the comic's comic

The Comedy Festival reveals 2008 headliners for Vegas

With festivals on the brain, time to check in and see what TBS has in store for the 2008 version of The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas, going it alone this November since HBO seemingly got out of the comedy confab business (still listed down low on the site as a sponsor, though). They'd already announced that Ellen DeGeneres would return with another variety TV broadcast at Caesars Palace, and now we see they're bringing Jerry Seinfeld back, too, with other headlining slots going to Mike Epps, David Alan Grier, Russell Peters, Andrew Dice Clay and Tracy Morgan. Tickets go on sale Sept. 26. More info to come...

Robin Williams drops in on, impresses young Chicago comedians

My friends at Chicago comedy chronicler, The Bastion, reported that Robin Williams made the scene at both the Lakeshore Theater and the smaller Town Hall Pub over the weekend, apparently prepping for an apperance on Ellen (he's listed as the guest on Tuesday, but the show tapes a day in advance). The local stand-ups all had positive things to say about their encounters with Williams, and Hannibal Buress even wrote in to say that he got to perform on Saturday's show specifically because of Williams: "He found out that my name is Hannibal and he couldn't believe that there was a comic named Hannibal and he had to see it. That's how I got to perform on the show." Audiences also seemed more than receptive to the big guy at the little shows, even if his set (much like the recent drop-in I saw of his in NYC) was especially raunchy.

UPDATED: If you're wondering why Robin Williams was wondering about Hannibal Buress, this Chicago Tribune article about Buress that ran May 2 may help connect the dots.

TBS, Just For Laughs, Chicago and Vegas

When I launched this site, oh so many days ago, people in the comedy festival business wondered if there'd be much of an American comedy festival business in 2008. Or at least, not the same comedy confabs that we'd become accustomed to. When last we left Las Vegas in November, though, more than a few people suspected that TBS might take over where HBO left off. And this press release from TBS confirms that, and more.

TBS not only will continue The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas this November, but also join forces with Montreal's Just For Laughs for a summer event in Chicago.

Ellen DeGeneres will present variety shows at both fests. Why? I was at her "Really Big Show" in Vegas last November, and found it to be, well, more than a bit lacking.

At any rate. What else is in store for this summer's Very Funny Festival? From the release: In addition to DeGeneres, there'll be "a series of stand-up concerts by top-name comedians; the very best in improv and sketch, including a collaboration with the famed Second City comedy troupe; Latino and urban comedy extravaganzas; various other events at local comedy clubs; and a film component." There you have it. For now.

Lingering thoughts from Las Vegas

Now that I've had a chance to rest and gather my thoughts, a few things still left to be said about The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas.

For one thing, I'm still not really sure what Ellen DeGeneres was trying to accomplish with "Ellen's Really Big Show" at Caesars Palace. They say you shouldn't critique a TV taping, because it all looks much better once it's edited for broadcast, but really...this show was a really big dud. DeGeneres had talked up this special as an attempt to rejuvenate the variety show. Only the variety show doesn't need rejuvenating. Her guests included jugglers, acrobats, and the quick-change artists who had already made a splash on America's Got Talent. And that show isn't going anywhere, considering its relatively high TV ratings and the ongoing Writers Guild strike. DeGeneres also included a nod to Ed Sullivan. But isn't David Letterman doing something similar with his odd assortment of guests with their stupid human tricks every night (when not on strike)?

Frank Caliendo impresses you much more in person doing stand-up than on his fledgling TV show, which only makes me question Barry Katz (his show's executive producer) that much more.

One thing you often hear about The Comedy Festival is how it's built for headlining acts and not for showcasing up-and-coming talent. But I saw plenty of industry people and tourists checking out the so-called smaller shows such as "Unprotected Sketch!" and Broadband Theatre. And any chance for Kurt Braunohler, Kristen Schaal and Reggie Watts to perform before new audiences is a good thing. The Broadband show, which included performances by Pete & Brian, the folks from Blerds.com, Chelsea Peretti, GarageComedy.com -- featuring the talents of Brody Stevens (whom I still fondly remember from his days in Seattle when Jews and Samoans would take over the world, or at least your cable access TV), and a new Funny or Die video (see below).

Another fun festival fact: Comedy industry lounges attract all sorts, and in Vegas, they bring out the other comedians performing on the Strip, including Carrot Top (cover of that week's Las Vegas Weekly) and George Wallace (performing across the street from Caesars), plus other comedians who may or may not have coincidentally scheduled gigs in Vegas that weekend. Oh, really? There are agents and casting directors in town? Who knew?

Jon Stewart and Katt Williams were down the Strip for the opening of Planet Hollywood Resort, but didn't make it over to Caesars.

And finally, kudos also should go to the HBO comedy festival staff, who managed to maintain solid morale under difficult working circumstances -- whomever thought it'd be a great idea to announce that HBO would be streamlining its comedy operations before the festival?! I wholly sympathize with their situation, particularly since the festival represented a turning point in my own career as well. Good luck to us all. May we meet again under happier conditions.