West Michigan's Arts & Entertainment Guide
Joey CoCo Diaz's Journey from Prison to the Limelight
Written by Josh Spanninga | Monday, 24 March 2014 13:44 |Most comedians will agree that when you're starting out at open mic nights, the crowds can seem intimidating. For Joey Coco Diaz, his first audience consisted of what many would view as an especially rough crowd – his fellow inmates. During the time Diaz served in prison, the inmates were treated to Thursday movie nights, but when the projector stopped working, Diaz followed his natural inclinations and started performing.
Judah Friedlander: A Hero For Our Time
Written by Josh Spanninga | Tuesday, 25 February 2014 09:22 |It's hard to be humble when you're the World Champion. For comedian Judah Friedlander, this is a status he has maintained for years during his stand-up sets, but he insists that it's all for the good of the American people.
Gilda's LaughFest Attempts to Break Another World Record
Written by Lindsay Patton | Tuesday, 25 February 2014 08:42 |Gilda's LaughFest kicks off on March 6 with another attempt to break a world record. In the past, people gathered in downtown Grand Rapids with rubber chickens, mustaches, cardboard beaks. This year, the goal is to get the most people wearing sunglasses in the dark.
Get to know these up-and-coming comics now so you can say you knew them when.
The Tenderloins on Friendship and Practical Jokes
Written by Josh Spanninga | Monday, 24 February 2014 11:10 |Joe Gatto, James Murray, Brian Quinn and Sal Vulcano met years ago during their freshman year of high school. Bonding over their shared love of comedy, they dabbled in improv and stand-up throughout high school, before going their separate ways in college. When the foursome met up after college in '99, they agreed the climate was perfect to reignite their act and take it to the next level, creating The Tenderloins.
Nick Thune may have the honor of holding the strangest IMDb credit of all time. Search under his latest movie Johnson, and there he is, credited as the main character's disembodied penis. Thune embraced the role, and went out of his way to make sure he got it right.
Mike Birbiglia likes to tell stories. Personal, hilarious stories. And in order to ensure friends and family who appear in the stories don't get offended, he keeps some safeguards in place.
Maria Bamford on Making Serious Topics Seriously Funny
Written by Josh Spanninga | Monday, 24 February 2014 10:59 |When most people hear the terms "bipolar" or "OCD," they probably wouldn't think of them as necessarily funny issues. For comedian Maria Bamford, who has publicly acknowledged that she has bipolar disorder and anxiety issues, these topics are pure comedy gold.
Jen Kirkman Finds Humor in All the Odd Places
Written by Josh Spanninga | Monday, 24 February 2014 09:38 |Ask most comedians who helped inspire them to pursue comedy and most would likely rattle off names like George Carlin and Chris Farley. Ask Jen Kirkman this question and you get a different answer entirely.
Revue LaughFest Picks
Written by Andrea Kooiker and Colleen Schonfield | Monday, 24 February 2014 08:50 |With dozens and dozens of events going on in the 10-day span of LaughFest, it's hard to decide which ones to choose. Let us help you with some of our LaughFest picks.
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