Russell Brand talks to Dawn French about comedy, revealing a peculiar and compelling intelligence apparently gleaned from TV and substance abuse. Part 1, 2, 3, 4 [YT]
posted by mhjb on Nov 5, 2009 - 14 comments

Dennis Wolfberg was one of the most distinctive voices (literally) from the stand-up comedy boom of the early 90s. A former schoolteacher, he became a fixture on the fledgling network Comedy Central roughly fifteen years BCM (Before Carlos Mencia). His vocal style and inflections had a way of selling the most outlandish comparisons. He was a guest on both Letterman and Carson, and had guest-starred as Gooshie on Quantum Leap on multiple occasions until he tragically died from cancer in 1994. Some of his most memorable routines were his experience with Fiber One cereal and encounter with a sigmoidoscope,, his wife's pregnancy and his twins' Bris. His HBO special is available in its entirety on YouTube: part 1 - part 2 - part 3 (most of part 3 linked above).
posted by JHarris on Aug 8, 2009 - 26 comments

Virtual Vaudeville [shockwave] Watch a 3D simulation of legendary comedian Frank Bush in a vaudeville performance from a variety of perspectives. Switch between any of eight perspectives at any time and read the extensive hypermedia notes to gain a richer understanding of the performance in its historical context.
posted by tellurian on Sep 4, 2008 - 11 comments

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Bernie Mac has died. Bernie Mac most recently seen at a Obam campaign event and King of Comedy has died at 50-years old. Known for his tv show based on his own life as caretaker of his sister's kids. .
posted by Duck_Lips on Aug 9, 2008 - 134 comments

Jerry Clower (Wikipedia article) started telling his funny stories to boost sales when he was a seed and fertilizer salesman. He went on to become a successful comedian and Grand Ole Opry star. [more inside]
posted by Daddy-O on Aug 7, 2008 - 16 comments

Charlie Chaplin Filter. [more inside]
posted by miss lynnster on May 26, 2008 - 22 comments

A world-class comedian, Victor Borge could please a crowd with his Phonetic Punctuation or Inflationary Language bits. But he was also a brilliant pianist, as showcased when he improvised an impressive encore to a piece he had only heard and never played before, much to his apparent delight. Still better was when he'd merge the two passions, like in Page-Turner or The Minute Waltz. He entertained for more than 75 years, performing up to 60 shows even at 90 years old. He died peacefully in 2000, just two days after performing a concert in Denmark, on the blue here, before dots were all the rage. [more inside]
posted by disillusioned on Feb 18, 2008 - 29 comments

Thirty years of George Carlin specials. (Yep, NSFW. Duh.) [more inside]
posted by miss lynnster on Nov 12, 2007 - 49 comments

A recording of stand-up comedian Daniel Kitson's Edinburgh show from 2004, about dancing and other things. (4-part audio (click next), can also download from the podcast feed on this page, has rude words so possibly NSFW, funny)
posted by Ira.metafilter on Jul 12, 2007 - 8 comments

I'm a modern man, I'm a modern man, A man for the millennium, Digital and smoke free. - George Carlin hits one out of the park with the first four and a half minutes of this hour and a half Google Video. Then it's back to his stock in trade.
posted by Happy Dave on Apr 15, 2007 - 89 comments

Comedian Mitch Hedberg died two years ago this Thursday. On March 29, see if a local deli will severely ruin their reputation as a tribute to his memory.
posted by myopicman on Mar 26, 2007 - 50 comments

Comedian Richard Jeni, 1957-2007. Even his website has gone dark.
posted by thanotopsis on Mar 11, 2007 - 46 comments

Lenny Bruce -Swear to Tell the Truth 1995 documentary of the rise and fall of the patron saint of samizdat 1:40 nsfw language nudity via
posted by hortense on Feb 24, 2007 - 15 comments

Lost in translation. British Comedian Stewart Lee explores comedy in Germany and finds it stymied by the peculiarities of language and sentence construction. Mark Liberman at Language Log disagrees. And an extended essay by Josh Schonwald explores in greater depth how the German comedy scene is transitioning (PDF) from the more traditional kabernett to a burgeoning stand-up comedy scene, which is characterized by one observer as being in "the Bob Hope phase of comedy."
posted by madamjujujive on May 26, 2006 - 72 comments

Rick Moranis - Alt Country Balladeer. Whatever happened to Rick? The former SCTV star and 80s/90s movie comedian apparently doesn't miss "acting." His new album of humorous country songs is nominated for a Grammy.
posted by Parlour Tricks on Jan 20, 2006 - 49 comments

Nipsey Russell, comedic "poet laureate of television," dead
The opposite of pro is con
That fact is clearly seen
If progress means move forward
Then what does Congress mean?
posted by me3dia on Oct 4, 2005 - 33 comments

Happy Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) Day • "PRD was created by the sex-positive group of redheaded friends, the Drunken Redheaded Sluts, as a hilarious way to denounce the 'bum rap' that self-gratification got Paul Reubens, while honoring the man’s erotic curiosity and zany character." The celebration will start with a pub crawl, followed by a Pornographic After-Party to benefit the The Center for Sex and Culture, and climax with a Midnight Mass with Peaches Christ (NSFW).
posted by dhoyt on Jul 23, 2005 - 15 comments

Rip Taylor on the web! For those who need a little confetti in their life.
posted by adrober on May 26, 2005 - 23 comments

Mitch Hedberg is said to have died of an apparent heroin overdose (Howard Stern confirms). Mitch was a fantastic comedian, and it's sad to think that he won't get the attention he deserved because he shares a death day with someone else. You can hear clips from his CDs Mitch All Together and Strategic Grill Locations on Amazon. (Previous MeFi thread on Mr. Hedberg)
posted by revgeorge on Mar 31, 2005 - 127 comments

Okay, the numbers are in. Now that die hard fans of the UK edition have vented, I'm curious to know what those who have not yet had the pleasure of Ricky Gervais' company make of the American version of The Office. Comments?
posted by IndigoJones on Mar 31, 2005 - 49 comments

Dave Allen drank whiskey and smoked cigarettes while telling jokes about sex and the church from his swivel chair on BBC2 in the early 70's. Some called him the "Irish Lenny Bruce" and he was a major influence on England's alternative stand comedy scene. He passed away this week and is fondly remembered by Eddie Izzard and other current British comedians.
posted by Slack-a-gogo on Mar 11, 2005 - 39 comments

"You people are stupid."

That's what Dave Chappelle had to say to a crowd of 4000 plus after he had walked off the stage in Sacramento in protest. What got the comic so riled up? According to Chappelle, it was audience members who wouldn't "shut up and listen - like you're supposed to." Chappelle then went on to vent his frustration on the success of his TV Show and the extra attention it has brought him.

Chappelle's harshest words thou were addressed to those audience members who worship entertainers and athletes.

"Stop listening to celebrities," he said. "They do what they do for money - that's all. I don't even know why you're listening to me. I've done commercials for both Coke and Pepsi. Truth is, I can't even taste the difference, but Pepsi paid me last, so there it is."
posted by Dreamghost on Jun 22, 2004 - 103 comments

Has it been 20 years already? "Andy himself stated that were he to fake his death, he would return 20 years later to the day. MAY 16TH 2004 IS THAT DAY."
posted by ric on May 9, 2004 - 24 comments

A very good tribute from the Guardian regarding the life and legacy of philosopher-comedian Bill Hicks.

It is compelling and significant that the final words on Hicks's last record, Rant In E-Minor, are a prayer: "Lift me up out of this illusion, Lord. Heal my perception, so that I may know only reality."
posted by moonbird on Feb 16, 2004 - 93 comments

Alberto Sordi, one of the greatest italian actor of all times, died today. Just wanted to let all the italians around the world without .it TV access know. He'll be so incredibly missed.
posted by elpapacito on Feb 25, 2003 - 6 comments

Give It Up For The Axis Of Evil Tour Ahmed Ahmed travels a lot. Just the other day, says the heavily bearded Egyptian, he was at the airport. An older couple waiting for a flight came over and asked him where he was headed. "I told them, 'I have a one-way ticket to Paradise,' " he says. Pause for laughter. Yup, he says, airports are tough for him right now. They are for everyone, he adds. Nobody likes having to get there an extra hour early or being delayed by all the extra security. But just to make sure, he says, "I get there a month and a half early."
posted by turbanhead on Feb 21, 2003 - 18 comments

With the weighty world events, many of us are in dire need of a little levity. A double dose of comedienne Wanda Sykes and her prank calls might just do the trick...here are two audio clips -- Conjugal Visits and Tow Yard Complaint -- both are quite amusing, but not certainly NSFW. More info on Wanda. courtesy of Davezilla.
posted by madamjujujive on Feb 15, 2003 - 16 comments

oh look. it's chris rock impersonator, chris tucker, up to his old tricks again. ha ha... such a kidder that guy.
posted by xmattxfx on Dec 9, 2002 - 39 comments

The Johnny Carson website, where many episodes are for sale on VHS. Bad news: It will cost me about $3,000 to collect all the Albert Brooks appearances. This week they're playing a (quicktime) monologue from 1977. Anybody else got the warm fuzzies for Johnny?
posted by luser on Aug 19, 2002 - 13 comments

Rodney Dangerfield Suffers Heart Attack: As this article illustrates, the man is a national treasure - here's hoping he makes a swift recovery.
posted by ryanshepard on Nov 25, 2001 - 10 comments

I was looking for Judy Tenuta info on the 'Net... I'm a sick puppy. I make no excuses. However, this thread's not about Judy Tenuta, but the virus that can be downloaded if you go to www.judytenuta.com (which I don't recommend you do). ...it could happen! WTF!? [more]
posted by ZachsMind on Nov 17, 2001 - 20 comments

"My body has learned that it can fly." Penn Jillette (of Penn and Teller fame) describes his experience in zero G, riding the "vomit comet" - a bare-bones 747 that goes up really fast and then comes down really fast, leaving you weightless for about 30 seconds. His letter is at time hilarious, at times pretty gross (they don't call it the vomit comet for nothing), but most of all, I found it kind of... well, inspiring. Now, more than ever, I want to go into space and experience zero G. (via memepool)
posted by RylandDotNet on Jun 22, 2001 - 17 comments

USA's new popular export: Their ignorance. A comedian who specializes in political and cultural satire, Mercer's most popular schtick is "Talking to Americans" -- a "Candid Camera"-esque routine in which he travels the United States asking people ridiculous questions to exploit their ignorance about their northern neighbor.
posted by adnan on May 28, 2001 - 57 comments

Dennis Miller to co-host this years Monday Night Football. "That's the game and I am outta here."
posted by vitaflo on Jun 23, 2000 - 17 comments

Tonight, I found a bevy of Bill Hicks mp3s. God, he was hilarious. He was more a truth-teller than a comedian. Luckily, there's still people out there that dig him too, including the great site at BillHicks.com. Among the many cool things at that site is a huge archive of audio clips of his standup and interviews.
posted by mathowie on Nov 19, 1999 - 0 comments

Although I haven't heard from Alan Funt in quite a while, it's a bummer to hear he passed on today. I know this is in bad taste, but I wonder if anyone will pull any practical jokes at his funeral? You know it would be pretty easy to come up with a doozy of a joke, like having him sit upright in his coffin...
posted by mathowie on Sep 6, 1999 - 0 comments