Category: Comedy and Humor

Gailard Sartain, Character Actor and ‘Hee Haw’ Regular, Dies at 81

Though best known for comedy, he also played serious roles, including a sinister sheriff in “Mississippi Burning.” The director Alan Rudolph cast him in nine films.
Dr. Demento Announces His Retirement After 55 Years on the Air

Barry Hansen, mostly known by his D.J. name, said he’d leave the airwaves after 55 years of playing parody songs. His syndicated show was once heard on more than 150 radio stations.
‘Small Achievable Goals’ Asks: Can Menopause Be Funny?

These “Baroness von Sketch” alums think so, making it the main character in their new comedy.
With ‘Tudum,’ Netflix Turns a Fan Event Into a Livestreaming Spectacle

The company has turned an in-person fan event into a live televised spectacle.
Zarna Garg Knows That Sometimes Pretty Hurts

She left home at 14, India at 17, put herself through law school, raised three children and then achieved comedy stardom. What’s a little vampire facial?
A New Pee-wee Herman Documentary Peeks Inside the Playhouse

Paul Reubens’s performance as Pee-wee Herman gave fans “license to be weird.” At an underground cabaret, he cheered on his community of renegades.
‘Bad Shabbos’ Review: Guess Who’s Kvetching About Dinner?

A newly engaged Jew and gentile plan to introduce their parents. But first: There’s a crisis involving a body, a ticking clock and a doorman played by Method Man.
Warm-Up Rituals: How Actors, Comedians and Musicians Get Ready

We asked creative professionals how they prepare for their gigs. Jeff Daniels says “budda-gudda” a lot.
Sympathy for the Devil, er Boss: In ‘The Studio,’ the Powerful Are on Defense

Seth Rogen’s cringe-y Hollywood honcho is well-intentioned but ineffectual. The actor’s awkward laugh has never been put to better use.
Lulu Roman, Who Brought Big-Hearted Sass to ‘Hee Haw,’ Is Dead at 78

Obesity was a source of trauma for her, but also of her comedy, which she showcased, along with gospel singing, on the long-running down-home variety show.
Is This Late-Night TV’s Last Gasp?

The talk shows are one of the few TV genres that haven’t made the leap to streaming. Their future may instead look a lot like a podcast studio.
Washington’s Besieged Journalists Raise a Glass, Darkly

The annual weekend celebrating America’s free press went forward, even as the Trump administration chips away at press freedoms.