I Am Comic Movie 2010

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This was the official website for the 2010 film, I Am Comic, that follows retired comic Ritch Shydner's attempt to climb back on stage after a thirteen-year hiatus. As the film weaves through the absurd world of the working comedian and reveals a crazy and hilarious psychological profile of numerous well known practitioners, viewers get unprecedented backstage access and candid interviews.

 

Rating: R (for language, sexual content and some drug material)
Genre: Comedy, Documentary, Television
Directed By: Jordan Brady
Written By: Jordan Brady
In Theaters: Aug 20, 2010  Limited
On Disc/Streaming: Oct 12, 2010
Runtime: 87 minutes
Studio: Monterey Media
Actors: Ahmed Ahmed, Franklyn Ajaye, Tim Allen

 

I Am Comic - Trailer
Get a behind-the-microphones look at what it takes to stay relevant in the competitive world of standup comedy as you follow comic Ritch Shydner's attempt to climb back on stage after a thirteen-year hiatus. Equipped with the collective wisdom and nutty musings of over 80 of his peers, Ritch gives stand-up another shot and aspires towards big time success. Through unprecedented backstage access and candid interviews, the film weaves through the absurd world of the working comedian and reveals a crazy and hilarious psychological profile of its practitioners. Ain't It Cool News raves the film has "more laughs per minute than most comedies this year."

Synopsis

Laugh, chuckle, giggle, snicker, hoot, snort. Through unprecedented interviews, exclusive backstage access, and wonderful cheesy animation, you will Thrill to their side-splitting observations, be Awestruck at their insight, and take the Harrowing journey with Ritch Shydner as he seeks to recapture the magic.

JORDAN BRADY - DIRECTOR
Jordan Brady began as a stand-up comedian in the early 1980’s.  His first feature film, “Dill Scallion”, world premiered at the 1999 Slamdance Film Festival.  Jordan went on to helm three more feature comedies, including Miramax’s “Waking Up In Reno” with Billy Bob Thornton, Charlize Theron, Patrick Swayze and Natasha Richardson. He’s directed over 600 national TV commercials and is an award-winning game show host.

RITCH SHYDNER - NARRATOR
Ritch Shydner, writer and interviewer, was a stand up comedian, headlining favorite of all the Comedy Clubs in the 80’s and 90's with numerous guest spots on The Tonight Show with Carson and Leno as well as The Letterman Show.  He has had his own HBO and Showtime specials.   He has been a comedy writer for Rosanne and Jeff Foxworthy.   His recent book "I Killed" garnered great reviews and a lot of attention within the comedy community.  He is currently writing a book on the history of comedy.

>ROBERT MICKELSON - PRODUCER
Robert Mickelson is an award winning independent feature and television producer and director.  Among his many films, Hard Choices premiered at Sundance and was on numerous top ten lists, Prayer of the Rollerboys, a Sci-Fi cult classic was nominated for a Saturn Award and Pros & Cons was a winner at the Aspen Comedy Film Festival.  He also directed and produced the comedy Off The Lip which the LA Times called “The ‘Spinal Tap’ of surf movies”.  He is currently in pre-production on a project about Charles Dickens starring Michael Sheen.

 

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Daisy Comments: This is an impressive documentary of contemporary comic art on stage. There's something brilliant and inspiring about the ability to make people laugh on cue, and about stuff that isn't even funny. Dianne Bigg was victimized by Google - a search for her name revealed that her sister had died of an overdose, her father was in prison, and she had been arrested for assaulting an officer - all were different news items on Google's first page. A real life disaster if you're looking for work, but always gets laughs when read outloud. So how do you get out of this Google mess? Google won't do squat. All the stories are true, so no legal leverage for forcing takedowns. But there is one solution. Companies that do something called "reputation management". For a fee they claim to be able to push a page one negative search result down in Google, off of page 1, hiding it. Bigg spoke to a supporter of regulating Google, a seasoned pro who handles ethical search removals - that is, not removing evidence of criminal behavior. When he saw her problem he said she was the posterchild for his advocacy to regulate Google. Bringing her terrifying story into her routine happens every night Bigg is on stage, and it's hilarious.

 

COMICS

 

Sarah Silverman

Silverman first received national attention in the 1993-94 season of Saturday Night Live (SNL) as a writer and featured player. She was fired after one season because only one of the sketches she wrote survived to dress rehearsal, and none aired. Bob Odenkirk, a former SNL writer explained, "I could see how it wouldn't work at SNL because she's got her own voice, she's very much Sarah Silverman all the time. She can play a character but she doesn't disappear into the character "she makes the character her." Silverman states she was upset when SNL fired her via fax.

Silverman was a featured performer on the HBO sketch comedy show Mr. Show (1995-97). She made TV program guest appearances on Seinfeld, in the episode "The Money"; (1997) on Star Trek: Voyager, in the two-part time travel episode "Future's End" (1996); on V.I.P. in the episode "48 1/2 Hours" (2002); on Greg the Bunny as a series regular (2002); and on the puppet television comedy Crank Yankers, as the voice of Hadassah Guberman (2003, 2007). She had small parts in the films There's Something About Mary, Say It Isn't So, School of Rock, The Way of the Gun, Overnight Delivery, Screwed, Heartbreakers, Evolution, School for Scoundrels, and Rent, playing a mixture of comic and serious roles. Her stand-up comedy act, a one-woman show, was released in 2005 as a feature film, Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic. As part of the film's publicity campaign, she appeared online in Slate, as the cover subject of Heeb magazine, and in roasts on Comedy Central of Pamela Anderson and Hugh Hefner. In 2005, Silverman played a therapist in a skit for a bonus DVD of the album Lullabies to Paralyze by the band Queens of the Stone Age. Silverman also appears at the end of the video for American glam metal band Steel Panther's "Death To All But Metal".

Silverman guest starred in a second season episode of the USA cable program Monk as Marci Maven. She returned in the sixth season premiere and for the 100th episode ofMonk.

On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Silverman parodied sketches from Chappelle's Show, replaying Dave's characterizations of Rick James and "Tyrone", as well as a Donnell Rawlings character based on the miniseries Roots. The parody addressed a popular rumor that Silverman was the planned replacement for Chappelle after he left his popular television show.

In 2006, Silverman placed #50 on Maxim Hot 100 List. In 2007, she placed #29 and appeared on the cover. She made the cover of The Observer in the United Kingdom, with an article naming her "the world's hottest, most controversial comedian".

Silverman sold her idea of a book of humorous essays to HarperCollins for $2.5 million. The Observer reported that David Hirshey was her editor. The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee was released in April 2010. In early May 2010, the book made The New York Times Best-Seller List.. Critic Julian Heller said of her book, "This is the single best collection of personal essays ever conceived. I plan on starting a new religion, and The Bedwetter would be our bible. 8 thumbs up."

She also appears in Strange Powers, the 2009 documentary by Kirthy Fix and Gail O'Hara about cult songwriter Stephin Merritt and his band, the Magnetic Fields.

 

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Tim Allen

Tim made his stand-up debut on the fateful night of March 23, 1979 at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Detroit. Although hard to believe, he claims he didn't get any laughs, but what he did get was the itch to keep doing it.

By the mid-eighties he had become one of the country's most requested comedy headliners on the national club circuit. His appearances on television specials, HBO's "Opening Night at Rodney's Place", Showtime's "Comedy All Stars" and Fox Network's "Comic Strip Live" put him in the spotlight. He performed stand-up in the 1988 film "Comedy's Dirtiest Dozen" and took home the Cable Ace Award for Best Performance in a Comedy Special at the "Just For Laughs" International Comedy Festival in Montreal.

It was that same year that his Showtime special "Men Are Pigs" made him a favorite of audiences all over the country with his signature grunting on observations about women, men and their tools. He followed that with another Showtime special entitled "Tim Allen Rewires America." This concert show truly solidified his unique slant on masculinity, which became the backbone for his TV show "Home Improvement."

So who makes Tim laugh? "Victor Borge, Jonathan Winters and Richard Pryor are the biggies but several of my comic buddies just sitting around at a deli table will absolutely slay me."

Tim still occasionally performs stand-up at clubs around Los Angeles and at numerous charity events. He is also busy working on a new one man show.

 

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Jeff Foxworthy

Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country. He is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and best selling author of 11 books. Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature, a style that has been compared to Mark Twain’s. 

Foxworthy stars in and executive produces the television series, Blue Collar TV, which he created for the WB network. In other movie news, Jeff will also be the voice of Reggie the Rooster in the new Warner Bros. film Racing Stripes, which will be released on January 14, 2005. He is also the voice of the animated character Lyle in the Disney movie Fox and The Hound II, which will be released on home video later this year. 

July 6, 2004 marked the release of Jeff’s final solo comedy cd titled Have Your Loved Ones Spayed or Neutered. The cd contains all new material. It debuted at number one on the Billboard Comedy Charts and was Jeff’s second highest selling album debut. In April 1999, The Foxworthy Countdown, a weekly syndicated three-hour radio show, debuted featuring Jeff bringing fans the current Top 25 country hits as well as interviews with stars. The show is carried in over two hundred and twenty markets across the United States. Jeff received a CMA nomination in 2001 for Broadcast Personality of the Year.

Jeff also has an HBO special and two Showtime specials to his credit. With critical acclaim and rave reviews from the first special, Jeff landed his second Showtime special, which earned a Cable ACE Award nomination. Jeff has also been bestowed with a People’s Choice Award as “Favorite Male Newcomer” for The Jeff Foxworthy Show. He also won TNN’s “Comedian of the Year” three years in a row.

Currently Jeff has a line of greeting cards and specialty products through American Greetings that are available at all Wal-Mart stores. Away from the stage, an interest which Jeff holds near and dear is the Duke University Children’s Hospital in Durham, NC . Jeff is the Honorary Chairman of the Duke Children’s Classic Golf Tournament. With Jeff’s help, the hospital, which specializes in treating children with cancer, has raised over $4 million in the last four years.
This Georgia native remains true to his southern roots and resides with his wife and two daughters in Atlanta.

 

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Kathy Griffin

Emmy award winning Chicago native, Kathy Griffin, a multi-faceted performer with a rapid fire wit, is probably best known for her four-year stint on the NBC sitcom "Suddenly Susan" as Vickie Groener, Brooke Shields' acerbic colleague. After moving west and joining the famed Los Angeles Groundlings comedy improvisational troupe, Kathy began building her resume with guest starring roles on such series as "ER" and "Seinfeld" where she created recurring character Sally Weaver.

After her various TV guest spots, Kathy began gaining notice as a stand-up comedienne and landed her own "HBO Half Hour Comedy Special". In 1998, HBO gave Kathy her own One-Hour Special, "A Hot Cup of Talk". Kathy has supplied voices for characters on the animated series "Dilbert" and "The Simpsons", and she appeared in a dual role on the "X-Files" as well as in Eminem's video, "The Real Slim Shady", which was co-directed by Dr.Dre.

Kathy has co-hosted The Billboard Music Awards three years in a row; and appeared on numerous talk shows including "Late Night with David Letterman", "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", "Howard Stern" and "The View", as well as having been featured in the films "It's Pat" and "Four Rooms" among others.

Kathy has a great passion for reality TV. She participated in, and won "Celebrity Mole" on ABC, and then hosted the NBC reality series "Average Joe" as well as the MTV series, "Kathy's So-Called Reality". Kathy has yearly performed a set of four very successful stand-up specials for Bravo. The first in 2005 called "Kathy Griffin...Is Not Nicole Kidman", the second in May of 2006 called "Strong Black Woman". Kathy's third DVD stand-up special "Allegedly" is in stores now. Her newest entry "Everybody Can Suck It "will be aired in the summer of 2007.

In August 2005 Kathy's reality show, "Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List ", debuted on Bravo to rave reviews. It has run for three seasons, the latest of which was broadcast during the summer of 2007 by Bravo. The first three seasons of "My Life On The D-List" were each nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Reality Program. Seasons three and four won that prize back-to-back in September of 2007 and 2008.

 

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Jim Gaffigan

Jim Gaffigan has proven himself a major talentbeloved to a wide range of audiences after achieving milestones in stand-up, acting and writing. As approachable as he is edgy, Jim is responsible for some of the funniest and most memorable moments in recent television (primetime, cable and the late-night circuit) and film.

As a stand-up comedian, Gaffigan's clever, quiet style has earned him an unprecedented number of appearances on both CBS - LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN and NBC's LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN. His recent one hour Comedy Central Special, CD and DVD, all entitled "Beyond the Pale" have catapulted Gaffigan to one of the most popular touring and recorded comedians in the country today. The DVD for "Beyond the Pale" went Gold within the first six months.

After Gaffigan's first appearance on DAVID LETTERMAN, the host personally chose him to develop a sitcom for World Wide Pants. Eighteen months later, WELCOME TO NEW YORK debuted on CBS to critical acclaim. He then co-starred with Ellen DeGeneres on her CBS sitcom THE ELLEN SHOW. For two years he had recurring roles both on FOX's THAT 70'S SHOW and NBC's ED. Jim has also had roles on SEX AND THE CITY, THIRD WATCH and each of the LAW and ORDER shows, among others. Jim can be seen this November in MY BOYS, TBS' first original scripted comedy series.

On film, Jim has endeared himself to audiences by taking on vivid supporting characters in a number of genres. In the cult hit SUPER TROOPERS, Gaffigan got huge laughs and famously helped add "meow" to the lexicon of Vermont state troopers. Jim's quiet dramatic turn in THE GREAT NEW WONDERFUL, a meditation on the aftermath of 9/11, took audiences and critics by surprise as he embodied an office worker broken by tragedy who ultimately explodes in rage.

Gaffigan's other recent film credits include the forthcoming independent films THE LIVING WAKE and STEPHANIE DALEY. He has also been featured in TRUST THE MAN, 13 GOING ON 30, THREE KINGS, FINAL, IGBY GOES DOWN, ENTROPY and THIRTY YEARS TO LIFE. In 2004, he co-starred in TNT's BAD APPLE, with Chris Noth.

Gaffigan recently signed on to co-write and lend his voice to 20 new episodes of PALE FORCE, a series of animated shorts that will air regularly on CONAN and on the internet via webisodes starting in October. The series focuses on two pale crime-fighting superheroes that, like Gaffigan and O'Brien, are equipped with fair skin.

Many recognize Gaffigan from his numerous award-winning commercial campaigns, which include Sierra Mist, ESPN, Saturn and Rolling Rock. His commercial presence earned him Business Week's 1999 "Salesman of the Year" honor.

Gaffigan currently lives in New York with his family.

 

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Chris Hardwick

I am Chris Hardwick. You probably recognize me from TV. You don’t realize that’s where you know me from, but it is. You think you went to college with me or I look like your cousin’s friend, but that is not the case. At one time or another you stumbled across me on your moving picture box in such cerebral gems as MTV’s “Singled Out” and Noam Chomsky’s “Shipmates.” I was also in House of 1000 Corpses, which you were afraid to see because horror films make you pee a little. I made an appearance in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which you may be somewhat reluctant to give me credit for, because I was only in a couple of scenes and I was not a robot.
 

Recently, I hosted “WIRED Science”, which was amazing, but you didn’t see it because it was on PBS and you’re not a hundred and four. My interest in Sci/Tech began in the mid 90s, when my best friend, Mike Phirman, and I started writing comedy songs about science. I realize that sounds less than hilarious but as Hard ‘n Phirm we did manage to eek out a few chuckles with songs about The Carbon Cycle, Pi, and a series of Country songs themed around science (a rarely covered topic in the genre). If that sounds like a snore to you then perhaps you’ll prefer our half-hour Comedy Central special on iTunes or the soundtrack that we wrote for Rob Zombie’s next movie, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. If not, we’ll quietly go to hell.
 

Currently, I host “Web Soup” and review gadgetry for “Attack of the Show,” both on the G4 Nerdwork. I also write for Wired Magazine and provide voices for talking animals on Back at the Barnyard on Nickelodeon. Some people like to angrily tell me that my character, Otis, is a male cow with udders and those simply do not exist in Nature. I remind them that animals don’t talk and scheme, either. Several times a year I will get up with a vocal amplifier and tell jokes to strangers in comedy venues. I invite you to come out and see just such an instance by signing up for my email list..

 

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Louis C.K.

Louis is a standup comedian, actor, writer and director. I swear to god he is atually all those things. Louis has been cast to star with Ricky Gervais in a new film entitled "This Side of the Truth", which is written and directed by Ricky Gervais. Louis was the star and creator of HBO's first and only multi-camera sitcom "Lucky Louie" which ran for one season and then was cancelled. Louis starred in his own one hour standup special on HBO called "Louis C.K.: SHameless" which was critically acclaimed. A year later, he shot his second Hour SPecial called "Louis C.K.: Chewed Up" at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston Mass. Louis recently signed a deal with CBS to write and create a new series pilot, which he is writing with Pamela Adlon, who played his wife on Lucky Louie. Louis had substancial parts in two other films "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins" starring Martin Lawrence and "Diminished Capacity" starring Matthew Broderick and Alan Alda. Louis wrote a film called "I think I Love my Wife" with Chris rock.

 

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Janeane Garofalo

Actress and Comedian Janeane Garofalo has been an American institution since she burst on the scene in 1992.

In addition to acting in film and television, Janeane is an outspoken activist, spoken word performer and stand-up comedy entertainer known and respected around the country, and the world. As well, she was instrumental in the successful launching of the first liberal radio network, Air America Radio, where she hosted her own talk show, "The Majority Report." A lightning rod for controversy, Janeane's well informed opinions and unflinching honesty have inspired laughs, as well as striking a chord with the left, right and everyone in between. She is a noted peace activist.

Janeane has had many memorable and critically acclaimed roles in films such as "The Truth About Cats and Dogs," "Steal This Movie," "Copland," "Reality Bites," and "Duane Hopwood," as well as for her specific brand of sharp wit and comedy shown in her roles in "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion," "Bye Bye Love," "Mystery Men," "Clay Pigeons," "The Minus Man" and "The Cable Guy," directed by her friend Ben Stiller. Ben and Janeane also co-authored the best seller "Feel This Book," (Ballantine May 1999). Janeane was also a cast member of the Emmy Award-winning Ben Stiller Show.

Janeane played the role of Paula, the acerbic talent booker, on "The Larry Sanders Show," for which she received an Emmy nomination in 1997 and two Cable Ace nominations. During the fall of '94 she joined the cast of "Saturday Night Live." Some of Janeane's other television work includes two specials for HBO, the series finale of "Mad About You" and the critically lauded, final season of NBC's "The West Wing," where she played Democratic campaign strategist Louise Thornton.

In 2007, Janeane's voice was featured in the Disney/Pixar animated comedy Ratatouille, and can be seen in Stella writer/director David Wain's ensemble comedy, "The Ten." Janeane can also be seen in her latest projects, the Lifetime movie "Girl's Best Friend" and as a recurring character on the 2009 season of "24."

Janeane lives in New York and Los Angeles.

 

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Andy Kindler

Andrew Francis "Andy" Kindler is an American stand-up comedian from New York City who now resides in Los Angeles.

His material often covers the comedy industry itself, criticizing other comedians for being too predictable. Andy often criticizes his own comedy even in the middle of his act. If a joke doesn't do well he'll immediately start discussing why it didn't work with the crowd.

He played the character "Andy" a fellow sportswriter and friend of Raymond on the TV show Everybody Loves Raymond, is a regular guest on Late Show with David Letterman, contributor to The Daily Show, has performed on HBO and made numerous appearances on Dr. Katz and Home Movies. He is also known for his annual "State of the Industry" address at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal.

In 2010, Kindler was a judge on the stand-up reality show Last Comic Standing.

 

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Carrot Top

Scott Thompson (born February 25, 1965), better known by his stage name Carrot Top, is an American comedian known for his bright red hair, prop comedy and self-deprecating humor.

Thompson lived in Cocoa Beach, Florida during part of his youth. In 1983, he graduated from Cocoa Beach High School, and enrolled later that year at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. While still a freshman at Florida Atlantic, he appeared in his first stand-up comedy routine with Josh Abelson. Two months later, he performed on campus at an open-mic night.

Carrot Top has appeared in the television programs: Larry the Cable Guy's Christmas Spectacular , Gene Simmons Family Jewels, Space Ghost Coast To Coast, Criss Angel Mindfreak, Scrubs (2006), and Tugger: The Jeep 4x4 Who Wanted to Fly(2005). His movie roles include the 1998 film Chairman of The Board, and he also served as a spokesman in commercials for 1-800-CALL-ATT. In 2002, he recorded a commentary track for the Roger Avary film The Rules of Attraction. In 2006, Carrot Top appeared in the Reno 911! episode "Weigel's Pregnant" as an enraged version of himself who trashed his hotel room and resisted arrest. In 2008, he was a guest judge for NBC's Last Comic Standing in a contest where the participants had to perform prop comedy at a Bed, Bath and Beyond, using store items with only an hour to prepare.
From 1995 to 1999, Carrot Top was the continuity announcer for Cartoon Network, for which he also produced and starred in an early morning show on called Carrot Top's AM Mayhem for two years (1994–96).

Carrot Top has also been frequently parodied. Such examples include Mr. Show (in which David Cross appears as "Blueberry Head"), King of the Hill ("Celery Head"), Family Guy ("Carrot Scalp"; he also made a guest appearance on the show as himself in the episode "Petergeist"), South Park ("Carrot Ass") and MADtv ("Broccoli Top").

As of 2010 he headlines at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, and performs various comedy gigs when his show is not playing. The hotel proclaims him as "Comedian of the Year."[5] His comedy routine incorporates dozens of props stored in large trunks on stage; his prop jokes commonly consist simply of him pulling out a prop, describing it in a one-liner, and tossing it away. Many of his props are specially built objects, such as a gigantic grandfather clock necklace he used to poke fun at Flavor Flav's age.

On January 16, 2010, Carrot Top appeared on the Fox reality game show Don't Forget The Lyrics! where he assisted illusionists Penn & Teller in their quest for the million-dollar grand prize. He was also one of the roasters at the Comedy Central Roast of Flavor Flav and Gene Simmons Roast. He appeared on an episode in Season Two of Mind Freak and has been a regular guest on the show every season since. He also appeared in an episode of the reality series The Bad Girls Club.

Carrot Top has appeared on numerous nighttime television talk shows. On February 8, 2010, he appeared on an episode of The Jay Leno Show, where he had pies thrown at him by Leno and guest Emma Roberts.

 

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Nick Kroll

Nick Kroll (born June 5, 1978) is an American actor and comedian best known for appearing in television shows such as Best Week Ever, Cavemen and Sit Down, Shut Up. He currently co-stars in the shows The Life & Times of Tim and The League.

Kroll graduated from Georgetown University. He has been a contributing writer to Comedy's Chappelle's Show and MTV's Human Giant. Kroll's live work is a mix of standup, sketch and characters. He is probably best known as a performer for his characters Fabrice Fabrice, craft services coordinator for the sitcom That's So Raven, and Gil Faizon of the Oh, Hello Show, which he created with writing partner John Mulaney.
Kroll currently voices Stu on the HBO animated series The Life & Times of Tim. He also co-stars as Ruxin in the FX comedy series The League and had a recurring role on Childrens Hospital on Adult Swim. In 2008, Kroll co-starred in the ABC sitcom Cavemen based on the popular GEICO Cavemen commercials and was a regular commentator on VH1's Best Week Ever. Kroll is one of the co-authors of the critically acclaimed book Bar Mitzvah Disco and a graduate of Rye Country Day School, where he gave a contentious graduation speech in which, contrary to widespread belief, he did not expose his genitals, although he did gently chastise the school administration.

He has studied and performed regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in NYC and LA and co-hosted the stand-up show Welcome to Our Week with Jessi Klein.

In November and December 2008, he toured as the support with Aziz Ansari on his Glow in the Dark comedy tour in the USA.

He went to the Solomon Schechter School of Westchester until the 8th grade, but then left for high school going to Rye Country Day. In 2009, Kroll became a regular voice cast member of the animated Fox comedy series, Sit Down, Shut Up. He voiced Andrew LeGustambos, the flamboyant, bisexual drama teacher. According to Kroll, Andrew is (alongside Helen) a loser amongst losers. Kroll voices him to talk like a "modern day Snagglepuss". The series premiered on April 19, 2009. He also lent his voice to Reuben Grinder in the PBS Kids GO! series WordGirl.

Kroll has appeared on the Comedy Central series John Oliver's New York Stand Up Show, once performing stand-up as his character "Fabrice Fabrice", a flamboyant craft services coordinator and the other time as himself.

Kroll has also recently created a new stand-up character named "Bobby Bottleservice", he has also featured the character in a number of online videos for the Funny or Die website, including the Ed Hardy Boyz and an audition tape for the MTV show Jersey Shore

Kroll also appears as a character known as El Chupacabra on numerous comedy podcasts and radio programs.

In 2010, Kroll performed on the Comedy Central program The Benson Interruption.

 

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Larry Miller

As one of Hollywood's most recognizable faces, Larry Miller has appeared in over 100 film and television shows. He began his career with a memorable cameo as the brown-nosing store manager in "PRETTY WOMAN," and has since gone on to delight audiences in some of the most unforgettable roles in such films as "BEST IN SHOW," "WAITING FOR GUFFMAN," "THE PRINCESS DIARIES I&II" and "THE NUTTY PROFESSOR I&II."

Miller can currently be heard as the voice of the French golfing goose, Marcel in the animated 3D film "ALPHA AND OMEGA." The film stars an ensemble cast which includes Justin Long, Hayden Panettiere, Dennis Hopper, Danny Glover and Christina Ricci.

Miller's other film credits include the blockbuster Garry Marshall film "VALENTINE'S DAY, Jerry Seinfeld's "BEE MOVIE," "KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS," starring opposite Jeremy Piven, "KISS KISS BANG BANG," with Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer, and the critically-acclaimed Sundance documentary "THE ARISTOCRATS," which showcased 100 of the world's best-known comedians telling the dirtiest joke ever heard.

His numerous television credits include the hit shows "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES," "MEDIUM," "BURN NOTICE," "LAW & ORDER," and "SEINFELD," as well as recurring roles on "BOSTON LEGAL," "8 SIMPLE RULES" and "MAD ABOUT YOU." In addition, Miller has made regular appearances on "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN" and "REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER," He has also starred in several of his own HBO comedy specials and on Broadway in Neil Simon's play "THE DINNER PARTY."

Miller frequently performs stand-up throughout the country and is often one of the opening acts for his longtime friend, Jerry Seinfeld. He also wrote the best-selling book SPOILED ROTTEN AMERICA, and is a contributing humorist to THE HUFFINGTON POST.

 

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Lewis Black

Lewis was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Silver Spring, MD. Colicky as a baby, it seems he was destined to be angry and easily irritated. His mother, a teacher, and his father, a mechanical engineer, instilled in both Lewis and his younger brother Ron the importance of education and the necessity to question authority; lessons which have influenced Lewis throughout his private and professional life. When Lewis was 12, his father took him to his first play and he quickly fell in love with the theatre. This ultimately led Lewis to pursue a career in drama. Degrees followed from the University of North Carolina and Yale Drama School, with a stint in Colorado owning a theatre with a group of friends in the interim. During his tenure at UNC, Lewis first ventured into stand-up, performing at Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill. Stand-up continued to be a steady presence as he pursued his career in theatre.

Lewis eventually settled in New York City and became the playwright-in-residence at the West Bank Café’s Downstairs Theatre Bar. Lewis oversaw the development of more than 1,000 plays, including works by West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, American Beauty writer Alan Ball as well as his own original works. In addition to overseeing the works on stage, Lewis emceed every show. As the West Bank grew, so did Lewis’ skill as a stand-up and eventually, the fulfillment of performing stand-up outweighed that of working in the theater. Having found his public voice, Lewis left the West Bank in the late 80’s to pursue stand-up full time.

In 1996, his friend Lizz Winstead tapped him to create a weekly segment for a show she was producing on Comedy Central called The Daily Show. The segment, a three minute rant about whatever was bothering him at the moment, evolved into Back in Black. It became one of the most popular and longest running segments on the show and also created a long and successful relationship with the network. Since then, Lewis has taped four specials for the Comedy Central Presents series, co-created Last Laugh with Lewis Black, presides over Lewis’ Black’s the Root of All Evil, and continues to perform Back in Black on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His popular appearances on Comedy Central helped to win him Best Male Stand-Up at the American Comedy Awards in 2001.

Increased exposure from The Daily Show eventually generated a record deal with Stand Up! Records. His first CD,The White Album, was released in 2000 to much critical acclaim. Lewis followed with six more, four under the Comedy Central Records label. He received a 2006 Grammy nomination for Luther Burbank Performing Arts Center Blues and in 2007 won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album for The Carnegie Hall Performance.

Having developed a strong relationship with HBO, he's filmed two specials, Black On Broadway and Red, White and Screwed. The latter was nominated for an Emmy in 2007. He had a regular feature for two seasons on Inside the NFL and in 2006 was honored to be asked to participate in Comic Relief.

A much sought after guest for several late-night television shows, he’s been seen on Larry King Live, is a frequent guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brian and has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman. He’s had numerous, memorable appearances on CNN and is particularly happy to have contributed to MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

In the midst of a rigorous touring schedule, regular TV appearances and movie roles, Lewis has written two best selling books, Nothing's Sacred (Simon and Schuster, 2005) and Me of Little Faith (Riverhead Books, 2008). Both garnered critical praise as well commercial success and spent numerous weeks on the New York Times best seller list.

As a playwright Lewis has penned over 40 plays, many of which have been produced around the country. The Deal, a dark comedy about business, was made into a short film in 1998 and picked up by the Sundance Channel. In 2005, Garry Marshall's Falcon Theatre in Los Angeles produced One Slight Hitch, a play that was later seen in 2006 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Patel Conservatory.

In 2006, Lewis had a break out year as an actor. He co-starred with Robin Williams in Barry Levinson's Man of the Year (Universal Pictures), appeared as “the fake dean of a fake college” in Steve Pink’s Accepted (Universal Pictures) and as the harried airport manager in Paul Feig’s Unaccompanied Minors (Warner Brothers). He also lent his voice to the role of “Jimmy” in Bob Sagat's parody, Farce of the Penguins (Thinkfilm).

In addition to his professional pursuits, Lewis is dedicated to a number of charitable organizations. As a long time mentor with the 52nd Street Project, Lewis was roasted in Charred Black 2007 which drew the largest fundraising numbers in the Project’s history. He’s a member of their Advisory Board, is Co-Chair of their Capital Campaign and in 2000, the Ron Black Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in memory of his late brother. Lewis is also committed to raising funds for the Rusty Magee Clinic for Families and Health. He’s a strong supporter of both the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Autism Speaks and was recently honored by The Brady Center for his commitment to ending gun violence. At the Williamstown Theatre Festival, he established the William Foeller Fellowship, having taught and performed at the festival for more than a decade. Lewis also supports our military personnel and recently became involved with the USO. He toured several Middle East and European military bases with Robin Williams, Lance Armstrong, Kid Rock and Miss America Rachel Smith in December 2007 and hopes to return soon.

Today Lewis maintains residences in both Manhattan and Chapel Hill, NC. Still loyal to his alma mater, he’s worked with UNC students to create the Carolina Comedy Festival, a yearly festival on the UNC campus that not only highlights performances, but also provides workshops and lectures for budding comics, writers and performers. With his involvement at UNC, Lewis continues a life-long commitment to education and the arts.

In his leisure time, Lewis likes to play golf, even though golf hates him.

 

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Margaret Cho

Margaret Cho was born December 5, 1968 and raised in San Francisco.

Her grandfather was a Methodist minister who ran an orphanage in Seoul during the Korean War. Ignoring the traditions of her patriarchal culture, her mother bravely resisted an arranged marriage in Korea and married Margaret’s father who writes joke books – in Korean. “Books like 1001 Jokes for Public Speakers – real corny stuff,” Margaret says. “I guess we’re in the same line of work. But we don’t understand each other that way. I don’t know why the things he says are funny and the same for him.”

 

Margaret started performing stand-up at age 16 in a comedy club called The Rose & Thistle above a bookstore her parents ran. Soon after, she won a comedy contest where first prize was opening for Jerry Seinfeld. She moved to Los Angeles in the early ’90s and lived in a house with several other young performers.

Still in her early twenties, Cho hit the college circuit, where she immediately became the most booked act in the market and garnered a nomination for Campus Comedian of The Year. Arsenio Hall introduced her to late night audiences, Bob Hope put her on a prime time special and, seemingly overnight, Margaret Cho became a national celebrity.

In 1999, Margaret chronicled her experience on the sitcom in an off Broadway one-woman show called I’m The One That I Want. The show was extremely well received, toured the U.S, and was made into a concert film and a best-selling book of the same name. The film, which garnered incredible reviews, broke the record for the most money grossed per print in movie history. After the success of her first show, Margaret launched Notorious C.H.O. in 2001, a smash-hit 37-city national tour that culminated in a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall. Notorious C.H.O. was also recorded and released as a feature film, hailed by the New York Times as “Brilliant!” Both films were acquired by Showtime Cable Networks in 2004 and are currently airing on their channels. Margaret embarked on her third sold-out national tour, Revolution, in 2003. The tour ultimately grossed 4.4M and was heralded as “Her strongest show yet!” by the Chicago Sun Times. The concert film premiered on the Sundance Channel in 2004 and was released on DVD later that year. The CD of Revolution was nominated for a Grammy for best comedy album of the year for 2003.

In 2004, Margaret took her politically charged State of Emergency tour through the swing states of the Presidential election. Lauded as “Murderously funny!” by the New York Times, State of Emergency eventually evolved into her fourth national show, Assassin. Her most political and topical work to date, Assassin toured the US, Canada and Australia and was filmed at the Warner Theatre in Washington D.C. The concert film premiered in select theatres and on the gay and lesbian premium channel Here! TV in late 2005 and is now available on DVD.

In 2007, Margaret hit the road with 80’s legends Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry & Erasure along with indie faves The Dresden Dolls and The Cliks to host the True Colors Tour, benefiting the Human Rights Campaign. A true entertainment pioneer, Margaret also created and starred in The Sensuous Woman, a live variety show featuring vaudevillian burlesque and comedy, which she took for an extended off-Broadway run in the fall.

Margaret premiered a new stand up tour, Beautiful, in Australia at The Sydney Theater in 2008. This was the first time Margaret debuted a tour abroad, and she was honored to be named Chief of the 30th annual Sydney Mardi Gras Parade while down under. After returning to the US, Margaret embarked on a nationwide tour of Beautiful, which was extended through the fall, capped off with a show at Radio City Music Hall, and filmed at the Long Beach Terrace Theater.Beautiful, Margaret’s fifth concert film, premiered on Showtime in 2009 and is now available on DVD.

In addition to her busy touring schedule, Margaret has proven herself an established writer and blogger; her second book, a collection of essays on all subjects political and pop, I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight was published by Riverhead Books, a division of Penguin Group (2005).

In 2008, thirteen years after her catastrophic foray into television, Margaret returned to TV on her own terms, in the Vh1 series, The Cho Show. Describing it as a ‘reality sitcom,’ Margaret said, “It’s the closest I’ve been able to come on television to what I do as a comic.” The Cho Showfollowed Margaret, her real parents, and her eccentric entourage through a series of irreverent and outrageous experiences, shaped by Margaret’s ‘anything goes’ brand of stand-up.

Margaret is currently starring in the new comedic drama series, Drop Dead Diva, Sundays on on Lifetime. Drop Dead Diva tells the story of a shallow model-in-training who dies in a sudden accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney.

 

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Carlos Mencia

Carlos Mencia, superstar/stand-up comedian, is undoubtedly one of today's most lauded entertainers and feared comics. Whether it is man-on-the-street interviews, studio comedy, commercial parodies, or nationwide sold-out tours, Mencia demonstrates an extraordinary ability to connect with a diverse audience. Mencia was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the 17th of 18 children. His parents sent Mencia to the United States when he was about three months old, where he was raised in Maravilla Projects in Los Angeles, California by his aunt and uncle. In his early teens, Mencia moved back to Honduras because his family wanted him to avoid the destructive gang culture of East Los Angeles. When Mencia later returned to Los Angeles, he showed such educational prowess that he was immediately promoted to the tenth grade. Soon after, he successfully graduated from Garfield High School.

Mencia began his career doing stand-up on amateur night at the comedy club, The Laugh Factory. He later showcased at The Comedy Store and became a regular, performing nightly. After he found success on the L.A comedy circuit, Mencia was named "International Comedy Grand Champion" from Buscando Estrellas (the Latino version of Star Search). This led to appearances on 'In Living Color', 'The Arsenio Hall Show', 'Moesha' and 'An Evening at the Improv' In 1994, he hosted the HBO comedy series 'Loco Slam' and in 1998 he hosted 'Funny is Funny!' on Galavision. Mencia released a comedy album in 2000 called 'Take a Joke, America' that showcased his brand of confrontational humor.

Mencia continued his journey up the comedy ladder by headlining 'The Three Amigos' tour with Freddy Soto and Pablo Francisco in 2002, which sold out in record time around the United States. He was also featured in the independent films,'Outta Time' and '29 Palms' and starred in guest spots on 'The Shield' and 'The Bernie Mac Show', among others. In 2002, he received a CableACE Award nomination for Best Stand-Up Comedy Special for his HBO special. That same year, Mencia was featured on 'Comedy Central Presents'. Mencia remained busy and after the success of his solo dvd, 'Carlos Mencia: Not For The Easily Offended', 'Mind of Mencia' went into development. The show was an instant hit and after the first season, Comedy Central signed Mencia back for his own original stand-up special, 'Carlos Mencia: No Strings Attached'. The special was the first Comedy Central Stand-up Special DVD to achieve Platinum sales status.

'Mind of Mencia' debuted on Comedy Central in early 2005. Since then, it has become one of the strongest shows in the network's history, averaging about 1.5 million total viewers. ‘Mind is executive produced by Carlos Mencia and Robert ('Late Night with David Letterman'). With the continued success of the show, the network has ordered a fourth season of the weekly hit, set to premiere in the Spring of 2008 with ten all-new episodes. The new season will take on such topics as the election, the recession and the war as well as other controversial issues.

In the fall of 2007, Mencia headlined a nationwide comedy tour titled 'Carlos Mencia Live Presented by Bud Light.' The highly anticipated tour brought Mencia face-to-face with his fans from September 2007 through December 2007. In December 2007, Mencia embarked on his first USO Tour to the Persian Gulf where he entertained the troops serving over seas. Mencia recently returned from his second trip to Kuwait after hosting 'Operation Myspace', an exclusive concert for American Troops in the Middle East alongside Jessica Simpson and The Pussycat Dolls. The special aired on FX in April 2008. In addition, Mencia taped a new comedy special for Comedy Central, 'Carlos Mencia: Performance Enhanced'.

In July 2008, Mencia will kick off his latest tour at Red Rock Amphitheatre in Colorado. The tour is sponsored by Bud Light and co-promoted by Icon Entertainment and Live Nation. Larger than all of his previous tours, Mencia will perform in more than 60 cities across the country. Mencia's career continues to flourish, making him one of Hollywood's most sought after talents to date!

Mencia presently lives in Los Angeles with his wife of four years and their son.

 

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Brian Regan

Critics and peers agree, Brian Regan has distinguished himself as one of the premier comedians in the country. The perfect balance of sophisticated writing and physicality, Brian fills theaters nationwide with fervent fans that span generations.

Releasing two critically acclaimed hour Comedy Central specials and DVD's in as many years – 2008's "The Epitome of Hyperbole," and 2007's "Brian Regan Standing Up" – Brian has set a standard of excellence that others continually try to follow.

Brian's non-stop theater tour has visited more than 80 cities each year since 2005 and continues into 2009. It is the quality of his material, relatable to a wide audience and revered by his peers, which continues to grow Brian's fan base.

With his first appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman" in 1995, Brian solidified his place on the show and recently made his 20th appearance. He also includes regular visits to "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" on his schedule.

A dorm room favorite, Brian's 1997 CD, "Brian Regan Live," has sold over 150,000 copies and consistently charts in iTunes Top Ten Comedy Albums. Brian's 2000 "Comedy Central Presents" special continues to be a top viewer choice and Brian's independently released 2004 DVD, "I Walked on the Moon," is available at www.BrianRegan.com.

 

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I Am Comic on Tour

 

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Random Interviewer Notes: Aside from the back and forth of the interview, some things were notable when we chatted with the creative team. One young man who always accomanied Brady was surreptitiously using a vaporizer, even during the meetings. I saw that he was using a new 510 vape pen cartridge - the vape is small enough to be hidden in one hand. 510 is the standard thread count for connecting the 510 cartridge to the 510 battery. But this guy was using a cartridge that made a significant cloud, so he kept exhaling straight down in an attempt to hide it but to me he looked like he was floating in a cloud. He was.

 

REVIEWS

 

WatchDocumentaries.com/
7.33 from 3 votes.

I Am Comic

2010
Filmmaker Jordan Brady follows Ritch Shydner as he makes his comeback to the comedy scene after being away from the industry for thirteen years. Featuring behind-the-scenes, candid interviews with some of today’s top comedians including Sarah Silverman, Tim Allen, Jim Gaffigan and others, I Am Comic reveals the peculiar world of comedy and the amusing psychological profile of its performers.

At the peak of Shydner’s career in the 1980s, he had HBO specials, several pilot TV shows, and various late night appearances, although his popularity later took a downturn. Through the collective help of over eighty comedians, he attempts to give it another go. This film follows Shydner as he seeks to connect with the young crowds of today.

 

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