Happy February and Happy Black History Month!
Before I get into this week's email, I'd like to ask a quick favor from you: if this email goes to your "promotions" tab in Gmail, would you please drag it over into your main inbox? Google, in a way that almost feels like a deliberate prank, has started tagging every email I send (newsletter or not) as a promotion, which I find both very funny and a validation of my deepest fears and insecurities about being too self-promotional. So if you wouldn't mind dragging this into the main inbox and helping me convince Google that I'm a real human boy and not just some sort of coupon bot, I would really appreciate it.
Upcoming Events
NEW YORK
Friday, February 7th and Saturday, February 8th. Next week, I'll be doing the first public workshops of my new stage show about long term couples and new scientific research on love. It's presented by All For One Theater and tickets are free (email info@afo.nyc to RSVP) Link with more info
LOS ANGELES
Wednesday, March 25th at 7 pm at the Lyric-Hyperion Theatre. Matt Porter and I are hosting another edition of our show where comedians give hilarious presentation on any topic they want. The show is now called Powerful Points and it's going to be great. Link
BONUS FOR EAST COAST READERS:
I am not involved in this show at all, but The Crossword Show is one of my absolute favorite comedy shows I've seen since moving to LA. It's touring the East Coast (NY, MA, VT) this month. Get tickets before they sell out. It's so unique and amazing. Link
This week’s list
GREAT:
I finally got around to watching Dolemite is My Name last night and it's as funny and great as everyone says. Eddie Murphy is so good, the script is perfect, and it's definitely one of the best films I've seen this year. As an added bonus, Eddie Murphy doing press for the movie means there are a lot of new interviews with him, like this fantastic (and NSFW) Q&A with W Magazine that includes the terrible comedy advice he once got from Rodney Dangerfield.
FUNNY:
It's a long story that I don't have time to get into right now, but this week I debated the morals of taking a comedy job that was funded by some very shady characters. I ultimately decided not to do it. In part, that was because of a conversation with my friend Myq Kaplan, where we talked about the difference between working for someone you know is bad versus discovering that the company you work for does bad stuff once you already work there. As a follow up, Myq sent me this truly hilarious bit by Paul F. Tompkins about the morality of eating fast food sandwiches. It's so funny and hits the nail on the head. Paul F. Tompkins on Chick-Fil-A
INTERESTING:
There is probably nothing drier than discussing economic policy. But there's nothing more delicious than a freshly baked pie. Combine the two and you have a surprisingly compelling segment that's going viral this weekend about income inequality in America. It's important information and the kind of approachable, not at all condescending, explanation that you could send to any undecided voters in your life. From CBS This Morning, What Does Wealth Inequality Look Like? (h/t Mollie)
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Have a great start to your month,
Chris