"Everybody Look At The Moon"

On this super moon night, a word from The Mighty Boosh's milky moon.

30 Rock Girl Makes Good

If you know about The Human Table, an enigmatic character that showed up during the episode "Ludachristmas", the holiday episode of 30 Rock, Season 2, or know the Jane Krakowski Tropicana 50 commercials or have attended a UCBNYC performance of the now sadly defunct show Let's Have A Ball, you might be a fan of Kay Cannon. Funny lady that she is, she's earned her comedy badge treading the floor boards of Improv comedy and in Tina Fey's writers room as a key writer for 30 Rock for six years.

The lady done good. As per DeadlineDaily, Ms. Cannon has signed a deal with 20th Century Fox Television where she will develop shows for FOX. In addition to that, she'll be tweeking her adorkability factor by joining the writing staff of New Girl for their sophomore season.

As her furniture heads across the country from New York to Los Angeles for her big move, I tip my hat to Kay Cannon, the lady I used to laugh my lungs out during those Saturday nights at UCB in Chelsea where she once improv'd getting punched in the vagina. Congratulations!

The Human Table "Ludachristmas" 2007

30 Rock Went Out Live, America!

You didn't think I was going to let the month of April get away with only one posting, did you? I almost did. A transition to a new job has me preoccupied, flustered, unhappy,  making me question my choices in life. I've been bereft of words to describe and keep track of all I love in television and comedy. However, it's time to get out of my head and onto the screen for some words about an auspicious occasion that took place this past Thursday night: The second annual live airing of 30 Rock.

The United States, being a large country attached to a massive continent, allowed our time zone situation to provide our eyes and ears with two brilliant, yet slightly different takes of the episode "Live from Studio 6H" with separate east coast and west coast broadcasts direct from 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The plot of both airings was a celebration of the golden years of live television by setting up the premise that 'TGS' would no longer be going live due to budget constraints set upon by their crappy parent company Kabletown.

So, who better than NBC stalker Kenneth Parcel to lock everyone in a dressing room and expound on the virtues (and racism) of NBC pretend live television past, which is what he did. Snark infused send ups of The Huntley Report (Jon Hamm on east coast/Brian Williams on west coast), Laugh In (Alec Baldwin as Nixon on east coast/Baldwin as Paul Lynn on west coast),  The Honeymooners, The Dean Martin Show, Amos and Andy, re-imagined as "Alphie and Abner" with Hamm and Morgan poking a stick at racism in side splitting fashion,  and cigarette ads that turned to class action suit PSA's featuring  the awesome Dr. Spaceman. 



Cameos as Amy Poehler as the young Liz Lemon spending her prom night (east coast)/sweet sixteen (west coast) night languishing in her basement happily eating cheese steaks while watching a telethon and making prank phone calls to a "General Electric" with the young Jack Donaghy, played by Jimmy Fallon, picking up the call. Donald Glover portrayed the young Tracy Jordan, who discovered his talent for being a "ridiculous man" on the same telethon.  Jenna, whose love for Paul, her drag queen doppelganger, is solidified when he appeared during a live TGS sketch floating down from the heavens singing 'Zou Bisou Bisou' ready to propose marriage. Fred Armisen was the featured background player and stand in for Judah Friedlander while he was off sketching it up on another set.

One confounding difference between the two time zone broadcasts was the walk on by Sir Paul McCartney during the east coast transmission, and the appearance of Kim Kardashian's walk through on the west coast. Talk about an inbalance. If you can't get Sir Paul for both broadcasts, at least find someone with equal esteem. Kim Kardashian? No.

The live broadcasts of 30 Rock may be seen as a ratings gimmick. So what if they are? If ratings motivates a network to allow a filmed episodic sitcom whose very essence is being meta to go live for Nielsen, then so be it. As the television season winds down, 30 Rock going live was a refreshing infusion of fun, no matter which coast you were on.

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.

Stevie Nicks on 'Up All Night'

I can't even get into how much I adore Stevie Nicks without gushing about my teen years and how I permed my hair into a dry mount of frizzy waves just to emulate this amazing lady. She appeared in last night's episode of Up All Night, where she quieted a crying baby and shushed a yapping dog all at once. She is the queen.


Here's Stevie talking about the experience.

Ron Burgundy Has An Annoucement!

Legendary anchorman Ron Burgundy stopped by Conan tonight to play some baby makin' jazz flute and to make a very important announcement. Watch! Stay classy planet Earth....

The Real Zou Bisou Bisou...

'Mad Men' Returns

It's been almost 18 months since we last laid eyes on a new episode of Mad Men. The wait is almost over. Mad Men season 5 premieres in a super sized two hour season premiere this Sunday on AMC at 9pm ET/8pm CT/6pm PT.

"Live from the Apollo, it's...'Lemonem'

30 Rock had some hilarious moments last night in its twilight double header of comedy with two episodes of hilarious guest starring fun. One episode boasted a Baldwin-fest, as Alec's brother Billy joined in as an actor cast to play Jack Donaghy in the made-for-TV movie biopic Kidnapped by Danger: The Avery Jessup Story, a dramatization of his wife Avery's abduction by the North Korean government. But the first episode featured a celebration of parody as Tracy and Jenna raced to create a song so bizarre even Weird Al Yankovic couldn't parody it. Two fun episodes for the price of some loud laughs. Let's go over two highlights for last night's first episode.

Liz Lemon once competed on Live From the Apollo. This is "Lemonem" just before the audience threw her in the river.



Watch the weird and wonderful (and incredibly nice) Al Yankovic sing a parody of the 30 Rock theme.

'Seeking a Friend for the End of the World'

For those of us who miss Michael Scott on The Office since he moved to Colorado to marry Holly, there's something to look forward to. The former Michael Scott, aka the real Steve Carell, and the usually very British and serious Kiera Knightley, star in the upcoming film Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, slated for release in June 2012.  In case we all vaporize into dust by Memorial Day, at least we have this trailer:

'Girls' Coming to HBO

From the HBO press release:

"Hannah (Lena Dunham) is a unique mixture of self-entitlement and self-loathing.
She believes she has the talent to be a successful writer, but forgets she has to write first.
She wants to have a boyfriend without the obligations of a relationship, and a job without
having to work. Sheʼs ultimately good-natured, with a spirited sense of humor. But every
time Hannah is about to improve her circumstances, her cluelessness undercuts her."

Yup. This sounds like me. The only difference is, Hannah is in her 20's and I'm in my...I'm over the age of 20.

Girls, premiering on HBO on April 15th, is the long awaited project from writer, performer Lena Dunham  I've heard her described as this young generation's Tina Fey; however, I'd like to think of Dunham as her own entity, definitive of her own style and humor which reflects her group of 20-somethings. I think this show is going to be fun. Besides, I saw Lena Dunham at UCBLA's show 'Mapping the Heavens with Rob Delaney and Dave Holmes". She was charming. I'm looking forward to this.

Also check out her indie feature Tiny Furniture in which she wrote, directed and starred. Check it out on Netflix streaming - but good luck in not having it rebuffer every two minutes. (Netflix, you are on my last raw nerve.)

Here's the trailer:

'Pardo Patrol' with Jon Hamm

Upright Citizens Brigade on 'Rock Plaza' Tomorrow Night

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Lucy in Color

 Credit: Harry Warnecke Studio for The Daily News/National Portrait Gallery

 [An excerpt from today's New York Times Art & Design feature 'In Vibrant Color: A Colorful Gloss on Black-and-White Memories of Celebrities.]

'" Portrait of Lucille Ball from 1944, when she was in her early 30s. Mr. Genzlinger writes: 'No spit take or exaggerated pout here. In truth, this greatest of female comics looks a bit sad. And far more human than she ever did in the television show for which she is best known."'
 
Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/arts/design/

'Comedy Bang Bang' Sneak Peek

This Is Why Everything Sucks

'NTSF' Back on Board

Fans of NTSF:SD:SUV will be happy to know that the show started production for season 2 yesterday. A new Adult Swim sensation, the show, created by Paul Scheer and his team of funny people was renewed after a successful first season. The show is due to air later this year.

Eddie Pepitone is 'The Bitter Buddha'

Comedian Eddie Pepitone has been a favorite of mine since I first saw him on Last Comic Standing several years back. After a bout of competition, he was eliminated and mercifully extracted from the silly reality show that eventually went on to see a younger no-name win the grand prize - whatever the hell that was.

Eddie is like a grizzled New Yorker who came right out of Central Casting. He's angry. He's got a big mouth. He's pissed off at society, corporations and assholes at Starbucks. He's constantly trying to temper his anger by delving into the zen of life. He reads up on spirituality. He's an animal lover who feeds squirrels. His weight a constant struggle, he's always on a diet - cutting out flour, sugar, meat, diary, trying to be vegetarian, trying to be vegan. Comedians bow before his loud mouth, angst ridden self to gain wisdom, advice and solace. He's know as "The Bitter Buddha", whether on stage, back stage, or joining his fellow podcasters on the weekly The Longshot Podcast.

Much to Eddie's surprise, last year a documentary crew approached him about making a fly-on-the-wall documentary on his life. It looks like it's about ready to come out of the oven, and is appropriately entitled The Bitter Buddha. The trailer alone shows a fascinating glimpse into his world of comedy and the comedians who worship him.

Keep track of the film's progress and whereabouts on The Bitter Buddha (Documentary) Facebook page.



Also, check out Eddie's hilarious web series online. Puddin' is a series of absurd comedy shorts that are lovely morsels of insanity. And you'll never know who'll show up. Check them out on Eddie's page www.eddiepepitone.com or on YouTube and laugh your guts out.

Here's one featuring Patton Oswalt.



And here's a fun UCB comedy short featuring Eddie.

The Best Improv Suggestor	UCBcomedy.com
Watch more comedy videos from the twisted minds of the UCB Theatre at UCBcomedy.com

Lindsay Makes it Through

The results are in on Lindsay Lohan's appearance on Saturday Night Live, her first legit appearance on television since the law came down on her. Although reviews weren't that great, the ratings were extreme good, and it was reported on The Today Show that Lohan was a real pro all week by coming to work on time,  being very present while there, and thanking everyone personally at the SNL after party - where she did not drink, by the way.

Although some of her performance was a bit shakey, I think we couldn't have asked Lindsay for more. Her acting muscles are a little underused, and the fact she was so eager to be back on the SNL stage was a positive. She had some fun moments, as proven in the Real Housewives of Disney video below.



It's been hard not to know the troubled waters in which Lohan has placed herself. However, we all love a good come back story, and here's hoping Lindsay does a Robert Downey Jr, and finds the path to a clean life and a prosperous career.