Standup World

Francisco Ramos is a smart, funny, comedian. Granted he’s not that smart, he made the decision to come on my podcast, but other than that he’s made some pretty good career choices. He’s got a fun style, he’s loose and authentic and there really isn’t anyone working quite like him.

It was a good time having him on the pod, he seems to me like he’s at a place that even though he needs a break of some kind, as all performers do, he seems at peace, happy just to be doing as well as he’s doing. He’s got good energy.

He has a new special out that he shot at Brad Garret’s club in Las Vegas released by the 800 Pound Gorilla gang, and he’s doing great on the road, doing sets with pals like Carlos Santos, and his own headlining show.

The new special VENEZULA ’MERICAN is up on You Tube where you can get it free, or you can rent it on 800 Pound Gorilla’s site for an add-free experience.

Watch / or listen to the podcast, you’ll see how engaging this guy is. He’s a winner. You’ll want to get his special, and hopefully, rent it so he gets a little something.

Enjoy.

Also, if you’re in L.A. tomorrow night. He’s on my show live and in the flesh at the Laugh Factory.

Come by and check him out along with the great Dane Cook, Erica Rhodes, Katherine Blanford, myself, and Griffin James who’s fantastic.

Thanks!

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RAANAN HERSHBERG

Raanan Hershberg, pound for pound, is truly one of my favorite comedians right now. (No, that’s not a fat joke, I live in a glass house, I don’t throw stones.) The reason I think he’s so great is because he has a solid ten bits, or more, I wish I had written. To me that’s the real test if you really love a comic. Do you wish you could do a lot of their act and get away with it? There’s not a lot of comics with that many bits I covet. Maybe Louis C.K. , maybe Burr, Ricky Gervais. Chris Rock. Chappelle? A few others.

There are a lot of comics who are funny as hell, killing it, selling seats, who make me laugh hard, and are monsters, because they’re monsters on stage. Sebastian is a monster. One of the best performers out there. He has amazing bits, but they’re Sebastian bits. I couldn’t take them and make them work. Very few people other than Sebastian could. I can’t tell you one of Bert Kreischer’s jokes I could make work anywhere near the level Bert pulls them off.

There are fifteen or twenty jokes Ricky Gervais has written that I could win with if it weren’t for the fact this British ass-wipe has beaten me to it and written them first. That to me is the sign of a master. Woody Allen wrote jokes you could easily steal if you were looking to be a genius in a room full of people that didn’t know any better.

That’s the truth though, the combination of great performing and great writing is the difference between good and stellar in stand up comedy, and it’s damn rare. That’s why I think this Raanan Hershberg is pretty amazing.

He’s got some world class bits. He’s got the best bit there is on transgender bathrooms.

He’s got a perfect bit on Joe Rogan, which actually is a bit on himself and all comics.

He has a great bit on being a liberal,

“I have mixed feelings being a liberal. I was mugged a few years ago here in New York. I was so relieved the guy was white. The cops were like ‘what did he look like?’, I was all smug, ‘Uhm, he was white!’.

He also has a perfect character. Him. A Jewish guy with a lisp, that’s just totally, Raanan 360 degrees. That’s as important as strong material. A top notch character that isn’t a character you’ve made up. One you’ve lived. An authentic comic voice. He has that in thpades. (sorry.)

Truthfully though, he’s coming from a one hundred and ten percent unique place which top comics do. He’s a fantastic performer with wild energy, loads of confidence, and comedic honesty concerning his foibles and his flaws. The final check in the box is that he’s damn prolific. He’s got that thing that the greats have, that Carlin, and Klein, and modern killers like, Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswald, Whitney Cummings have, he can reinvent his hour time and time again and each one seems mostly to be just as good if not better.

BRAVE (YOU TUBE)

If you’re already a fan you know I’m not overselling, if you aren’t, trust me I’m not. This guy really is a lot of fun. He’s way up on a list of the top, about to hit hard, comedians to watch, which includes, Carmen Lynch, Vinny Fasline, Dov Davidoff, Adrienne Iapalucci, Dave Murphy, J.B. Ball, Josh Wolf, Greg Warren, and a few others.

Watch his new special, Brave, his other specials up on his You Tube channel, and the films he’s made. He’s another guy like, Sam Rubinoff, who’s also a filmmaker, out there making smart little films. (*Also with Joe List.)

I love this new world of Stand up. It’s great to see how many strong voices there are. The world needs it. We need to keep laughing.

P.S. Here’s a smart set he did four years ago on James Corden. I know talk show sets aren’t a big deal anymore, but this is strong and has a lot of the stuff I think that makes him special.

Check out his YOU TUBE SITE;

Get tickets to his upcoming shows, and more info on his website.

That’s it, thanks again! Have a great week.

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

RAANAN HERSHBERG

Raanan Hershberg, pound for pound, is truly one of my favorite comedians right now. (No, that’s not a fat joke, I live in a glass house, I don’t throw stones.) The reason I think he’s so great is because he has a solid ten bits, or more, I wish I had written. To me that’s the real test if you really love a comic. Do you wish you could do a lot of their act and get away with it? There’s not a lot of comics with that many bits I covet. Maybe Louis C.K. , maybe Burr, Ricky Gervais. Chris Rock. Chappelle? A few others.

There are a lot of comics who are funny as hell, killing it, selling seats, who make me laugh hard, and are monsters, because they’re monsters on stage. Sebastian is a monster. One of the best performers out there. He has amazing bits, but they’re Sebastian bits. I couldn’t take them and make them work. Very few people other than Sebastian could. I can’t tell you one of Bert Kreischer’s jokes I could make work anywhere near the level Bert pulls them off.

There are fifteen or twenty jokes Ricky Gervais has written that I could win with if it weren’t for the fact this British ass-wipe has beaten me to it and written them first. That to me is the sign of a master. Woody Allen wrote jokes you could easily steal if you were looking to be a genius in a room full of people that didn’t know any better.

That’s the truth though, the combination of great performing and great writing is the difference between good and stellar in stand up comedy, and it’s damn rare. That’s why I think this Raanan Hershberg is pretty amazing.

He’s got some world class bits. He’s got the best bit there is on transgender bathrooms.

He’s got a perfect bit on Joe Rogan, which actually is a bit on himself and all comics.

He has a great bit on being a liberal,

“I have mixed feelings being a liberal. I was mugged a few years ago here in New York. I was so relieved the guy was white. The cops were like ‘what did he look like?’, I was all smug, ‘Uhm, he was white!’.

He also has a perfect character. Him. A Jewish guy with a lisp, that’s just totally, Raanan 360 degrees. That’s as important as strong material. A top notch character that isn’t a character you’ve made up. One you’ve lived. An authentic comic voice. He has that in thpades. (sorry.)

Truthfully though, he’s coming from a one hundred and ten percent unique place which top comics do. He’s a fantastic performer with wild energy, loads of confidence, and comedic honesty concerning his foibles and his flaws. The final check in the box is that he’s damn prolific. He’s got that thing that the greats have, that Carlin, and Klein, and modern killers like, Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswald, Whitney Cummings have, he can reinvent his hour time and time again and each one seems mostly to be just as good if not better.

BRAVE (YOU TUBE)

If you’re already a fan you know I’m not overselling, if you aren’t, trust me I’m not. This guy really is a lot of fun. He’s way up on a list of the top, about to hit hard, comedians to watch, which includes, Carmen Lynch, Vinny Fasline, Dov Davidoff, Adrienne Iapalucci, Dave Murphy, J.B. Ball, Josh Wolf, Greg Warren, and a few others.

Watch his new special, Brave, his other specials up on his You Tube channel, and the films he’s made. He’s another guy like, Sam Rubinoff, who’s also a filmmaker, out there making smart little films. (*Also with Joe List.)

I love this new world of Stand up. It’s great to see how many strong voices there are. The world needs it. We need to keep laughing.

P.S. Here’s a smart set he did four years ago on James Corden. I know talk show sets aren’t a big deal anymore, but this is strong and has a lot of the stuff I think that makes him special.

Check out his YOU TUBE SITE;

Get tickets to his upcoming shows, and more info on his website.

That’s it, thanks again! Have a great week.

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Robert Klein was not only my biggest childhood inspiration to get into stand up and one of the most brilliant performers I ever saw live, but I’m honored to say over the years he’s become a friend. I was so lucky to work with him on Reign Over Me. Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, myself, and even the late, great Donald Sutherland were all so excited to be on set with him, and even more elated to come to realize not only was he a wonderful actor and a consummate pro, but one a hell of a great guy. In fact looking back on it, both he and Donald were pretty amazing to be working with.

Enjoy the episode. It’s a lot of fun listening to Robert not only discuss his life but also to hear first hand his beautiful serenity, let alone to see how great he looks and feels at 82. He’s a rare bird.

So glad I had this chance to talk with him. I really hope you like it.

Also, if you’re in LA. Great show tomorrow night at the Laugh Factory on Sunset. Come on out and have some fun.

That’s it. Have a great week.

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Stand-Up Comic and Filmmaker: Sam Rubinoff

Is the guest on Standupworld this week. I’m really excited about it too. In a colosseum sized field of play for the world of stand up to exist today, Sam has a unique spot on the pitch. He’s carved a rare niche for himself by blending sharp wit with poignant storytelling.

His short films, frequently featuring some of today’s most in-demand stand-ups, have garnered a loyal following on YouTube. Among his most recurring collaborators is Joe List, who starred in Louis C.K.'s film "Fourth of July, and makes his own short films as well.

Sam’s work is not only funny, but deeply touching, earning him comparisons to Judd Apatow who I knew well in the early stages of his career. I personally find the two very similar.

STUCK IN PARK

Is his newest film, also starring, Joe List, as well as Keith Robinson, and the very talented Kerryn Feehan.

CIVIC DUTY

Another of my favorites is also a Joe List starrer, Civic Duty. He and Tommy Pope, who’s a strong comic as well, star in a funny little short that feels like something John Hughes would have done if he were just out started right now.

STAND UP CAREER

Sam’s jump into stand-up comedy started in small clubs and open mics across in and around the New York City area. Over the years, he’s performed at all the top clubs back there and has earned a reputation as a not only a comedian to watch, but a good guy that loves the craft and respects the artisans.

YOU TUBE PRESENCE

Sam’s YouTube channel serves as the primary platform for his short films. With a mix of comedy sketches, narrative shorts, and collaborative projects, his channel has attracted a diverse audience. Each video showcases Sam’s distinctive style which is characterized by clever writing, strong performances, and a keen eye for detail.

One of the standout features of Sam’s work is his collaborations with some of the cream of the crop of the newer stand-up comedians in the business. By bringing these talented individuals into his projects, Sam elevates his films and introduces his audience to a broader array of comedic voices. Not only, Joe List, Keith Robinson, Tommy Pope, Kerryn Feehan, but also, Rosebud Baker, Michael Blaustein, Shane Torres, and so many others.

Like I say, I think with a good hop of the ball, Sam could be the next Judd Apatow. I see so many similarities. He has a lot of Judd’s good instincts and intellect that gives his comedy another dimension that I love. Check him out. Also, dig a little into his series he did awhile back on You Tube that I love, Dog Days.

Thanks a lot! Appreciate the support here. Enjoy episode #72.

Love you,

Mike

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Stand-Up Comic and Filmmaker: Sam Rubinoff

Is the guest on Standupworld this week. I’m really excited about it too. In a colosseum sized field of play for the world of stand up to exist today, Sam has a unique spot on the pitch. He’s carved a rare niche for himself by blending sharp wit with poignant storytelling.

His short films, frequently featuring some of today’s most in-demand stand-ups, have garnered a loyal following on YouTube. Among his most recurring collaborators is Joe List, who starred in Louis C.K.'s film "Fourth of July, and makes his own short films as well.

Sam’s work is not only funny, but deeply touching, earning him comparisons to Judd Apatow who I knew well in the early stages of his career. I personally find the two very similar.

STUCK IN PARK

Is his newest film, also starring, Joe List, as well as Keith Robinson, and the very talented Kerryn Feehan.

CIVIC DUTY

Another of my favorites is also a Joe List starrer, Civic Duty. He and Tommy Pope, who’s a strong comic as well, star in a funny little short that feels like something John Hughes would have done if he were just out started right now.

STAND UP CAREER

Sam’s jump into stand-up comedy started in small clubs and open mics across in and around the New York City area. Over the years, he’s performed at all the top clubs back there and has earned a reputation as a not only a comedian to watch, but a good guy that loves the craft and respects the artisans.

YOU TUBE PRESENCE

Sam’s YouTube channel serves as the primary platform for his short films. With a mix of comedy sketches, narrative shorts, and collaborative projects, his channel has attracted a diverse audience. Each video showcases Sam’s distinctive style which is characterized by clever writing, strong performances, and a keen eye for detail.

One of the standout features of Sam’s work is his collaborations with some of the cream of the crop of the newer stand-up comedians in the business. By bringing these talented individuals into his projects, Sam elevates his films and introduces his audience to a broader array of comedic voices. Not only, Joe List, Keith Robinson, Tommy Pope, Kerryn Feehan, but also, Rosebud Baker, Michael Blaustein, Shane Torres, and so many others.

Like I say, I think with a good hop of the ball, Sam could be the next Judd Apatow. I see so many similarities. He has a lot of Judd’s good instincts and intellect that gives his comedy another dimension that I love. Check him out. Also, dig a little into his series he did awhile back on You Tube that I love, Dog Days.

Thanks a lot! Appreciate the support here. Enjoy episode #72.

Love you,

Mike

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

‘WE THINK IT’S FUNNY’ is a fantastic podcast that’s doing really well hosted by my buddy Mark Schiff, and his pal Danny Lobell. It’s shot and recorded in a bus, built and put together by Lobell who was one of the first comics into podcasting. The ‘bus’ has a set-up with a great vibe to it. It feels comfortable as can be in there, and the two of them are damn funny to be around. The comics have been having a hell of a good time on it, and they seem to be having no problem attracting talent.

After I took a ride on the bus, I wanted them to come on Standupworld and talk about how they’ve put it together, and to just have some laughs.

I also had my pal, Griffin James co-host this week, and my Producer Kailey Zelek piped in a bit too (It was her birthday so we kind of had to let her. ) I really think it’s one of our best episodes yet.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Mike

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Marlon Wayans is on a heater. No doubt about it. He’s been going non-stop since he was fifteen doing background stuff on In Living Color as the baby boy in what was to become the Jackson 5 of Comedy, the most brilliant funny family since the Marx bros.

He later busted out with his childhood bunk mate, brother Shawn, creating hit sitcoms and movies pretty much one after another for a good twenty five years. He’s also proved himself several times to be a fine actor with Darren Aronofsky and several other directors. The core thing about Marlon though is that he’s always been a work in progress. There’s no doubt about that.

Just look at this clip going crazy viral from the Daily Show last week. You feel so bad for this guy. Marlon has no fear here. He’s so into this character Quon, that he doesn’t even understand he’s destroying this guy.

He’s pushed himself time and time again to come up with new hills, buildings and boundaries to get over. New buttons to push. He’s perpetually uneasy with where he’s at in life which is a good journey creatively, even if it comes with a lot of baggage. I’m sure being the little brother your whole life doesn’t help, but if always chasing the milk cart through town your whole life is what gets you to great, Marlon doesn’t seem to be complaining.

The stand up thing that his brothers all took to with ease out of the gate came to him much later. He even talks in God Loves Me, an adventurous as can be one hour, one story special about his feelings on the infamous Chris Rock / Will Smith ‘Slap’ about Chris Rock messing with him onstage at the Laugh Factory very early on and putting a slap on him that stung for years. A slap that came to be one of the best gifts he ever got. Like a lot of his stuff, he cribbed from his life and just stayed with it, learned from his older brothers and comics like Rock about the gold there was to mined in fearlessness, and figured out how not to care about anything but getting laughs and pushing himself to create.

With his new special Good Grief, out now on Amazon Prime, Marlon has planted a bold flag. Mining the loss of his parents, the truths of his childhood, and the pain of getting older. He wants to be taken serious in the same lane of funny as his brother Damon, Dave Chappelle, Chris and even Mt. Olympus, Richard Pryor. I will say, in my opinion, with this hour, not only is he close to getting there, but he’s no doubt someone capable of working his way up into that rare air. He has the talent, the drive, the guts, the time on the boards behind him, as well as the deep need.

Marlon’s best years are coming just up the road now. He’s going to be someone that was right here in front of our eyes all these years and then, whamm, I could easily see him dropping an hour that’s going to floor everyone. He’s going to do in his mid-fifties what Rock did with Bring the Pain in his mid-thirties. Watch.

Check him out on the road. He’s out there everywhere these days. See him live. That’s the fun.

Thanks for reading. Subscribe and share this for me, thanks!

Also, Monday night. The Laugh Factory, Hollywood.

Thanks for reading. Subscribe and share this for me, thanks!

Also, Monday night. The Laugh Factory, Hollywood.

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

There’s very few people in Stand up that are this talented and at the same time universally liked and even loved by everyone in the business. Dan Soder is that guy. Not sure what it is, but you can’t help but love him, off stage and on. Check out this talk with him, and enjoy this new special, which is more of an EP kind of album of his last year or so on the road, but it’s really, really, funny. I love it!

Also, tonight! The Hollywood Laugh Factory. Great Show. Come on out!

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

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Dave Attell is ‘The Great One.’ in stand up. A veteran who has just kept getting better and better. His new special on Netflix is nothing short of a masterpiece. Seriously, everyone that has seen it is loving it and talking about it in glowing terms the way they were last talking about Sticks and Stones or Live in Austin. It is so fast and liquid and just flat out funny. Check it out on Netflix. (It’s a streaming service.)

Also, if you’re in LA. Monday night, come to the Laugh Factory for a great show. This is an amazing line up. We’re building up the Monday night show, so come on out and support! Thanks.

And also next Sunday, I’m at the Improv;

Thank you for reading Standup World. This post is public so feel free to share it.

Standup World is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.