Ali Siddiq spent six years in prison, serving time in various jails and penitentiaries after an arrest at 19 for drug possession. Twenty years later, Siddiq went back. It’s Bigger Than These Bars, premiering Friday night on Comedy Central, finds Siddiq performing for and talking to inmates at Bell County Jail in Texas: “I’m back […]
Continue ReadingComedian, television writer, actress, and New York Times best-selling author are enviable titles to have associated with your name by the young age of 33. Phoebe Robinson, ever the consummate multi-hyphenate, has not only achieved all of those aforementioned high-water marks, but she’s currently adding one more honorific to her professional index: Podcast Royalty. Robinson […]
Continue ReadingIt’s been one hell of a news cycle for Reductress. The site dedicated its entire landing page to rape culture back in 2016, partially in response to how sexual assault was being discussed in the comedy world. Today, every website’s homepage looks like Reductress in 2016: an endless parade of misogyny and poorly thought out […]
Continue ReadingIt’s perhaps not correct to say that Natasha Rothwell is “transitioning” from being a writer to an actress, because she still seems to be excelling at both and doesn’t intend to stop working behind the scenes. It’s just that you may be seeing a lot more of her in the coming years. A lot more. […]
Continue ReadingComedy fans may best know Nathan Lee Graham as Todd, the panicky assistant of Jacobim Mugatu in Zoolander and Zoolander 2. But that is merely scratching the latte-drenched surface of Graham’s body of work. He has added his certain level of glamour to guesting roles on Absolutely Fabulous, Scrubs, The Comeback, Priscilla Queen of the […]
Continue ReadingSometimes hard issues need a light touch, which is where comedian Jena Friedman comes in. In her new Adult Swim mini-special Soft Focus with Jena Friedman (premiering this Sunday, February 18th at midnight), she approaches issues like campus rape and the story of the Cannibal Cop with a surreal sensibility that straddles the line between […]
Continue ReadingWhen Chris Rock abruptly announced yesterday that Tamborine — his first of two intensely anticipated Netflix specials — would be premiering in less than 24 hours, comedy fans let out a collective “Finally!” Not only was Rock’s record-breaking deal with the streaming goliath announced all the way back in 2016, but he spent the majority […]
Continue ReadingWhen faced with the loss of her father, comedian Laurie Kilmartin was confronted with an additional challenge: how to make a topic as well-tread as death funny and original. “It’s like trying to do a joke about airplane food.” She started with her moving 2016 comedy special 45 Jokes About My Dead Dad. But even […]
Continue ReadingWhen life gives her low-key anxiety, Aparna Nancherla makes lemonade. As a comedian and actor she has molded a successful career from her anxiety, depression, and general weirdness, gaining popularity by just being herself, neuroses and all. 2018 is shaping up to be a big year for Nancherla, who can currently be seen on Comedy […]
Continue ReadingGuy Branum has seen a lot and worn many different hats in his comedy career, which dates back to the early 2000s. He’s written for and appeared in shows for Chelsea Handler on Chelsea Lately, Mindy Kaling on The Mindy Project, and W. Kamau Bell on Totally Biased. Branum is also a standup, having released […]
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