A Little Something For 'Community' Fans

Really nice video. Community moves to it's new day and time - Friday's at 8:30pm premiering October 19th on NBC.

Woke Up This Morning...

...heard this theme song in my head, one of the best theme songs and opening graphics in the television sitcom universe.

Dan Harmon Out as Showrunner of 'Community'

Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images North America

There is sadness in television's land of the funny.  Dan Harmon will be stepping down as Showrunner on Community. 

With the controversy surrounding the outing of an angry Chevy Chase voicemail Harmon gleefully revealed to friends at a party,  it comes as no surprise. However, fans of Harmon can take solace. He will stay on as Consulting Producer for the series. David Guarascio and Moses Port, both previous consultants on the ABC hit Happy Endings,  join as co-Showrunners. 

Source:  The Hollywood Reporter

Comedy Renewals, Comedy Finales, Comedies on the Bubble

Upfront season is a mixed bag of emotions for a comedy follower such as moi. On one hand, pilots are being staffed,  and the impending Upfronts are bringing in news about sitcom pick ups, whether  returning or brand spanking new. On the other hand, it's the end of another television season.  Story lines are drawing to their final conclusions, and cliff hangers are hatched to torture you during summer barbeques as you argue with your Glee obsessed cousin about who'll develop herpes, which teenager really looks 30 years old and whether or not they'll get into the Nationals.

Tonight, Parks and Recreation will have its season finale. Leslie Knope has been campaigning for City Council of Pawnee, up against a spoiled millionaire's son played to perfection by Paul Rudd. In tonight's episode, the election comes to its conclusion, and we will find out who the victor is - Bobby Newport or Leslie. Two endings were shot - one of Leslie winning, and the other of her losing - so all bets are on. No official renewal has been made for Parks and Rec, but I'm betting we'll see its return in 2012-2013 season.

After a rocky season of hiatus and the faux pas of Dan Harmon's outing of his hatred for Chevy Chase, Community has been renewed for season four with a short order of 13 episodes. 30 Rock has also been given a pick up; however, next year will be its last, with another abbreviated run of 13 - 14 episodes.  Parenthood has also been given a nod to return, with a short season as well.

The Office continues to cough and wheeze its way  into another year, with Jenna Fischer, John Krasinski and Ed Helms being good sports and ready to sign on for another round. There has been no word on whether this old horse of a show will be taken out back and shot, but I think the humane thing to do would be to euthanize this poor animal before it really begins to suffer. It's already limping along on Thursday nights, a shadow of it's former self. Tonight is the season finale.

Whitney and Up All Night are balancing ever so delicately on the soapy bubble of NBC. Their fate will be announced soon.

So, as we wind down into the mad frenzy of 2012-2013 season chatter, we say goodbye to the 2011-2012 season, you old chestnut of a year.

Source: DeadlineHollywoodDaily. 

30 Rock Returns Tonight!

After a Fall season of Whitney filling in for Tina Fey as she rightly tended to maternity-hood, 30 Rock returns to the NBC schedule tonight in its new time - 8pm ET/PT.  Okay, perhaps the show, now heading into its sixth season, is starting to get a little tired. Yet, seeing the TGS team and Alec Baldwin post-American Airlines brawl back in the lineup should be fun, and remains a good reason to tune in. Also, Parks and Recreation returns with a new episode. And if you're still into The Office as it gasps on its last fumes, that's new too.

However, we must bow our heads and hope for the return of Community, now off the NBC schedule and awaiting word on its fate.

Community: "We're Gonna Be Less Weird...

....and be more fun than the first two years combined!"

Sounds good! I do love weird. But with low ratings, I hope they find a bigger audience by cooling off on the gimmicks. As much as I adore this cast and the off the wall humor, the show veers off into the stratosphere with Tarrantino laced paint ball episodes and Claymation whismsies. Comedy fans will hate me for saying this - but 22 minutes of odd ball themed episodes disconnects me from the characters. It's the reason why Rob Corddry will not extend Childrens' Hospital beyond 11 minutes per episode despite fans crying for a full half hour show. You can only take kooky for so long.

But, the promos looks amazing, and I love the addition of John Goodman.

NBC is Christmassy Tonight

NBC has put out the Christmas decor for tonight's Holiday lineup. The Office is a must see. Holly Flax is back in town to take over for Toby Flenderson while he's doing long term jury duty. It will be anyone's guess if she's going to leave AJ behind and embark on a life with Michael. There was a time when I'd root for AJ, the new love of Holly's life because he seemed nice. Why not have her move on, right? But now I say - screw him. Here's hoping that Holly and Michael step into the happily ever after and leave that guy behind. Meanwhile, Jim and Dwight are acting like little boys in the backseat of a SUV who won't behave. A snowball fight challenge is on the table. Revenge will be Schrute's. (The Office "Classy Christmas" Tonight. 9pm et/8pm ct.)



30 Rock never disappoints at Christmas time - especially when Jack's mother Colleen pays a visit to her son. Liz Lemon stays put to avoid her once painfully repressed parents who have broken their daughter's fantasy of their perfect marriage and replaced it with tears. Jack is spending Christmas with the make believe voices in his head at NBC, and Tracy is inflicting his good will by doing charity work, which means something funky and weird is going to happen to some people in need. That's my take on it. What really happens is Liz and Avery try to get Jack to confess some secrets to his mom while trying to get Jenna to patch up her break up with Paul, and Tracy tries to block his own firm's release of a song because it "undermines his newly invented persona". Alan Alda, Elaine Stritch and Elizabeth Banks are in the house. This is going to be Christmas-awesome. (30 Rock "Christmas Attack Zone". Tonight. 8:30pm et/7:30pm pt.)




And...Community! This hilarious Joel McHale starring joyful show is entering the land of Claymation tonight. (Community. "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas". 8pm et/7pm ct.)

Community Picked Up for Second Season

It's a nice feeling to see a underdog television show like Community get the green light for season two. It's fresh. It's funny. The cast is solid. Joe McHale rules and Chevy Chase seems to be back to his old wry self. Series showrunner Dan Harmon video taped the cast in Makeup as he broke the good news. I think Chevy Chase was still alive. You can't really tell. (You can see it here).

Also wisely picked up by the bizarro peacock network was 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation. Good news for all comedy fans. However, The Office will be groaning and thumping it's way into a seventh season since they've been renewed as well. How much more blood can they mine out of this stone?

Thursday Night

NBC. What can I say? You suck. But you still air Community, Parks and Recreation and 30 Rock. I want to hate you tonight, avoid you like the evil you are, but like a platter of tantalizing cupcakes you lure me into your house made of gingerbread. I'm going to have to play Gretel to your big bad witch and be tempted inside your door because apparently I love metaphors, and I love the guest stars you have lined up for tonight's comedy block.

Are you kidding me? Jack Black and Joel McHale in the same 30 minutes of hilarious continuing college education fun on Community? Yes, I'll have another cupcake, Mr. Zucker.

Will Arnett guest stars opposite his real life lovely, funny and awesome wife, Amy Poehler on Parks and Recreation, portraying a potential love interest for Leslie Knopes.

It's around this time the hallucinagens start kicking in from the roofie laced cookie I snagged and Team Zucker has me under a spell. I'll fall asleep during a rerun of 30 Rock (Secret Santa), until an NBC programming executive hoses me with ice water in time for...


James Franco on a new 30 Rock (Klaus and Greta). Franco plays himself as the pretend boyfriend to Jenna in an attempt to stir publicity; however, that crazy blond with daddy issues is actually falling for him. (Hey guess what? I was wrong. It's a whole new hour of 30 Rock, and its super hilarious.)

You got me, Jeff. I want to boycott the network. Yet, I love these shows. I will watch them and buy the DVDs. I will also worship Conan until he goes off the air. But I will not be be lured into your dungeon and made into a Leno sex zombie slave.

(Check local listings)

FunnyorDie.com is not evil. In fact, it's angelic...if the angels got drunk, smoked weed and mooned a bunch of nuns. Here is a Parks and Recreation audition reel with Wu-Tang Clan.

Parks and Recreation is the Wu-Tang of Comedy - watch more funny videos

Aziz Ansari

Photo by Seth Olenick

The breakout star of the summer is Aziz Ansari. How cool is that? A cameo appearance in the Judd Apatow film Funny People as stand up Raaaaaaaandy has given him a bump, spawning viral video shorts on FunnyorDie.com of the brash, "merch" flogging comedian. The character is a loud, fast talking jokester with stories of sexual encounters, macho prowess all accompanied by a DJ who punctuates his verbiage with hip hop stings. Do I sense a bit of Dane Cook-ery here? All attitude, shouting, strutting and gesticulating but when you hear what he's actually saying - there's no funny? Perhaps. Judging from interviews Aziz denies any Cook impression, but that's not to say he wasn't inspired. Ansari has already honed his mockery skills on MTV's Human Giant by co-creating a spoof of Criss Angel's silly Mind Freak antics with Paul Scheer in "The Illusionators" sketches.

His portrayal of Tom Haverford, an apathetic bureaucrat on NBC's Parks and Recreation who likes to make the moves on the ladies is pretty spot on considering I've met a few. After only six episodes, he's emerged as one of the funny highlights in an ensemble cast I hope will be allowed to flourish in the same vibe as The Office. (Poehler, much like Carell, is the star, but might be overshadowing the rest of the P&R group as Leslie Knopes, whereas Michael Scott has been the beacon to many other quirky characters who stand out equally.)

We have more Aziz to see in the upcoming year. In addition to the Raaaaaaandy love, the NBC sitcom and many of his own stand up performances (as himself), he's slated to appear in Apatow's next feature Take Him To The Greek, starring Russell Brand due out in 2010.

Hopefully he'll find the time to work on season three of Human Giant. Please?

You can view videos of Raaaaaaaandy at www.laughyourdickoff.com.

What To Look Forward To: NBC's "Community"

Mad Men premieres this Sunday on AMC at 10:00pm ET. Cool. Jim and Pam are pregnant on The Office. Ok, we know that. 30 Rock's premiere has been pushed to October. So, what else to look forward to?

Community. The show stars the snarkily funny Joel McHale, host of E!'s The Soup. He's Jeff Winger, a down on his luck attorney who loses his license and starts up a study group with goofy continuing ed students at a local community college. Brought to you by the creators of The Sarah Silverman Show and Arrested Development, it premieres on September 17th at 9:30pm (moving to 8pm in October). This is going to be soo good.

What is also enticing about this show is the cast of comedians and actors who have been seen in cameo roles on television and film, clubs and commercials. In addition to McHale, comedian Donald Glover, NYU Alumni, comedy writer and performer who has appeared on various episodes of 30 Rock will portray Troy, a high school football star looking for direction. It's also great to see comedian Ken Jeong, whose small cameo in an episode of The Office in season two, evolved into his memorable role in The Hangover as the crazy angry Asian gang lord who jumped out of the trunk of a car naked. He will be appearing in upcoming movie The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard.

Alison Brie of Mad Men is Anne, the persnickety perfectionist, and The Daily Show's John Oliver is lending his intelligent wit and dry comedy sensibilities as well. I am unfamilar with Danny Pudi and Gillian Jacobs, but the sneak peaks of their scenes look really fun.

I am thrilled about Yvette Nicole Brown being part of this cast. I've been a fan for years. On Community, she will play a divorcee named Shirley. Brown will undoubtedly reveal the great timing and facial expressions that accentuate her comedic ability. I always felt she would find that one show to give her the bump. With all the buzz on Community, this might just be her chance to shine.

Here's a featurette from the NBC site:


Finally, Chevy Chase will play Chuck Pierce, a man with a life time of wisdom, and who appears to have the hots for Shirley. It's good to see Chase return to television. His films such as Fletch and Foul Play were staples in my VHS shelf as a kid, and his work on SNL is indelibly implanted in my memory cells. He looks good in this.

I came upon this interesting interview Chevy did at UCB Theater a while back. It was great to listen to him talk about his work and motivation. He seems pretty cool despite having slapped Rob Huebel's face once for no reason. (Not cool.)