end.

What is your favorite thing going on in comedy right now?
My friends doing well. That’s the best.

What is the scariest thing going on in comedy right now?
I would say I’ve seen some shitty behavior in scenes I used to be a part of. That makes my funny heart sad.

Who do you think is today’s most under-appreciated comedian/comedy actor?
There are so many. Can I say me? Then put “she laughs” in here so people don’t think I’m a dick. But honestly, there are a lot. (me) I think the point is that eventually, if you’re funny (me), you’ll get somewhere (me one more time).

What’s the best advice you ever received as a comedian?
To be patient. (See above, it’s important)

What’s the worst advice you ever received as a comedian?
Lots of bad comics have tried to give me advice, and they’re all still in the same place there were when they gave it to me. So don’t listen to jerks.

What is your craziest show experience?
I can’t tell if this should be crappy crazy or good crazy. I think standing on a bar stool in Brooklyn and screaming to everyone in it that there was actually a show going on in the back would be the crappiest crazy one. But that’s not something I’d do now. But I’m glad I did it. Yous gots to do the bads.

What is the biggest source of your comedy?
My life and what I like. (Say “she laughs” here again.)

How would you describe your comedy?
You sound like my uncle’s friends at his retirement party. I don’t know. I just try to be myself. So I’d say “Joselyn-esque.” How you like me now!? (EDITOR’S NOTE:  Are you saying I’m old with high pants and a lot of gross long nose hairs?  Because I trim my nose hairs thank you very much!)

Have you had to change anything since moving to LA?
Getting used to not getting up as much. Learning about a TV show. Experiencing this “happiness” that everyone’s been talking about. Oh, and getting all this nasty sunshine. Gross, it’s warm on my skin! Ah!

Quick Hitters

I would like to be known for… Being funny.

Shoot me if I ever… Turn into an asshole.

I think most comedians are… Great and really fun to be around.

The one thing I have never seen a comedian do, but would love to is… Solve a difficult math problem. (I wouldn’t really love to see that, but this is a weird “quick hit” question to start with, let’s be honest.) (EDITOR’S NOTE: Maybe.  Or maybe a weird “quick hit” question would be “Define truth using only the Socratic method then compare that to the plight of migrating Maine Lobster and the effects of global warming”.  I guess both can be considered a little odd.)

My favorite comedy bit that I was not involved in is… God, I love what my friends do. This is hard to pick, but let’s not be weird about it. Guys! Let’s not be weird. Am I being weird? I might be. This is too hard to pick. I’m exhausted thinking about it. Can we move on?

My favorite comedy bit that I was involved in is… The Foreign Accent Syndrome video I made with Jon Friedman… anything I made with Front Page Films or Brooke Van Poppelen (MACHO).

People often say they are attracted to a sense of humor. I think that is… Absolutely true, unless you’re a funny girl and then it gets complicated. Let’s not go there! (I snap once.)

I would like to plug… Me. Follow me on twitter, NOW. @joselynhughes. Oh, and joselynhughes.com. And Tosh.0. Watch it because Daniel Tosh is the funniest person I’ve ever met. Word is bond.

I guess we should have know we couldn’t have kept him for ourselves forever.

Friend of The Comedy Nerds, Michael Hartney is co-hosting a show at the UCB Theater NY along with the wonderful John Flynn. It will be this Saturday at midnight. You should go, unless you want to miss out on something awesome. It’s going to be a gay old time! The Same Sex-tacular!

You can hear Michael discuss the show on the UCB Theater podcast, which is fantastic and is hosted by the equally fantastic Will Hines and John Frusciante. You can find that here: Competing Podcast!

Fierce!

See what I did there?  Shot – Archer.  Yeah…  Anyway, the Hollywood Reporter is reporting that FX picked up Archer for 13 episodes of season 2.  I’ll admit it, I wasn’t a big fan of the first episode and almost didn’t watch on.  But I knew…I knew that H. Jon Benjamin was not going to lead me astray and I was right!  The show got a lot better.

If you haven’t checked it out (or are like me and are silently protesting FX for no other reason than that it feels weird to consider them a real channel even though they have plenty of good and popular shows) you can watch the first 3 episodes on Hulu (maybe skip to “Diversity Hire” if you are quick to judge).  I’m sure you will think Archer is a hit!  That was too much wasn’t it?  I was forcing that one and you can totally tell.  I’m sorry.  You deserve better.

Conan said “don’t be cynical”.  That’s easy for him to say.  He’s got to host The Tonight Show and then got a check for a billion dollars to not host The Tonight Show.  What about the rest of us?  Comedy is so frequently about explaining how screwed up the world is that it seems only natural that all those godless angry comedians would be cynical.

In this week’s podcast we determine if  comedians can avoid being cynical, explain why random eggs on the street make Dustin a better comedian and reveal who Dan’s not so secret man crush is.  Also, how cute is that puppy?  You can’t be cynical looking at the face.  Problem solved!

On a very serious note, please read the following from Dave Holmes blog:

“Andrew Koenig (AK-47, the video guy on “Never Not Funny,” and “Boner” from “Growing Pains”) has been missing for a week, last seen 2/14 in Vancouver. Didn’t make his flight back to the US on 2/16. The Vancouver Police are involved, and lots of people are looking. Could you reblog this and help get the word out? And say some prayers or think some positive thoughts?”

Please don’t think this is a joke because of the names.  If you hear or see anything please get the word out.

UPDATE:  From the Comic’s Comic
Jenny Magenta, whom Koenig had been staying with in Vancouver before his disappearance, posted a message last night on Facebook, that read in part:

“If you have seen him, emailed him or had any contact after the 14th/15th or spent time with him during his stay in Vancouver and the police HAVE NOT contacted you yet, please call Detective Raymond Payette and his phone is 604-717-2534 and provide the information you have. Please do not call 911.”

Dude?  Sinbad is back.  No.  I’m serious.  He’s going to be on Comedy Central this Sunday.  No.  Calm down.  Calm down.  He’s not going to be in a movie.  It’s just a stand-up special.  Yeah, I think he totally realizes he’s been MIA for like a decade, that’s why he called his special “Where U Been?”.  No, he dresses like a normal person.  I agree.  I thought he would too.  He’s in like normal clothes. Yeah, I totally agree, he could be a little hack from time to time but generally he had some funny jokes.  Yeah, I’m curious to see how it is too.

I’m sorry, what was that?  Screw you.  You can’t talk to me like that even if you are a person I made up in my head.  Yes, I did make you up in my head.  No that doesn’t make me crazy.  No it doesn’t.  What?  Yeah.  So what?  Some things do need to get set on fire and yes I find the flames both beautiful and strangely erotic.  That’s normal.  Can we get back to Sinbad’s special this weekend.  Fine.  Well, I am going to watch.  And I am not crazy!  To prove it I am going to write “I’m not crazy” on my wall 3,000 times in my own blood and then we’ll see who needs to go back on him medication you stupid in my brain person.  Or are you real…  I better go.

Captain of PR stunts and hero of the US Speed Skating team* Stephen Colbert  dropped by the NBC studios last night to talk with Bob Costas. You can check out the interview here.  I’m pretty sure this is the first time I have ever seen Bob Costas actually laugh.

And listen, I’m not saying that Stephen is a witch, but at the end of the interview he climbs in the fire in the back of the studio and comes out completely fine.  Proof of lack of authenticity at the NBC studios or proof that Stephen can’t be killed?  You decide.

I personally prefer to think that Stephen sacrifices a goat to a three horned God of War every night before he goes to sleep in his footy pajamas and has been granted immortality and the ability to read women’s minds Mel Gibson style.  But that’s just me.

*because of his amazing assistant sports psychology not his money.

Yo kid, this we’ve got the street thug/stand-up comedian known as TMC (a.k.a. Tom McCaffrey) in the studio to bust so dope rhymes and dazzle with his flow.  God, I am so damn gangsta its crazy.

Tom teaches up the art of proper comedy rap, we discuss life on the mean streets of NYC and he drops a little freestyle on us.  Kick it!

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.

All right, let’s all take it down a notch. This week we welcome rising comedy star Dave Hill to talk about low energy comedy. It takes a special kind of talent to pull off low energy comedy, and Dave is a master at it. Whether on this own talk show, the Dave Hill Explosion or his TV show “King of Miami” he keeps the audience hanging on his every carefully chosen word. Join us as we delve into the world of keeping it down low while..keeping the laughs…high? Man, these things are hard to write sometimes.

Plus! Ramen noodles! Merv Griffin! Dick Cavett! And everyone on this show was just nominated for the highly prestigous ECNY awards! Some of us in more than one catergory, but who’s counting? (I am. Very closely.) There’s a lot going on in this episode, you better get to it!

The ECNY Nominations were announced this afternoon Kumail Nanjiani and Kambri Crews and ran live on Ustream.tv all Oscars style.  And oh yeah, we totally got nominated for Best Website.  You can vote here (and please do).  Did I mention that all the other nominees are pro communism because they are.  F’n commies.  Here is the list of all the nominees:

Best Female Stand-Up
Claudia Cogan
Katina Corrao
Morgan Murphy
Giulia Rozzi
Brooke Van Poppelen

Best Male Stand-Up
Hannibal Buress
Pete Holmes
Sean Patton
Rory Scovel
Baron Vaughn

Best Sketch Comedy Group
BoF (Best of Friends)
Elephant Larry
Murderfist
New Exc!tement
Team Submarine

Best Improv Group
Big Black Car
Death By Roo Roo
I Eat Pandas
Improvised Shakespeare Company
Stepfathers

Best Host
Chris Gethard
Seth Herzog
Pete Holmes and Jessi Klein
Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate and Max Silvestri
Joe Mande and Noah Garfinkel

Best Musical Comedy Act (Solo or Group)
Adira Amram
Shayna Ferm
Leibya Rogers (Mindy Raf)
Snakes
Stuckey & Murray

Best One Person Show
Big in Japan – Dave Hill
Dead Millionaire – Jenny Slate
Fag Life: A Conversation with Fred Phelps – Brent James Sullivan
Supernormal – Tom Shillue
Use It – Ann Carr

Best Short Comedic Film
DAMN (You Wish) – Carolyn Castiglia, Tom McCaffrey, Mara Herron, and Anya Garrett
Eagles are Turning People into Horses – BriTANick
Everyone Poops Trailer – Landline TV
Hey That’s Awesome!: 2012 – Rob Lathan w/Bobby Moynihan
What Do You Want on Your Tombstone? – Elephant Larry

Best Technician
Jon Gutierrez
Geoff Grimwood
Carol Hartsell
Frank Hejl
Rich Jones

Best Variety Show
Fifty First Jokes
Moonwork: An Evening of Original Works
Rejection Show
Risk! True Tales Boldly Told
Whiplash

Outstanding Achievement in Flyer or Postcard Design
Agorafabulous: Mike Wang and Lauren Goldberg
Brown Ambition: Anya Garrett
Fag Life: A Conversation with Fred Phelps: Mindy Tucker
Heart of Darkness – Dimitri Drjuchin
Swords Improv: Bradford Jordan and Eric Michael Pearson

Best Website
FRONTPAGEFILMS.COM
THEAPIARY.ORG
THECOMEDYNERDS.COM
THECOMICSCOMIC.COM
URDB.COM
VIDEOGUM.COM

Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Tweeting
@FRIEDMANJON
@JULIEKLAUSNER
@LIZZWINSTEAD
@MRDAVEHILL
@RANDAZZOJ

Best Book
All Local Bands Suck (Except Ours) – Porter Mason
And Here’s the Kicker: Conversations with 21 Top Humor Writers on their Craft – Mike Sacks
Get Rich Cheating: The Crooked Path to Easy Street – Jeff Kreisler
Rejected: Tales of the Failed, Dumped and Cancelled – Jon Friedman
The Terrible, Horrible Temp-to-Perm Debacle: Book Two in the Just Make a Choice! Series – Bob Powers
The Will to Whatevs: A Guide to Modern Life – Eugene Mirman

Emerging Comic Award
Myq Kaplan
Mike Lawrence
Kate McKinnon
Thomas Middleditch
Dan St. Germain
Brent Sullivan

This week’s comedy foot solider, Katherine Bryant,  is one of my closest friends and one of the funniest women I know.  She is one hard core bad ass comedian!  She’s unafraid (but small), unapologetic (but nice), and original (without being annoying).  Plus she let me give her her nickname in college (it was and as far as I am concerned is Chuck.  Please everyone start calling her Chuck again).  That’s a bond that can never be broken.

Also, I will never forget the time we spend together in Your Mom (a sketch group we were in together a few years back).  She was great in Your Mom.  For sure she was the prettiest person ever in Your Mom.  She loved Your Mom and Your Mom loved her right back.  Is that enough Your Mom jokes?  Okay, one more.  She was with me in  Your Mom for over three years and we often talk about getting Your Mom back together to do it one more time.  Point is, she is incredibly funny and one of the most recognizable and respected forces in the NYC sketch community.

What’s the most important thing you learned since you started doing comedy?
Be active. Go see shows. Get inspired. It’s so important to see what everyone’s up to*. It’s the best way to find your own style and be part of the comedy community. In comedy, as in life, it’s about relationships and collaborations.

*Brought to you by the Joke Stealers Association.

How did you know you were meant to be a comedian?
I used to get in trouble a lot as a kid for commenting out loud on everything and everyone. When you’re “making fun” of things as a kid, you’re a smartass. But when you do it as an adult, you’re a comedian. It’s just in me.

What’s been your brightest moment as a comedian?
Some of the best moments happen off stage when you’re not even thinking about comedy. It’s the moment everyone is sitting around and one person says something that sparks an idea. Then it’s a laser storm of wit and one upmanship as everyone builds on and adds their panache and style. The idea goes through a virtual puberty becoming a fully-fledged sketch/bit. It’s magic to be part of.

What’s been your darkest moment as a comedian?
We’ve all done shows where you’re so pumped to perform the shit out of your jokes/sketches/bits only to realize that the audience consists of your boyfriend and the theatre intern. It sucks. It’s enough to make you want to drink bleach and take a forever nap.

What is your favorite thing going on in comedy right now?
Conan.

What is the scariest thing going on in comedy right now?
Conan being fired over Leno. How can that happen?

Who do you think is today’s most underappreciated comedian/comedy actor?
Conan. But just by NBC. Seriously though, that guy is so smart and amazing. The goodbye speech on his last show was so touching and down to earth. Down with cynicism!

What’s the best advice you ever received as a comedian?
“Be honest.” It’s clear when you see a comedian who is “trying” too hard or has hung their performance on a gimmick. I love when performers give you a piece of themselves and not some cooked up bullshit they thought would be funny.

What’s the worst advice you ever received as a comedian?
“Wing it.” As a sketch comedian, that’s the last thing I want to do. Fearsome is often revered for being tight and that comes from a lot of forethought and rehearsing. We take pride in preparation. I hate sloppy, lazy performances. It’s disrespectful to the people who spent energy and money coming to see your show.

What is your craziest show experience?
Fearsome once performed at a burlesque night out in Greenpoint. We followed Dizzy Swank, one of NYCs only male lumberjack-themed dancers.

What is the biggest source of your comedy?
Wigs. And sometime mustaches. But mostly my inspiration comes from the energy and imagination of the amazing comedians I get to play with.

How would you describe your comedy?
Really dry and a bit dirty. So, like dog food you find under the couch, I guess.

Quick Hitters

I would like to be known for…being someone people want to have a beer with.

Shoot me if I ever…break into your house. I’ve clearly taken up with the wrong crowd and it’s doubtful I’ll make it back to the honest life.

I think most comedians are…attention getters.

The one thing I have never seen a comedian do, but would love to is…Hey, if I knew a really great idea that no one has seen before, I wouldn’t tell you here. I would just go do it myself. Wait…are you a member of the Joke Stealers Association?

My favorite comedy bit that I was not involved in is… Eddie Izzard’s Heimlich Maneuver; Do You Have a Flag; and Cake or Death bits.

My favorite comedy bit that I was involved in is… Fearsome performed Shayna Ferm’s first song, “But Hold Me” which is funny because it sounds like we’re saying “Butthole Me.” Once at the end of the song we put fudge on our fingers and made a circular, butthole-like shape that Shay’s head popped out of. The fudge smeared all over her face. So ridiculous and classy.

People often say they are attracted to a sense of humor. I think that is…true but those people need to think more outside the box when it comes to their e-harmony profiles.

I would like to plug…
“The Worst Guy Ever” – More Info Here
Two short films created by my Film Racing team, Fast Moon Films:100 Hour Film Race: Noir & Peace – Watch Here
24 Hour Film Race: What Little Remains: – Watch Here
Sketchfest NYC, June 2010
And coming this summer…a show written by myself and the one and only Shayna Ferm.

The NBC-Universal mural at 30 Rock is the latest victim of the Great Late Night War. It once featured Conan O’Brien as an equal among NBC’s late night warriors.

While a giant, smiling Jay Leno seemed to rule the land as a benevolent god.

Now, not only is Conan banished, but Jay seems to have returned to human form, perhaps as a messiah, come to forgive NBC for its sins.

Meanwhile, the NBC store window that once hawked “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” merchandise…

…now advertises a 40% clearance sale. Perhaps an apt metaphor for NBC’s prospects in the near future? Or is it just the end of tourist season? All right, fine, it’s probably the second option.

“The great red-head hawk shall be killed and eaten by the hideous big-chinned sloth, while in a far off kingdom the cantankerous otter shall laugh. Also, Kimmel’s show will be pretty funny for a week and a half.” – Nostradamus 1561

The future! No one knows what will happen in the future, but this week Dan, Dustin and guest Nick Turner give it a shot, as we try to guess what the future of comedy will be, and read some predictions from our listening audience. Are we right? Are we way off? If you are reading this in the year 2037 leave us a comment and let us know how we did. FROM THE FUTURE!!! (currently your present).

Photo from flickr by merrick_monroe

(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

In this special late Friday night semi-drunkin’ episode we review the very last Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien ever.

Join us and guest Michael Hartney as we say good-bye to the red haired wonder that is CoCo.  Conan, you will be missed…until you return in September most likely.

This week’s comedy Foot Soldier is Kansas City born stand-up comedian Danny Solomon.  In just his first two years in NYC the dude is all over the place.  Where can you see him performing?  Every damn place!  He’s doing Comedy Festivals, most recently the New Orleans Comedy Festival (to raise money for Voodoo Rights).  He’s at all the big Comedy venues, like Comix and the UCB theatre.  Plus he founded the “All Cities Comedy Tournament” in 2009 and co-produced “Auld Lanxiety” with Mike Lawrence and Dan St. Germain.  Basically I’m saying he’s everywhere that comedy is.  Like Batman is with crime.  Maybe he’s Comedy Batman.  (Shhhh, don’t tell anyone about him being Comedy Batman, but now I am 100% sure that he is).  On an unrelated to his secret identity (which is Comedy Batman) note, I could listen to him talk about sex talk lady Sue Johanssen all day long.

What’s the most important thing you learned since you started doing comedy?
This is going to take a long time, and a lot of work.

How did you know you were meant to be a comedian?
When I was in kindergarten, my sister and I were in my parents’ room, and she told them a joke she’d heard, which went: “Knock knock. Who’s there? Madame. Madame who? Madame foot’s stuck in the door!” It crushed. Annihilated my parents. And I remember seeing that and getting so pissed off, because that’s what I wanted to do.

What’s been your brightest moment as a comedian?
My first show in New York, three days in, I got the coveted “Eleventh Comic” bucket spot at the late, great Kingdom of Heaven mic. I was too shell-shocked to be nervous, so I did my jokes and crushed in front of a packed house. I’ve since thrown out all that material, and have had much funnier and better sets, but that one introduced me to all the friends and awesome comics I know now, and made it so that I never really had to go to Maui Taco.

What’s been your darkest moment as a comedian?
I kinda snuck into the lineup of the New Orleans Comedy Festival, which was a hell of a fest, by telling the very generous Sean Patton (who produced it) that it was my birthday that week. I flew down at my own expense, stayed at a hostel, had a great time getting drunk with comics, and planned a fun birthday set. Everyone was killing, so I thought it would be no big deal. I got out there for my set, and opened by telling the crowd it was my birthday. Nothing. Then my first joke bombed, second joke ate it, riffing died, third joke, fourth, until finally I gave up and closed terribly. I sat in the bar room outside of the stage area and stared into nowhere for like an hour. Not only had I bombed hard, but I did so on a show I had lobbied to get on. And I’d spent hundreds of dollars to make the trip. I felt like the kid alone at Chuck E. Cheese with his sad party hat on, waiting for his friends who won’t show up.

What is your favorite thing going on in comedy right now?
The slow burn. The joke that builds up gradually and methodically, then hits you hard all at once. Also, the audiences that are patient enough to wait for it.

What is the scariest thing going on in comedy right now?
It’s a tie between people who say “too soon?” after their crappy joke bombs, and the ironic “impressions” that alt-comics do where the explanation is ten times longer and more complicated than the actual impression.

Who do you think is today’s most underappreciated comedian/comedy actor?
I wish the guys I started stand-up with in Kansas City knew who Jesse Popp was.

What’s the best advice you ever received as a comedian?
You’ve gotta be able to make changes. Your joke isn’t done unless it’s perfect, and it’s probably not.

What’s the worst advice you ever received as a comedian?
Any advice I received from a shittier comedian.

What is your craziest show experience?
At an open mic at Eastville Comedy Club I was heckled by a fellow comic, a truly shitty man who happened to be 82 years old. I responded to the heckle by unleashing a torrent of insults on him, which was extremely easy to do because he was so old. He got angry to the point that he actually came up onstage and tried to rip the microphone out of my hands using his bony, liver-spotted fingers. I was worried he might hit me, not because it would’ve hurt, but because it would have created a no-win situation that no comic could ever recover from. He didn’t, though he did pound the stool next to me to try and intimidate me. The host of the mic finally pulled him away and escorted him out, and the bit I did after he left didn’t go very well.  

What is the biggest source of your comedy?
People who are living sad, depressing lives, but still somehow act like dicks.

How would you describe your comedy?
I’m a gifted-class bully.

Quick Hitters

I would like to be known for… My humanitarian work.

Shoot me if I ever… Use the specially-made speech device attached to my motorized wheelchair to beg you to.

I think most comedians are… Badly dressed.

The one thing I have never seen a comedian do, but would love to is… Find happiness.

My favorite comedy bit that I was not involved in is… The first one I really loved, Dave Attell, “Fireworks.”

My favorite comedy bit that I was involved in is… It’s always the one the audience doesn’t really like. In my case, it’s a story I tell about the worst sleepover I ever went to.

People often say they are attracted to a sense of humor. I think that is… Half-true. The other half is you growing some balls and asking the girl out.

I would like to plug… The MacGyver Show, every other Saturday at 8pm at Legion Bar in Brooklyn. Next one is January 30th. Also, I have some videos up at rooftopcomedy.com/dannysolomon

It looks like the Great Late Night Wars have not yet reached the windows outside the NBC Store in 30 Rock.

A look inside the store, however, showed there is only generic Conan merchandise for sale. And there were conspicuous blank spots on the shelves were presumably “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” mugs, t-shirts and the like have been removed. Also, going in the store confirmed that Seinfeld Clue exists.

So that’s a thing.

This week we will be predicting what we think will be happening in the new year. We wanted to let you get in on the action too. So hear are the questions we will be answering. Let us know your thoughts in the comments and we will talk about them on the show.

1)Come January 2011, what will the late night comedy landscape look like?

Where will Conan be?
Where will Leno be?
Will there be any other changes coming?

2) Last year saw the ascent of Zach Galifianakis? Which on the verge comic will achieve superstardom this year?

3) Also, who will be the next big sitcom super-star like Ray Romano or Jerry Seinfeld?

And here are a few names for you:

Paul F Thompkins?
Greg Fitzsimmons?
John Oliver?
Maria Bamford?
Doug Benson?
Rob Huebel?
Nick Kroll?

4) Will there be an Arrested Development movie? If so, will it be a good idea, or should that have left it alone?

5) What is the next SNL recurring character that will be turned into a feature film?

Please say Gilly!

6) What will Colbert’s next big publicity stunt be?

7) Which of these proposed projects will be great and which will not?
Louie C.K.’s Louie?
The Kids in the Hall’s Death Comes To Town?
Ghostbusters 3?

8 ) What other big events do you see coming down the comedy pipeline for 2010?

OMG you guys! We’re coming at you at little early this week, because the great late night war has begun! Dan, Dustin and guest Nick Turner discuss the in and outs and comings and goings as we untangle  NBC’s talk show quagmire. Trust me you guys, this is a good one.

Plus! News From The Past reveals another upsetting fact about a beloved old comedian. And…well that’s about it, we talked about the Leno/Conan thing the whole time. And it got a little bit nuts.

I could listen to this week’s Comedy Foot Soldier, Ashley Ward, talk for hours.  She’s got the voice of a sweet southern bell and the mouth of a drunkin’ sailor with turrets who just got hit in the balls with a baseball bat.  She’s hands down one of the most talented improvisers in the scene as can be demonstrated by the number and quality of groups she’s in: Big Black Car, Baby Wants Candy, Taco Supreme, Wizard’s Sleeve, Best New Artist, Cragg and Ward, Married Nate and Ashley and Poopy Poopy Fart Fart.  And seriously, those are just the groups she’s with now.  If she’s not getting paid to do comedy soon I’m gonna be mad.  And you wouldn’t like me when I’m mad.  Let’s just say I get passive aggressive and sulky.  And you don’t want that!  So pay her to be funny damn it!

What’s the most important thing you learned since you started doing comedy?
To trust myself. You can have the greatest idea in the world but if you sit back and don’t use it, there’s no point.

How did you know you were meant to be a comedian?
I love to laugh and I love to make people laugh. I don’t really know that I’m meant to be a comedian, but it’s something I’ve worked at more and more for the last eight or so years and I see the progress I’ve made in terms of my work and I feel proud of it. Doing comedy has made me feel more true to myself than anything else I’ve ever done.

What’s been your brightest moment as a comedian?
I don’t know that there is a singular moment, but I think coming to the realization that I can get onstage with people I respect and admire and hold my own is really the brightest moment for me. Being able to believe in myself and put myself out there. (You should probably play something from the Remember the Titans soundtrack while reading this one).

What’s been your darkest moment as a comedian?
Getting caught up in comparing myself and my trajectory of success (or lack thereof) with other people. That really takes me to a bad place.

Ashley behind Michelle Obama's desk

What is your favorite thing going on in comedy right now?
I love that there is a lot of two person improv going on. That is so fun to do and watch. I also love all the musical stuff! I think it’s great that there are so many groups incorporating music in their shows.

What is the scariest thing going on in comedy right now?
I’m scared of that new show with the ventriloquist guy. I haven’t seen it, but I don’t like those dummies. They are scary to me. They freak me out.

Who do you think is today’s most underappreciated comedian/comedy actor?
Nate Starkey (full disclosure, my husband), Kevin Cragg, Matt Oberg (though he’s getting there), Brigid Boyle. There are way too many to name. I can’t believe these folks aren’t getting paid giant sums of cash to be funny.

What’s the best advice you ever received as a comedian?
To follow my gut and speak up. I was filming an episode of BOF (Mamrie Hart and Steve Soroka’s HILARIOUS web series) with Ali Farahakian and we were improvising a section and I kept sort of saying stuff under my breath. And he then repeated one of my lines and gave me credit and told me to speak up and let people hear what I have to say because it’s funny. That has really stuck with me over the last year and it’s advice I really took to heart.

What’s the worst advice you ever received as a comedian?
Hmm. If it was bad I probably don’t remember it. I think there was a time when people were warning me about going blue or something. I think that is valid advice to an extent, but for me it isn’t all that helpful to improvise with a bunch of restrictions on content in my head, so I don’t worry about that too much. I think it’s more applicable in writing, but again, I work better without thinking about a bunch of what I should and shouldn’t say in my head.

What is your craziest show experience?
There have been many. One was doing a sketch show for a group of RV dealership owners. We had to go up after the leader of their organization, who gave an insane, rambling 45 minute speech, that culminated with him announcing his candidacy for president of the United States (he had buttons and everything, but I think it was a joke). We were asked to write a show of office based sketches and were never told who our audience was until we got there. Apparently RV dealership owners don’t enjoy office humor. It was an epic disaster with drunken RV dealership owners and their handsome wives pouring out of the place.

What is the biggest source of your comedy?
I think my southern upbringing is a big part of it. My family, particularly my mama. Some of the names alone are comedy gold.

How would you describe your comedy?
Character driven, fact laden, bawdy (this is the 1800s, right?).

Quick Hitters

I would like to be known for… Being funny and bold and sweet at the same time.

Shoot me if I ever… Act like a cocky jerkface. Or a jerky cockface.

I think most comedians are… Looking for approval. I realize I probably just blew your mind with that statement, as there is no way anyone ever thought of that before.

The one thing I have never seen a comedian do, but would love to is… Hmm. I just thought of something the other day. For someone to recreate the big ballet scene at the end of An American in Paris and play the Gene Kelly part. I want that person to not be a trained dancer, but someone who is good at dancing (like Chris Farley, though the person doesn’t have to be overweight) and have all the other dancers be really great and professional. I really want someone to do that!

My favorite comedy bit that I was not involved in is… Man, there are so many. Welcome to my Study (Dyna Moe and Mitch Magee’s hilarious web series) is something I so admire. I would love to have been involved with that.

My favorite comedy bit that I was involved in is… Was a scene at the end of an old High Fife show (my now defunct sketch group) where we connected several sketches together at the end by all wearing white unitards with blood on the fanny while blaring Levon from a boom box (if you saw the show you would understand why this made sense). Man I loved that show.

People often say they are attracted to a sense of humor. I think that is… awesome!

I would like to plug… Big Black Car, the group I do weekly shows with at the PIT, 8 pm on Wednesdays.  My drop in improv class, Fridays 7-10 at Simple Studios.

Conan is not going to take it any more.  Check out his official press release regarding NBC’s offer to move him to 12:05:

People of Earth:

In the last few days, I’ve been getting a lot of sympathy calls, and I want to start by making it clear that no one should waste a second feeling sorry for me. For 17 years, I’ve been getting paid to do what I love most and, in a world with real problems, I’ve been absurdly lucky. That said, I’ve been suddenly put in a very public predicament and my bosses are demanding an immediate decision.

Six years ago, I signed a contract with NBC to take over The Tonight Show in June of 2009. Like a lot of us, I grew up watching Johnny Carson every night and the chance to one day sit in that chair has meant everything to me. I worked long and hard to get that opportunity, passed up far more lucrative offers, and since 2004 I have spent literally hundreds of hours thinking of ways to extend the franchise long into the future. It was my mistaken belief that, like my predecessor, I would have the benefit of some time and, just as important, some degree of ratings support from the prime-time schedule. Building a lasting audience at 11:30 is impossible without both.

But sadly, we were never given that chance. After only seven months, with my Tonight Show in its infancy, NBC has decided to react to their terrible difficulties in prime-time by making a change in their long-established late night schedule.

Last Thursday, NBC executives told me they intended to move the Tonight Show to 12:05 to accommodate the Jay Leno Show at 11:35. For 60 years the Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t the Tonight Show. Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the Late Night show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the Tonight Show, I believe nothing could matter more.

There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next. My hope is that NBC and I can resolve this quickly so that my staff, crew, and I can do a show we can be proud of, for a company that values our work.

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it’s always been that way.

Yours,

Conan

Yeah, we am totally biased and support Conan in this whole thing as you may have noticed, but I have to say that I think it is a well thought out and classy response to the whole situation.

Sad news for the comedy world, Best Week Ever has officially been canceled by VH1. The news come fresh from Bestweekever.tv:

Sadly, the show that we’ve all come to know and love, Best Week Ever, has been officially canceled. We just got word of the news about an hour ago, and have been in a mournful state since. The show that turned itself into a household phrase brought a lot of laughter into people’s lives, not to mention paved the way for many of today’s most well known comedians.

The good news is that the blog will remain to give us our daily dose of pop culture snark, but I can not for the life of me understand how VH1 could walk away from such an amazing show.  I would love to give some eloquent eulogy but instead I will just whimper, stick out my lower clip and run off into my room and cry.  Why God!  Why have your forsaken me and this show?

http://www.sirmikeofmitchell.com/imwithcoco/

On this week’s episode we welcome guest Dan Wilbur, a comic who also works for the comedy club Comix. We ask him about the behind the scenes business of comedy and he gives us the low down. They don’t call it show business for nothing. That’s right. They do it for something.

Plus…Diamond smuggling! Hitler’s ghost! And China finally has its long-awaited revenge on The Comedy Nerds.

Click Here to check more from Dan Wilbur or Click Here to check out more on Comix.

Feature photo from flickr by Khaz.  Dan Wilbur photo by Anya Garrett.

You gotta love The Comic’s Comic Sean McCarthy.  The dudes got a crazy good comedy blog.  But is that enough for him?  Hells to the no.  Now the dude is saving lives! (Come on man, I already feel bad about my comedy blog quality, now you’re a hero?)  Check out his updates last night from the twitter.

Picture From Sean's Twitter

Spotted man passed out in the tracks on 6 line southbound at 23rd st. Alerted MTA but still had to wave down train. Phew! Too close.

Train arrived before the medics did. Thank God the conductor saw me!

Listen buddy, it’s awesome comedy blog or super hero.  You HAVE to pick one.  (and maybe I pushed that guy onto the tracks for a reason. Did you ever think of that Mr. Life Saver?  Maybe he said my jokes are good but not great and therefor deserved to die.  Feel a little silly now, huh?)

Oh, and since it happened to Sean that makes him the news and me the person reporting the news.  That means I broke the story.  Suck on that Sean.  Suck on that!!!!!!!!!!

Click Here to listen to the episode when Sean came on the podcast to talk comedy blogging.

The internet is freak the f’ out about rumors that Leno is taking back his 11:30 slot on NBC and TMZ is saying that Conan is getting sh@t canned in the process.  First off, shame on you NBC if you treat Conan that way.  But if that’s what happens, I say bring Conan to Comedy Central and let him make the show as crazy as he wants.  Move the Daily Show and Colbert to 10pm and 10:30, but Conan at 11.  You have the perfect late night combination at a time that you have a maximum audience to watch it. If it happens I expect an Emmy.

Reports are coming out all over today that Artie Lang’s hospitalization over the weekend was the result of a suicide attempt.  And not just you run of the mill, “I’m going to take a handful of pills and fall asleep” attempt.  The dude stabbed himself nine times.  Nine times.  I know the guy has been battling demons for a while and my heart goes out to him and his family but that is a crazy way to try to end it all.  You have to have an unbelievable amount of self loathing in order to do something like that.  It’s really sad. Hopefully his friends, family and fans can help him understand all the amazing things he has in his life and how much joy he brings them.  While I have never been a huge fan of Artie my thoughts are with him today.

I couldn’t think of a more perfect person to kick off the relaunch of our Comedy Foot Soldier feature than Laura Mannino. Laura is awesome.  She’s funny. She’s smart and she’s one of the nicest people I have ever met in the comedy community. Talk to her five minutes and you feel like you’ve known her your whole life. My only problem with her is that she moved to LA. Sure it’s so she can become rich and famous (and she probably will) but still, New York needs more people like her.  I guess LA probably needs more people like her too.  All that talk of that nice stuff being said, her passive aggressive blog Affirmations For Actors is really funny (and painfully truthful sometimes. Listen Laura, I don’t need an excuse for all my afternoon drinking.  It makes the hurt go away okay).

What’s the most important thing you learned since you started doing comedy?
There’s no prescribed path and the only person you should be in competition with is yourself. I think that’s what the motivational posters at my day jobs said.

How did you know you were meant to be a comedian?
Maybe it’s when I found myself practicing Bea Arthur’s double takes and death stares as a kid. Maybe it was when I found myself laughing through scenes from ‘Night Mother in college. Maybe it’s when I realized the tragedy and crap life throws at you is a little more palatable with laughter. And when I do make someone laugh, self-conscious neuroses are briefly disabled.

What’s been your brightest moment as a comedian?
The moment when the audience and I are having fun together. I’m not thinking about how I’m doing, what my next joke is, why did I wear this shirt or why the host can’t say my last name name correctly, but really enjoying watching the audience laugh. I once did an open mic with an actual recovering crack whore. Yeah..she could use some work on her writing and timing but if she has the courage to be open and truthful in front of strangers, we all need to nut up.

What’s been your darkest moment as a comedian?
Performing my solo show to an audience that took my performance as an opportunity to text while waiting for their friend’s sketch group. It’s passive aggressive heckling. Oh, and I once did an open mic with a crack whore.

What is your favorite thing going on in comedy right now?
Women are slowly and steadily gaining equal footing in this industry and audiences, producers and bookers are listening and know women can speak a universal and relateable truth to both men and women. We’re no longer being perceived as a novelty or specialty act that’s limited to tampon and fat jokes. It’s so inspiring to see the gay comedy community and its audience exploding! It’s a matter of time when networks, cable, studios and their advertisers catch up to live audiences that are paying attention to women and gay performers.

What is the scariest thing going on in comedy right now?
With the above said, I have a little advice for the dude hosts out there. You don’t need introduce those comedians who happen to be women with “Well, we got ourselves a lady coming up.” No shit. We’re not a novelty or an exhibit at the zoo, we’re 52% of the population. You’re not introducing a black male comic as the “black guy.” It’s not the scariest thing, but it happens to annoy me. Maybe an audience chock full of bachelorette parties could be the scariest thing in comedy.

Who do you think is today’s most under-appreciated comedian/comedy actor?
I think “under-appreciated” is part of the job description for a majority of comedy jobbers out there.

What’s the best advice you ever received as a comedian?
If someone else can do your set, it’s not your set. Be the star of your own jokes.

What’s the worst advice you ever received as a comedian?
You’ll be so relaxed if you have a drink or five before your set.

What is your craziest show experience?
I once watched a show that featured a video of a guy pulling a balloon out of his asshole. The audience included two old men yelled at each other through their trach mics at the pool table and a sad sack hipster girl sat in the corner selling free range organic oatmeal cookies. I’m glad I checked the show out before trying to get booked. Oh, the balloon was deflated, so I guess it’s not the “craziest”….Oh wait! I traveled to the middle of Connecticut to do a show in a Holiday Inn ball room for a Mason’s group, The Royal Order of the Jesters. Fortunately, I was wearing jeans and not perceived as “attractive” so I was basically left alone.

What is the biggest source of your comedy?
Change.

How would you describe your comedy?
The anti-social social butterfly.

Why did you move to LA?
I moved to LA because I need a change…and a dishwasher. And I think LA really needed another out of work actor using up it’s finite water and energy.

What under do the radar comedians do you think we should know about?
So many. I’m having “I just accepted an award and need to thank everyone” anxiety. Shawn Hollenbach has been comedy buddy since day one. We’ve produced, performed and written together. Shawn really inspired me to discover and develop my voice and brand as a performer.

Quick Hitters

I would like to be known for… Spending three full hours answering interview questions.

Shoot me if I ever… Spend another three hours again answering interview questions.

I think most comedians are… are highly sensitive.

The one thing I have never seen a comedian do, but would love to is… Pull an inflated balloon out an asshole.

My favorite comedy bit that I was not involved in is… Louis CK’s meltdown on Conan about how our generation doesn’t deserve or appreciate technology.

My favorite comedy bit that I was involved in is… Will hopefully be my film I’m shooting.

People often say they are attracted to a sense of humor. I think that is… True. Particularly if the person they’re attracted to is unemployed.

I would like to plug…My short film that I wrote and will be shot this month. My blog about my life in LA, www.IStomachLA.blogspot.com and my faux advice blog for actors, www.AffirmationsForActors.blogspot.com.

This week, with the announcement that NBC may be bringing back “Last Comic Standing”, we discuss whether or not you should have comedy competitions. And if you do, is there anyway to make them fair? Can something as subjective as comedy be quantified? Would just changing venues wildly affect the outcome? What are you waiting for? I’m going to give you the answers here, so you better go listen the episode.

Plus! Learn what terrified Dan over the holidays. Find out about Dustin’s Book of Knives. And news….FROM THE PAST!!!

Chris Gethard is awesome. He is crazy funny, plus he is very nice and cool. Those are all facts. Let me lay a few more facts on you. Recently Chris asked via YouTube for Al Roker to be on his show. Very quickly Al responded to Chris  via Twitter that he could not make it.

Chris is not one to give up however. Roker out, Chris moved on to landing a bigger fish. None other than Diddy. And just a short while ago, Sean “Diddy” Combs announced he will be coming on Chris Gethard’s show. You can follow it all here: http://twitter.com/chrisgethard

Now you may ask why we have not mentioned this before? Why weren’t we in our small way helping this to happen? I will be perfectly honest with you. It’s because I didn’t believe it could. I didn’t believe we lived in a world where magical things could happen, where stories could have happy endings. I am so happy to be proved wrong.

Congrats Chris. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

Here at The Comedy Nerds compound, we’ve been snug in our beds, with vision of sugar plums dancing in various parts of our bodies, including, but not limited to, our heads. But have we got a show for you this week. We discuss the decade in stand up comedy. Learn Dustin’s ten comics that had the most impact in the last ten years. He’s pretty convincing. I’d write more, but I’m not going to lie to you, I got a warm cup of eggnog calling my name, so I’m going to leave it there and let you just listen and hear it for yourself.

Plus, find out the year we made contact (hint: It’s coming up real soon). Find out why Dustin can’t keep track of which facts he learned from unicorns. And have a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

What a time of year.  So many things to look forward to…presents…passive aggressive family interactions…awkward time spent with friends from high school who think they are so cool now because they have jobs/girlfriends/hair…and the songs.  Oh, the songs.  They fill the streets and haunt your dreams.  None more so than Christmas Shoes.  Please enjoy this Patton Oswalt bit about the song.  It’s a little long but heck, you are blowing off work anyway.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq10bz3PxyY

Also, check out this music video for the song and tell me there isn’t something really upsetting about that little boy.  He’s kind of got that future member of the klan feeling to him.  What?  You’re not suppose to say that about children, especially around the holidays.  Too bad.

Oh, and also check out this music video from UK comedian Tim Minchin.  It’s an actual good Christmas song that I think anyone would like, even people who don’t accept Jesus Christ as their lord and savior. (via Jason Saenz)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q

On this week’s episode, we talk about the top comedy movies of the decade. Dan reads his list. Dustin gets mad. It’s just like last week, except it’s about movies. You remember movies, those big flickering pictures they would project on a screen in the places that are now used to simulcast Jonas Brothers concerts. So pop some popcorn, turn down the lights and get ready to stare at your iPod for the next fifty minutes, as we talk about the Talkies!

Plus, Dan discovers he is a bigger Jack Black fan than he realized. We take you back to a time when we were all really excited about Lindsey Lohan’s career. And jetpacks, jetpacks, jetpacks. Also? Jetpacks.

Listen folks, Grizzwalk “Grizz”Chapman from 30 Rock needs your kidney so give it up people.  He needs it.  This is serious.  Here are three good reason you should go give Grizz that pesky second kidney you got rolling around.

Weightloss – The average kidney ways over 14 pounds (I think, admittedly it could be a little less) so that’s like instant diet right there.  Why go to the gym when you can just give Grizz a kidney?  You’ll get that sexy beach body over night.

Super Organs – Without that stupid second kidney or “stupidny” your other organs will have more room and will flourish.  Some people think the appendix doesn’t do anything.  But I say it does.  I say it can help you fly if only it had a kidney size more room in the body.

Dot Com Gets Lonely Easy – He’s so sensitive.  And sometimes he needs the kind of comfort that only a hug from Grizz can offer.  It’s true.  Go ahead.  Ask him.

I will be expecting kidneys to start showing up at the Comedy Nerds offices very soon for me to take over to him.  Remember people, pack them in ice.  If the kidney goes bad it is no use for me or Grizz other than to add to my collection.

On this week’s episode we reveal our top ten TV shows of the decade. Well, Dan reveals his list and Dustin disagrees with it for the most part. Oh yes, there will be a-fussin’ and a-fightin’ my friend, but don’t worry, it’s all in the name of finding the best comedy shows of the aughts (the zero’s? the naughts? We got like three weeks left people we really have to settle on what we’re calling this decade.) Where do your favorite shows fall? What little seen critical darling will Dan make a snobby elitist case for?

Plus, how did the writers of “Undressed” keep coming up with new ways to keep their characters in their underwear? Learn about possibly the best note ever written. And don’t miss Dan’s mind-blowing assertion that perhaps the internet was an important element to this decade.

And a quick programming note: Dan mentioned that there was a Japanese version of the “The Office”. There isn’t. He was wrong about that. (Yes, he knows there was an SNL sketch, but he thought that was based on a real thing.) There is a number of different versions, including a French and German version, so his point still stands.

Happy Decade of Comedy everyone!

It’s only a few episodes, but you can now watch Mystery Science Theater 3000 on Hulu.  Seriously, how did this show get canceled?  It costs like $12 dollars to make and who isn’t going to watch a movie about a  “secret agent who tries to stop a drug lord from taking over the world with hallucinogenic chewing gum” (the plot of the linked episode Secret Agent Super Dragon).  I can honestly say I have never laughed harder than while watching the episode with Manos: The Hands of Fate.  Thank you Hulu!  There are a bunch more episodes here. (thanks Gawker for the heads-up)

On this week’s episode, we welcome VH1 writer Kristen Swensson! From “Best Week Ever” to “Awesomely Bad Hair”, VH1 has pioneered the snarky talking-head clip show. These shows have not only provided hours of enjoyment for the home audience, but have also given up and coming comedians much needed exposure and opportunities to pay their rent. Kristen gives us the low down on how these shows come together. From listing the 100 best Hip Hop songs of all time, to coaxing embarrassing stories out of comedians, we cover it all.

Plus, we do the news. How would you feel if Derek Jeter murdered your parents? After he’s done with this being President gig, does Obama have a promising future making promos for TBS? And learn about Dan’s inability to tell if a man is handsome and how that makes Dustin so mad.

You can check out Kristen’s fun and funny food blog at cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/

Yo kid, when CKC and TMC are in the joint you know that place be rockin’.  (You also know that I be really bad at soundin’ street y’all.)  Check out another amazing videos from the pair along with Beena Steena and directed by the always amazing Anya Garrett.

DAMN (You Wish) -- NSFW

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXgEY7W1oqU

When you run a podcast/website called The Comedy Nerds it’s hard not be considered a comedy snob.  Yeah, so what?  So we watch comedy with our pinkies out wearing Polo sweaters and eating little sandwich triangles.

But it’s not all rainbows and judging Two & A Half Men.  Is there a cost to comedy snobbery?  How does it effect comedy watchers?  How does it effect comedians?  Is it better to just go along with least common denominator comedy?  Who doesn’t want to watch a sketch called Farty McGee Goes to College?

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

This week we go inside the writer’s room of network television with Marc Dworkin.  Former writer for Hope & Faith and Disney’s Aaron Stone Marc telsl us what it takes to get into writing Sitcom television.

How do 16 people write one story?  How do you go from PA to writer in just one short season.  What’s Kelly Ripa like?  More importantly what was a young Megan Fox like?  (yeah, we had no idea she was on Hope & Faith either)  Why is the Starbucks in Burbank the center of the entertainment universe?

There’s a lot in here so you better start listening now.

Twitter finally became worthwhile today.  Neil Patrick Harris has officially joined twitter!  There have been many a poser before but this is the real deal. Everything NPH does is awesome.  You can follow him at http://twitter.com/ActuallyNPH.

His first official tweet:

My first tweet, peeps. I apologize in advance for my slow learning curve. Nice to (sort of) meet you. It’s amazing how quickly 140 charac

This is gonna be good people!

(don’t forget to follow the comedy nerds at http://twitter.com/ComedyNerds too)

Oh romantic comedy.  You always try to trick me with comedy in your name but really you are a romantic story with some quirky shenanigans thrown in.  I’ve fallen for your deception too many times you beautiful sunsetty bastard.

This week we look at why there are so many romantic comedies and why they are so awful (most of the time).  Do they really have to be that awful?  Are too many movies considered romantic comedies?  Can you make one without Hugh Grant (or person of equal or greater British accent)?  Don’t worry, we will make you laugh but we won’t make you cry…much.

The Emerging Comic community is all abuzz today as nominations for ECNY awards are open.  You, the public get to decide who the best up and coming comedians are in New York City.  You can nominate anyone (in a variety of categories) who lives in NYC and did comedy in 2009.  For example you could click on this link and nominate www.thecomedynerds.com for best comedy website.  You could tell all your friends to nominate www.thecomedynerds.com for best website.  You could pay people money to nominate www.thecomedynerds.com for best website.  Or you could nominate @comedynerds for best twitter.  That would be fun, wouldn’t it?  Or Dustin D’Addato for best comedian or The Resistance or Secret Hospital for best sketch group.  Those are all very very very very good ideas (also, if you don’t  that means you hate freedom and love terrorism and punching kittens in the throat).

No matter what you decide to do (specifically you should nominate www.thecomedynerds.com for best website if I didn’t make that clear or you will make my mother cry and wonder why she had me in the first place) it’s important to support live comedy and up and coming comedians.  They do it for the love people.  The love! (of money/fame/women/men and sometimes comedy)  The video below explains more:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=17HEez1DFCE

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

Once upon a time…no…There once was a man from Nantucket… no…. Storytelling is hard.  On this week’s episode we look at what it takes to tell a good comedy story.  What’s the difference between a good stand-up bit and storytelling?  What’s important to good story?  Is this the next evolution in comedy?

To help us figure it all out is host of the storytelling show Risk! and member of the historic sketch comedy group The State, Kevin Allison.  He shares his expertise as well as a bunch of hilarious behind the scenes stories of The State.  You should be sure to check out his podcast for Risk! on iTunes here and see the show when it returns in January to Joe’s Pub, until then check out the website here for details.

There are some people who just shouldn’t get into the wine business and then there is Jeff Dunham.  Thanks to  videogum I and now you know that Jeff is the new “IT” boy in the wine world.  How did he jump to the top of the market so quick?  Common sense.  Just look at the label below:

Jeff just instinctively knew the key to success.  People want more wine with the racist picture of the skeleton of a dead terrorist on the label for the very very very very reasonable price of $45 a bottle or $540 a case.  And I can not tell you how many times I have sat down to drink a bottle of wine and thought to myself, you know what this wine could really use…more tobacco.  I mean, then I don’t need to smoke my cigarette through this two foot long holder like a fancy gentleman.  I can just drink the cigarettes along with my wine.  Plus, you know it’s good for you because the slogan is “I KEEL You”.

Don’t worry if that’s not the wine for you, Jeff also makes Peanut Riesling and Walter Trutina for the more conservative palate.

I very close friend of mine has a kid in nursery school.  The little rug rats  were being taught what emotions are.  They were suppose to draw three emotions that they have and the pictures were posted on the wall outside the classroom.  This is what one of the kids did:

Actually at first glance it’s funny, but then I can’t help but be a little concerned that:

A. The student only has the emotion of Sad, Angry and Bleeding.  Somebody get this kid a pony stat.

B. The teacher was not shaken by that at all.  No call home.  No guidance councilor interaction.  Just “hey, lets hang this on the wall”

C. That all this time Bleeding was an emotion and not a state of having blood come out of your body.  So should I be taking Prozac when I get shot instead of putting on bandages and going to the hospital?  (I get shot a lot.  Comedy is a tough business.  Warning: Tom McCaffrey is always packing heat.)

Corporations.  Huh.  What are they good for?  Other than making stuff absolutely nuthin’.  Like it or not, every major comedy source in this country is in one way or another beholden to a corporation of some kind.  They get to decide what makes it to air and what doesn’t.  Sponsors, network execs, basically anyone who can be considered “the man” gets to push their stupid noses into the comedy making process.

In this week’s episode we look at the effect of corporations on today’s comedy culture.  Has main stream success brought too many sponsors to shows like SNL and hurt the quality?  Can a show get more powerful than their corporations?  What the hell was Microsoft thinking when they considered sponsoring Seth MacFarlane’s live show?

Plus, we argue about the relevance of Monty Python as the celebrate their 40th anniversary.  (Wow, they are old!)

A classic from Brian Huskey.

If you like laughing and you love blood then UCB’s Killgore is the perfect show for you.  It’s happening all weekend and it’s gross as hell.  Plus, at TheComedy Nerds we are all about supporting live comedy, or dead comedy.  I had to make one awful Halloween joke.  Sorry.

Finally Comedy Central has done something that doesn’t make want to punch a baby (Sorry Ian, your baby was the closest).  They just gave the green light to a new Nick Swardson sketch series.

A. Always good to have other sketch show on the air.
B. Nick Swardson!
C. Nick Swardson weekly!

You may know Nick from his multiple Comedy Central Special, as a gay rollerskating prostitute on Reno 911 or if you an uber comedy nerd from Grandma’s Boy to name just some of the stuff that he’s done.  Here’s how the Comedy Central Insider explains his new series:

[the] fast paced live-action sketch show is a weekly series that centers around Swardon’s twisted comedic viewpoint. The series will include irreverent digital shorts, man-on-the-street segments and animation inspired by the internet sensation “Gay Robot,” which follows the life of a gay robot and his frat boy friends.

I could watch Nick do anything so I for one am excited.  Plus, any guy who drops 300 bucks on high fives from a monkeys is the bee’s knees in my book.

If you are in the NYC area you can start Halloween early by checking out the second annual SCHTICK OR TREAT show tonight at the Bowery Poetry Club hosted by Matt Ruby and Mark Normand.  A whole butt load of comedians are dressin’ up and performing as their favorite comedians.  Here’s just a partial list of the what you can expect:

Richard Jeni (Kumail Nanjiani)
Kumail Nanjiani (Pete Holmes)
Paul F. Tompkins (Sean Patton)
Jim Gaffigan (Luke Cunningham)
Sam Kinison (Mike Drucker)
Johnny Carson (Mark Normand)
Neil Hamburger (Matt Ruby)
Steven Gold (Matt McCarthy)
Dana Carvey (Adam Newman)
Brian Regan (Jason Saenz)
Cedric the Entertainer (Nick Turner)

Here’s all the important detail:
Wed, Oct 28  – 7pm SHARP showtime (6pm doors)
The Bowery Poetry Club – Tickets: $7 at the door/$5 online
308 Bowery (Between Houston and Bleecker)

Words out that Jeff Dunham will be be at the center of an upcoming episode of 30 Rock. Here are the details from a recent interview:

“(Jack) and Liz make a trip down to Stone Mountain, Ga., Kenneth’s hometown, to find a new comic voice, and they run afoul of a Southern ventriloquist played by Jeff Dunham,  Jack thinks he’s the funniest thing he’s ever seen and accuses Liz of Yankee snobbery.”

Remind anyone else of a certain John Goodman episodes of Studio 60?  When will television shows like that stop talking down to Middle America?  (Spoiler Alert:  Never!  They are shot  on the East/West Coast so that’s where the writers live and people who spend $2,200 a month for a 450 square foot apartment above a falafel joint need to feel they are superior to people who live where it’s clean, doesn’t smell bad and they don’t get robbed every three months in order to accept that life style.  Sorry Middle America.  Have fun with your land and non cancer causing air quality.)

No matter how many times I try to explain it to my wife she just doesn’t understand.  They are snakes and they are on a plane.  They are snakes on a plane.  It’s a plane and there are snakes on it.  She says, “yeah I get it.  I just think it’s stupid.”  Ummmm…yeah.  It is stupid.  It’s so stupid that it’s awesome.  Sometimes the funniest things can be completely by accident.

This week we look at what makes unintentional funny things funny.  Can sitcoms do a very special episode without it being accidentally hilarious?  What’s the difference between unintentional humor and campy?  Who would actually sit down and write a movie about a house that eats unmarried women?  What are those crazy snakes doing on that plane anyway?

We welcome comedian Nate Kushner, co-host of the movie series Movies vs. Humans, (where they watch the worst movies of all time and comment on them) to help us figure it all out. 

I was all set to review The Jeff Dunham Show. I had my notes. I had a can of AMP energy I has purchased at the dollar store for $0.25 a can because it was passed the expiration date and looks like gasoline.  I had my snobby pretentious sarcasm all ready to go and then I took a look around the internet and saw the following review on Videogum and that said everything that needed to be said in just the right amount of words.  So rather than go through my incredibly long list of problems I had with the show I submit this excerpt from the Videogum review:

If I had to sum up my feelings and reactions to The Jeff Dunham Show in a single sentence it would be FUCK THIS SHOW IN THE FACE UNTIL IT DIES.

Admittedly I feel like that my be a tad bit harsh, but yeah, it was kind of homophobic, a tad bit racist and not very funny. But hey, it was just the pilot so…

We are sad to say that eonline is reporting that comedy legend Soupy Sales passed away yesterday at a hospice in the Bronx. Even though he’s been out of the spotlight for some time you can’t help but miss him.  He was one of the most unabashedly silly and likable comedians of all time.  Most will remember him for getting hit in the face with a pie over and over again or from What’s My Line? but I will remember Soupy (real name Milton Supman) from the story below:

In what would have turned into one heck of a viral story if the Internet had been around in 1965, a disgruntled Sales ended his New Year’s Day broadcast of The Soupy Sales Show by instructing his young audience to creep into their parents’ bedrooms, take their parents’ “funny green pieces of paper with pictures of U.S. Presidents,” and mail the paper to him.

When money started arriving at the studio, Sales explained he was only joking and either returned the dough or donated the unreturnables to charity.

I think it would only be a fitting tribute to Soupy to send your funny green pieces of paper to the Comedy Nerds.  Don’t do it for us, do it for Soupy.

This week’s episode is ripped from the headlines (of the Huffington Post via The Comic’s Comic).  We look at the top 7 comedy feuds as suggested by the Huffington post and give our takes on who won.  Leno vs. Letterman: Who’s more of a douche bag?  Arsenio vs Rosanne:  Who better represents the early 90′s and therefor wins because we really don’t care about them all that much any more?  David Cross vs Larry the Cable Guy: Can we believe anything a fake cable guy says?

Plus, last week Dustin went to see SNL live in studio 8H and he spills the beans of what it’s like seeing the famous sketch show live.  Find out what had him freaking out during the show and who the scariest lady on the crew is.

When it comes to comedy theaters there are few bigger that the Upright Citizens Brigade.  So many of today’s up and coming comedians have started on that stage and there are future stars beginning classes every day.

This week we talk to UCB regular and all around great guy Mike Still about what it’s like performing at the world famous theater. What does it take to get on a Harold team?  Does being selected for one mean you get to live in Lorne Micheal’s basement?  Why do some people think of it as the Evil Empire?

Plus, find out how a level one UCB improv class changed Dustin’s life forever.  If you’ve ever been curious what’s it like to perform for a major theater or are interested in getting involved with one take a listen.  Mike gives a lot of great inside information.   Click Here to see when you can catch Mike performing with one of his many groups.

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.

In this week’s episode we look at censorship and why it f*cking blows.  We examine:  What really are the rules the frickin’ FCC uses for broadcast TV?  Is cursing really a big deal on television any more?  What can we do to free up the airways for saying sh*t and f*ck whenever we gosh darn want?  Why does Dan insist on calling this episode the “Spooktacular”?  (Warning: There really is no answer to the last one.  He’s just weird)

We welcome back Comedy Nerds favorite Michael Hartney to join in on the conversation.  Also, this episode is not related to anything that may or may not have happened on Saturday Night Live.  (okay it totally is, but be cool.)

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.

Which is more important: quantity or quality?  Is it better for a comedian to perform all the frickin’ time and do whatever crap they wrote on the back of a napkin or only perform once a month but try really really hard at that shows?  Is a bad reputation better than no reputation at all?  Is a set with 80 mediocre jokes better than one with 4 great ones?  Surprisingly we actually think we figured this one out so take a listen and find out.

Plus, stick around for a few comments on the Emmy Awards and some of the new fall shows.  Also, help us figure out why one listener thinks we should “go somewhere and die.”

Listen, I’ve been hearing a lot of rumors about who may or may not have said the f word on last night’s SNL season premier.  What?  That’s ridiculous.  Hey look over there!  (whispering) Okay, while we’re alone.  Let’s all agree to be cool about this.  Sure Jenny maybe have dropped the F-Bomb on her first show, but that’s because she’s awesome.  She got into the character and that character says the f-word a lot.  We’re all be grown-ups here.

There are going to be some people all “my children will never be the same because they heard that word.  Yeah, I let my kids stay up until after midnight on a Saturday because sometimes I get drunk and pass out with the TV on”.   Those people ruin everything,  I mean, let’s face it, it’s a late night sketch comedy show.  They should be able to say fuck when ever they feel like it.  If you hear anyone complaining about it tell them to SHUT UP.  Be cool and have Jenny’s back on this one.  Or next time they may come for you…

Also, I thought the episode was really funny and Megan Fox actually did a good job on SNL.  She’s no Justin Timberlake, but she wasn’t half bad.

We pick up where we left off on Part 1 of the fall preview.  That’s really all there is to say about it.

For the first time (that I know of) the Emmys broke the telecast up into genres.  And I guess comedy was either the most or least important because it went first (really? Comedy is less important than reality.  Shame on you Mrs. Emmy).  Here is a list of who won in the big comedy categories in case you were under a rock or went to sleep early like a boring person.

Outstanding Comedy Series:  30 ROCK – I like the show a lot, but even they must be feeling a little awkward about winning all these awards.  I mean how excited can you get 40 awards in?

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock – (See above)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Toni Collette – United States of Tara - Dude, I wanted to like that show so much but I couldn’t.  I prefer one good solid character than 4 half-assed bad ones.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Jon Cryer – Two and a Half Men – I wanted to throw my remote at the TV (but I didn’t because I would never hurt my 57″ HD beauty.  She brings me so much joy).  How can you not give it to NPH you sons of bitches?

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies – Kristin is fun and her show was canceled so I was okay with this one.  How cute was Amy though? Very.  Didn’t you just want to hug her?  Okay, maybe just me.  I am a huger.

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart – I just wish they could have given it to The Daily Show and The Colbert Report together.  There are no losers here, except the other people nominated.

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series: “Reunion” – 30 Rock – 80% of the nominees where 30 Rock so it would have actually seemed like a dick move not to give it to them but Matt Hubbard is going to be talking some shit tomorrow.

Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart – (see above, but different above then the last see above and not directly above, two above)

The new fall TV season is upon us.  You want to know what to watch?  Then take a listen to our Fall Preview For Comedy Nerds.  We break down all the new and returning comedy shows into three categories:  watch it, tivo it, or watch c-span before you watch this piece of crap.

Seen any of the shows?  Let us know what you think.

Stephen Colbert, the king of all self-promotional media is back at it.  You gotta a problem with that?  Then take him on in the Colbert Nation Interview Simulator.  It’s not quite technology from the future, but it’s pretty damn close.  Either that or Stephen is living in your computer watching you all the time…oohhh scary.  (you probably shouldn’t have been doing what you were doing a minute ago anyway.  It makes the baby Jesus cry.  Oh yeah, I am also in your computer watching you all the time.)

It’s finally here.  Monday night The Jay Leno Show debuted and the Comedy Nerds were there to review/examine/critique it.  Was the new Jay as crazy sexy cool as we all hoped he would be?  Where the correspondents Daily Show quality awesome?  Did Jay really just ask Kanye what his dead mom would think of him?  Really?  Really?

So should you watch it or find other 10 pm fun?  We’ll try to help you decide.

Welcome to the first of our Comedy Nerds product reviews.  We are committed to bringing you honest, thought out,  thorough and serious reviews of the items you care about.  First up, Bawls.

BAWLS

It was only last week that I first discovered Bawls.  I was interested in Bawls right from the beginning but was reluctant.  Everyone in my office just kept pestering  me, “go get some Bawls”, “I think you will really like Bawls”, “you know what would go really good with that chicken salad?  Bawls.”  So I finally agreed and went out and tried some Bawls.

While Bawls come in a variety of sizes and flavors in this particular case I went with the large Blue Bawls.  I have very particular tastes so I was a little nervous I wouldn’t like the taste of Bawls, but I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised.  I don’t know what I really expected Bawls to taste like but my Bawls tasted like vanilla.   I can honestly say I like the taste of Bawls.

Plus, Bawls is filled with energy.  Bawls contains high levels of caffeine.  So when you are feeling a little run down, maybe next time you should go out and gets Bawls.

Overall I have to give Bawls a B+.  It’s low in calories, gives you energy and most importantly Bawls tastes great.  The only down side is that it’s hard to find Bawls.  Bawls isn’t available in a lot of locations.  But if you can find Bawls then it is worth the effort.

photo from flickr by Sebastian Niedlich (Grabthar)

This week we talk two man comedy with the always hilarious Nate Fernald and Steve O’Brien of Team Submarine.  In case you don’t know Team Submarine is one of the best two man groups working today.

In this episode we look at:  Why don’t we see as many two man groups as we used to?  Why can it be harder to perform as a two man group in a stand-up show?  Why should more comedians consider pairing off?  Why is Dan always thinking about dry humping? I mean always thinking about it.  Seriously.  That’s what he’s doing right now.

And don’t miss a clip from the Team Submarine album Correctamundo!.  (which is available for purchase on their website.)

The Comic’s Comic is reporting that SNL has cut Casey Wilson and Michaela Watkins from the cast for the upcoming season.  I must say I am a little sad about it.  I think Michaela, more than anyone I’ve seen (other than Rob Riggle), was underutilized on the show.  I think given the chance to be in more scenes she would have been able to break out as a premier cast member.  i wish both of them luck and will miss them this season.

On a related note I am super happy for Jenny Slate getting cast.  She will do an awesome job.

Are you a sketch writer or have you been thinking about getting into it?  Well September is National Sketch Writing Month.  So get our your keyboards and start crackin’ people.  Sign up over at http://www.nationalsketchwritingmonth.com/ and join the party.  The goal is to write 30 sketches in 30 days.   You can share your sketches with others or keep them to yourselves.  Either way, it’s the perfect time to be writing sketches.

Don’t worry about sucking.  September is about quantity not quality.  So get off your butt, then get back on your butt in front of your computer and write some sketches.  Do it…for America!

Awesome news.  The funniest movie of 2008 just got picked up for a 5th installment. Always dependable Sly Stallone is puttin’ on the bandanna and pickin’ up the bow (with dynamite tipped arrows) once again for a new Rambo movie.

If you haven’t seen the most recent Rambo quit your job and go see it right now.  (You’ve been wanting to quit anyway and go back to school.  If not now, when?  You know I’m right.)  It is honestly one of the funniest movies of all time (if you like very very dark humor where bad people get cut in half with bullets in a borderline cartoon kind of way).  Thank you Mr. Rambo.  Thank you so much.

This week’s episode is brought to you by Mom Jeans, Bass-o-matic, Colon Blows and Old Glory Robot Insurance.  Oh commercial parodies, what can’t you convince me to fake buy? (Crystal Gravy!)

But are commercial parodies comedy cheating?  After all, isn’t it mostly take an item, make something weird about it, and then you’re done.  Or are commercial parodies one of the most sure fire and entertaining forms of sketch comedy?  Take a listen, then tell us what do you think.

Comedian (and person who the Comedy Nerds really enjoy) Baron Vaughn stars in a new music video by the folks over at College Humor called Half-Birthday Sex.  Although I am willing to bet that everyone who watches this will be willing to give her full birthday sex (including the more adventurous ladies).

After over a year of Friday podcasts we are making the movie to Monday.  So now you can start your week off with the Comedy Nerds instead of listening Friday night when you are out drunk at the bar with friends which is how we assume everyone listens to it.  Although…it is probably funnier when you are drunk.  Well, I guess you are going to have to start drinking Monday mornings.  It’s not like you didn’t want to already.  Now we give you an excuse.  See the Comedy Nerds are always doin’ stuff for you!

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 week, we’re making it up as we go along.

We’re joined by guest Jason Saenz, to discuss the process of using improv to generate ideas for sketch and stand up. How much adaption is needed to go from one medium to another? And does just doing improv improve your writing in general?

We’ll also discuss whether improv can be considered an art form. Dustin argues against it, because he likes getting irate emails from improv fans.

This week welcome New York comedian and fellow podcaster Chris Grace to the Comedy Nerds studios to talk podcasting.  Why do people podcast?  Why is it important to comedy?  Why is Dustin always so mean to the guests?

Then we look at the oft forgotten Asian comedy minority.  Why are there so few Asian people in comedy?  How does the culture effect the need to perform?  Why is Dustin always so mean to the guests?

Check out Chris Grace’s website and podcast here.

That’s right, once again The Comedy Nerds have picked their favorite comedy performers and put together a fantastic show for your enjoyment.

You know who I’ve been hearing some really great things about? Aparna Nancherla. Too bad she’s not in this show. Wait, she is! Holy Cow! That’s awesome! That’s enough of a show right there.

But you know who would really made this a show you can’t miss. Claudia Cogan. OMG, is she ever funny. Get out of town! She’s going to be there too. Well now you just got to go.

And you know who is just blowing up right now? Team Submarine. Everywhere you look these days, you see them pop up. Now, there is some name recognition. What??? They will also be on stage? This show is out of control! I don’t know if one show can contain such high comedy wattage.

There only one person I can think of who could possibly round out a cast so good—SHUT UP!!! SERIOUSLY?!? Sean Crespo. THE Sean Crespo is going to be there? This show is off the hook!

Oh yeah? Did I happen to mention this little show is FREE. What’s the matter? Did I just BLOW YOUR MIND?

You’re welcome.

NERDIN’ OUT

COCO 66

66 Greenpoint Ave

Friday August 14th @ 8pm

Price: Free

Take the G to Greenpoint Ave Stop

Finally, a video that explains the biggest question I had as a kid.  What do the G.I. Joe dudes do when they are not G.I. Joeing?

Photo from flickr by thewmatt

This week we reach into the mail bag to help out an enterprising young comedian looking to do sketch comedy at his new college.  We look at what goes into forming your own sketch team and how to avoid many of the common pitfalls.

What do you do if you are a stranger in a strange land looking for a sketch team?  How do you find new people?  What should you look for when casting?  And why it’s actually a good thing if you lose 80% of the people you cast after one year. Plus, don’t miss the story of how it was actually forming a sketch comedy team that brought the Comedy Nerds together.

You will wan to stick around to the end to hear details about our upcoming show August 14th at COCO66 in Greenpoint.  We’ve got a bunch of our favorite guests and if it’s anything like the last one (and it will be) a great time will be had by all.

Exciting news being reported by Variety.  It looks like Comedy Nerd favorite Louis C.K. will be joining the cast of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” for multiple episodes as a love interest to Amy Poehler.  I hate to admit it, but I think NBC owns Thursday nights again.  (Sorry for the lame play on words in the title.  I was feeling cutesy)

A good comic should learn something every time they get on stage.  I don’t know if I am a good comic but I sure learned something last night.  I was performing on the a show hosted by my buddy Mike Blejer and the set was going pretty well.  I hadn’t been on stage in a while so some of the wording was off and i dragged a bunch of things on for way too long, but I got laughs throughout.  Then it came time for the big closer.  Or so I thought.

I made the rookie mistake of saying “All right.  I’ll leave you with this” before my last joke  Here’s the thing.  If the you tell them that you are telling your last joke and then it bombs, there is no getting out of it.  They know you thought the joke was funny, but they did not.  Now it’s really awkward and everyone feels a little gross about themselves.  I know I did.  And that’s what you are leaving them with, a nice gross feeling.  The truth is that it can happen at any time with any joke.  That particular joke always does well.  Well, it had always done well.  But last night…nothin’.  Not a damn chuckle.  Sometimes that just happens.  So now I know, never tell them you are telling your last jokes.  Just keep telling jokes until they laugh…or you cry…whichever comes first.

(See if I really learned by lesson by coming out to see NERDIN’ OUT II at COCO66 on August 14th @ 8pm.  More details to come soon.)

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