Santa Barbara LOL Comedy Festival Returns

Hot Funny Femmes, courtesy photo

Hot Funny Femmes, courtesy photo

Get ready to laugh out loud at an all-star lineup of headline comedians when the Santa Barbara LOL Comedy Festival returns for two weekends, October 8 through Oct. 17.

Here’s the line-up:

Kira Soltanovich • Hot Funny Femmes  • Thur. Oct. 8 • 8 p.m.• Lobero Theatre

Kira Soltanovich (Tru TV’s How To Be A Grown Up, Girls Behaving Badly and The Tonight Show) headlines this evening of sassy, confident, national touring headlining female comedians Kate Quigley, Jenny Zigrino, Karen Rontowski and Hosted by Real Housewives of Orange County Alum Gretchen Christine Rossi.

Brad Williams • Hosts Ringmaster  • Fri. Oct. 9 • 8 p.m. • Lobero Theatre

Brad Williams, coming off his hit Showtime comedy special Fun Size, filmed at the 2014 SBLOLFEST showcases the top music comedy performers for this year’s Next Up Stand-Up Featuring Eric Schwartz, J. Chris Newberg and more TBA.

Broken Lizard’s Steve Lemme & Kevin Heffernan Live • Sat. Oct. 10 • 8 p.m. • Lobero Theatre

Broken Lizard, Super Trooper and Beerfest’s own funnymen headline a night of live laughs. Kicking off the evening will be Comedy Central’s Dan St. Germain.

The Secret Show  • So secret we don’t even know where and when it will be.  The Secret Show location and tickets will be announced to our mailing list and VIP Pass holders several days prior, and the headliner will be announced the day of. Tickets are very limited to this show so pay attention!

Cheech Marin and and Legally Brown Tu/2.0 • Fri. Oct. 16 • 8 p.m. • Arlington Theatre

Hosted by Cheech Marin, Legally Brown Tu/2.0 is a humorous and ironic look at the obvious through the eyes of some of today’s top Headlining Stand-Up Comedians (all respectively having their own one hour specials on the Showtime Network) Steve Trevino, Monique Marvez, Jeff Garcia and Willie Barcena. All on one show and all of whom just happen to be “Legally Brown.”

Also Featuring: Q104.7FM’s Rico and Mambo and Special Guest Rick Najera a.k.a Bubba Gomez

Chris Hardwick headlines The Nerdy Show • Sat. Oct. 17 • 8 p.m. • Arlington Theatre

The final show of the SBLOLFEST takes place at the Arlington Theater with Comedy Central Favorites Andy Daly (starring in Comedy Central hit show Review) and headliner “The Nerdist” Chris Hardwick.

For more information, visit www.sblolfest.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on October 6, 2015.

Editor’s Pick: Santa Barbara LOL Comedy Festival

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I was so excited to hear that Santa Barbara LOL Comedy Festival is back (Oct. 8–17) for a second round of amazing comedy performances. Highlights last year included laugh-out-loud performances from Brad Williams, Jay Mohr, Kirk Fox, Andrew Dice Clay and Rachel Bradley, to name a few. I can’t wait to see what they’ve got up their sleeves for 2015.

Originally published in the Fall 2015 issue of Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Christopher Titus’ “Angry Pursuit of Happiness”

Christopher Titus, courtesy photo

Christopher Titus, courtesy photo

Kids learn that “honesty is the best policy” at an early age, but for comedians to learn that lesson can take a little longer.

Before his breakout one-man show “Norman Rockwell is Bleeding” in 2004, comedian Christopher Titus admits, ” I had done comedy for about 12 years, and I was just kind of a crappy comedian. Nothing happened in my career until I threw all of my material away and wrote that show, which is the first time I was really honest about my life on the page.”

Drawing on dark, personal stories from “my mom’s suicide, to my dad’s alcoholism, to getting punched in the face by my ex-girlfriend, to all kinds of stuff,” that one-man show led to his dark comedy TV series Titus on Fox. The show also earned him a Writer’s Guild nomination and an Emmy nomination, and Newsday called him “TV’s most original voice since Seinfeld.”

Titus describes his comedy storytelling as, “hard funny …. Like if you put Bill Cosby in a horribly abusive home and he fell into a bonfire when he was 15.”

Whatever it is, it’s working.

“Norman Rockwell is Bleeding” paved the way for Titus’ future comedy albums/specials, “The Fifth Annual End of the World Tour” (2007), “Love is Evol” (2009), “Neverlution” (2011), “The Voice in my Head” (2013), and now his newest show, “The Angry Pursuit of Happiness,” which comes to the Lobero Theatre on Saturday, September 27 and will be filmed for a television special.

“This will be my sixth comedy special and this one is the best one I’ve ever done,” says Titus. “There’s a bit called this how life goes. There’s a bit called arm the children, a very funny bit, but it’s kind of a big FU to the NRA, actually to be honest … I even do my own eulogy in this special.”

He continues, “In comedy you have to make people question what you’re talking about. … A friend of mine calls it ‘the last bastion of freedom in America.’ So that’s why they can tell you on a TV show you’ve got to do it this way and this way or our advertisers won’t take it, but on the comedy stage they can’t do that to you.”

Titus speaks from personal experience on the TV show front: his Fox show was infamously cancelled when he spoke his mind to a network executive. “Yep, tell the network president they didn’t know what the hell they’re doing. It turns out if you tell your boss they’re stupid long enough they will fire you. Write that down. One of those rules of life. If you tell your boss they’re stupid long enough they will fire you. I said one sentence that cost me $30 million dollars. You feel better about your life now?”

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Unlike his previous shows, Titus says, “‘Angry Pursuit of Happiness’ this was a hard one to write for me, because my entire comedy thing has come out of pain and anger and my divorce and my crazy mom and my alcoholic dad. I got married again, I met this great woman after my horrible divorce and I got happy and I got really scared I’ve never been more uncomfortable in my life because everything was going well. So I had to deal with that in my life,” he laughs.

“That’s a rich white lady’s problem. You should just call me Miss Daisy. But if you’ve never had happiness and ease in your life, when it happens it’s unrecognizable. This show was about we’re all going to die. No one really believes they’re going to die. Deep down we all think we’re highlanders. I eat more broccoli than anyone, I take many supplements, and I will live forever! … But we’re all going to die and no one thinks about that and this is kind of about finding a different place in your life. ”

The cast of Pawnography, courtesy photo

The cast of Pawnography, courtesy photo

Life is indeed good for Titus these days. In addition to a happy home life, a busy career as a stand-up comic and writer and a new gig as the host of Pawnography on HISTORY, he’s also directing a film, Special Unit, about four disabled detectives. Titus describes it as “The Shield with handicapped people. …. basically due to the fairness and disability law the LAPD has to hire more the handicapped undercover detectives.” The cast includes Titus, as well as Brad Williams, a stand out in his performance at the LOL Comedy Festival at the Lobero earlier this month.

When asked if there is anything left on his career bucket list, Titus says, “you know, I love doing stand-up so much. George Carlin did 21 albums and 14 one-hour specials. There nobody currently even near that. but I’m gonna keep going till I croak on stage and people will think I’m doing a bit. They’ll think I’m doing a piece of material and watch me die and think that’s funny.”

Knowing Titus, it probably would be pretty funny.

He promises, “The show in Santa Barbara will be great. “There is some swearing in it but if you have a 16-year-old kid you could bring them. Any younger than that, I wouldn’t. … The truth can be painful, but the truth is really funny.”

Christopher Titus’ “Angry Pursuit of Happiness” is at the Lobero Theatre (33 E. Canon Perdido St.) on Saturday, September 27 at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets click here.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on September 22, 2014.

 

Santa Barbara LOL Comedy Festival September 2-7 Features Jay Mohr, Brad Williams, Kirk Fox and More

Jay Mohr, U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 3rd Class Corwin Colbert, courtesy Wikipedia Commons.

Jay Mohr, U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 3rd Class Corwin Colbert, courtesy Wikipedia Commons.

We’re getting excited about next week’s Santa Barbara LOL Comedy Festival. Organizers recently announced the addition of three new headline comedians; actor, comedian and radio host Jay Mohr (8 p.m. on 9/5), actor and comedian Brad Williams (10 p.m. on 9/5) and television host and comedian Kirk Fox (6 p.m. on 9/6). All three of these performances will be filmed at the Lobero Theatre as one-hour stand-up comedy specials for future broadcast. These will be the first 1-hour specials for both Willams and Fox.

Previously announced specials being filmed for broadcast on Saturday, September 6 include “Andrew Dice Clay Presents the Blue Show.” In addition, “LOL Comedy Inc.” will be filming in and around Santa Barbara during the festival to give viewers “the coveted insider’s access to what goes on behind the scenes with some of today’s hottest comics, with the LOL Comedy Festival as its backdrop.”

Other live performances include a premiere screening of Rip Taylor’s documentary Rip Rip Hooray to open the festival on Tuesday, September 2, with Rip Taylor here for a Q&A after the screening at the Arlington Theatre.  Also performing are Russell Peters and his “Almost Famous World Tour” at the Granada Theatre on Thursday, September 4 at 8 p.m. and “Jim Jefferies Live” at the Arlington Theatre on Sunday, September 7 at 7 p.m.

Here’s the entire schedule:

Tuesday, September 2,  8 p.m. • “Rip Rip Hooray” • Arlington Theatre
The premiere of the Rip Taylor Documentary. Rip Taylor will be in attendance for the premiere and will be conducting a Q&A at the conclusion of the premiere. – Tickets: $18 & $25.

Wednesday, September 3, 8 p.m. • “Next-Up Stand-Up” • Lobero Theatre
Featuring the hottest up and coming comedic and musical performances (see website for details), “Next Up Stand Up” kicks off at the Lobero Theatre and will take place at different, locations downtown. “Next Up Stand Up” will be filmed as part of a series to be aired on Hulu and loflix.com. Tickets: $18 & $25

Ben Gleib, courtesy photo

Ben Gleib, courtesy photo

Wednesday, September 3,  10 p.m. • “SuperNaked” • Lobero Theatre
Be prepared for the musically unexpected. SuperNaked lives somewhere between the lines of Tenacious D and Flight of the Conchords with a raw intelligent and masterful comedic flare. With their hit show entitled, “Get SuperNaked!” This will be star-studded with guest comedians & musicians. Tickets: $18 & $25

Thursday, September 4, 8 p.m. – “Russell Peters: Almost Famous World Tour” • Granada Theatre
Canada’s number one stand-up export, Russell Peters will launch his world tour from Santa Barbara and the SB LOL Comedy Festival. Tickets $45, 65$, and limited Box Seats $72

Thursday, September 4,  7:30 p.m. • “Hot, Funny Femmes 1” Bring A Date • New Vic Theatre
Hosted by Latin Diva of Comedy Monique Marvez and BravoTV.com’s Nadine Rajabi, featuring some of the funniest woman in comedy today. Tickets $12, $18

Thursday, September 4,  9:30 p.m. • “Hot, Funny Femmes 2” Find A Date • New Vic Theatre
Hosted by Latin Diva of Comedy Monique Marvez and BravoTV.com’s Nadine Rajabi, featuring some of the funniest woman in comedy today. Tickets $12, $18

Friday, September 5, 8 p.m. • “Jay Mohr” Lobero Theatre 

Comedian, actor, radio host and best selling author, Jay Mohr has been performing stand-up comedy since he was 16 years old. Anyone that has ever seen one of his concerts will be quick to tell you that there is no one better. Comedy Central agrees, having named Mohr one of the 100 greatest stand-up comics of all time. Tickets for each show. $18, $25 and $40 for Gold Circle ticktes that include best seats, meet and greet and signed festival poster from Jay.

Friday, September 5, 10 p.m. • “Brad Williams” Lobero Theatre
Brad is filming his first one hour comedy special in Santa Barbara and has appeared on numerous TV shows including “Legit,” “Live at Gotham,” “the Tonight Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Mind Of Mencia,” and “Pitboss.” Brad’s show is high energy and Robin Williams called him “Prozac with a head.” Tickets for each show. $18, $25

Saturday, September 6, 6 p.m. Kirk Fox, Lobero Theatre
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Tennis Anyone?” and “The Test’s” own Kirk Fox will be filming his first one hour comedy special from the Lobero Theatre. Tickets for each show. $18, $25

Saturday, September 6, 8 p.m., Ben Gleib, Lobero Theatre 

ESQUIRE named Ben Gleib one of “Six comedians who could be comedy’s next big thing.” Ben is the host of IDIOTEST, the new comedy brain teaser game show on GSN (Game Show Network,) and for the last 7 years was one of the stars of CHELSEA LATELY on E! with over 100 appearances.  He was recently on tour in arenas all over North America opening for both Chelsea Handler and Dane Cook.  He’s the voice of Marshall the Sloth in “Ice Age – Continental Drift” the #1 animated movie. Tickets for each show. $18, $25

Saturday, September 6, 10 p.m. – Lobero Theatre – “Andrew Dice Clay Presents: The Blue Show”
Coming on the heels of his role in the critically acclaimed, “Blue Jasmine,” and his hit Showtime special, “Andrew Dice Clay: Indestructible,” Dice will present his favorite “blue” comedians on the Lobero stage with Eleanor Kerrigan, Jason Rouse and more. This show is being filmed for Broadcast. Tickets $18, $25, $35

Sunday, September 7 – Arlington Theatre – “Jim Jefferies Live”
The star of the hit show, “Legit,” and international comedy fan favorite, Jim Jefferies will round out the Santa Barbara LOL Comedy Festival. Show @ 7:00 PM. Tickets $32, $42

VIP Festival Passes and individual tickets are now on sale at lolcomedyfestival.comFor daily updates go to: http://www.sblolfest.com.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on August 27 2014.

LOL Comedy Festival presents Brad Williams

Brad-Williams, courtesy photo

Brad-Williams, courtesy photo

Brad Williams has appeared on numerous TV shows including Legit, Live at Gotham, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Mind Of Mencia, and Pitboss. Williams has also performed for the troops all over the world. Williams’s show is high energy. Robin Williams called him “Prozac with a head.” Williams’s ability to make humorous observations on disability, relationships, sex, and race are winning over audiences and proving that anyone can overcome their shortcomings.

Williams appears at the Lobero Theatre on Sept. 5 at 10 p.m. as part of the LOL Comedy Festival. The Lobero is located at 33 E. Canon Perdido St. For more ticket information, and the full LOL Comedy Festival schedule visit SBLOLFEST.com.

 

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons on August 27 2014.