the state – Spinning Platters

A Nerd’s Guide To SF Sketchfest 2024

Whoa! This is my 12th Nerd’s Guide to SF Sketchfest! And after 14 long years (including two really, really long years not too long ago) of writing these, I can declare that SF Sketchfest has finally done it! They’ve booked the holy trinity of surreal sketch comedy! Eric Idle (of Monty Python fame), Kids In The Hall, and The State are all appearing! These three are the unifying forces that brought together both the stoners and the kids afraid of weed. AND I AM HERE FOR IT! Honestly, this year’s SF Sketchfest, which I believe is the 21st edition of the event, is probably the most bonkers year yet. I have barely started to figure out what gigs I’m seeing… I need to write this almost for myself as much as for you, my loyal reader.

A complete schedule and links to tickets can be found here!

Thursday, January 18th Continue reading “A Nerd’s Guide To SF Sketchfest 2024”

SF Sketchfest Review: Festpocalypse at Everywhere On Earth, 1/30/21

I didn’t even mention this clip in my review. You’ll have to support SF Sketchfest and rent the thing to find out what’s going on with Kumail Nanjiani’s hair

If this were a typical 2020, by now, you would have read my 10,000-word “Nerd’s Guide to the 20th SF Sketchfest,” half a dozen interviews of performers, and a few dozen reviews of shows. I would also be exhausted laughing and taking in 2-3 shows a night for three weeks. Instead, I’m exhausted because my days are spent chasing a child that’s nearly two around the apartment, as well as being emotionally spent from the pressures of life during a pandemic. I also got to enjoy SF Sketchfest on my couch and took in as many performers as they usually book over three weeks in a single 3 ½ hour block. Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: Festpocalypse at Everywhere On Earth, 1/30/21”

SF Sketchfest Presents: FESTPOCALYPSE!!!

Normally, right about now, we’d be carefully analyzing the 300 or so events that would make up the 20th Anniversary of SF Sketchfest in preparation for putting out our annual “Nerd’s Guide to SF Sketchfest.” Sadly, due to the COVID pandemic, the 20th Sketchfest is going to be delayed a bit, at least until it’s safe for us to congregate again. However, the festival organizers haven’t been resting on their laurels. Instead, they have put together a ridiculous line-up for a variety show that will be getting beamed to your computers on Saturday, January 30th at 5pm PST / 8PM EST, and it’s called: FESTPOCALYPSE!!!!

Headlining are The Kids In The Hall, The State, and Mr. Show’s David Cross & Bob Odenkirk. You know the three most important sketch shows ever after SNL, In Living Color, and SCTV. There will be appearances by all of your SF Sketchfest favorites, and pretty much anyone that has ever made another human laugh EVER, if you look at the poster above. And everyone is doing all-new performances just for this special event.

Tickets are $20 and all of the proceeds go towards helping the good folks at SF Sketchfest keep the lights on and can afford to put on the event that you expect them to when they are ready. The regular ticket lets you watch it all weekend long! And for $50 you can enjoy a “virtual VIP after party” where you can actually walk around and mingle via avatar. I don’t know how they are going to do it, but I’m curious enough to find out. There are also a BUNCH of other packages for those who can spend a little more to help keep these folks afloat! Tickets are available here!

Win Tickets To See Michael Ian Black at The Chapel on Sunday, June 8th

Groundbreaking comedian Michael Ian Black is coming to The Chapel on Sunday, June 8th for a wonderful evening of slightly surreal stand up. Wonder why this face looks so familiar? Well, he started out as a member of MTV’s The State, one of the greatest shows in television history. (Don’t agree with me? It’s ok to be wrong.) In the 20 years since this program blew our minds, Black has been on a series of programs including Stella, Viva Variety, Ed, VH1’s Best Week Ever, and most recently, Trust Me, I’m A Game Show Host. He also has a fabulous podcast called Topics that I highly recommend you start downloading.

We have a pair of tickets to give away to his gig at The Chapel to one lucky Spinning Platters reader. You’ve got to be over 18 to enter, and all entries must be received by Friday, June 6th at noon. We will be informing the winner via email. Simply use this form to enter! And if you don’t believe in chance, you can buy tickets here!

Show Review: Wainy Days Live on 2/1/14

I will fully admit to the fact that I had never seen Wainy Days prior to this evening at Marines’ Memorial Theater. The reason I went to this performance was because the cast bridged my favorite TV show when I was 12, The State, and my favorite TV show now, at the age of 35, Parks & Recreation. It’s silly that I’ve never seen it, as I think David Wain is one of the greatest comic minds of our generation. So, I knew I was in for a surprise or two.

Continue reading “Show Review: Wainy Days Live on 2/1/14”

Spinning Platters Interview: Kevin Allison of Risk! True Tales Boldy Told

Kevin Allison.credit Dave Dietz.sm — Photo by Dave Dietz

Kevin Allison is probably best known for being the tall, redheaded member of 90’s cult sketch comedy group The State. Since the dissolving of The State, Allison has been doing a podcast called “Risk! True Tales Boldy Told” where people tell stories from outside of socially accepted norms. He will be doing a Storytelling Workshop with Sketchfest at Brava Studio on Friday, January 31st at 3 PM (tickets). He will also be doing a live recording of Risk! at the Brava Theater at 7:30 on the 31st with Dana Gould, Nato Green, Stephen Tobolowsky, and Brendon Walsh telling stories, as well as an opening set by fellow The State alums Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black (tickets). We had a chance to sit and talk with Allison ahead of these performances. Since he is a storyteller, I was only to squeeze in three questions. It’s ok, because I didn’t want him to stop talking! Continue reading “Spinning Platters Interview: Kevin Allison of Risk! True Tales Boldy Told”

SF Sketchfest Review: SEX aka Weiners and Boobs at Marine’s Memorial Theater, 2/8/13

The year was 1998. The State, MTV’s highly influential sketch comedy show had just gotten the axe. Three cast members: Joe Lo Truglio, Michael Showalter, and David Wain were asked to if they had a play they could do for a theater festival in New York. They were given a week to write, cast, and rehearse it. The name came first: SEX aka Weiners and Boobs. Because if you are going to title something, that’s about as good as a title can get. Fast forward 15 years, and the good people of Sketchfest managed to put together nearly all of the original cast for an encore performance of this fine piece of theater.

Continue reading “SF Sketchfest Review: SEX aka Weiners and Boobs at Marine’s Memorial Theater, 2/8/13”

Sketchfest Review: Stella at Mezzanine, 1/21/12

Spinning Platters’ writers Christopher Rogers and Dakin Hardwick both got to enjoy a performance by Stella: Michael Ian Black, David Wain, and Michael Showalter‘s nightclub show.

Instead of boring you with a typical “review” of the show, Spinning Platters is opening the fourth wall, and allowing you into the personal lives of these two legendary journalists. This is a transcript of a private chat between the two, discussing the show on Google Chat.

After the jump, you will learn how a writer thinks.

Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Stella at Mezzanine, 1/21/12”

Sketchfest Review: Viva Variety! at Eureka Theater, 1/29/11

At The Eureka Theater last Saturday night, there was a definite air of nostalgia. I often consider Viva Variety! to be the forgotten middle child. It wasn’t nearly as popular as it’s predecessor, The State, nor did it have the longevity of Reno 911. It was a fun program, the fictitious variety show from Europe featuring Thomas Lennon as Mr Meredith Laupin, Kerri Kenney (Silver) as The Former Mrs. Agatha Laupin, and Michael Ian Black as Johnny Blue Jeans, their announcer. But, it never comes up. When you search for the program on YouTube, you will find all of about 4 clips. Where you can find almost anything ever on the internet, the 13 episodes of this show are merely a fading memory.

I don’t think anybody ever expected this reunion. It may be because of the success Sketchfest had with The State in 2009 and Reno 911 in 2010, but the masses snatched up tickets to this show faster than any other gig this year, including Murphy Brown and Saturday Night Live reunions that were far more popular in it’s day, and have lasted in syndication.

Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Viva Variety! at Eureka Theater, 1/29/11”

Sketchfest Review: Risk! with Kevin Allison at The Purple Onion, 1/28/11

One of my favorite pastimes is looking up whatever happened to some of my favorite 90’s icons. I mean, almost everyone knows what happened to some of the lesser known folks in 90’s TV programs. Like Six from Blossom is apparently a struggling country singer, and Rayanne from My So Called Life is married to a lord. But, my absolute favorite show from the 90’s was The State. It was simply the only TV program of it’s time that I felt emulated my brain functions. With the program now streaming on Netflix, I was reminded of two of my favorite sketches: the mailman that only delivered tacos and the Jew, the Italian, and the Red-Headed Gay. Hence me feeling the need to learn about Kevin Allison, one of the “forgotten” members of The State. Much to my surprise, he has a genius podcast called Risk!, where famous people talk about embarrassing situations they’ve been in. And it’s pretty awesome to say the least. Even better was getting to see it done live at the legendary Purple Onion as part of Sketchfest this year!

Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Risk! with Kevin Allison at The Purple Onion, 1/28/11”