All posts by JS

Eddie Murphy makes his triumphant return to SNL!

Eddie Murphy has already made a big splash in 2019. He just released a hilarious movie on Netflix titled Dolemite Is My Name, which I highly recommend, and appeared on the infamous Jerry Seinfeld show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. On Comedians in Cars, Murphy talked about wanting to make a return to stand-up comedy. It has been more than 30 years since he has released a stand-up special, with the last being the monstrous Eddie Murphy: Raw in 1987 that grossed over $50 million. Since then, he has starred in huge blockbuster movies, released music with his band, and has generally laid-low and been a family man.

Murphy is often cited as the reason Saturday Night Live survived through the 1980s when Lorne Michaels left the show for five seasons to pursue a career at Paramount Pictures. Murphy left the fame sketch show in 1984 and has only been back to Studio 8H once for the SNL 40th Anniversary Special. Murphy was quoted from Actors on Actors presented by Variety Studios saying, “they had this 40-year anniversary a few years back, so everyone that was ever on the show was there, and it was this really great night. I got this big wave of nostalgia and great feelings and seeing all these other actors that have been on the show. There was such a strong kinship with everybody, I felt like I was at my old high school. I decided, this Christmas, I’m going to go back and host the show. I hope it’s funny.”

We will be seeing more of Eddie in 2020. It is reported that he is in talks with the streaming giant Netflix for an undisclosed number of comedy specials for a price tag of $70 million. We are hoping to see him on stage somewhere to test new material before the special release but until then, catch him on SNL on December 21st!

Maria Bamford is back with a new special in 2020!

Maria Bamford is making sure we all start the new year the right way! On January 28th, 2020, Maria will release her newest special titled Weakness Is the Brand. The special, unlike others being released currently, will be available to stream on multiple platforms through Comedy Dynamics including Comcast, Amazon Prime Video, Spectrum, Apple TV, Dish, Google Play, DirectTV, Vimeo, and YouTube. There are plenty of places to stream and watch this comedy’s veterans fourth hour-long special.

Maria came to Denver in September 2019 to headline the High Plains Comedy Festival with special guest Aparna Nancherla. Maria worked out a lot of the material in her new special with us and we are excited to see what other hot bits she included. Bamford has a unique way of creating and testing new material. She often writes her new bits at a coffee shop and invites individuals on Twitter to join her for one-on-one comedy show. Don’t worry, this isn’t free work on your end. Maria pays well in treats and coffee. She often calls friends and runs through her material over the phone. Such a unique approach to the creative process from such a unique comedian!

“This is my finest, richest chunk of hot new bits. Enjoy with your favorite cool beverage and a nice piece of fudge,” Bamford said in a press release. Maria’s high energy comedy is sure to have you falling off the couch. Let her be the poor example from which your greatness is determined.

Follow Maria on Twitter here for a chance to join her in a coffee shop as she starts writing new material again. We are excited to see the new special and can’t wait for Bamford to make another stop in Denver.

Watch the trailer now for Weakness Is the Brand with streaming starting on January 28th, 2020!

Jim Gaffigan Thrills in American Dreamer

See Jim Gaffigan like you have never seen him before! In the new thriller American Dreamer, Gaffigan plays Cam, a ride-share driver with an anger problem that costs him his family and job. With no money in the bank and child support payments looming over him, Cam’s ex-wife won’t allow him to see his tween son. To earn money, Cam drives around strangers all day who don’t seem to notice his existence. Except one. Maz, a high-ranking drug dealer, uses Cam and his low-profile sedan as a mule, making him drive across the city all day and paying him in cash. When Cam drops off Maz at the end of the day, he sees Maz’s family (girlfriend Marina and his son) standing in the doorway. This reminds Cam of what he wants most, to see his son, and sets him into a rage. He finally knows what he has to do.

Cam develops a plan to kidnap Marina for $20,000 cash in ransom. He breaks into Maz’s house to find nothing but silence. Thinking his plan was foiled, he opens a bedroom door and there is Maz’s son watching TV. Cam, in a frenzy, decides to take the toddler instead of Marina. The rest of the film follows Maz as he searches the city for his son, only wanting to murder the person who has him, while Cam acts as his chauffeur.

Seeing Jim Gaffigan play such a dark twisted role is a change for someone who is a fan of his clean-cut stand-up comedy. The LA Times called Gaffigan “great, eschewing sentimentality as he taps into his frustration and rage – with no joke in sight.”

This is the first time Jim Gaffigan has given me chills. Be sure to watch the trailer here.

American Dreamer is available On Demand and can be rented on Amazon Prime or iTunes.   

Kevin James Stars in New NASCAR show

Kevin James is coming back to a multi-cam sitcom! “The King and Queens” star is teaming up with NASCAR to bring a racing themed show to the streaming giant, Netflix. He will play the role of an old-school crew chief in the midst of a modernizing sport. Jeff Lowell (The Ranch & Two and a Half Men) will be the show’s writer, showrunner, and executive produce. James will also bring back some producers and writers from “King of Queens”. This will be one of Netflix’s rare dabbles in multi-camera comedies, with most of their previous shows either cancelled or coming to an end.

Kevin James and NASCAR plan on having the show ready for streaming in mid-2020.  

Dan Cummins almost filmed his new special at Comedy Works!

Dan Cummins might be one of the only touring comedians right now who lives in Idaho! Dan, who is a native to the state, moved back with his family three years ago to get away from noisy Los Angeles. Cummins is currently working on a new special, set to film on October 17th, 2019! Dan, who was a guest on The Church of What’s Happening Now podcast with Joey Diaz, wanted to record his special in Denver at Comedy Works. Unfortunately, he was already booked in November and had to shoot in October, so the timing didn’t work out. We hope that Dan shoots his next special here, because Denver loves him!

Don’t miss Dan Cummins live at Comedy Works Downtown in Larimer Square November 7th-9th! The host of The Church of What’s Happening Now, Joey Diaz, will also be in Denver at the Paramount Theatre October 12th!  

Saturday Night Live’s First Asian-American Cast Member is from Denver!

It is hard to believe that SNL has never had an Asian-American cast member in their 45-season run. This season, Bowen Yang will be joining the legendary sketch show as on-camera talent. Yang, a Smokey Hill High School graduate, started the 2018 SNL season as a writer and finally got his chance to get in front of the lens.  In high school, Yang was voted “Most Likely to Be A Cast Member on Saturday Night Live”. The Las Culturistas host began comedy in Smoky Hill’s improv troupe, Spontaneous Combustion, and eventually moved to New York to attend college at New York University. Yang and Matt Rogers were at Comedy Works last month recording a Las Culturistas live podcast. We are so incredibly proud of Bowen for being the first Asian-American cast member. Denver will always be your home!

Comedy Works is Team Coco!

Team Coco is taking over Comedy Works Downtown October 3-5th, 2019! Conan O’Brien is doing something that has never been done before. He is taking over 10 comedy clubs, across the country, all on the same weekend. Over 70 comics will perform – each in their respective cities – simultaneously across the US. Comedy Works Downtown was on the shortlist of clubs handpicked by the Ginja Ninja himself. What is unique about Denver is that we get two headlining comedians in one weekend, whereas most other clubs only have one. Don’t miss Chad Daniels (Thurs 10/3) and Pete Holmes (Friday 10/4 & Saturday 10/5) headlining Team Coco House at Comedy Works Downtown!

Metallica opener, Denver Headliner

Joe Sib did not start doing stand-up the way your average comedian does. In the early ‘90s, Sib’s punk rock band Wax was signed to a major record deal. Just a few years later he started his own indie label, SideOneDummy Records, and launched the careers of many diverse bands. Eventually, Joe began touring a one-man show and started his stand-up career based on stories from his life.

After six years of stand-up, he began opening for comedian Jim Breuer and the two quickly became close. After a couple years together, Sib got a call from Breuer that would change his life. Breuer invited Sib to join him opening for legendary metal band Metallica. The two worked together to put on an opening show like no other. They used a combination of DJing, storytelling, and crowd-work to fire up 40,000 metal heads and sometimes performed for over two and a half hours. Sib once told the band that he had seen them on their Injustice for All tour and was extremely jealous of the people with floor seats. Metallica told Joe to make it up by pulling 10 people from the nosebleeds and giving them floor passes at the end of every show.

Fresh off of the tour with Jim Breuer and Metallica, Joe Sib is headlining Comedy Works November 3rd – 6th

brandt Tobler and Christian McCaffery Team Up!

Tough Decision with Christian McCaffrey from Flag & Anthem on Vimeo.

Notice any familiar faces? Comedy Works’ own Brandt Tobler, New Talent comic Sammy Anzer, and Denver legend Christian McCaffery join forces for a new Flag & Anthem campaign. Brandt is in hot water for the fantasy football season when his challenger drafts Panthers’ running back and Valor High School alum Christian McCaffery. The video is promoting Flag & Anthem, a premium clothing company that produces detailed and quality clothing at an affordable price point, who McCaffery is partnered with. It’s always fun when a couple of Denver stars get together. See McCaffery on the field with the Carolina Panthers this football season and Brandt on the Comedy Works stage!

That 70’s show alums join Nate Bargatze for Abc pilot

Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp (That 70’s Show) are returning back to multi-camera comedy! Nate Bargatze has enlisted the help of Smith and Rupp to play lead roles opposite the comedian. The show, based on Nate’s life, follows him and his wife (Katie Aselton) transitioning from life in hectic Los Angeles to quiet Tennessee to raise his family. The Red and Kitty Foreman actors will play Bargatze’s dad and mom in the ABC pilot. This will be Bargatze’s first time as a leading man in a series and Smith and Rupp’s first time together since wrapping That 70’s Show. The pilot will be directed by University of Colorado Boulder alum Drew Goddard, who has written, directed, and produced many notable TV series and movies. Hopefully the pilot airs on ABC soon, but until then, don’t miss Nate Bargatze live in Denver September 7th, 2019 at the Paramount Theatre! Get tickets here.