The Definitive Guide to Comedy
AltCom, the Alternative Comedy Festival, begins tomorrow, with two shows this weekend at the Somerville Theatre just outside of Boston. Earlier this week, I exchanged notes with headliner Emo Philips about the fest. Now it’s time to check in with the festival’s founder/organizer, Brian Joyce, to find out what this …
Well, sure. Why not? The East Village comedy venue remains open, after all. And you actually bought into those closing rumors. Again. Didn’t you? Fret not. The joint once known for Cinema Classics and now known as Rififi continues to run a bar with friendly bartenders and a live performance …
Al Franken’s senatorial campaign in Minnesota hit a setback yesterday when Franken announced he’d pay $70,000 in back taxes and penalties for reporting errors across 17 states. And that’s just his best guess for the past few years. It’s the latest in a string of business-related troubles for the satirist …
An update from a previous report: The NYC branch of the Laugh Factory, under new management, now officially goes by the moniker Times Square Comedy Club. The new site boasts that it’s "the world’s largest comedy club" with four rooms, a 300-seat mainstage, 140- and 120-seat cabaret side stages and …
Sure, the Pope Benedict XVI got plenty of live TV coverage during his visit last week to New York City and Washington, D.C., but did they really talk to the true fans of the Pope? Don’t think so. Oren Brimer tackles the case. Pope FansUploaded by orenbrimer Oh, did I …
This video contains NSFW material, but you’re not working on Friday, or over the weekend for that matter, are you? So sit back and enjoy footage from the recent Hysterical Festival fund-raiser, featuring Carolyn Castiglia, Rachel Feinstein, Mel and El, Ophira Eisenberg, Bridget Everett, Heather Lawless and Adira Amram. There’s …
If you didn’t already notice this, I’ve added a new page to the site today to give you an overview on comedy festivals, music festivals that feature comedy, and comedy competitions across North America (and Scotland, too!). The festivals (and contests) page is located along the right-hand column, and will …
An updated schedule of North American festivals featuring comedy and/or comedy competitions: JANUARY 2009 Chicago Sketchfest (Jan. 8-18) SF Sketchfest (Jan. 15-31) South Beach Comedy Festival (Jan. 21-24) FEBRUARY 2009 North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival (Feb. 13-21) MARCH 2009 Detroit Comedy Fest (March 16-21) SXSW (Austin, Texas) (March 20-21) APRIL …
As people bemoan the evolution of the East Village and Lower East and wonder, where can independent-minded comedians and comedy fans congregate, have you considered Long Island City? Of course you haven’t. But several comedians are making a go of it at The Creek and The Cave, which already had …
This piece in the Sunday Times (UK) offers an intriguing look at how London comedy clubs allow famous comedians to perform "anonymously," at least on the listed bill, as mystery guests so audiences don’t get their expectations out of whack. Comedians talk about trying to get ready for a new …