Stage Shows & Podcasts That Should Be TV Shows

I don't profess to be a professional making creative decisions for television; however, after years of following live performances in New York and Los Angeles, I've seen some smart live shows, and have heard unique podcasts that could easily be developed for television.

It's already being done. Marc Maron's WTF podcast inspired his upcoming new series tentatively titled Maron on IFC. Furthermore,  Comedy Bang Bang,  originally a stage show (formerly Comedy Death Ray) evolved into a popular podcast, and ultimately landed as an IFC series.

So I got to thinking about the shows I listen to and attend on a weekly or monthly basis that would make fun television shows.

The Paul F. Tompkins Show - Largo at the Coronet Theater -  Monthly.

Paul's monthly show at Largo celebrated it's 10th anniversary in April. I hesitate to suggest that this special, intimate night of music, jokes, and sketch should be shared with a television audience. More people will bare witness to what only a few hundred get to see at the historic Coronet theater each month. However, Paul's ability to put on a live variety show with such grace and intelligence, bringing on some friends who happen to be major stars themselves to join in the fun (John C. Reilly, Fiona Apple, Pagett Brewster, Gillian Jacobs, Busy Phillips to name a handful) is a revelation. It has the sepia feel of vaudeville with a hint of Jack Paar in the honesty of his monologues and the Letterman quirkiness of his sketches. If you've seen his stand up on Comedy Central, you'll get an idea. Add in musical director Eben Schletter, and the show is pure magic. Paul's podcast 'The Pod F. Tomkast" is the cyber version of the stage show, and can be found on iTunes.

 

A rare video taste of the PFTompkins Show above.

Photo by Robyn Von Swank

Dead Authors - UCBLA

Another Tompkins project that would make perhaps a great TV special is  Dead Authors, a monthly show at the Upright Citizens Brigade that benefits 826LA, a non-profit tutoring center for kids 6 to 18 that encourages creative writing. The premise: Paul portrays H. G. Wells and time travels backwards to talk to  dead legends of literary history. Past performers have been Andy Daly as Edgar Allen Poe, James Adomian as Hunter F. Thompson and Scott Aukerman as Bram Stoker. It's all improvised and all for a great cause. Since kids are usually in the audience, Paul makes sure comedians tone down the naughtiness, so it's fun for all. It would amazing to see this as a PBS feature or something on Comedy Central where the power of telly would help raise money. The show is also recorded for podcast, and can be found on iTunes. Click through here.

Superego

This is a weird and wonderful podcast. Stars Matt Gourley, Mark McConville, Jeff Crocker and Jeremy Carter as doctors ready to explore the human mind. Each show unfolds with a variety of case studies (or sketches). The guests participate in bizarre vignettes as subjects with personality disorders that are so odd, you have to listen to believe it. Superego has also taken to the stage with live performances in Los Angeles. Guests have been Drew Carey, Jason Sudeikis and Patton Oswalt to name only a few. I'd love to see this on Adult Swim in a 15 minute per episode series, maybe alongside The Eric Andre Show. But that may be absurd overload. Their podcast is available on iTunes. Click here.  The website is http://www.gosuperego.com/

The Chris Gethard Show

This show started on the stage of the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York in 2009. It's has evolved into a public access show, taped live in the MNN studios in New York City. It's like Romper Room for hipsters, a Chuck E Cheez for overgrown kids. There are live calls ins, celebrity drops ins, a list of competitive games, and mayhem. A few years back, Chris started a Twitter campaign to Diddy to participate in his show. Fans got so vocal, that he actually showed up. The sad thing is - The Chris Gethard Show was pitched to network television, but was way too risky to actually produce. But I see this as another IFC vehicle. If the crazy game show Bunk  airs there, this might fit as a fun companion show.

**********************
So many great ideas out there, from stage to internet. With all the uninspired programming coming up this Fall, perhaps niche loving channels like IFC or Adult Swim can show some love for these comedy alternatives.


Some Reading:
http://nymag.com/arts/tv/features/chris-gethard-2012-4/

http://www.examiner.com/article/comedian-paul-f-tompkins-brings-dead-authors-to-life-at-u-c-b-theater

Paul F. Tompkins 'Laboring Under Delusions'

Paul F. Tompkins is one of the most terrific comedians in the whole damn world that not enough people know about. Although I root for the path to fame to stretch out before him, Paul is one of those treasures you kind of, sort of hope doesn't get too exposed because you want him all to yourself. I've spent many intimate Saturday evenings at Largo in Los Angeles enjoying his monthly show with a few hundred other people. He's all ours, damn you! However, he's brilliant, with a talent that should be shared.

Last night Comedy Central aired Paul's stand up special Paul F. Tompkins: Laboring Under Delusions. I'm in New York. I was on a train when this aired, and when I got back to my hotel hoping that Comedy Central would repeat it while my eyes were still open, a dumb comedy movie came on instead. Alas, with the DVD of uncensored and extended scenes ready for release on Tuesday 4/24, there is something to look forward to.

In the meantime, I was overjoyed to find this extra scene made available online. Paul closes out the special the same as he does each month with his musical partner in comedy Eban Schletter at his show at Largo at the Coronet, with the tear jerking ballad, Danny Boy.

Christmas Comedy for Laughs and Charity: In L.A.

The Christmas season begins as soon as you scrape off the leftovers from your Thanksgiving dinner plate; however, it's never 'Tis the Season in Los Angeles until the holiday comedy Christmas shows hit the theaters of Hollywood. My dance card will be full this week attending some of these events. If you're in the Los Angeles area, and love live comedy and the humans who create it, check these out. They are all hilariously fun, and they are all for charity:

Paul Scheer's (Human Giant, The League) 3rd Annual Sexy Christmas Spectacular is happening this Saturday, December 11th, 8:30pm at Largo in West Hollywood. In the tradition of the old boozy Hollywood television variety show, Paul transforms into J. Montgomery Scott, a Hollywood television legend whose mugful of Christmas cheer and total lack of self awareness makes this mock television holiday show feel like the outtakes of an old Andy Williams Christmas special, if those outtakes were dysfunctional and inappropriate. Come for Ed Helms, Melissa Rauch and Casey Wilson as they make their way up J. Montgomery's snowy driveway. Stay for the tales of J. Montgomery's dead wife. Leave with Rob Huebel's bottle of baby oil and tales of his drunken regrets.

All proceeds to go the USO.Tickets are available here: http://largo.laughstub.com/show.cfm?id=120685

If you're a listener of the Comedy Bang Bang podcast over at Earwolf.com, or attend the weekly Tuesday show at the Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles, you've most likely waited all year for the Comedy Bang Bang Nativity Pageant to come down your chimney. Formerly known as Comedy Death Ray, this event usually sold out within minutes in past years, mostly due to it being held at UCB, a venue that seats about 100 people. This year it will be held at the more roomy Montelban Theater in Hollywood on Tuesday, December 13th at 7pm, and boasts a dream line up of comedians like Sarah Silverman, Kevin Nealon, Bob Odenkirk, Patton Oswalt and Paul F. Tompkins to name a few. And I mean it. This jam packed marathon of sketch and stand up blissfully goes on all night. You will be wringing the sweat of a dozen or two comedians from your clothes for weeks. (Reminder: Change your clothes.)

All proceeds to to the L.A. Food Bank. Tickets are available here! http://www.ticketfly.com/event/80839

Paul F. Tompkins' monthly show at Largo is legendary. An intimate evening of comedy and music, Paul's followers always make sure they grab a ticket for a fun Saturday night of hilarity as the calendar page turns. But with the holidays come The Paul F. Tompkins' Christmas Show. It's Paul's monthly stage performance jacked up on Christmas steroids. Filled with a line up of surprise guests, the songs are Christmassy, the sketches are twinkly and the egg nog flows at the lobby snack stand. Get a rum buzz and join on Saturday, December 17th at 8:30pm. All proceeds to to Habitat for Humanity.

Tickets are actually sold out, but if you check on the link, some tickets could open up. Also, you can come to the window before the show in case there are cancellations: Go to - http://largo.laughstub.com/show.cfm?id=95668&cart

Comedy In the Land Down Under

Comedy is alive and well in the land of the Platypus. Melbourne hosted the 2011 Comedy Festival a few weeks back, and Twitter was abuzz with American comedians readying themselves for the long flight to the other part of the world. Marc Maron lamented how lonely it was without wifi for fourteen hours, while Paul F Tompkins boasted of heading toward a part of planet Earth where he would be living in the future.

As a Paul F. Tompkins fan, and frequent attendee of his amazing monthly show at Largo in Los Angeles, I must post the following video showing proof that PFT can be just as funny in the southern hemisphere as he is here. Please join Mr. Tompkins as he debates the topic of "The End of the World". I think we can all agree, we don't have to kill ourselves now.

Friday Night Viewing: A Night Full of "Pauls"

If comedy is your bag, and Paul is your favorite male name, it's your lucky night. Two Pauls - one Scheer and one Tompkins are lighting up the small screen tonight.

Have you been watching Party Down on Starz on Fridays at 10pm or any other time it repeats on the channel? No? Try Netflix, because tonight the hilarious Mr. Paul Scheer will be guesting in a role of supreme douchebaggery. You won't want to miss it.




Check out Paul F. Tompkins' comedy special You Should Have Told Me on Comedy Central tonight at 11pm. He's hilarious and the fact we are lucky to see him on television tonight makes us all lucky bastards.

Paul F. Tompkins on Comedy Central

If you've ever gone to Largo at the Coronet Theatre or UCB in LA, or any club in the country, you're more than familiar with the fabulously dapper Paul F. Tompkins. He's an MC, a smart jokester an impressionist and a dashing, genuine comedic talent who can win you over with the most subtle story while sporting a bespoke suit and an old timesy twinkle in the eye.

Comedy Central has finally done something I can be happy about by giving PFT his own special Paul F. Tompkins: You Should Have Told Me. It airs on Friday, June 11th at 11pm, and it should be a joyous event.

You can also find Tompkins vocally disguised at Ice Tee, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber or Cake Boss on the hilarious Comedy Death Ray Podcast on Friday's at 12noon PT/3pm ET on Indie 103.1.com. (Also available for download on iTunes).

In addition to seeing him on this Friday night telly, Tompkins will also be performing stand up earlier that evening at UCBLA. Check the theatre's schedule for tickets.

If you are in the New York area, Paul will be performing at The Bell House in Brooklyn on Sunday, June 13th.

Jokes.com
Paul F. Tompkins - Buying a House
comedians.comedycentral.com
Futurama New Episodes Ugly Americans Funny TV Comedy Blog

The Benson Interruption

With the Del Close Marathon about to hit the ground running this weekend at Upright Citizen's Brigade in New York, I kick started my participation as a fan by attending The Benson Interruption last night. This show is an uber popular UCB ticket. Comedian Doug Benson produces an hour-plus line up of comedian friends invited on stage to work out new jokes while he sits front row center interrupting with banter. It is beyond hilarious. The additional beauty is - the line up of comedians is a surprise, and like a box of chocolates, you never know...

Benson not only hosts Interruption, but also heads up another fave UCB show Doug Loves Movies. (It's podcasted and available on iTunes). Yes, Doug does love movies. A lot. This show brings comedy friends together to discuss the latest in cinema whether awesome or crap. Sometimes the crappy-er the better.

And Doug loves weed. It's part of his life. Inspired by his love of the stuff, and his love of film, Benson created and starred in Super High Me, a take off of Morgan Spurlock's 2004 documentary Super Size Me. Instead of eating mass quantities of bad ass portions of McDonalds all day every day for a month like Spurlock, Benson smoked weed each day for thirty days. It turned out that unlike Spurlock, Doug was actually pretty healthy after one month of indica inhalation. The movie also touched upon the marijuana culture in California and some political views about its legalization.

Back to last night's Interruption. The line up was Ali Wong, Moshe Kasher and Anthony Jeselnik, all funny young comedians we'll be hearing more about in years to come.

Nick Kroll and Paul F. Tomkins showed up, and I think I lost my mind. I love them as much as you can platonically love a person.

Kroll (Caveman, Bar Mitzvah Disco, Children's Hospital) is a solid stand up and comedic actor with a line up of characters such as Fabreze Fabreze and the second half of Gil and George in the Oh Hello Show, which he co-stars alongside John Mulaney( seen in video below) on stage.



Up until recently, Paul F. Tomkins was the host of VH1's Best Week Ever, which has gone into a slumbering hiatus. Tomkins himself is uncertain of when it will return and if he'll be hosting. He was a cast member of Mr. Show, he is the dapper be-suited headliner at Largo and UCB. Back in December, I attended the annual Aimee Mann Christmas Show where he directed the comedic happenings. It was a blast to see the Benson/Tomkins give and take at last night's Interruption.

Here's Tomkins and Andy Richter in a funny Best Week Ever bit:



The photo of Doug Benson above is the cover of his new album Unbalanced Load, available for download on iTunes.

The Best Week Ever

Jon Hamm will be joining Paul F. Tompkins on The Best Week Ever tomorrow night at 11pm EST on VH1. I love it when Hamm is in his funny mode, and thrilled he's getting in some laughs before he slicks down his hair and gets his Don Drapper on for production on Mad Men this spring.