David Alan Grier Presents ‘Comedy You Can Believe In’
June 28, 2009 by Chandra
TBS’ entertaining A “Very Funny” Festival: Just for Laughs event continues tonight at 10pm ET with David Alan Grier: Comedy You Can Believe In, another new hourlong standup special taped in Chicago, this time hosted by In Living Color veteran and Chocolate News mastermind David Alan Grier.
Part of TBS’ recent five-day comedy festival held in Chicago through a partnership with Just For Laughs, Comedy You Can Believe In features an all-star lineup to die for, including Bruce Bruce (Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector), Mark Curry (Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper), Marina Franklin (Chapelle’s Show), Ralph Harris (Last Comic Standing), Jo Koy (Don’t Make Him Angry), and Aries Spears (A Different World).
Grier recently set aside some time to answer questions in support of the program. Follow the jump to get insider information on his latest hosting gig, such as why he accepted the job and what he hopes the show accomplishes.
Ellen DeGeneres Has a Bigger, Longer, Wider Show
June 27, 2009 by Chandra
Ultra popular, Emmy-winning actress, comic, and daytime talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres kicks off the second day of TBS’ televised A “Very Funny” Festival: Just for Laughs tonight, June 27, with another one of her always entertaining variety specials. Saturday Night Live alum Martin Short got things started last night with his own special called Let Freedom Hum: An Evening of Comedy Hosted by Martin Short.
The “Very Funny” Festival: Just For Laughs is a comedy event sponsored by TBS in collaboration with Just For Laughs, which has been running comedy festivals for 25 impressive years. The current extravaganza was filmed live in Chicago during the five-day period June 17th to 21st. More than 70 shows held around Chicago included performances by top comedic talent like DeGeneres, Louis CK, Andy Dick, Bill Engvall, Jimmy Fallon, David Alan Grier, Jim Jefferies, Lisa Lampanelli, George Lopez, Bob Odenkirk, and Russell Peters.
Martin Short Hosts TBS Comedy Special
June 26, 2009 by Chandra
Saturday Night Live veteran Martin Short is back on the small screen tonight to host TBS’ latest comedy special, Let Freedom Hum: An Evening of Comedy Hosted by Martin Short.
Slated to appear during the taped hourlong event are standup comics Jeremy Hotz, Greg Giraldo, Kathleen Madigan, Tom Papa, and John Pinette.
Join the festivities tonight, June 26, at 10pm ET, only on basic-cable network TBS.
Michael J. Fox Is an Incurable Optimist
Feeling down for whatever reason?
If so, Family Ties, Back to the Future, and Spin City icon Michael J. Fox may have just what you need to lift your spirits, then, when ABC presents the special Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist at 10:02pm ET tonight.
The fan favorite will travel around the world to share stories of hope and optimism with people from all walks of life.
Among the more familiar guests he’ll chat with are his wife of 20 years, actress Tracy Pollan; seven-time Tour de France champion and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong; comedian and actor Bill Murray; talk show host and actress Bonnie Hunt; and Grammy Award-winning recording artist Ben Harper.
Preview the special in the sneak peek after the jump.
Dane Cook Gets ‘Rough Around the Edges’ Sunday
January 10, 2009 by Chandra
Not too long ago, I wrote about Comedy Central’s January-long Stand-Up Month event. Well, at 10pm EST tomorrow night, January 11, comedian Dane Cook kicks off the network’s Sunday Night Stand-Up specials with the world television premiere of his comedy concert Dane Cook: Rough Around The Edges.
Filmed live at Madison Square Garden before 40,000 fans, the “in the round” performance features Cook riffing on topics ranging from Save the Children ads to the aphrodisiac qualities of a motorcycle helmet.
Preview the special in a few uncensored clips at the end of this post, and don’t forget to catch the following future stand-up specials this month from comics D.L. Hughley, Katt Williams, and Kevin Hart, as well.
D.L. Hughley: Unapologetic: The always dapper Hughley descends on D.C. to offer his take on all of your favorite hot topics: immigration, urban living, family matters, and the “N” word. [January 17, 10pm EST]
It’s Pimpin’ Pimpin’: Nothing is sacred in this performance as Katt Williams takes on prescription drugs, terrorism, elections, and even some of our past, present, and future presidents. [January 25, 10pm EST]
Kevin Hart: I’m A Grown Little Man: Hart takes a grown-up approach to being a little man. Everything from giving his wife moral support in a fight at the club to why black people don’t go whitewater rafting seems larger than life when standing at 5 foot 4 inches. [January 31, 10pm EST]
Now on to the Dane Cook videos, which I warn you contain very strong language and adult material. So, don’t watch if such stuff offends you easily.
Videos after the jump…
Comedy Central Declares January ‘09 “Stand-Up Month”
Basic cable’s Comedy Central has tons of laughs in store for fans of the stand-up brand of comedy.
The network recently announced that come January 2009, it will devote four whole weeks to special programming and events for Stand-Up Month, all centered around comics who like to tell their jokes from behind a live microphone.
In addition to new stand-up specials from Dane Cook, D.L. Hughley, Katt Williams, and Kevin Hart, premiering every weekend, starting on January 11, viewers can look forward to brand-new episodes of COMEDY CENTRAL Presents, premiering each Friday night at both 10pm and 10:30pm EST, from January 9 onward. The run marks the series’ 13th season in existence.
Then there’s the Stand-Up Showdown scheduled for Sunday, January 25. During the month of January, fans can vote online at comedycentral.com for their favorite stand-up comedian. Viewers’ top twenty choices will then be counted down, one by one, during the day-long special Stand-Up Showdown Finals on January 25. Later that night, the winning comic’s special will air.
Follow the jump for more details about some of the specials premiering throughout the celebration, many — if not all — of which are a must-see for comedy devotees.
ABC, CBS, and NBC Unite to Fight Cancer
September 5, 2008 by Chandra
At 8pm EST tonight, the three major broadcast networks ABC, CBS, and NBC will do something different that they’ve also done in the last two weeks during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. All will air the same star-filled special called Stand Up to Cancer, a one-hour program that aims to publicize the worldwide campaign to help make cancer history.
Entertainers who intend to appear include Casey Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Abigail Breslin, Josh Brolin, Mariah Carey, Ciara, Keyshia Cole, David Cook, Katie Couric, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Dana Delany, Fran Drescher, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kirsten Dunst, Elizabeth Edwards, Melissa Etheridge,…
[More after the jump.]
Television Academy Pays Tribute to Betty White
August 9, 2008 by Chandra
On Thursday, August 7, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences held a special event in honor of 86-year-old Betty White and her impressive sixty-year television career. Not only did White star on seminal shows such as Mary Tyler Moore (1970–1977) and The Golden Girls (1985–1992), but also TV series like Life with Elizabeth and Date with Angels that go all the way back to 1953.
Special guests at this week’s California ceremony included White’s former colleagues and fellow entertainers Ed Asner, Craig Ferguson, Valerie Harper, Susan Harris, Cloris Leachman, Gavin MacLeod, John McCook, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Stewart, and Tom Sullivan. There was a special musical performance courtesy of Michael Feinstein, as well.
So many were eager to attend the tribute to one of the television industry’s most beloved and respected stars, it sold out in advance. Anyone and everyone can take a look at the many photos from the occasion that follow the jump, however. It must have been very touching for White to see the big crowd at North Hollywood’s Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre coming just for her.
Incidentally, White’s other longtime Mary Tyler Moore co-star Ted Knight wasn’t at the event because he passed away in 1986 due to cancer.
‘Full House’ Cast at Bob Saget Roast
August 6, 2008 by Chandra
Since I’m sure there are still many fans out there who love Bob Saget’s 1987–1995 ABC sitcom Full House, I thought I’d post a few snaps of his former castmates who stopped by his Comedy Central Roast on August 3.
Just follow the jump to see Saget with Dave Coulier, Lori Loughlin, John Stamos, and Jodie Sweetin. The Olsen twins were apparently nowhere to be found — the crowd must have been too old for them.
Watch Bob Saget Get Roasted
August 6, 2008 by Chandra
And to complement all the photos of Comedy Central’s recent roast of Bob Saget, the network has released a bunch of preview videos recorded during the event.
Take a look after the jump at a handful of selections featuring Saget himself, as well as Greg Giraldo, Cloris Leachman, and Jeffrey Ross. Leachman is a particularly huge hoot, in a Sarah Silverman way, which helps explain that kiss.