3 Things: Jon Ronson, Jon Stewart, and Friday Night Lights
Hi friends,
If you're new to these emails, welcome! Every Saturday, I send out a short email with three great things. I've also got some of my upcoming shows featured below. If you know anyone who you think would enjoy this, feel free to spread the word! They can sign up and/or see the archive of past emails here.
SHOW UPDATE:
BROOKLYN: The schedule for this year's Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival was just announced and I'm so excited to be a part of such a fun and insane event. Last year, Eugene hired a tax attorney dressed as a clown and you could get free financial advice before or after shows. Who knows what chores you'll be able to take care of this year?Tickets and details for my show (September 19) are online here
NYC: A short play I wrote is going to be performed as part of Cherry Picking 2015, a yearly festival of new works. I'm a huge fan of Cherry Picking and the shows sell out every year, so if you're interested, get tickets soon. My play is on the first night, Monday, August 31. Tickets here
BOSTON: Tickets just went on sale for our next You're the Expert taping at the Davis Square Theater. Saturday, September 27 at 5 p.m. Tickets here
VIRGINIA: I'll be at the Court Square Theater in Harrisonburg, VA on Thursday, September 17 for a free, open to the public show thanks to James Madison University. If you're in the area, email me and let me know!
Ok, on to this week's list!
1 Thing I Think Is Great:
Jon Ronson is not only a fantastic writer, but someone who uses his skills to shine a spotlight on important issues. His latest piece for GQ is both hilarious and eye-opening about the struggles and discrimination that Muslim-American actors face in Hollywood. Right now, the only roles many of them can get are being shot by Chuck Norris. (For the record, that is my dream role.) So what can an actor do to get an actual part? And are they perpetuating ignorance if they accept yet another role as a unnamed terrorist? As always, Ronson leaves me with lots to think about. You May Know Me From Such Roles As Terrorist #4
1 Thing That Made Me Laugh:
Jon Stewart was all over cable news this week for allegedly holding secret nighttime meetings with Barack Obama in the White House. A sinister example of collusion between the government and the liberal media? A conspiracy to take down Fox News? Or worse, is the president considering hitting the standup circuit? I'll let Jon explain what was really going on, in this hilarious segment: When Barry Met Silly
(If you didn't know, this is Jon Stewart's final week on The Daily Show. It's the end of an era. Personally, I can't wait to see what he does next. We got a little hint this week when he made his first appearance back at a standup show in more than 10 years. Here's hoping there's more where that came from.)
1 Interesting Thing:
Friday Night Lights is my favorite television show of all time. Despite the fact that I've never lived in Texas. Despite the fact that I couldn't care less about football. Despite the fact that the second season was complete garbage (I blame the writer's strike). Buzz Bissinger's nonfiction book came out 25 years ago this week and has had a tremendous cultural and social impact.
One of the things that's so interesting to me about his book is that people think it's mostly about football, but it's really about racial and economic tensions in America. Bissinger just went back to Odessa to find out where the boys from his story are now and their tales are both fascinating and illuminating. It's been 25 years, but his book still resonates as strongly as ever. A Town, A Team, and A Dream
Ok, thanks for reading! More details on shows and my full schedule online atwww.chrisduffycomedy.com/calendar/
Have a great weekend,
Chris
3 Things: John Cage, Coffee Dates, and Joey Perr
Hi friends,
If you're new to these emails, welcome! Every Saturday, I send out a short email with three great things. I've also got some of my upcoming shows featured below. If you know anyone who you think would enjoy this, feel free to spread the word! They can sign up and/or see the archive of past emails here.
SHOW UPDATE:
NYC: TOMORROW, Sunday (7/26) at 7:30 p.m. at the Magnet Theater, I'm hosting the first ever edition of my new show "MOST INCREDIBLE 1-HOUR LANGUAGE SCHOOL." This month's language is Korean and you'll learn how to heckle a comedian, sing a song, and yell at someone on the subway all in under an hour. Tickets and details here
YOU'RE THE EXPERT: We just finished our 6-week pilot run on WBUR. Thanks to everyone who wrote in or filled out the survey, the station said they got nothing but positive feedback! So we're recording a bunch of new episodes and we'll have another run in the Fall. THANK YOU!
Ok, on to this week's list!
1 Thing I Think Is Great:
John Cage is one of the most creative composers in musical history. But I'd never heard much from the man himself about his thoughts on work, music, or life. Mostly I'd just heard four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence. Thankfully, I got the chance to share the stage with Riley Mulherkar last weekend and he shared Cage's "Some Rules for Students and Teachers" with me. These ten rules are the most useful I've ever read, for artists, teachers, students... anyone really. I wish I'd had them when I was teaching fifth grade. They're printed out and next to my desk now. John Cage: Some Rules for Students and Teachers
1 Thing That Made Me Laugh:
Hallie Cantor just got nominated for an Emmy for her work on Amy Schumer's TV show. She deserves all the awards and praise around because she is hilarious. As evidence, I submit her latest New Yorker article: Everything I Am Afraid Might Happen If I Ask New Acquaintances to Get Coffee
(Full disclosure: Hallie and I have gotten coffee a few times before and now I will feel incredibly awkward asking her to do it again. It's probably lunch or nothing from here on out.)
1 Interesting Thing:
Joey Perr's dad was a Jewish gangster in Brighton Beach, NY. From robbing knish stores to run ins with Bugsy Siegel, he was one tough cookie. Joey's currently writing a graphic novel, Hands Up, Herbie!, about his childhood and his relationship with his father. It's incredibly vulnerable and fascinating and you can read all the installments on his website for free. Thanks to Ryan Dieringer for sending this my way. Here's one of my favorite chapters: My Grandfather's Seders
Ok, thanks for reading! More details on shows and my full schedule online atwww.chrisduffycomedy.com/calendar/
Have a great weekend,
Chris
3 Things: Kurt Braunohler, Avoiding Ships, and Maritime Law
Hi friends,
If you're new to these emails, welcome! Every Saturday, I send out a short email with three great things. I've also got some of my upcoming shows featured below. If you know anyone who you think would enjoy this, feel free to spread the word! They can sign up and/or see the archive of past emails here.
SHOW UPDATE:
NYC: TOMORROW, Sunday (7/19) at 7 p.m. at Under St Marks, I've got this months's edition of "You Get A Spoon!" with prizes and performers from some incredible artists.This month we've got jazz trumpet from the incomparable Riley Mulherkar, old timey Prohibition music from Camp Street, and short nonfiction films by Noah Hutton. PLUS SO MANY PRIZES! Details and tickets here
BOSTON: Thursday, July 23, I'm doing a live You're the Expert show at the Paramount Theater. We've got Scott Adsit from 30 Rock, Jo Firestone, and Steve Almond on the panel and the show is a fundraiser for the Boston Book Festival. I hope you'll come to the show!Details and tickets here
Also, if you tune in to WBUR today, they're airing our "Biological Clocks" episode featuring the work of Colgate's Dr. Krista Ingram, who studies how our bodies keep track of time. This episode features Eugene Mirman, Elna Baker, and Scott Adsit. You can hear it live on WBUR 90.9 FM in Boston at 6 p.m. today or on Wednesday at 9 p.m. Of course, you can always hear the show or download past episodes online here.
Ok, on to this week's list!
1 Thing I Think Is Great:
Today's 3 Things are all nautical themed because it is very hot outside and I have water on the brain (metaphorically, not clinically).
First up, Kurt Braunohler is a comedian with a heart of gold. He comes up with the silliest ideas and always manages to have so much fun bringing them into reality. His Comedy Central webseries, Roustabout, features Kurt jetskiing the entire length of the Mississippi River to raise money for the charity Heifer International. It's for a good cause and also so profoundly dumb that it becomes brilliant and hilarious. Plus, it's only six minutes long.Roustabout Episode 1: Chicago
1 Thing That Made Me Laugh:
A lot of what has been making me laugh recently has been found comedy. Regular people, not comedians, who decide they are going to create the funniest things around. A great example of this is the crew of geniuses who gathered to review a book on Amazon called How to Avoid Huge Ships. The reviews are spectacular. I cannot stop laughing. How to Avoid Huge Ships by John W. Trimmer
1 Interesting Thing:
"Few crimes are tougher to investigate than those that occur at sea. There are no cameras on the corner, no phones to tap, usually no weapons to retrieve. Crew members are often changed mid-voyage, so witnesses are scarce." The New York Times' look at lawlessness in international waters is both fascinating and terrifying. From ships dumping "more oil than spilled in the Deepwater Horizon and Exxon Valdez accidents combined" to drug smuggling and outright murder, no one is being held accountable. Ian Urbina does an outstanding job of taking the big bureaucratic issues and transforming them into a thriller. Read this: Stowaways and Crimes Aboard a Scofflaw Ship
Ok, thanks for reading! More details on shows and my full schedule online atwww.chrisduffycomedy.com/calendar/
Have a great weekend,
Chris
