Third Beat

PRODUCING GREAT COMEDY: THE SECRET SAUCE

Moderator: Tendo Nagenda (Vice President of Production, Mandate Pictures)

Panelists: Michael Aguilar and Kent Alterman (Co-Founders, Principals & Producers, Dos Tontos), Tom McNulty (Producer & President of Production, 21 Laps Entertainment), Todd Phillips (Director/Producer, The Hangover)

Big names, yes. But I’m not gullible enough to order an early wake-up call so I can attend a seminar promising the “secret sauce” of successful comedy, no matter how much cred the panelists have. Doesn’t the title seem like something you’re promised if you agree to sit through a timeshare presentation? If there was a formula to this stuff, wouldn’t we all be successful development execs and rich screenwriters?

I did arrive in time to receive the advice “there’s no script problem that’s ever been fixed by ignoring it”. Which is good advice. And the same advice I’ve been offered in intro writing classes. I realize I may have missed something of value, but considering the very vague subject of the session, I suspect i didn’t. Not the panelists’ fault by any stretch. It’s at this point at the conference that I started to wonder if these individuals’ experiences couldn’t be put within a better context for our benefit. Surely there are topics more specific, more related to their high profiles, that could spawn conversations we wouldn’t hear anywhere else? Some of the topics were simply too broad.

——

BREAKING NEW GROUND: ADULT ANIMATION GROWS UP

Moderator: Athena Georgaklis (Manager, Original Production, Teletoon Canada)

Panelists: Tommy Blacha (Co-creator, Metalocalypse), Donick Cary (Creator, ‘Lil Bush: Resident of the United States), Vernon Chatman (Creator, Wonder Showzen, Xavier: Renegade Angel), Dino Stamatopoulos (Writer / Creator / Producer, Moral Orel), Nick Weidenfeld (Director of Program Development, Adult Swim), Dave Willis, Co-Creator (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)

Lots here about the creative and development process of animation, which surprisingly isn’t that different than any other comedy. Funny script first, worry about production of the visuals later.

Interesting insight #1: Nick Weidenfeld talked about how when Adult Swim was pushed up to 10pm to maximize ad revenues, they had literally nothing they could run in that hour. Cartoon Network is a kids station, after all, and Adult Swim tows a thin line of appropriate content. It was a struggle. And what happens when they inevitably begin airing at 9pm, Weidenfeld asked himself? He isn’t entirely sure.

Interesting insight #2: Dino Stamatopoulos “hates” Comedy Central, citing the stupidity of them making someone like Bob Odenkirk pitch instead of just letting him do a show. He says he would never do Moral Orel there, because “they would run it once and bury it so nobody else could do it.”

I hereby nominate Dino to be the moderator of next year’s development panel.

——

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OF SHOW: TAKING COMEDY GLOBAL

With Rob Clark, President of Worldwide Entertainment, Fremantle Media

If you want to make a reality or game show, and you’re thinking big – REALLY big – Clark’s presentation was for you. Fremantle is responsible for such international franchises as the Idols, the Got Talents, the Apprentices, etc.

Clark offered tips like how writing in trademark-able elements is a big part of what makes a show sell-able worldwide, instead of steal-able. Example: those three Xs on Got Talent.

I expected to see more people in attendance at this one, based on name recognition alone. This guy is definitely a “get” for the Conference. But perhaps the issue is that Fremantle Media specializes in reality shows, not comedy shows (and yes, I’m aware they were responsible for Thank God You’re Here… and my assessment that they don’t do comedy shows stands).

——

2009 VARIETY’S “10 COMICS TO WATCH” PANEL

Moderator: Peter Debruge (Associate Features Editor & Film Critic, Daily Variety)
Panelists: Jon Dore, Kumail Nanjiani, Matt Braunger, Nick Kroll, Aubrey Plaza

This panel? Hella fun. How could it not be with these five on stage?

Depending on your perspective, moderator Peter Dubruge had an easy job or a difficult job. The comics took the ball and ran with it, passed it off, ran with it some more… lather, rinse, repeat.

Jon Dore took on the role of attention whore, because every group needs one. He made obscene gestures while the others were talking, spent a few minutes bringing up one of Aubrey Plaza’s Youtube videos on his PDA while she was talking, quietly slipped the Variety logo flag off the microphone and stuck it in his pocket, and took a seat in the audience to ask himself a question. The others took great pleasure in their mock resentment of him. I wondered how many people in the audience were mentally preparing a sitcom pitch based on this panel.

Silliness aside, a few questions did get answered seriously, even by Dore. The first two seasons of his Canadian series, the Jon Dore Television Show, will begin air on IFC in the US, and he admits having mixed feelings about it because “I’m not proud of every episode.”

Nick Kroll knows all about series’ pride. Regarding the epic failure of Cavemen, he said “the critics didn’t love it, but what I took solace in was that the viewers didn’t either.”

And the joke that you could just feel the guys bursting with pride over,

Kumail: “Hey, what show did you do last time you were at the Festival, Nick?”
Kroll: “I did the Jew Faces show!”

One question in the q&a came from a woman who books comedians for charity events, and asked if that’s something the panelists have had opportunity to do. The answers were a mixed bag of yes and no, with a few mentions of the positive vibe that fundraisers tend to have. Plaza was the last to answer, saying that comedy and charity work seems like a good match, because “a lot of us get into this partly because we want to make people happy.”

I trust she was being sincere — and if you know me, you know that’s exactly the kind of statement I like to hear. Yeah, I’m a big softie. But it actually elicited a few snickers from behind me (I hope the result of her deadpan delivery) and absolute silence from the rest of the panel. They wouldn’t touch that sentiment with a 10 foot pole – no nods, no half-smiles of acknowledgment, not a peep – just let it twitch and die in the middle of the stage before the subject was changed. What the hell, boys? Is it just us girls who perceive the goodness of this profession? Of all the envelope-pushing done on stage, this is the taboo subject? Phhtt, men.

I’m tempted to say the second group of New Faces performers was slightly stronger than the first one I saw, but based on the improvement in audience energy that may be an unfair assessment.

The list:

Andy Ritchie
Good joke writer. “I remember when college girls used to look at me. Now they just keep an eye on me.” On his shower head being stuck on the massage setting, “I feel like a ’60s civil rights activist”.

Matt Knudsen
The man wore a suit for us! We’re honoured! Good stuff, including a bit about spending 2 months’ salary on an engagement ring but picking 2 months from 1986, and a nice extended closer about all-you-can-eat buffets which is one of those bits that you know he’ll be rewriting and adding tags to for years to come.

Mary Mack
Sounding just like Maria Bamford is probably both a blessing and a curse for her. She deals with her high-pitched voice off the top, but is able move on quickly. My favourite line: “Stay positive! Every time I catch myself being negative, I cut myself.” I dug her vibe and her connection with the audience, but found the closer (playing Don’t Fence Me In on the recorder) a little more offbeat than funny, and maybe best kept to alt shows.

Chris D’Elia
It may have been an odd setlist construction coincidence, but the bulk of his material centred on stereotypes. His friend buying him pants for his birthday (kinda gay), black guys getting away with wearing anything, and how Germans sound like they’re talking in rewind. On paper, it doesn’t sound amazing, but delivered it went over huge. Good material coupled with fantastic physicality equals the biggest ovation of the night.

Mike Bridentstein
Started off with some standard I’m-an-average-guy stuff about being the fattest he’s ever been right now, but my favourite bit of the night was his impression of his commercial agent’s assistant leaving him voicemails. If you’re going to do that bit, might as well do it infront of an industry crowd!

Kumail Nanjiani
I think this guy is more recognizable to New York comedy tourists than the Naked Cowboy. He does every show in town, and thus the only guy on the bill who I’ve seen before. I already liked him. I still like him. He’s one of Variety’s 10 Comics To Watch, so does he really need more ink?

Renee Gauthier
See my review from the previous New Faces; not sure why she was on both shows, but I wasn’t complaining about seeing her again.

Alex Koll
This guy looks like Zach Galifinakis fell asleep for 100 years. “Welcome to wizard comedy night,” he appropriately greeted us. He did bits on April Fool’s Day, Prince, and alchol before surprising everyone with a move that I won’t ruin here. My favourite joke: his girlfriend rolled out of bed onto the floor, so he yelled “5 second rule!” and kept fucking her.

Myq Kaplan
It’s rare to watch a young comic be somewhat improvisational and have it not come across as sloppy. He opened with 2 jokes, one visual in response to one of Alex Koll’s gags, and another in reference to a joke told by host Adam Hills. Always risky, but it worked and certainly endeared the crowd to him. Standout bit: how losing your cell phone is like losing a child (a child who knows all your friends’ and family’s numbers, so it’s like losing an autistic child).

I should note that it’s hard to do a proper assessment of New Faces. These guys for the most part ARE new, so you can’t review them up against the other acts at the festival. But they’re not open micers either. My expectations going in were closer to the open micer realm, so I’m pleased. For what they are, they all did very well. No overwhelming nerves, no bombs, no tragically stupid mistakes.

Renee Gaulthier at New Faces, Thursday

——

About a year ago, a British comedy nerd friend of mine recommended Ross Noble. I didn’t pay much attention, because people are always giving me advice on what I should check out, and less than half of that advice is any good. But after my exposure to Ross Noble last night, I feel quite the fool for ignoring the recommendation.

Infront of a giant greyscale psychedelic poster of his own head, Noble had worked up a sweat within the first 2 minutes. A woman walked across the front of the stage at the very beginning, and Noble latched onto the idea of her being lost while on a tour of the JFL Museum (the show’s venue), leading to the expectation of schoolchildren and Japanese tourists being not far behind. This, I would discover, is his style. Audience-inspired tangents using the improvisational “if this, then what?” frame of mind.

It was completely impossible to tell which moments were scripted. Some of them had to be, and surely he would direct his stream of consciousness slightly to end up where he wanted to end up. But for the life of me, I couldn’t identify where the improv ended and the prepared material began. I believe I’ve been outsmarted. Well played, Mr. Noble, well played.

——

The pace and energy of the Montreal edition of the Sketch Show was vastly superior to its Toronto counterpart (I made the decision in advance to not review that one, which I’m happy about). The show was hosted by the hilarious duo Garfunkel & Oates (Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci) who opened with what should be a childfree anthem, Pregnant Women Are Smug. The highlight of the Imponderables’ set was a an action movie trailer parody, with Waldo (of Where’s Waldo) as the villain. As fate would have it, the Idiots of Ants opened with a bit featuring Waldo as well, which may have actually benefited by the parallel thinking. Birthday Boys supplied 3D glasses to the crowd for an “experience” that may have worked better for those seated directly infront of the thrust stage, but was mighty cool nevertheless. And 2 White Guys – aka Rebecca Drysdale (one of my favourite people to watch anywhere, anytime) and Jordan Peele – went all-out with their upbeat sex educators schtick which I’m bummed I can’t find video of to show you. But I will show you the trailer from the Imponderables. Half a million hits on YouTube, and justified.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg4ztJ32iPI]

Variety’s annual list of 10 Comics to Watch was revealed last night.

I imagine anyone reading this blog is already familiar with all 10 names. Many aren’t exactly bold choices, as it doesn’t take an industry genius to predict a career upswing for someone recently cast in a major network sitcom.

The list, linking to their Variety profiles:

Wyatt Cenac, photo by Sharilyn Johnson

Matt Braunger

Wyatt Cenac

John Dore

Donald Glover

Ken Jeong

Nick Kroll

Ellie Kemper

Aubrey Plaza

Kristen Schaal

(Really, do we need to be told at this point that Kristin Schaal’s future looks bright?)

One nice surprise is seeing Canadian Jon Dore’s name on this list. He’s fun to watch on stage, just as fun to watch on the quirky Jon Dore Television Program (airing on the Comedy Network up north), and I’ve never heard anyone say a bad thing about the guy. Should he choose to head southward, good things will happen for him.

The majority of these folks are expected to appear at Just For Laughs in Montreal next week at the Comedy Conference, and they’ll no doubt be last-minute additions at some of the club shows and galas.