If you’ve ever gone to RooftopComedy’s Staff Picks page then you’ve undoubtedly seen Jeff “MadMan” Morris’ official title – Legendary Intern.  There really isn’t any other way to describe Jeff.  His bright and cheery antics have brought smiles to the RooftopComedy office for over a year now, and today is his final day.  Jeff is responsible for many traditions here, including: picking up breakfast sandwiches every Friday from Toaster Oven, stock piling massive amounts of gum, wearing sunglasses indoors, and nerf basketball.

Jeff is leaving us to finish up art school and become a world-famous cinematographer. Good luck buddy, you will be missed!

Posted: September 12th, 2008 under Cool stuff from Rooftop Comedy, Press Releases, Ruminations, theorizations and stuff.
Comments: 10

Tune in to Comedy Central tonight at 11 p.m. for an all-new, one-hour stand-up special from Jimmy Dore.

In the stand-up special, “the weed-philosophizing political commentator” will give his humorous explanations for why the Clinton sex scandal upset the American public, why watching Christian talk shows is dangerous when you’re high and delves into the paranoia surrounding retailer The Gap.  “Plus, Dore makes Al-Qaeda look less scary—by naming a fruity vodka drink after them!,” network officials said.

Several members of the RooftopComedy staff (including myself) were lucky enough to attend the live taping of this show at the Fillmore in San Francisco.  I can tell you first hand that this show was gut-bustingly funny.  If you’re a long-time fan of Jimmy, you will not be disappointed, and if you’re new to his material, this is Jimmy at his best.  I suggest you turn off your cell phone, throw on some sweat pants, and settle in for a night of hilarity!

Posted: August 1st, 2008 under Press Releases, Ruminations, theorizations and stuff.
Comments: none

For a time in my life when I was training in Muay Thai and western boxing, I entertained the idea of becoming an professional fighter. Granted, this also comes from the same mind who wanted to grow up to be a time traveler in the first grade, not unlike a certain Dr. Sam Beckett. It then dawned on me that the only reason I really wanted to become a professional Mixed Martial Artist was so that I could parade into the ring, cage, or Octagon strutting to New Order’s Bizarre Love Triangle. The possibility of getting my teeth knocked out was just the nail in the coffin for that idea.

That’s why I have utmost respect for people who get their face bashed in, joints snapped, and choked out for a living.

And with that said, come Tuesday, July 15th at 8pm, you’ll find me definitely at the San Jose Improv for the Steel Cage Comedy Night, because not only it will be a showcase of great local, Bay Area talent (including the amazing W. Kamau Bell of Siskel and Negro and the W. Kamau Bell Curve fame), but UFC fighter and number one contender for the UFC welterweight championship Jon Fitch will appearing and be giving a candid interview to the audience. Fitch trains out of San Jose, CA and will be fighting current welterweight champion, George St. Pierre, one of MMA’s biggest stars at the next UFC pay-per-view, August 9th.

In one of the fastest growing sports in the world right now, the ability to be in the same room with a guy who just may be just next UFC welterweight champion of the world boggles my mind, and to hear stand-up comedy in the same night, just makes my head spin. In the best way possible. Par for the course, best of both worlds.

For more information, visit the Myspace page for the event at myspace.com/steelcagecomedynight.

After the jump, the official press release for the event!

Posted: July 10th, 2008 under Press Releases.
Comments: none

As we speak, RooftopComedy-dot-commers Annie and Nate-Dogg are in our neighborly neighbor to the north, Canada. Edmonton, to be exact as we set up The Comic Strip to join our illustrious network of partner clubs!

On top of that, Annie and maybe Nate will be interviewed by Lars Callieou (pictured, right) of Kamikaze Komedy TONIGHT on CJSR 88.5 FM from midnight to 2am, MST. They will be joining a stacked list of comics who have been interviewed on the program in the past such as, Doug Stanhope, Mitch Fatel, Steve Hofstetter, Tom Wilson, and Daniel Kinno.

And to sweeten the pot, those not in the Edmonton area to listen can tune in via the magic that is the internet and stream the show from the comfort of their own computer. Just make sure you handle all that time zone change business! It’s serious business! Just follow the .gif pictured here, when the time is right!

Posted: July 9th, 2008 under Cool stuff from Rooftop Comedy, Press Releases.
Comments: 4

Jennifer is trying to get back home, but its a lot more complicated than that. The guy sitting next to her in the taxi is smoking cigarettes, but won’t roll the window down because he doesn’t want to let the tear gas in. The 70 year old grandmother on her other side wants to know why her Arabic is so bad, why she doesn’t wax her arms and why at the age of 28 she is not yet married. It’s 100 degrees outside, and she’s been in this taxi for 2 hours even though it should have been a 20 minute ride. And all she can focus on are the soldiers on the one side of the road shooting rubber bullets through traffic at the kids hurling stones on the other side of the road. Wait, why did she want to come to Palestine?

Oh yes that’s right, sick and tired of the unsolicited discussions, debates and disagreements about her identity and her opinions about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Jennifer decides to go to Palestine and figure it out for herself. Join her on American and Palestinian soil on auditions, bad dates, and across military checkpoints as she navigates the thorny question of "where are you from?",  and defines for herself what being a single, Christian Palestinian-American woman really means. Apparently it means a lot of comedy.

Read more about I Heart Hamas, after the jump!

Posted: July 8th, 2008 under Press Releases.
Comments: 1

After 3 great years of booze, short stories, and crazy phone calls, Air Out My Shorts (AoMS) has finally made it to their 100th episode!

Join hosts Preston Buttons & The Word Whore as they clumsily narrate their way through submitted works of Short Fiction: often painfully, always absent-mindedly and completely unencumbered by any relevant credentials!

Though each episode of Air Out My Shorts will make a somewhat valiant attempt to present a short work of original fiction, Buttons & The Whore are a FAR CRY from traditional — let alone knowledgeable literary critics. This free-form netcast is intended only in good ALTERNATIVE UNCENSORED fun and will not be appropriate for all listeners OR aspiring authors.

Posted: June 26th, 2008 under Cool stuff from Rooftop Comedy, Press Releases, Reviews.
Comments: none

Following the Final of the NIVEA Funny Women Awards at the Comedy Store in London, Funny Women are proud to announce that the winner of this year’s awards is Katherine Ryan.

Canadian Katherine Ryan is a recent arrival to the UK only having properly lived here since January 2008.  Crossing the pond with her comedian fiancé because “comedy in the UK is the best in the world”, Katherine is a former children’s TV presenter as well as a stand up.

“I’m delighted to have won” Katherine said, “I didn’t think I would as all the girls were so funny and talented and it was great just to be included in such a brilliant line up.  I didn’t quite believe it when they called my name, but I’m really thrilled – especially about the year’s supply of NIVEA products. I tried the bathrobe on as soon as I got offstage!”

“Katherine is a brilliant comic and gave a stand out performance at the Final“ Funny Women producer Lynne Parker adds, “she was confident and witty with some inspired material – a real funny woman.”

Read more about Katherine, after the jump!

Posted: June 26th, 2008 under Press Releases.
Comments: none

In tribute to a true comedy great, HBO will be airing every one of Carlin’s specials in a two day marathon. Starting this Wednesday at 8PM, dial in and check out some amazing comedy!

Posted: June 25th, 2008 under Press Releases, Ruminations, theorizations and stuff.
Comments: none