SXSW: By the numbers from CNN on Vimeo.

The official SXSW Comedy events got started Saturday night at Esther's Follies, kicking off with a "Doug Loves Movies" podcast double-header. Guests included Kid in the Hall Dave Foley, actors Kevin Pollak, Rainn Wilson, and Simon Pegg, writer Anthony Jeselnik, and filmmaker James Gunn. Later in the evening, two packed performances of Scott Aukerman's Comedy Death Ray show featured stand up sets by Foley and Pollak along with Michael Ian Black, Brett Gelman, Howard Kremer and Chris Hardwick. more ›

So, we know that there is some other film awards show going on this weekend that involves statues and crimson carpets and such, but how many nominees can claim Austin as their hometown? None that we can think of, which is what makes the Film Independent's Spirit Awards a bazillion times more interesting to us than the stodgy old Oscars! more ›