They drifted in from everywhere, each riding their own current through the vast human watershed that funnels yearning and desperation into the city. They were eager and nervous or apprehensive and nervous or they came with the stoicism of the lunchpail just there to do a job. Some were new and working hard to keep their dreams from running too far ahead and some were weary and wondering if hope had run out. Some came in secret and others told everyone they knew. Not for money or out of obligation but for goals and dreams and reasons of their own all different all the same. I came too. When I [...]
It's no secret that we're in the midst of a great era in stand-up comedy, with thriving scenes in both New York and Los Angeles and tons of big cities in between experiencing a major boom and serving as homes to a lot of spectacular work. Splitsider readers are no doubt familiar with most of the established stand-ups in the country – ones who have risen up via TV appearances, podcasts, Twitter – but what about the newer names who will be popping up on everybody's radars over the next year or two?
We figured no one watches more comedy than the people who run the country's leading shows [...]
New York-based stand-up Nick Turner accidentally locked his keys in his car with the engine running right before going onstage to perform this set at Wyatt Cenac's show Night Train. He also locked his set list in the car too, which causes him to only talk about his car situation for the entire set. It's completely understandable because I can't imagine being able to think/talk about anything else with my keys locked in the car and the engine running, and it turns out to be a super funny and exciting set.
Tig Notaro's acclaimed Largo set, which was released on Louis C.K.'s website and became a huge success, was the most talked-about standup performance of the year, and Notaro has been keeping kind of a low profile since. Here she is in a rare recent interview with Pitchfork TV, talking about the awful fourth months point in her life she was at during the Largo performance, her tennis plans with Taylor Dayne, and her affinity for the song "Mississippi Queen."
Here's a stand-up showcase featuring Comedy Central's latest batch of 10 Comics to Watch from the New York Comedy Festival this weekend. Owen Benjamin (TBS's Sullivan & Son) hosted the show, and Comedy Central's "Comics to Watch" this year are David Agyekum, Asif Ali, Kate Berlant, Matt D, Chris Distefano, Phil Hanley, Andrew Santino, Lisa Treyger, Brooks Whelan, and Hampton Yount. Last year's "Comics to Watch" list included folks like Kurt Braunohler and Michael Che, who have since seen their careers blown up, so expect to see the same thing happen for some of the comics on this year's list. Watch the whole showcase and figure out who you [...]
