Recent Posts in comedy
November 16, 2009
Ken Ober (host of Remote Control), RIP
Ken Ober, a brassy comedian best known as the host of the 1980s-era MTV game show "Remote Control," died on Sunday, Mark Measures, an agent at Abrams Artists who worked with him, said on Monday. Mr. Ober, who lived in Los Angeles, was 52. The cause of death was not immediately known.RIP! Videos below...Mr. Ober, who grew up in Boston idolizing game show hosts like Bob Barker and Bob Eubanks, went on to host four game shows of his own, including a revived version of "Make Me Laugh" in 1997. But his breakthrough came a decade earlier when Mr. Ober, a contestant on the televised talent show "Star Search," became the host of the MTV series "Remote Control" in 1987. [NY Times]
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Posted by brooklynvegan at 4:30 PM | Comments (33)
new Valley Lodge video - 'All of my Loving' (a BV premiere)
Comedian/musician Dave Hill is a man of many talents, and many projects. One of those projects is his power pop band Valley Lodge ("an unstoppable rock band from New York City" according to their bio).
Valley Lodge came together when John Kimbrough, former singer-guitarist for Minnesota power pop band Walt Mink, met up with comedian/musician Dave Hill (formerly a member of bands such as Cobra Verde, and Sons of Elvis) to compare the home demos they were working on.That March trip inspired Dave Hill's new one man show "Big in Japan" (which he performs this week in LA).Joined by bass player/singer Phil Costello (Satanicide, Tragedy), and drummer Rob Pfeiffer (Sense Field) and inspired by bands such as Cheap Trick, The Raspberries, Thin Lizzy and Big Star they released their eponymous debut in 2005. The album proved particularly popular in Japan even getting a re-release with bonus tracks in 2008. The band went on to tour there in March 2009. [Wikipedia]
If Valley Lodge wasn't so busy being unstoppable, I think they would make great sitcom theme song writers. Actually, I think some of their songs should be sitcom theme songs. One such guilty pleasure is the song "All of my Loving" for which they made a brand new, and very shiny, (and NSFW) video. That's a picture from the video above (Dave never loses his sense of humor, even when making music). Check it out below...
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Posted by brooklynvegan at 2:44 AM | Comments (10)
November 11, 2009
Neil Hamburger - 2009 Tour Dates (NYC tonight)
As previously announced, America's Funnyman Neil Hamburger is playing a show at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn tonight (11/11). Opening for the comedian in NYC are JP Incorporated and Corndawg (who is a friend and tour-mate of Deer Tick). From New York Neil heads to Asbury Park, NJ before continuing on a tour that keeps him on the road for most of the rest of the year. All dates below....
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Posted by brooklynvegan at 4:19 PM | Comments (16)
Metallagher = Metallica + Gallagher (pics from FFF Fest)
"Metallica songs played with front man Gallagher."
The hippie in me doesn't approve of the waste of food. The kid in me rejoiced in rocking out to "Battery" while avoiding pieces of smashed watermelon (in the rain). More pictures, and some video, from Metallagher's set at Fun Fun Fun Fest on Sunday, below...
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Posted by brooklynvegan at 2:47 AM | Comments (25)
November 5, 2009
NY Comedy Festival now underway - kicked off last night w/ Bruce Springsteen, Colbert, Louis CK & friends @ Town Hall
Bruce Springsteen & Lisa Lampanelli backstage @ Town Hall (Caroline's)
The New York Comedy Festival runs through Sunday. It kicked off last night at Town Hall with the "Stand up For Heroes" benefit...
[Host Brian] Williams walked onstage with a laptop and opened his monologue with the words: "Yankees 2, Phillies nothing." There was loud applause from the New York crowd missing Game 6 of the World Series.Assuming Mariska uses those MSG tickets herself, she'll get to see one of two Bruce albums performed in full for the first time. Louis C.K. performs again during the festival at Caroline's on Sunday. Ricky Gervais was there and plays again at Carnegie Hall tonight (11/5). Andy Samberg was probably not there due to watching the Yankees game, but he will be at Town Hall as part of the festival on Sunday. More shows are listed in our original post and at the fest's website.He quipped that he wanted to be a full-service provider onstage and offer sports and weather updates in addition to covering the news. Williams also shared jokes about military food and being from New Jersey.
[Bruce] Springsteen threw in a few jokes, including one about Pepsi having created a drink that includes Viagra and that is called "MountAndDo."
One of his guitars and four Madison Square Garden tickets were then auctioned off by auctioneer Jamie Niven, the son of actor David Niven, for $50,000. "Law & Order: SVU" star Mariska Hargitay walked away with the goods to much applause.
Louis C.K. had the audience in stitches with edgy material about divorced life and his kids.
Colbert offered some topical humor, talking about his experience visiting the troops in Iraq, which he described as hot and dangerous, "like Texas with fewer guns." He also described a former Saddam Hussein palace as mindful of a house decorated by "The Real Housewives of New Jersey." [Hollywood Reporter]
Posted by brooklynvegan at 2:17 PM | Comments (23)
Jeremy Jay on tour ++ other upcoming shows @ Union Hall
Jeremy Jay
Speaking of Union Hall, the small Park Slope venue doesn't get as much attention since its bigger sister The Bell House opened in the same neighborhood, but there are a bunch of shows coming up there in the next few days that I want to highlight real quick.
LA's Jeremy Jay (K Records) is there tonight (11/5). LA's Black Umbrella is on tour with Jeremy and the pair also play Cake Shop on Friday (11/6). Michael Leviton is also on the Union Hall bill. All dates below.
Friday night (11/6) at Union Hall is a solo show by Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze who plays Maxwell's tonight (11/5).
"Do you really want to hear the answer to the question "What if Glenn Tilbrook started singing like Freddy Mercury?" Do you think that jumping from the awkwardly stomping prog of late Led Zeppelin to ultra-compressed contemporary beats 'n' coos or McCartney-esque cute-pop is inherently interesting? If you answer yes, you might love this record. But if you're left shaking your head like me, it's probably because [Dave] Longstreth's music begs the question. Why did he make Bitte Orca? The only answer proffered is, because he could. " [Dusted]The Union Hall show is an early show.Dave Longstreth: Who's Glenn Tilbrook?
AV Club: The guy from Squeeze.
Dave Longstreth: From Squeeze? Really? Is this guy British too? Well, whatever. I don't give a fuck.
The late show at the same venue is your 2nd NYC chance to catch The Hidden Cameras and Gentleman Reg on their current tour. The Canadian artists played Le Poisson Rouge last night while the Yankees were winning the World Series. How was it (the show I mean)?
Glorytellers and Ida play Union Hall on Saturday (11/7). Tickets are still on sale.
Finally, end the weekend laughing. Eugene Mirman and Michael Showalter's comedy show, Tearing the Veil of Maya, is happening at Union Hall on Sunday (11/8).
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Posted by brooklynvegan at 9:55 AM | Comments (42)
November 2, 2009
Yeasayer, Tanlines & Max Silvestri came from Brooklyn @ the Guggenheim - pics
photos by Chris La Putt
"[Friday] night the Guggenheim hosted another event for their It Came From Brooklyn series, which brings talented Brooklynites all the way to the Upper East Side. The evening was hosted by Max Silvestri, and featured a (bit too maudlin) reading from Rachel Sherman, and live sets from Tanlines and Yeasayer. A 3-D light show was also advertised, but as the evening went on we were told the glasses were merely for "enhancement" purposes.Yeasayer's new and free single is out now. More pictures from the Guggenheim below...The $45 ticket price is a bit high, but those in attendance were also able to check out the Kandinsky retrospective while there... just so long as they didn't have their 3-D enhancement glasses on. The guards were unusually strict about this.
There was a bar set up, with a ticket system in place (one wine was 3 tickets, aka $6); and the museum served as a gorgeous venue, with plenty of great sightlines. Frank Lloyd Wright, however, didn't design it to be acoustically perfect for future indie bands -- leaving Yeasayer sounding more like Mehsayer (sorry). That said, we sort of prefer these museum rock shows over the status quo -- so we hope there are many more to come!" [Gothamist]
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Posted by brooklynvegan at 8:52 AM | Comments (4)
October 28, 2009
Max Silvestri (at Guggenheim Friday) & friends host Aziz, Reggie Watts & lots of funny people in Brooklyn tonight
Natasha Leggero & Morgan Murphy
1. On Wednesday night Gabe Liedman, Jenny Slate [SNL] and I [Max Silvestri] have an especially spectacular Big Terrific for you all. It's almost too famous? We've got some special Halloween shenanigans planned (poisoned candy, knives, etc) as well as comedy appearances from Aziz Ansari (Parks and Recreation, Funny People), Natasha Leggero (Tonight Show), Joe Mande (Best Week Ever), John Mulaney (Conan O'Brien, writer for Saturday Night Live), Andrea Rosen (Stella, Flight of the Conchords) and Reggie Watts (Late Night with Jimmy Fallon). Are you kidding me? That is so crazy fun. Be there at 8pm at Cameo Gallery, located at 93 North 6th Street between Berry & Wythe in Williamsburg. It's free. The after-party will be something special too.That Cameo lineup is giving the UCB show (which also starts at 8:00 and has many of the same comedians performing) a run for its money!2. What is funnier or more rocking than a museum? Literally nothing. I am very proud to be emceeing It Came From Brooklyn at the Guggenheim on Friday night
Posted by brooklynvegan at 4:40 PM | Comments (5)
Aziz Ansari, Reggie Watts & Morgan Murphy @ UCB today
Totally J/K (Joe Mande & Noah Garfinkle) are hosting a dream lineup @ UCB tonight.
Many of the same comedians are also performing in Brooklyn tonight at the same time!
Dave Hill's Big in Japan returns to UCB on Thursday.
Posted by brooklynvegan at 3:56 PM | Comments (2)
October 15, 2009
in addition to being funny, and playing for Walter Schreifels (and hosting BV CMJ), Dave Hill is big in Japan! (@ UCB)
Attention People of New York City:That "Big in Japan" show is TONIGHT (10/15). The next "Dave Hill Explosion" is at the same venue on October 22nd and features special guests Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes and the RETURN of Dick Cavett (not to be missed). Tickets are on sale.Hello. This is your man Dave Hill writing to let you know that Thursday, October 15 at 8:00pm, I will performing my brand new one-man show "Dave Hill: Big in Japan" like a motherf@#ker for the very third time over there at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in historic Chelsea. Attendance is mandatory unless you hate having a really, really nice time that might also lead to sex. Anyway, I realize there has been a lot of confusion- especially in the Scandinavian press- about my new one-man show. And while there is some truth to the rumor that my new one-man show is a coming-of-stage tale based on my early years as a young Austrian girl who wanted nothing more than to express herself through dance even if her pimp Danny had different plans for her, it is mostly about one man's (me, silly!) undying will to rock the f@#k out of people and also this one time I went to Japan and rocked the f@#k out of people with my rocking rock Valley Lodge. Also- and I cannot stress this enough- it is NOT the same show as the Dave Hill Explosion so stop thinking that, dammit. However, my new one-man show is explosive in nature and possesses similar heatbringing properties and an almost identical bang quotient (sin(ax)sin(bx) - k cos(ax)cos(bx) = number of chicks who totally want to bang me). Anyway, I really hope you can make it. Aside from all the heat I will be bringing to the show, it is directed by the great Jeff Tomsic and assistant directed by the super dupes Nicole Brodeur. It also features the winsome Chris Chuang and the fiery Zachary Danziger in the roles of a lifetime. And as if all of that is not enough, my show is immediately followed by Pangaea 3000 Sucks, a great show that you totally don't have to pay extra for. So come, you know, if you want. I'm tired of fighting about it. You can get tickets right here.
Love,
Dave Hill
In between those two UCB events you can catch Dave Hill playing two roles in one night. I'm talking about the official BrooklynVegan CMJ showcase at Music Hall of Williamsburg on October 20th where Dave is both playing guitar in the Walter Schreifels Band (expect Quicksand, Gorilla Biscuits, Rival Schools and more), AND telling some jokes and hosting the night. Tickets are still on sale.
"Big In Japan" happens again on October 29th at UCB. The flyer along with a very recent video of Walter performing solo in a store... IN JAPAN, below...
Posted by brooklynvegan at 2:41 PM | Comments (5)