The Definitive Guide to Comedy
Forrest MacNeil doesn’t review food, books or movies. “I review life itself,” he declares. Which, in tonight’s debut episode of Review with Forrest MacNeil on Comedy Central, means reviewing stealing, addiction and prom. In that order. It’s the first starring vehicle for Andrew “Andy” Daly, whom you may have seen in …
Have you heard The Beatles arrived in the United States 50 years ago this month? Yes. We’ve heard. We’ve all heard. The onslaught of 50th anniversary reminders bring with them a slew of memories and expectations that remain unfair to every other British performing act looking to invade, infiltrate and …
Ted Alexandro released his new 69-minute video stand-up comedy special, “I Did It,” today on his website, tedalexandro.com. Other comedians have self-released their stand-up sets before, and as Alexandro noted in a message he sent out to fans and friends last night, he clearly was inspired by acts such as …
A neighbor of mine asked me for weeks to invite him along to a live comedy show. When I brought him to see The Pajama Men on Tuesday night at SubCulture New York (45 Bleecker Street’s underground Off-Broadway theater), I tried to warn him that this wasn’t stand-up like the …
Meeting today’s TV Critics Association in Pasadena, the cast of IFC’s new miniseries spoof, The Spoils of Babylon, seemed both apologetic and triumphant. Tragically triumphant? Tobey Maguire told the critics: “For those of you who will watch this, I’m sorry and you’re welcome.” Kristen Wiig added: “It’s always fun to …
Kathleen Madigan opens her latest stand-up comedy special, “Madigan Again” in Detroit first with Lewis Black by her side on a street in front of the Monument to Joe Louis, then a minute later onstage being introduced by Black. To which she responded, in kind: “How about one big hand …
The best things in life are free. The best things in life are free to those who don’t place monetary value on things, or to those who wait, or to those who just know how to find them at the right place and the right time. Wait. What? what. This. …
When Budd Friedman’s Improv comedy club turned 40, he celebrated with a primetime anniversary special on NBC (that aired against the final sing-off of the first season of American Idol). Now at 50, The Improv reminisces once more, this time with a one-hour documentary on cable/online via EPIX, The Improv: …
When we first see Bill Cosby in his element again, performing stand-up comedy on our TV screens at his current age of 76, he’s letting us know we’re in the right place. He’s in Cerritos, Calif. We’re tuned in on Comedy Central. Comedy Central? Cosby notes quickly that his friends …
Sarah Silverman does not Google herself for reviews or critiques that twist her words around in or out of context. “I guess that could get frustrating, but I can’t take any of it very seriously,” Silverman said Wednesday night during a 92nd Street Y talk with Andy Borowitz. “I tell …
