It is a rare kind of joke that remains funny after twenty years. It is a certain mark of comedic genius, then, when a joke is funny thirty years later, told in the form of a “comedic oratorio” accompanied by the LA Philharmonic. Yet such a feat was accomplished in style Saturday night, when Monty Python’s Eric Idle led the second consecutive performance of Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy), based on the 1979 Python film Life of Brian, at the Hollywood Bowl.

Idle and composer John Du Prez (who also worked on the Tony-winning Spamalot) masterfully reworked the story of Brian Cohen, a nice Jewish boy born on the same day as Jesus Christ and mistakenly followed as the messiah. Du Prez conducted the LA Philharmonic through classical rip-offs, gospel, and doo wop, while the Pacific Chorale, four soloists, and Idle carried the story.

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Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim met at Temple University in Pennsylvania. They became close friends and collaborated on strange little art projects. One of which was a unique animation short entitled, ” Tom Goes to the Mayor.” After entering it into a few small comedy short festivals, they decided it was good enough to send to one of their idols, Bob Odenkirk ( who was one of the creators and stars of the legendary Mr. Show). Odenkirk recieved the short along with two signed head shots of Tim and Eric and an invoice for the whole package and in mid-view called the duo and the rest is history.

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What would happen if a group of 100 guys of all different shapes, sizes and ethnicities took off their shirts and wandered into Abercrombie & Fitch on the day the store had one of their buff male models greeting customers? Hilarity, chaos and confusion ensued, and although they all eventually were evicted from the store, they made a bold statement in a store that was the antithesis of everything their bodies represented.

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Eddie Izzard will be performing for free tomorrow night at the Los Angeles Theater Center! WOW! Be one of the first 100 people to e-mail them “Eddie Izzard - Free Tix” here and you may win two tickets to go to the show!

If you like smart, witty, edgy, humor, that Izzard is the man for you. Izzard broke through in the late 90’s with his stand up show “Dressed to Kill” where he coined the phrase “executive transvestite.” You may have also seen him in Velvet Goldmine, The Cat’s Meow, the Ocean’s series, and his recent hit TV show with Minnie Driver “The Riches” which will be starting up again March 18th.

The show is tomorrow at 7:00pm and you must me 18 and older to attend. Located at the Los Angeles Theater Center at 514 South Spring St (Map).

Here are some clips from “Dressed to Kill” -

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I’m ashamed to say that I’m sick of Improv. And sketch comedy. And stand-up.

To be fair, I’ve lived in LA for a decade and I’ve been to see hundreds of shows. That can wear a gal down. Working at comedy clubs probably didn’t help my love for the local laugh-fest either. And, I’ve never watched Saturday Night Live. No, not even when it was good. Sketch comedy is just not my thang. So, if I am telling you, loyal Cityzine reader, to go see a sketch show, you know it’s gotta be good.

I’ve been to the last few Groundlings shows. Sometimes literally dragging myself away from a night of red wine and West Wing on dvd to go. And I’m telling you, that shit is funny. Last time we were there, we counted only two sketches out of the whole hysterical show that were eye-rollers, a miraculous feat. Instead of looking at my watch, I actually (gasp) laughed. Out loud. A lot. These Groundlings are talented and quick and fun to watch. There’s a reason many great comedy actors started out as Groundlings and <insert schpeel here>. Shout out to my girl, Edi-P, who continuously rocks the house and almost made me pee myself last time I was there. Roo-roo, mommy.

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I don’t know about you, but when I get up in the morning, stumbling out of my bedroom at 11 a.m., i like to know immediately what the weather is like. Do I need to wear a slicker and galoshes to protect myself from a freak downpour? Should I wear my bright blue windbreaker to fetch the mail?
I used to trust the Los Angeles times to inform me of the day-making or breaking atmospheric situation outside my apartment. I would dress for 80 degree weather - sun dress and sandals; only to walk out the door into a very hazy 72 degrees. This bitterly disappointing experience drove me to look out the window and try to assess the situation with my own tragically untrained eyes… What a fool I was! That all changed when I got turned on - and tuned in - to the weather shaman that is David Lynch. I am now not only well informed, but can sit in awe with the man who made Blue Velvet, for about 40 seconds each morning while eating cereal in front of my computer.

You too can make David Lynch a part of your daily breakfast. Click here for the daily weather report.

The Walken’s are back, and they’ve brought their dysfunctional little family to a new home!Fresh off of VH1’s “Free Radio”, the hilarious comedy group is back in Hollywood for 6 shows ONLY! The comedy group whose purpose is to make you laugh by taking the piss out of the notorious Christopher Walken will be performing in the beautiful THEATRE 68 on Thursdays from February 28th to April 3rd.For more information on how to RSVP read on. [ Read The Full Story -> ]

In the mood for a laugh this weekend? If so head over to Charlie O’s at the Alexandria Hotel and laugh until it hurts. Point Break LIVE! is an interactive stage adaptation of the 1992 Keanu Reeves movie. It rips apart Hollywood blockbusters and bad A-list acting. The plot revolves around an FBI agent/former football quarterback Johnny Utah who infiltrates a surf gang. The evening’s performance includes a series of high-action scenes improvised on stage including car chases, big wave surfing, armed robbery and even skydiving.

The starring role of Johnny Utah (Reeves part) is played by a member of the audience selected at random each night. If you happen to be the lucky one chosen to star in the production you will be able to give a great Keanu- like performance by reading the cue cards. Don’t worry if you don’t think you can act, the worse it gets the better it is.

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Another Case of Gang Benevolence

A family of tourists, stranded in Lakewood en route to Disneyland, is rescued by six known gang members.

John and Gillian Roberson of Salt Lake City, Utah, found themselves and their five children with an engine problem in the center of Lakewood last night.

“At about midnight, the car started making a funny sound, so I pulled off on West Lincoln to see if there was a gas station or something nearby,” says John, 45. “Before I knew it, we were lost and the engine wouldn’t start.”

The family’s SUV was then approached by a group of young men in ‘Bloods’ regalia and what would be considered ‘bling,’ in street talk. The leader of the group apparently knocked on the passenger-side window, and gestured with a circling motion of his hand that the window be rolled down.

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You think you have me beat. You think you have experienced the loudest cell phone talker in the world. Unless you know AAAAAAAA!!! you are wrong. It would be impossible to be a more powerful phone fob than the boy/guy/man (couldn’t tell) I call AAAAAAAA!!!

I was crossing the street from the library (my favorite downtown hangout…seriously, have you visited the rotunda on the 2nd floor?…what about the children’s section?) and I heard him … long before I saw him. A lanky lad, he had wavy brown hair and a flamingo-esque stride. I couldn’t catch a glimpse of his face. Maybe he didn’t have one. Nothing would surprise me when it comes to AAAAAAAA!!!

AAAAAAAA!!! was exiting the library while bellowing to some poor sucker. What would it be like to answer that phone call? You’d want your first step to be a significant receiver volume reduction. Mute would likely be your best bet. I don’t think mute could hold him though, so you’d also want to put the receiver down on the ground. At the end of the driveway. Several doors down. Then, walk two blocks west or to a point where the amplification no longer nauseates you.

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