the comic's comic

Who needs Last Comic Standing when we have Oprah?

We don't know what is happening in Oprah's world, but something is awry. Over the past month or so, Oprah has tried learning Facebook and Twitter during live broadcasts, and now she is seeking wannabe stand-up comedians. What is this? Straight from her site to ours, and now to your eyeballs which have just exploded into flames. Click on Oprah's site here if you must.

Are you a comedian just waiting to be discovered?

Are you a funny person? Are you always the life of the party?  Do you day dream about becoming a comedian someday, maybe even practicing your material in front of the mirror from time to time? Do you have other Mom's and Dad's constantly cracking up? Do you feel like you are destined for the improv stage or the comedy circuit?  Do people constantly tell you how hilarious you are?   We want to know if you think you are America's next big comedian.  If you want a chance to wow us with your jokes, this may be your chance. 

Please only respond if you are willing to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show. 

Paul Mooney doesn't like Earthquake calling him gay

The Friars Club and Comedy Central aren't the only roast games in town. The TV One network (check your local listings) has taped an upcoming "Roast & Toast of John Witherspoon," and during the roast, Earthquake compared Paul Mooney to everyone's "gay uncle." Apparently, that hit a bit close to home for Mooney, who snapped back at Earthquake with a series of NSFW profanities that sounds like it wasn't all in the name of good, clean fun.

The roast airs May 25 (and was filmed at the Friars Club in Beverly Hills).

What's next for Bill Burr?

Bill Burr may get worked up onstage when he's on a comedic roll, and his everyman take on the world that's rumbling and crumbling all around us has picked up steam -- as well as a slew of new fans of his stand-up comedy. Thank repeated airings of his 2008 special, Why Do I Do This?, on Comedy Central, for helping to spread the word of Burr. When he last headlined Carolines in New York City, fans made special trips to the Big Apple from as far away as Montana and Florida, just to see him perform live and meet him in person.

Burr is back at Carolines this weekend (April 30-May 3), and I caught up with him recently to talk about where his career goes from here. (Related: I also shot a short video riding in a taxicab with Bill Burr)

Burr recorded a pilot for Comedy Central in the past year. It made the network's short list for final consideration, and when they passed, he admitted it was a tough blow; but at the same time, also inspiring. He realized he could and did want to do more. That's one of the reasons he moved from New York City to Los Angeles last year. After having the run of the Big Apple's biggest clubs and touring the country as a headliner, what would the next step be?

More after the jump...

Funny or Die visits Land of the Lost

Some "entertainment reporters" at "press junkets" try to be "funny." For the upcoming summer tentpole movie version of Land of the Lost, Seth Morris and Funny or Die help Will Ferrell get out in front of the press. And also expose the world of Sid and Marty Krofft to be a little more sexual than you remembered. Then again, it was the 1970s.

EXCLUSIVE Land Of The Lost Set Visit from Will Ferrell

More details on 2009's Just For Laughs Montreal

The 2009 edition of Montreal's Just For Laughs festival is starting to take shape. Tickets for some shows already are on sale, with the rest available starting May 2 for the 27th annual fest, running July 16-26.

Here's what we know so far...

The Galas: John Cleese hosts a British gala (July 22) with Ross Noble, Jimmy Carr, Mark Watson, Danny Bhoy, Gina Yahsere, Idiots of Ants, and Simon Amstell; Lewis Black (July 23), Whoopi Goldberg (July 24), Martin Short (July 25), and the finale all-star edition features Louis CK, Louie Anderson, Jeff Ross, Caroline Rhea, Robert Schimmel and David Alan Grier (July 26).

The JFL Trifecta: Louis CK reportedly will be the first comedian to perform at all three JFLs this summer, in Montreal, Toronto and Chicago. Of course, this is JFL's first year in Chicago.

One night only: Bill Cosby performs July 25, while Russell Peters plays the Bell Centre arena on July 24.

New for 2009: The fest will launch Chaos Montreal, a spin-off that puts the "New Faces" industry showcase in a new home at the Cabaret Theatre, and also includes the Flying Solo, Amp'd, Alternative shows and a selection from Edinburgh Fringe. We'll find out more in May via the dizzying Chaos Montreal site.

One-person shows: Roberto Benigni (remember him?!) performs his "Tutto Dante" in both French and Italian; Tommy Tiernan does "Eh" (July 22-25); Gregory Charles showcases comedy and music (July 23-25); Judy Gold does "Mommy Queerest"; Elon Gold's "Half Jewish, Half Very Jewish"; and Robert Schimmel's "Cheaters Get Cancer."

Also: Look for multiple performances by Jim Breuer, Aisha Tyler, Kevin Hart, Bobby Slayton, Gerry Dee, Aziz Ansari, Wil Anderson and Dave Hughes, Rhys Darby, Jimeoin, Patrick Kielty, Ed Byrne, and Improvised Shakespeare.

And yes, they will do another two-day industry conference (July 23-24). More information on all of this will be revealed closer to the festival.

Watch Eric Price on Last Call with Carson Daly

When I went to grab the video of Kevin Hart's interview the other day, I stumbled across this find from another recent episode of Last Call with Carson Daly.

Several curious thoughts while watching this: 1) Carson Daly did an entire "series" on up-and-coming young comedians, and we missed it? 2) How can you introduce a piece about Eric Price and not mention he is on MADtv? 3) On top of that, how can Daly say this is his television debut? 4) Why would you film a stand-up show in what appears to be a hole in a wall? 5) Why would Price be recording this set, if it's already being recorded...for television? 6) Is that the best the NBC.com folks could do with that tease on the video: "Watch comedian Eric Price do some standup!"? 7) At the end of his set, does Price really perform all of the voices on Family Guy?

In other news...

While I decide which came first -- spring fever or swine flu -- here is a roundup of comedy-related news and nuggets from the trades and various publications.

-- Nancy Franklin at The New Yorker loves Amy Poehler, but no so much her new sitcom.

-- Broadcasting & Cable learns that NBC has made Jay Leno its main marketing mission for 2009.

-- MTV has given a series order to Popzilla, what it calls "a rapid-fire half hour animated sketch show that relentlessly skewers the excesses of pop culture" from Dave Thomas.

-- NBC is calling Liz Lemon "Tina" in promos for 30 Rock?! (via Videogum)

-- Variety reported on a new comedy management firm, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, which will have to compete with giants such as the newly merged WMA-Endeavor.

-- ABC announced multiple series pickups for 2009-2010, and none of them were sitcoms. Bad news for the current crop, but good news for pilots? Perhaps. The Hollywood Reporter notes that ABC is still thinking about reviving Scrubs, though.

Bill Cosby interviewed on ESPN's NFL Draft

If you've ever watched ESPN's interminably extensive coverage of the NFL Draft, then you need to get outside more and enjoy the world. You can find out which football teams drafted which players later. You really don't need to watch this time-suck. Except for this. Erin Andrews sitting on a couch between Bill Cosby and Texas wide receiver Quan Cosby. They're not related. And Bill, in a Temple jersey and helmet, couldn't be happier to be done with this silliness. How about you?

(Spoiler alert: Quan Cosby didn't even get drafted over the weekend, though he did reportedly sign today with the Cincinnati Bengals)

Margaret Cho is "Gettin' Wet" with Sara Benincasa

Sara Benincasa used to have a chat show called "Tub Talk." Well, Benincasa is back in batheland, and in her new show, "Gettin' Wet," she chats up Margaret Cho about how Cyndi Lauper talked her into exploring her musical side, things you may not already know about Cho's mother, and Cho's new variety show. Tiny bubbles!

Video: Is this your dream SNL lineup?

From the folks at CollegeHumor comes this imagined intro for an all-star cast at Saturday Night Live. But would you actually want to see this episode? Maybe. Just maybe...

Watch Never-Before-Seen SNL Intro and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

How young is too young to be a stand-up comedian?

So last week, everyone was talking about Susan Boyle this and Susan Boyle that. But for comedy fans, Simon Cowell had made a bit of news by inviting a 13-year-old aspiring stand-up comedian from Idaho to take part in this summer's edition of America's Got Talent. I don't care how talented Trevor Hattabaugh is (here is the local TV news report on Hattabaugh out of Boise), because I'm not sold on the idea of kids that young performing their own stand-up.

Talk to almost any legendary comedian and he or she will regale you with stories of how, in their youth, they entertained family members and schoolmates with jokes -- usually copying the acts of older stand-ups they admired. Eddie Murphy famously made his Saturday Night Live debut when he was 19, and a hit stand-up CD when he was 21.

But most teenagers are not Eddie Murphy. What do those kids have to joke about onstage? What could they possibly have for material? There's a certain amount of living you have to do -- don't you?! -- before you have more to offer the world than an amusing one-liner or a juvenile routine. Not that that's stopping kids from getting onstage. In fact, here in New York, an outfit called Kids 'N Comedy puts on a monthly showcase at Gotham Comedy Club. I can see how it would help coax teens out of their shells and build performing skills. But still. Not sold on the idea of kids doing comedy. Even when footage exists of famous people such as Seth Rogen doing stand-up at 13. Actually, let's examine that.

Watch early Richard Pryor, circa 1964!

This is awesome. Here's a clip of Richard Pryor in one of his first TV appearances, circa 1964, a year after he had moved to New York City. So he talks about that. Plus: Did you know there used to be Coke machines in the subways?

Kevin Hart talks comedy with Carson Daly

I caught this interview a week or so ago and found it interesting for both comedians and fans alike. Yes, it's Carson Daly, and he fibs a bit in the intro and his chat with comedian Kevin Hart. But. Nice to see them go outside of the studio and to a comedy club in Los Angeles that's not the Improv, Comedy Store or Laugh Factory -- they're at The Comedy Union "in the hood," as they joke. Hart talks about how he had to adapt from the New York City comedy scene to that of Los Angeles, how people like Dave Chappelle are funny in a different way from other stand-ups, and what that can mean for a comedian. Also, Twitter. You can follow Kevin Hart @KevinHart4real.

Music Video: Adira Amram's "Mom Song"

Too late for 4/20, too soon for Mother's Day, just right for right now. It's Adira Amram's new music video for her "Mom Song." Enjoy chasing your dreams, kiddies:

Adira Amram - Mom Song from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Patton Oswalt defends his place on MySpace

Comedian Patton Oswalt used his early morning MySpace blog post to deftly recount the story of becoming a new father and how it related to his pop-culture habits, and specifically the new sequel, Crank: High Voltage. There are amusing references to how some comedy sites treated the birth of his daughter, as well as how his friends in comedy and the performing arts all seem to be having babies right about now. But Oswalt also had something to say about why he waited until now, and why he chose MySpace as his forum for sharing all of this:

I didn’t want to announce this on my website, or on my Facebook which, truth be told, I shut down ‘cuz of all the psycho messages I was getting. I mean, I appreciate knowing that you were awake at 3am and heard a katydid chirping my name and that’s why you’re warning me that a hobo-harlequin’s going to kill me with a tire iron on Christmas, but…I mean, didn’t you get tired just reading that?

But MySpace has become a neglected strip mall, which is slowly going out of business because someone built a shiny new mega-mall just down the street. Every now and then you stop by because abandoned, derelict buildings have a weird beauty to them. Have you been over to Friendster lately? The rats are so tame they’ll let you pet ‘em. So think of this as me taping up a discreet flyer in the window of the sketchy Chinese restaurant next to the dollar movie theater where they’re still showing THE WILD WILD WEST. I want to announce this, but people are going to have to pack a sandwich and drive somewhere to find it.

Found.

Coincidentally, Oswalt's latest blog post comes just as News Corp. announced Wednesday it was preparing to replace MySpace's founding fathers, Tom and Chris.

Related: MySpace is touting a new design for its MySpace Comedy page. I've always thought that what made MySpace great was its original mission of connecting bands and musicians with their fans, and the expansion into comedy also was a good idea. If anything "ruined" MySpace, it has been the users, spammers and code designers who filled up user templates with junk and auto-running songs and videos that made it nearly impossible to enjoy the experience. Of course, MySpace still can be a great resource for finding and listening to new musical and comedy acts. I hope they get their act together on that.

Furthermore: The weekly Upright Citizens Brigade comedy show, MySpace, changed its name about six months ago to Facebook for its Wednesday night shows in Los Angeles (and NYC before that) that use an audience member's profile page for improvised inspiration. As one of the several members told me: "After a while, everybody we interviewed for MySpace had only updated their page in hopes of being on our show. Sign o' the times I guess."

Dane Cook launches new iPhone/iTouch comedy app

I zinged Dane Cook recently for being late to the Twitter game, but now that he's put his focus squarely back on his stand-up comedy, he's quickly caught up to the game and one-upped it with the launch of what appears to be the first comprehensive iPhone/iTouch app specifically designed to interact with an individual stand-up comedian. Here is Dane Cook with his tech friend to explain it:

The details for his app, selling for $2.99 on iTunes, include backstage videos, photos and texts from Cook, along with ticket sales -- while he's on tour, at least -- as well as the ability to directly access and buy his tracks and albums.

Related: Though seemingly hundreds of new apps are popping up for free or for sale on iTunes every week, there still aren't that many for comedy (unless you count fart noises, so OK, maybe; and also some generic joke ideas to share). 60Frames is one of the few, offering its "Best of Comedy" video app for $2.99 (their best known partnership from 2008 may have been with Kids In The Hall).

This American Life - Live! features Mike Birbiglia, Dave Hill

Ira Glass is hosting a live edition of his radio program, This American Life, that will happen before a sold-out audience at NYU's Skirball Center and broadcast on 400 movie screens across the country, with stories from Mike Birbiglia, Dan Savage and Starlee Kine, a "special investigation" by Dave Hill and David Rakoff, a new cartoon from Chris Ware, visuals from Arthur Jones, and an appearance by Joss Whedon. It happens at 8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. Mountain -- then tape-delayed for 8 p.m. Pacific. You can check for tickets at a cinema near you. If you cannot make it tonight but still would like to enjoy this show in a movie theater, some cinemas will rebroadcast tonight's show on May 7.

Guide to comedies at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival kicks off tonight with Woody Allen's latest, Whatever Works, starring Larry David. There's two great neurotic comedy minds! It also stars Ed Begley Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Conleth Hill, Michael McKean, and Evan Rachel Wood. After tonight's world premiere, it officially opens June 19 in New York and Los Angeles.

We'll have to wait until closer to June to see it ourselves. But there are some other comedies to note and possibly check out during the Tribeca fest, which runs through May 3.

Funny films featuring funny people: Hysterical Psycho, a horror spoof directed by Dan Fogler and starring Lennon Parham, among others; Black Dynamite, the blaxploitation spoof from Ars Nova that features Arsenio Hall, Tommy Davidson, Nicole Sullivan and Baron Vaughn; mockumentary Midgets vs. Mascots, with Gary Coleman and Bob Bledsoe, among others; My Life in Ruins, which features Rachel Dratch and Harland Williams, among others; and Stay Cool, by the guys who brought forth Twin Falls, Idaho, includes Chevy Chase. Of course, there are plenty of other dramedies, quirky films and satires on the schedule. If I get to see any of these, I'll be sure to let you know.

Twitter Rap Battle: Andy Milonakis v. BoomChicago Amsterdam

And so, the time has come for comedians to weigh in on the fad that is celebrities and everyone else lurching onto the Twitter bandwagon, and changing the fun little thing that few understood into something that millions can now fail to comprehend. So why not rap about it? Here are two slightly different comedy approaches to that.

In order of arrival, first we have BoomChicago from Amsterdam (a group that has graduated more than a few folks to MADtv in past years), which takes Twitter and marries it with rap and pot. Obviously. NSFW.

Andy Milonakis takes almost the same rhythm/vibe, but gives it an instant Hollywood parody element, and also a healthy dash of self-deprecation. Look at all these celebs Tweet Tweeting. And then, he adds in a picture of a baby chick with a kitten, FTW.

Michael and Michael's Farting Butterfly Sketch

If you want to know what to expect from the upcoming Comedy Central sketch show, Michael and Michael Have Issues, then perhaps this preview sketch might help explain things for you. Michael Showalter tries to guide Michael Ian Black through a voiceover session on farting butterflies. No fooling. Or, rather, much fooling!

Michael & Michael Have Issues	Premieres Thurs, July 15, 10:30pm / 11:30c
Preview - The Farting Butterfly Sketch
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