The Definitive Guide to Comedy
Say goodbye to The Late Late Show with James Corden this week on CBS. We also gave our RIP’s to Dame Edna (Barry Humphries), heard from Richard Lewis why he’s retiring from stand-up, and as always, a roundup of the week’s news within the comedy industry, all of last week’s …
What is Spotify’s comedy philosophy, anyhow? I may have asked the question in this week’s newsletter, but that doesn’t mean the answers come easily. Also sad news to share, as Darryl Lenox died suddenly last week. He was only 57. Plus the week’s industry news and notes, all of last …
So as March turned to April, I decided to try to list all of the new comedy specials that had come out so far this year. Oof. Turns out it’s not so easy to figure out! But I gave it my best effort. See the results for yourself. Plus R.I.P. …
Another legend of improv comedy has passed. Keith Johnstone, who wrote the seminal book on improv, “Impro,” and founded Theatresports, died March 11, 2023. He was 90. “People who know the history of improv comedy know that Keith’s philosophy is as important to the craft as Viola Spolin or Del …
Just a day after Richard Belzer died, we learned that Rick Newman also has left us. Newman, the founding owner of Catch A Rising Star and former manager of Pat Benatar, died at the age of 81. A year ago, when Rick and his wife were deep in health problems …
R.I.P. Richard Belzer. My thoughts on Belz, a new radio tribute on the four-year anniversary of the death of Brody Stevens, festival submission information for both JFL New Faces (!) and the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival, plus all of the past week’s comedy news, new stand-up specials, late-night appearances and …
Kelly Monteith died on New Year’s Day at his home in California. Monteith was 80, and has suffered two strokes in early 2021 that left him unable to perform due to aphasia. But long before that, Monteith established the idea that American comedians could enjoy successful careers across the pond …
Brandon Montrell, better known as the comedian Boogie B., died tragically Friday in a shooting outside of a New Orleans supermarket. Montrell was 43. Montrell was home for the holidays and not the intended victim in the shooting, according to New Orleans police. Anyone with information or can locate these …
Noah Gregoropoulos, a celebrated teacher of improv comedians from Chicago, has died from cancer. He was 63. A graduate of Northwestern University, Gregoropoulous taught comedians and comedic actors at improvOlympic (iO) since the early 1990s, and fully took over when Del Close died in 1999. Which meant he helped shape …
Budd Friedman didn’t intend to set the standard for stand-up comedy clubs across America (and the world). You might say it only happened thanks to a little Improvisation. Tip your waitstaff! OK, I’ll see myself out, but not before seeing out this show-business icon who changed the game for live …
