the comic's comic

On Letterman tonight! Matt and Trey use "Charlie Sheen" defense for their South Park Oscar fashions

Matt Stone and Trey Parker are on tonight's episode of Late Show with David Letterman to promote their new Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon (it's in previews until March 24).

But since it's the day after the Academy Awards, Letterman just had to remind them about the time they were nominated for Best Song at the Oscars for their South Park movie, and their decision to wear infamous outfits previously worn at awards ceremonies by Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow. Turns out they have a timely defense. They were on drugs, and those drugs were Charlie Sheen!

Roll the clip:

 

Related: Get info on The Book of Mormon, now on Broadway.

Upcoming SNL hosts: Miley Cyrus, Zach Galifianakis, Elton John

In a press release this morning, NBC confirmed that Zach Galifianakis would return to host Saturday Night Live on March 12, with musical guest Jessie J. Galifianakis hosted last season, performing stand-up for his monologue and also shaving his beard for a sketch.

Lorne Michaels also revealed overnight that Elton John would be both host and musical guest on April 2, offering a chance to attend the show and after-party as an auction item at Elton John's Oscars party.

This week's host is Miley Cyrus, who will perform alongside Cyrus impersonator Vanessa Bayer, but will not be the musical guest. That'll be left up to The Strokes.

Post-Oscars Jimmy Kimmel: Hottie Body Hump Club, Tom Hanks in Toddlers & Tiaras, and Mike Tyson

If the 83rd annual Academy Awards left much to be desired, then you were rewarded for sticking around to see the special post-show edition of Jimmy Kimmel Live.

First, Kimmel tapped several hot actresses to appear in his seven-minute infomercial for his "Hottie Body Hump Club" to hump big balls. Literally. Featuring Scarlett Johansson, Minka Kelly, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Kelly Ripa, Eva Longoria, Emily Blunt and Sofia Vergara. Possibly some of Alba's finest acting since Honey! Oh, and Lindsay Lohan appeared and let Kimmel joke about her ongoing felony theft case! Also: Someone find out what kind of tanning spray Jimmy used on his legs.

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Then he had Mike Tyson offer his own speech therapy, a la big Oscar-winning film The King's Speech, to former President George W. Bush. Because, of course, when you think of our nation's great speakers, you think of Iron Mike Tyson. Naturally.

 

But the piece de resistance may have been Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks in a short film showing off his "daughter" Sophie in their attempt to win a Toddlers-and-Tiaras beauty pageant. Look out for extra celebrity cameos!

"Oh, now don't be a Hooch!" Roll the clip.

 

Watch Tim Minchin as narrator of "The Lost Thing," Academy Award winner for Short Film (Animated)

Congrats to comedian/musician Tim Minchin, who provided the narration for The Lost Thing, which just won the Academy Award for Short Film (Animated). The directors gave Minchin a shout-out during their acceptance speech.

In this clip, illustrator/co-director Shaun Tan explains why Minchin was the choice to narrate the film adaptation of his story:

 

This is why I don't do Oscar parties, reason #2011

Are you going to an Oscar party tonight? Are you in the Oscars? Are you nominated for an Oscar? If so, are you just reading this to take your mind off of the Oscars? Oops.

Here's a timely sketch about an Oscar party. Warning: Includes profanities, as well as arguments about the endings of Inception and Blade Runner. Starring Eliza Skinner and Greg Burke, and featuring Sara Jo Allocco, Elaine Carroll, Greg Tuculescu and Joe Spellman.

Roll it!

 

Greg Warren doesn't feel old, but he knows what old people think (via Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson)

On his appearance a few nights ago on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, comedian Greg Warren shared what it's like to run into young women who think he may be a little old for them, as well as what it's like to hear the thoughts of actual old people. Funny stuff!

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Craig Ferguson has Louie Anderson on for some stand-up and a panel chat

Louie Anderson returned to the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson recently, and proved he still knows what it takes to put together a stand-up set. I know Louie has been through a lot over the years, but I still have fond memories of the late 1990s, when he hosted the late-late stand-up comedy showcases on NBC. What. Did you think I was going to say Family Feud? Fooled you!

Roll the clip!

 

Matt Kirshen on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

In five minutes, comedian Matt Kirshen will make you rethink whether British people are more courteous than Americans, whether long airplane flights are a drag, and the effectiveness of eye patches. Life lessons! All presented on the Feb. 16 edition of Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

You may remember Kirshen as a finalist from the 2007 season of Last Comic Standing. Do you remember? If so, good job!

Roll the clip.

 

Donald Trump reveals new hairdo in preemptive strike before his Comedy Central roast

Comedy Central has ramped up its promotional tactics in the past few years for its Roasts, allowing the subjects of said roasts to record videos in advance that suggest they're up for whatever jokes the comedians will make about them in jest.

Donald Trump will be roasted by Comedy Central in March (air date: March 15), and in this new video, he reveals his shocking new hairdo.

 

If only this were true. It'd be fascinating to see him do a snapshot a day so we could see how that head of hair of his actually grows. And where.

Donald Glover, rapping as Childish Gambino, in the music video for "Freaks and Geeks" (and on tour)

Do you know Donald Glover only as one of the stars of NBC's sitcom, Community? Do you know Glover as a member of the sketch/improv comedy group Derrick? Yes and maybe.

But do you also know Glover as rapper Childish Gambino?

Well, now you do. Here he is with his track, "Freaks and Geeks," out today as a music video directed by Derrick cohort Dan Eckman. Note: Language is most definitely Not Safe For Work.

Roll it!

 

 

What do you think? He's also taking his act on the road this spring on a nationwide tour, starting April 16 in Iowa through May 19 in Minneapolis.

Tickets go on sale next week.

I was just having a conversation with a comedian last night about careers, and he said he thinks the key is to just to do everything you can and see what sticks. Clearly, whatever Donald Glover seems to throw down is very very sticky.

 

Listen to Jay Leno's reaction to Howard Stern's allegations, and other thoughts

Jay Leno was a stand-up comedian long before he was whomever you think he is now, and he's still the workaholic he has been for decades.

In a new interview with City Pages in Minnesota's Twin Cities to promote an upcoming gig there, Leno reacted pretty fairly to recent allegations by Howard Stern that Leno had stolen joke ideas for The Tonight Show, among other things.

Here's an audio excerpt, on video. Roll it!

 

Or if you prefer reading Leno's response:

Well first of all, if you see, there's a special called Jay Leno American Dream Special I taped it in 1984, we did a segment called Jaywalking, where I go out and talk to people on the street.

First of all, I did not invent that. Steve Allen was probably the first person on TV to do it, but people in radio did it, the New York Post did the "man on the street" interview.

This is something that gets terribly overblown. I know a couple weeks ago Conan was accused of taking a piece from Kimmel; he didn't. It was Sarah Palin hunting, and they showed her aiming a gun, and I think every comic in America did Sarah Palin killing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. And the fact that two shows happened to have a similar idea, you don't have to see every show. it doesn't mean anyone necessarily stole it.

I've never had a reputation for taking other peoples material. But that's Howard's thing, if he can get any traction with it--good luck. Let me know if any other comics agree with him, and then we'll deal with it. But Howard is Howard, that's what he does, the idea is you try to pick a fight with somebody and then they fight with you back in the media. And I don't do that, I just ignore him, and it's fine, he can do whatever he wants.

Other things we learned in the interview about Jay Leno: He never spends the night on the road. That's right. He flies straight home after the gig, whether it's Vegas, Minneapolis or your town! "That's just how you stay married, okay? Welcome to show business. I haven't spent a night in Vegas in 25 years. I fly home every night and go to work every day." And he doesn't believe for a second that David Letterman was serious when he said on a recent show that he'd only stick around for a couple of years longer. Same goes for him. "You do it until you don't do it anymore, I guess."

Watch Kumail Nanjiani perform on Conan

Kumail Nanjiani has some thoughts and memories about movies to share, and share he did on last night's episode of Conan. Spoiler alert: Horror movies don't make him cry (he loves those), but other movies have. Nanjiani also recently had his first show in Orange County, Calif., and that was a horror show all its own.

Roll the clip!

 

Jon Fisch's "Dear Comix" letter

From last night's tribute show for the employees of Comix, NYC's comedy club which abruptly shut down earlier this month, as delivered by comedian Jon Fisch at the 92YTribeca:

Dear Comix:

I will miss you…

I will miss walking in and thinking I was at the wrong place only to realize moments later that it was just that the lounge was remodeled again.

I will miss playing a game when my favorite staff members weren’t there: Day off or laid off?

You provided job security akin to a season of The Apprentice.

Your booker changed more times than the menu.

By the way, best comped salmon in town. Just kidding, best salmon!

Because of you, I had sex with 2 different ladies, opened for one of my comedy idols, Larry Miller, and went with Kambri to pick up Aries Spiers from jail the night he tit slapped a woman in the front row of his show.

You opened the door to new comics, old comics, new ideas for shows, and long sets for New York comics, and our podcast, In the Tank. Plus, I’m pretty sure Sean L. McCarthy sleeps in the Green Room.

You treated comics with respect, which is more often than not overlooked in this business. So thank you, thank you, to all of you that kept things going at Comix.

Extra special thank you for having a private green room bathroom for the comics.

And, if there were too many ladies in the green room, you had the handicapped bathroom.

I will miss pooping inside you Comix.

You were great to us. Good night, Comix.

-- Jon Fisch

 

Too soon? Not when Jeffrey Ross undertakes his experiment honoring dead celebrities: "Roast in Peace"

The Friars Club and Comedy Central are having a high time roasting the celebrities of today. But who among us can roast the celebrities and historical figures of yesterday and days of yore?

The Adam Carolla Show has decided, and many could agree, that only one person, one man, could undertake what he calls an "experiment" in honoring the dead. Ladies and gentlemen, your Roastmaster General, Jeffrey Ross, presents "Roast In Peace." It's a likely sell-out on Friday night at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood.

But is it a one-time-only experiment? I asked Jeffrey Ross himself to find out!

So how's it going, preparing to roast the dead? "I'm trying to write this show in time for Friday, and then write this (Comedy Central) Roast for (Donald) Trump. When it rains it pours."

How'd the idea come about? "Adam's producer, Mike August, thought of it, as a way to honor the deceased, and put the final nail in the coffin of celebrities we care about."

Was it a hard sell? "I didn't agree until he booked the date. I thought it was a bad idea. Possibly a lot of bad karma for me. But I thought if I could do it lovingly and with affection, it could come off OK."

Is there a formula to combat the element of "too soon?" "I think each celebrity has their own place for it's time to be OK to be funny. Some will be too soon than others. Is it too soon to make fun of Abe Lincoln? Maybe! It's a unique way to pay tribute and to bring closure to some of these celebrity deaths."

So past presidents like Lincoln are on the list? "Oh, Lincoln's on the list. For sure, I'm also probably going to mention people who died more recently. Your Patrick Swayzes, your Kurt Cobains, those types of people. George Harrison is on the list. It has to be people I care about, people I admire."

Are you planning to take "Roast in Peace" on the road with you? "Oh, it's an expermient. so if it works, I'll try it again. I'm not going to go out and get myself assassinated. So I don't know yet."

And you said you're still a part of the Donald Trump roast, too, for Comedy Central, even though the network has tapped Seth MacFarlane again to emcee it? "Oh, well, he did it last year. I never host. I always do a spot. This year I'm closing. Which is the spot (Greg) Giraldo had last time. So it's a little eerie. But the trip to roasts must go on."

Will you be taking requests? "There might be some, but I feel like I'll do a warm up, talking about life and death in general, and then I'll let loose. Put them randomly, just to keep it fresh. And then when I get to the dead people, maybe I'll invite people onstage and let them let loose...and then at the end, we'll all sing 'Knocking on Heaven's Door.' Does that sound like a good idea, Sean?"

Well, with you, there's an expectation that this is what you do. You're the Roastmaster General. So it's not coming out of left-field, that's for sure. "It's coming right down the middle. It should be really really fun. I may do more. But I'll at least do this one. It's a way to talk about people I care about onstage."

Have you ever delivered an actual eulogy? "Yeah, quite a few. My father, my grandfather, Buddy Hackett, Jan Murray, a lot of great comedians."

So this shouldn't be that different, just that instead of a church or synagogue, you're in a comedy club. "I'm in a ghost house. The Comedy Store has ghosts, so I felt like that would be the appropriate place to do this."

Will you be roasting any of those Comedy Store ghosts? "Wait. That's a good idea. Is Andrew Dice Clay still alive?"

Yes. I think so. "Then I guess he's off the hook. But I know it'll all be in good fun, and nobody will get hurt. I was nervous about it at first. But now that I've written some of it, who doesn't love a good Michael Jackson joke?"

Michael Showalter's promotional blitz for his book, "Mr. Funny Pants" (includes Neko Case, Kevin Kline!)

Michael Showalter has a new book out called "Mr. Funny Pants." It's funny! And Showalter is wearing pants! At least he is during the winter, because it's too cold not to. C'mon, people. Think about it for just a second, would you?

Back to Showalter now. He's celebrating the release with a couple of events here in New York City, tonight at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square with special musical guest Neko Case (show her some love! no, seriously, show her some love, because she is like me and like you and wants to have some lovin' in her life, and don't make me link to the evidence of such). On Sunday, Feb. 27, Showalter and "Pretty Good Friends" throw a sold-out party at The Bell House in Brooklyn, with Eugene Mirman, Reggie Watts, Kumail Nanjiani, a cappella group"Nonsequitur" and special guests.

In between, and afterward, Showalter's book tour and shows will hit Philadelphia, D.C., and several other cities. Check the Mr. Funny Pants tour page for your nearest location and time.

But what about the book? Would you like to hear Showalter read the beginning of it? He'll read for you via Vanity Fair. Would you like to hear someone more famous, like, say, Kevin Kline, read from it? Showalter can arrange that for you right now via YouTube:

 

Further reading: Showalter interviewed about the book and life by Entertainment Weekly, Salon, Punchline Magazine.

Buy the book:

IFC renews "Todd Margaret" for David Cross; "Glory Daze" over at TBS; Chris D'Elia + Whitney Cummings

Quick roundabout from the trades...

It was much to be expected, but IFC officially has renewed The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret for a second season. Six new episodes starring David Cross will debut in October.

TBS, on the other hand, has decided not to give Glory Daze a second chance. The comedy followed college frat boys in the 1980s, and also featured Tim Meadows as a professor and Chris D'Elia as an older stoner student.

D'Elia, however, just booked himself a part as half of a couple with Whitney Cummings in the NBC sitcom pilot that she's starring in (as well as writing/executive-producing). Should be interesting to see how they play together on camera!

Can you get a job on The Colbert Report by staging your own version of it? This guy hopes so

J.D. Durkin is not unlike many young people who love Stephen Colbert and what he's doing on Comedy Central with The Colbert Report.

Well, except for the fact that Durkin has put his love into the form of a live job application called "Stephen Colbert: Hire Me," which he is staging monthly at The PIT in New York City.

First developed at iO West in Los Angeles, Durkin's show is a full-fledged tribute/writing-packet come to life. Durkin doesn't have a teleprompter, so he reads his scripts off of a music stand while sitting behind a desk. But he has the cadence, mannerisms and spirit of Colbert as "Colbert" down pretty well.

Colbert's show doesn't have correspondents or an understudy, but by putting on a new monthly live show, with fresh topics and jokes each month, this is certainly more dramatic then sending in a writing packet. Last month's show included a bit on updating the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books, a video montage on the "tragedy" of Keith Olbermann leaving MSNBC, and even his own edition of "The Word."

His next show -- tonight at The PIT -- also will feature a live onstage interview with Jimmy McMillan, aka the guy who ran for governor of New York as "The Rent is Too Damn High Party."

It's not an impersonation. It's not a tribute. It's a job application.

SketchFest NYC announces dates, location for 2011: June 9-11 at UCB Theatre

SketchFest NYC announced today that it would return to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre for its seventh annual celebration of sketch comedy, with performances, panels and more to come from June 9-11, 2011.

"We're very happy to host SketchFest NYC again this year,” said UCB Artistic Director Anthony King. “Like the swallows of San Juan Capistrano, we have no idea where the sketch groups go all year, but each June they find their way back. And we're always thrilled to have them build their dirt nests at the UCB Theatre."

“We’ve had great success holding the Festival at UCB the past few years, so we’re extremely excited to return for year seven,” added SketchFest NYC Executive Producer Alex Zalben. “Like the Harry Potter movies, in Year Seven… The End Begins Here. No, wait, that’s not right.”

SketchFest NYC is sponsored by The Onion, The Sound of Young America, and UCB Comedy, with more sponsors to be announced.

For information on being part of SketchFest NYC, either as a performer, sponsor or volunteer, please check the festival site.

Norm MacDonald resurfaces overnight on Twitter, then vows not to return until he has 40,000 followers

Eleven months after his "first actual Tweet," comedian Norm MacDonald resurfaced overnight on Twitter with a flurry of messages, jokes and non-sequiturs. He apologized for his spelling. And then he vanished into the night, writing:

Norm had 36,508 Twitter followers as of this writing. How long will it take to get him back with 40,000?

And will he bring @RealTracyMorgan back with him? Where did you go, Tracy? Where did you go?

Free tickets available to Spider-Man musical in NYC? Yes, for "The Spidey Project" March 14 at The PIT

By now, you don't need to live in New York City to know about the massive, over-budget, accident-prone, much-delayed, multi-million-dollar Spider-Man musical on Broadway called Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. With direction by Julie Taymor, music from U2, it has been stalled in previews for weeks, and an "official" "Opening Night" delayed now until March 15.

So what if you don't have a few hundred dollars to spend on a ticket, especially when you're not sure if the show will be any good?

Enter Justin Moran. Earlier this month, he decided to launch his own "Spiderman Smackdown" by announcing his intention to write, rehearse and stage his own musical based on Spidey, all with a budget of $0. And he'll open a day before the Broadway musical does. Let him explain it in his first video:

 

“How important is $65 million in making good theatre?” jokes Moran. “We’re going to develop a story, write a complete musical score and script, design sets and costumes, cast, rehearse, advertise and ultimately mount the production on March 14, 2011 at the The People’s Improv Theatre in NYC.”

Moran has found not only a space in The PIT, but also collaborators: Jon Roufaeal on the story and book; composers Adam Podd (Pope! The Musical!, ImgineOcean) and Doug Katsaros (Broadway's Aida; Grammy nominated Footloose; TV's The Tick) to write and arrange the score. Moran himself is a writer/performer with two groups at the Magnet Theatre, and his Fringe Festival NYC 2010 winning musical "Pope! The Musical!" had an off-Broadway run.

You can follow his progress via The Spidey Project blog.

Here's his latest video update from Monday:

 

Tickets for Moran's free Spider-Man musical go on sale at midnight Thursday.