the comic's comic

SNL #35.6 with January Jones, Black Eyed Peas (VIDEOS)

If you go by what the Internets were saying in real-time overnight, then last night's Saturday Night Live was a stinker. Of course, this all happens the one week I decide go to Los Angeles and don't park myself in front of a television. They know I'll still find out what happens on SNL, right? I'm still not sure exactly what happened when January Jones hosted with musical guest Black Eyed Peas, nor when, but I do know that these videos have shown up on the Internets. And the video evidence tells a slightly different story, unless I find out that these videos are from dress rehearsal, or that the real stinkfest came from the Black Eyed Peas, and not from the show itself. Suspense! While we wait for the truth to set us free, let's take a look at the evidence before us...

We're seeing less and less of Fred Armisen's Barack Obama impersonation, and tonight's show opened with Jason Sudeikis' Joe Biden instead, taking over the White House since President Obama headed to Asia on a diplomatic trip. Biden is supposed to be crazy honest, but was this version crazy honest funny?

January Jones has trouble reading off of her cue cards during her opening monologue. Sudeikis, Armisen and Bill Hadar play superfans of Mad Men called Mad Mennies. It's like that sketch from the 1980s when William Shatner took on the Trekkies, only not so much. Bonus points, though, for having Armisen pick Peggy (played by his real-life newlywed wife, Elisabeth Moss, over Jones' Betty Draper). Do we subtract points, however, for Sudeikis calling Betty Betsy? Oh, double bonus points for Abby Elliott as Joan Holloway (though subtract a point, perhaps, for making us think for a second that Christina Hendricks might've been making that cameo?). Math is hard. TWSS.

What else? Did you say you wanted fart jokes? Fart jokes? We got those...

How are you celebrating my two-year anniversary?

Did you know: Two years ago today, GoDaddy.com (name-dropping!) approved my request to register the domain name, thecomicscomic.com. And we're still here! You. Me. The Internets. Comedy. We're all still here. Let's celebrate. Comedy blogging purist nerds may want to note that I've been documenting comedy scenes for several more than two years, with Web posts from New York, Boston, Phoenix and Seattle. But going it alone as a one-man comedy journalism band is and has been decidedly different, and I'd like to personally thank each and every one of you for clicking, reading, commenting, linking and otherwise contributing to the cause. Now what?

Well, for me, year three at The Comic's Comic is starting off with something I know we've all been waiting for: I'm going Hollywood! I landed in Los Angeles late last night, and for the next week, I'm going to be taking in as much of of the L.A. comedy scene as is possible for a man with a rental car and limited funds. If you're in L.A. and want me to see your show, or just want to see what I look like in real life, please say hi!

Right now, I'm in that part of Los Angeles better known as Echo Silverlake Park, or as my current hosts call it, Histo Flipto. Who are they? They're a couple of Blerds named Mike Bridenstine and Mike Holmes. They seem nice, even though but probably because they're from Iowa. So if you see them mentioned an unusual amount of times here in the next week, now you'll know why.

OK, Hollywood. I'm ready for my pitch meetings. Let's do this.

Some comedians not funny enough for "The Very Funny Show" on TBS?! 15 get cut from tapings

When TBS announced the lineups for its inaugural stand-up showcase series, The Very Funny Show, I looked at the list yesterday, posted it, then did a double- and triple-take wondering what was missing. What were missing were several of the comedians who performed sets for the show when it taped at Zanies in Chicago's North End during the TBS/Just For Laughs Chicago festival. I knew this -- not only because I had posted the initial press release in May with a different set of stand-ups, but also because I was there to watch some of it in person. You can see me filming Godfrey behind Zanies during production (and also other comics in the background). Roll it, me!

What happened? When the 10-episode order went from production to reality, and TBS decided upon pairings of two per half-hour, that wasn't going to leave enough room for everyone. Network sources told me they made edits based upon who paired well. Those who didn't make the cut still could show up on TBS at a later date. Whether that's in a second "season" of the show, or in ads promoting the series, or other interstitials, is something TBS is going to have to figure out.

Sorry to be the messenger of this unlucky Friday the 13th news, my funny friends. One of the comics I contacted last night had no idea what was going on.

To wit. Here was the Just For Laughs Chicago taping list for The Very Funny Show, or how it appeared to us then:

Tim Meadows (TBS's The Bill Engvall Show, Saturday Night Live) hosts thirty of the freshest and funniest faces in stand-up as they take the stage at Chicago’s legendary Zanies comedy club. The Very Funny Show will be taped as part of a new series slated to air on TBS. Note: The Very Funny Show will have a different lineup of comedians each night. Please confirm the lineup before completing your ticket purchase.
SCHEDULE OF PERFORMERS
Friday, June 19 at 8:30pm: Sebastian, Henry Cho, Jeff Dye, Bob Oschack, Patti Vasquez, John Caparulo
Friday, June 19 at 10:30pm: Steve Byrne, Rachel Feinstein, Joe Matarese, Billy Gardell, John Mulaney, Hannibal Buress, Danny Bhoy
Saturday, June 20 at 7:00pm: John Roy, Dwayne Perkins, Andrew Kennedy, Godfrey, Wendy Liebman, Kyle Kinane, Dale Jones, Rocky LaPorte
Saturday, June 20 at 9:15pm: Al Madrigal, Erin Jackson, Dwight Slade, Roy Wood Jr., Matt Braunger, Mike Palascak, Bob Marley
Saturday, June 20 at 11:30pm: Tommy Johnagin, Ian Edwards, Pete Correale, Nick Thune, Whitney Cummings, TJ Miller, Louis Ramey

Actually, that list had 35 comedians. And here again is the list of 20 comedians appearing on The Very Funny Show when it's on TBS this winter:

Thursday, Nov. 19, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Henry Cho and Nick Thune 
Thursday, Nov. 19, at 12:30 a.m. (ET/PT) Danny Bhoy and Whitney Cummings 
Thursday, Nov. 26, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) John Roy and Louis Ramey 
Thursday, Dec. 3, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Rocky LaPorte and Andrew Kennedy 
Thursday, Dec. 10, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Jeff Dye and Wendy Liebman 
Thursday, Dec. 17, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) John Caparulo and Kyle Kinane 
Wednesday, Dec. 23, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Mike Palascak and Patti Vasquez 
Thursday, Dec. 31, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Sebastian and Tommy Johnagin 
Thursday, Jan. 7, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) John Mulaney and Pete Correale 
Thursday, Jan. 14, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Al Madrigal and Billy Gardell

Oschack and Jeff Cesario are listed in the second TBS press release as contributing additional materials.

What's most likely is that TBS had planned to do 10 hours of programming for the series, only to decide later to go with half-hours, which then put the squeeze on for 15 unlucky stand-ups. I'm absolutely certain some of them will be just fine without this credit.

CollegeHumor's Streeter and Amir take their Prank War to new heights on Jimmy Kimmel Live?

Streeter Seidell and Amir Blumenfeld have been pranking each other for years now, only their pranks are big-budget and seen by millions on the Internets, because Streeter and Amir work for CollegeHumor.com. You can find Streeter and Amir's full Prank War collection here. This time they've reached new heights, literally and figuratively, as the latest prank involved sky-diving, and also debuted on TV on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. Streeter and Amir explained it all to Kimmel. Doing shots of limoncello with Danny DeVito is merely a bonus, right? But is their best effort yet? Well, there is the element of death involved. I don't know. I'm going to need some Axe body spray money to make up my mind. In the meantime, here is their TV appearance in two parts, followed by the full CollegeHumor version. Roll the clips!

"2012" movie opens today nationwide; will it be "awesome" or will it be "tight"?

It's Friday the 13th, and this time around, Hollywood's movie complex is giving us a complex about the Mayan predictions that the world will end in 2012. Fairly safe bet that the big-budget CGI 2012 film will be big at the box-office this weekend? But more important than what any of the so-called critics say, will it be "awesome" or will it be "tight"? That's debate between our "Hey, That's Awesome!" Internet movie trailer analyst, Stinson and his guest, SNL's Bobby Moynihan. Let's watch and see who's more convincing. "Is that the guy from Serendipity?" Why, yes. Yes it is. Roll the clip!

TBS unveils lineups for new stand-up showcase, "The Very Funny Show"

Ready for another stand-up comedy showcase on TV? TBS taped several shows at Zanies in Chicago back in June during the TBS Just For Laughs Chicago festival, and they're ready to start rolling them out, two comics at a time, in half-hour episodes starting Nov. 19. The Very Funny Show, with host Tim Meadows, will air Thursdays following George Lopez's talk-show, Lopez Tonight. It's not to be confused with the similarly-named Very Funny Show videos curated by Matt Besser for the network two years ago.

Each episode of the stand-up showcase version of The Very Funny Show also will include brief interviews with the comedians about the inspirations for their material. Here is the lineup (subject to last-minute changes):

Thursday, Nov. 19, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Henry Cho and Nick Thune
Thursday, Nov. 19, at 12:30 a.m. (ET/PT) Danny Bhoy and Whitney Cummings
Thursday, Nov. 26, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) John Roy and Louis Ramey
Thursday, Dec. 3, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Rocky LaPorte and Andrew Kennedy
Thursday, Dec. 10, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Jeff Dye and Wendy Liebman
Thursday, Dec. 17, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) John Caparulo and Kyle Kinane
Wednesday, Dec. 23, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Mike Palascak and Patti Vasquez
Thursday, Dec. 31, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Sebastian and Tommy Johnagin
Thursday, Jan. 7, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) John Mulaney and Pete Correale
Thursday, Jan. 14, at 12 a.m. (ET/PT) Al Madrigal and Billy Gardell

Jay Leno's Laugh Squad: From tastemakers to focus group?

I'm not going to give you the ins and outs of every night's episode of The Jay Leno Show -- and especially not going to stoke the flames of sensationalistic speculation that the mainstream media is doing regarding Leno's fate at NBC (weren't we supposed to wait until all of the other networks went into reruns for that?). But I do feel a need to say something about his show's Laugh Squad. At first, I thought, hey, great idea giving more exposure to stand-up comedians. But the more I think, and the more I watch, I wonder, hey, wait a second. Why are Bob Read and Ross Mark asking random Internet watchers to tell them if they agree that certain up-and-coming comedians are ready for TV? I can do that, and I don't even have a job as a booker for a network TV show -- which is the job Bob and Ross have had for many years, including both Leno's current and former shows, as well as Last Comic Standing. If you think they're ready for TV, put them on the TV! That's your job, isn't it? Or we now focus-grouping stand-up comedy? My apologies in advance to the two comedians cited in this video, as this isn't meant to malign your potential abilities. (Note: Click on the link above if you cannot watch Hulu, foreigners!)

Meet Me In New York: Dan Soder

What do they say about New York City: There are eight million stories, and sometimes it seems as though eight million of the people telling them think they're comedians? No, that's not it. It is a fact, though, that America's biggest city is also its biggest comedy mecca. Hollywood may be Hollywood, but New York City is where comedians are born funny, become funny or arrive to thrust their funny upon us. I think we should meet some of these people. This is a new recurring feature, a mini-profile of newcomers, up-and-comers and overcomers of New York's vibrant comedy scene. It's called Meet Me In New York.

In this installment, we take a look at a guy who surprised me last year with his pitch-perfect Dave Chappelle impersonation. He'll make his TV debut on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham on Dec. 11. But meet him now: It's Dan Soder.

Name: Dan Soder
Arrival date: Jan. 6, 2007
Arrived from: Denver by way of Tucson
When and where did you start performing comedy? Tucson in July/August 2004
What was your best credit before moving here? Opening for Troy Baxley and Ben Creed.

Why did you pick NYC over LA or anywhere else? New York is notorious for making people better comics, there’s more stage time and you’re exposed to a ton of different styles. I just didn’t feel like L.A. fit me, plus my car was on its last legs and I didn’t want to sink more money into it.

How long did it take to get your first paid gig in NYC after moving here? About a year.

How is this scene better/same/worse than the scene you moved from? Tucson was a great place to start, I got to go from open mics to MC’ing to featuring all in the comfort of the same club. There were other clubs and casinos within reasonable driving distance so you got a taste of what the road was like, plus I got to work with comics that are really funny and influence me to this day. When I got to New York, I quickly saw how competitive and talented a lot of the comics were, so it made me rethink my act and what I was doing. In Tucson, if you worked, the worst-case scenario was going up in front of 15 people, even the mics had an audience (besides comics), but in New York you can go up in front of three people at 1 a.m. On the other hand, in New York you get to see national headliners work out new stuff and do the same room you’re doing, which kind of blew me away at first.