Tag: comedy

Great Comedians You Probably Haven’t Heard Of Week: Day 7

Day Seven: Phil Hanley

Okay this is the guy you’re most likely to have heard of, but I’m still pretty darn sure you haven’t. Hanley is a huge name in New York, performing regularly at the biggest clubs like The Cellar and Caroline’s. I’ve seen him a bunch of times and every time he’s one of my favorites. He’s kind of a lovable asshole. And he’s from Canada. And he used to be a male model. Still a male, not a model anymore.

Anyways, he’s swell. Is it a coincidence that pretty much every one of these comics has performed on Ferguson’s show? I don’t think so. Ferguson and I have good taste.

If you like his work, Hanley’s Comedy Central “The Half Hour” came out this past November. Check it out.

Great Comedians You Probably Haven’t Heard Of Week: Day 6

Day Six: Joe Pera

Yes, I know! I missed a day! It’s all ruined!

Sorry I was busy yesterday, but no fear…today you’ll get double the dose of Great Comedians You Haven’t Heard Of Week as I’ll be sending out the last one a bit later…

Day five is Joe Pera and he’s probably the one you’re least likely to have heard of. I’m not sure he’s even been on late night yet, but he’s been around the biggest clubs in New York. He has a charm about him that you’ll just have to see for yourself. He showed up to an open mic I was at and it really does sound like he’s doing stand up for the very first time…every single time…in a good way.

If you like him, check out his MTV miniseries project, Pancake Breakfast Critic on YouTube. He makes the very bland very funny. I enjoy it. But I can see a lot of people not being on board. Pera also does stand up in the subway, apparently. Which is pretty cool. I’d like to try that.

Stand Up Comedy Documentary: 60 Minutes, 7 Days

I came across comedian Owen Benjamin in a very weird way recently. A guy on twitter started following me who is friends with Benjamin. Which is how I found Benjamin’s site and eventually came across his documentary, 60 Minutes, 7 Days.

If you’re a fan of comedy, this is a must see documentary. The premise is that Benjamin tries to write 60 minutes of show-ready material in 7 days – which, if you didn’t know, is pretty darn insane of a goal to hit.

A lot of the documentary is narration. Some of it is kind of weird. But it takes you into the mind of a writer and comedian: who Benjamin is and what it’s like to turn horrible material into something people will laugh at. I love it.

I eventually realized that a friend had recommended Benjamin’s podcast, Why Didn’t They Laugh, to me before. I’ve only listened to one episode of it so far, but I absolutely love it too. It breaks down comedy and quite literally offers answers to why certain jokes don’t work. It’s an analytical approach to comedy, but it’s also a really fun show.

Both the doc and podcast are fantastic if you ask me – Owen Benjamin has a new fan!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWFitzBc3ZI

Great Comedians You Probably Haven’t Heard Of Week: Day 5

Day Five: Esther Povitsky

Povitsky also came through the Just For Laughs Festival a couple years ago and has been a big name in the LA comedy scene. Yay! Not a New York person!

She’s been on late night a few times and you might have also seen her appear on @midnight or Parks and Recreation. She’s also from Skokie, Illinois. Illinois! Like me!

Povitsky also goes by Little Esther and hosts a podcast called Weird Adults, where she talks to other comedians about what makes them weird. Whoopie! This is how I conclude paragraphs now!

Great Comedians You Probably Haven’t Heard Of Week: Day 3

Day Three: Cam Newton

(jk it’s Carmen Lynch)

Carmen Lynch is very funny comedian who’s big in New York. When she isn’t doing the best shows in the city, she’s traveling around the country headlining clubs.

She’s also a writer on Inside Amy Schumer and has appeared on late night several times. I picked this video because I loved Ferguson’s show. Any comedian he has on is usually a little weird or different from what you’re used to seeing – and you know it’s going to be an interesting set. This is a fun one!

Great Comedians You Probably Haven’t Heard Of Week: Day One

I’m trying a thing to see if people like this sort of idea, and the thing is called “Great Comedians You Probably Haven’t Heard Of Week.”

I tried to make the title as straightforward as possible so that I don’t have to waste this paragraph explaining what I’m gonna do. You get it!

Some notes, though:

  • If you know about comedy, you might have heard some of these names before. If you don’t then you probably haven’t.
  • I chose comics that weren’t too unknown (all have been on tv) because it’s better that way.
  • I’m mostly sticking to NYC comedians. Why? I’ve seen more of them. It makes it more personal! (fake enthusiasm)

Day One: Michelle Wolf

I remember hearing about Michelle Wolf about a year ago and didn’t really know much about her. Well, she’s all over New York City and if you don’t know who she is then you’re crazy! (sorry) A few months ago, I saw her at Hot Soup, one of the best free stand up shows in the city. And she absolutely killed. She’s a lot of fun and her voice is pretty wacky.

She got her break performing at the Just For Laughs festival a few years back and she’s worked as a writer on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Why Are You All Trying To Be Ghosts?

Not everybody thinks I’m funny.

When people boo me on stage, I’m just like, “Why are you all trying to be ghosts? Why are all these ghosts at my comedy show? This must be my demographic.”

They’re all like, “Booooo…Boooooo!” Shut up, ghosts. You’re dead. Because I killed you with my comedy. Because I’m so funny. I’m killing it up here.

Comedy Actor Roundtable With Ricky Gervais, Will Forte, Fred Armison, And More!

Any time you see a set that looks like like an A Midsummer Night’s Dream patio party, you know what you’re seeing has to be good.

A comedy friend shared this fantastic YouTube video with me that’s from The Hollywood Reporter: a roundtable discussion with a bunch of comedy actors who are on shows that are really big right now. Ricky Gervais (Derek), Don Cheadle (House of Lies), Will Forte (Last Man on Earth), Fred Armisen (Portlandia), Jordan Peele (Key & Peele), and Thomas Middleditch (I’m not gonna tell you which show he’s on…jk it’s Silicon Valley). They talk about what it’s like to be improving on set, how working with the writers and directors works, and just generally a lot of stuff you wouldn’t normally hear about their television shows.

Any “roundtable discussion” seems very overly structured to me. Like, just call it a discussion or something, right? But, the conversation here flows really naturally and you get the sense these actors are having a good time. Any time you get people in the industry together just talking I feel like better stuff comes out then when it’s just an interview with the media or something like that. I enjoyed watching it a lot. And, having seen most of their shows, I can vouch for them as funny people.

I also like how they threw in a woman to lead the discussion when they realized “Wait, these are all men actors. And they’re funny. We need a not funny woman to keep them on track.” Yay diversity!

P.S. I can’t help but feel like they coordinated the colors of the suits.