The Stuff

Penn and Teller have been around for what, 20, 25 years? I’ve always found them entertaining, particularly Penn’s interviews.

Now Penn is doing a video blog on Crackle.com, and if you like the guy, they’re worth a listen.

Here’s his take on New York and San Francisco — the 2 most pompous cities in the world.

The Gong Show is coming back to American TV, and it will be hosted by comedian Dave Attell (not original host and CIA agent Chuck Barris). It will air on the Comedy Network, and Dave promises it will be edgier than other talent audition shows like America’s Got Talent.

This could be good news.

Here’s some classics from the old show:

Pee Wee Herman on the Gong Show:

The Unknown Comic on the Gong Show:

David Letterman on the Gong Show:

Years of listening to Shonen Knife, Cibo Matto, Puffy AmiYumi, and watching Vermilion Pleasure Night, MXC, and Morning Mesume clips have prepared me for the wonder that is Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show.

The Maria Bamford show has drawn to a close (or so the site says). Looks like she’s raised enough money and courage to leave her parents attic in Minnesota and head back to LA. Throughout the show Maria explored the depths of her own metal illness and psychoses through comic skits about her relationships with various family, friends and other folks she encounters (she plays all the characters). Aside from making me laugh, the show helped me put my own moments of sadness into perspective, and well as achieve sympathy for my friends who struggle with legitimate psychiatric issues.

Dark was that best episode. Watch them all if you dare (or just skip to the best one):

Cartoon Dump (cartoondump.com) is a sketch comedy troop that use spandex, song and old cartoons to delight audiences on stage and on the interweb. The troop features Frank Conniff from Mystery Science Theater.

Here’s a sample of their antics (YouTube):

Speaking of spandex, part 1: is it me, or does spandex make women look like superheroines?

Speaking of Spandex, part 2: Spandex Justice posted Comic Character Resolutions for 2008.

The scariest Santa Claus ever (video):

Papa Lazarou from the British Comedy League of Gentlemen.

Tiki: Tiki nostalgia is alive and well on blogs like Swank Blather. Viva Polynesia!

Cryptozoology: Mental Floss (publisher of fun fact books and a magazine) has a list of 9 things that might kill you (if they actually exist). Do mind the Mongolian Death Worms.

Music: my friend Pat is crazy for the band Slim Cessna’s Auto Club. You can download 3 of their songs for free on the Alternative Tentacles web site.

Art: 3 Types of Unusually Legal Urban Street Art: colored manhole covers in Japan, murals on traffic signal switch boxes and light post sculptures.

Science: Quirks and Quarks is a CBC Radio podcast about all things scientific in nature.

Autos: There’s an air freshener in every junk car. Have you have seen Repo Man?

Comic books: The Justice League: New Frontier movie looks promising.

Science Fiction: Watch the the Turkish version of Star Wars on Google video. It can’t be be much worse then the Star Wars Holiday Special.

WOW: The Mr. T and William Shatner World of Warcraft commercials are awesome! (Disclaimer: I’ve never played the game.)

Vans from Japan: Tiny versions of classic American vans made in Japan.

Space: Gorgeous space photos from the Hubble telescope.

Comedy, Caucasians: Conan O’Brien and Jim Gaffigan are the Pale Force! Conan and Jim visit Little Canada.

Gaming: The fugliest video game boxes of the year.

Chunklet reports that Patton Oswalt’s comedy album Werewolves and Lollipops was not nominated for a Grammy. Neither was Maria Bamford’s How to WIN!

I’m not surprised since the Grammy isn’t an award for quality or innovation — it’s a popularity contest, or really, a familiarity contest. Who was nominated: George Lopez, Lisa Lampanelli, Steven Wright, Harry Shearer, and Flight of the Concords. Picking Steven Wright or Harry Shearer is like picking Jethro Tull for best metal band — they’re great performers, and legitimately comedic, but are they new, fresh or innovative? Probably not. Andrea Dice Lampanelli is crazy funny, but she’s so vulgar that you’ll feel like taking a shower after listening to her. George Lopez has been around for a while, but his new routines are always topical — I understand why he was nominated. Flight of the Concords is definitely funny in a Tenacious D, geeky, hipster, Williamsburg Brooklyn sort of way — their time is now, so I can see them getting a vote. All things considered I agree with Chunklet that Patton was overlooked — he’s the frickin’ Rat from Ratatouille! It’s not like he’s some obscure comedian. Ratatouille beat the Simpson’s Movie (Shearer) in theaters, didn’t it?

According to Cracked magazine, the Simpsons not only jumped the shark in the 1990s, “it ate the shark, shit the shark, and then jumped over the shit” — an unpopular view, but I agree. Funny shit, though, at times.

The A Special Thing has released their top 20 comedian’s poll for 2007:

Rank/Name/First Place Votes (in parentheses)/Total Points/Previous Rank (in black)
1. Paul F. Tompkins (17) - 524 pts. 1
2. Patton Oswalt (3) - 346 pts. 4
3. Louis CK (9) - 332 pts. 2
4. Zach Galifianakis (7) - 276 pts. 3
5. Scharpling & Wurster (10) - 211 pts. 7
6. Maria Bamford (1) - 189 pts. 6
7. Jimmy Pardo (5) - 186 pts. 5
8. Doug Benson (1) - 176 pts. 14
9. Eugene Mirman (2) - 148 pts. 9
10. Tim & Eric (4) - 145 pts. 8
11. Todd Glass (2) - 116 pts. 13
12. Andy Kindler (3) - 112 pts. 10
13. Jen Kirkman (2) - 92 pts. 11
14. Flight of the Conchords (1) - 77 pts. n/a
15. Todd Barry - 74 pts. 12
16. Brody Stevens (1) - 68 pts. n/a
17. The Sklar Brothers (1) - 66 pts. n/a
18. John Mulaney - 65 pts. n/a
19. Demetri Martin - 60 pts. t19
t20. Andy Daly (1) - 57 pts. n/a
t20. David Cross (1) - 57 pts. t17

Note that of the Grammy nominees, only the Conchords made this list. Paul F. Thomkins, is best known as the guy who introduces Tenacious D at open mike gigs. Obviously the dude isn’t part of the A list yet, but he’s tops in the comedy underground.

Hopefully in 2008 we’ll see new albums from Dave Attell, Lewis Black, and David Cross.

(more…)

When I was a youngster, the two things I loved most about Monty Python were the cartoons and a chance to see some nudity. As a middle aged adult (presuming that I’ll live to be 76, then I am in the middle) I can easily find nudity, but wacky animation is harder to find.

B3ta has been an oasis of Monty Python style animation for some time. Classic examples include Jada and the Moon Song.

One of the stars of this type of animation is a cat named Cyriak. I came across this compilation of his animation today — it’s crazy and quite amusing.

Dave Attell cracks me up. Set your Tivo/DVR for December 8th to HBO.

Speaking of Attells, Dave’s sister Monica Attell, is a New York City musician. Check out the song Drunk Girl on her MySpace page. She’s pretty and she has musical chops.