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Oprah Winfrey looks for next big comedian
by Dylan P. Gadino
April 30, 2009
Oprah Winfrey controls the entire universe. Doesn’t she? Answer. Yes. So it makes perfect sense that she is now looking to discover the next big stand-up comedian.
The page on her official site wherein they ask for submissions pretty much reads like a list of things you don’t want in a stand-up comedian, namely the dude that makes his friends laugh and thinks he could be a comedian. Here’s what it says:
Are you a funny person? Are you always the life of the party? Do you day dream about becoming a comedian someday, maybe even practicing your material in front of the mirror from time to time? Do you have other Mom’s and Dad’s constantly cracking up? Do you feel like you are destined for the improv stage or the comedy circuit? Do people constantly tell you how hilarious you are? We want to know if you think you are America’s next big comedian. If you want a chance to wow us with your jokes, this may be your chance.
I pray — oh God how I pray! — that Jim Norton and Doug Stanhope get wind of this, enter, and are seen on The Oprah Winfrey Show telling jokes about hookers defecating on them and getting blown by tranny prostitutes respectively. That’s what an audience full of Oprahites need!
If you’re a comic or think you can be one and you want Oprah to bless you with a long career in stand-up comedy, fill out the darn entry form here.
[via ComedyNews.org]
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Paul Mooney rips Earthquake a new one
by Punchline Magazine
April 30, 2009
There’s no question that Comedy Central’s roasts are one of the network’s biggest draws. And now the folks at TVOne, a cable and satellite channel geared toward African Americans, are putting on their own roast; we get the feeling, however, the verbal daggers hoisted by the comedians involved are a bit sharper than the ones used on Comedy Central.
On May 25 at 9 pm, legendary comedian John Witherspoon will be skewered by the likes of Tom Dreesen, Sheryl Underwood and Tim Reid in what producers are calling the Roast & Toast of John Witherspoon. We got hold of this wee preview featuring fellow roasters Paul Mooney and Earthquake going after one another. The comments are a bit too evil for television, so it’s been edited out of the broadcast version. Our favorite part? When Earthquake tries desperately to smile through Mooney mean-spirited rant against him. Check it out.
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Showalter and Ian Black unleash the farting butterfly
by Dylan P. Gadino
April 30, 2009
I hate fart jokes. I find them pedestrian, derivative and not nearly as highfalutin as I’d like my comedy. Except when Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black are sketching a fart joke. Then I like it fine. And really, the below preview from their upcoming Comedy Central show Michael and Michael Have Issues, isn’t really a fart joke. The fart, as it were, is just the vehicle the pair use to get them to the important revelation– which is that Michael and Michael hate each other.
| Michael & Michael Have Issues | Premieres Wed, July 15, 10:30pm / 9:30c | |||
| Preview – The Farting Butterfly Sketch | ||||
| comedycentral.com | ||||
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Michael and Michael Have Issues premieres July 15 on Comedy Central.
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Is improv a lesser form of comedy than stand-up?
by Punchline Magazine
April 30, 2009
The differences between live stand-up comedy and live improv are great and varied for sure. It’s a discussion we’ve never had on Punchline Magazine, mainly because our passion and expertise lie in stand-up comedy and we don’t know much about improv.
So really, who are we to try to register a learned opinion on the subject? However, we couldn’t help but get sucked in to this post on Spark Minute, wherein former stand-up comedian and current radio and podcast host and owner of Spark Media Solutions, David Spark posits that improv is terrible; or in his words: “Improv is pure audience torture.”
We should note that the post was originally written for Spark’s personal site more than 12 years ago while he was living in Chicago, the unofficial home of improv comedy. Spark now lives in San Francisco and claims his opinions have softened a bit, which calls into question why he bothered reposting this now. He explained to us that on the site where the article was originally posted, no comments were allowed and therefore all the comments about the post were on external forums here, here and here. “Plus, all the discussion was on improv boards, not stand-up boards,” Spark says.
Among his claims on improv:
Improvites dislike stand up because they believe its preparation lacks challenge and stand ups hate improv because it’s not funny
Improv is the Shredded Wheat to stand up comedy’s Total. In other words, you’d have to watch 1,000 improv shows before you got the nutritional laughter equivalent of a single stand up comedy performance
Improv is the equivalent of watching people practice. It’s like charging admission to watch me type this article.
An improv class is an excellent choice for a release. Many class members don’t necessarily think they’re going to be hired for SNL or Second City. The same reason I take Kung Fu. I don’t think I’m going to be a grand master, but I enjoy taking the class. The difference though between taking a martial arts class and taking improv is that kung fu doesn’t require me to subject anybody to watching me perform.
To get the most out of this discussion, you should head on over to the original post. But we’d love to see your comments here. Let us know what you think!
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Thursday stand-up video: April Macie
by Chase Roper
April 30, 2009
When it comes to understanding how creepy man-on-girl oral pleasures is, April Macie is the understandingest. That may not be a real word but below is a real funny NSFW clip for the day. Did I mention the NSFW part?
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Put Punchline Magazine news on your site!
by Punchline Magazine
April 30, 2009
If you have a blog or a website or any other space you can embed code into, we’ve got news for you– literally! Oh, we’re hilarious. Below these words you will see a handsome little widget with all of Punchline Magazine’s headlines, including news and interviews. If you click on the “share” button, you can grab code and paste it onto your site. You’ll be able to keep up with the latest stand-up comedy news even easier.
If you’re more of an RSS feed type of person, you can subscribe to our feed here. Enjoy!
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Put Punchline Magazine news on your site!
by Punchline Magazine
April 30, 2009
If you have a blog or a website or any other space you can embed code into, we’ve got news for you– literally! Oh, we’re hilarious. Below these words you will see a handsome little widget with all of Punchline Magazine’s headlines, including news and interviews. If you click on the “share” button, you can grab code and paste it onto your site. You’ll be able to keep up with the latest stand-up comedy news even easier.
If you’re more of an RSS feed type of person, you can subscribe to our feed here. Enjoy!
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Wednesday stand-up video: Shane Mauss
by Chase Roper
April 29, 2009
Shane Mauss might be on to something with his thoughts on cars with airbag options.
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My Damn Channel renews David Wain series
by Brendan McLaughlin
April 29, 2009
Wainy Days, the web series by writer/director/Stella member David Wain, will return for a fourth season on MyDamnChannel.com. The series, which follows Wain’s unsuccessful attempts to pick up women, has been My Damn Channel’s biggest hit since its debut in 2007, and has won a number of Webbys. Season four will premiere on Thursday, May 7.
“If My Damn Channel is a new world version of an old NBC, then David Wain would definitely be our ‘Seinfeld,’” says Rob Barnett, Founder of My Damn Channel. “David continues to earn all the accolades that ‘Wainy Days’ has won by topping himself every season. His series turns sexual angst into uniquely twisted comedy.”
To commemorate the fourth season premiere, My Damn Channel is presenting Wainy Days LIVE a live performance in New York City hosted by Wain and featuring a number of special guests. Cast members Zandy Hartig, A.D. Miles and Matt Ballard will be on hand, as well as Michelle Federer, Amy Miles and Ben Shenkman. The show will take place at 92YTribeca on Thursday, May 7 at 9 PM. Tickets can be purchased on 92YTribeca’s website or over the phone at 212 415 5500.
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Tuesday stand-up video: Sam Tripoli
by Chase Roper
April 28, 2009
Sam Tripoli goes over a few cultural observations about Mexicans at the Improv. That is, to the crowd at the Improv, not Mexicans sitting at the Improv. Not that Mexicans wouldn’t be sitting at the Improv. The Improv welcomes people of all nationalities – enjoy the clip. . .
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