the comic's comic

Comedy Central won't be sharing any more "Issues" for "Michael & Michael" as series is not renewed

Fans of Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter may be excused for feeling a bit of deja vu right about now, because in a repeat of what happened when they teamed up with David Wain for their 2005 series, Stella, they've found out that their 2009 series, Michael and Michael Have Issues, also is done after only one season on Comedy Central. No formal reason has been given yet for the show's cancellation, or non-renewal.

Maybe if Black and Sho still have "issues," they can try taking their longstanding friendship feud to NBC's The Marriage Ref to solve them?

According to the show's online site, these were the guys' favorite moments from the season. Here's Showalter's favorite moments, which include sweatpants, bunny stomping, pee, and poo. Roll the clips!

And here's Black's favorite moments, which include Showalter as a "quiet" weatherman, mattresses, farts and frogs. Roll the clips!

NYC's Shushan Channel Purim Party, tonight at 92YTribeca

The funny Hebrews who brought you "Jewno" and "Meshugene Men" are back for an eighth season of The Shushan Channel's Purim comedy show, with two performances tonight at 92YTribeca in New York City.

The show features Lizz Winstead, Scott Adsit, Seth Herzog, Livia Scott, Henry Zebrowski, original sketches by TV comedy writers, a vicious sendup of Team Coco vs. Jay Leno, an original video from Joel McHale, and a surprise message from a Tonight Show (Conan edition) star. To get tickets? Click here.

This year's promotional parody speaks for itself. It's Wolfman: DDS. Roll it.

NBC taps Craig Robinson as new Last Comic Standing host, modifies audition dates

NBC and producers of "Last Comic Standing" announced a new host late Friday in Craig Robinson from NBC's "The Office" and films such as Pineapple Express, Knocked Up, and the soon-to-be released Hot Tub Time Machine. In a separate email, producers for the seventh season also noted they had changed the dates for their two open calls --- LA: March 6th at the Hollywood Improv, and NYC: March 21 at the Gotham Comedy Club.

The casting of Robinson as host is more than a little bit intriguing. The guy has comedic and musical stage chops, but doesn't seem like the sort to do the traditionally mechanical hosting duties we see out of reality TV competition hosts, LCS or otherwise. Considering earlier hints that this season may focus more seriously on good stand-up, well, I'm certainly looking to see how they reload LCS for thus summer's run.

Offline for a few days; please nobody panic (and don't break comedy news while I'm gone, thanks)

If I take a break on a holiday weekend, I figure nobody would notice, anyhow. But I'm about to be offline for the next few days because of a death in my family, and since I'm a one-man blogging band, that means you won't see anything new here for the next few days. So I wanted to make sure you don't panic if I don't write about you or your favorite comedian this week. I have reviews and interviews and more in notes that will have to wait just a bit longer than we'd all hoped. And if you could not break any comedy news, that'd be great, too. See how I'm still able to find some levity today? See you again soon.

Nick Thune releases "Thick Noon" without hick tunes!

Nick Thune has a new comedy CD/DVD out this week. So let's celebrate. Here are a couple of behind-the-scenes videos that tell you everything you need to know if you're uncertain about liking this gent. Roll them!

Lewis Black organizes a comedy cruise with his funny friends

Maybe all of those ads in Aruba for Aruba have convinced Lewis Black that he's ready to take his comedy to the Caribbean. Well, at least for a week. On a boat. With some of his funny stand-up comedian friends: John Pinette, Susie Essman, Dom Irrera, Kathleen Madigan, John Bowman, Larry Wilmore and Ted Alexandro.

Because that's what's happening this November. It's Lew's Cruise? Yes. Lew's Cruise. As Black himself explains on the site:

"Because this show just can't happen on dry land. A cruise offers the possibility of a week of unlimited fun. And we can all go a little crazy and just walk back to our rooms. It provided me the opportunity to spend time with my good friends, who also happen to be some of the funniest people I know. And its a week of non-stop comedy and all sorts of chances for you guys to see where the funny comes from with q and a's and all sorts of other surprises that will be revealed shortly on this site.

"Don't whine to me if you miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. A vacation. And constant live entertainment. You can rock climb on this boat, why I don't know but you can. You can surf on this boat. Don't ask it wasn't my idea. So join us you pricks, who knows, it may even make me smile."

Other activities include a screening of My Favorite Year and Q&A with Mark Linn Baker, Madigan calling BINGO games, Irrera holding forth on his "Comedy Court," improv lessons with Joe Grifasi, and the other activities and excursions you can normally expect on a cruise.

It'll all take place on Royal Carribean's Liberty of the Seas, seven nights, leaving Miami on Nov. 7, 2010, and heading to Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; and George Town, Grand Cayman. Prices for the cruise start at $1,459, not including transportation to Miami.

Duncan Trussell and Natasha Leggero offer their own commercial for a Comedy Boot Camp

Perhaps you have read something on this site previously about Comedy Boot Camps? Well, comedians Duncan Trussell and Natasha Leggero decided to offer their own response, via their new weekly podcast, The Lavender Hour.

Listen to their commercial for the Legussel Comedy Bootcamp.

Awaiting a reply from Kyle Cease in 3...2...1...

Where were you when Olympic curlers mistakenly kidnapped Kenny Mayne?

Everyone who plays curling in the Olympics has heard your stupid curling jokes before, and they heard them all four years ago, too. Here's something neither they nor you have seen, though. It's a mixed-doubles curling squad (played by Kurt Braunohler and Kate McKinnon -- Kate's one of the ECNY's Emerging Comic nominees, btw) that decided to kidnap ESPN's Kenny Mayne. Or did they? You'll just have to watch and find out what happens. Roll the clip!

If New York City is too tough for The Onion's local A.V. Club...

What do they say about New York City? "Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do." No, the lyric before that, a generation or two before that. "If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere." But what if you cannot make it in NYC? It's a tough city. Outrageously expensive. Outrageously demanding, as millions of ambitious and determined people bump up against each other day after day, dog eating dog, and making every day a battle. As someone working solo on the fringes, I've always had a curious eye on The Onion. Even more so when not long after I launched The Comic's Comic, The Onion rolled out a series of local city editions of its A.V. Club to cover local entertainment (first as something called Decider, then folded back into the main publication). Well, the funded publication announced today it's scaling back its operations.

Andy Battaglia sent out an email to associates saying it's his last day as city editor of NYC's A.V. Club, which is shutting down the local content entirely. Battaglia also just posted a public goodbye notice on the site.

Meanwhile, Kyle Ryan posted his own note to readers from his office in Chicago, reassuring everyone that the national print edition of The A.V. Club remains intact. He wrote, in part: "We will still be printed in eight cities (New York, D.C., Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Austin, and Denver/Boulder), and the national parts of The A.V. Club—in the paper and at avclub.com—won't be affected."

Still, as I told Ryan via email, it's one of those days in which I wonder if I need to switch the focus of The Comic's Comic to fart jokes, guys getting hit in the balls, kittens, and celebrities behaving badly. Oh, wait. That's the rest of the Internet. Don't worry. I'll continue on here, broke or barely broke, writing about comedy and comedians.

Ed Hardy Boyz: Can you be in on the joke and still be mocked? Ask Christian Audigier + others

The Ed Hardy Boyz have gotten called on a new mystery mission, thanks to a hot Filipino babe with big naturals who had her tramp stamp stolen. Sounds like a case for Bobby Bottleservice (Nick Kroll) and Peter Papparazzo (Jon Daly) to solve, right? Only this time, for reasons that can only be explained by the fact that they're in Hollywood now, they've got the backing of Ed Hardy's actual designer, Christian Audigier, as well as cameos from Fred Durst, Tom Sizemore and Pat O'Brien. I mean, really. Seriously? It's one thing to have a sense of humor. But these guys know what's going on, right? I mean, really. Seriously? This reminds me of the time Sarah Palin went on SNL and had her entire life mocked in front of her and danced along to the insane rap stylings, and was still the leading Republican candidate for president a year later. Oh. Right. I guess that's why these d-bags are more than happy to be in on the joke. What is happening? I feel like David after Dentist right now, because life makes no sense any longer.

FX renews animated comedy "Archer" for second season, orders 13 episodes in 2011

Good news for fans of the risque animated spy agency comedy caper, Archer, as FX announced it has ordered a 13-episode second season for its 2011 schedules.

H. Jon Benjamin voices the lead role of spy Sterling Archer, with the rest of the voice cast filled out by Jessica Walter as his mother, Aisha Tyler as his ex-girlfriend and colleague, George Coe as his butler, Chris Parnell as an agency administrator, Judy Greer as a lovesick secretary, and Amber Nash as the human resources director. Through seven of its initial 10 episodes, Archer has averaged 1.2 million total viewers (853K in the 18-49 demo, 573K in adults 18-34). If you're curious, the other new FX comedy to launch over the winter, The League, is doing even better, with 1.3 million total viewers (and 1.076 million 18-49, 829K 18-34).

"Executive Producers Adam Reed and Matt Thompson are delivering a hilarious series and it truly earned a second season," said FX exec Nick Grad. "H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tyler, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell and Judy Greer comprise one of the best voice casts of any animated series on TV. We're very happy with the audience response and critical acclaim for Archer and are excited to move forward with it."

FX plans to air four episodes of Archer back-to-back from 10 p.m. to midnight this Thursday, Feb. 25, before the final three episodes pick back up beginning 10 p.m. March 4.

(News release via The Futon Critic)

Scott Gairdner anchors Juggalos News for your Insane Clown News Network (+ other crazy videos)

Los Angeles-based comedian Scott Gairdner brings us a new video this afternoon that imagines what the "Juggalos," the self-described bunch of fans who love whatever it is the Insane Clown Posse and its ilk is doing, would do if they took over a cable news network. Is this any more ridiculous than you'd expect? Of course it contains profanities. And horror clown makeup.

If you'd like to see some other recent offerings from Gairdner and his comedy friends, try this on for size. It's a parody of the Chicago Bears "Super Bowl Shuffle" called "Sex Offender Shuffle." Roll it!

And this 2006 take on a soap opera called "Cutthrote Hospital" has Gairdner playing the straight man to the melodrama plot twists, and also appears to star a young Nasim Pedrad. Would you like to see that? CLARIFICATION: Gairdner has told me that my eyes are deceiving me, and that isn't Nasim. Clearly, I wanted it to be. Crikey.

Def Comedy Jam crew gets Comedy Central series order, hosted by JB Smoove

They're not calling it "Def Comedy Jam" yet, or are they, but Comedy Central announced today it had ordered a six-episode series showcasing "urban and hip-hop stand-up" from Russell Simmons and Stan Lathan, the men who created Def Comedy Jam 21 years ago on HBO.

JB Smoove will host the half-hours, which are taping this week -- Feb. 24-25 at the El Ray Theater in Los Angeles -- and will air this summer on Comedy Central. Each half-hour will showcase three up-and-coming stand-ups and music from DJ Cassidy.

"We've been trying to get into business with Russell and Stan for a while now and this new stand-up series is an exciting first venture for us to partner with them," said Comedy Central's Elizabeth Porter, senior VP of specials and talent. "As someone who was a huge fan of 'Def Comedy Jam,' working alongside these two incredible visionaries on this series has been nothing short of amazing. With JB Smoove as our front man and all the fresh faces that Russell and Stan have discovered for the show, we'll be giving our viewers something really awesome each week."

"'Def Comedy Jam' made a significant contribution to American pop culture by introducing so many superstars," said Simmons. "Now, with COMEDY CENTRAL as our new partner, we're poised to present the next generation of star talent."

Chris Gethard hosts a show in his NYC apartment, with SNL's Seth Meyers and Kung Fu Monkeys

Some comedians are content to perform in comedy clubs and theaters, perhaps even alt-rooms such as bars and rock clubs. Chris Gethard is a little bit different. In the past year, this skilled Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre performer has taken fans along on a full-day bus tour to see the places he talks about in his stories, invited select fans to his parents house for a sleepover, and yesterday, held a "secret show" in his Queens apartment.

Did I mention his guests yesterday were Saturday Night Live head writer and "Weekend Update" anchor Seth Meyers, and music performed acoustically by Kung Fu Monkeys? Here's a picture someone snapped from inside the secret show.

Gethard told me today: "Seth was the guest, Kung Fu Monkeys (who play all my shows and are great) were the band, and everything went great! I think people had a good time - I just hope it was worth the trip to Queens. Now I gotta get to work organizing March's show!"

That would be his monthly variety showcase, The Chris Gethard Show, at the UCB Theatre. For March, he's bringing in a comedy nerd all the way from Ohio named Mitchell Stephen Fesh. No word yet on whether Sean Combs -- aka Diddy aka Puffy Puff Daddy -- will be able to make it to this show.

Previously: Chris Gethard asked Diddy on Christmas to perform on his show, and Diddy said yes.

30 Rock, Modern Family among 2010 WGA winners

The Writers Guild of America held their annual awards in simultaneous ceremonies last night in New York City and Los Angeles, with 30 Rock and Modern Family both bringing home two awards each among comedies.

The ceremonies also included special awards, previously announced, for Larry David as well as Alan Zweibel and Gary David Goldberg.

Here is the list of comedy writing winners from the 2010 WGA Awards. Full list here.

COMEDY SERIES: 30 Rock, Written by Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Vali Chandrasekaran, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Steve Hely, Matt Hubbard, Dylan Morgan, Paula Pell, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, Josh Siegal, Ron Weiner, Tracey Wigfield; NBC

NEW SERIES: Modern Family, Written by Paul Corrigan, Sameer Gardezi, Joe Lawson, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O ' Shannon, Brad Walsh, Caroline Williams, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC

EPISODIC COMEDY: **TIE** 
Apollo, Apollo” (30 Rock), Written by Robert Carlock; NBC
“Pilot” (Modern Family), Written by Steven Levitan & Christopher Lloyd; ABC

COMEDY / VARIETY – (INCLUDING TALK) SERIES (**TIE**)
Saturday Night Live, Head Writer: Seth Meyers, Writers Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Alex Baze, Jessica Conrad, James Downey, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, John Lutz, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Paula Pell, Simon Rich, Marika Sawyer, Akiva Schaffer, John Solomon, Emily Spivey, Kent Sublette, Jorma Taccone, Bryan Tucker, Additional Sketch by Adam McKay, Andrew Steele; NBC
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Head Writer: Steve Bodow, Writers Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Rich Blomquist, Tim Carvell, Wyatt Cenac, Hallie Haglund, JR Havlan, David Javerbaum, Elliott Kalan, Josh Lieb, Sam Means, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Daniel Radosh, Jason Ross, Jon Stewart; Comedy Central

Has anyone seen Andrew Koenig? "Boner" from "Growing Pains" missing since 2/14 in Vancouver

Updated 2/25: RIP Andrew Koenig, found dead today in Vancouver's Stanley Park. He was suffering from depression. He was 41.

Passing along some news that's definitely not funny, even though it concerns Andrew Koenig from "Never Not Funny" and better known from his teen-actor turn as "Boner" in the 1980s sitcom Growing Pains.

Friends of Koenig have reported him missing, last seen Feb. 14 in Vancouver. This came in earlier today from Dave Holmes:

"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?"

Koenig, 41, is the son of Walter Koenig -- Star Trek's Chekov -- and brother-in-law of Jimmy Pardo. If you have seen him, please contact your local authorities.

UPDATED: 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."

UPDATED 2/21: Still no word as of Sunday afternoon. But Walter Koenig's site just put up a statement that said "Andrew was suffering from depression at the time of his disappearance," that they have not heard from him since Feb. 9, and that his cell phone had been turned off, last receiving a text message Feb. 16 in Vancouver. They plan on flying there soon to help police with their search and investigation.

"Drunk History" filmmakers talk to The Sound of Young America

You're going to see Jen Kirkman get drunk tonight on HBO and tell her version of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln as part of a new installment of "Drunk History" on Funny or Die Presents, with Don Cheadle and Will Ferrell playing the historical roles in a re-enactment. This comedic film won a short film prize at Sundance, and while at the fest, "Drunk History" co-creators Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner sat down with Jesse Thorn for a special filmed edition of The Sound of Young America. So if you'd like to watch and learn, well, then, do just that. Roll it!

Earlier: Derek Waters explained the concept last year, also to the Maximum Fun gang.

"Two And A Half Men," without the laugh track, but with commentary

Remember how recently someone posted a video of the popular CBS sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, but removed the audience's laughter from the scene in an attempt to point out how the jokes in the scene might not have been so funny? That inspired some different opinions on the nature of sitcoms and laugh tracks. Well, it was only a matter of time before the comedy community turned its eyes toward the even more popular CBS sitcom, Two and a Half Men. Especially since most people I run into in comedy are not fans of the show that stars Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer and an ever-growing kid, and way too many sexual innuendos as punchlines week after week.

So. The grown-up kids at CollegeHumor took aim on the show by examining this opening scene from an episode without the laugh track, telling us what you probably really heard from a cranky audience member. Ready for that? Roll the clip! Then discuss and debate how the most basic jokes about sex have appealed to wide audiences for generations upon generations.

What would Ian Roberts do to promote "Players" on Spike? Would you believe "1 Guy, 1 Cup"?

You've heard of 2 Girls, 1 Cup, right? I'm not going to link to that viral video shocker that shocked millions with its NSFW depths. But the Upright Citizens Brigade's Ian Roberts, co-star of the upcoming Spike TV sitcom, Players, decided that without a proper marketing budget, he would re-create that video all by himself in "1 Guy, 1 Cup." As UCB co-founder Matt Walsh sat by and told him repeatedly not to do such a thing.

You know. These guys are such great improvisers that I fully laughed out loud and even gagged a bit as Roberts does his own very NSFW thing. That's a testament to how good Walsh and Roberts are. So I don't even have to question whether this is real or "real" or outright fake. Because it's just plain funny. Roll the clip! I warned you. This is Not Safe For Work.

Earlier: Watch actual previews of Players.

Tom Green loves Internet broadcasting from his home, but hits the road for his first stand-up tour

Tom Green has enjoyed a lengthy career on the fringes, and sometimes the cutting edges, of broadcast comedy, from his cable access show in Canada, which begat an MTV talk-show, and for the past three years, an Internet-based chat show filmed from his home in Southern California. But now Green is ready for the life on the road of a mainstream stand-up comedian, even if he's not ever quite going to be mainstream. Not that he even wants to.

When I met up with him in Midtown Manhattan this week -- Green performs at Comix tonight-Saturday (with upcoming tour dates at Zanies in Chicago, Crackers in Indianapolis, the Improvs in Dallas, Brea and Tempe) -- he told me how much he enjoys working on his own terms outside of network censors or notes from executives trying to tell him what he can or cannot do. I told him there was a Tim Horton's a couple of blocks from us, thinking that would make the Canadian native feel at home. What I didn't know was that this Tim Horton's, on the inside, was not the full-service cafe, but rather an express version stuck together with a KFC. But Green is a guy who makes the best of his situation, even if it means chicken for breakfast at 1:30 p.m., and means a site change after my Flip cam ran out of batteries and I ran a block over to Duane Reade to buy a new AA. Roll the clipper!

Here is some of our chat, in which he talks about getting out of the house, stand-up at 38 vs. when he was starting out as a teenager, and defending the legacy of his movie, Freddy Got Fingered. Roll it!

If you noticed he plugged his website a few times. How much does he believe in keeping up with new social media networking sites, whether it's Twitter or Facebook or whatever the next new thing is?

"It's all interconnected with my website, so I kind of like to have that, connected to TomGreen.com, so we can have that content out there," he said. "I always kind of get in a few minutes late, because I never really know what's going to be around. Like, I got into Twitter way too late. I just got into it a few months ago. But I really like it. But I kind of think I got into it a bit too late. There's a Twitter, there's a Facebook, MySpace page, all those things, they're all connected, YouTube channel, but for the most part I really put most of my creative energy into TomGreen.com. The thing is, it's like a hub. It's a hub. It's a channel. We have the studio. We're going to start producing other shows out of there this year. I have a few people who have expressed interest in hosting shows on TomGreen.com. I'm going to actually rebrand it as a universally-themed channel."

So just like Oprah is having her own Oprah Winfrey Network, you'll have a Tom Green Network online? "Yeah. It's not exactly like that. It's definitely going to be very Internet-driven. You know, I think the Internet, you have the opportunity to do a lot of stuff that you can't ever do on television. Like be honest. Keep it completely real and truthful, and not necessarily have to kowtow every second of the way to corporate concerns and interests. The genre is completely different. It's long-format programming. They don't microanalyze and micro-edit every thing you do, every single word that comes out of your mouth. So. I love it. Much better than television."