Comedy Roundup 20191104

Here’s my roundup of the latest comedy news that caught my interest. Which item is your favourite in Comedy Roundup 20191104 – the comedy map, the fart jokes, or something else?

Awesome Improv

This is my favourite comedy news in this roundup – a workshop that showed how to use improv to help dementia caregivers.

The workshop was held at Fellowship Community in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. The loved ones of people who have dementia attended the workshop. The workshop was presented in collaboration with the ArtsQuest organization, which has improv shows and classes in Bethlehem, PA.

How do improv and dementia care go together? In improv, you have to accept whatever comedic premise you get, with “Yes, and”. In dementia care, we encourage loved ones to “accept the reality a dementia patient is living in rather than to try to convince their loved one that he or she is wrong.”

Comedy Studies

Comedy is serious business, and there were a few studies on this topic recently

Netflix: Bloomberg studied the network’s data. Apparently Netflix has cut back on stand-up comedy specials over the past couple of years. So, if you see a comedy special in the lineup, show your support by tuning in!
Who’s Funny: Another study tried to prove who’s funnier. Gem Carmella shares her thoughts on the “limited and biased” study named “Sex Differences in Humour Production Ability: A Meta-Analysis”.
Ticket Sales: Finally, where does are comedy ticket sales the best in the USA? California ranks first for comedy ticket sales. Point to any state on the comedy ticket sales map to see its rank

Seth Meyers Comedy Special

Even though Netflix is cutting back, Seth Meyers has a new comedy special debuting on Netflix in November. It’s called, Seth Meyers: Lobby Baby. Netflix posted this short promo, so you can see a snippet from the special. I’m sure my daughter would like a stand-up comedian action figure, even if those kids aren’t interested!

Legendary Comedians

We lost one legendary comedian in October, and there were interviews with other comedy legends

Rip Taylor

First, the legend that we lost — thanks for the fun, Rip Taylor! Remembering his long and colourful comedy career. Rip Taylor was a headliner in Las Vegas. He fit in perfectly there, with all the glitz and glamour. Taylor also hosted the $1.98 Beauty Show on television. He was on lots of talk shows and game shows too, where he always livened things up!

Here’s a very short clip of Rip Taylor on stage.

Billy Connolly

Legendary Scottish comedian, Billy Connolly, has retired, due to health problems. He now lives in Florida, where The Guardian interviewed him recently.

Billy Connolly is a fantastic storyteller. Here’s a clip from an appearance on The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder in 1998. It has more “fart” stories than you’ve likely ever heard before. And if the stories don’t make you laugh, then Billy Connolly’s laugh probably will – it’s infectious!

Christopher McDonald

No, Christopher McDonald isn’t a legendary stand-up comedian, but he’s played key roles in legendary comedy films (and several dramatic films too). My favourite of his roles is Scooter McGavin, who was Adam Sandler’s foil in the golf comedy, Happy Gilmore.

McDonald recently talked to Forbes magazine about his work in Happy Gilmore, and other films. Did you know that they filmed Happy Gilmore in Canada?

Here’s a short clip from Happy Gilmore, showing Christopher McDonald’s reactions to Adam Sandler’s successful shots.

Comedy Bits

And finally, here are a few more comedy-related articles that I found interesting. I hope you enjoy them too!

Podcast: Richard Herring’s comedy podcast – Richard Herring’s Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (RHLSTP) – has a fan base of “chunky bearded men who stay away from social situations”. You might night know his work, but Herring has had a long and successful comedy career. He was one of the first comedians to start a podcast. Read his interview with The Spectator newspaper.
Comedy Writing: What can you learn about comedy writing from Mike Reiss? Reiss did a live, on-stage show last month – “Secrets of the Simpsons”, in Jackson, Wyoming. He talks about it with a local newspaper. Reiss is one of the original and enduring writers on “The Simpsons”. He has won 4 Emmy Awards for his work on that show.
Sketches: What is your favourite detective sketch comedy of all time. Is your favourite in this collection of memorable detective-themed comedy sketches on the Vulture site? The list is in chronological order, starting in 1969 with a skit from Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The list ends in 2013, with a skit from Key and Peele. Have there been any great sketches since then?

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