Zombies and Vampires Come to MTV

Tags: MTV Shows

Death Valley, a dark comedic zombie vampire cop show has been picked up by MTV.

Python Time!

The Telegraph listed the best five Monty Python sketches of all time. You can find them here.

This is my top favorite Python Sketches:

1) Gumby Brain Surgery:



2) Military 'Swanning About'



3) 127th Upper Class Twit of the Year Competition:



4) The Spanish Inquisition



5) Take Your Pick/Gameshow

Nick Kroll Sketch Show Picked Up

Comedy Central has just picked up Nick Kroll's latest project -The Nick Show Kroll. It will be a sketch comedy produced and written by Kroll. John Levenstein and Jonathan Krisel will co-write the series.

If you only know Nick Kroll from the comedy The League, you don't know Kroll. Although funny on the FX series, Nick has a bag of funny outrageous characters that will blow you away. From the sound of it, he'll be giving us his hilarious Bobby Bottleservice. And can I hope for a little Fabrice Fabrice?

Also picked up alongside Kroll's show is a comedy starring Keegan-Michael Key, whom you might remember from Mad TV. I recently spotted him in an episode of Childrens' Hospital, so seeing more of his comedy is always a good thing.

More here: DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com

Saul's Back...

Did your pet tiger maul the neighbor again? Did you have to murder a Mexican drug cartel king and his minions, and now your meth lab is in trouble? You need a lawyer. Better call Saul.



The new season of Breaking Bad starts on AMC July 17th.

Mob Wives: Lazy Summer Monday Comment

See this screenshot above, taken from the big fight scene during the season finale of VH1's Mob Wives? That's all you need to know about this show. That's why I actually love it. The love. The history. The hate. The pitbull anger and growling of these women when they are pushed too far. It's a rage bubbling from the fallout of loving and being bred by mobsters. This show feeds on the festering old wounds of the wives' past. It's a bit overdone, heightening old tensions that really don't need to be prodded (such as an old love triangle involving Drita D'avanzo and Karen Gravano), but these ladies are fascinating to me.

Rene Graziano is my favorite because she kicks ass - and you can see her ass living inside her Spanx as her ass tries to break up a fight between Drita and Karen.

Mob Wives on VH1

So There's This...

'The Green Lantern' Didn't Live Up To Expectations...

Rest In Peace: Clarence Clemons

Colbert Commencement Speech at Northwestern

Another terrific commencement speech made by one of our beloved late night comedians. Stephen Colbert is a Northwestern alumni (class of 86), and not only spoke of funny things, but used his experience with improv as a point about life.

Childrens' Hospital and Mass Transit

Photo on bus and all promotional photos of cast for season 3 by Robyn Von Swank.

Crappy iPhone photo of bus from a Prius on 3rd Street, Los Angeles by me.

Off Topic Department

Clarence "Big Man" Clemons, saxophonist of Bruce Springsteen's 'E Street Band' suffered a stroke this past Sunday. And it's serious. Having seen the damage the ravages of a stroke can cause up close, I know he has a difficult road ahead. Here's hoping he pulls through.

Springsteen was so apart of my childhood's musical landscape. Having left his music long ago, I'd like to revisit a memorable moment in tribute to Clarence. Here are parts 1 and 2 of a great performance. Sorry they're split up, but this is truly the "Big Man" and Springsteen at their best. This song never fails to make me hyperventilate and bring on heart palpitations.

Broadway Moment: 'Company'

Stephen Sondheim's classic 1970 hit Company is one of the most thrilling Broadway shows I've never seen live. It only exists to me as a YouTube clip, Great Performances revival on DVD or "Original Broadway Cast Recording" - with the forever wonderful Elaine Stritch as Joanne, and Dean Jones as Bobby, the man with the Peter Pan complex who realizes through the love of his married friends, that being singular isn't really "Being Alive".

If you watched the Tony Awards last Sunday, you probably enjoyed a performance of one of Company's show stoppers, "Side by Side"sung by television's and Broadway's best: Stephen Colbert, Jon Cryer, Christina Hendricks, Martha Plimpton, Patti LuPone, Craig Bierko and Neil Patrick Harris (perhaps my favorite person right now) as the aforementioned Bobby. Company was revived and performed at the New York Philharmonic earlier this year. It was filmed for limited theatrical release, and will be shown at various theaters with selected dates starting tomorrow - June 15, 16, 19 and 21st.

I cannot get enough of this incredible score. Here's a clip:



Source: New York Philharmonic - 'Company'

Conan O'Brien's Commencement Speech at Dartmouth

Hilarious. Inspiring.

Behind the Rivalry

If you're keeping score on the Alec Baldwin/John Krasinski baseball rivalry, here's a behind the scenes chat about their favorite teams.

NTSF:SD:SUV...

Get ready. Later this summer, NTSF:SD:SUV premieres on Adult Swim. Take all those notions of procedural cop dramas and bury them, because this show looks more interesting than anything the CSI or NCIS or Law & Order spawns can cook up - or would even want to.

More to come...

Wet Hot American Summer

This movie stars a list of super funny comedians, and it's celebrating its' 10th anniversary this year.



http://davidwain.com/site/WetHot.html

'Saturday Night Live' Japan

Interesting...

'Million Dollar Decorators': The British Rule L.A.

What is it with British people and Los Angeles? Is it the sunshine and big money that brings out what is already pretty terrific to levels of Absolutely Fabulous? Last week, Bravo premiered their latest reality series Million Dollar Decorators, and unleashed a pair of Brits that have given me new meaning in life. Kathryn Ireland and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard are interior designers to the Hollywood rich, and they take Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone to the 'Fabulous' cleaners. They are the real deal in terms of fascinating personalities that you would sell a pair of Laboutins to spend time with. If you had a pair of Laboutins. I don't.

Delicious. That's Martyn's word, and it never feels so true as it does when you see him on this show. The words "Delicious" and "Sumptuous" fall from his lips like melted chocolate, a vision that is real since he is addicted to the stuff. He lives in this beyond gorgeous house in the Hollywood Hills that held Hollywood royalty such as Valentino and Gloria Swanson. William Faulkner was also a past owner who used to write his scripts on the secluded terrace overlooking a garden that is probably a slice out of Nirvana's backyard. Martyn is like Morrissey as designer, and when he meets up with Kathryn Ireland, the fabulousness begins.

Kathryn is this ballsy British broad with a "body they don't make anymore". She not only designs the home of wealthy folk, but she creates beautiful textiles. We haven't seen much of her at work yet, but it doesn't matter. She's a pip. While lunching with Martyn at a swank L.A. restaurant, she discusses openly, histrionically, he size of her boobs - which are grand. In episode one, she held a birthday party for herself that barely happened, but when it did, she was the belle of the ball, flirting with guests, trying on hats, playing various shades of ingenue, and exuding a flaky hilarious vibe. She's not only the 'life of the party" she is the life of this show. Part Dorothy Parker, part....Edina Monsoon, I can't wait to see what she brings to the table. And just from a quick dose of her and Martyn breaking bread and sucking on wine while talking about hypnotists, it's my hope Bravo will let us peek deeper into that friendship.

Also on the show are designers Mary McDonald, Jeffrey Allen Marks, and Nathan Turner, who all stand on their own as interesting characters. But for me, the Brits have it going on.

As a final note, it was reality show boner time when Kathryn and Martyn were dining at La Villa Blanca, owned by none other that that other wonderful Brit from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills - Lisa Vanderpump. An appearance from her last night would have been a trifecta of British/Hollywood beauty. But sadly, not this time.

The show airs on Tuesdays. Check out clips over at Bravo.

Jon Benjamin Has A Van

Have van, will travel - along with cameraman, sound guy and writer Leo Allen. This new series from comedian Jon Benjamin (Bob's Burgers), premieres June 14th on Comedy Central.

Jon Benjamin Has a Van

'Curb Your Enthusiasm' Count Down...

With a little over a month to go before the July 10th premiere of Curb Your Enthusiasm, it's never too early to get ready for some Larry David.

Here's the latest Curb trailer, filled with familiar faces in comedy, both alternative and mainstream. Coming up this season are appearances by Paul F. Tompkins, Brett Gelman, Michaela Watkins, Michael J. Fox, Anna Gasteyer, Mad Men's Rich Sommer and legendary SNL writer Alan Zweibel.



The new season of Curb Your Enthusiasm premieres on HBO on July 10th at 10pm.

This is How My Day is Going...

From David Letterman's Holiday Film Festival of 1985.

9th Annual Improv Festival at IOWest

IOWest (aka Improv Olympics) kicks off its' 9th Annual Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival today. Tonight features Celebrity with guest celeb Joel McHale of NBC's Community and E!'s The Soup. Other shows include sketch cage matches plus an Armando Show with long form improv initiated by Office stars Kate Flannery, Angela Kinsey with monologist Kate Walsh. (Armando is the same template as UCB's Asssscat, whereby a guest monologist tells stories with elements/themes used to create improvised scenes). Saturday night will bring us a Conan Fest with the red headed comedian's bevvy of writers who will perform for your pleasure, followed by the Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony. This year's recipient is Arrested Development's Jeffrey Tambor. It all wraps up later that night with the Del Close Award for Advancement in Improv.

The schedule for IOWest's Improv Comedy Festival can be found here.

Get on this, Los Angeles comedy fans!

"Attention Staff: It's Saturday...and It's NOT Alright For Fighting"...

A boy arrives in a trough of quicksand in the middle of a Saturday - the day our heroes of the ER are off living their super human hero lives. Only one doctor can perform a life saving procedure to release the boy, but obstacles get in her way. Can Lola get to Childrens' to save little Scott before his organs get crushed? Or will he meet a certain sandy death when she's delayed while stopping for gas? Find out tonight at midnight on Childrens' Hospital's season 3 premiere episode "Run, Dr. Lola Spratt, Run!"

Don't just set your DVR - drink loads of caffeine and stay up to watch live, and follow @robcorddry (#ChildrensHospital) and cast as they live Tweet the hell out of this show.

Also - check out some cool press and video interviews with cast down here....

'Childrens' Hospital' Noteworthy PR:

ScreenJunkies.com - Interviews with Cast

EW.com - Childrens' Hospital is Back: Rob Corddry Offers Five Teases for Season 3

TheFutonCritic.com - A Few Minutes with the Cast of Childrens' Hospital

Vulture.com - A Day on the Childrens' Hospital Set with Power Hungry Henry Winkler

Examiner.com - 'Childrens' Hospital' Season 3 Will Feature Big Developments for Rob Huebel

TheDailyJournal.com - Childrens Hospital Returns This Week to Adult Swim

IndieWire.com - 'E.R' The Way It Should Have Been 'Childrens' Hospital' Adult Swim Website.

TVGuide.com - The Bin Laden Joke You Won't See

Official 'Childrens' Hospital' Page on AdultSwim.com

Sneak Peek: Blake Seeks Shelter at Valerie's Place

More Childrens Hospital Videos

Sarah Silverman to Develop New Show

If you're still lamenting the cancellation of The Sarah Silverman Show, then take heart. The Emmy-winning funny lady is writing a new show. If the project goes to series, Sarah will be placed the starring role once again. Jon Schroeder and Dan Sterling, both collaborators on Silverman's former Comedy Central show will also be involved. No network is attached yet.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

'Childrens' Hospital' Panel at UCLA

"How many people have smoked Salvia?", asked Rob Huebel to a small crowd of students at UCLA's Akerman Union Ballroom at the Childrens' Hospital panel last night. When a few dozen hands went up amidst the half full venue, it was safe to assume that 2 minutes of hallucinogenic freak outs is trending on campus, especially those in attendance who love to watch funny, horny doctors on television. Next week's final exams may have been to blame for the small turn out; yet, those who did come by were die hard fans who did their homework - for their classes, and on the show.

On hand to promote the new season of the Adult Swim comedy that begins airing tomorrow night at midnight (and to give away seasons 1 & 2 DVDs) were executive producer Jon Stern, director and sometimes guest star (Dr. Jewy McJewJew) David Wain, creator Rob Corddry, and stars Megan Mullally, Rob Huebel, Malin Akerman, Ken Marino, Erin Hayes and Nick Kroll.

An upcoming episode entitled "The Night Shift" (directed by Rob Schrab) was screened, where the staff discovers, while working a rare night shift, their OR turns into a film location for porn in the wee hours. It featured Paul Scheer, who returns as Dr. Downs' bad boy brother. Kroll, who had an arc as a child with aging disease in seasons one and two, showed up as a smarmy East European doctor who floats Dr. Cat Black's boat. However, due to technical problems, we were unable to view the rest of the episode. Bummer.

Despite the small attendance and the technical glitches - which the very funny cast accustomed to improv worked to their benefit - the awkward evening turned out to be fun. Students were in love with the beautiful and amazing Mullally, who portrays the head of surgery, aka "Chief", asking to come up to the stage for hugs and photos. Erin Hayes and Malin Akerman are truly funny ladies who know how to do sexy, lady comedy nerd right (Olivia Munn, take note). Rob Corddry revealed some guest appearances in season 3 such as Michael McKeon, Sarah Silverman, Parks & Rec's Nick Offerman, House's Lisa Edelman, plus (*Spoiler Alert*) the scoop on a Party Down reunion.

The Questions/Answers filled the night with great stories and information on how the show is written and shot (they break stories over a period of time, and shot this season in December); yet, the one mystery a few students wanted to solve was the Michael Cera conundrum. He's credited in every show, but never appears. Viewers with sharp ears can confirm that Cera is the announcer who makes funny cracks over the hospital P.A., a pretty important element to the twisted atmosphere. Despite never seeing him - he's a key character that goes by the name Sal Viscuso. (An interesting bit of trivia is that that the P.A. announcements in Childrens' Hospital are an homage to the P.A. announcements on M*A*S*H. And the name of the man who did them? Sal Viscuso.)

So, I learned the following at UCLA last night:

• Students love Salvia.
• Young adults that go to a good university actually skip going to funny television show forums to stay home and study. Win for America. Neg for comedy.
• As per Nick Kroll, The League on FX will premiere in September.
• UCLA has a Jamba Juice in their food court.
• Mics don't always work.
• David Wain is married to Zandy Hartig, who plays the vacuous and funny Nurse Dori on the show.
• Video SNAFU's suck.
• As per Wain, the 10th Anniversary of Wet Hot American Summer is upon us. Go to www.wethotamericansummer.com to join the anniversary fun.

Watch the season premiere of Childrens' Hospital on Adult Swim tomorrow night at midnight.