comedian

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Eddie Murphy Skewers Cosby in First Stand-Up in 3 Decades

He does a brief set while accepting Twain award for comedy

(Newser) - When Eddie Murphy received the Mark Twain Prize Sunday night, considered the top honor in American comedy, he didn't just say thank you. He did "something delightfully unexpected," notes Vulture —he told some jokes, specifically, some jokes about Bill Cosby, reports the AP . While that may...

Comedian: I Lied About Harrowing 9/11 Escape

Steve Rannazzisi: 'I made a terrible mistake'

(Newser) - Comedian Steve Rannazzisi moved to Los Angeles to pursue an entertainment career after escaping Merrill Lynch's offices on the 54th floor of the World Trade Center's south tower minutes before it was hit on Sept. 11, 2001. Rannazzisi says he realized life was too short and he better...

Comedian Protests Minor Parking Ticket in Giant Way

Eugene Mirman was fined $15 for 'being parked in the wrong direction'

(Newser) - Comedian Eugene Mirman is very disappointed in Portsmouth, NH, and he wants the town to know about it. After Mirman received a $15 ticket for being "parked in the wrong direction" in a parking space, he took out a hilarious full-page newspaper ad—which can be seen in full...

Amy Schumer: 'Sex Is Explained Incorrectly to Us'

Comedian and comic actor opens up in CBS profile

(Newser) - With her star rising and her provocative, punchy humor generating an is-she-feminist-or-politically-incorrect-or-what media debate, Amy Schumer opened up about her life and attitudes in a CBS News profile. Among the highlights:
  • On sex: "Sex is just explained incorrectly to us. It's like everything—magazines, sitcoms. Men 'love'
...

Ben Stiller on Mom&#39;s Death
 Ben Stiller on Mom's Death 

Ben Stiller on Mom's Death

Actor tweets about Anne Meara's passing for first time

(Newser) - Ben Stiller spoke out for the first time today on the death of his mother, Anne Meara , reports USA Today . "Thank you so much for all the kind words about Anne," her son tweeted . "All of us in our family feel so lucky to have had her...

Louis CK on SNL: Finally, Too Much?

The comic actor makes light of child molestation, racism

(Newser) - Louis CK gave a predictably polite, sensitive monologue yesterday on the closing night of SNL's 40th season—making light of racism, child molestation, and the Israel-Palestine conflict. "Child molesters are very tenacious people," CNN quotes him as saying. "From their point of view, it must be...

Springsteen Auctions Guitar, Lasagna for $300K

He headlined this year's Stand Up For Heroes event

(Newser) - The 8th annual Stand Up For Heroes comedy and music mash-up in New York this week raised more than $1 million, and more than half of that was thanks to Bruce Springsteen. He managed to auction off a heck of a night (a guitar he has played, an hour-long lesson...

Saturday Night Live Alum Jan Hooks Dead at 57

Comedian had 'serious illness'

(Newser) - Former Saturday Night Live star Jan Hooks died today at age 57, reports CNN . The actress and comedian had been battling a "serious illness," reports TMZ . Hooks performed on SNL from 1986-91, the era of Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey, and Mike Myers, among others. Her role...

Sorry, Joan Rivers, People Took You Way Too Seriously

Charlotte Alter: Hypocrites who criticized her are now praising her

(Newser) - Look around today, and you'll find no shortage of breathless praise of Joan Rivers describing how bold and funny she was. The thing is, when she was alive, some of those very same outlets were criticizing her as mean, vulgar, and offensive, writes Charlotte Alter at Time . Rivers joked...

Joan Rivers Dead at 81
 Joan Rivers Dead at 81 

Joan Rivers Dead at 81

Comedian's daughter makes announcement

(Newser) - Joan Rivers is dead at age 81, daughter Melissa announced today. The comedian "passed peacefully surrounded by family and close friends," said the statement. (Read it in full here .) As the Daily News recounts, the news comes after Rivers stopped breathing during a routine throat procedure on...

Joan Rivers 'Resting Comfortably': Daughter

'Keep her in your thoughts and prayers,' says Melissa

(Newser) - Joan Rivers is "resting comfortably" in the hospital with family, daughter Melissa announced late yesterday. But amid reports that the 81-year-old comedian has been placed in a medically induced coma , Melissa Rivers offered no further details about her mother, who reportedly stopped breathing during a routine throat procedure. "...

Joan Rivers in Critical Condition
 Joan Rivers 
 'Stable but Critical' 
UPDATED

Joan Rivers 'Stable but Critical'

She stopped breathing during throat procedure, say reports

(Newser) - Joan Rivers stopped breathing during a throat procedure this morning and is in "stable but critical condition," reports E! Online . The 81-year-old comedian is now at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, but the hospital isn't saying much. The Daily News reports that Rivers has been placed in...

30 Rock's Tracy Morgan in ICU After Car Wreck

His limo bus overturned on New Jersey Turnpike

(Newser) - Comedian Tracy Morgan was seriously injured in a six-vehicle highway accident overnight, reports CNN . The 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live star remains in intensive care after the accident about 1am on the New Jersey Turnpike, reports NBC Philadelphia . Morgan's limo bus overturned near Trenton with six passengers aboard,...

Comedian John Pinette Dies
 Comedian John Pinette Dies 
OBITUARY

Comedian John Pinette Dies

He played mugging victim in Seinfeld finale

(Newser) - Veteran comedian John Pinette has been found dead in a Pittsburgh hotel room. He was 50 years old. The comic, best known for his appearance as an overweight mugging victim in the final episode of Seinfeld, died of a pulmonary embolism, his manager tells the Hollywood Reporter . Pinette, a regular...

Tonight Show Fave, Comedian David Brenner Dies at 78

Standup pioneered observational comedy of Seinfeld

(Newser) - Other veteran comics could head straight to The Tonight Show couch to banter with Johnny Carson, but David Brenner had to do a stand-up routine when he was a guest. Finally, Carson told a puzzled Brenner why. "I like to sit back, smoke a cigarette and laugh for six...

Sid Caesar Dead at 91
 Sid Caesar Dead at 91 
obituary

Sid Caesar Dead at 91

TV legend broke new ground with his 'Your Show of Shows' in 1950

(Newser) - One of TV's very first stars is dead at age 91, reports Variety . Sid Caesar hosted the groundbreaking variety program Your Show of Shows beginning in 1950 and, later, Caesar's Hour. As most of his obituaries quickly point out, among the writers who got their start with him...

Not So Funny? Comedians Have Psychotic Traits

Score higher compared to those in 'non-creative' jobs

(Newser) - Plenty of people would agree comedians are a bit crazy—but are they psychotic? Not quite, but they measure as having higher levels of psychotic personality traits than those in "non-creative" professions, a new study finds. Researchers had 523 comedians, 364 actors, and 831 people in the "non-creative...

SNL Finally Lands Black Actress

Sasheer Zamata gets the gig after New York audition

(Newser) - Saturday Night Live has landed a black female comedian, and her name is Sasheer Zamata. The venerable sketch comedy show announced today that she will debut on January 18 when Drake is hosting, Deadline reports. SNL was under fire for going five years without a black female cast member and...

'I'm Not Sorry' for Vets' Joke, Writes Comedian

Natasha Leggero bucks a trend, challenges her over-the-top critics

(Newser) - Empty public apologies are all the rage these days, but comedian Natasha Leggero is taking a different route. "I'm not sorry," she wrote on her Tumblr after taking heat for a joke she made on NBC on New Year's Eve about World War II vets....

Comedian Punches Reporter After Tweet-Diss

Dan Nainan arrested at DC comedy contest

(Newser) - A decidedly unfunny moment at DC's Funniest Celebrity competition, at least for one journalist: While professional comedian Dan Nainan was onstage as a headliner, Newsweek/Daily Beast correspondent Josh Rogin sent out a few critical tweets. ( Sample : "Dan Nainan makes his umpteenth joke about how Asians cant distinguish...

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