the comic's comic

SNL #36.21 RECAP: Host Ed Helms, musical guest Paul Simon

This was the big weekend openings for the lady movie comedy, Bridesmaids, and I know this because every single comedian with ladyparts who I follow on Twitter couldn't stop Tweeting about it. Which is why, certainly, Kristen Wiig would be hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend! Right?

Oh, wait. That's right. Wiig is still a regular cast member. Let's think ahead, then, to The Hangover sequel on Memorial Day weekend, or The Office finale this coming Thursday, or how about both, and get Ed Helms to host the show! Done deal. If last week's episode was focused mainly on the two tracks of bin Laden's death and Tina Fey's baby belly, then what would this week hold?

Official movie poster, trailer for The Hangover: Part II

You may have seen spoilers and whatnot about the upcoming movie sequel, The Hangover: Part II.

Well, here's the official poster, out today, showing how Bangkok and a monkey in a jean jacket seem to have gotten the best of them.

Bradley Cooper is laid out on the floor. Ed Helms has a face tattoo (clearly a link back to Mike Tyson from the first film!), while Zach Galifianakis has the top of his head shaved. Hmmm.

Perhaps this official movie trailer puts it all into perspective? Roll it.

 

No? Well, you'll have to wait until Memorial Day weekend to find out what's what in a cinema near you.

Sending comedians to Senegal to fight malaria: Good idea? Malaria No More makes its case

When I saw a video early this morning depicting Bobby Bottleservice in Africa, I thought, that couldn't be right. Perhaps my weekend cold/flu/bug had prompted this hallucination.

But no. Nick Kroll wasn't the only comedian to make the trip to Senegal. Ed Helms, Natasha Leggero, Riki Lindhome and others did so, and it's all part of a project called Malaria No More. Say that three times fast, why don't you. Or let these comedians and actors tell you.

So why, exactly? According to the site:

"Comedy Fights Malaria shows that the disease is no laughing matter—every 45 seconds, a child in Africa dies from malaria—but humor can keep malaria in the spotlight and in the conversation. The result is always amusing, often absurd and sometimes downright bizarre messages from a broad range of stars. Our goal is to engage people in a new way of talking about malaria and see how each person can contribute their own unique skills to keep malaria at the forefront of the conversation."

They're going to spread the message also through their Malaria No More Facebook page.

Here, meanwhile, is a clip of Ed Helms explaining the project to Jay Leno, as well a clip of his clip for the project.

 

And here is Nick Kroll as Bobby Bottleservice in Senegal, doling out advice, guidance and profanities. Roll it!

 

Ed Helms: Beauty wasn't in the eye of the bobblehead owners for some in the American cast of "The Office"

"It took them two years because I'm pretty sure they hired second graders...I remember Phyllis was so upset because the first version of hers looked like Bruce Vilanch."

-- Ed Helms, discussing the official bobbleheads made for cast members on NBC's The Office, after Craig Robinson displayed his own giant custom-made puppet to be a guests on Seth and Ed's Puppet Talk Show on Saturday night at the UCB Theatre in Hollywood.

Background: Compare the Phyllis bobblehead on sale by NBC with a Google image search of Bruce Vilanch.

Related: See and buy The Office Andy Bernard Bobblehead or the The Office Darryl Philbin Bobblehead. Each retails for $19.

Four new HBO Funny or Die teasers! Drunk Jen Kirkman; Tim & Eric & Zach; and two more!

I'm very excited about the new HBO series collaborating with Funny or Die, who in turn is unleashing lots of great comedians to do their things on cable TV. Here are four new teaser trailers for sketches from the series Funny or Die Presents, which debuts at midnight Friday, Feb. 19.

The first features the latest installment of "Drunk History," which won an award at the Sundance Film Festival and cast Will Ferrell and Don Cheadle to re-enact the drunken ramblings of Jen Kirkman. She really does look drunk, you guys! Roll it.

And the second clip shows us a reunion of sorts, as Zach Galifianakis joins Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim in a bit called "Just 3 Boyz." Looks like someone really could use a horse massage?

But wait. There's more!

Here's a clip from the short film, "Designated Driver: Office Prank," that includes Rob Riggle, Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel.

And there's a fourth clip. This is called "Hold Up," starring Ed Helms, Thomas Lennon, Malin Akerman, Rachael Harris, Huebel again, and Creed from The Office acting like Creed from The Office. "C'mon. It's open season on jive turkey." Perfect? From what I gathered from Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer, this one is his handiwork, and also includes Jerry Minor, Brandon Johnson, Ian Roberts, Rich Fulcher and Kate Walsh. Roll it and see:

Video: Sarah Silverman and Ed Helms describe their early NYC apartments (and more) at #dcm11

Sarah Silverman was the special "surprise" guest late Saturday night for Seth & Ed's Puppet Talk Show at the UCB's Del Close Marathon. Silverman had been hanging around with Rob Huebel and the gang from Respecto Montalban on Friday night (although she remained offstage then), as well as backstage at the UCB's theater, so if there was anyone to be a special guest, it had to be her. (Photo thanks to Rachel Sklar, who when she's not keeping the media in check at Mediaite, and before that, HuffPo, is also a great comedy fan. Follow her on Twitter! @rachelsklar)

As you can see in this clip, Silverman had some early mic issues, so Helms and Morris joked with her about that, as well as Steven Tyler's recent stage accident, Aerosmith tours, a potential sitcom co-starring Silverman and a puppet, the early New York City apartments for Silverman (she and her roommate had a run in with an ex-con) and Helms (who heard rats everywhere around him in Alphabet City), and naturally, a few jokes that skirt the lines of good taste. Burn victims, am I right? It was all in good fun, though:

Recently on The Laugh Track

Dog days, am I right? While I cozy up to the air conditioner, please allow me to share with you a few things I have posted recently to the recently redesigned Comedy.com site for funny things by and about comedians, aka The Laugh Track:

• The 10 funniest jokes comedians got off at the expense of Joan Rivers and others during The Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers.
• Have banjo, will travel: 8 videos that prove Ed Helms has more musical talent than The Jonas Brothers. And he's funnier, too.
• We'll stop making fun of Carrot Top when he stops taking off his shirt in interviews.