Every Thursday we highlight the best comedy of the coming weekend. Find more comedy events at dallasobserver.com/calendar.
An Intimate Evening With Bruce Vilanch at The Rose Room Bruce Vilanch is here to dish, and it's gonna be good. He's the head writer for the Oscars, pals with Bette Midler and Whoopi Goldberg, and the center square in everyone's heart. The show this Thursday is a journey through the six-time Emmy winner's crazy career, from his childhood claim-to-fame as a Lane Bryant Charming Chub model to the t-shirt wearing, LGBT activist, comedy writer we know today. VIP tickets are available and include seats up front and a meet & greet with the red-spectacled funny man.
Dallas Comedy Festival at the Dallas Comedy House This massive comedy event, now in its fourth year, kicked off Tuesday, and it's powering right through this weekend. Thursday through Saturday is an improv lover's dream. Come out and see some of DCH's own, including Kyle & Drew, Radio! Radio!, David & Terry, Roadside Couch, and Samurai Drunk. Out-of-towners include Off Book and Ballpark Theater Company from Oklahoma City, The 787s from Austin, and Winter Formal from Chicago (just to name a few). Come check out the best of improv while taking advantage of DCH's full bar. Perfection.
Stephen Lynch at the House of Blues Part singer/songwriter, part comedian, Stephen Lynch is swinging by Dallas to promote his new musical comedy album, Lion. According to Lynch, "Musically, it's the best work I've ever done. I'm a little bit in love with it." But that doesn't preclude it from laughs. "I'm confident the songs are still funny, if a bit subtler than some of my earlier work." Check out the show this Thursday, where we hope to hear these future Top 40 hits, among others: "No Meat," "Too Jesusy" and "Whiskey Dick." Yah, real subtle, Lynch.
Matt Golightly at Hyena's in Fort Worth Your Snuggie is a fuckin' sheet with sleeves, people! This is just one enlightening nugget of information you'll get from comedian Matt Golightly. A UT grad, Golightly did a 180 away from an office job and hit the road to hone his comedy skills. He's been on Fox TV, LAT TV, and The Bob & Tom Show, and recently participated in the San Francisco International Comedy Competition. He'll be here this Friday and Saturday to warn you against all 3 a.m. purchasing and more.
Steve Hirst at Hyena's in Dallas This comedic import from Manchester, England, can offend practically every nationality in under two minutes, which I'm sure is some kind of record. Is there a reason ghosts in American movies have English accents? What are we saying? Hirst manages to highlight what separates the U.S. from the U.K. in a fresh, new way. Ever stop to think what a Brit might think a fanny pack is? Ponder that one for a minute. He'll be here this Friday through Sunday.
