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It's Awards, Festival, and TCA Season, Oh My

A Good Time To Remember The Adage: Don’t Quit Before The Miracle!

But first, can you believe it’s the 10th anniversary of this meme?

Thanks to for reminding all of us, and to the original artist, KC Green, for reflecting on his six-panel comic (oh yeah, there was/is more) he posted on Jan. 9, 2013. Green wrote about it on his Tumblr (oh yeah, Tumblr!) last week, and here’s an excerpt, which comedians and other creative artists might be able to relate to on some level:

When a work gets as big as this has, is it still yours? Not talking about copyright and legal stuff. It says something larger that everyone can feel and relate to. I did not go through what Matt Furie (Editor’s note: Pepe the Frog) has, but there is a similar level of control you just Don’t Have anymore when your work becomes a meme on this level. I got lucky being able to ride it out a little. But it’s not perfectly in my grasp. There’s plenty of bootleggers and grifters who just use memes as freely as the air they breath.

So if you love his “On Fire” aka “This Is Fine” toon so much, why don’tcha buy some merch from him?

Speaking of supporting creatives…

And now to our top stories of the week:

Awards Are Meaningless, Unless You Win One, Then Huzzah!

In the past week, we’ve seen Golden Globes and Critics Choice awards handed out, as well as nominations for the guilds (SAG-AFTRA, WGA, and more). Jerrod Carmichael and Chelsea Handler gave us the yin and the yang of hosting monologues. Carmichael forced not only the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but also the celebs in the room and the dwindling live audience watching on NBC/Peacock, to grapple with systemic racism, privilege and pomposity. Might not be great for ratings, but isn’t that part of the point?! Handler, meanwhile, delivered a traditional good-natured ribbing while raving about Hollywood stars at the Critics Choice Awards, which aired on The CW, so as presenter Seth Rogen pointed out, you didn’t watch them, either.

And the winners were/are…

Ke Huy Quan for Everything Everywhere All At Once (GG, CC); Jennifer Coolidge for The White Lotus (GG, CC); Sheryl Lee Ralph for Abbott Elementary (GG, CC); Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (CC); Henry Winkler for Barry (CC); Daniel Radcliffe for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (CC), and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (CC); the Daniels (Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert) for Everything Everywhere All at Once (original screenplay and best director and best picture, CC); The Banshees of Inisherin (GG); Martin McDonagh for The Banshees of Inisherin (original screenplay, GG); Michelle Yeoh for Everything Everywhere All at Once (GG); Colin Farrell for The Banshees of Inisherin (GG); Jeremy Allen White for The Bear (GG, CC); Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary (GG); Jean Smart for Hacks (CC); Tyler James Williams for Abbott Elementary (GG); Abbott Elementary (GG, CC); Niecy Nash Betts for Dahmer (GG, CC); Bob Odenkirk for Better Call Saul (CC); Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (CC); and Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (Best Comedy Special, CC).

Wait. Is The Bear on FX on Hulu supposed to be a comedy? If you count me running into Jeremy Allen White in an airport bathroom in JFK one time pre-pandemic, then sure? Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, meanwhile, may have been technically a great achievement in animation, but as a movie, I felt more fascism than enjoyment. Please rectify this snubbing of Marcel the Shell With Shoes On at the Oscars!

The Screen Actors Guild nominees for 2023 include these comedy-specific categories:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Anthony Carrigan, Barry; Bill Hader, Barry; Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building; Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building; Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Christina Applegate, Dead to Me; Rachel Brosnahan The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary; Jenna Ortega, Wednesday; Jean Smart, Hacks

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: Abbott Elementary, Barry, The Bear, Hacks, Only Murders in the Building

Writers Guild Awards nominees for 2023 include these comedy-specific categories:

COMEDY SERIES

  • Abbott Elementary: Quinta Brunson, Ava Coleman, Riley Dufurrena, Justin Halpern, Joya McCrory, Morgan Murphy, Brittani Nichols, Kate Peterman, Brian Rubenstein, Patrick Schumacker, Justin Tan, Jordan Temple, Garrett Werner; ABC

  • Barry: Emma Barrie, Alec Berg, Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader, Emily Heller, Nicky Hirschhorn, Jason Kim, Liz Sarnoff; HBO/HBO Max

  • The Bear: Karen Joseph Adcock, Joanna Calo, Rene Gube, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Alex O’Keefe, Catherine Schetina, Christopher Storer; FX Networks

  • Hacks: Lucia Aniello, Jessica Chaffin, Paul W. Downs, Ariel Karlin, Andrew Law, Joe Mande, Aisha Muharrar, Pat Regan, Samantha Riley, Jen Statsky; HBO/HBO Max

  • Only Murders in the Building: Matteo Borghese, Rachel Burger, Kirker Butler, Valentina Garza, Madeleine George, Joshua Allen Griffith, John Hoffman, Noah Levine, Stephen Markley, Kristin Newman, Ben Philippe, Ben Smith, Rob Turbovsky; Hulu

ANIMATION

  • “Girls Just Shauna Have Fun” (The Simpsons) by Jeff Westbrook; Fox 

  • “The Pain Garden” (Tuca & Bertie) by Lisa Hanawalt; Adult Swim

  • “Pixelated and Afraid” (The Simpsons) by John Frink, Fox

  • “Rectify” (Undone) by Elijah Aron & Patrick Metcalf; Prime Video

  • “The Sound of Bleeding Gums” (The Simpsons) by Loni Steele Sosthand; Fox

  • “To Bob, or Not To Bob” (Bob’s Burgers) by Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin & Wendy Molyneux; Fox

EPISODIC COMEDY

  • “The Beginning” (Grace and Frankie) by Marta Kauffman & Howard J. Morris; Netflix

  • “Braciole” (The Bear) by Joanna Calo & Christopher Storer; FX Networks  

  • “Foie Gras” (Julia) by Daniel Goldfarb & Chris Keyser; HBO/HBO Max   

  • “Private School” (What We Do in the Shadows) by Ayo Edebiri & Shana Gohd; FX Networks    

  • “The One, The Only” (Hacks) by Lucia Aniello & Paul W. Downs & Jen Statsky; HBO/HBO Max

  • “Wide Net” (Reservation Dogs) by Tazbah Rose Chavez; FX Networks

COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES

  • Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Head Writers Kristen Bartlett, Mike Drucker Supervising Writers Joe Grossman, Sahar Rizvi, Alison Zeidman Writers Samantha Bee, Pat Cassels, Sean Alexander Crespo, Miles Kahn, Michael Rhoa, Chris Thompson, Holly Walker; TBS

  • Hell of a Week with Charlamagne Tha God by Cynia Barnwell, Josh Lieb, Charles McBee, Dan McCoy, Lenard McKelvey, Andre D. Thompson; Comedy Central

  • Jimmy Kimmel Live! Head Writers Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker Writers Jamie Abrahams, Rory Albanese, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Bryan Cook, Blaire Erskine, Devin Field, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Eric Immerman, Jesse Joyce, Jimmy Kimmel, Greg Martin,  Jesse McLaren, Keaton Patti, Louis Virtel, Troy Walker; ABC

  • Late Night with Seth Meyers Head Writer Alex Baze Supervising Writers Seth Reiss, Mike Scollins Closer Look Supervising Writer Sal Gentile Writers Jermaine Affonso, Karen Chee, Bryan Donaldson, Matt Goldich, Dina Gusovsky, Jenny Hagel, Allison Hord, Mike Karnell, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Ian Morgan, Seth Reiss, Amber Ruffin, Mike Shoemaker, Ben Warheit, Jeff Wright; NBC

  • Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Senior Writers Daniel O’Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Seena Vali Writers Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Ryan Ken, Mark Kramer, Sofia Manfredi, John Oliver, Taylor Kay Phillips, Chrissy Shackelford; HBO/HBO Max

  • The Problem with Jon Stewart Head Writer Kristen Acimovic Writers Henrik Blix, Rob Christensen, Jay Jurden, Alexa Loftus, Tocarra Mallard, Maria Randazzo, Robby Slowik, Jon Stewart, Kasaun Wilson; Apple TV+

  • Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News Head Writers Mike Leech, Zach Smilovitz Supervising Writers Addison Anderson, Bob Powers Writers Sarah Caldwell, Stephen Colbert, RJ Fried, Julie Greiner, Ron Metellus, Libby Schreiner, Hannah Wright; Comedy Central

COMEDY/VARIETY SKETCH SERIES 

  • Inside Amy Schumer Georgie Aldaco, Rosebud Baker, Jeremy Beiler, Cazzie David, Tova Diker, Derek Gaines, Jon Glaser, Jaye McBride, Tim Meadows, Christine Nangle, Daniel Powell, Tami Sagher, Amy Schumer, Joe Strazzullo, Sydnee Washington, Ron Weiner; Paramount+

  • PAUSE with Sam Jay Emmy Blotnick, Ryan Donahue, Megan Gailey, Sam Jay, Joyelle Johnson, Langston Kerman, Jak Knight, Teresa Lo, Lucy Ortiz, Lorena Russi; HBO/HBO Max

  • Saturday Night Live Head Writers Michael Che, Alison Gates, Colin Jost, Streeter Seidell, Kent Sublette Senior Writer Bryan Tucker Writers James Anderson, Rosebud Baker, Dan Bulla, Mike DiCenzo, Billy Domineau, James Downey, Alex English, Jimmy Fowlie, Martin Herlihy, John Higgins, Steve Higgins, Vannessa Jackson, Erik Kenward, Tesha Kondrat, Ben Marshall, Lorne Michaels, Jake Nordwind, Clare O’Kane, Ceara O’Sullivan, Simon Rich, Ben Silva, John Solomon, Will Stephen, Nicole Sun, Auguste White, Celeste Yim Weekend Update Head Writer Pete Schultz Weekend Update Writers Megan Callahan-Shah, Dennis McNicholas, Josh Patten, KC Shornima; Mark Steinbach; NBC

COMEDY/VARIETY SPECIALS

  • The National Memorial Day Concert 2022 by Kirk Ellis, Jon Macks Special Material Written by Rita Brent; PBS

  • Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration: Head Writers Matt Roberts, Beth Sherman Writers Rita Brent, Page Hurwitz, Carey O’Donnell Special Material Written by Guy Branum, Chris Sartinsky, Louis Virtel; Netflix

  • The Problem with Jon Stewart: Election Wrap-Up Special Head Writer Kristen Acimovic Writers Henrik Blix, Rob Christensen, Jay Jurden, Alexa Loftus, Tocarra Mallard, Robby Slowik, Maria Randazzo, Jon Stewart, Kasaun Wilson; Apple TV+

  • Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel by Jerrod Carmichael; HBO/HBO Max

Mark Your Calendars

The 2023 CBS SHOWCASE, premieres with a Hollywood screening this Tuesday, and additional virtual screenings Wednesday, Jan. 18 and Thursday, Jan. 19 at 1:00 PM, PT, 4:00 PM, PT and 7:00 PM, PT. This year’s cast members include: Adisa Williams (Kingston, Jamaica), Alise Morales (Fairfax, Va.), D.J. Mausner (Toronto, Ontario), Evan Mills (Chicago, Ill.), Geoffrey James (Cleveland, Ohio), Jake Szczepaniak (Wheaton, Ill.), Jetta Juriansz (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Joseph Lymous (New Orleans, La.), Lorena Russi (Queens, N.Y.), Miya Kodama (Fresno, Calif.), Vinny Thomas (Denver, Colo.) and Zae Jordan (Atlanta, Ga.).

A Tale Of Two Sad, Bad Men In Comedy

Last week saw two more men in comedy circles outed for being sex pests, abusive, or both. Only Andrew Callaghan, the 25-year-old star and frontman of the new HBO Max documentary, This Place Rules, posted an apology video for his troubles. Multiple women had surfaced claims on TiTok alleging Callaghan had pressured them into sex. Tim Heidecker, one of the HBO Max film’s producers, said: “We’re aware of the allegations. We take them very seriously. It’s been very sad and disappointing, to say the least. I just want to clarify a couple things. We have no professional relationship with Andrew at this time and have no plans going forward to have any relationship with him. We did produce the movie, and I feel terrible that this film now has these allegations tied to it because some very good people worked very hard on it. But it’s just a movie, and I want to say we believe these women that came forward and, of course, totally condemn the type of behavior that Andrew’s being accused of.”

What I appreciate about Callaghan’s video is not so much the intention to seek treatment (because resulting actions/behaviors remain TBD), but in his tacit acknowledgement in how society normalized this facet of toxic masculinity. It feels very generational to me, since Callaghan is squarely Gen Z. Aziz Ansari, a 39-year-old Millennial, took a much different approach when hit with similar accusations. And then there’s Justin Roiland. Roiland, 42, co-created Rick and Morty, Solar Opposites, and EPs the brand-new Hulu series, Koala Man. We learned Thursday that Roiland faces one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit, from an incident against a woman in 2020 in Orange County, Calif. He has denied the charges through his attorney. But other women, including women I know, have come forward with other allegations and evidence of Roiland being a creep. This is where I tell you I haven’t watched a single episode of Rick and Morty. And this Adult Swim promo with Dan Harmon and Roiland does nobody no favors, either.

All this comes as we learn even more about what Geena Davis had to endure from Bill Murray some 30 years ago. Jeez, us. (Us = men). We are the problem. Still.

Industry News and Notes

  • ABC renewed Abbott Elementary for season 3, obviously.

  • CBS renewed Ghosts for season 3, obviously.

  • Netflix renewed Mo Amer’s Mo for a second and final season.

  • Starz picked up Minx after HBO Max dropped it.

  • Netflix ordered A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou, a special following the comedian from birth through death in character studies alongside Ellie White, Sian Clifford, Jon Pointing, Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Katy Wix.

  • FOX is developing El Patio, a multi-cam from writer Danny Fernandez, Roselyn Sanchez and Eric Winter’s Two For The Road Entertainment, Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and Fox Entertainment, about a group of mostly Latin neighbors of all ages, races and walks of life, who welcome a new neighbor, Gabriel Suarez, into their small Miami apartment building.

  • Eugenio Derbez and Ben Odell are developing Put@s Redes Sociales for Prime Video, starring Paulina Gaitán and Azul Guaita, about influencers who are rivals and sisters.

  • Kevin Hart is repurposing his Quibi/Roku short-form series, Die Hart, into a feature-length film for Prime Video. Premiering Feb. 24.

  • At the Winter TCAs (TV Critics Association) press tour, Hulu unveiled a new teaser from Mel Brooks!

History of the World, Part II, an eight-episode series, premieres Monday, March 6 with two episodes. Two new episodes will drop daily, with the finale Thursday, March 9. Mel Brooks wrote and EP’d the series along with Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen. Kevin Salter, David Greenbaum and Christie Smith also as EPs. Alice Mathias, David Stassen, Nick Kroll and Lance Bangs directed. A production of Searchlight Television and 20th Television.

SXSW 2023 Film Premieres

Debuting this March in Austin, these comedy-related titles:

Problemista Director/Screenwriter: Julio Torres, Producers: Emma Stone, Dave McCary, Ali Herting — Alejandro (Torres) is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast (Swinton) becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream. From writer/director Julio Torres comes a surreal adventure through the equally treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. Immigration system. Cast List: Julio Torres, Tilda Swinton, RZA (World Premiere)

I Used To Be Funny (Canada) Director/Screenwriter: Ally Pankiw, Producers: James Weyman, Jason Aita, Breann Smordin — Sam, a stand-up comedian struggling with PTSD, weighs whether or not to join the search for Brooke, a missing teenage girl she used to nanny. Cast List: Rachel Sennott, Olga Petsa, Jason Jones, Sabrina Jalees, Caleb Hearon, Ennis Esmer, Dani Kind (World Premiere)

Late Bloomers Director: Lisa Steen, Producers: Alexandra Barreto, Taylor Feltner, Sam Bisbee, Screenwriter: Anna Greenfield — An aimless 28-year-old Brooklynite lands in the hospital after drunkenly breaking her hip being stupid. An encounter with a cranky elderly Polish woman who speaks no English leads to a job caring for her. Neither likes it, but it’s time to grow up. Cast List: Karen Gillan, Margaret Sophie Stein, Jermaine Fowler, Kevin Nealon, Talia Balsam (World Premiere)

Scrambled Director/Screenwriter: Leah McKendrick, Producers: Gillian Bohrer, Jonathan Levine, Brett Haley, Amanda Mortimer — A broke, single millennial unleashes an existential shitstorm when she freezes her eggs. Cast List: Leah McKendrick, Ego Nwodim, Andrew Santino, Clancy Brown, Laura Ceron, Yvonne Strahovski, June Diane Raphael, Adam Rodriguez, Brett Dier, Sterling Sulieman (World Premiere)

If You Were the Last Director: Kristian Mercado, Producers: Andrew Miano, Dan Balgoyen, Britta Rowings, Dennis Masel, Gabrielle Nadig, Jessamine Burgum, Kara Durrett, Jon Levin, Sean Woods, Screenwriter: Angela Bourassa — Adrift in their broken-down space shuttle with little hope of rescue, a male and female astronaut argue over whether they’re better off spending their remaining days as friends or something more. Cast List: Anthony Mackie, Zoë Chao, Natalie Morales, Geoff Stults (World Premiere)

Self Reliance  Director/Screenwriter: Jake Johnson, Producers: Jake Johnson, Ali Bell, Joe Hardesty — Given the opportunity to participate in a life or death reality game show, one man discovers there’s a lot to live for. Cast List: Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Andy Samberg, Natalie Morales, Christopher Lloyd, Wayne Brady, GaTa, Emily Hampshire, Mary Holland, Boban Marjanović (World Premiere)

Jacquie Brown Needs Your Help

Comedian Jacquie Brown, who competed for Miss America as Miss Washington in 2010, has a Go Fund Me to help her in her ongoing recovery from a car accident AND a heart attack. Click here to help.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnXkGkJSx0c

R.I.P. Elizabeth McQuern

Elizabeth McQuern died unexpectedly last Monday, Jan. 9. She was 50. The former editor of The Bastion and longtime producer of Chicago Underground Comedy (CHUC) at Beat Kitchen was an instrumental and influential proponent of Chicago’s comedy scene in the late 2000s.

Read her obituary for funeral service information and more.

Support her family at this GoFundMe.

Louis CK Livestreaming Sold-Out MSG Show

In case you were wondering how Louis C.K. is doing, his Jan. 28 show in the round at Madison Square Garden has sold out already. He announced he’s also selling virtual livestreaming tickets for $25 on his site — you can watch live or anytime until Feb. 17, when he’s taking it down. He filmed the same material on Jan. 7-8 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, and plans to release that as his next special in April.

Meanwhile, more than 1.3 million views and counting for this sit-down he did with Theo Von last week. It’s wildly personal and revealing. What he said related to his MSG show, CK told Von: “That to me is like a way to say kind of a one more and goodbye to that (arena fame) level. And then I’m probably going to take a break for a while. I think I might take a year or more off and not perform for a while. I want to feel what life feels like without — I haven’t done that since I was 18.” So he’s not counting 2017-2018?!? Anyhow. This video is worth your time, unless it triggers you.

CNN Looking For A Comedian?!

This weekend’s Semafor dispatch by Max Tani delves into the idea that new CNN chief Chris Licht wants to have a comedian anchor some of the news network’s primetime programming: “The “news entertainment” personality could fill the primetime 9 to 11 p.m. hours with a nontraditional version of the news, five people familiar with the planning said. CNN executives have floated names including Bill Maher, Trevor Noah, Arsenio Hall, and Jon Stewart, and have looked at other comedic news-focused talk shows for inspiration.”

Ummmmm, they already have an Emmy-winning host with talk-show experience on their roster: W. Kamau Bell! Bell has hosted CNN’s United Shades of America since 2016, and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell from 2012-13 on FX/FXX, and last year helmed the Showtime docuseries, We Need To Talk About Cosby.

Last Week’s Specials

New on Netflix: Andrew Santino: Cheeseburger (my review)

New on YouTube (Self-released unless otherwise noted):

New on Amazon Prime:

THIS WEEK: 8

(First week of 2023: 4)

Running total for 2023: 12 stand-up specials!

Late-Night Roundup

Fun Things To Do In NYC

This week’s show(s) I plugged in The New York Times: I plugged River L. Ramirez’s night of performance art comedy “Art Is Dead,” which took place Friday the 13th at Littelfield.

Would you like to promote your comedy show or album or special or whatnot on this newsletter???

You can plug your projects in the comments if you’re a PAID SUBSCRIBER of Piffany! Or, if you’d rather have me include your project in the body of the weekly From The Comic’s Comic roundup, please let me know and we can work out the details.

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