Tonight marks the beginning of the 2008 Philly's Phunniest Person Contest at Helium Comedy Club (2031 Sansom). Over the next two weeks, over 150 comedians will do their best material on the stage with hopes of winning the title.
Helium has posted the details of how the contest works on their Myspace page.
Basically, 10-15 comics will perform each show in the preliminary rounds (see schedule below). The winners from each of these nights, decided solely by the audience, will advance onto the semi-finals on Friday the 15th. From there on, local celebrity judges from television and radio as well as industry representatives from Comedy Central, HBO & CBS will judge. The winner of the contest will be determined on the 8pm show on Saturday the 16th, and the 10:30 show that evening will be a showcase featuring the top six finalists.
Steve Gerben, 2007's winner will host each night of the contest.
But how can you be there, you ask? Well, if you mention Comic Vs. Audience you'll receive 2-for-1 admission for any or all of the preliminary round shows (through the 14th).
We'll be there covering almost every night with recaps and video, so check back!
Schedule:
Preliminary Round:
Tuesday, August 5, 8pm - $10
Wednesday, August 6, 8pm - $10
Thursday, August 7, 8pm - $10
Friday, August 8, 8 & 10:30pm - $15
Saturday, August 9, 8 & 10:30pm - $15
Tuesday, August 12, 8pm - $10
Wednesday, August 13, 8pm - $10
Thursday, August 14, 8pm - $10
Semi-Finals:
Friday, August 15, 7:30 & 10:30pm - $20
Finals:
Saturday, August 16, 8pm - $20
Winner's Showcase:
Saturday, August 16, 10:30pm - $20
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Tuesday, August 5, 2008
TONIGHT: Philly's Phunniest Person Contest begins
THAT GUY, Episode 7
The Sony original web series THAT GUY starring local comedian Kent Haines continues. In this latest episode, That Guy resumes his visit to the gym.
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Monday, August 4, 2008
COMIC VS. AUDIENCE PRESENTS: The Comic Vs. Audience Comedy Show, 8/11
Ladies and Gentlemen, we're doing it again! Brought to you in conjunction with the Philly Improv Theater, we're bringing you four hilarious standup comedians as part of PHIT's week at the Shubin Theatre (407 Bainbridge St). Yeah, we know, stand-up with an improv theater, but the truth is the PHIT is a great source for comedy in the city and the Shubin is a great place to see it. So come on out and tell your friends! Here are the details:
The Comic Vs. Audience Comedy Show
Monday, August 11th, 2008
at the Shubin Theatre (407 Bainbridge St.)
8PM
$5
with:
Blake Wexler
Nolan Gilbride
Brendan Kennedy
Pat Barker
BYOB!
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CONTESTS, BATHROOMS, BEST OFS: Local Comedy News
Tongue and Groove improviser Adam Gertler will NOT be The Next Food Network Star, but Camden's Aaron McCargo Jr. is.
The Great Holtzie has won a Philadelphia Magazine Best of Philly 2008 award in the "Comedian For Kids" category. We interviewed Holtzie way back in March of this year. Just sayin'.
And the "Place for a Laugh" category goes to...The Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
WMGK is holding the DeBella Comedy Competition. Submit your joke by e-mail at the link and if you're chosen, you'll be able to tell it on-air. Grand prize is $1,000 as you open up for Dana Gould at Helium in September.
Speaking of contests, The Sixth Borough are holding The Dirtiest Bathroom in Philadelphia Contest. Submit your stories, pictures and tales of your pick and the winner "will receive fame and acclaim of being a public establishment with a truly disgusting bathroom."
And hey, we'll have more info on Helium's Philly's Phunniest Person Contest tomorrow, it's going to be BIG.
More Fringe Fest comedy news: The Don and Julie Show is "fun-filled extravaganza with music, comedy, and celebrity guests" with Die, Actor, Die's Don Montrey, Juliette Pryor, and pianist Alex Bechtel upstairs at The Khyber Sept. 11-13th.
The National Lampoon Comedy House in Philadelphia is done before it really began. According to Dan Gross at the Philadelphia Daily News, the first and only show at Dave & Busters was a "test show" and there aren't plans to do more in the future.
Secret Pants' "Bush Or Batman" web video smash continues. Local network CBS3 recently knocked on Paul T.'s door to file this report.
A young, spunky, female comedian with a sharp wit and keen improvisation skills is needed for a reality show called "Street Talk Live".
Elsewhere on Craigslist, a MTV comedy pilot is looking for "guys that know how to rip a lot of farts on demand (or just a lot of farts)." You could earn $300!
Know of a way to make money with flatulence or anything else going on with Philadelphia comedy? E-mail comicvsaudience AT gmail DOT com with your tips.
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Thursday, July 31, 2008
VIDEO: Ministry of Secret Jokes Instructional Video #2: How To Keep A Secret
The Ministry of Secret Jokes self-help series continues with Instructional Video #2: How To Keep A Secret. This was originally shown at last night's Ministry of Secret Jokes live show at Fergie's Pub, hosted by Doogie Horner.
WARNING: This video is Not Safe For Work and contains some graphic nature, so people with queasy stomachs beware!
RELATED:
Last month at the live show at Fergie's Pub, we learned how to dress mysteriously.
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
THE MINISTRY OF SECRET JOKES: Dom DeLuise Roast
Below are some kind words from Kurt Reynolds about the man, the myth, the legend that is Dom DeLuise.
Rainbows are Memories
In the first scene of the Muppet Movie, Dom DeLuise played a Hollywood agent lost in the bayou, who discovered Kermit the Frog playing the banjo and singing the Rainbow Connection. Dom told Kermit that he could be a big star if he moved to Hollywood. Kermit took his advice, and after many hair-raising adventures finally arrived in Hollywood. Since then Kermit has become a world famous star who has touched the hearts and lives of millions.
More on that story later.
Dom DeLuise is a Golden Globe-nominated television actor, director, and comedian who has starred in such movies as Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run Two, Smokey and the Bandit, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, and of course, All Dogs Go to Heaven.
The list of Dom DeLuise’s many other credits would be too long to fit in this small program, but no list of his accomplishments would convey Mr. DeLuise’s true legacy.
Like a wayward Hollywood agent in the bayou, Dom DeLuise traveled deep into the black, despairing pits of our souls. There were alligators there, and mosquitos, and brackish, rising water that threatened to drown our hopes and dreams. But there was a brave little singing frog in there too. Dom found him and said, “Sing your song so everyone can hear it.” Dom found the Rainbow Connection in each of us: the lovers, the dreamers, and you.
—Burt Reynolds
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David Terruso's LIFE OF LETTERS #2
Comic Vs. Audience is proud to present every Wednesday, LIFE OF LETTERS, a new twelve-part comic strip series by David Terruso of the local sketch group Animosity Pierre.
Check back next Wednesday for episode #3!
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008
THAT GUY, Episode 6
The Sony original web series THAT GUY starring local comedian Kent Haines continues. In this latest episode, That Guy goes to the gym.
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Friday, July 25, 2008
BATMAN, MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS, THE FRINGE: Local Comedy News
The Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Delaware will hold a comedy competition on September 19th at 7PM. The first 25 comics/groups that apply by e-mailing inthespotlight@grandopera.org will perform.
Secret Pants' web video Bush or Batman is sweeping the globe as we speak, getting linked at a bunch of places and killing it on Digg.
The new National Lampoon Comedy House held the preliminary round of their "Make Us Laugh: Give Us Your Best Joke" open-mike comedy contest this Tuesday the 22nd and the finale is set for October.
Already the new club has already created some fever, be it on the Internet. According to the Philadelphia Magazine blog, "going out to see stand-up just isn’t something that ranks too high on most of our lists." Uh, ok. [Via Shecky Magazine]
The Sixth Borough have been introducing you to the neighborhoods of Philadelphia starting with East Falls and Mount Airy. Info is also up about their Fringe show, "World Crisis".
More Fringe news: on Tuesday, September 9th, Don Montrey will host The Unofficial Late Night Cabaret, a night of comedy and other business at The Khyber. No word on the lineup yet, but we hear it's going to be big time.
The whole Fringe schedule is up here with details on live performances by Illegal Refill, The N Crowd, Rare Bird Show, Meg & Rob, the highly anticipated Walking Fish Theatre 24 Hour Comedy Marathon and more. We'll have our essential and comprehensive guide to comedy at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival up in a few weeks.
Remember: whenever you see someone wearing the Groucho glasses and mustache or anything else funny, let us know at comicvsaudience AT gmail DOT com.
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Thursday, July 24, 2008
THE MANY CONTROVERSIES OF GREGG GETHARD by Gregg Gethard
Things just seem to happen to Gregg Gethard. After telling a few stories at comedy shows in New York City, he created his own monthly show in Philly, BEDTIME STORIES, to tell a few more. Over the past year the show has grown in audience and features some of the best comics in the city. The next installment of Bedtime Stories will be August 13th.
When Gregg isn't creating controversies here, he's writing for the Madison Square Garden blog.
Have I earned the title of The Most Controversial Man in Philadelphia Comedy? This was certainly never a goal of mine, being a non-confrontational puss and all that, but I’ll take awards I can get.
So, what makes me so scandalous? Let’s have a recap!
We Want The Airwaves
This is the tale of the impact WFMU 91.1, the coolest radio station in the world, has had on my life. Namely, it’s how I got severely grounded as a high school freshman for a barage of phone calls made to 'Aerial View', a talk show hosted by Chris T. My prank phone call campaign ended when someone from WFMU called my house and told my mom what I had been doing.
Years later, my brother informed me that he was told the phone called was made by none other than Chris T. himself. I thought my brother told me Chris T. revealed this information personally, as my brother is someone who knows someone. And on top of calling my house, it was told to my brother that my mom’s conversation was recorded and played on the air.
I, however, was slightly wrong. My brother was not told by Chris T. in person. Instead, he was told by one of his bosses who thought he heard it from Chris T. So, I heard this information fourth-hand yet still wrote about it in a public forum.
My story prompted a response from Chris T. himself, who denied such actions and cast the blame on Gerard Cosloy, the part-time owner of premier indie rock label Matador Records as well as the man behind the fantastic sports blog Can’t Stop The Bleeding.
“I wish I could say this story is true but it's not. Since Gregg posted this entry I've gotten a few e-mails asking if I have an aircheck of this show and for the life of me couldn't remember EVER calling a listener's mother - even a crank caller's mother.
As much as I'd like to take credit for that, I just confirmed with Ken Freedman, WFMU's General Manager, that it was actually Gerard Cosloy - future record executive - who phoned Gregg's Mom and recorded the call, later playing it on the air. Gerard had filled in for me on "Aerial View" (not "An Aerial View") a bunch of times and I suppose had gotten fed up with the cranks (I just hung up on them and kept going - acknowledging a crank is the worst thing you can do).
Gerard was suspended for that stunt, since it was a big no-no to pull listener phone numbers off the Caller ID and an even BIGGER no-no to tape someone without his or her permission and play it on the air.
According to Ken, it was a great show, the one where Gerard finally came into his own on the air. As Ken says, ‘Too bad it was his last’.”Cosloy then responded to Chris. T’s statement:
“I hate to take issue with Chris T. -- - a person I greatly admire and one of my own heroes in broadcast (Deborah Norville finishing a close second), but some portions of this story are incorrect.
It is true that I filled in for Chris on "Aerial View" on at least one occasion, and it is also true that I tangled with some prank-y calls on said show.
While I did indeed reveal one of the prankster's numbers (via the auspices of caller ID), I neither called their mother nor tape recorded any phone call. I only gave out said number over the air after warning them that's just what I'd do if they kept calling.
Later, I was told by station management the caller's parents were getting calls from other listeners in the middle of the night, and they'd threatened to contact the FCC (!) over this violation of their privacy.
I was suspended for a month.
Much as I appreciate Ken Freedman's 2nd hand praise, I'll submit that my own program had no shortage of listeners and I had "come into my own" (hands? hat? condom?) several years prior.
My stint subbing for Chris T. was not my last show on WFMU. I did at least 2 more episodes of my own program after my suspension, at which point I quit the station.
I did, however, return several years later and did a number of mid-week fill-in shows for various WFMU dj's.
Finally, I take exception to Chris' description of me as a "future record executive". At the time of my WFMU suspension, my day job at co-owner/moaner of Matador Records was exactly the same as it is today. It's kind of a romantic notion that ratting out Chris' profane listeners was the launching pad to an even bigger gig in the entertainment business, but it simply wasn't the case.
best wishes,My reactions: Holy fucking shit do I rule! First, I knew a response from someone tied to WFMU was possible. But a response from Gerard Cosloy? I would rank Pavement somewhere around 6th or 7th as my all-time favorite band. I spent an entire two years of college (junior and senior years) listening to all of their releases, even Wowee Zowee.
Gerard Cosloy”
Also, Ken Freedman hearing about this tale also rules. Ken Freedman is a legend for his involvement at WFMU. He also hosts a show with the creator of Monk and former SNL writer Andy Breckman (and wrote the legendary "White Like Me sketch" with Eddy Murphy) called Seven Second Delay which is really awesome. (It is unknown if fellow Monk writer Tom Scharpling, the host of The Best Show on WFMU, aka the funniest thing going on today, has read my story.)
But no, my phone number was NOT given out on the air. If that happened to me, my parents would have forced me into an attic crawlspace for the rest of adolescence. This MAY have happened to my partner-in-bad-prank-phone-calling-crime Justin, but I do not remember for sure. And there’s no way I can confirm this information as Justin, now either 30 or 31, plays in a variety of death metal bands.
My next controversy came from the post entitled “My Top Five Presidents,” done in conjunction with the American History Bedtime Stories. The controversy came when I discussed the life of the likely homosexual Samuel Tilden, the Democratic opponent of Rutherford B. Hayes, who won the presidency via the infamous Compromise of 1877.
This comment was written by author Nikki Oldaker:
“Tilden was NOT a closeted homosexual...just because he never slept with a woman doesn't make him Gay...Nikki Oldaker, Author”In turn, after doing extensive (and psychotic) research on Ms. Oldaker, I discovered her book was self-published and at one time she ran for Congress. I wrote my own response to Ms. Oldaker, which follows:
“Calling yourself an author when you self-published your book ruins your credibility. I can call myself a writer since I've actually been paid to write on subjects which other people have published. You're not an author. You own a publishing company and published your own material. That's the equivalent of writing a poem, photocopying it a bunch of times, handing it out at a bus station and claiming to be a poet.And lastly, but most importantly, another controversy came from the epic tale of my appearance on the PBS game show “Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego?” Google searches done by various people who read the piece indicated my nemesis on the show, Ilan Goldenberg, may actually be a well-known Middle East analyst who works for several think tanks and also writes for the highly influential political website The Huffington Post.
Did you have your facts checked by an independent source? Did you even have an editor review your work? How much did you rely on Wikipedia for your research? Do you have any background at all as a historian?
The answer to that is no, according to the biography on your website for your Senate campaign. You worked at a beauty salon, at a hotel, as an auditor (most likely uncertified), a "WEB" publisher and as a "screen writer/producer."
According to the summary of your book on Amazon, you write about how he won by over 264,000 votes. This is true. But so what? We have an electoral college which is what really matters. If you focused solely on the popular vote then you are misrepresenting the facts of the story.
Also, in the summary you cast the blame of The Compromise of 1877 on a NY Times editor and the Republican Party. The Democrats were just as complicit in the affair. Casting blame on one political party shows a gross bias.
Uhm, never sleeping with a woman but not being out probably means he was closeted.
I quote historian James Fisher.
"Samuel Tilden was either asexual, or he was the first gay man to run for president."
Also, "gay" shouldn't be capitalized and you use elipses too much.
I'm guessing you probably hate the modern day Republican party and are using your views of today to criticize an event with happened two centuries ago with an entirely different political climate. That's like comparing apples and oranges and, frankly, anyone writing about history should know better.
Have fun pitching your work to C-Span's "Book TV." And I also wish you luck trying to turn your book into a feature film.
But from the facts I have learned about you (and your awful grammar) and from what little I can ascertain about the book, it seems like it's absolute tripe.
... Gregg Gethard, Comedian.”
A comment left indicated the speculation was true. However, confirmation of this would come a few weeks later when Ilan Goldenberg himself left a comment confirming it was him. Goldenberg also contacted my via Facebook. When I saw he did, initially, I was very squeamish because of the story I wrote. However, his e-mail proved to me that he has an excellent sense of humor and has taken this all in stride. We’ve exchanged a few e-mails, actually, and he seems like a really good guy.
Also leaving a vaguely threatening comment was Spencer Ackerman, a fairly well-known blogger/journalist whose early work led to the disclosure of the Valerie Plame story. Ackerman is also known for being fired from The New Republic and now writes for The American Prospect.
These are my stories. These are my controversies. This is my life.
To be continued?!?
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Wednesday, July 23, 2008
David Terruso's LIFE OF LETTERS #1
Comic Vs. Audience is proud to present LIFE OF LETTERS, a new twelve-part comic strip series by David Terruso of the local sketch group Animosity Pierre.
(Click to enlarge)
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008
SECRET PANTS: Bush or Batman
Over the past few months, sketch group Secret Pants have been playing their crowd-pleasing game "Bush or Batman" live on stage with members of the audience. And now with the success of The Dark Knight, they've filmed it in the historical area of Philadelphia for everyone to enjoy. And maybe you'll learn something?
Secret Pants will be opening for comedian/country singer Neil Hamburger on August 7th at Johnny Brenda's (1201 Frankford Ave).
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