Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Death and Taxes October 7, 2011
The League's Paul Scheer Discusses Network TV, His Love of Bad Movies, and the 'Piranha 3D' Sequel [Interview]
by Aaron Frank

A new season of "The League" premiered last night. The show's hilarious Paul Scheer sat down for a talk about the limitations of network TV, his love of bad movies, and the "Piranha 3D" sequel.

As a child growing up on Long Island, comedian Paul Scheer revealed on the WTF Podcast last year that his initial introduction... Read More

<b>FrISC Shorts are Centerpiece Event of Friars Club Comedy Film Festival</b>

The Friars Club Improv + Sketch Competition [FrISC] was held in June at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City. The winning teams in each category, The Mantzoukas Brothers (improv) and Onassis(sketch), won $5,000 to make short films which will premiere as the centerpiece of this year's Friars Club Comedy Film Festival. Also showing as part of the FrISC screening is The Antagonist (2010 FCCFF, Best... Read More

<b>It’s time for the 11th Annual 3 on 3 Improv Tournament! Registration
is now open!</b>

There will be four qualifying rounds (Thursday November 3rd, 10th, and
17th at 11pm and Friday November 25th at 10:30pm). Each qualifying
round will feature eight teams – seven pre-selected groups, and one
wildcard team that will be made up of audience members drawn out of a
hat that night. Each team will have seven minutes of stage time. The
audience will vote for their favorite teams, and the... Read More

Congratulations to Pete Schultz who was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update!

Pete is a member of Bobby Chicago, who have written and directed many videos for UCBComedy.com including "Dog Gym", "Monster Madness 10" and the "Hey That's Awesome" series. He has also co-written and co-directed many other videos for UCBComedy.

See more of Pete's videos on
UCBComedy.com. Read More

Congratulations to Chris Kelly (Oh My God, I Heard You're Dying, MAUDE NIGHT), who was hired as a full-time writer for NBC's Saturday Night Live!

Before this, Chris was a staff writer for Funny or Die and was previously a writer and director for The Onion News Network in New York, which won the 2009 Peabody Award.

He was also the head writer for Matt Besser's Comedy Central special "This Show Will Get You High" in 2010.

At UCB in New York City, Chris wrote, directed and starred in... Read More

From the Huffington Post:

Mild mannered storyteller, comedian, actor and talk show host, Chris Gethard &mdash; the guy who got P. Diddy to come to the UCB Theater &mdash; was an incredibly evil baby. It might be hard to believe, but that's why we have the magic of animated storytelling.

This cheeky animation was created by artist Maëlle Doliveux, and it was created as part of the monthly show "Animated Stories" which runs at UCB's new East Village, NYC location. Check it out and learn how Gethard... Read More

If you haven't yet seen Derrick Comedy's hilarious flick Mystery Team, you're missing out on a sorely underrated comedy featuring comedians DC Pierson, Dominic Dierkes and Donald Glover from NBC's "Community." Now the film's director Dan Eckman is working with at least one member of the comedy group again as Collider has learned that the filmmaker will adapt Pierson's coming-of-age novel The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To. Read More

Paste Magazine August 22, 2011
10 Best Podcasts Right Now
by Ross Bonaime

With the influence of radio dwindling, podcasts now cater to virtually any interest and taste. There are literally thousands of different programs from which to choose, from podcasts that teach you how to speak different languages to those offering the latest economic information. Still, finding that perfect podcast can be daunting. To help you make an educated decision, here are our 10 favorite podcasts... Read More

SF Weekly August 30, 2011
Meet the Taco-Loving Creator of That Funny Kreayfish "Fishy Fishy" Kreayshawn Parody
by Ian S. Port

Instead of ragging on high-end fashion labels, what if Kreayshawn's "Gucci Gucci" was about loving fish tacos?

Comedy students Jeremy Burke and Will Reese took that weird question and turned it into an exacting -- and funny -- video parody of the Oakland-via-L.A. rapper's breakout single. The "Fishy Fishy" clip, credited to a Natassia Zolot-lookalike... Read More

Examiner August 11, 2011
Casey Wilson's "The Realest Real Housewives" to return to L.A.!
by Danielle Turchiano

There's big news for Happy Endings' Casey Wilson come September! Not only is the actress getting to play opposite comedy royalty Megan Mullally who was cast as her mom but she'll also have a "hilarity ensues" storyline all her own when her character of Penny moves in with Elisha Cuthbert's Alex. Judging from their antics while having "girls' nights" last season, these... Read More

Los Angeles Times August 29, 2011
Chris Colfer and Walton Goggins to present Creative Arts Emmys
by Tom O'Neil

Chris Colfer and Brad Falchuk of "Glee" and Walton Goggins and Graham Yost of "Justified" are among the new batch of presenters who will dole out prizes at the Creative Arts Emmys on Sept. 10.

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences also named Rebecca Romijn and Paul Scheer ("NTSF:SD:SUV"), Priscilla Presley and Steve Binder ("Elvis' '68 Comeback Special"), H. Jon... Read More

Variety September 1, 2011
Ed Helms to star in 'Le Mac' remake
by Jeff Sneider

'The Hangover' star will topline, produce the laffer for Ben Stiller's Red Hour

MRC and Ben Stiller's Red Hour Films are reteaming on a remake of 2010 French film "Le Mac," with "The Hangover" star Ed Helms toplining and producing.

The original French pic, directed by Pascal Bourdiaux, follows a mild-mannered banker forced to masquerade as a notorious gangster and pimp. Thomas Langemann of Le... Read More

Laughspin September 1, 2011
Marc Maron television pilot will premiere at the New York Television Festival
by Billy Procida

If you listen to Marc Maron's podcast WTF (and if you don't, then you have made some mistakes in your life and should go fix that), you know that the angsty comedian shot a pilot for a television show back in June. Well, it has been announced that the pilot episode will make its world premiere at the 2011 New York Television Festival this month.

The show,... Read More

Examiner.com August 17, 2011
Is the world ready for the Talking Classics Keith Apicary Apicarnage Tour 2011?
by Charles Huang, NY Video Game Culture Examiner

Will it ever be ready? Well whether you're ready or not, the "Borat of the gaming world" is coming to a North American town near you.

Not familiar with him? Well I am. I met him first hand at his panel at PAX East where he hit on the ladies, fell from the table, did an epic backflip and eventually got kicked out. (Check it... Read More

Watch UCBT's
Charlie Sanders (Shitty Jobs, Minnesota Muslim) in the premiere of MTV's DEATH VALLEY tonight, August 29th tonight at 10:30pm/9:30pm CST

Also involved are UCBT's
Curtis Gwinn (writer) and
Eric Appel (director).

Here's the full summary from
MTV.com, where you can also watch the trailers!

A year ago, vampires, werewolves and zombies mysteriously descended upon the streets of California's San Fernando Valley. Death Valley is the dark comedy that follows the... Read More

<b>
BRAD SACKS GETS A HANDJOB @ THE UCBT</b>

Illustration: Ramsey Ess

By: Lucas Hazlett

According to Joseph Campbell's definition of a monomyth, or Hero's Journey, every great narrative -- whether it be a movie, television show, play or novel -- follows the same essential story line. A single character leaves his or her normal way of life after another character compels them to obtain a valuable object or perform an important task.

In Lord of the Rings, Frodo leaves the shire after... Read More

<b>
Hot New Show: MTV's The Substitute</b>
by Laura Rosenfeld

Can you imagine getting paid to go to school? That's what happens on MTV's new game show The Substitute, premiering September 12! Students at high schools and colleges across the country think it's just a regular day when the "substitute teacher" walks into the classroom. When he opens up his briefcase filled with cash though, the students find out that he's really
Jon Gabrus, host of The Substitute, and they are on a game... Read More

Variety August 8, 2011
Middleditch takes 'Road to Nardo'
by Jeff Sneider

'Hangover' scribe Armstrong to make feature helming debut

Exclusive: Just weeks after being named one of Variety's 10 Comics to Watch, Thomas Middleditch ("Splinterheads") has landed the title role in Columbia Pictures' comedy "Road to Nardo."

"The Hangover" scribe Scot Armstrong will make his feature directing debut with the film, which follows two roommates who go to great lengths to save their friend... Read More

Deadline Hollywood August 12, 2011
Comedian Luka Jones Lands Male Lead In New NBC Comedy Series 'BFF'
by Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Upright Citizens Brigade performer Luka Jones has landed the male lead opposite UCB alumni Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair in the midseason NBC comedy series BFF. The single-camera comedy, created by Parham and St. Clair, centers on Jessica (St. Clair) and Lennon (Parham), best friends forever, who live on opposite sides of the country. But when... Read More

Variety August 8, 2011
Middleditch takes 'Road to Nardo'
by Jeff Sneider

'Hangover' scribe Armstrong to make feature helming debut

Exclusive: Just weeks after being named one of Variety's 10 Comics to Watch, Thomas Middleditch ("Splinterheads") has landed the title role in Columbia Pictures' comedy "Road to Nardo."

"The Hangover" scribe Scot Armstrong will make his feature directing debut with the film, which follows two roommates who go to great lengths to save their friend... Read More