All stories about "Comedy"

Paul Mecurio is comedy's resident virtuoso; after graduating with high honors from Georgetown Law, Paul ditched a bright future in law for ... well, an even brighter career in comedy. He's even got awards to prove it. Let's see the firm Willkie, Farr and Gallagher hand out Emmys. We caught him in a brief moment between shows in the midwest and two headlining nights at New York's Comix (this Friday 26 and Saturday 27) and got him to dish on politics and why he's gotta have his 3am hot dogs with a side of "coffee milk."

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Most subway performers in New York City are completely sucktastic. The guy in this video might not be the greatest musician, but he's comedy gold. This may very well be the funniest (intentionally) funny underground performance I've ever seen. It involves Kool-Aid, a hilarious remix of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," and a request for free weed. The sound quality isn't the best, but if you have trouble following along, the enterprising Youtuber who posted this clip also provided a full transcript. The clip's after the jump, because just as subway singers needs your spare change and extra drugs, I need your pageviews (or extra drugs). kthnxbai.

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You may not know the hilarious Liam Sullivan, but chances are you have had a close relationship with his alter-ego, Kelly, the shoe-obsessed, gonna-get-what-she-wants betch who has sung/screeched her way into our hearts. LiamShow.com is overflowing with various off-kilter videos and sketches. You can also catch him in unpixelated form as both Liam and Kelly on the Beautiful Tour with comic-maven Margaret Cho when they hit the road in March.

We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
L.A. Slam dunk! I already live here. The rest of my unnatural life I would like to spend in New York City, of course.

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If you are well off enough to support the striking writers financially instead of just emotionally, go to the Carnegie Hall WGA benefit hosted by the Family Guy's Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein. The comedy show will feature guests including Janeane Garofalo and Patti LuPone. Tickets are $45. [NYC Agenda]

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Check out tonight's show of Human Giant at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Hosts Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and Paul Scheer (Best Week Ever) always put on a great show, and while reservations are sold out, you'll still be able to get a spot if you get there early to the stand-by line. [NYC Agenda]

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This Thursday Vice is throwing one of their comedy fueled debate parties, this time at the Slipper Room. Entrance is free, Dewars will giving out free drinks, and comedians Max Silvestri and Lang Fisher will once and for all settle who is more unbearable, Hippies or Yuppies. [NYC Agenda]

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Tonight check out the always hilarious Ritalin Readings at the Slipper Room. This month's show will be hosted by Gawker's Unethicist Gabe Delahaye and comedian Lindsay Robertson and will include such notable guests as Jon Friedman and Deadspin's Will Leitch. [NYC Agenda]

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According to Chuckwit, "Sydney is fast becoming Ground-Zero for Australian comedy," which is probably at least partly true. There are a few good comedy clubs in Sydney, and it seems like there are plenty of funny people performing in them. Comedy in Sydney, though, is nowhere near as popular as say, pub trivia or a $5 steak night. One of the best weekly comedy nights in Sydney (at the Friend in Hand) sometimes only has 20 people in the audience. That's a shame, since few beers and comedy is always a good night out -- even if the comedy's bad, it's still quite entertaining watching the performers implode. If you're in need of a laugh, check out some of these regular Sydney comedy nights.

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The mere mention of the words "comedy club" is enough to strike fear into the heart of even the most seasoned theater-goer. Quite rightly: in most major cities, comedy clubs represent little beyond watered-down cocktails, tepid laughter, and unattractive men making sexist jokes. Fun! LA, on the other hand, is a breeding ground for up-and-coming comedians, and your average show could easily include several bona fide celebrities, alongside lesser-known comics so talented you'll wonder why no one's hand-tailored them a sitcom. Below, a few of the city's most celebrated comedy hotspots.

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A couple of things are necessary for peeing your pants laughing. Pants, obviously and also irresistible hilarity. It's amazing that Chicago, home to a thriving stand-up and improv scene not to mention thousands of pairs of pants, isn't awash in public urination. Upon further examination, of course, we see that such fits of comedic incontinence are localized to the funniest comedy clubs in Chicago. So, be you comedy lover or merely a bedwetter, here are a couple Gridskipper faves where you'll always feel comfortable.

Second City: One of the originators of sketch and improv comedy, Second City is still a comedy powerhouse in Chicago and has troupes in other parts of the country. Many 1970's SNL members including Bill Murray, John Belushi, and Dan Akroyd came from Second City, and members of the Toronto group started the defunct but hilarious SCTV. Their current hit in Chicago is "War!"Now in its 4th Smash Year!" playing almost every night.

I.O.: The other of the major originators of improv, The I.O. approaches improvisation as an art form. It doesn't focus on the short form improv popularized in shows Whose Line is It Anyway. Instead they concentrate on long form improv also called Harold, which is more challenging and can be even funnier than the other varieties. IO has spawned some of the recent stars of SNL including Tina Fey, Rachael Dratch, and Amy Poehler as well as the Upright Citizens Brigade.

A few years ago, we took a friend to a show at The Laugh Factory Comedy Club. The cozy Hollywood comedy club is all kinds of good. Besides its rotating lineup of A-list comedians, it gets random fringe benefits from its location. Local comedians dropping by to see friends, for instance, are as likely as not to get pressed into impromptu routines. And since it's a comedy club, the entire night is wont to devolve into an extended game of take-it-there, with each comedian trying to out-inappropriate the last. Example: we're standing in line and our friend notices that Bob Saget is headlining. Since this was pre-Aristocrats she was worried that we were in for a night of family-friendly, Full House suck. That worry lasted about 3 minutes, which is when Saget tried to explain why comedy clubs should be exclusively 18 and over. Without going into too many details, the theory involves him, elaborate hand gestures, his teenage daughters' schoolgirl friend, and fellatio. Pretty tame, but that was the clean part of the routine.

The Laugh Factory
Bob Saget [The Aristocrats]

[Text: Omri Ceren]

Previously: Chicago Gets Ironically Humored, The Figueroa Hotel: Drink In the Shadow Of Skyscrapers, Nice Package...For A Girl, Drinking in LA, Not Exactly 400 Blows But Close, Social Hollywood Redux

Chicago is home of Drag City Records which, in turn, is home to Neil Hamburger, the world's unfunniest and perhaps best comedians. I've used his jokes in the past to ruin many family gatherings. (Thanksgiving '04. Me: Why does ET like Reese's Pieces so much? Grandma Ellie: I don't know. Me: Because maybe that's what cum tastes like on his home planet.) Now Chicagoans craving the same sense of hilarious alienation (or alienating hilarity) will be pleased to note that Drag City and Empty Bottle have launched a monthly "indie comedy" show called "The People Under the Stares." The series takes place the last Tuesday of every month (Yep, we missed this one by a day) at the epigone of Chicago dive bars Weed's and includes genuinely funny comedians like SNL's Fred Armisen and local TJ Miller. Check out Empty Bottle's website for upcoming shows and comedy blog, The Bastion, for other indie-comedic performances.

Comedy For Indie Rockers [Chicago Reader]
Empty Bottle
The Bastion

Previously: Chicago Combats Anti-Anti Alcoholism, Mr. Paczkiman, Burgerwatch Chicago, Nicky O Hotels, Mmmmmm Liquor Spa, Bin 36
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