Fooooolks the 2017 Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival is nearly upon us. Just like every year, the lineup is absurdly stacked. Let’s examine exactly how stacked by getting acquainted with the work of these terrifically talented individuals. It’s time for Tig, Seaton, June, Cheryl, Stephanie, Jermaine, David, Rell, Andrea, Amber, Jenny, Max, Gabe, Al, Ira, and many, many more!
Tig Notaro live on Ellen (feat. Tig Notaro who is @ The Most Very Specialist Evening with Tig Notaro & Friends at the Lincoln Theatre October 26 and Women In The Business of Comedy Talk at the W Hotel DC October 27)
Tig’s our wonderful friend who helps make this all happen. Here’s a recent appearance on Ellen where they regularly cut to Ellen loving her set. Go see her and feel overjoyed like Ellen.
Weekend Update: Al Franken on How the Al Franken Decade is Going (feat. Al Franken who is @ Al Franken: Giant of the Senate & Ira Glass: Giant of the Radio at the Lincoln Theatre October 29)
Senator Al Franken has had a pretty interesting career, as chronicled in his new memoir Giant of the Senate. Catch him in conversation talking with This American Life’s Ira Glass about his life, book, and all things Al Franken!
Ira Glass Narrates an Animated New Yorker Cover (feat. Ira Glass who is @ Al Franken: Giant of the Senate & Ira Glass: Giant of the Radio at the Lincoln Theatre October 29)
Ira Glass is the longtime host of This American Life and an overall very charming man. He’s chatting with Al Franken and I feel like he’ll be a great foil for Franken’s comedic brashness!
What exactly is a street fighter? (feat. Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael who are @ How Did This Get Made? Live! At the Lincoln Theatre October 27)
The giddy, familiar charm of How Did This Get Made’s trio of hosts is perfectly encapsulated by the above clip, culled from their episode that takes a deep dive on the 90’s trash classic Street Fighter. Live shows are like this, but with everyone laughing as hard as Jason Mantzoukas is in this clip.
How Long Will Cheryl Hines’ Emu Live? (feat. Cheryl Hines who is @ Women In The Business of Comedy Talk at the W Hotel DC October 27)
Cheryl Hines plays Cheryl on Curb Your Enthusiasm and it’s sometimes hard to separate Curb characters from their real-life personalities, you know? Let’s ease into doing so by watching her talk about her pet Emu with James Corden!
Seaton Smith live on Conan (feat. Seaton Smith who is @ The Most Very Specialist Evening with Tig Notaro & Friends at the Lincoln Theatre October 26)
Seaton Smith has been seen on Inside Amy Schumer, Difficult People, and Nightly Show, and made a hell of a debut doing standup on Conan this past May. Dude rules.
“Untitled Actress” by Amber Tamblyn (feat. Amber Tamblyn who is @ Andrea Gibson & Amber Tamblyn at the Kennedy Center October 28)
While many of us may be most familiar with Amber Tamblyn the actor, who was the breakout star over a decade ago as Joan of Arcadia, and went on to appear in The Ring, 127 Hours, and House. She’s also an accomplished and acclaimed poet, crafting work that often explores the dark side of show business, as evidenced in the above clip.
Bestie x Bestie (feat. Jenny Slate and Gabe Liedman who are @ Big Terrific with Jenny Slate, Max Silvestri, and Gabe Liedman at the Lincoln Theatre October 28)
Jenny Slate, Gabe Liedman, and Max Silvestri used to host a comedy show called Big Terrific and they’re bringing it back for ONE. NIGHT. ONLY. and you’d be a fool to miss it. Here are 2/3rds of Big Terrific, Gabe and Jenny, riffing on catch phrases for a Funny or Die webseries.
Comedian Max Silvestri Presents: 5 Easy Steps to Being a Grown-Up (feat. Max Silvestri who is @ Big Terrific with Jenny Slate, Max Silvestri, and Gabe Liedman at the Lincoln Theatre October 28)
Here’s the final third of Big Terrific, the extremely goofy and charming Max Silvestri. He’s got some tips for you to act more like an adult human male.
Franco Explains That He Wears a Hoodie Because He’s Cold (feat. Jermaine Fowler, David Koechner, and Rell Battle who is @ Superior Donuts Stand-Up Tour at the DC Improv October 28)
Jermaine Fowler, David Koechner, and Rell Battle, three of the stars of the topical CBS sitcom Superior Donuts, are on the road together, splitting a standup bill. You’ve seen all three dudes on your TV/movie screen, but what of them on stage? It’s gonna be good, for sure.
Andrew Dice Clay on the ArScheerio Paul Show (feat. June Diane Raphael who is @ Women In The Business of Comedy Talk at the W Hotel DC October 27 and How Did This Get Made? Live! At the Lincoln Theatre October 27)
June Diane Raphael does a mean Dice impression, watch her participate in a stunning reenactment of an actual segment from the Arsenio Hall show before catching her get serious about comedy and/or riff on terrible movies.
Wild Horses: Stakeout (feat. Stephanie Allynne who is @ Women In The Business of Comedy Talk at the W Hotel DC October 27)
You might recognize Stephanie Allynne from One Mississippi or from the myriad high quality sketch videos her sketch group Wild Horses has released, for example this one!
You’re the Expert Live (feat. Chris Duffy who is @ You’re The Expert Live at the Grosvenor Auditorium October 27)
You’re the Expert is a super popular live game show/podcast/radio program that pits a trio of comedians against each other in a game of wits, as handily explained in the video above!
Andrea Gibson – “Prism” (feat. Andrea Gibson who is @ Andrea Gibson & Amber Tamblyn at the Kennedy Center October 28)
Andrea Gibson is an extremely talented poet and live performer, as you can see from the footage above. Passionate, powerful stuff. Catch her and Amber Tamblyn live together for an evening of spoken word and poetry.
Pierce McManus in Story District’s Catfished (feat. Pierce McManus who is @ Story District and The Bentzen Ball Comedy Festival Presents GOING COMMANDO at the Grosvenor Auditorium on October 28)
Story District is well-known as DC’s leading platform for live storytelling, showcasing tons of new and established talent from around the country for years. Folks like Pierce McManus will be on deck to share stories based around the theme of GOING COMMANDO, so expect to hear tales of wild encounters and ill-advised adventures.
