Maria Bamford, along with Zach Galifianakis, Patton Oswalt, and Brian Posehn, was one of the original Comedians of Comedy. We spoke with Maria recently about her upcoming performance tonight (sold out) and tomorrow night at Cap City Comedy Club. The Comedians of Comedy premiered at SXSW in 2004, right? Right. Were you there for that? I think I was. Hold on a second. Yes, I was. I was there. What did you think about SXSW? It was awesome. You get to watch movies. I like the place where you watch movies and can have a beer and eat something. The Drafthouse. Yeah. That was really great. I like that. ...

JOSH RITTER What’s The Deal: Josh Ritter graduated from college with a major in American History through Narrative Folk Music, which makes the title of this folk-pop singer/songwriter’s recently released album, The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, fitting as well as boastful. He can boast all he wants with those hearty lyrics fat with imagery and the voluminous songwriting of this, his fifth album. Comparisons to Bob Dylan as well as John Lennon immediately come......

Kind of a slow week for new releases here in Austin. You can either bro out and get amped on some new Die Hard, or submit to the CGI summer blockbuster force that is Ratatouille. Oh, and Michael Moore wanted to talk to you about some things. Live Free or Die Hard: John McClane is back! Now shorn bald (and resembling a very stern penis), he must jump off careening jets and donkey-punch the......

Go ahead and order that failure bowl at KFC and dig in with your spork of sadness, it might be the only thing that will smother the despair that will come with missing Patton Oswalt present Ratatouille tonight at the Alamo. That’s right kids, it’s sold out. In fact, it was sold out last Thursday. You will just have to wait until June 29th for your yearly dose of Pixar magic and Brad Bird brilliance.......

MONDAY [11] film • Patton Oswalt live with "Ratatouille" sneak preview at Alamo Downtown film • Music Monday: "Harry Nilsson's Birthday Party" at Alamo Downtown food • Central Market Cooking School Class: Sushi 101 with Chef Timothy Thomas at Central Market Cooking School, 4001 N Lamar ($70, 6:30-9:30pm) music • Maserati, My Education, Lazar Wolf at Emo's music • Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Cheer Accident, Oh, Beast at Emo's music • Manu Chao at Stubb's......

We saw Janeane Garofalo a few years ago in Houston -- she was wearing sweats and debating whether or not the Charlie's Angels was cinematically brilliant or the biggest piece of crap she'd ever seen. For the record, she was doing this on stage, and ultimately decided, based on Drew Barrymore's awkward dancing, that the movie was brilliant. Garofalo makes the sort of oddball diatribes that your snarky best friend makes, but somehow, they're......

The first-ever Fun Fun Fun Fest is this Friday, December 1st, at Waterloo Park. Over two dozen great acts are on the bill, including Spoon, Peaches, The Black Angels, Prefuse 73, and DJ Mel. Tickets are $20, and can be purchased online. Gamblers perform on the punk stage at 6:55. --The Editors How's Volcom treating you? Any Riverboat Gamblers skate decks in your future? Volcom has been great! They give us lots of socks,......

WEDNESDAY [29] discussion • Patton Oswalt and Writers Present The Onion at Alamo Downtown (9:30pm, $15) music • Indian Jewelry, Cry Blood Apache, Wiggins at Emo's music • Real Live Tigers, Fourth War Boys Choir, David Israel, Pink Nasty at Beerland music • The Distant Seconds,The Late Fees & The Unbearables at The Parlor film • Third Coast Night: La Sierra at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film • The Devil's Backbone at Beerland (7pm, Free)......

We're running a quick giveaway contest for the "Comedians of Comedy," happening at Emo's tonight! Simply be the first to send us an email and you're in. Update: Congrats, Sonia! From their website: A new wave of creative, risk-taking comedians are coming out of Los Angeles, New York, and cities all over America. Tired of shopworn premises, hack punchlines, and impersonal comedy, these so-called "alternative" comedians are the vanguard of what stand-up comedy will become......