I wrote up an obituary for Richard Lewis, who succumbed to a heart attack Tuesday night at 76, and was left feeling surprisingly bereft. I wondered why his death was hitting me so hard. I was a longtime fan, but I’d never met the man. I respected his comedy, but I didn’t necessarily think of him as one of the all-time greats – just a solid, uniquely neurotic, funny man who seemed to have a brilliantly manic way about him. When I think of him now, he’s bent over, stalking the stage, right hand on forehead, gesturing like a crazy man, looking like someone whose brain is about to burst out of his head.
Yes, he was unfailingly hilarious every time he showed up on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” significantly mellower than in his younger years but still carrying plenty of sharp wit and irony whenever the camera was on him.
Yes, he was unfailingly hilarious every time he showed up on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” significantly mellower than in his younger years but still carrying plenty of sharp wit and irony whenever the camera was on him.
- 2/29/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
In the age of streaming, we’ve come to expect that every movie and TV series must be streaming somewhere; Of course, that’s not always the case as one beloved ’90s TV show just made its streaming debut for the first time ever. All six seasons of Northern Exposure are now streaming on Prime Video, marking the first time the series has streamed on any platform.
Northern Exposure starred Rob Morrow as Joel Fleischman, a recently graduated New York City physician who is sent to practice in Anchorage, Alaska, for several years to repay the state of Alaska for underwriting his medical education. He’s assigned to the remote town of Cicely, occupied by a variety of quirky and eccentric characters. The ensemble cast included Barry Corbin, Janine Turner, John Cullum, Cynthia Geary, John Corbett, Darren E. Burrows, Peg Phillips, Eliane Miles, Paul Provenza, and Teri Polo.
Morrow wound...
Northern Exposure starred Rob Morrow as Joel Fleischman, a recently graduated New York City physician who is sent to practice in Anchorage, Alaska, for several years to repay the state of Alaska for underwriting his medical education. He’s assigned to the remote town of Cicely, occupied by a variety of quirky and eccentric characters. The ensemble cast included Barry Corbin, Janine Turner, John Cullum, Cynthia Geary, John Corbett, Darren E. Burrows, Peg Phillips, Eliane Miles, Paul Provenza, and Teri Polo.
Morrow wound...
- 2/6/2024
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
All six seasons of the classic multiple Emmy-winning dramedy Northern Exposure are currently streaming on Prime Video, the first time the series has streamed on any platform. Before the episodes were quietly uploaded to Prime, the series was only available for digital purchase or on DVD.
Northern Exposure starred Rob Morrow as Dr. Joel Fleischman, a recently graduated New York City physician, who is forced to practice in a small town in Alaska in order to repay the state for underwriting his medical education.
Created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, the series ran on CBS from 1990-1995. Over the course of its run, it received 39 Emmy nominations, winning seven, including the 1992 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Valerie Mahaffrey, as well as four Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globes.
The ensemble cast also included Barry Corbin, Janine Turner, John Cullum, Darren E. Burrows,...
Northern Exposure starred Rob Morrow as Dr. Joel Fleischman, a recently graduated New York City physician, who is forced to practice in a small town in Alaska in order to repay the state for underwriting his medical education.
Created by Joshua Brand and John Falsey, the series ran on CBS from 1990-1995. Over the course of its run, it received 39 Emmy nominations, winning seven, including the 1992 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Valerie Mahaffrey, as well as four Creative Arts Emmy Awards, and two Golden Globes.
The ensemble cast also included Barry Corbin, Janine Turner, John Cullum, Darren E. Burrows,...
- 2/5/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Who’s ready for a return trip to Cicely, Alaska?
After years stuck in streaming limbo, early ’90s classic Northern Exposure — the fifth most sought-after, non-streaming show in a July TVLine poll — is now available to binge Stateside on Prime Video. All six seasons (110 episodes) have quietly been uploaded to the service in high definition and retain their original 4:3 aspect ratio.
More from TVLine<em>Homicide: Life on the Street</em> Might Stream After All, Following Andre Braugher’s PassingHow to Stream <em>Moonlighting</em> (Finally!)How to Watch the 2024 Golden Globes Livestream Online
At first glance, it appears two episodes were...
After years stuck in streaming limbo, early ’90s classic Northern Exposure — the fifth most sought-after, non-streaming show in a July TVLine poll — is now available to binge Stateside on Prime Video. All six seasons (110 episodes) have quietly been uploaded to the service in high definition and retain their original 4:3 aspect ratio.
More from TVLine<em>Homicide: Life on the Street</em> Might Stream After All, Following Andre Braugher’s PassingHow to Stream <em>Moonlighting</em> (Finally!)How to Watch the 2024 Golden Globes Livestream Online
At first glance, it appears two episodes were...
- 1/4/2024
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Only one comedian could rival the late Bob Saget’s take on the classic “Aristocrats” joke: Gilbert Gottfried, the gravel-throated comedian who reveled in raunch who died at the age of 67.
The 2005 film The Aristocrats documented the history of the joke, which was so filthy that comedians traditionally told it backstage at clubs rather than in the spotlight. The joke has a simple setup: A family visits a talent agent to pitch him on a new act. They perform sexual acts on each other that are so depraved anyone with...
The 2005 film The Aristocrats documented the history of the joke, which was so filthy that comedians traditionally told it backstage at clubs rather than in the spotlight. The joke has a simple setup: A family visits a talent agent to pitch him on a new act. They perform sexual acts on each other that are so depraved anyone with...
- 4/12/2022
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Chicago – There are a couple directions to the long career of Bob Saget, who passed away unexpectedly at age 65 on January 9th, 2022. The first of course was his role as Danny Tanner, the Dad he portrayed in the 1980s sitcom “Full House” and later in the Netflix revival “Fuller House.” The second is his stand-up comedy, whose reputation for filthy jokes had no boundaries. He embraced both sides to the very end.
Robert Lane “Bob” Saget was born in Philadelphia, and was encouraged by a high school teacher to get into the arts. After a stint at Temple University’s film school, Saget moved to Los Angeles to pursue on-air opportunities, and landed with “The Morning Show” on CBS-tv in 1987. That same year he got the role as Danny Tanner, the affable Dad on the “Full House,” a family sitcom on ABC-tv that was part of the Thomas Miller and...
Robert Lane “Bob” Saget was born in Philadelphia, and was encouraged by a high school teacher to get into the arts. After a stint at Temple University’s film school, Saget moved to Los Angeles to pursue on-air opportunities, and landed with “The Morning Show” on CBS-tv in 1987. That same year he got the role as Danny Tanner, the affable Dad on the “Full House,” a family sitcom on ABC-tv that was part of the Thomas Miller and...
- 1/10/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Tiffany Haddish has joined the National Comedy Center’s advisory board of the directors. She fills the seat formerly held by the late Carl Reiner.
The announcement coincides with Lucille Ball’s 110th birthday. The center is located in Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York.
“Comedy is a true art form — its artists deserve to be celebrated and its creative work needs to be preserved,” Haddish said on Friday morning. “I’m truly honored to be part of the National Comedy Center. Lucille Ball was an extraordinary influence on my career and my work, so to help bring her vision for this cultural institution to life is a dream come true for me.”
Lewis Black, founding chair of the advisory board, said, “On behalf of the entire advisory board, it’s a thrill to have Tiffany Haddish join us. With Tiffany’s participation, we become a more vital resource...
The announcement coincides with Lucille Ball’s 110th birthday. The center is located in Ball’s hometown of Jamestown, New York.
“Comedy is a true art form — its artists deserve to be celebrated and its creative work needs to be preserved,” Haddish said on Friday morning. “I’m truly honored to be part of the National Comedy Center. Lucille Ball was an extraordinary influence on my career and my work, so to help bring her vision for this cultural institution to life is a dream come true for me.”
Lewis Black, founding chair of the advisory board, said, “On behalf of the entire advisory board, it’s a thrill to have Tiffany Haddish join us. With Tiffany’s participation, we become a more vital resource...
- 8/6/2021
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Penthouse debuted its new website Thursday by publishing a 15-minute video that attempts to show that director-comedian Judd Apatow’s past jokes, remarks and statements are at odds with his current, progressive persona.
The video suggests that Apatow is hypocritical to call out sexism, jokes about Lgbtq people and other social ills because he has made similar jokes in the past in standup routines, talk show appearances and in storylines in his hit comedies.
Reps for Apatow did not respond to requests for comment.
The video cites Apatow’s recent criticism of comics’ “punching down” to vulnerable targets in society. “I feel like it’s more important to say to kids, and to trans people, ‘Hey, I care more about you than this,'” he said in a recent interview, with the video jumping to clips from Apatow movies like “The 40 Year-Old Virgin” that include scenes that play on Lgbt...
The video suggests that Apatow is hypocritical to call out sexism, jokes about Lgbtq people and other social ills because he has made similar jokes in the past in standup routines, talk show appearances and in storylines in his hit comedies.
Reps for Apatow did not respond to requests for comment.
The video cites Apatow’s recent criticism of comics’ “punching down” to vulnerable targets in society. “I feel like it’s more important to say to kids, and to trans people, ‘Hey, I care more about you than this,'” he said in a recent interview, with the video jumping to clips from Apatow movies like “The 40 Year-Old Virgin” that include scenes that play on Lgbt...
- 2/14/2019
- by Jon Levine
- The Wrap
Coinciding with this year’s 27th annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, named after its most famous native, the National Comedy Center is set to open in Jamestown, N.Y. The fest takes place Aug. 1-5 with more than 50 events and 40 artists. Among those on hand to help celebrate what is being branded as the first non-profit institution and national-scale visitors experience dedicated to the art of comedy will be Lily Tomlin, Amy Schumer, Fran Drescher, original “Saturday Night Live” cast members Dan Aykroyd, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris and “SNL” writer, bestselling author and Tony Award-winning playwright Alan Zweibel.
“It’s not a hall of fame, which is what I like about it, and what they’re doing is a really important thing,” says Zweibel, who is on the advisory committee. “You can visit any era you want or any medium and get the aura of what things were like when they were produced.
“It’s not a hall of fame, which is what I like about it, and what they’re doing is a really important thing,” says Zweibel, who is on the advisory committee. “You can visit any era you want or any medium and get the aura of what things were like when they were produced.
- 7/18/2018
- by Tripp Whetsell
- Variety Film + TV
I didn’t discover Bo Burnham when his YouTube videos went viral and he began performing at age 16. I saw him sing “Art is Dead” on The Green Room with Paul Provenza and loved the music and statement so much that I bought his stand-up album, Words Words Words, to hear more. I thought his wordplay […]
The post ‘Eighth Grade’ Director Bo Burnham on Empathizing With Kids and Taking Inspiration from YouTube [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Eighth Grade’ Director Bo Burnham on Empathizing With Kids and Taking Inspiration from YouTube [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 7/13/2018
- by Fred Topel
- Slash Film
After controversy-causing Roseanne Barr invoked Roseanne 2.0's cancellation with a racist tweet, we've been playing a mental highlight reel of her most offensive moments. And though the worst of it is heavily weighted, it's safe to say that we were all offended by her dying cat rendition of the National Anthem. Of course in typical Roseanne fashion, the personality was very Idgaf about what other people thought, addressing it in an interview on The Green Room with Paul Provenza. "I care what people do," she said. "I don’t care what they think. That’s what I’m trying to say. Let’s stop holocausts. When I did The Star Spangled Banner — let’s care about freedom, instead of symbols of freedom for a f--king change." ...she was defending a photoshoot she did as Adolf Hitler at the time. In aaaany case, she was not the first (and definitely not...
- 5/30/2018
- by Tiffany White
- Life and Style
Roseanne’s appearance in Nazi garb as she bakes off a tray of Jewish gingerbread men displays a sickness in her — and a sickness in how we react.
“It’s deplorable, but it’s old,” was the comment of a trusted member of the clergy to whom I turned this week. I looked at the returned text dumbfounded, and responded that #NeverForget now has a shelf life. Since when does hate-speak mellow with age, especially when it happened less than a decade ago, as part of a parody of Jewish culture in the defunct American magazine Heeb.
I mean, come on. Here was the new Queen of Episodic Comedy dressed in Nazi garb, putting cookies that represented Jews in an oven. And we are going to give her a pass because it was nine years ago?
Also Read: Ratings: 'Roseanne' Revival Slips 20 Percent From Premiere
To add insult to injury, she diminished the horrors of the Holocaust with a later defense on “The Green Room With Paul Provenza”: “There’s another, deeper layer to it. You know, just the everyday. Moving off this Holocaust. There’s been about fifty of them since then. That’s what I’m kind of trying to say. Is like, Jesus Christ it’s so f—ing every day now, holocausts, it’s like baking cookies.”
So, we are now comparing the suffering of Darfur, the horrors of the Armenian genocide and the loss of 6 million lives in the Holocaust to “baking cookies.” And let’s give Roseanne a pass because she said it around nine years ago?
In every Holocaust museum I’ve been in, there are exhibits that connects cultural oppression to our shared experience of intolerance and hate. The trails of fingernails on the walls of crematoriums as Jews clawed for breath joins the flies infesting the bodies of starved children on the desert sands of Darfur but we should discount it because “Jesus Christ, it’s so f—ing every day now, holocausts, it’s like baking cookies”?
No. That’s not going to happen.
Also Read: Roseanne Barr Laughs Off Suggestion That Trump Caused Her Huge Revival Ratings (Video)
Elie Wiesel, the famous Holocaust survivor, put it simply: “Silence encourages the tormentor, not the tormented.”
So what do we do now? “Roseanne” show runner Bruce Helford told THR he wants us to separate Roseanne Barr from Roseanne Conner. That’s cool — then let’s separate Kevin Spacey from Frank Underwood. Put him back in the Netflix Oval Office. Let’s separate Bill Cosby the performer from the man standing trial for alleged behavior that occurred years ago.
Oh hey, those accusations involve alleged rape and sexual impropriety. Yeah, I get it. It’s horrible. But from where I stand, because Roseanne is a Jew and she disgraced the memory of other Jews, let’s continue feeding her ratings and support her sponsors.
Not me. Not this Jew.
Read original story Roseanne’s Hitler Photo Shoot: Does Hate Speech Have a Shelf Life? (Guest Blog) At TheWrap...
“It’s deplorable, but it’s old,” was the comment of a trusted member of the clergy to whom I turned this week. I looked at the returned text dumbfounded, and responded that #NeverForget now has a shelf life. Since when does hate-speak mellow with age, especially when it happened less than a decade ago, as part of a parody of Jewish culture in the defunct American magazine Heeb.
I mean, come on. Here was the new Queen of Episodic Comedy dressed in Nazi garb, putting cookies that represented Jews in an oven. And we are going to give her a pass because it was nine years ago?
Also Read: Ratings: 'Roseanne' Revival Slips 20 Percent From Premiere
To add insult to injury, she diminished the horrors of the Holocaust with a later defense on “The Green Room With Paul Provenza”: “There’s another, deeper layer to it. You know, just the everyday. Moving off this Holocaust. There’s been about fifty of them since then. That’s what I’m kind of trying to say. Is like, Jesus Christ it’s so f—ing every day now, holocausts, it’s like baking cookies.”
So, we are now comparing the suffering of Darfur, the horrors of the Armenian genocide and the loss of 6 million lives in the Holocaust to “baking cookies.” And let’s give Roseanne a pass because she said it around nine years ago?
In every Holocaust museum I’ve been in, there are exhibits that connects cultural oppression to our shared experience of intolerance and hate. The trails of fingernails on the walls of crematoriums as Jews clawed for breath joins the flies infesting the bodies of starved children on the desert sands of Darfur but we should discount it because “Jesus Christ, it’s so f—ing every day now, holocausts, it’s like baking cookies”?
No. That’s not going to happen.
Also Read: Roseanne Barr Laughs Off Suggestion That Trump Caused Her Huge Revival Ratings (Video)
Elie Wiesel, the famous Holocaust survivor, put it simply: “Silence encourages the tormentor, not the tormented.”
So what do we do now? “Roseanne” show runner Bruce Helford told THR he wants us to separate Roseanne Barr from Roseanne Conner. That’s cool — then let’s separate Kevin Spacey from Frank Underwood. Put him back in the Netflix Oval Office. Let’s separate Bill Cosby the performer from the man standing trial for alleged behavior that occurred years ago.
Oh hey, those accusations involve alleged rape and sexual impropriety. Yeah, I get it. It’s horrible. But from where I stand, because Roseanne is a Jew and she disgraced the memory of other Jews, let’s continue feeding her ratings and support her sponsors.
Not me. Not this Jew.
Read original story Roseanne’s Hitler Photo Shoot: Does Hate Speech Have a Shelf Life? (Guest Blog) At TheWrap...
- 4/5/2018
- by Richard Stellar
- The Wrap
Ferne Pearlstein: "Renee [Firestone] and Steven Spielberg became very close." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze
A highlight of the Tribeca Film Festival, Ferne Pearlstein's stunning The Last Laugh has Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Sarah Silverman, Robert Clary, Rob Reiner, Harry Shearer, Jeffrey Ross, Alan Zweibel, Gilbert Gottfried, Judy Gold, Larry Charles, David Steinberg, Susie Essman, Lisa Lampanelli and Hanala Sagal reflect on questions of free speech, taboos and time limits. Holocaust survivor Renee Firestone is the film's responsive centre.
Jerry Lewis's The Day The Clown Cried, James Moll's The Last Days and Paul Provenza's The Aristocrats open up the discussion and Brooks's comment on Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful leads me to Son Of Saul star Géza Röhrig's response to Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds in my conversation with Ferne and her co-writer/co-producer Robert Edwards.
Mel Brooks who never included a swastika in his material until The Producers, makes an important distinction between jokes about Nazis and jokes about the Holocaust....
A highlight of the Tribeca Film Festival, Ferne Pearlstein's stunning The Last Laugh has Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Sarah Silverman, Robert Clary, Rob Reiner, Harry Shearer, Jeffrey Ross, Alan Zweibel, Gilbert Gottfried, Judy Gold, Larry Charles, David Steinberg, Susie Essman, Lisa Lampanelli and Hanala Sagal reflect on questions of free speech, taboos and time limits. Holocaust survivor Renee Firestone is the film's responsive centre.
Jerry Lewis's The Day The Clown Cried, James Moll's The Last Days and Paul Provenza's The Aristocrats open up the discussion and Brooks's comment on Roberto Benigni's Life Is Beautiful leads me to Son Of Saul star Géza Röhrig's response to Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds in my conversation with Ferne and her co-writer/co-producer Robert Edwards.
Mel Brooks who never included a swastika in his material until The Producers, makes an important distinction between jokes about Nazis and jokes about the Holocaust....
- 6/14/2016
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Chicago – There are a couple directions to the long career of Bob Saget. The first is of Danny Tanner, the Dad he portrayed in the 1980s sitcom “Full House,” and the second is his stand-up act, with a reputation for filthy jokes that has no boundaries.
Both sides are revealed in his memoir “Dirty Daddy: Chronicle of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian.”
Saget came through Chicago in April of 2014 on a very special night at The Museum of Broadcast Communications here. “An Evening with Bob Saget” brought the comedian to the museum, and he sat down with Roe Conn of Wls-am for a Q&A session and banter with the audience.
Bob Saget at The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, April 16th, 2014
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Robert Lane “Bob” Saget was born in Philadelphia, and was encouraged by a high school...
Both sides are revealed in his memoir “Dirty Daddy: Chronicle of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian.”
Saget came through Chicago in April of 2014 on a very special night at The Museum of Broadcast Communications here. “An Evening with Bob Saget” brought the comedian to the museum, and he sat down with Roe Conn of Wls-am for a Q&A session and banter with the audience.
Bob Saget at The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, April 16th, 2014
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Robert Lane “Bob” Saget was born in Philadelphia, and was encouraged by a high school...
- 5/12/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Not a bad week for Jehane Noujaim’s film about Egyptian activists battling the establishment. The Square scored the Best Feature trophy tonight at the 29th annual Ida Documentary Awards, three days after it made the Oscar shortlist. The film, which also is up for a Spirit Award, is the first documentary picked up by Netflix. Other winners announced at the ceremony hosted by Paul Provenza at DGA headquarters in Los Angeles included Slomo for Best Short, PBS’ Independent Lens for Best Continuing Series and CNN’s Morgan Spurlock-hosted Inside Man for Best Limited Series. Alex Gibney, who won an Oscar for Taxi To The Dark Side and was nominated for Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room, received a Career Achievement Award. Here is the full list of winners at the 2013 Ida Documentary Awards, presented by the International Documentary Association: Career Achievement Award Alex Gibney Ida Amicus Award...
- 12/7/2013
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
“The Square,” Jehane Noujaim’s street-level documentary about the revolution in Egypt, has been named the best non-fiction film of 2013 by the International Documentary Association. The film, which was recently acquired by Netflix, won the top prize at Friday night’s Ida Documentary Awards, which were held at the Directors Guild in Hollywood and hosted by Paul Provenza. Josh Izenberg’s “Slomo” was named the year’s best short. Both “The Square” and “Slomo” recently made the Oscar shortlists in their categories, with “The Square” standing as one of the Oscar favorites along with “The Act of Killing,” “Stories We Tell” and “20 Feet.
- 12/7/2013
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Showtime always has their pulse on great comedy. Paul Provenza and the Green Room? Check. Monique Marvez's Not Skinny Not Blonde? Check. Kevin Nealon's Whelmed, But Not Overly? Check. Showtime has renewed its critically-acclaimed documentary series Inside Comedy for a third season, set to premiere Monday, February 3rd at 11 P.M. Et/Pt. The ten, half-hour episodes from comedy forces David Steinberg and Steve Carell, will continue to feature one-of-a-kind interviews with some of the most respected entertainers who have shaped the genre over the last several decades, with Steinberg returning as host. In addition to Jimmy Fallon, Zach Galifianakis, Jonah Hill, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Bette Midler, the new season will also include Alan Arkin, Dick Van Dyke, and Richard...
- 12/3/2013
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
We're happy to welcome Paul Provenza as host of the 29th Annual Ida Documentary Awards. Provenza is a stand-up comedian, award-winning actor on stage and screen, producer, author, and director of The Aristocrats, a 2005 official Sundance entry. He is the host and creator of Showtime's The Green Room with Paul Provenza, where he invites the biggest names in stand-up comedy to discuss serious current issues. He is a frequent panelist on NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, and has been caricatured by Al Hirschfeld. He continues to ...
- 11/8/2013
- by IDA Editorial Staff
- International Documentary Association
New Sky Atlantic comedy series Set List: Stand-Up Without a Net is due to air from December.
The 14-part series sees the likes of Robin Williams, Frank Skinner and Ross Noble take on a fully improvised stand-up show in front of a live audience.
Russell Kane and Drew Carey have also been lined up to take part in the series, which sees three comics in each episode take to the stage with an unseen set list of themes and ideas devised by comic Paul Provenza and series creator Troy Conrad.
The show will also give a glimpse into the backstage reaction from other comedians as they watch each other's live, unplanned routines.
Episodes with Tim Minchin, Dara Ó Briain and other worldwide stand-up acts currently appear on the Nerdist YouTube channel.
Watch a clip of Jimmy Carr performing below:...
The 14-part series sees the likes of Robin Williams, Frank Skinner and Ross Noble take on a fully improvised stand-up show in front of a live audience.
Russell Kane and Drew Carey have also been lined up to take part in the series, which sees three comics in each episode take to the stage with an unseen set list of themes and ideas devised by comic Paul Provenza and series creator Troy Conrad.
The show will also give a glimpse into the backstage reaction from other comedians as they watch each other's live, unplanned routines.
Episodes with Tim Minchin, Dara Ó Briain and other worldwide stand-up acts currently appear on the Nerdist YouTube channel.
Watch a clip of Jimmy Carr performing below:...
- 10/31/2013
- Digital Spy
Previous | Image 1 of 24 | NextJohn Hodgman of ‘The Daily Show’ headlined ‘Just for Laughs Chicago.’
Chicago – The annual “Just for Laughs Chicago” comedy festival, sponsored by the TBS network, is one of the highlights of the summer months in the Windy City. Each June, Chicago cements its reputation as the capital of hilarity, and the participating comedians are the top of the current crop.
Photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com took these Exclusive Portraits of 24 comic masters during the festival in June. Click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through the slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos © Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com.
LAUGHS1: John Hodgman of ‘The Daily Show’ headlined ‘Just for Laughs Chicago.’ LAUGHS2: Tim Meadows of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘The Ladies Man.’ LAUGHS3: Brian Posehn was recently in Comedy Central’s ‘The Sarah Silverman Show.
Chicago – The annual “Just for Laughs Chicago” comedy festival, sponsored by the TBS network, is one of the highlights of the summer months in the Windy City. Each June, Chicago cements its reputation as the capital of hilarity, and the participating comedians are the top of the current crop.
Photographer Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com took these Exclusive Portraits of 24 comic masters during the festival in June. Click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through the slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos © Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com.
LAUGHS1: John Hodgman of ‘The Daily Show’ headlined ‘Just for Laughs Chicago.’ LAUGHS2: Tim Meadows of ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘The Ladies Man.’ LAUGHS3: Brian Posehn was recently in Comedy Central’s ‘The Sarah Silverman Show.
- 7/4/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The premise behind Set List, the uniquely innovative comedy show created and hosted by Paul Provenza (director of "The Aristocrats"), is simple: Words are projected on a screen, and stand-up comedians have to improvise jokes based on the words. It's a thrilling and exhilarating way to see a comedian test his or her chops without a safety net.
Dropping into the show recently was Robin Williams. It's easy to forget that although he's become a wildly successful actor, Williams got his start as a stand-up comedian, and it's clearly an art form he still loves. His appearance on Set List could be his funniest performance in years -- watching the flashes of inspiration appear on his face as he builds a new character or joke right in front of the audience's eyes is mesmerizing.
Check out the clip above to see Williams make up a stand-up set on the fly at NerdMelt in Los Angeles.
Dropping into the show recently was Robin Williams. It's easy to forget that although he's become a wildly successful actor, Williams got his start as a stand-up comedian, and it's clearly an art form he still loves. His appearance on Set List could be his funniest performance in years -- watching the flashes of inspiration appear on his face as he builds a new character or joke right in front of the audience's eyes is mesmerizing.
Check out the clip above to see Williams make up a stand-up set on the fly at NerdMelt in Los Angeles.
- 6/21/2013
- by Ross Luippold
- Huffington Post
Review: 'The Bitter Buddha' Captures The Brilliant Meta-Comedy & Existential Angst Of Eddie Pepitone
Eddie Pepitone is a comedian of dualisms. At 52, he's the next big thing. He's a meditating vegan with rage issues. He enjoys swearing at La drivers as much as he likes to feed squirrels in the park. This duality of character is what Steven Feinartz's documentary "The Bitter Buddha" (the title an oxymoron itself) attempts to convey about Pepitone, a man who is as delightful as he is loud, as incongruous as he is familiar, as buddha-like in nature and stature as he isn't. Pepitone is a stand up comedian in La, a comic's comic, as the slew of comedians interviewed attest to in our introduction to the man (testimony is given by Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis, Jen Kirkman, B.J. Novak, Paul Provenza, Dana Gould, Scott Aukerman, Andy Kindler, Sarah Silverman, and more). And yet, he's still under the radar, still trying for that big break. His signature scream...
- 3/8/2013
- by Katie Walsh
- The Playlist
Title: The Bitter Buddha Director: Steven Feinartz Featuring: Eddie Pepitone, Patton Oswalt, Dana Gould, Sarah Silverman, Zach Galifianakis, Marc Maron, Bj Novak, Paul Provenza, Andy Kindler, Jen Kirkman Forget the tears of a clown as it pertains to the inner psychology of a comedian – what about the rage of a clown? That’s the principal focus of “The Bitter Buddha,” a documentary portrait of middle-aged stand-up Eddie Pepitone that surfs along the edge of his angry but self-aware shtick and celebrates his standing among fellow comedians, but all without fully and insightfully digging into the deep-seated emotion that informs his existential angst. Praised as the sort of comedian whom other comedians love [ Read More ]
The post The Bitter Buddha Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Bitter Buddha Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 2/12/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Give it up for Showtime, unlike HBO, the network has a love affair with comics still. We get to look forward to the one woman show for Monique Marvez (Snoop Dogg's Bad Girls of Comedy, Original Latin Divas) in March, and we mourn the passing of the excellent comedy series "Green Room with Paul Provenza," a crackling effort that should by all rights Still be on the air, considering the talent it pulled in. My suggestion to Showtime is cut the wincingly awkward "Gigolos" and "Polyamory" stuff and go whole hog into comedy - it's a void they would fill nicely. The last thing Showtime wants is to become "Skinamax" (Cinemax) especially now that Cinemax is on fire...
- 2/7/2013
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
"Legit" premieres Thursday night at 10:30 on FX. Caveat: If the late comic Sam Kinison offended you, this is not your show. FX arguably has the best comedies on the air: Louie, Wilfred, The League, Sunny in Philadelphia and Archer for animated adult humor. Newcomer "Legit" is the brainchild of stand up of Jim Jefferies, a comic I became familiar with in an episode of the deeply missed Paul Provenza "Green Room" series on Showtime. Jefferies is unapologetically Australian, meaning he'll say anything with a straight face and a shrug. The kind of chatter that makes the Church Lady cry and the Parents Television Council call a special session just to plot his demise. The show,...
- 1/16/2013
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
In the spirit of truly independent film, the Slamdance Film Festival has just announced their feature lineup for their upcoming 2013 outing. The festival will screen 22 feature-length competition films (12 narratives and 10 documentaries), and all films come from first-time filmmakers (in their respective programs). Despite the flux of new talent, there are plenty of recognizable names that pop up within the lineup’s ranks, including Brea Grant, Michael Urie, Jesse Eisenberg, Mamie Gummer, Ralph Macchio, Natasha Lyonne, Ben Stiller, Gavin McInnes, Zach Galifianakis, Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt, Sean Conroy, Paul Provenza, and Marc Maron. The festival will present awards to competition films in the following categories: Jury Award for Feature Doc, Jury Award for Narrative Feature, Audience Award for Feature Doc, Audience Award for Feature Narrative, and Filmmaker Award for Spirit of Slamdance. Kodak will present the Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography. Check out the full list of Slamdance features, complete with synopses and cast lists, after...
- 12/7/2012
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Standup comic Paul Provenza has been part of the Montreal Just for Laughs lineup a dozen times and even taped two episodes of his Showtime series "The Green Room With Paul Provenza" during last year's fest. Here are a few of Provenza's favorite places in the city to be a comedian.Hyatt Regency Montreal hotel bar 1255 Rue Jeanne-ManceAt the official hotel for Just for Laughs, the bar is where all the comics and industry dealmakers in attendance hang out. "Comedians come up with funny stuff together," Provenza says, "and see friends they haven't seen in 10 years, because that's what happens when you're a road comic. Agents and managers are talking to acts, so there's a little bit of deal-making here and there. In a lot of ways, it's what you want it to be. It's all there."ComedyWorks Montreal 1238 Rue BishopComedyWorks hosts several Just for Laughs shows throughout the...
- 7/6/2012
- by help@backstage.com (Daniel Lehman)
- backstage.com
Robin Williams and Tim Minchin will feature in new Sky Atlantic comedy series Set List. The entertainment programme takes the form of a fully improvised stand-up show in front of a live audience, with comics inventing material based on the topics presented to them while on stage. Dara O'Briain, Ross Noble, Drew Carey, Frank Skinner and Russell Kane are among the other comedians signed up to appear. Each episode will see three stars take to the stage, tackling themes and ideas devised by comic Paul Provenza and series creator Troy Conrad. "A key part of our commissioning strategy for Sky Atlantic has been to attract the best talent to the channel, blending Us and UK talent to give our customers the best content from both sides of the Atlantic," said (more)...
- 6/28/2012
- by By Morgan Jeffery
- Digital Spy
South By Southwest (SXSW) has officially announced the lineup for SXSW Comedy, which will take place from March 10 - 17 in Austin, Texas. The festival's comedy programming has grown considerably since last year, with showcases, live podcast tapings and interactive shows stretching continuously throughout SXSW for the first time. The festival has announced 62 comedians scheduled to appear, nearly doubling last year's roster of performers.
Although SXSW is known for its music, film, and more recently, interactive portions of the festival, the comedy programming looks designed to delight both devoted comedy fans as well as casual observers. In fact, five of the comedians who landed on HuffPost Comedy's favorite comedy albums of 2011 list will be performing at the festival.
Part of the fun of SXSW Comedy is not knowing which performers will show up at which shows, although a full list of confirmed comedians has been released (and can be found in...
Although SXSW is known for its music, film, and more recently, interactive portions of the festival, the comedy programming looks designed to delight both devoted comedy fans as well as casual observers. In fact, five of the comedians who landed on HuffPost Comedy's favorite comedy albums of 2011 list will be performing at the festival.
Part of the fun of SXSW Comedy is not knowing which performers will show up at which shows, although a full list of confirmed comedians has been released (and can be found in...
- 2/21/2012
- by Ross Luippold
- Huffington Post
Judd Apatow was defined by the comedy of his generation and he's turned around and used that to define the comedy of the next generation. This is not just a list of things Judd has done in the past, but it's also a chronicling of his rise to power. Here is the life of a comedy nerd made good - made very, very good.
1967:
Born in Flushing, New York, to real estate developer Maury Apatow and Tami Shad, who divorced when he was 12. He also has an older brother Robert and a younger sister Mia. He lived with his dad most of the time and grew up watching shows like Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, etc. "I was watching TV until about 3-3:30 to 1:30 in the morning for years." He spent a lot of time alone in his room, but lest you think that's sad,...
1967:
Born in Flushing, New York, to real estate developer Maury Apatow and Tami Shad, who divorced when he was 12. He also has an older brother Robert and a younger sister Mia. He lived with his dad most of the time and grew up watching shows like Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman, etc. "I was watching TV until about 3-3:30 to 1:30 in the morning for years." He spent a lot of time alone in his room, but lest you think that's sad,...
- 10/19/2011
- by IFC
- ifc.com
Showtime has excellent programming slated for early Fall 2011, with their exceptional documentary "Rebirth" which reveals deeply personal stories from the terrorist attack on September 11. Also airing is the new series "Homeland" starring Claire Danes, and the return of Miami's slickest dark passenger, "Dexter." The network excels at presenting the best in comedy, as witnessed by their recently wrapped season two of "The Green Room with Paul Provenza," a critically acclaimed bullpen of comedy's brightest minds in a roundtable format with comedian Paul Provenza moderating. This Fall 2011 sees new comedy specials starring Margaret Cho and Patton Oswalt. 2011 Fall Programming Overview HOMELANDPremiere: Sunday, October 2 at 10:00 Pm Et/PT1 Hour, 12 Episodes This new series...
- 9/6/2011
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Filed under: Reality-Free, TV Replay
While on the surface, 'Talking Funny' (Fri., 9Pm Et on HBO) may seem similar to what was happening on 'Green Room with Paul Provenza,' but this special seemed to be even more raw and honest. Perhaps it was the absence of the audience, or the level of the comedians on the show -- Jerry Seinfeld, Ricky Gervais, Chris Rock and Louis C.K. There was just something fascinating about this discussion.
These are masters at their craft, and as revealed throughout the hour, they're also very different in what they do and even why they do it. No stone was left unturned in dissecting how they approach their comedy, nor was any topic off-limits. They even got into a lengthy debate about the N-word.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments...
While on the surface, 'Talking Funny' (Fri., 9Pm Et on HBO) may seem similar to what was happening on 'Green Room with Paul Provenza,' but this special seemed to be even more raw and honest. Perhaps it was the absence of the audience, or the level of the comedians on the show -- Jerry Seinfeld, Ricky Gervais, Chris Rock and Louis C.K. There was just something fascinating about this discussion.
These are masters at their craft, and as revealed throughout the hour, they're also very different in what they do and even why they do it. No stone was left unturned in dissecting how they approach their comedy, nor was any topic off-limits. They even got into a lengthy debate about the N-word.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments...
- 4/24/2011
- by Jason Hughes
- Aol TV.
Yes, it's that time of year for deep appreciation to those who delivered the best in television in a variety of genres. 2010 was a very good year for the smallscreen, full of surprises like CBS remaking "Hawaii Five-0" and doing it well, to Showtime taking a chance on a new unscripted format for the top comedians in the world to shine in Paul Provenza's "The Green Room," which thankfully is coming back for another season. Reflection of what turned us on reveals we like cable and premium cable a crapload more than network fare, so if you were looking for a list that had "Glee", "Gossip Girl" or "Modern Family" in it, you need to go...
- 12/31/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Yes, it's that time of year for deep appreciation to those who delivered the best in television in a variety of genres. 2010 was a very good year for the smallscreen, full of surprises like CBS remaking "Hawaii 5-0" and doing it well, to Showtime taking a chance on a new unscripted format for the top comedians in the world to shine in Paul Provenza's "The Green Room," which thankfully is coming back for another season. Reflection of what turned us on reveals we like cable and premium cable a crapload more than network fare, so if you were looking for a list that had "Glee", "Gossip Girl" or "Modern Family" in it, you need to go...
- 12/31/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
We live in a golden age for students of comedy. Comics like Marc Maron and Paul Provenza now make a living plumbing the dark depths of the comic mind—the uncomfortably intense Maron with his invaluable Wtf podcast, and Provenza with The Aristocrats, his book ¡Satiristas!, and his new television show The Green Room With Paul Provenza. Podcasts like Comedy Death-Ray and Never Not Funny have demystified the life of a working comic, ushering listeners into a smoky world of hecklers, one-night stands, shitty apartments, hostile crowds, and fuzzy memories of the cocaine-and-sex-saturated ’80s. This massive wave of interest in ...
- 11/17/2010
- avclub.com
Monsters and Critics loves celebrities who tell it like it is. Joining the unfiltered straight-shooting ranks of Sharon Osbourne, Joan Rivers, Bill Maher, Kinky Friedman, Bob Dylan, Johnny Weir, Kathy Griffin, Chelsea Handler, Louis Ck, the late Bill Hicks, Paul Provenza and more is smallscreen's withering fashion meister Tim Gunn, who reigns over "Project Runway" on Lifetime. Suri Cruise is the only child of mega rich celebrity couple Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, and has had a designer handbag in her hands practically since birth. High-heeled shoes too. Gunn took umbrage in a recent interview on Access Hollywood promoting his latest book, .Gunn.s Golden Rules: Life.s Little Lessons for Making It Work,. .Suri is, she.s her mother and father.s...
- 9/17/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Great news for fans of comics, comedy and great storytelling. Showtime wisely reupped Paul Provenza's "The Green Room" which completely owned me in six short episodes, as legends like Jonathan Winters, Robert Klein and Martin Mull told hilarious anecdotes, and other stars such as Andy Kindler, Andy Dick, Sandra Bernhardt, Paul Mooney, Dana Gould and Rick Overton engaged in high energy back and forth banter talking up a myriad of subjects. Showtime announced that the second season of the critically acclaimed comedy series The Green Room With Paul Provenza will again offer viewers the rare opportunity to watch comic lions and legends share their opinions, personal anecdotes and raw humor with each other in an intimate setting.
- 9/9/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Showtime's new programming chief David Nevins shows continuity with a renewal of the network's comedy series The Green Room with Paul Provenza, which has received a six-episode order. Season 2 will be filmed in Los Angeles for a 2011 premiere. Hosted by comedian Paul Provenza, each episode features a handful of comedians as they tackle topics in an uncensored format. Provenza executive produces the series with Barbara Romen.
- 9/9/2010
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Showtime's "The Green Room with Paul Provenza" airs this Thursday with Tommy Smothers, Martin Mull and Penn Jillette for episode six. Host, producer and comic Paul Provenza has immediate chemistry with an array of comic geniuses on this excellent series. The brilliance of this show is that Provenza took the insider knowledge of how comics really are with each other one-on-one, and brings you inside this ribald, ego-maniacal and at times touching salon of fierce, ballsy wits to see how the big boys and girls really get on with each other. Each episode is like a treasure trove of unscripted material that hits you off-guard and genuinely entertains. Provenza delivers us Martin Mull! Jonathan Winters! Robert Klein!
- 7/15/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Tonight is a big night for many Pajibans, as a show many of us love, "Futurama," comes back from the dead. To be quite honest, I have mixed feelings about this. I thought "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings" put a sweet end on the series; not too melancholy but without giving some artificial-feeling resolution to any of the characters or overarching themes. Of course, I never watched any of the movies that came afterwards so I have no clue what those tried to do to the characters or continuity. I heard one of them tried to re-write the end of "Jurassic Bark" which makes me, like every other Pajiban out there, burst into wet, sloppy sobs, and that seems misguided at best. Anyway, I'll be watching tonight, for better or for worse. Here's tonight's schedule:
8:00 p.m.: "Wipeout" on ABC. New episode on a special night.
8:30 p.
8:00 p.m.: "Wipeout" on ABC. New episode on a special night.
8:30 p.
- 6/25/2010
- by Intern Rusty
Chicago – “I don’t even know what to do on this show. We just talk?” asks comic Bobby Slayton in episode four of the new Showtime series “The Green Room with Paul Provenza.” Yes. And therein lies the problem.
Television Rating: 3.0/5.0
Certainly, the premise of “The Green Room” is not new. Jon Favreau’s IFC series “Dinner for Five” was also an unscripted, round robin, celebrities-just-talking-for-30-minutes style of show. But while the success of “Dinner” hinged somewhat on the selection of guests on each episode, host Favreau was charismatic, a little cocky and, ultimately, interesting enough to make the show work most of the time, regardless of the cast.
Paul Provenza on The Green Room.
Photo credit: Cliff Lipson/Showtime
“The Green Room” is different. Paul Provenza, comedian and director of “The Aristocrats” hosts an ever-changing cast of celebrity comedians that come on to tell jokes or talk about their lives and careers,...
Television Rating: 3.0/5.0
Certainly, the premise of “The Green Room” is not new. Jon Favreau’s IFC series “Dinner for Five” was also an unscripted, round robin, celebrities-just-talking-for-30-minutes style of show. But while the success of “Dinner” hinged somewhat on the selection of guests on each episode, host Favreau was charismatic, a little cocky and, ultimately, interesting enough to make the show work most of the time, regardless of the cast.
Paul Provenza on The Green Room.
Photo credit: Cliff Lipson/Showtime
“The Green Room” is different. Paul Provenza, comedian and director of “The Aristocrats” hosts an ever-changing cast of celebrity comedians that come on to tell jokes or talk about their lives and careers,...
- 6/10/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Six episodes of Showtime's "The Green Room" took up my entire afternoon today. Three hours, back-to-back.I didn't plan this, it was just one of those lucky happenstances that occurs rarely when your job is to watch a proffered screener from a network, then put pen to paper and advise if you should tune in.Host, producer and comic Paul Provenza is such a natural, raucous, witty, naughty boy. He has immediate chemistry with an array of comic geniuses (Jonathan Winters, Robert Klein, Martin Mull, Tommy Smothers) and infamous types (Andy Dick, Roseanne Barr) who are certainly polarizing to many. The brilliance of this series is that Provenza took the insider knowledge of how comics really are with each other one-on-one, and...
- 6/10/2010
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Filed under: Features, TV Previews, Celebrity Interviews
Paul Provenza is not Ok with the status quo in the comedy world. To him, stand-up comedy in the United States has become, in his words, "bland."
"There's something arch about it," Provenza told me last week. Many comedians these days "take on characters. It's a lot of winking and nodding. Some comedians almost even apologize for the fact that they're working in the form of comedy, and they make fun of the form as they're doing it. That's the overriding trend. So what you get is people who are not actually talking from the heart. They're always putting some layer of detachment from their real, you know, emotional and intellectual passions."
Despite the dim view the producer of 'The Aristocrats' has of the overall stand-up world, he knows plenty of people in it who will speak their minds. That was...
Paul Provenza is not Ok with the status quo in the comedy world. To him, stand-up comedy in the United States has become, in his words, "bland."
"There's something arch about it," Provenza told me last week. Many comedians these days "take on characters. It's a lot of winking and nodding. Some comedians almost even apologize for the fact that they're working in the form of comedy, and they make fun of the form as they're doing it. That's the overriding trend. So what you get is people who are not actually talking from the heart. They're always putting some layer of detachment from their real, you know, emotional and intellectual passions."
Despite the dim view the producer of 'The Aristocrats' has of the overall stand-up world, he knows plenty of people in it who will speak their minds. That was...
- 6/9/2010
- by Joel Keller
- Aol TV.
Recently, we spoke with Paul Provenza, star of Showtime's upcoming series The Green Room with Paul Provenza. Provenza's new series is all about getting the best comedians together for an all out rip-fest, where feelings are tossed aside and anything is fair game. Paul was in New York promoting his new book, ¡Satiristas!, at Gotham Comedy Club. In this exclusive interview, Provenza discusses his gloves-off approach to The Green Room as well as working with some of comedies greats. Comedy savants will note that Provenza was able to get living legend Jonathan Winters (The Steve Allen Show, The Tonight Show) on the show, which demonstrates the caliber of talent on The Green Room. As a Bronx native, Provenza also tells us what it means to be a New York comic and how his background has shaped his comedy. See the exclusive interview: [jambovideo id="214850" wide="yes" /] The Green Room with Paul Provenza ...
- 6/4/2010
- by Bags
- BuzzFocus.com
No need to worry now that some of your favorite TV shows are ending. Starting next week with ABC's "The Bachelorette" and Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance, to HBO's "True Blood" and Showtime's "Weeds," it's time for summer TV! Check out "Extra's" complete guide.
2010 Summer TV GuideThe Bachelorette
When: Monday, May 24, ABC Who:Ali Fedotowsky What:Last season of the "Bachelor," Ali made the difficult decision to leave the show early, choosing her job over love.
2010 Summer TV GuideThe Bachelorette
When: Monday, May 24, ABC Who:Ali Fedotowsky What:Last season of the "Bachelor," Ali made the difficult decision to leave the show early, choosing her job over love.
- 5/25/2010
- Extra
Books of short interviews tend to be breezy, which often equals inconsequential. But the 60 Q&As Paul Provenza conducts with stand-ups, late-night hosts, writers, animators, musicians, and commentators for ¡Satiristas!: Comedians, Contrarians, Raconteurs & Vulgarians add up to more than the sum of their parts. (Dan Dion’s backstage portraits of the artists certainly help.) Individually, the conversations veer between casual, such as the reunited Kids In The Hall’s nonstop riffing on one another, and more obviously thematic, such as the long-retired Tom Lehrer discussing the pros of quitting early. But Provenza’s canny sequencing is the real draw ...
- 5/13/2010
- avclub.com
Showtime heats up this summer with three series debuts, including "The Big C," "The Real L Word," and "The Green Room With Paul Provenza."
"Weeds" (Season 6) and "Penn & Teller: Bulls**t!" (Season 8) will also premiere.
Mark Monday, Aug. 16 on your calendars, Showtime fans. "Weeds" picks up after the cliffhanger at the end of last season at 10 p.m., and then premiere of buzzed-about "The Big C" follows right after at 10:30 p.m. Three-time Emmy winner Laura Linney stars as a wife, mother and teacher who receives the news that she has terminal cancer. Emmy nominee Oliver Platt ("Huff" and "Frost/Nixon") stars as her well-meaning husband and Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe ("Precious") plays her precocious student.
But you won't have to wait until August to get your Showtime fix. "The Real L Word" has its series premiere on Sunday, June 20 at 10 p.m. The new reality show (inspired by...
"Weeds" (Season 6) and "Penn & Teller: Bulls**t!" (Season 8) will also premiere.
Mark Monday, Aug. 16 on your calendars, Showtime fans. "Weeds" picks up after the cliffhanger at the end of last season at 10 p.m., and then premiere of buzzed-about "The Big C" follows right after at 10:30 p.m. Three-time Emmy winner Laura Linney stars as a wife, mother and teacher who receives the news that she has terminal cancer. Emmy nominee Oliver Platt ("Huff" and "Frost/Nixon") stars as her well-meaning husband and Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe ("Precious") plays her precocious student.
But you won't have to wait until August to get your Showtime fix. "The Real L Word" has its series premiere on Sunday, June 20 at 10 p.m. The new reality show (inspired by...
- 3/17/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Paul Provenza is what comics would call a "comic's comic," so he's a perfect pick for Showtime's new comedian chat show.
The comedian and film director will host a new Showtime show next year called Behind the Green Room Door. It's a talk show featuring a rotating panel of comics having the kinds of hardcore conversations that can only be heard in dressing rooms and empty comedy club bars.
And if you've never been to a comedy club, then you can get an idea of the conversation when you realize Provenza directed the acclaimed comedy documentary The Aristocrats. And if you've never heard of The Aristocrats and you're sensitive to foul language, you might want to see if your DVR comes with ear plugs and a soul scraper.
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free
Permalink | Email this | | Comments...
The comedian and film director will host a new Showtime show next year called Behind the Green Room Door. It's a talk show featuring a rotating panel of comics having the kinds of hardcore conversations that can only be heard in dressing rooms and empty comedy club bars.
And if you've never been to a comedy club, then you can get an idea of the conversation when you realize Provenza directed the acclaimed comedy documentary The Aristocrats. And if you've never heard of The Aristocrats and you're sensitive to foul language, you might want to see if your DVR comes with ear plugs and a soul scraper.
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free
Permalink | Email this | | Comments...
- 10/10/2009
- by Danny Gallagher
- Aol TV.
Several comedians will tackle hot topics on "Behind the Green Door," a new six-episode series for Showtime.
Each half-hour episode of the series, hosted and executive produced by comedian Paul Provenza ("The Aristocrats"), will feature four comedians
joining him in front of a live audience for a free-wheeling discussion.
The comedians featured on the show include Jonathan Winters, Eddie Izzard, Roseanne Barr, Drew Carey, Robert Klein, Penn Jillette, Martin Mull, Tommy Smothers, Bob Saget, Sandra Bernhard, Andy Dick as well as younger, up-and-coming talent.
"Door," which Provenza is exec producing with Barbara Romen, is slated to premiere in 2010.
Each half-hour episode of the series, hosted and executive produced by comedian Paul Provenza ("The Aristocrats"), will feature four comedians
joining him in front of a live audience for a free-wheeling discussion.
The comedians featured on the show include Jonathan Winters, Eddie Izzard, Roseanne Barr, Drew Carey, Robert Klein, Penn Jillette, Martin Mull, Tommy Smothers, Bob Saget, Sandra Bernhard, Andy Dick as well as younger, up-and-coming talent.
"Door," which Provenza is exec producing with Barbara Romen, is slated to premiere in 2010.
- 10/8/2009
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paul Provenza, who showcased a group of famous comics deconstructing a single joke in "The Aristocrats," will give viewers addition insight into the stand-up life in Showtime's "Behind the Green Room Door." Showtime has ordered six episodes of the half-hour docu-comedy series to premiere in 2010. We presume Showtime and Provenza are intentionally paying homage to the legendary adult film "Behind the Green Door," starring Marilyn Chambers. Most viewers probably won't be amused. The behind-the-scenes series features a handful of comedy veterans and neophytes talking candidly about their craft. "Behind the Green Room Door" shows what happens when comics talk...
- 10/7/2009
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.