Austin is finally hosting its first another really big all-comedy festival with the just-announced Moontower. Taking place on April 25th, the event has 24 featured comedians announced so far, including headliners Seth Meyers, Aziz Ansari and Steven Wright. The event will be spread out at multiple venues, including sponsor The Paramount, Cap City Comedy Club, landing somewhere around twelve venues to host the 60+ comedians expected to hit town for the festival. more ›

Bill Burr has been on fire recently. The incendiary comic is basking in the glow of victory, having just won the Boston Comedy Festival's "Comedian of the Year Award," with that, along with recent appearances on Letterman and Fallon, a second successful hour-long special, and a recurring guest spot on the much-loved AMC sensation Breaking Bad, meaning that, apologies to Louis C.K., there is room on this great green globe for more than one red-headed, truth-telling comic. Burr, who may not quite yet be a household name, is certainly on the upswing, and he'll be performing some new likely-to-upset-someone material this Saturday night at the beloved Paramount Theater. In advance of his headlining gig, we rang Bill up for a chat on virgins kissing, taking inflammatory words out of context, and his fifteen-second star turn on Law & Order. more ›

Brian Posehn is apparently a drug addict and a roustabout--if you believe everything the internet says. In reality, this actor/writer/comedian/musician/Dad is about as well-rounded as you can get and he has a resume to prove it. Some of you may know him from The Sarah Silverman Program, where he played one of the un-gayest gay men ever seen on television, or you may know him from one of the hundred other things he’s done. In Part 1 we explored how to be more metal (or just plain metal if you weren't metal already) and, though you may or may not have punched an old lady right in her dumb old face, you were educated. Join us again and get ready to travel down a path that'll make you feel both amused and uncomfortable. more ›

Comedian, beatboxer, performance artist, singer, pop culture encyclopedia: Reggie Watts is all of these things at once, which probably explains how he's managed to be a hit with the mainstream comedy crowd and NPR audiences and the experimental art world. Last week, he caught up on the phone with Austinist about his love of John Hughes movies and strong female singers, and he shared his thoughts on the Occupy Wall Street movement, and his dream production space. more ›

Brian Posehn is apparently a drug addict and a roustabout--if you believe everything the internet says. In reality, this actor/writer/comedian/musician/Dad is about as well-rounded as you can get and he has a résumé to prove it. Some of you may know him from “The Sarah Silverman Program” where he played one of the un-gayest gay men ever seen on television or you know him from one of 100 other things he’s been in or written or voiced. We had a nice colloquy with one of our favorite funny men about his real life story, his activist future, and his desire to help everyone be just a bit more metal. (Psst…Part 2 of this Interview goes up after Fun Fun Fun Fest so stay tuned for more about comedy, poop, and the real 99%.) more ›

Things you learn about Brody Stevens by watching Brody Stevens: 1. He’s friends with Snoop Dogg 2. He does karaoke with Jason Patrick 3. He’ll call Zach Galifianakis onstage if you don’t get your act together. Some of that well connectedness is perhaps a put-on (he’s had roles in the last couple of Galifianakis projects, no word on the Snoop Dogg and Jason Patrick…), but the confidence required to sell the “Insider’s Insider” is what makes Stevens a comic’s comic. The years Stevens spent doing warm-up for shows like Chelsea Lately and The Best Damn Sports Show are apparent in his ability to weave top-of-the-head observations into his act. He’s a comic striving for the moment. We called up the self-proclaimed “Positive Energy Provider” to discuss his new podcast, MMA fans, and what state his beard will be in for Fun Fun Fun Fest. more ›

We don’t know if you know this, but podcasts are a big deal. Okay, you probably did know that, but maybe you didn’t know that podcasts have brought about a renaissance of sorts in the world of comedy: Ricky Gervais, Marc Maron, Chris Hardwick, Joe Rogan, Julie Klausner, Paul F. Tompkins, and Scott Aukerman (just to name a few), have reinvigorated the conversations people have about comedy--they’ve given it cultural cachet once again. Austin comic Cameron Buchholtz has been a contributor to that conversation. Over the past couple years, his podcast, CB Radio, has brought to our ears comedy-centric conversations with guests ranging from national acts like Henry Rollins and Dom Irrera, to Austin favorites Matt Bearden, Andy Ritchie and Erik “The Lizardman” Sprague. We caught up with Buchholtz by phone to chat about podcasting, FFF Fest, and talking about porn on Twitter. more ›

Louis Katz tells dirty jokes for smart people. Or smart jokes for dirty people; take your pick. He’s like your grad student friend who blows all his student loan money on Rubenesque strippers. And uses “Rubenesque” in everyday conversation. His credits include appearances on NBC’s Last Call with Carson Daly Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham, Jamie Foxx’s America’s Funniest Comics, and HBO’s Down & Dirty with Jim Norton. He also has a half-hour Comedy Central Presents special, and recently released his debut comedy album, If These Balls Could Talk. We chatted up Katz by way of bad internet phone line to discuss BBWs, time-traveling pimps and real-life David Lynch moments. more ›

There are four films in the Comedy Vanguard spotlight at this year's AFF. All of them are premiere titles for the festival and Freak Dance is actually making its World Premiere. We've got a preview of all four features to help you plan your festival picks! more ›

[Editor's Note: This fantastic interview was guest contributed by local writer and amateur comic Jared Walls.] Amy Schumer is busy! She was a finalist on Last Comic Standing, has appeared on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show, and Live at Gotham. She’s been on “WTF with Marc Maron” (the most legit of legit comedy podcasts), even has her own Comedy Central Presents half-hour special, and a recently released album, Cutting. She’s appeared on Delocated, Curb Your Enthusiasm and 30 Rock. Did we mention she’s only been doing stand-up for seven years? Confidence and attention to the craft of the joke have vaulted this Long Island native from NYC open mics to headlining gigs at comedy clubs and colleges nationwide. We got hold of Amy by email to talk about funny chicks, smelly festival goers, and racist toddlers. more ›

[Editor's Note: Both parts of this awesome interview were guest contributed by local writer and amateur comic Jared Walls.] Shane Mauss is a stand-up comic who, for the past year, has called Austin “home,” a relative term for a comic as busy as Mauss. If you find yourself at Cap City on a Sunday or Tuesday night, or at the Velveeta room on Thursday, you may be fortunate enough to catch him working out new material. But you may have also caught Mauss on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Showtime's Comics Without Borders, or maybe his own Comedy Central Presents special. His jokes cast an irreverent lens on topics ranging from theme park disasters, to time travel, to the absurdity of truck commercials. His comedic voice is as distinct as his actual voice (he’s unmistakably from Wisconsin). Punchline Magazine named his debut album, Jokes to Make My Parents Proud, one of the Top 10 Comedy Albums of 2010. In Part One we chatted with Mauss about Australia, Wikipedia K-Holes, and crappy sitcoms, and here we talk his thoughts on the sadness of tough guys and his favorite kind of weirdoes. more ›

[Editor's Note: Both parts of this awesome interview were guest contributed by local writer and amateur comic Jared Walls.] Shane Mauss is a stand-up comic who, for the past year, has called Austin “home,” a relative term for a comic as busy as Mauss. If you find yourself at Cap City on a Sunday or Tuesday night, or at the Velveeta room on Thursday, you may be fortunate enough to catch him working out new material. But you may have also caught Mauss on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, Showtime's Comics Without Borders, or maybe his own Comedy Central Presents special. His jokes cast an irreverent lens on topics ranging from theme park disasters, to time travel, to the absurdity of truck commercials. His comedic voice is as distinct as his actual voice (he’s unmistakably from Wisconsin). Punchline Magazine named his debut album, Jokes to Make My Parents Proud, one of the Top 10 Comedy Albums of 2010. We chatted with Mauss about Australia, Wikipedia K-Holes, and crappy sitcoms. On Thursday, we'll have Part Two of this interview, where we'll get his thoughts on the sadness of tough guys and his favorite kind of weirdos. more ›

Sometimes two things are just so much more satisfying when they come together. Peanut butter and jelly, shotgun art, metallic objects in microwaves are all agreed upon combinations. But combining jazz and comedy? Local boundary- and button-pushing institution Church of the Friendly Ghost will mash these two into unholy marriage with their Comedy/Beat Fusion show this evening. more ›

Austin Sketch Fest started off strong on Thursday, and the weekend-long comedy party still has two more nights to go. Tonight at The Spiderhouse Ballroom, catch Austin's Midnight Society with Chicago's Saddle Dads at 8 pm, and at 10, don't miss local troupe Your Terrific Neighbors performing with Delicious Moments, an LA duo known for blurring the lines between performance and reality. Tomorrow, the festivities wrap up with a Best of the Festival show at 7 pm, followed at 8 by local group Rattlesnake and Broadminded, an all-lady team from Milwaukee. After the jump, Joel Osbourne of Your Terrific Neighbors gives a few takes on why you shouldn't miss tonight's show. more ›

This weekend, sketch groups from across the country will flock to town for the second annual Austin Sketch Fest, an event organized by ColdTowne Theater to spotlight some of the most innovative scripted comedy groups in the game -- including nine troupes from right here in Austin. Josh Krilov, host of ColdTowne's The Night Show with Josh Krilov, spoke with several local comics performing in the first night of the fest (which closes with a special edition of the eponymous talk show). Learn how troupes Turn of the Century Paris, The P! Company and Ghetto Sketch Warlock are preparing for the weekend, which features acts from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Milwaukee. Check out the video interviews (complete with potty humor and mom joke one-upmanship) after the jump. more ›

Comic Tig Notaro is known for her deadpan delivery and uncanny ability to find the absurd in any seemingly mundane situation. She's got an impressive roster of stand up specials under her belt, and you may have caught her cameos on shows like The Sarah Silverman Program and Community. Indie label Secretly Canadian will release Tig's debut album, Good One, on August 2. Luckily, you don't have to wait til then to hear from Tig -- you can check out her new podcast, Professor Blastoff (co-hosted with writing partner Kyle Dunnigan and comic David Huntsberger). We talked to Tig about her new pilot, weird audience moments and exactly how much her friends weigh. Want an exclusive track from Tig's new album? We've got a present for you after the interview. more ›

The results are in: after a grueling six weeks, the 2011 Funniest Person in Austin contest wrapped up last night at Cap City Comedy. Of the 172 entrants, 12 made it to the final round, showcasing their best 5-minute sets for a shot at the title. After the judges' lengthy deliberation (during which host Lucas Molandes and comic Brian Gaar screened Top Gun for the anxious audience), Andy Ritchie was crowned -- and caped -- 2011's Funniest Person in Austin, with Chris Cubas coming in a close second and Ramin Nazer placing third. more ›

f you have never seen a nine-year old girl ace an improv set or watched a one-woman show performed by a former madam from Detroit, you're missing out. If you are one of those people who thinks that ‘women aren’t funny’, then you definitely are, and you probably weren't at last week's Ladies Are Funny Festival here in Austin. more ›

This year's Funniest Person in Austin contest is underway at Cap City Comedy, with the semifinal rounds taking place this upcoming Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights at 8. Judges whittled the preliminary 172 contestants down to 40 next-level competitors, and we've got recaps from three of the semi-finalists right here. Read on for recollections from Ramin Nazer, Chris Trew and Carey Denise. more ›

This year's Funniest Person in Austin contest is underway at Cap City Comedy, with the semifinal rounds taking place this upcoming Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights at 8. Judges whittled the preliminary 172 contestants down to 40 next-level competitors, and we've got recaps from three of the semi-finalists right here. Read on for recollections from Maggie Maye, Bob Khosravi and Seth Cockfield. more ›

This year's Funniest Person in Austin contest is underway at Cap City Comedy, with the semifinal rounds taking place this upcoming Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights at 8. Judges whittled the preliminary 172 contestants down to 40 next-level competitors, and we've got recaps from three of the semi-finalists right here. Read on for recollections from Cody Hustak, Michael Priest and Lashonda Lester. more ›

This year's Funniest Person in Austin contest is underway at Cap City Comedy, with the semifinal rounds taking place this upcoming Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights at 8. Judges whittled the preliminary 172 contestants down to 40 next-level competitors, and we've got recaps from three of the semi-finalists right here. Read on for recollections from Amber Bixby, Ryan Cownie and Brian Gaar. more ›

This year's Funniest Person in Austin contest is underway at Cap City Comedy, with the semifinal rounds taking place this upcoming Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights at 8. Judges whittled the preliminary 172 contestants down to 40 next-level competitors, and we've got recaps from three of the semi-finalists right here. Read on for recollections from Kath Barbadoro, Dan Treadway and Andrew Tompkins. more ›

Austin Sketch Fest takes over ColdTowne Theater and the Spiderhouse Ballroom May 26-29, and they've just announced a lineup that features comedy troupes from Austin, Brooklyn, Chicago and Milwaukee. The full schedule is up and boasts an impressive roster of performers and workshop leaders you might recognize from The Tonight Show, MST3K -- even The Alamo's own Master Pancake Theater. more ›

For those unfamiliar with Reggie Watts, explaining his performances probably confuses more than clarifies. Watts is a comedian, musician, beat-boxer and improviser; his sets blend his intelligence and technical skill into a series of free-associative digressions. He has performed and toured with multiple bands (from Regina Spektor to LCD Soundsystem) and is active in experimental theater, but his current focus is on performing comedy solo. He's been touring extensively since last year's opening slot on Conan O'Brien's highly acclaimed tour, and his shows this past weekend at The ND Studios (as part of Fusebox Festival) were standard among Watts performances, which is to say they were remarkable. more ›

Few people in the world of writing have carved themselves such an enviable and steady niche as David Sedaris, the undisputed king of the awkward-yet-relatable insight and the breezy-but-thoughtful read. His books of "essays" (Barrel Fever, Naked, Holidays on Ice, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, 2008's When You Are Engulfed in Flames, and his latest, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary) have risen to the top of all the most popular lists, and everyone from NPR to the New York Times to the Grammies has lauded his instantly recognizable style. Right now he's touring America with material both familiar and unfamiliar, and his penduluming between cringe-worthy honesty and heart-string tuggery goes over as well in performance as it does on the page. Heads up, though: the show was in such high demand it was moved from Paramount to Long Center, so don't end up standing around confused on Congress! more ›

Kyle Kinane is less of a stand up comic than a storyteller, a humorist whose biggest asset is his ability to captivate audiences with compelling narratives rather than rapid-fire punchlines. Kinane got lots of attention when he toured with the similarly-styled Patton Oswalt last year - not so much for the shows they did (which were widely acclaimed) as for the running Twitter commentary on their trip, which was full of adorably sarcastic jabs. He's also the author of one of The Rumpus' funniest columns, and his album, Death of the Party, was one of the best comedy recordings of 2010. His Comedy Central Presents special recently aired, and he's been touring tirelessly since the beginning of the year. Lucky us: he's one of the headliners at Hell Yes Fest, which is taking over Austin all week. We spoke with Kyle about day jobs, lazy podcasters and the territorial nature of the comedy scene. more ›

Chelsea Peretti's been pretty busy for the past, oh, ten years or so. Most of the time, she's performing stand up sets, writing for TV and the web and performing with Variety SHAC, an NYC-based comedy troupe. She's also mocked celebreality with her video series "Making Friends with Chelsea Peretti" and "All My Exes." Chelsea will be in town this April for Hell Yes Fest; we caught up with her to talk about health food, the West Coast and interviewing strangers. more ›

Get ready, guys, because the games are on: the 2011 Funniest Person in Austin contest kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. at Cap City Comedy. The first set of preliminaries, hosted by last year's FPIA Lucas Molandes, takes place tonight and tomorrow night. Prelims go through May 3, with shows every Monday and Tuesday til then. Check out a PDF of all the lineups right here, and get your brackets ready for a full month of competition. more ›

It's hard to talk about female comedians without broaching the "are women really funny?" debate that's been getting especially heated attention recently, so let's just say that it only takes about 30 seconds of watching one of Eliza Skinner's videos to get enough ammunition to blast contrary arguments out of the water. Hell yes, women are funny, and Eliza is one of the most creative comics out there, period. With a background in improv, a critically acclaimed solo show, and frequent contributions to sites like CollegeHumor and Funny Or Die, Eliza's got comedy covered from all angles. She's also one half of I Eat Pandas, an off-Broadway show that won the ECNY Award for Best Improv Group, and she's a cast member for Baby Wants Candy, an utterly mind-blowing group specializing in full-length improvised musicals. Oh, and she's working on a book, regularly performing stand up and drumming for a band in her spare time. We had about a million questions for Eliza, who's coming to town this April for Hell Yes Fest. more ›