THIS WEEK: PHIT at the Shubin Theatre

It's time again for the Philly Improv Theater's week at the Shubin Theatre, 407 Bainbridge St., Philadelphia, PA 19147. For tickets, visit the Philly Improv Theater's website.




Wednesday, May 7
8 p.m. – Bedtime Stories: Crash Into You, True Stories Of An American College, $10. All material will deal with life at St. Beyonce State University. Sez the host Gregg Gethard:

Formed in 2003, St. Beyonce State University is an all-encompassing liberal arts/online university located in the deepest recesses of the human spirit. Contrary to the rumors, Rusted Root will NOT be performing at Spring Fling.

Set to perform are:

Secret Pants
The Sixth Borough
Doogie Horner
Brendan Kennedy
Anton Shuford
Kent Haines
Aaron Hertzog
Roger Weaver

with a commencement address by world famous comedian Dave Hill!

Thursday, May 8
8 p.m. - TROIKA 2008 ROUND ONE Presented by PhillyImprov.com, in cooperation with the Philly Improv Theater, TROIKA pits three groups of three improvisers against each other. The groups choose their own format and the audience determines the winner. The winner of each of the three preliminary rounds goes on to battle in the Grand Championship in August. $10.
10 p.m. - CAGEMATCH: Angry People Building Things vs. Industrial hosted by Brandon Libby. CAGEMATCH brings more competitive improv by pitting two groups against each other for 25-minute sets that can only use one audience suggestion. The audience decides the winner by secret ballot. $5.

Friday, May 9
8 p.m. – Animosity Pierre with Men About Town, $10
10 p.m. – Boston's Code Duello with locals Rare Bird Show. Code Duello (right) perform improv as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr who, in 1804, fought in the most infamous duel in American history. The reason for the duel is still hazy to this day, but Code Duello dares to solve the mystery that biographers cannot! Each night, Boston comedians Neil Reynolds & Matt Tucker don the wigs and waistcoats of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, improvising the lives of our two angriest founding fathers. $10.

Saturday, May 10
8 p.m. – Code Duello with Men About Town, $10.
10 p.m. – Animosity Pierre with Rare Bird Show, $10. The local duo of David Terruso and Matt Lally that make up Animosity Pierre (left) have been performing comedy in the area for a few years now and are regulars at Die, Actor, Die (where they were runners-up in the 2007 Dirtiest Sketch in Philadelphia Contest) and Bedtime Stories.

Sunday, May 11
7 p.m. - As we mentioned earlier, come back to finish out the week with a FREE screening of Doug Benson's new film 'Super High Me'. In the film, Benson explores the current situation with medical marijuana in California and the United States, specifically focusing on the conflict between federal and state law and the explosive growth in medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles over the past two years. He goes thirty consecutive days without smoking pot and then thirty eating and vaporizing medical marijuana taking the same tests each time in an effort to find out what marijuana does and how it really affects people. You have to make a reservation at boxoffice@phillyimprovtheater.com to get in and seating is limited so get on that already.

RELATED:
Our past Bedtime Stories coverage
Two videos of Animosity Pierre
COMIC VS. AUDIENCE & THE PHILLY IMPROV THEATER PRESENT: A Screening of 'Super High Me'
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BOOKS: The Chris Farley Show by Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby

Today marks the release of a new oral biography of Chris Farley written by his brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby, who, fittingly, cowrote Belushi: A Biography. It seems that Farley could never escape Belushi's shadow and although some contend that Farley never tried to emulate him style-wise, he idolized his personal life. "Wired [Bob Woodward's book about Belushi] was the only book that Chris Farley read in college. The only one," remembers college friend Mark Hermacinski.

The Chris Farley Show is a thorough chronicle of Farley's personal and professional life with stories from family, friends and fellow performers. From the Ark Improvisational Theater in Farley's hometown of Madison, Wisconsin to Second City in Chicago to 'Saturday Night Live' in New York and films such as 'Tommy Boy' and 'Black Sheep', Farley's rise was steady and quick. Along the way everyone was sure he was going to make it, he was that good of a performer. But also constantly woven into the tales is his consent abuse of alcohol and drugs. Coming from a Irish-Catholic family in a state where you could drink at 18 with a father that gave him money to buy beers at 17, Farley learned at a young age how to play the funny drunk guy. Many people included in the book insist that he didn't need to be drunk to be funny, but he gained a reputation for being so anyway.

Farley is depicted here as an immense talent that could take over a scene even if he was a bit character. "His mere presence would induce laughter. Anything he'd do on top of that was gravy," says Second City cast member Joe Liss. In Chicago he was mentored by Del Close.

During Farley's 'SNL' years, individual sketches are discussed. The memorable "Chippendales" sketch with Patrick Swayze gets mixed reactions. Bob Odenkirk believes "he never should have done it" and Chris Rock says that he always hated it while others loved it. "Super Fans" (a.k.a. "Da Bears") was originally conceived by Odenkirk and Robert Smigel for a stage show in Chicago, they thought it was just a local thing. And Farley's most famous sketch on 'SNL', playing Matt Foley the Motivational Speaker, was yet another sketch written by Odenkirk that Farley had been doing years before in Second City.

But through all of the money, fame, and respect that he received, he couldn't resist the temptations no matter how many times he went to rehab. His overarching story is one that is probably similar to others that succumb to addition: family and friends that worry and help as far as they can and, in the end, have to cope with the sorrow of a life with so much potential wasted.

RELATED
Wisconsin exhibit to showcase Chris Farley's life
Tom Farley Jr. interview
Some deleted scenes
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What Scientologists Say About Scientology

By Daveo Mathias of WEPILGRIMS.COM
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COMIC VS. AUDIENCE & THE PHILLY IMPROV THEATER PRESENT: A Screening of 'Super High Me'

You know that movie Super Size Me, where that guy Morgan Spurlock ate McDonald’s every meal for 30 days? People actually paid money to see that. Well, if that’s a movie, I’ve got a movie! I’m going to smoke pot every day for 30 days, and it’s going to be called Super High Me, or Business As Usual… I haven’t decided on a title yet. But guess what? McDonald’s is going to be in my movie too!

– Joke from Doug Benson’s stand up act, 2006

Comic Vs. Audience is very excited to team up with the Philly Improv Theater in bringing you a screening of the new Doug Benson film 'Super High Me' on Sunday, May 11th at 7PM at the Shubin Theatre (407 Bainbridge St.). Doug Benson is a very funny stand-up and the idea for the movie really did start as just a joke in his act. Here's a synopsis of the film:

Super High Me features comedian Doug Benson and explores the current situation with medical marijuana in California and the United States, specifically focusing on the conflict between federal and state law and the explosive growth in medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles over the past two years.

As part of his journey, Doug smokes, eats and vaporizes medical marijuana for thirty consecutive days in order to get “Super High.” But there is a catch–first Doug must go thirty days without any marijuana and undertakes a number of tests, completing the same tests while medicated and while sober, in an effort to find out what marijuana does and how it really affects people. Along the way, we follow Doug as he goes out on the road to stand up gigs across the country and hangs out with fellow comedians Sarah Silverman, Bob Odenkirk and Patton Oswalt.

The screening is FREE but seating is very limited. So, to attend, please email boxoffice@phillyimprovtheater.com. The theater isn't that big, so you might want to get on that, like, now.

Oh, and also, how do we say this...behave yourself at the show. The theater isn't a safe haven for whatever you're thinking about. We know what you're thinking, so know that.


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RECAP: The Ministry of Secret Jokes, 4/30

This Wednesday marked the debut of a new comedy show in Philadelphia called the Ministry of Secret Jokes. All recordings were forbidden by host Doogie Horner, but Comic Vs. Audience managed to take a few photos with our secret bowtie camera. When asked where you saw these photos, don't tell them it was here.

Host Doogie Horner

Ukrainian thugs stop Doogie from telling a secret joke. This moment was so intense it could not be accurately captured by a photographic device

More photos after the jump.

Chip Chantry

Stand-up comics Pat Barker and Kent Haines battle in Omniana. Barker won by a slim margin.

Chris Schlotterer

Pat Barker

Civilians/common folk

Ukrainian thugs vaporizing Doogie Horner, obviously

Electrical shocks are transmitted during a raid by the Bureau of Mysterious Puns (the Ministry's arch enemies)

We'll have some bootlegged video up next week, provided that this website isn't shut down before then.
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RECAP: Kids in the Hall at the Keswick Theatre, 4/30/08

The legendary sketch comedy group the Kids in the Hall have reunited for a live tour and yesterday their appearance in the suburban Philadelphia town of Glenside filled out the one-two punch of comedy at the Keswick Theatre recently. And Meg Favreau of the local sketch group Meg & Rob was there to take in one of her favorite comedians. She'll be performing in 10-minute plays as part of the "Fresh Fish" series as the Walking Fish Theatre this month and she also wrote "The Affair" for the series.

When I was in high school, my friend and I came home early one day and, flipping channels, we happened upon a comedy sketch about a boy keeping a businessman as a pet. At the end of the sketch, when boy returned the businessman to the wild of the city’s financial district, the kid’s mother gave him wet oatmeal as a replacement pet. It was so fantastically hilarious and absurd, so unlike anything I had ever seen, that I sat there dumbfounded. “Is that a young Chris Farley?” my friend asked. No, it was Bruce McCulloch, who would soon become my favorite comedian.

It’s funny – I’ve read a couple of other recaps of the Kids in the Hall’s live performances, and a lot of them start similar to mine, talking about how the Kids in the Hall came into the reviewer’s life at a formative time. For me, growing up in a rural area, the Kids in the Hall showed me that, as cheesy as it sounds now, there were people out there who had a similar sense of humor as me. At the time, that was huge. And even now, the Kids in the Hall remain my biggest influence and inspiration in performing sketch comedy.

So you could say I was a little excited when I went to see them last night.

One of the things the Kids have said in interviews about this tour is that they would be performing mostly new material, and they definitely did. One of the great things about it, though, was that they tackled the new material without alienating fans who came to see favorite reoccurring characters. Thus Buddy Cole, the two salesmen, Gavin, the Chicken Lady, and Cathy and Kathy all showed up. But every single one of them either had a new or rehashed sketch. Buddy spoke about Jesus; the two salesmen did some nice, fierce satire of America (just like they did on the last tour); and Cathy and Kathy did a great piece about using crystal meth as a diet (which was punctuated by ridiculous screams from Bruce). The Gavin and Chicken Lady pieces, meanwhile, were old sketches – the Jehovah’s Witnesses visiting Gavin and the Chicken Lady phone sex line – pumped up with new jokes and a lot more cursing.

My favorite sketches of the night, however, were the new ones that came towards the end of the show, when they had most or all of the guys on stage at once. A sketch about a gay couple who had broken up featured Mark in one of his best characters of the night, a professor who wore a headband and medallion. It was the sort of character where just a bit of pronunciation (“It’s nor-MAL!”) could make the audience erupt. And then there was a classic Bruce monologue-style sketch about how he danced in high school. By the end of the sketch, he was joined on the stage by Dave and Scott as guys in jean jackets, and Mark and Kevin as women in pink shirts and blond wigs. I can say definitively that out of all of the Kids, Kevin still pulls off playing women the best, from his baby-toy-waving wife at the beginning of the show to the woman trying to pick up her volvo in the Car Fuckers sketch.

My favorite sketch by far, however, was “Superdrunk.” It starred Bruce as a superhero who only had powers when intoxicated. Mark and Scott played a perfectly apathetic robber and victim, respectively, and Dave was Bruce’s sidekick, the bartender. Kevin narrated. The sketch made great use of everything from sound effects to background images, and it brought the main part of the show to a great close (the encore featured Mark as the headcrusher, cutting down all the Kids by poking fun at their recent projects).

The best part of the night though, in my opinion, was the stuff that you can only get live. Kevin’s repeated screw up of a line in a sketch about an imaginary girlfriend led him to blurt, “Let’s just imagine that I act better!” This was followed by Dave’s retort, “I’ll just consider that a delicious dialogue salad.” Bruce kept grinning in his scenes, even when he wasn’t supposed to. And when the show was done, the Kids all came out and chatted with folks, signing programs and kindly taking picture after picture. I felt like a dork doing it, but I had the opportunity to tell Bruce what an important influence he’s been on my life.

And man-oh-man, it was awesome.

RELATED:
Don Montrey's take on the Die, Actor, Die blog
Dan Murphy's photos for Philebrity


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CRAIGSLIST: Sketch Comedy Troupe seeks go-to gal (South Jersey)

Sketch Comedy Troupe seeks go-to gal:

The Gentlemen’s Rotary Auxiliary (founded 1859, 1879, 2005) seeks a Carol Cleveland/Jill Talley type female to fill the position of “Resident Female”. Must be available for live shows and shooting short films on weekends. We have a few shows lined up for the end of May/beginning of June. Google us, check out our sketches online and if we seem like your cup of tea - Please send your headshot and resume and any upcoming performances, too (especially if you understand the previous references).
Should be available to meet one night a week, at least occasionally.
Easily offended need not apply.
please email should you have any questions/answers/comments/concerns

MARK YER CALENDARS: The Gentlemen’s Rotary Auxiliary set to perform at the Philly Sketchfest in June.
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TONIGHT: The Ministry of Secret Jokes

Late last night we received another mysterious message that we feel must get out to the public. If asked, don't say that you saw it here.

30.04.08. MINISTRY OF SECRET JOKES. FERGIE'S PUB, 1214 SANSOM. SECOND FLOOR. 9-12PM. ASK FOR ESQUIVEL. YO MOMMA LOVES OBAMA.

STAND-UP: PATRICK ARGIRO. BRIAN MERUSI. DOOGIE HORNER. KENT HAINES. AARON HERTZOG. CHIP CHANTRY. CHRIS SCHLOTTERER. JOHN KENSIL.

OMNIANA BATTLE: STEVE "PREPOSTEROUS" GERBEN VS. PAT "THE PRICE IS RIGHT" BARKER.

HACK! GAMESHOW: CHIP CHANTRY. STEVE GERBEN. JEN THWING.

JAZZ ORGAN MUSIC: JIMMY "SAUSAGE FINGERS" SMITH.

ALERT: DANCING BEAR SICK WITH FLU. WON'T MAKE SHOW. CANCEL DANCE-OFF.

MINISTRYOFSECRETJOKES.COM
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RECAP: Todd Barry & Louis CK, 4/26

It was a rare night in the suburban Philadelphia town of Glenside. It's not every day that they get to see two of the country's best touring stand-up comics, Todd Barry and Louis CK.

The Keswick Theatre is a 1300-seat theater that without a balcony looks sort of like an auditorium. Alcohol was served in the lobby beforehand and the lines were long and lively.

After the opener, Todd Barry took the stage. As someone that records his albums in comedy clubs- his new one, From Heaven took place above a Chinese restaurant in Cambridge, Mass.- it was interesting to see him perform in a theater setting. And although the crowd was there for Louis C.K., Barry did well with his jokes about New York, Mick Jagger’s email address and performing in Alabama, amongst many others.

He seemed to enjoy combating with hecklers. Perhaps calling them “hecklers” isn't fair, they were more like guys in the audience yelling out stuff. As he went into a joke about giving food to the homeless, someone in the crowd yelled out “fuck that!” Barry gleefully made fun of the guy, which shut him up for a while. At some points there were multiple people yelling out, probably due to the alcohol served in the lobby before the show, but Barry coolly took care of them.

Last was, of course, the headliner Louis CK. Louis had been announcing the other acts from behind the curtain, so when it came time for him to perform he just walked out cold to loud applause. He had shaved off his beard for his work on Ricky Gervais' 'This Side of Truth'and right as he took the mic, the "fuck that!" guy yelled out asking why he cut it off. Because your mother asked me to, Louis replied, for when I am eating her out. Ok, good, he got that out of the way. There was more yelling out from the crowd later, but Louis easily shot down anything that came up. Witty remarks from the crowd included "you're lucky!" (yes, that was the name of his show, sir) and questions about why HBO cancelled the show (these people must not have known that that he's working on a new show for CBS). Someone yelled out "Billy Burr" at one point and Louis laughed. "You guys have such an institutional memory," he said. "Ben Franklin bombed here in 1762!"

Louis filmed a new HBO special, "Chewed Up", last month and its safe to assume that he performed some of that material Saturday night. His act mostly concerns his family but it is not "family-friendly". Instead, he's talks with piercing honesty about his relationship with his wife after two childbirths and the stress and struggle that come with those offspring. The anger and occasional resentment for his children that brews up has hit a nerve with audiences first with his HBO show "Lucky Louie" and then in his last stand-up special "Shameless" and there's more of that here. The difference now is that the extraneous topics have been cut out- nothing similar to his duck vaginas, Awesome Possum t-shirts or waiting in line material from the past. Instead he talks about mostly himself: how's he's getting fatter, how he doesn't really care about young women anymore as he gets older and his take on The N Word. The later is a far different viewpoint than fellow stand-up Chris Rock in his new act, who will also have a HBO stand-up special airing in the near future.

It all falls under the umbrella of a middle-aged guy that is really aware of where he is in his life, which seems to resonate with his audience. And while the way that he speaks of his daughters (aged 2 and 6) may be shocking to some, it rang true for that mostly middle-aged crowd at the Keswick Theater, when they weren't yelling anything out, that is.
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Local Comedy News

- Open mic Sour Grapes was recently profiled in the South Philly Review.

-There's a new storytelling open mic at the Friendly Grounds Coffee House in Flemington, New Jersey called Louder Than Words which promises to be a place where "stand-up comedians have the opportunity to exercise a new ‘creative muscle’ beyond your current stand-up comedy act."

- From May 7th-10th and 14th-18th, the Walking Fish Theatre will present FRESH FISH, a 10-minute play festival. "The Affair", one of the six plays, is written by Meg Favreau of Meg & Rob and directed by Kristen Schier (The N Crowd, PHIT improv instructor).

- Speaking of Meg & Rob, in June they'll be performing at Snubfest in Chicago.

- Stand-up comic Brendan Kennedy has an hour-long webcast show on BlogTV tomorrow (Wednesday) at 9PM EST. Chris Harrje is his guest.

- Sketch group Secret Pants have a neat new website at SecretPants.net

Bill Cosby helps up a Penn Relays runner
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RECAP: People Were Outraged, 4/18

On April 18th, the stand-up group PEOPLE WERE OUTRAGED (Benny Michaels, Mike Rainey and Brenday Kennedy) had their first show at the Walking Fish Theatre and comedian Kevin Quigg files this report:

The Biggest Problem with PWO

The biggest problem with the Friday, April 18th, 2008 PWO show was that they were all likable. People Were Outraged certainly, but not enough.

The Walking Fish Theatre is a small, buried deep in Philly venue, but it was worth the drive. Despite the inner city address, parking was plentiful, and most of our cars were still there when we came out after the show.

The show started a bit late, but with Doogie Horner begging for us to wait one more minute for ten minutes, we were off.

First up, the host with the TV teen doctor's first name, Doogie Horner. With a wide smile, the laid back, beatnik-poet-comedian kept things comfortable. Stories, jokes and poetry about long haul truckers presented a nice mix.

Then Brendan Kennedy took the stage. Young and sweaty and funny. With an ability to tell personal true life stories in a funny manner (a roast beef sandwich as a perfect consolation prize and unwilling room mates), he has a lot of potential that can't be displayed in a five minute guest spot.

Talking to Brendan after the show he said that while his "style" does not work for him in real life, on stage it somehow translates into an act.

Jason Mackhouse was the bomb. He's Jewish, you know. Elmo made a guest spot on Jason's guest spot and the two red faces worked in harmony to create a wonderful puppet act. But Jason's ventriloquism skills are like a woman with a bad queef—you can see the lips moving.

With touching stories about his mother and father (and I mean "touching"), Mike Rainey's shotgun approach to comedy works well. Scattershot and deadly, he hits his targets and keeps moving. A small smile or laugh occasionally cracks the tough veneer, though, giving away his true nature and humor.

Benny Michaels is oddly charismatic. Even while thanking the hot women for their hotness (brunette in the front row in a nice dress, a short blonde in ripped jeans) he wasn't creepy. OK, he was, but it worked. Telling stories from his life that I suspect aren't really true (working with Muslims) and hitting the political commentary of the Bush family genitals, he scored big.

The comedians were able to perform without restrictions, or worry about a room manager chewing them out. They had the time on stage to allow the audience to get to know them, like them, and "get" the jokes.

Great venue, great show, great price.
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Philadelphia Comedy This Weekend

FRIDAY

Jimmy Shubert is at Helium (2031 Sansom St.) with Mike Stankiewicz and Pat House. 8 & 10:30PM, $20-$25.

The N Crowd celebrate their three year anniversary with two hours of improv at The Actors Center (257 N. 3rd Street ). 8PM, $15.

Impressionist Frank Caliendo is at The Borgata Music Box. Local stand-up Steve Gerben opens. 8 (sold out) & 11PM, $39.50.

Or, you can put a piece of your tax rebate towards seeing Billy Crystal at The Borgata. 8PM, $225-$325.

Lester Bibbs is at the Laff House (221 South St.). 8:30 & 10:45PM, $15.

Chip Chantry and others are at Chuckles Comedy in Conshohocken. 9PM, $13.

Penn grad Aaron Karo is at The Trodadero (1003 Arch St.) 8PM, $30.

SATURDAY

Jimmy Shubert finishes his run at Helium (2031 Sansom St.) with Mike Stankiewicz and Pat House. 8 & 10:30PM, $25-$30.

ComedySportz short-form improv comedy at the Playground (2030 Sansom St.). 7:30 & 10PM, $15 ($12 for students and seniors with valid ID).

Corey Alexander and others will be at the Chuckles Comedy Club in Audubon. 9PM, $13.

Louis C.K. and Todd Barry are at the Keswick Theatre and its sold out so if you didn't know about it already, no need to think about it now. Also, congrats to Louis on his new CBS comedy.

Impressionist Frank Caliendo ends his run at The Borgata Music Box. Local stand-up Steve Gerben opens. 7 & 10PM, $39.50, both shows sold out so pretend that we never mentioned it.

Billy Crystal again at The Borgata. 8PM, $225-$325.

Sketch group Comic Energy perform at Doc Watson's Pub (216 S. 11th Street). 7PM, $10.

Lester Bibbs is at the Laff House (221 South St.) for three more shows, 8, 10 & 11:55PM, $15.

SUNDAY

A comedy-free day? Are we missing anything? Email us at comicvsaudience@gmail.com
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