Doug Benson
We Interrupt Doug Benson's Busy Schedule to Preview Comedy Central's 'Benson Interruption'
Television comedies have had a long and interesting history of sudden interruptions:• A crowd of 9/11 "truthers" crashed the set of HBO's 'Real Time with Bill Maher' and heckled the man live on the air as security crawled to drag them out of the studio.
• Some crazed tech junkie interrupted the Chicago airwaves in 1987 with his creepy rendition of Max Headroom being spanked with a fly swatter.
• The cast of the long running 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' have talked back to more bad movies than a group of drunken teenagers during a Jim Varney movie marathon.
Comedian Doug Benson's 'Interruption,' however, is designed to help more than heckle. The live stage version of the stand-up show featured top name comics like Patton Oswalt and Greg Proops doing their acts while Doug interjected his own observations. Comedy Central has turned Doug's unique comedy concept into a late night stand-up comedy showcase premiering tonight, Sat. Nov. 6 at 12AM ET.
Craig Robinson to Host 'Last Comic Standing'
Maybe it's because NBC needs programming, especially during the summer. Maybe it's because the network needed a companion to 'America's Got Talent.' But it does seem like 'Last Comic Standing' has become the 'According to Jim' of reality shows, doesn't it? The show just doesn't die, no matter how much NBC and its producers have tried to kill it.The folks who brought us the genius idea of Jay Leno at 10PM has decided to resurrect 'Last Comic,' which they canned in 2008, for a summer run, according to Joe Adalian at The Wrap. Craig Robinson of 'The Office' and the forthcoming comedy flick 'Hot Tub Time Machine' has been tabbed to host.
At least the new host gives me hope for this new version. Robinson has a great comic presence, whether he's intimidating Michael Scott as warehouse foreman Darryl Philbin, or just doing his stand-up at a local club. He'll be funnier than Bill Bellamy and more confident than Anthony Clark, two of the show's previous hosts (Jay Mohr was the original host... and quite good).
Doug Benson on Super High Me and his battles with Ant
If you tell Doug Benson that you loved him on VH1's I Love the XX's shows, he'll gladly accept the compliment, even though he's never appeared on any of them."When people say to me on the street, 'I Love the 90's!', I go, 'I do too!' I don't give them a lecture about how no, I'm on Best Week Ever," he told me a few weeks ago., "because it does all blend together. And as long as they're remembering me, and they have a positive attitude about it, you know, there's no reason for me to be a dick."
Benson's not just the "VH1 guy," though. The veteran stand-up reached the finals of season six of Last Comic Standing, after some notoriously unsuccessful attempts. He also made a documentary, Super High Me, which makes its TV debut today (4/20... get it?) on G4 at 10 PM ET. In the movie, Benson makes like Morgan Spurlock, but he substitutes pot for Quarter Pounders.
We talked about the movie, if the whole 420 thing is over, and his run-in with Ant on season five of Last Comic Standing.
A couple bits o' comedy news
Do you like comedy? Sure, we all do. If you especially like your comedy in written and audio form, these two news items should have you clapping your hands and doing the happy dance:
First, that Comedy Death Ray CD I mentioned earlier will be out on September 12. The 150-minute CD, comprised of sets recorded during the all-night fourth anniversary Comedy Death Ray show at the UCB theater and sets from the SF Sketchfest, will feature such comedians as Patton Oswalt (King of Queens, Comedians of Comedy), Maria Bamford (Comedians of Comedy), David Cross (Mr. Show, Arrested Development), Paul F. Tompkins (Mr. Show, Best Week Ever), Doug Benson (Best Week Ever, Last Comic Standing), Brian Posehn (Mr. Show, Comedians of Comedy, Just Shoot Me, The Sarah Silverman Program), Neil Hamburger (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job), and many more.
What you may not know about Last Comic Standing
The most frustrating thing about watching Last Comic Standing has got to be the misrepresentation of stand up comedy as a form of entertainment and a way to make a living. However a close second is the way the producers edit the show to leave out certain things.
In a recent episode of the show, comedian Doug Benson auditioned in Minnesota and the audience learned that he had previously auditioned in Los Angeles but wasn't asked back. According to the episode that aired, the reason that Doug didn't make the cut was because Ant thought Doug wasn't exciting enough onstage, but that is only half the story.
Last Comic Standing: Los Angeles & Sydney auditions
(S05E03) My reviews of Last Comic Standing are going to be a bit different from Jay's so be forewarned. First of all, the entire premise of LCS is flawed both as a television production and as a talent contest. The main problem is that the show (like all reality shows) is so heavily edited that you only see what the producers want you to see. Now, that's fine for Big Brother or Survivor, but for a show that is supposed to be looking for talent it defeats the purpose. It would make more sense if the show were more like American Idol with performances from all the comics in every show, but to ask any comedian to come up with a new ten minutes every week is unfair, therefore it is what it is.
20 questions with Doug Benson
Doug Benson is a stand-up comedian and actor whose television credits include NBC's Friends, HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, multiple appearances on CBS's Late Late Show and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. Doug has also had his own half-hour special on Comedy Central. Doug co-wrote and starred in The Marijuana-logues, which had a year-long off-Broadway run at The Actor's Playhouse (for more info go to Marijuanalogues.com). He's conquered cyberspace with his offbeat movie reviews on BobandDavid.com and a weekly podcast at handheldcomedy.com.
1. Where were you born?
San Diego. This is funny already!
2. How many siblings do you have?
One! Ha, ha, ha.
3. What did you study in college?
I bailed after 2 and a half years of "community" college. (Not so funny anymore.)
4. Do you have any pets?
None that I know about.
5. Do you have any nicknames?
No. And I read that last question wrong. I thought it said "Do you have any kids?"
6. What is your favorite restaurant?
House of Nan King in San Francisco.
7. What is your favorite TV show?
Heroes. Wait, 30 Rock. I mean, The Office. No, Friday Night Lights. Weeds! I'll go with Weeds.
8. Who is your favorite band/musician?
I like Top 40 bullshit. Honestly.
9. If you could live anyplace in the world where would it be?
I'm very fond of Australia. (Australia, on the other hand, has no feelings about me.)
10. Who do you think should be the next President of the USA?
That clean guy.
Last Comic Standing: The final five finalists are chosen
(S04E03) I've got to say, Last Comic Standing really makes me scratch my head sometimes. Yes, I know that the finalists aren't always the funniest people in their grouping. And, yes, I know that they need to put varied character types in the house so it's not all just twelve of the same type of people trying to out yuk-yuk each other. But the selections that are made to go into the house really make me think the producers think the audience is a bunch of drooling idiots. Why? Because some of the picks you could see coming from the first time they popped on the screen during the audition episode, and the rest are so comically inferior to the some of the ones that didn't get picked, it's obvious that they're being picked for reasons other than being... freaking... funny.TV Squad Hot Topics
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