beautiful-cononymous

Chris Gethard's "Beautiful/CONonymous" podcast & comedy festival coming to Brooklyn in May

Chris Gethard is turning his hit Earwolf podcast Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People — where he talks to an anonymous call-in guest about anything and everything for an hour — into a festival called Beautiful/CONonymous that happens May 14-17 in Brooklyn, featuring live podcast tapings, stand-up shows, live music, dance parties, and waffles.

The festival’s centerpiece is a six-hour event titled  “What Are You Even Talking About?” at The Bell House on May 16:

Gethard is known to ask callers “What are you even talking about?” when they propose something ludicrous, and this event is an ambitious and probably ill advised six hour event. Throughout the course of this day you’ll be able to meet past callers, make your own Thomas’ English muffin, get a ride around the block with the Road Dogs, sample pickles from the Motor City Mayhem Pickle bros, learn about Astrophysics with Whirlpool Galaxy, get parenting advice from the 39-Year-Old Grandma, play some D&D with Glandon Oakfoot, and much much more.**

The “What Are You Even Talking About?” show also includes a live taping of Beautiful/Anonymous as well as “an anything goes Q+A with Jared O’Connell, Harry Nelson, and other special guests who have made the show come to life over the years.”

If you’re not down for a six-hour event, there are also two “regular” Beautiful/Anonymous live episode tapings on May 15 and May 17 at The Bell House.

There are two “Six to Seven Incredible Comedians” shows at The Bell House: the May 15 show features Wyatt Cenac, Jo Firestone, Joe Pera, Emmy Blotnick, Martin Urbano, Andrew Fisher and music by Shellshag; while the May 16 show features Gary Gulman, Roy Wood, Jr., Christi Chiello, Meg Stalter, Carmen Christopher, “18,000 Songs Guy” Matt Farley, and more. Both of these shows are followed by free karaoke/dance parties.

There is also a pre-festival event at Alamo Drafthouse on May 14 titled “Gethard Finally Watches Contact”:

Not one but TWO callers over the years have scolded Chris because he has never seen the 1997 Jodie Foster feature film Contact. For our pre-festival kick off show, we’re hosting a screening of the film followed by a 30 minute Q+A between Chris Gethard and the caller from Whirlpool Galaxy.

Finally, there is a Waffle Brunch at The Bell House on May 17 with proceeds benefiting the Children’s Cancer Association.

Festival badges for Beautiful/CONonymous (which don’t include Contact screening or waffle brunch) are on sale, as are individual tickets to all events. You can listen to the latest episode of Beautiful/Anonymous below.

Meanwhile, Chris will be at Union Hall on February 20, presenting a night of All-Stars from his “Chris Gethard Presents” cable access show, featuring “some of the best comedians in NYC who have made mayhem happen on CGP get together for an evening of stand up, bits, and more unpredictable nonsense.”