SXSW Comedy Cut-ups
Visiting SXSW Comedy? Here are the top showcases for the coming days
With badgeholders crouched at the line and engines pumping, the light for SXSW 2013 turns green for Film and Interactive, but SXSW Comedy must not be forgotten. This first weekend of the festival will be the most hectic, so taking the time to get in a few laughs will help to take some of the edge off of all the chaos.
It’s no secret that this year’s comedy lineup is a treasure for fans of alt comedy, with some of the hottest cult shows and stars taking center stage starting this weekend and throughout the rest of the coming week. All upcoming showcases are surefire winners, but here are the ones that can’t be missed.
Burning Love Showcase — March 9
This web series from Yahoo! is defining cult comedy success right in front of our eyes. Originally airing exclusively online, the series now enjoys its own slot on E!, bringing in even more devoted followers.
The first season starred Ken Marino as Mark Orlando, a 34-year old fireman in search of love on a show that satirizes reality dating shows, especially The Bachelor, and stars some of the best comic actors and standup comics out there. Stars Ken Marino, Kumail Nanjiani, Natasha Leggero and Rob Huebel are on hand at Esther’s Follies to perform and provide some background insights into the making of the show.
IFC presents Comedy Bang! Bang! Standup Showcase — March 9
A spin-off of host Scott Aukerman’s popular podcast of the same name, Comedy Bang! Bang! serves as one of IFC’s main efforts to further solidify the channel as a force in alternative comedy programming. They certainly must believe in it after renewing the series for its second season.
With its outlandish humor, the series has struck a chord with many comedy fans, and it doesn’t hurt to have comedian/music improviser Reggie Watts performing all of the show’s music. Viewers can expect things to get crazy, along with a heathly dose of what to expect when the series returns to the small screen this summer.
The Super Serious Show — March 10
Coming into town all the way from Los Angeles, The Super Serious Show is a monthly comedy event that features some of the youngest talent in the LA comedy scene. The show also takes pride in the fact that it features a mix of everything including standup, sketch and music comedy, and it isn’t afraid to allow its entertainers to fully experiment.
This particular show at the ND will feature plenty of talented headliners, including but not limited to Drennon Davis, Jenny Slate, Jerrod Carmichael and Kyle Kinane.
Comedian Marc Maron has built up quite the following over the past years, first with his standup but now in recent years with his immensely popular podcast series, WTF, which is often on every “must listen” podcast list.
That following earns Maron a shot on IFC with his own autobiographical scripted comedy series about life as a comedian hosting a podcast out of his garage. Maron will be joined by executive producers to discuss this fictionalized version of himself. Premiering in May, perhaps this show could become the next Curb Your Enthusiasm.
The UCB presents the All Stars of Improv and Standup Showcase — March 11
As two shows going on back-to-back, this is something that all fans of comedy should be looking forward to. Featuring the top performers from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theaters in both Los Angeles and New York, both shows feature established stars and upcoming talent, including Kyle Kinane, Jerrod Carmichael, Shannon O’Neill and variety show host Chris Gethard.
Of course, these shows are far from the only options in the following week, and stay tuned for a list of the can’t-miss live podcast recordings and an interview with Chris Gethard about his cult variety show.