Sara Benincasa is one of my absolute favorite comedians that I have never seen live. She has one of the finest YouTube channels, filled with brilliant characters, excellent political humor, and two great vodcasts: Advice Time, where you get actual advice about issues you may be going through and Gettin’ Wet, where Benincasa interviews important cultural figures from her bathtub! Her Twitter (@sarajbenincasa) feed is pretty on point, too. She probably doesn’t remember this, but her Twitter introduced me to Die Antwoord many years ago. She’s currently working on her second book, and will be performing this weekend all over Sketchfest! She will be performing as part of The SF Sketchfest Dozen with Jonah Ray and Dave Thomasan Friday, February 1st at 8 PM and Saturday, February 2nd at 9:15 PM. She will also be doing You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes alongside Kumail Nanjiani at a special matinee show on Saturday, February 2nd at 1 PM. We had a few minutes to chat with her ahead of these shows, and this is what we talked about!
This time last year, I hadn’t yet experienced the delight that is The Thrilling Adventure Hour. Since then, I’ve become a bona fide fan, even subscribing to their podcast. I admit, I was disappointed when the lovely Busy Philipps confirmed via Twitter that she would be missing this year to attend the SAG Awards in LA, but the addition of Rider Strong was a happy consolation. And really, what better way to spend a Saturday night solo in San Francisco than at a charming comedy show? I couldn’t think of anything, either, so I schlepped over to Marines’ Memorial Theatre last night at 7pm sharp and prepared for the fun to ensue!
Most people know Stephen Tobolowsky for the roles he’s played: Ned in Groundhog Day, Sammy Jankis in Memento, or perhaps giving a sexy line reading of “passport” in Sneakers. But there are a growing number of people in the corners of the Internet who know him not just for his acting, but also for his storytelling prowess, as heard on the podcast that shares the name with tonight’s event, The Tobolowsky Files.
The Tobolowsky Files podcast started as an offshoot of my favorite movie podcast, The /Filmcast. He came to their attention through a film called Stephen Tobolowsky’s Birthday Party, a fantastic film in which his birthday is celebrated by him telling stories about his life. Now, he makes it very clear in every episode of the podcast, and again tonight, that all of his stories are true, and that all of them happened to him. He says that “the truth trumps clever ever time,” and because of this, he refuses to tell friend-of-a-friend stories. (To hear the genesis of this, you can listen to his interview on the Pop My Culture podcast.)
Now these stories aren’t just your typical Hollywood actor stories about working on famous films (although those are included). Tonight at Yoshi’s, for example, he told of how he experienced a miracle on a trip to Iceland, how he learned about a Talmudic interpretation of Psalm 94 called The Afflictions of Love, and about a remarkably astute conversation he had with a dog. The stories themselves twist and turn in ways that it would be unfair for me to describe. These become classic stage monologues in his hands, bringing the audience both laughter and tears. These are fascinating tales, well told.
There was a brief slideshow in the middle of the event followed by a Q&A, where Tobolowsky gave an important tip to storytellers everywhere: write down what happens in your life so you can remember it later. He was also asked to talk about authors who inspire him, and named Dickens, George Eliot, Shakespeare, Chekhov and Loren Eiseley, but also admitted he’s afraid to read others when writing for fear he’s steal from them. Finally, one audience member asked him to talk about auditioning for Glee, and he happily told that story as well.
With the increasing exposure national public radio will be bringing to The Tobolowsky Files, I expect him to become somewhat of a sensation in the public radio crowd (we know who we are). I strongly recommend both the podcast itself and his new book, The Dangerous Animals Club.
Andrew Holmgren is a local comic that hosts a monthly show at Dirty Trix Saloon called Get Yucked Up. He is also a member local comedy crew Sylvan Productions, who put on high quality comedy shows all throughout the bay area. He will be doing Get Yucked Up as part of SF Sketchfest at Cincecave at Lost Weekend Video on Friday, January 25th and as part of the Comedy Happy Hour at Cafe Royale on Monday, January 28th. On New Year’s Day, we got together at a coffee shop in downtown SF to talk about his career and comedy culture in San Francisco in general.
Spinning Platters loves Sketchfest. San Franciscans are generally really lucky, but for two and a half weeks every year, our lives get even brighter and more chaotic, because the best live comedy programming one could imagine is here, in the greatest place on Earth. Of course, it can be awfully intimidating. Hence this guide, to help you sort out everything that you should go to. For a complete schedule and tickets, please click here!
Scott Aukerman first came onto the national radar as a writer and occasional performer on Mr Show. In the year’s since Mr Show’s cancellation, he’s probably most famous for his Comedy Death Ray show, which later evolved into the excellent podcast Comedy Bang Bang. He also has created his own network of podcasts under the banner Earwolf.com. Recently, IFC has opted to pick up Comedy Bang Bang as a TV show. He is also bringing Comedy Bang Bang on the road, and he will be doing the show with guests Paul F Thomkins, James Adomian, and opener Kurt Braunohler at The Herbst Theater in San Francisco on August 3rd. Tickets are available here!
SpinningPlatters had the opportunity to ask Mr Aukerman a few questions about his career, his future, and learning that he might not remember every minute bit of every sketch he’s ever written. Continue reading “10 Quick Questions with Scott Aukerman”
Bob Odenkirk: a cult legend credited with championing and evolving a subversive, acclaimed comedy sentiment. Birthday Boys: a hyped collection of vastly witty, silly sods. Together they formed a rousing precession of jubilant, sophisticated sketches, closing Sketchfest with a bang — bang, scream, yell, “He’s got a gun!”, “My baby!”. You know, comedy. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: 7-Man Sweater (2/5/2012)”
San Francisco has a cloudy yet storied history of nurturing eclectic, eccentric geniuses. The tradition spans from Irwin Corey to Ron Lynch to Brent Weinbach and every sideways side-splitter in between. Many are unsung, underexposed and uncompromised: the inspiration for peers with wider appeal and fans with sharp hearts and heads. Festivals, artistic hodepodge, are optimal for such comedians, an extended focus for latest convolutions and tinkerings in front of fertile or familiar audiences. Will Franken and Drennon Davis, two locally brewed humorists of the aforementioned ilk, evoked the spirit of a sentient armchair: alarmingly absurd, wonderfully witty, warm and comfortable. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Will Franken/Drennon Davis (2/4/2012)”
In the fast-paced, cutthroat, Wild West of Bay Area sketch, few are in league with enterprising comedy tycoon, Killing My Lobster. Barons and Baronesses of the Neo Internetdustrial Revolution, the troupe has made appealing regional satire a booming forte. Powered by live action and recorded skits, and coupled to A.J. Schroder Esq. and the duchess, Jill Bourque, the KML Express set across the Eureka prairie. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Killing My Lobster (2/1/2012)”
SF Sketchfest has a brilliant ability to capture the Bay Area’s attention and imagination. Benefactors of this allotted spotlight are local artists, made bolder and louder by proper production value. In the case of Scott Vermeire, Harmon Leon and Colin Mahan, the added bells and whistles enhanced their rustic independence, demystifying each artist’s vision. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Mahan/Leon/Vermeire @ Eureka (1/25/2012)”
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