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Baron Vaughn on ‘Fatherless,’ ‘MST3K,’ and the Ocean of Joy

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“On top of being a standup comedian and a classically trained actor, Baron Vaughn will soon make his debut as robot Tom Servo in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 reboot premiering April 14th on Netflix. He is well known for his role on the hit show Grace and Frankie alongside comedy legends Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. If that all weren’t impressive enough, Vaughn is also the subject of Fatherless, an hour-long documentary about finding his birth father premiering on April 2nd on Fusion. Vaughn took some quality time to discuss audience discomfort, being Tom Servo, and oceans of joy.”

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW ON VULTURE 

Andy Daly on Wrapping Up the Wonderfully Dark ‘Review’

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“Comedy Central’s dark comedy Review is returning for a short third and final season. On the show, Andy Daly plays Forrest MacNeil, an idealistic dork who hosts a TV show, which is also called Review. “Life!” Forrest announces as each episode begins. “It’s literally all we have. But is it any good?” Rather than featuring judgments of books or movies, each segment of Review revolves around Forrest trying out new life experiences, each of which is suggested by his viewers. Forrest takes his responsibility to his audience seriously, boldly reviewing experiences like “divorce,” “addiction,” and “murder” that destroy his life. Season 3 reaches new depths of comedic darkness as the show wraps with a wonderfully funny and satisfying conclusion. Andy Daly took some time to reflect on his experience co-creating and starring in Review.”

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Inside Season 3 of ‘Man Seeking Woman’ with Creator Simon Rich

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“In the third season of FXX’s surreal romantic comedy, Man Seeking Woman, show creator Simon Rich decided to settle down and explore the complexities of a long-term relationship. MSW protagonist Josh (Jay Baruchel) finally meets his match in Lucy (Katie Findlay) and together they grapple with fidelity, ranch dressing, meeting the parents, sex-addict forest creatures, and a child who has a sixth sense for failure. Tune in for the season finale, “Blood,” airing tonight at 10:30pm ET to see what happens when Josh and Lucy get married. Simon Rich took some time to talk about the making of MSW season 3, his former writing life on SaturdayNight Live, and his fear of yaks.”

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW ON VULTURE

Daniel Pak’s Mission to Share Music

/ Sydney Parker / 1 Comment
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Photo: Joshua Huston

“Growing up on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Daniel Pak knew that music was in his blood. His father was a jazz pianist and taught him to play scales around age 6. In a few years, he had advanced to performing pieces by Mozart and Beethoven. But it wasn’t until he taught himself acoustic guitar at 13 that his passion was truly ignited. “That’s when I really found that music was more than just lessons. Music was something that would be with me every day,” says Pak.

Pak has fond memories of kanikapila, impromptu music jam sessions with friends. “We’d all go to the beach. Someone would bring ukuleles and guitars, someone would bring bongos. We’d play music and listen to the waves coming in and the palm trees rustling,” says Pak.  Today — minus the beach, palm trees and crashing waves — Pak tries to “perpetuate that tradition here in Seattle.” 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN SEATTLE’S CHILD

Ron Funches Isn’t Powerless

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“The enterprising and lovable Ron Funches says he pitched his own character to play on the new NBC series Powerless, billed as the first comedy set in the DC Comics world. The show stars Vanessa Hudgens and the staff (played by Danny Pudi, Alan Tudyk, Christina Kirk, and Jennie Pierson) of an insurance company specializing in products to protect defenseless bystanders from the collateral damage of Superheroes and Supervillains. Much like the real Ron Funches, the character of Ron the IT guy on Powerless is a perpetually cheerful and optimistic sunbeam, shining through a sea of cynics. Funches took the time to talk with me about superpowers, hoop dreams, and goop.”

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW ON VULTURE

How ‘Teachers’ Finds the Fun in a Sometimes Thankless Job

/ Sydney Parker / 1 Comment

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“Watch out, the Katydids are on the scene. Six improvisors from Chicago, all with names derived from Katherine (Caitlin Barlow, Katy Colloton, Cate Freedman, Kate Lambert, Katie O’Brien, and Katie Thomas) have released the second season of their hilarious TVLand comedy series Teachers. If you’ve ever worked as a teacher or sat in a classroom, the heightened personalities and antics of these elementary school teachers will feel frighteningly familiar. Executive produced by Alison Brie, the show is almost exclusively created by women. The writers, directors, and producers are mostly women which makes for some truly original plotlines. The Katydids take on breastfeeding, slut-shaming, girls in STEM, and sexism in politics. The show is hilarious, unique, and smart, providing an excellent reminder of why women should have greater representation in writers rooms. I talked to Katie O’Brien and Katy Colloton about the making of season two, the response from real life teachers, and bananas.”

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW ON SPLITSIDER 

Dressing the Women in Blue

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Officer Pat Johnson with her child, in Los Angeles 1971. Cal Montney/Getty Images

“On a Friday afternoon in a small suburb of western Cleveland, Sergeant Tanya Sirl was finishing her shift when she spotted a burglary suspect on the run. Wearing her standard police uniform, she pursued the suspect on foot, leaping over a chain link fence in the process. She succeeded in detaining him, but not before ripping open the seam of her pants. “My pants got caught on the fence because the crotch was so low,” said Sgt. Sirl. “It ripped them from appetite to asshole. Everyone got to see my hot pink thong.” She made her way back to the station holding her pants together with one hand, and writing up her report with the other.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON RACKED 

T.J. Miller Wants to Use Comedy to Soothe the Human Condition

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“T.J. Miller cuts to the core. Whether shooting from the hip on local morning talk shows or waxing philosophical in his standup, Miller is operating from a place of gut instinct. In his latest ventures, he’s appearing opposite Jennifer Aniston in a holiday comedy, Office Christmas Party, debuting December 9th, and starring as Greg the Genie in a second series of Slim Jim ads on Funny or Die. Between shooting the new season of Silicon Valley and appearing on Ellen, he made some time to talk to me about nihilism, mortality, and Goblesnarfs.”

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW ON VULTURE

Bobby Moynihan on Some Strange Days at ‘SNL’

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“Bobby Moynihan was part of one of the most heartbreaking episodes of Saturday Night Live last week. Before Kate McKinnon took the piano as Hillary Clinton for an emotional rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” to start the show, the cast was working overtime to find the humor in America’s decision to elect the most inexperienced, openly racist, xenophobic, and misogynistic President in history. It wasn’t easy to be funny, but the show must go on. I talked with Bobby Moynihan about the election fallout, David Pumpkins, and the Secret Life of Pets.” 

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