Lin-Manuel Miranda Takes On 'Drunk History', Writes 'Millennials: The Musical' by Katie Conway Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 0

It’s no surprise that Lin-Manuel Miranda is not only one of the most intelligent, most ambitious celebrities out there, but also one of the funniest too! You can check out WICF’s coverage of his late night extravaganzas on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live here. This week, Miranda has proven once again he has the comedic chops to go on Comedy Central’s Drunk History to talk about his alter ego, Alexander Hamilton; as well as write a musical satire about millennials with actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. 

Drunk History originally started as a Funny-or-Die web series in 2007, hosted by Derek Waters. Ironically, the very first episode of the series was about Alexander Hamilton, drunkenly told by Mark Gagliardi, and starring the ever-awkward Michael Cera (Arrested Development) and Jake Johnson (New Girl). The series became so popular that it moved to television and premiered on Comedy Central in 2013, now produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Since then, the show has become a place where actors and comedians alike come to drink up and recount the tales of America’s history, now with a budget for lavish costumes, big sets, and cool special effects.

The show came full circle on November 29th in Season 4, Episode 10, when Lin-Manuel Miranda came to talk about Alexander Hamilton’s journey to the colonies, his role in the Revolutionary War, his scandalous affair with Mariah Reynolds, and the infamous duel-to-the-death with Aaron Burr. Basically it was everything and more that the Tony-Winner wrote about in his Broadway musical, but more PG-13. The episode also perfectly casts Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) as Hamilton, and Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) as Burr. Highlights include Lin’s hilarious swearing and enthusiasm ("Here comes kick (expletive) Hamilton on a flaming ship. Your (expletive) will never be the same”), Questlovle’s FaceTime session, and a drunken rendition of Semitonic’s “Closing Time”. You can watch the full episode here.

But wait, there’s more! Not only has Miranda been telling stories of the past, he’s writing a new musical about the here and now. More specifically, about millennial culture. Somehow during the time they had to spare while working on the Disney Animated feature film Moana, Miranda and his co-star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson wrote and filmed a musical about uber millennial girl Crystal: a 22-year old from Brooklyn who works at a start-up company, takes soul-cycle, and tragically looses her phone. This takes her and her social-media deficient friend Jack on a journey from a Yoga-Work-Out-Center/Record-Store/Juice-Bar, to the Electric Dynamite Circus Night Club, to a start-up company making an app that will get you “laid, paid, and bring back Harambe.” It’s a satirical, heart-warming, cringe-worthy, coming-of-age story, where you learn the true meaning of “dank memes” and love in the digital age. What’s next for the musical-writing comedy duo? A play about the rise of Chipotle, where the opening number is called “The Guacamole is Extra But the Love is Free.” Check out the entirety of Millennials: The Musical below! 

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Gilmore Girls: The Road to 'A Year in the Life' by Katie Conway Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 0

Grab your coffee and meet me in Stars Hollow, because Gilmore Girls is back and ‘I smell snow’! For fans of the television cult classic, it was a Thanksgiving Weekend full of nostalgia, humor, and heart. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life presented fan-favorite cameos at every turn (hello there, Milo Ventimiglia), updated pop-culture references (how ‘bout that tribute to Wild), and the struggle that comes with death in the family as life decides to keep rolling along. The revival premiered on November 25th on Netflix and featured 4 episodes - each surrounding a season of change, starting in Winter and appropriately ending in Fall. 

For those who are unfamiliar with all the hype surrounding this big-hearted comedy, Gilmore Girls was a TV staple that ran from 2000-2007, starting on The WB and moving to The CW in September 2006. The series takes place in the small town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, and follows the lives of witty single mom Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her bookish daughter Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel). The show revolves around friendship, family, love-interests, hard work, as well as social-class and generational gaps. The main conflict comes between Lorelai and her wealthy, often snobby parents, and their many debate ridden dinners over lifestyle choices. Gilmore Girls is best known for its fast-paced, walk-and-talk style dialogue, as well as its clever pop-culture references surrounding movies, music, books, and television. 

Gilmore Girls was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino after she visited the town of Washington Depot, Connecticut, and had a lovely stay at the Mayflower Inn. She thought it was like a fairytale, and wanted to capture the small-town camaraderie she felt during her visit. Amy, along with her husband Daniel Palladino, David S. Rosenthal, and Gavin Polone became the executive producers of the series. After much success and critical acclaim, it was unfortunate that Sherman-Palladino and her husband parted ways with the show after the move to The CW during its sixth season. The show was dropped after season seven, and many fans were left disappointed with the less-than-satisfactory finale. Lauren Graham advocated for a film that would give Sherman-Palladino and the fans closure they were all hoping for, but alas, it never happened

Fast-forward to October 2015, where rumors of a Gilmore Girls revival were in the works. On January 29, 2016, Netflix and Warner Bros. officially announced that Sherman-Palladino and her husband would be returning to write and direct the 4-part mini series - then titled Gilmore Girls: Seasons. Unlike other nostalgia-filled television brought back to life (I’m looking at you, Fuller House), this one felt well deserved, and worth the 9-year wait! Rory is a freelance journalist in a no-strings-attached relationship with her old flame Logan (Matt Czuchry), Lorelai is living happily with Luke (Scott Paterson) but thinks she might want something more, and Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop) is dealing with the death of her beloved husband (Edward Herrmann) and her newfound independence. Did I mention Lane Kim (Keiko Agena), Paris Geller (Liza Weil), and even Michel (Yanic Truesdale) are all back, too? The latter now married and happily out-and proud. 

I won’t spoil too much more, but one of the most important parts of the revival is the last four words spoken in episode four, “Fall.” Sherman-Paladino gave an interview with TV Guide way back in 2006, where she revealed she knew what these last four words would be, before she tragically left the project. And now we finally get to hear them! Whether you’ve watched A Year in The Life or not, I can safely predict more Gilmore Girls in the years to come based on this four-word cliffhanger. What are you waiting for? Start binge watching now! 

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SNL & Thanksgiving by Katie Conway Tuesday, November 22, 2016 - 0

Ah, Thanksgiving. A time of year where we give thanks, eat good food, watch football, venomously argue about politics, and dodge passive-aggressive insults from our relatives. Whether you love the fourth Thursday of November, or have been counting down the days ‘till Christmas since Halloween, we could all use a good laugh this Turkey Day. So when you’re done watching the cast of Hamilton perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and throwing the mashed potato at your obnoxious cousin from across the dinner table, take some time to stuff your face with the very best Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving sketches!

Target Commercial 

A brand new, oh-so relatable sketch. “And, if you’re home for the first time sine the Election, Target has what you need most - A Big Empty Parking Lot You Can Just Come Sit In For a Sec.”

Vincent Price’s Thanksgiving Special 

If anyone could make Thanksgiving morbid, charming, and comedic, it’s Bill Hader’s spot-on Vincent Price. Featuring the legendary characters of Judy Garland, Alfred Hitchcock, Lucille Ball, and Desi Arnaz.

Surprise Lady: Thanksgiving 

Kristen’s Wiig’s classic character, Sue “Surprise Lady,” returns full force in this hilarious skit about surprising her mother with the return of her son come home from war. Notice: Leslie Jone’s face struggling to not laugh under Wiig’s utter absurdity. 

Adam Sandler’s Thanksgiving Song

Oh, Adam. What would the holidays be like without your satirical, high-pitched, original show-tunes. A turkey for me, a turkey for you!

Back Home Ballers 

Ya’ girls are BACK for Thanksgiving break. The ladies of SNL return after their Emmy-Nominated (Do It On My) Twin Bed video short about coming home for Christmas. This time, they have a whole fridge full of free food from Cosco, movie tickets to “Penguins of Madagascar” paid by their Dad, and bowl on bowls on bowls full of M&M’s, keys, and seashells. 

A Thanksgiving Miracle 

A groundbreaking video short that lets us all come together, despite our political differences, to celebrate the gift that is Adele. 

Debbie Downer: Thanksgiving Dinner

Rachel Dratch’s Debbie Downer is here to tell it like it is. The Pilgrim’s didn’t bring the Pino Grigio to the first Thanksgiving, but they sure brought small pox.  

Penelope: Thanksgiving 

Nothing says Thanksgiving like giving back to the community and trying to prove you’re a good, if not better person, then everyone else. Check out the hilarious back-and-forth and one-upping between Kristen Wiig’s Penelope and Anne Hathaway. 

Thanksgiving Dinner at the Kid’s Table 

An early SNL skit that showcases how we all revert back to our childish ways when forced to sit at the kid’s table with our family. Some things never change.

Thanksgiving Song Auditions
There’s thousands of songs about Christmas, so why aren’t there any about Thanksgiving? Watch this song audition show-stopper that features sultry jazz, feminist folk, and hard rock musical bits about you favorite day of the year. 

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Anna Kendrick's Scrappy Little Memoir by Katie Conway Monday, November 21, 2016 - 0

She’s one of Hollywood’s quirkiest, sassiest, most down-to-earth actresses - and now, she has her very own book! Anna Kendrick’s memoir Scrappy Little Nobody, out November 15th, is a “collection of humorous autobiographical essays” about the odds and ends of her awkward yet charming life, and her journey from Broadway teen to Oscar-nominated mega-star. Booklist claims it “lets readers feel like they have spent an afternoon chatting with their closest friend,” and Harper’s Bazaar calls it “An honest, effortlessly funny and alternatively relatable and aspirational reflection… revealing the witty, talented and disarmingly real girl behind the Hollywood name.” It’s funny as hell, honest, and refreshing. 

Kendrick is no stranger to comedy either - and this can include her role as Jessica in Twilight, if you want (we know it, she knows it. Just watch this video if you need further proof that the movie captures her comedic chops). But for real, Anna has been acting for laughs since the 2003 musical comedy Camp, and has since moved on to films such as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, The Hollars, Into the Woods, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2 - the second having been directed by the ever-hilarious Elizabeth Banks. 

She’s just as funny off-screen, too! A scroll through her twitter account is enough to solicit a giggle ("I'll be hanging with Mark Zuckerberg later. If I say ‘I loved you in Zombieland’ do we think he'll laugh?”, “My patronus is a Corgi,” etc.), and she shines on the late-night silver screen. Check her out on last night’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where she and Stephen discuss her book and sing “I’m Still Here” from the musical Follies - just ‘cause 2016 has been a real bitch. Kendrick also discusses how oh-so broke she was during her time at the Oscars (being nominated doesn’t come with a cash prize, unfortunately), and how she always pictures the person interviewing her to be having sex (to Stephen: “You’re doing very well”). 

So what are you waiting for? Pick up a copy of Scrappy Little Nobody today! Better yet, check out scrappylittenobody.com for Book Tour dates and details. Or, if you’re really lucky, you can find one of Anna’s limited edition signed copies on the New York Subway put there by the actress-now-writer herself, or on the London Underground as part of the @Booksonthesubway and @booksontheunderground movement. Happy reading!

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Comedy Gone Wrong by Katie Conway Monday, November 14, 2016 - 0

Last Saturday night was The Comics Come Home fundraiser. The event, now in its 22nd year, is a night of comedy performed by Boston locals and comedians who got their start around here, and benefits The Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care. Worcester native and Emerson College alum Denis Leary has always been the host of the show, which has since grown to become the longest running comedy fundraiser in the country. But what should have been an evening of comedic relief at the TD Garden on Saturday turned vile when actor/writer/comedian Wanda Sykes was booed off the stage after an anti-Trump political rant. 

Many went into a state of shock when it was announced Tuesday night That Donald J. Trump - a man who stereotypes and threatens the lives of minorities, feels women are objects he can grab whenever he wants, and chose a VP candidate that is no friend to the LGBTQ+ community - would become the 45th President of the United States. Obviously, a lot of people are going to be upset. Some people will channel this anger and unrest into peaceful protest, some will write meaningful Op-Eds on how to stay strong, and others, like Wanda Sykes, will turn to comedy.

It took Sykes no more than 5 minutes into her act to bring up her thoughts on the election results. “After the election, I was going around consoling people. I said guys, look on the bright side. Look at this, I was telling everybody - it’s gonna be okay, it’s gonna be ok,” Sykes told the audience, “I am certain this is not the first time we’ve elected a racist, sexist, homophobic president. He ain’t the first one. He’s just the first confirmed one.” This was followed by a chorus of boos and uproar, to which Sykes responded with a series of obscenities directed at the audience. The comic tried to defend herself, continuing the rant by exclaiming “How can you say he’s not racist? ‘Grab them by the pussy’? How can you say he’s not sexist? How can you say he’s not homophobic?” Wanda eventually dropped the rant and finished her act with other non-political jokes, but ended with a flip-off to the audience before she exited the stage. You can watch the full video below:

Now here’s the thing: comedy should be a place where people can feel comfortable in voicing their opinions, and not feel limited in what they can and can’t say based on how they think audience members will react. Maybe it wasn’t the time or place for Wanda to bring her political beliefs to a charity benefit, but what she was saying was mostly based in factual evidence. And she has a right to feel nervous after the election results, being herself a black women and a lesbian. However, comics must be weary that they may have fans on all sides of the political spectrum. While it may be understandable why Sykes was met with such negative reactions, since some people still feel uncomfortable acknowledging or choose not to believe Trump is racist, sexist, homophobic, etc., Leary wasted no time in defending the comedian and asked the audience to show Sykes respect after her departure. 

It isn’t just the fact that Wanda Sykes was booed for voicing her beliefs that has may brain wrapped around this event though, it’s the fact that other comics went on political and negative rants that night, and were not met with the same venom and hate - specifically, comedian/writer/radio-host Nick DiPaolo from Danvers, MA. According to the Boston Globe, Nick joked about liberals and raping women, went on a pro-Trump rant, and used anti-semitic language. He also called a woman who rushed to the stage a “Peabody Jew,” which I personally found offensive, seeing that Peabody is my hometown on the North Shore of Massachusetts  - one that proudly has a diverse population of people, including a large Jewish population. Nick was met with big laughs and rounds of applause for these and other insensitive jokes.

A closer look at DiPaolo’s twitter account shows how much more he has in common with the soon-to-be Commander in Chief. He had no hesitation in retweeting from fans after Saturday night’s event - tweets congratulating him for standing up to the “racist” Wanda Sykes who went on a “hateful rant,” and praising him for standing up for Trump and Republicans. Tweets that say “F-ck these libtards,” called Wanda an “oversensitive douche,” and instructed those who couldn’t handle DiPaolo’s jokes to “find a safe space if you can’t handle a comedy show.” DiPaolo himself tweeted “Just can’t take the p.c. faggotry that has ruined this country anymore” way back in February 2011. Do you see the double standard here? 

Let that sink in. A female comedian was booed off for criticizing the president-elect on being hateful, and in turn was criticized herself for being “hateful,” meanwhile a male comic who used humor in hurting minorities and an entire gender was given a free pass and pat on the back. How does that add up? Why are media outlets framing Wanda as the villain, when she's the victim whose expressing her grief and concerns through comedy? Why is the bully never held to the same standard? Since when is claiming someone is “sexist” worse than joking about raping women? Am I talking about Comics Come Home or the 2016 Presidential Race? 

In conclusion, this is something we all need to be aware of, especially in the comedy community. There is a fine line between someone’s opinion and using hate speech to make fun of people who are different then you. Comedy and politics have always meshed, for better and for worse. But lets be clear - to boo someone off the stage based on her legitimate fear and factual evidence, and then to applaud someone else for hatefully joking about another person’s religion and sexual assault towards women is a BIG DEAL. Should Wanda have gone off on Trump so soon after the election? She has every right to. Should she have have yelled “f— all y’all” to the audience? Probably not. But it baffles my mind how her stand-up piece gained so much traction, while The Boston Globe appears to be the only news source to include the other side of the story. Freedom of speech is one of the reasons our country is great, but please think twice about what you’re willing to say to get laughs, and who you’re willing to attack because they speak the truth. 

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What Now?: Your Post-Election Survival Guide by Katie Conway Wednesday, November 09, 2016 - 0

So the worst possible thing just happened - a sexist, racist, bigoted, orange peanut just became the President of the United States, over a more-than-qualified possible first female POTUS. It sucks. 

Though this may be a time of great anxiety, fear, and sadness, we must support each other and remain strong. Love and laughter are the best medicine, so here is a comprehensive list of activities you can do to get through this day, this month, this year. 

1. Watch Female-centric Stand Up on Netflix
Feel empowered and laugh your ass off! Check out Iliza Schlesinger, Chelsea Peretti, Ali Wong, and Chelsea Handler! 

 

2. Read Harry Potter
A whole series dedicated to the power of love and friendship overcoming prejudice, discrimination, and an evil Dark Lord. But that’s just fiction, right? Or watch A Very Potter Musical. Just like regular Harry Potter, only funnier!

3. Drink Wine and Watch Cute Puppy Videos 
Escape Reality. This day never happened. Your only concern is finding a puppy to hold. 

 

4. Scroll through Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Twitter 
A voice of a generation, the ambitious optimist, a musical genius. His words will comfort you like your mother’s chicken-noodle soup. #Bitofaday

5.  Go See Boston Comedy Chicks 
WICF is hosting the Boston Comedy Chicks Showcase this Saturday, 8:00pm at Doyle’s Cafe. Come laugh off your worries with us! Link to Facebook event page below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1124230000965781/

6. Watch Parks and Recreation or The West Wing 
Restore your faith in democracy by watching the two most idealistic shows about government! Knope 2016!!

7. Color!
Find one of those ultra-trendy pop-culture coloring books and draw your stress away over a picture of Jon Snow!

8. Listen to Music
Listen to songs that will give you hope, empower you, and ease your troubles away - such as the Les Miserables soundtrack. Better yet, make a Spotify Playlist called “Help Me I’m Dying”, “Garbage Can on Fire”, or even “Oh God No Not 4 Years of This Please”. 

9. Shatter Your Own Glass Ceiling
So we didn’t smash that oh-so-high glass ceiling. Instead, If you see a piece of glass, smash it yourself. Maybe it’ll give you satisfaction, but most likely you’ll just end up with a bloody hand. 

10. Get Involved

Still upset about the state of our country? Get out there, and get involved. Make change, make art, make someone laugh, spread peace and love. This isn’t the end, only the beginning. Check out the link below:

http://jezebel.com/a-list-of-pro-women-pro-immigrant-pro-earth-anti-big-1788752078

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New Mindy Kaling Comedy, Paul Feig Rumored to Direct by Katie Conway Tuesday, November 08, 2016 - 0

If you needed something to look forward to, look no further than the upcoming Mindy Kaling comedy film! Kaling recently penned the script for a movie about the late night comedy industry, described as being the lovechild of The Devil Wears Prada (2006) and Broadcast News (1987). Just like the fish-out-water and girl-boss dynamic that takes place between newcomer Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) and Anna Wintour-esque Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) in Prada, Kaling will star as the first female writer on a late night talk show, with a host played by the ever-fabulous Emma Thompson. If the movie is anything like the 2006 cult-hit, we’re sure to have another comedy classic on our hands. The movie will be produced by Scott Rudin alongside Kaling and Howard Klein. 

Over the past couple of years, Mindy has slowly been on the rise from B-List actor/screenwriter, to an A-List movie star. She’s a Massachusetts local, born and raised in Cambridge. One of her first major pieces of writing was a comedic off-Broadway play called Matt & Ben (2004) that satirizes how the two Boston Bros wrote Good Will Hunting. From there, Kaling was a staff writer and held a minor roll as Kelly Kapoor on the Emmy-nominated series The Office (2005-2012), and is the creator, writer, and star of the Hulu original series The Mindy Project (2012-2016). She has written two memoirs, lent her voice to the Disney-Pixar film Inside Out (2015), and is currently preparing for her roll in director Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time. Kaling is also set to star in the much anticipated all-female Ocean’s 11 reboot, Ocean’s 8, alongside a mega-list of stars - including Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway, Sandra Bullock, and Cate Blanchett. 

Aside from Mindy, we’re ecstatic to hear Paul Feig is in talks to direct this film. For those who don’t know, Feig is an actor, producer, writer, and director, whose mission is to create more female-centric comedies in the industry. We here at WICF honored him with the Award for Excellence this summer, which you can read about here. Feig’s incredible resume in directing includes Freaks and Geeks, Arrested Development, The Office, Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy, and the all-female Ghostbusters. Though it is not confirmed whether he is directing or not, it’s almost a guarantee he will, and we couldn’t be more excited. 

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Late Night and the Election: What to Watch by Katie Conway Thursday, November 03, 2016 - 0

It’s been brutal leading up to the 2016 Presidential Election, what with scandals at every turn, viscous name calling, and news coverage that sounds straight from The Onion, if not a horror movie. It has created an environment of great anxiety, animosity, and sadness among our fellow Americans. But with every tragic twist and turn the Trump vs. Clinton trail has lead us, there has always been a group of heroes to help lift our spirits and give us hope. And by that I mean the Late Night heroes of Comedy! 

You know who I’m talking about - Colbert, Bee, Noah, Meyers, McKinnon, so on and so forth. For every tear we shed for the state our country, they were the ones who helped turn our pain into laughter, if not just for a moment, while in our pajamas half-way through a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. And as the dreaded day of November 8th approaches, here is your guide to every late night election special and comedy coverage to get through this troubling time.

Saturday Night Live 

Saturday Night Live’s 42nd Season is one of the most watched in years - mostly due to their hilarious political debate sketches starring SNL cast member Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton, and guest star Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump. The series will be airing The 2016 SNL Election Special on November 7th, the eve of Election Day, at 10:00pm on NBC - which will include a compilation of all the political satire and “Weekend Update” election coverage bits from this season, as well as a select few from last. Who knows - maybe one of the candidates will make a special appearance on the show, or we could see the return of Larry David as Bernie Sanders! It’ll be a night of nasty woman and bad hombre jokes to remember. 

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Though Noah has had a rocky start succeeding the not-late-but-great Jon Stewart, the past few weeks of election coverage on the comedy news show have been nothing but excellent - highlighting the Halloween special that aired this week, surrounding an entire episode on what a post-apocalyptic America would look like if Trump does become president. Spooky! The Daily Show will have a one-hour live election special on November 8th at 11:00pm, where Noah will breakdown the post-election results with the rest of his hilarious news team. 

Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

Samantha Bee may be new to the late-night line up, but she sure doesn’t act like it. In a world usually run by white males, Bee has proven herself to be a fierce competitor - what with her snarky wit, confidence, and epic takedown segments. Her piece on the theory that Donald Trump can’t read is definitely worth watching! You can catch Samantha’s pre-election episode on Monday November 7th at 10:30pm on TBS, and then watch her take on the traumatic aftermath Wednesday November 9th, also at 10:30pm. 

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Oh, Stephen. What would politics be without you? As you may know, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is no stranger to going live, having covered the Democratic and Republican conventions, as well as the presidential and vice presidential debates in real-time. You can get more live Colbert in the days before and after the election on November 7th and 9th at 11:35pm on CBS. Not enough Stephen? No problem! There will be a November 8th Election Day live one-hour special called “Stephen Colbert’s Live Election Night Democracy’s Series Finale: Who’s Going to Clean Up This Sh*t?” on Showtime at 11:00pm. The special will be filmed at the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC where The Late Show is shot, where Colbert can give an un-filtered take on the election results as they roll in. To quote Stephen, “It’ll be all the political comedy you love from my CBS show, with all the swearing and nudity you love from Showtime”.

Late Night with Seth Meyers 

While Seth hasn't announced any plans for an election special or live showing, it’s hard to talk about the presidential race without the Late Night host. Though it was a tricky transition from SNL to his new hosting gig, Meyers found his footing behind a familiar desk with a show that feels right at home with “Weekend Update” styled segments. In particular, Seth’s “A Closer Look” has become a smash hit among viewers. Using satire and intense fact checking, the segment has become a reliable, hard-hitting, and hilarious staple on the show. Seth isn’t afraid to tell it like it is, unlike other late-night series such as The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon that try to appeal to all sides of the political spectrum. After Trump banned The Washington Post from having press credentials to his campaign rallies, the Late Show reacted by banning Trump from ever coming on their show in the name of freedom of the press. Check out Late Night with Seth Meyers weeknights at 12:35am on NBC! 

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The Return of Carol Burnett by Katie Conway Tuesday, November 01, 2016 - 0

Carol Burnett is back and more fabulous then ever! The American comedian, actress, and writer will be returning to television to star in a new ABC multi-camera original comedy series, alongside Amy Poehler. The show is about a family who has the opportunity to buy the unaffordable house of their dreams, under one very unique condition and circumstance - they must live with the current owner, played by Burnett, until she passes away. From the sound of it, we can expect a very odd, unique, and laughable new sit-com coming our way. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the actress’s work, Burnett was the star of The Carol Burnett Show - an American variety/sketch comedy classic that ran for eleven seasons on CBS from 1967-1978. She’s been Tony-Nominated for her work on Broadway, including Once Upon a Mattress (1959) and Moon Over Buffalo (1995). Carol has also been nominated for 22 Emmy’s, and has won 6 of them. Her career spans over 6 decades, and she recently won an SAG Lifetime achievement award in 2015, naturally presented to her by her longtime admirers - Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. 

The ABC untitled show will be written and executively produced by Michael Saltzman, known for his EP work on “Murphy Brown,” “Man Men,” “Hell on Wheels,” and most recently “Halt and Catch Fire.” According to deadline.com, Saltzman can thank Burnett for his career. Growing up, Saltzman idolized and admired Burnett, and it just so happens they met while he was trying to break into the television writing industry. Burnett praised the young writer and offered him a check with no string attached to write anything he wanted. “I’d always wanted to pay her back in some way, and reward the faith she placed in me,” said Saltzman, “but the stars never seemed to align…When I was free she was busy and vice versa.” Now with the new show in development, Saltzman will finally have the opportunity to give back to Carol after all these years.

Other Executive Producers of the show include Dave Becky, Michael Pelmont, as well as Brooke Posch and Amy Poehler herself. Poehler and Posch will be producing through their production company Paper Kite, as part of the Universal TV deal that was penned this summer. Paper Kite is also the studio that brought you the new comedy classics Broad City and Difficult People, so you know Burnett’s sit-com debut will be (hopefully) just as high-ranking. There’s no word yet on when the show will be released, but we’re all anxiously anticipating the long-time coming of Carol Burnett’s comeback, and her sit-com debut. Good luck, Carol! 

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