ShowbizMonkeys.com: Comedy

Bono & the Edge join others in saluting 10 years of the Clinton Foundation (VIDEO)

Posted by Paul Little | Monday, October 17, 2011 @ 11:40pm

We don't post a lot of third-party content on ShowbizMonkeys.com -- chances are, if it's out there for anyone to post, you've probably already seen it before even visiting our site. However, this one was too cool to not share, just in case you haven't caught it yet.

Are you a fan of U2? (Or were you at one point?) If so, you'll know that it's a pretty rare occurrence when the band doesn't appear as a quartet (musically, anyway). This made the acoustic performance by Bono and the Edge at the Hollywood Bowl as part of an all-star showcase celebrating the 10th anniversary of the William J. Clinton Foundation this past Saturday night extremely special.

Read More • Comments ()

A Tribute to Nerds: The Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar host the nerdy Just for Laughs showcase

Posted by Mark McLeod | Friday, July 29, 2011 @ 8:30am

Nerds. Geeks. Fanboys. All these words used to be used to describe those who were considered the social outcasts. It wasn't cool to like comic books or computers. You couldn't get girls playing Dungeons & Dragons or possessing an ounce of intelligence. Obsessing over Star Wars, Star Trek, or Spider-Man meant you were on the outside looking in.

But these days, nerds kind of rule the world. Technology rules our culture, Comic Con is one of the biggest events of the year, The Dark Knight and Harry Potter dominate at the box office, and shows like The Big Bang Theory and Chuck are front and centre on the airwaves. It's okay to be a geek, and this is just as true in comedy as it is elsewhere.

Read More • Comments ()

Just for Laughs Interview: Evany Rosen and Cheryl Hann of Picnicface

Posted by Paul Little | Thursday, July 28, 2011 @ 3:07am

Halifax-based sketch comedy troupe Picnicface has a big second half of 2011 ahead. Besides their brand-new eponymous television show, which debuts this fall on The Comedy Network, they've also completed a feature film, Roller Town, which they hope will hit theatres this fall, as well. Oh, and they wrote a book, too -- Picnicface's Canada, a satirical almanac of Canadian history -- which will be released from Harper Collins on October 25th.

Read More • Comments ()

Just for Laughs Interview: Adam Hills

Posted by Mark McLeod | Wednesday, July 27, 2011 @ 3:44pm

Australia's Adam Hills may not be a huge name in North America, but in his native country, he's pretty much as big as anyone can get. Besides hosting ABC's highest-rated program of the last seven years, Spicks and Specks, as well as the talk show Adam Hills in Gordon Street Tonight, Adam has also released a pair of best-selling stand-up DVDs. The UK is no stranger to Adam Hills, either, as he's a favourite of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, has appeared on several British TV shows (Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Mock the Week), and even performed for the Queen. He made his U.S. television debut last year on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Read More • Comments ()

Just for Laughs Interview: Maria Bamford

Posted by Tim Gray | Wednesday, July 27, 2011 @ 11:25am

When I heard I was going to interview one of the most inventive and wonderfully obscure comedians -- Maria Bamford -- I nearly s*** myself. And then I actually s*** myself. After I cleaned myself up, I started to prepare for what would be a pinnacle moment in my comedy career. And then I s*** myself one last time.

Read More • Comments ()

Just for Laughs Interview: Beardyman

Posted by Paul Little | Wednesday, July 27, 2011 @ 10:32am

A beatboxer headlining shows at comedy festivals? That may seem a bit odd. However, once you see Beardyman (aka Darren Foreman) perform, you realize that the former back-to-back UK Beatboxing Champion manages to bring a lot comedy into his set. Much like U.S. comedian Reggie Watts, Beardyman brings you on a musical journey through his great beatboxing, looping, and improvisational skills, while also being pretty darn funny in the process (though Beardyman would point out that they're not quite the same, which is indeed true).

Read More • Comments ()

Just for Laughs Preview: 3 more performers to catch in the festival's second week

Posted by Paul Little | Tuesday, July 26, 2011 @ 12:01pm

As the second week of Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival rolls on, there are still a host of amazing shows on the horizon. As we've said before, this festival continues to bring in some of the best comics in the world, and we've got three more that you definitely don't want to miss should you be in Montreal for the festival this week. (And frankly, if you're nowhere near Quebec right now, and these guys happen to come to your neck of the woods in the future, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not seeing them perform.)

Read More • Comments ()

Amplified Idiots: The Hilarious Art of Ruining Your Life

Posted by J.D. Renaud | Tuesday, July 26, 2011 @ 11:01am

Recently, I've considered getting myself back into the dating game. I'm a young guy, decent odor, relatively disease-free. It's not unrealistic to think I'd enjoy myself if I gave dating some serious effort. I quickly shot the idea down though, when I stepped back to analyze what I saw as The Big Picture; "Well, if I did have a girlfriend, it's not likely that would last for long. Most nights I'm already doing stand up, and the rest of the time is usually devoted to writing or working on other comedy-related stuff. I'd probably neglect a girlfriend, now that I think about it. Besides, I can't afford to sacrifice my comedy for the sake of..."

Read More • Comments ()

2011 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival Coverage

Posted by Showbiz Monkeys | Tuesday, July 26, 2011 @ 1:01am

Just for Laughs has become synonymous with comedy -- not just in Canada, but around the world. The Montreal-based festival, which began in 1983, has served as the launching point for comedians for decades, while also featuring some of the world's biggest comedy names year after year. With all due respect to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, there is no bigger comedy stage every year than Just for Laughs. This year, ShowbizMonkeys.com is bringing you extensive coverage of the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, including interviews, show previews, and of course, some reviews (and maybe a few in-person interviews) from Montreal.

If you have the opportunity to get to Montreal before the end of July, there are a host of Just for Laughs shows you won't want to miss out on -- there are so many great events, actually, that it's entirely possible your head will explode trying to decide which ones to buy tickets for (but you might as well give it a shot). And if you can't make it to la belle province for the almost unfathomable amount of hilarity, then at least warm your comedy heart by listening to our interviews with some of today's funniest comics who, incidentally, are performing at this year's festival.

Below is a list of our coverage from this year's Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, which will continue to be updated throughout the festival and afterwards.

Read More • Comments ()

Just for Laughs Interview: Hannibal Buress

Posted by Paul Little | Monday, July 25, 2011 @ 10:01pm

One of the most clever young writers working today, Chicago-born comic Hannibal Buress is quickly rising in the comedy world. While he already has the pedigree of writing for two acclaimed comedy shows -- Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock -- he is a stand-up comedian first and foremost, and his debut album (last year's My Name is Hannibal) proved that he's well on his way to becoming a top headliner.

Read More • Comments ()

View More Posts >