The Definitive Guide to Comedy
When people talk about the longest-running TV shows in American history, will they remember to mention Whose Line Is It Anyway? Before August 1998, improvisational comedy wasn’t even really seen on television. Certainly not as the main attraction. But on Aug. 5, 1998, Whose Line made the move from British …
Every year, I think I know what to expect heading into Montreal’s grand poobah of comedy festivals — Just For Laughs — only to realize I still have much to learn. Here are some of the things I learned from the 2014 edition of JFL Montreal: Tuesday is the new …
Mike Flinn (@realmikeflinn) isn’t just a podcast producer and engineer; he’s also an avid fan of the form. “My Pod Week” recaps and reviews the many varied comedy podcasts Flinn listened to or attended live tapings of during the previous week. Enjoy! THE GREG PROOPS FILM CLUB (Wonder Boys) *LIVE* …
Another August, another onslaught of comedians converged upon Edinburgh, all vying for the attention of Scots and the comedy fans who come there each summer for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. And here is this year’s crop of North American acts making hey, hay and ha-has across the pond: Abigoliah Schamuan: …
After running a trial episode in March of its American adaptation of “News Quiz,” BBC Radio 4 is moving forward with at least two more episodes in October to bring American comedic sensibilities to the upcoming U.S. elections across the pond for British audiences. Andy Borowitz will host the two …
The Purple Onion hosted the stand-up comedy debut of the late Phyllis Diller, and has played host to live CD and DVD recordings for, among others, The Smothers Brothers, Zach Galifianakis and Moshe Kasher. Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor all have performed there, too. But this San Francisco …
In real-life, the New Zealand comedy music duo Flight of the Conchords won a Grammy this year and is up for another one in 2009. In their HBO show, however, Bret and Jermaine are still trying to catch a break as the second season opens. Funny or Die gets to …
Anything and everything is up for grabs in the hour-plus riffathon here in Montreal called Stiles & Proops: Unplanned. As the sign behind Ryan Stiles and Greg Proops reads: "Two Guys. One Sofa. No Script." Both skilled improvisers, Stiles and Proops have no problem carrying a conversation and letting it …
You probably recognize Greg Proops from his years improvising on TV in both the U.K. and U.S. in Whose Line is it Anyway? Some of you may remember Proops from hosting a TV dating show called Rendez-View. Or maybe it’s the suit that jogs your memory. I had the chance …
