3 Things: Dana Schwartz, Desus & Mero, and Stella Blackmon

Hi friends,

It's Saturday! Every week, I send out an email with my upcoming shows, one thing I think is great, one thing that made me laugh, and one thing I found interesting. 

Upcoming Shows

EVERYWHERE:
Three comedians try to guess what a leading scientist does all day and then find out why her research is important and exciting on You're the Expert.  Link

On The Payoff, Antonia Cereijido and I try to learn about money from a team of financial experts.  Link

NEW YORK CITY:
Thursday, November 2 at 8 p.m. at Caveat. You're the Expert is back with panelists Aparna Nancherla, Ashley Brooke Roberts, Daily Show head writer Zhubin Parang, and a mystery scientist from the Museum of Natural History. Link

Tuesday, November 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Caveat. My variety show and prize giveaway You Get A Spoon is back with music from Emmy the Great and Tica Douglas, jokes from Maeve Higgins and me, and stories from Moth GrandSlam winner Adam Wade. Link

BOSTON:
Thursday, November 9 at 7 p.m. at the New England Aquarium. We're going deep under the sea with a scientist from the aquarium and panelists Eugene Mirman, Ken Reid, and Obehi Janice.  Link

My full schedule with all upcoming dates is online here.

This week's list

GREAT:
Dana Schwartz explores the life of a minor character in the Beauty and the Beast world in her newest short story. It is hilarious and dark and amazing. This is the tale of a servant who was turned into an end table and then tries to escape the castle to reunite with his wife. Dana's such a funny and inventive writer. While you're waiting for her memoir,Choose Your Own Disaster, to come out, enjoy "My Name is Jean-Pierre and I Am Still An End Table."


FUNNY:
In the world of late night, there is no show more unpredictable or hilarious than Desus & Mero. The two best friends sit in a conference room in front of a fake forest and a stuffed bear and riff on the news. Their show feels less like a fancy produced television show and more like hanging out with friends laughing until you cry. I love all the little weird touches they have, like the sound effects or how every interview ends with the a rainbow over the guest's head. It's perfect. 

If you don't know the show, be forewarned, they are almost always NSFW. Here are some of my favorite clips. Deus and Mero tackle the news in a way that only they can:Congressman Al Green Presses Ben Carson.  And one of their interviews, with the incredible Jemele Hill. Jemele Hill Refuses to Stick to Sports


INTERESTING:
Stella Blackmon has this photo series and interview with an older couple who have been picnicking by the Brooklyn Bridge for 24 years. It's the most heartwarming story I've seen in a long time and such a joy to read. Jane and Terry know what it takes to make a relationship work and they're happy to share. Is this one a little corny? Maybe, but who am I kidding? I'm a little corny too. I love it. A Secret to a Happy Marriage (thanks to Mollie for this one)


Thanks for reading! If you like these, forward to a friend or come say hi at a live show. If you're seeing these emails for the first time, you can subscribe here. 

Have a great day,
Chris

3 Things: Kumail Nanjiani, Sue Perkins, and Megha Rajagopalan

Hi friends,

It's Saturday! Every week, I send out an email with my upcoming shows, one thing I think is great, one thing that made me laugh, and one thing I found interesting. 

Upcoming Shows

EVERYWHERE:
Three comedians try to guess what a leading scientist does all day and then find out why her research is important and exciting on You're the Expert.  Link

On The Payoff, Antonia Cereijido and I try to learn about money from a team of financial experts.  Link

NEW YORK CITY:
TONIGHT! Saturday, October 21 at 9 p.m. There are only 4 tickets left for tonight's Living Room Comedy Club in Manhattan (FiDi). Come see me and some friends experiment with new material in a stranger's living room. Link

Wednesday, October 25 at 8 p.m. at UCB Chelsea. I'll be back at the fantastic Nights of Our Lives show with David Martin, Adam Wade, and Ophira Eisenberg. Link

Thursday, November 2 at 8 p.m. at Caveat. You're the Expert is back live with Aparna Nancherla, Ashley Brooke Roberts, Daily Show head writer Zhubin Parang, and a mystery scientist from the Museum of Natural History. Link

WASHINGTON, DC:
Friday, October 27 at 6 p.m. at NatGeo. I'm back in DC hosting You're the Expert with Baratunde Thurston, Aparna Nancherla, Maeve Higgins, and a surprise NatGeo Explorer. Link

This week's list

GREAT:
Kumail Nanjiani hosted SNL last week and his monologue was fantastic. I loved his movieThe Big Sick and I've been a huge fan of his standup for a few years now. Kumail manages to get laughs from tiny details while sharing very personal memories. I think his standup special, Beta Male, is one of the best I've ever seen. Here's a taste of how he transforms a topic that could be tired and overdone into something completely new. Call of Duty


FUNNY:
Whenever I am feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the world, I put on an episode of The Great British Bake Off. Watching delightful Brits make scones and compliment each other on "excellent bakes" is endlessly soothing. And I love Sue and Mel, the co-hosts.

I recently went down an Internet rabbit hole of Sue's videos and it turns out she does much more than make pastry puns, she's also a hilarious (and filthy) comedian. Here's Sue on GBBO stealing some chocolate mousse and then here she is on a talk show telling a story about scarring some children on the E.T. ride at a theme park. 


INTERESTING:
"Far from the booming metropolis of Beijing, China is building a sprawling system that combines dystopian technology and human policing. 'It’s a kind of frontline laboratory for surveillance.'" Megha Rajagopalan did some astonishing investigative reporting in this piece about China's treatment of the Uighur people. What she discovered is far larger than a regional dispute. It's what could happen when technology goes too far. In fact, it's what's already happening. This Is What A 21st-Century Police State Really Looks Like


Thanks for reading! If you like these, forward to a friend or come say hi at a live show. If you're seeing these emails for the first time, you can subscribe here. 

Have a great day,
Chris

Last night's You Get A Spoon

What a night! It was month two of our NYC residency at the beautiful LES theater Caveat and we had prizes, songs, jokes, Socrates, and Taylor Swift. Who could ask for more?

Birthday girl Britni won the spoon and instantly became a local celebrity.

Here were the performers and their prizes:

Josh Gondelman, comedian
1) Polar Orange Vanilla (or Vanilla) seltzer

2) The Sellout by Paul Beatty  

3) Leminimo White Marble iPhone Case

Nate Sloan, musicologist and co-host of Switched on Pop
1) Moleskine Pocket Classic Notebook

2) Taylor Swift 1989

3) Yemenren Wireless Gold Karaoke Microphone

Kayla Ringelheim, musician

1) Mr. Tea tea infuser

2) The Type by Sarah Kay

3) Ring Jells

Andrew Marantz, writer

1) Brazil Classics 1

2) Parle-G biscuits

3) Planet Publish + Pocket