🎙️ Listen to this episode:
Full Transcript
Caloroga Shark Media from Montreal. I’m Johnny Mack with your Daily Comedy News. I just walked out of New Faces one and a much smaller theater than they’ve had in the past. It was filled, but I’ve been in much bigger venues for New Faces. But I’ve also been in smaller venues, like fifteen years ago.
It was in a pretty small room and then it got big. And this is the reconstituted festival. Your host for the show, John Marco Saraisi, and that had me thinking, uh, they used to have Pete Holmes. Well, Jamarco actually addressed. That and got some laughs out of the festival going bankrupt.
And now you don’t get Pete Homes, you get Jem Marco. He was really good. They made it quite clear it was a TV taping. Now. What was really really interesting to me.
They had us tape fake laughs. They had to stew a chuckle, a medium laugh, They had to stew a hoot and holler, so planning on adding laughs and they very well may have to. Did I just give away the lead here? Yeah? They also kept the lights up for the most part.
I was taking notes. I’ve got my notebook here in my left hand and could perfectly see, which kind of surprised me. I thought I was gonna have to use the red light on my Apple Watch. All right. So first up always tough spots, because you know you got to win the crowd over.
Alistair Ogden, he’s out of Toronto, came out, was kind of low energy and I was like, oh, this is gonna be tough. But you know what, he was best of the night of the ten. First up, the winner, Alistair Ogdo. I’m not supposed to say winter, sorry, Alistair Ogden, not the winner, just you know, best of the ten. Second up, out of Massachusetts, Maggie Crane.
I wrote a charismatic but she’s not ready. The materials not really there and one of two comics during the night. I hear a nikky Glazer Cadence creeping into comedy now. And Maggie’s out of Massachusetts, so it’s not a regional thing. She might be one to keep an eye on, but like I wrote, the material is not there yet.
Third, Devontrey Coleman. He might be a writer. The material is really good. The performance is a little too slow and he was reciting it, not performing it. If you know what I mean.
The crowd loved him though, and I’m an admitted comedy snob, so he had a pretty good night. Number four to the UK Chloe Pettis. I think it is I wrote Pets, but I believe it’s Pettis again. You hear the band behind me. I’m recording on the street.
Nice good set. She’s very likable. Nothing extraordinary but solid. Fifth up Bruce Gray out of California. This was to me surreal.
It was like every club comic all merged and became one person. It was like if you had a movie and you needed a guy to play the comic, you would hire Bruce Gray, and maybe that is his future. I actually looked over my shoulder to check the light. Oh, I meant to point out Alistair Ogden in the first spot he ran the light to the degree that they were flashing the spot to get him off. He was way over.
But during Bruce Gray, everybody doing supposedly six minute sets, I kept checking my shoulder, like is the light on? Yet? Is the light on? It? Not that it was bad, but it was just like okay, club comic.
It didn’t feel new facy to me. Olivia Stadler drew the sixth spot. She’s out of Toronto also had that. Nikki Glaser Kneson kept doing that, you know what I mean. So again, it’s not a regional thing.
She’s out of Toronto and Maggie Crane’s out of Massachusetts, so I don’t know what. I don’t know what’s going on that people are just doing that. She was kind of flat and the crowd was not into it. Probably the roughestraw of the night. John Marco came out after her set, and in between the others, he was just kind of going, next up out of New Jersey, here’s Johnny McK But after her set he actually did some material to kind of pull the crowd back.
In number seven out of Manchester, Dan Tiernan very stylized, and I always find the stylized comics to be shooting stars. He was up joking about his face and that got me wondering, Okay, but you’re gonna have a career making just jokes about your face. That’s a good ninety seconds. I wrote it here in my notebook, stylized can’t last, but I’ll tell you, and I’m a comedy snab. The crowd loved him.
He had a good, nice eight spot out of Queens, New York, where I’m from, Grace Johnson. I’m not in a bad mood at all, but I wrote it sounded like the idea of a comedy set. So like earlier where I said Devontre Coleman had the material but not the performance. She’s got the performance but not the material. Maybe they should team up.
Nine out of Philadelphia Connor Agenda. I wrote, he’s fine. I did check the light twice on him, and in the tense spot, Hey, Sue’s Subulvida out of Arizona. I was kind of excited when he came out, and I just had a feeling he was going to be good. My notes here a good performer, material not there.
So that’s New Face is one one out of ten. Usually it’s three or four out of ten. It is now nine to two pm, and I’m going to hit the nine thirty show, and I’m hoping that show will be better than New Faces one little subpar. Let me talk to you about the festival while we’re here. It feels normal to me walking around town.
It looks like the festival. The usual theaters have the usual shows. Personally, I have discovered neighborhoods that I hadn’t been over to in past festivals, including where I am tonight? What street are we on? Saint Dennis?
And apparently there’s a cool restaurant. Scene over here that usually in the past for the festival, We’ve been more over to the west. I think, if my geography is correct, more over towards Mount Royal, so we’re a little east. I think if I have the geography anyway, we’re more over in this direction. And it’s a cool part of town that I hadn’t been to before.
Got a bit of news here that I’m reading off my notepad again. Sorry, this first half year isn’t as polished as normally standing on a street. They are going to give the Podcast of the Year award here at the festival to the Handsome Podcast, which features Tichnitar of Fortune, Themester and May Martin. I know May is here. Fortune was hosting Kimmel, so I don’t know if the other two were here, but that will be awarded on Friday.
Ryan Reynolds will present the Generation Award to Rob Mack formerly known as Rob McIlhenny That’s so funny. Roy Would Junior will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Amazon’s Clean Slate comedy co star George Wallace. Rising Comedy Star of the Year will go to Hannah Berner, and festival programmers have announced that Kat Cohen has joined the Awards show lineup as presenter, while Matthew Brissard, who’s been a guest on this program, will mc the prize giving event. Hey, let’s see if I can do a. Story from a web browser while standing on a corner from The Daily Mail, Comedian and podcaster Andrew Schultz as objected to Dave Portnoy’s criticism of New York mayor old candidate Zohann Donnie, not for political reasons, but because he sees Portnoy as a non New Yorker.
Andrew Schultz was on the internet show Breaking Points and said, if you’re not spending fifty one percent of your time in the city, you’re not committed. Schultz said, it’s like Portnoy. You just say you’re upset about the Israel stuff. You don’t live in New York. Stop acting like you care for a socialist communist runs New York.
You’re upset because he said globalize the infantata. Just make it about that. You’re allowed to make it about that Portnoy has apparently responded by revealing private text messages. That’s not cool that according to these texts, if they are real, show Schultz attacking the New York First candidate for his economic views. In response to Schultz calling Portnoy out saying he should stop acting, Portnoy wrote, if if anybody’s acting, it ain’t me.
The alleged chext Schultz allegedly wrote, I hate his policies. I think it wants to help, but he’s just wrong on the way he’s trying to help. All Right, we’ll take the break there here in Montreal. Today at one o’clock New Faces Writers, and then at three poin thirty New Faces Creators, five o’clock task Master of the Podcast, where Ed Gamble does a recording. Danny Boy at seven, Russell Howard at seven, brits Ish one of my faves at seven, Newface’s Characters.
That’s always a great show. That’s at seven o’clock. Celia Pacuola, I am as surprised as you. At seven o’clock, I don’t know, Celia, Jay Jorden at seven, Rees Darby at seven, Pack to Night tonight, huh Rachel Scanlon at seven I don’t know Rachel Best of the Fest seven thirty, Emil Joachim at eight thirty. Adam Ray is Doctor Phil Live at nine, with a lot of big people in town.
That could be a real winner. Nathan McIntosh at nine, Nick Mohammed at nine thirty, Brad Williams I Love is at nine thirty, New Faces Stand Ups at nine thirty, The Nasty Show at nine thirty, Joe Dombrowski at nine thirty, Best of the Fest nine to forty five, Frankie Canyonis at ten, Steph Tolev at eleven thirty. That’s fun. I’d never be able to stay awake that long midnight surprise at Night’s stamptown at Midnight’s Okay, let’s take a look at tonight’s lineup. Got the new phases at one and three point thirty, then maybe an early dinner and a couple of beverages.
Maybe brits Ish at seven. Hate to skip Brad Williams, but I think bet on Adam Ray at nine, and if you’ve got anything left in you, Steph Tolev’s not my cup of tea. I might walk you over to Steph Tolev and head off to bed. That’s a good Night of Comedy Now. The other day I gave you varieties list of the comics to watch.
B ET reacted to it. They actually reacted a full week ago. It’s been pretty busy. In case you haven’t noticed, they have the headline the Real Ones Black comedians and writers who actually shaped comedy this year, they wrote, while Variety played the diversity version of Where’s Waldough, we did what needed to be done. From Emmy winners to viral disruptors, here are the black comedic voices keeping the culture clever, cutting, and undeniably funny.
No tokenism required, bet Rights. When Variety released its Top Comics and Comedy Writers of twenty twenty five list, I’m not even gonna give them a link back, which was as diverse as a miracle whip sandwich. Accorded to them, Comedy in twenty twenty five is a white’s only party with maybe one or two brown guests who brought their own folding chairs. Not a single black comic made the cut, not one. This is just an oversight.
It’s eraser. It’s proof that black comic can sell out arenas, carry Emmy winning shows, break the internet with stand up clips, redefined satire, and still get left off the list unless they’re dead or hosting a reboot. So here’s our list. Quin To Brunson. Quent To made Abbot Elementary, a primetime juggernaut, proving that a sitcom led by a black woman about black teachers in a black Philly public school could be smart, funny, and award winning all at once.
Natasha Rothwell from Insecure to The White Lotus. Natasha doesn’t just play characters. She steals entire scenes, rewrites your expectations, and leaves you begging for more. Geord Carmichael. He’s the kind of comic who lets you laugh and rethink everything you thought you knew about what a stand up could be.
Sam Jay Her show Paused with Sam Jay bent the talk show format like a pretzel. Plus, she’s behind some of the sharpest sketches on SNL before she dip. Nicole Bayer actress, comedian, podcast host. She’s everywhere. Josh Johnson.
You know this is a very very strong list. Yes, Variety mentioned him barely. They lumped Josh in of the Daily Show’s news team trio like he didn’t have a whole successful stand up career, multiple specials and one of the most thoughtful comedic voices out Right Now. Langston Kerman a master of dry wit and absurdity. Langston balances stand up acting and two of the most underrated black comedies in recent history.
Bust Down on South Side. Janelle James forgets Scene Steeler, she ran away with Abbot Elementary. Her stand up is smart and salty, and her voice in comedy is only getting louder and more necessary. Ze Way is now canceled. Showtime series was cultural satire and a rhinestone glove.
She weaponized awkwardness, flip privilege in the punch lines and made interviewers nervous again. Chris read post SNL He’s thriving His HBO special WIME. I Like This was brutally funny and heartfelt. Dwayne Perkins, co writer and star of The Blackening, a horror spoof that was actually hilarious. Jessica Williams, once The Daily Show’s youngest correspondent, now doing layered comedy and shrink.
I You at a Berry from the famous comedy show The Bear. She’s nerdy, nervy, and a natural. Naomi ek peragid whether on Couple’s Therapy or myth the Quest, Naomi’s comedy always mixes heart and hella insight. Lacey Mosley scam Goddess, stays funny, fast and flawlessly black. Lacy brings comedy in a true crime and keeps it cute and criminal.
Jermaine Faller his underrated performance in Coming to American Voice work and BoJack Horseman show his range, his stand up slept on a sharp Amber ruffin Late Night’s Secret Weapon. They cite the Amber Ruffin show where her signature combo of bubbly energy and biting satshire proved you can be a storming and devastating in the same breath. Great list, and they write so while Variety keeps handing out gold stars in a whites only echo, Chamber will keep writing, performing, producing, and rewriting the rules. Very good list. As you know, I’ve left the country because of the release of Happy Gilmore Too.
I mean, with everything going on in the world, this was the final straw for me. If We’re going to make sequels to terrible Adam Sandler movies, I just can’t be part of it anymore. So that’s why I’ve moved here to Canada, where I’m just living in Montreal. Us Bank has teamed up with Netflix for a sponsorship deal. Quote a move designed to win over younger audiences with a blend of humor and nostalgia.
This from adweek. US Bank is the title sponsor for the fictional Tour Championship golf tournament in Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore Too, whis logo would be splashed across banners throughout the movie. It even appears on the bib of Happy’s caddy. I don’t want to tell you who will play the caddy. It’s an interesting choice, but I don’t want to spoil Happy Gilmore two for you.
Other brands in Happy Gilmore Too include Subway and Callaway. Can’t wait for that movie? Huh. Here in Canada, Steph Tolev talked to our national broadcaster, the CBC. Steph Tolev said, a lot of weird, gross things normally happen to me, especially in my sex life, Like I got choked in a basement, I fooled around with sixty five year old man.
Nothing is made up. She’s out to prove it’s okay for people, especially women, to talk about their bodies openly. Steph says, I think when women are together with themselves, they’re like this, I’m just trying to give voice to people so they can feel more comfortable. And I’m not saying anything that people don’t normally say or do, like I’m just talking out loud about bodily functions that we all do every day. Tolllev asked a woman in the audience the last time she fought in front of her husband.
The woman said it had been fifty years. Steph said, I was like, what is happening? How can you live like this? Steph says internet trolls can be cruel to female comedians. She says, personally, I’m not that confident.
I still read the comments and sometimes I cry because they’re so mean. But I think when I’m on stage, I just feel I don’t know different power, and I don’t feel self conscious when I’m up there, But the second I get off, I’m still a normal gal. When it comes to her own comedy and crowd work, I never make fun of anyone’s physical appearance because I don’t find that funny. If you’ve seen a clip of me where I’m coming at somebody kind of hard, it’s because they’ve done something, like they’ve heckled, or they’ve been rude to other comedians. I don’t want to upset anybody.
I’m tormented in a lot of ways, but I’m not mean. Roy Wood Junior told the San Francisco Chronicle that former mayor Willie Brown showed up at a show. However, would post it on Twitter. WILLI I do shut up to my sold out at San Francisco shows once and told the doorman Willy Brown on every list, he was not on my list. Still, they gave him a free ticket.
According to Wood, Brown said, you just met Willy Brown. You want a Pictureparently, mister Brown picked up a CD and took it without paying. Wood said, no date, no homeboys, no security detail, just the mayor out by himself, showing up for your show for free and stealing your stuff. He was so charming I couldn’t even be mad. A new feature documentary on the career of Joan Rivers is in production, selated for release in twenty twenty six.
Joan’s daughter Melissa, is part of the project untitled Joan Rivers. Project will draw from Joe Rivers’s personal archive, including newly unearthed home videos and hundreds of hours of previously unreleased comedy recordings and audio tapes. Melissa in a statement said now feels like the right time to look at why my mother’s voice still resonates today. Hers is not only the story of a trailblazer, but of a real woman trying to navigate the life of conflicting desires and how that shaped her hilarious view of the world. And that from Canada is your comedy news were today see tomorrow.