Free Comic Book De Mayo: Nerds gather and make out like bandits at Free Comic Book Day

By Ralph Hardesty

05.07.12 | 1:15 am

With everything that was going on this weekend, from Drinko de Mayo to the ridiculously wonderful Derby hats, it was easy to overlook Free Comic Book Day. Did you miss ...

show your support

Planned Parenthood fights back with Shirley Temples: Cocktails for a Cause brings together old and new supporters

By Ralph Hardesty

05.04.12 | 1:00 pm

The backlash against Texas’ war on women’s health is in full swing, and it’s getting really, really fun. A few weeks ago, Black Widow Burlesque organized a pan-Texan ...

House of Comedy

The new New Movement: A fresh downtown location for one of Austin's busiest comedy theaters

By Ralph Hardesty

03.15.12 | 3:50 pm

The plucky go-getters at The New Movement Theater have had a busier, more insane SXSW experience than you have. They have booked some of the best official SXSW comedians for ...

Where my girls at?

From Charles Nelson Reilly to Todd Glass: Looking for gay male comedy role models

By Ralph Hardesty

01.26.12 | 11:15 am

As a comedian, I have tons of stand up comedy heroes — but none I really see myself in. There are plenty of doughy, mean white guys out there, but they ...

Necessary television

¡Escandalo!: Fierce first looks at RuPaul's Drag Race season 4

By Ralph Hardesty

12.23.11 | 11:00 am

Pipe down, Christmas! And who cares about New Year's? After seeing the trailer, I don’t care about anything but RuPaul’s Drag Race coming back on TV this ...

sick of shopping

'Tis (almost) the season: Black Friday ruins whatever it can

By Ralph Hardesty

11.24.11 | 3:20 pm

“Earlier-than-ever” seems to be the marketing industry's answer to the recession that kept 2008-9 in the dumps: last year’s trend of stores opening earlier on Black Friday will ...

texas book festival

Talking with children's author Bob Shea: Dinosaur vs the Texas Book Festival

By Ralph Hardesty

10.22.11 | 1:30 pm

This year, the biggest stories at the Texas Book Festival are happening at the children’s tents. From the potato chip science (full of saturated facts!) to Lisa m-fing Loeb ...

Texas Book Festival

Borowitz reports The 50 Funniest American Writers at the Texas Book Festival

By Ralph Hardesty

10.21.11 | 10:10 am

Whether in their head, on paper or in a published anthology, comedians keep lists of comedy heroes who gave them their first lessons in comedy. Paul Reubens, The Kids in ...

ethical treatment

Discriminatory donations: When I went back into the closet for $20

By Ralph Hardesty

10.10.11 | 12:12 pm

Two months ago, I desperately needed money. I hadn’t had steady work in a long time, and I’d pounded my small financial cushion into the ground with breakfast ...

comedy cats

It's Always Funny and PUNCH! Represent Local Stand-Up

By Ralph Hardesty

08.01.11 | 6:00 am

Maybe you’ve heard about Austin’s excellent stand-up scene. Maybe you are a fan of standup comedy and maybe you’re interested in checking out your city’s staggeringly ...

Gay vs. Queer

Gay or Queer: We're Here, but we're unsure what you should call us

By Ralph Hardesty

07.24.11 | 10:55 pm

Austin is already a pretty segregated town, and we seem to be drawing more lines every day. The rainbow flags outside of Oilcan Harry's unofficially claim the block as ...

Alamo Drafthouse Special

Video Hate Squad brings VHS-only "classics" to Austin

By Ralph Hardesty

07.18.11 | 9:52 am

Completely in character, Alamo Drafthouse’s new series, Video Hate Squad exhumes movies you have never heard of that died in a prior commercial format. The curators of Terror Tuesday ...

Why doesn't Austin have more lesbian bars?

By Ralph Hardesty

07.18.11 | 9:50 am

I’m something of a gay traitor because I don’t usually like gay bars. Or I should say, I thought I didn’t like gay bars because I had ...

Amateur Expert Shows

Hey, Austin, your nerd is showing

By Ralph Hardesty

07.18.11 | 9:43 am

Austin is a nerdy town. Some will protest, “But we’re famous for live music! And drinking!” I’ll admit, those don’t necessarily seem like the nerdiest activities, but ...