Madison Shepard and her dog Lexi sit on a couch in their home in Los Angeles, where it’s 75 degrees and sunny on a late November day, just like most days of the year in California. The multi-hyphenate comedian-writer-actor is currently “unemployed” during the pandemic, but for an artist, that’s…
Thanks to a military coup and a brutal dictatorship with 60 years of oppressive experience, Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef had to move with his family to America because he dared to openly mock governmental authority. Not long afteward, Youssef found himself standing on the floor of the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse…
Comedy clubs are in uncharted territory thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. Places that once attracted sold-out crowds are having to cut their audience limits in half or close altogether. The Backdoor Comedy Club is a little more familiar with the struggle to stay open. It has opened and closed 12…
Four women accused actor and stand-up comedian Bryan Callen of sexual misconduct as far back as 1999 in a Los Angeles Times story published in July. This news came on top of revelations that Callen and his partner Brendan Schaub on their former podcast Fighter and the Kid tested positive for COVID-19 following…
Comedians may be fearless enough to get on stage and perform, but steel nerves and supernatural bravery don’t help when facing a particular kind of audience. We’re not talking about talent scouts from major cable networks who sum up entire careers based on two minutes of material nor about mobs…
The 46th season of Saturday Night Live was christened over the weekend with musical guest Megan Thee Stallion and the show’s legendary alumnus Chris Rock as host, and in typical SNL fashion, reception among fans and critics was mixed. In the show’s defense, however, its season premiere is notoriously awkward…
There’s no question that the coronavirus pandemic shutdowns of clubs and venues have been a hard hit on comedy communities, from open mic performers in coffee shop corners to headlining acts who are unable to pack theaters. Comedian Steve Hofstetter used to spend most of his year on the road…
2020 has to be one of the worst years for live comedy. The coronavirus is, among other things, preventing live audiences from feeding a comedian’s innate need to be the center of attention. Some annual showcases, such as the Dallas and Fort Worth Comedy Festivals, had to postpone or outright…
What does podcast sensation and certified buff man Joe Rogan have in common with Glenn Beck and Matthew McConaughey? They are now all residents of the great (yeah, why not?) state of Texas. Back in July, Rogan announced his decision to move his massively popular show, The Joe Rogan Experience,…
NFL cheerleaders and mascots will not be allowed on the field for the 2020 season, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. “Per NFL and NFLPA protocols, there will be no game-day entertainment personnel on the field on game days,” says Joe Trahan, the Cowboys media relations and corporate communications coordinator. “The…
Improvised comedy scenes have what is called a “cut.” A performer runs across the stage in front of whatever is happening on stage to signal to players and audience members that the scene has reached its logical, or sometimes illogical, conclusion. As with all things in improvised theater, predicting what…
A Dallas comedy institution just announced it will be closing its red doors for the last time. Amanda Austin, the owner and founder of The Dallas Comedy House (DCH) in Deep Ellum, announced on her Facebook page that she’s made the difficult decision to the close the comedy theater. “I…
It’s easy to believe that a comedy scene wouldn’t exist without comics like Clint Werth. The deeper truth is that there wouldn’t be a great comedy scene without comics like Werth. “Clint was a guy who played it so cool all the time,” says comedian and Dallas Comedy House (DCH)…
When the pandemic forced theaters across the world to shut their doors and halt productions, almost immediately, theaters turned to the internet to unleash their works to the public. Streamed theater productions are now becoming a norm. National Theatre Live, which in the past has shown recordings of prestigious theater…
Two years ago, a group of comedians pulled an epic prank on one of their friends at the Arlington Improv. Comedian George “Redd Speaks” Rojas got arrested on stage. Rojas says he was in the middle of a set before a packed room and just as he was about to…
Those of us still sheltering in place because of the pandemic are getting tired of the same old entertainment on streaming sites; those of us beginning to tentatively venture outside our houses are eager to find live entertainment in a socially distanced world. Artists, too, hunger to provide entertainment and…
In the new film Selfie Dad, lead character Ben Marcus speeds away from home in a fit of rage and is abruptly pulled over by a police officer. The scene in the original script called for Ben to get out of the car nonchalantly, but when considering the role, actor…
While much of the country has been busy trying to eradicate a bigger epidemic, systemic racism, the coronavirus still lurks around us. Confirmed COVID cases continue to increase daily, riding that second wave and putting Texas in the lead. We reminded you back in April of the many things you…
HBO Max, a new subscription streaming service by WarnerMedia Entertainment, launched Wednesday and offers new original programming. One of those new shows is a romantic comedy anthology series called Love Life, where each season focuses on the romantic life of one character. The first season centers on a young woman…
Theater is one sector of the arts that requires a live audience in order to exist, and companies all over the world are suffering the devastating effects of the pandemic. Even the Globe in London, the renowned replica of Shakespeare’s theater, is reportedly on the verge of shuttering permanently. In North Texas,…
The arts have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and theater and dance groups are no exception. Not only have the lockdowns been financially problematic for local theaters, but the very heart and soul of live theater is also facing a precarious future. The reason we go to the…
The shelter-in-place order that started in March pretty much brought Dallas’ comedy community to a standstill. If there’s no audience, there’s no show, right? Comics and comedy groups have really had to step up their MacGyver-like resourcefulness to set up virtual shows during the pandemic. The results are some truly…
