- Friday night, improv group Illegal Refill performed with PHIT resident group Everything Must Go at the Shubin Theatre. Says IR’s Amie Roe: “Our show had some fun themes running throughout it, like law enforcement being terrified of violence, and music completely defining how a person thinks and acts. The audience was quiet at first, and we had to work hard to win them over. Eventually, we were able to get them to loosen up and follow along with us, and then they really started to respond with lots of laughter.”

- Also on Friday, The N Crowd did their usual Friday night show at 8PM at The Actors Center but then tacked on a 10 PM show as well. Says N Crowd’s B.J. Ellis: “We added a second show because our 8 p.m. had been sold out more than week in advance. We tacked on a 10 p.m. show to see if there was interest in our audience base to hit up a late night N Crowd show. there obviously was. Both shows were very well received by the audiences.”

- On both Friday and Saturday night, stand-up comics Chip Chantry and Doogie Horner performed about a half hour each of material at the Shubin Theatre that was recorded for a possible CD and/or DVD. Says Chip: “The shows were a whole lot of fun. The crowds were great. By the end of the night the room was hot and steamy from the energy. Like right after a great basketball practice, or an awkward sauna experience.” Yours truly hosted the shows and can concur with Chip’s statements.

- Saturday, sketch group Secret Pants screened their short “Dead Hooker Theater” in the The Rocky Balboa Picture Show 2 – Rock Treatment (Shorts Program) of the Cinefest 2009 and Philadelphia Film Festival. Says SP’s Brian Kelly: “every gag got the reaction that we were hoping for. The final beat in there, a tease for the next episode of Dead Hooker Theater, probably got the most positive response. With our videos, there tends to be an even split between people who think that we’re sick and talentless, and people who think that what we have to offer is funny. This crowd seemed to be 75% in favor, which is a good sign. We’re excited to see how it does when we release it to the internets.”

- On Saturday night, Philly ComedySportz took on their New York brethren: a battle of Broad St. vs. Broadway as it were. According to the group’s Twitter (everything is through Twitter now, isn’t it?), NYC won the first show 30-27 and Philly scrapped out a win 27-26 in the second show. The group also just debuted their new website.

- We didn’t talk to Joe Rogan, who was at Helium this weekend, but he had this to say from his Twitter:

Philly was wild and fun as fuck. One of the best weekend ever. Video soon to follow this week, we got a lot of great shit

and:

Holy fuck these shows in philly are awesome. I’m blown away. Some of the best crowds ever

The Potential Podcast w/ Chip Chantry, Aaron Hertzog and Dave Walk

There will be no C vs. A Radio Hour on G-Town Radio tonight, but today we’ve got a special podcast to keep you sedated.

A few weeks ago, Chip Chantry, Aaron Hertzog and Dave Walk got together to record a podcast of random discussion and ideas. The Potential Podcast is the final results in which the guys talk about comedy, Teen Wolf and tons of other things.

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This Friday and Saturday March 27th and 28th, Chip will be performing with Doogie Horner in the BIG TABASCO show at the Shubin Theatre at 10PM.

With internet video, TV, Netflix, DVDs and movies still raging on, comedians are still enjoying and creating comedy in the spirit of Fred Allen and Jack Benny. Yep, radio. This past January the Philadelphia sketch comedy group The Sixth Borough recorded a radio play at the Nexus art gallery in Fishtown/Kensington and have put it all up as MP3s. Says Sixth Borough member Pat Kelly:

A couple weeks ago we did radio show for Nexus radio in Philadelphia. You didn’t hear it. It’s not your fault. Even if you had tried, you wouldn’t have heard it, unless you were parked in your car right outside the studio. Well good news! You can download the tracks and listen!

Topics touched upon in the sketches include monkeys, opium, the Romans, ghosts, and hats.

The Sixth Borough will be performing a new sketch show, DEPRESSION ISN’T JUST A RIVER IN EGYPT!!! on April 1st, 3rd and 4th at Connie’s Ric Rac.

For some, college is a time to decide and study what you want to do with the rest of your life. For others, well, a bevy of things. Perhaps a handful want to be comedians and the Rooftopcomedy.com College Competition may be their chance to shine.

Held at Helium Comedy Club (2031 Sansom) this evening, the battle will pit scrappy state school Temple (Steve D’Agostino, Matthew D’Avella, Greg Forster, Greg Herzog, Nathan Jaiyeola, Rudy Mezzy, Aaron Miller, Stephen Sudia and Angela Porzio) vs. brainy Ivy League University of Pennsylvania (David Agyekum, Zachary Bell, Brian Brauntuch, Alex Livingston, Naima Pearce, Josh Rabinowitz, Marisa Riley, Joseph Romito, and David Jahnke).

Through a series of live on-campus and comedy club events and online elimination rounds, audiences will decide which comedy teams head to the National Finals in Aspen, Colorado.

It’s time again for the Philly Improv Theater’s week at the Shubin Theatre (407 Bainbridge St). The week actually kicked off Monday with our show, but the highlights of the week are still yet to come with longform improv from New York City, a stand-up CD/DVD recording and more.

Wednesday, March 25th
8 p.m. – Why Am I Not Famous?!?: A Comedy Talk Show w/ Kent Haines, $5. This month Philly’s only comedy talk show welcomes NYC comedian and The Onion writer Mike Drucker and Philadelphia cartoonist and illustrator Jamar Nicholas. According to Kent: “there is an 85% chance of Watchmen talk.”

10 p.m. – Guilty Pleasures w/ Brendan Kennedy, $5. Bringing you the best in awful scripts, acted out for you on stage. Listen to Brendan talk about the show on the C vs. A Radio Hour.

Thursday, March 26th
8 p.m. – Improv Comedy, PhD: Every Thursday the theater pairs up “today’s comedy over-achievers and tomorrow’s comedy legends.” This month: UPenn’s Without A Net with PHIT house team Fletcher.

10 p.m. – Cagematch: Traffic Jelly vs. reigning champs Angry People Building Things, $5. CAGEMATCH pits two groups against each other for 25-minute sets that can only use one audience suggestion. The audience decides the winner by secret ballot.

Friday, March 27
8 p.m. – Everything Must Go + Illegal Refill, $10. Longform improv from PHIT Resident Group Everything Must Go and PHIT affiliate group Illegal Refill, $10.

10 p.m. – Big Tabasco, $10. A DVD/CD recording featuring 30-minutes of stand-up by Chip Chantry and Doogie Horner. Listen to Chip and Doogie on the C vs. A Radio Hour

Saturday, March 28th
8 p.m. – Activity Book + The Wilhelm, $10. PHIT Resident Group Activity Book is joined by NYC’s Peoples Improv Theater house team The Wilhelm.

10 p.m. – Big Tabasco, $10.

Sunday, March 29
7 p.m. – Tongue & Groove, $10. Ranging in ages 23-53, “ensemble members aim to reflect truthful expression of the human experience and focus on rich emotional, intellectual, and physical relationship exploration, both comic and dramatic in tone.

Ladies and gentleman, the time is now! Come enjoy engaging and hilarious stand-up comedy in the wonderful confines of a theater (”theatre” if you’re quaint).

Come out with all of your friends to:

The Comic Vs. Audience Comedy Show!
Monday, March 23rd, 2009
8PM
at the Shubin Theatre
407 Bainbridge St.
ONLY FIVE AMERICAN DOLLARS (tickets on-sale soon)

Featuring stand-up comedy by:
Meg Favreau
Pat House
Conrad Roth
David James

Hosted by Dave Walk (he’ll have some jokes too)

And did we mention it’s BYOB?!?!?

Omniana Battle: Doogie Horner vs. Dave Walk
After the brief discussion between Doogie Horner and Dave Walk that was posted yesterday, the two battled it out in the game of wits known as Omniana.

Because of a split decision in the studio, we are allowing listeners of the podcast to determine the winner. Feel free to comment in this post or e-mail comicvsaudience@gmail.com with your vote. The winner will receive intangible things such as “bragging rights” and perhaps even the respect of their peers.

The next episode of Doogie’s live comedy show Ministry of Secret Jokes is on Wednesday, March 25th at Fergie’s Pub (1214 Sansom) starting at 8PM. And on Friday and Saturday March 27th and 28th, Doogie will be performing with Chip Chantry in the Big Tabasco show at the Shubin Theatre.

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Interview: Doogie Horner
Doogie Horner is a Philadelphia stand-up comedian, graphic designer and writer. He’s the author of The First Timer’s Kit and the upcoming Everything Explained Through Flowcharts. He’s also the host of the live stand-up/variety comedy show Ministry of Secret Jokes. Doogie talked to host Dave Walk about his comedy, Elvis and his favorite doomsday scenarios.

The MOSJ show will be Wednesday, March 25th at Fergie’s Pub (1214 Sansom) starting at 8PM. And on Friday and Saturday March 27th and 28th, Doogie will be performing with Chip Chantry in the Big Tabasco show at the Shubin Theatre. Check back tomorrow as Doogie and Dave play a thrilling battle of Omniana!

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Philadelphia may never get the Olympics, but in 2010 we’re getting arguably the next best thing. The fair city has been chosen as the location for the 26th annual Comedy Sportz Tournament. Over 20 Comedy Sportz short-form improv teams totaling some 150 improvisers in all will descend upon the city to vie for the Comedy Sportz…championship? Is there a belt involved?

This year’s tournament takes place in Milwaukee where it all began 25 years ago and at the end of the tournament, the torch will be officially pass on to Philadelphia. The three days of shows will take place at World Cafe Life

[Tip hat to Don]

Stand-up comedy by Chris Cotton
Chris Cotton is a Philadelphia comedian that you can catch this Thursday at his Kick Back Comedy at Rembrandt’s Restaurant & Bar (741 N. 23rd) with Richie Redding, Aaron Hertzog, Luke Giordano, and Mykal Carter Jackson. You can also see him every Thursday at the Center City Comedy open mic at Raven’s Lounge (1718 Sansom).

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