Trying to become the Starbucks of comedy – USATODAY.com:
Zooey Deschanel, star of Fox hit New Girl, says renewed interest in comedy has provided room for quirky shows like hers. "I've always been a little bit of a weirdo and didn't really picture playing one could work on mainstream TV," says Deschanel, who co-launched the comedy website Hellogiggles in May. "But great shows are popping up, different types that are character-driven and not about delivering one-liners."
By Greg Gayne, FOX
Zooey Deschanel, star of Fox hit New Girl, says renewed interest in comedy has provided room for quirky shows like hers. "I've always been a little bit of a weirdo and didn't really picture playing one could work on mainstream TV," says Deschanel, who co-launched the comedy website Hellogiggles in May. "But great shows are popping up, different types that are character-driven and not about delivering one-liners."
Laugh Factory: Making humor pay when times are tough
By Gary Strauss, USA TODAY
The Laugh Factory opened it's doors in 1979. Jamie Masada has constructed a humor empire that's embraced magazines, radio, TV, films and cyberspace. But his focus is on bricks-and-mortar comedy clubs, with plans to open a Laugh Factory in Las Vegas, Boston and Boca Raton by year's end, followed by ventures in other U.S cities, Great Britain, Australia and India.
"Jamie's goal is to be the Starbucks of comedy," says actor/comedian Paul Rodriguez, part of the Chicago club's investor group, which includes several TV, film and standup stars. "And the worse times get, the better it is for our business. As an investment, it's a better bet than the stock market."
While standup may be a sound business model for entrepreneurs such as Masada, humor is lifting bottom lines throughout the entertainment industry.
Broadway's The Book of Mormon, winner of nine Tony awards, has spawned a best-selling album and national tour. Among 2011's big box-office winners: R-rated raunchfests Bridesmaids ($288 million in worldwide ticket sales), Bad Teacher ($216 million) and The Hangover Part II ($581 million).
The Laugh Factory opened it's doors in 1979. Jamie Masada has constructed a humor empire that's embraced magazines, radio, TV, films and cyberspace. But his focus is on bricks-and-mortar comedy clubs, with plans to open a Laugh Factory in Las Vegas, Boston and Boca Raton by year's end, followed by ventures in other U.S cities, Great Britain, Australia and India.
"Jamie's goal is to be the Starbucks of comedy," says actor/comedian Paul Rodriguez, part of the Chicago club's investor group, which includes several TV, film and standup stars. "And the worse times get, the better it is for our business. As an investment, it's a better bet than the stock market."
While standup may be a sound business model for entrepreneurs such as Masada, humor is lifting bottom lines throughout the entertainment industry.
Broadway's The Book of Mormon, winner of nine Tony awards, has spawned a best-selling album and national tour. Among 2011's big box-office winners: R-rated raunchfests Bridesmaids ($288 million in worldwide ticket sales), Bad Teacher ($216 million) and The Hangover Part II ($581 million).
The Internet — fueled by multimillion views of amateurish videos as well as more polished humor websites such as Funny or Die — is bristling with new comedy, including channels launching on You Tube and Yahoo.
Perhaps nowhere is the uptick in hilarity more in-your-face than TV, where the sitcom is enjoying a resurgence after a decade of ratings domination by reality shows and dramas. A quarter of TV's 20 most-watched shows among key 18- to 49-year-olds are sitcoms.
Blurring traditional venues: Comedy is coming to unlikely formats and places, straddling and blurring traditional programming venues. For example:
•Web music streamer Rdio now offers exclusive content by Margaret Cho and other comedians.
BBC America aired the TV debut of National Public Radio's satirical quiz show Wait Wait … Don't Tell Me! last month and launched British-themed comedy panel series Would You Rather …? with Graham Norton. Another comedy-themed talk show, The Nerdist,debuts Jan. 14.
Neophytes on the Internet
Mixed opportunities aside, the Internet already is looming large for neophytes producing popular viral videos, making stars of laughing babies, frenetic dancers and goofy pets.
Ultimate Dog Tease, featuring a bacon-loving mutt, has been downloaded more than 70 million times since its spring debut on YouTube.
Perhaps nowhere is the uptick in hilarity more in-your-face than TV, where the sitcom is enjoying a resurgence after a decade of ratings domination by reality shows and dramas. A quarter of TV's 20 most-watched shows among key 18- to 49-year-olds are sitcoms.
Blurring traditional venues: Comedy is coming to unlikely formats and places, straddling and blurring traditional programming venues. For example:
•Web music streamer Rdio now offers exclusive content by Margaret Cho and other comedians.
BBC America aired the TV debut of National Public Radio's satirical quiz show Wait Wait … Don't Tell Me! last month and launched British-themed comedy panel series Would You Rather …? with Graham Norton. Another comedy-themed talk show, The Nerdist,debuts Jan. 14.
Neophytes on the Internet
Mixed opportunities aside, the Internet already is looming large for neophytes producing popular viral videos, making stars of laughing babies, frenetic dancers and goofy pets.
Ultimate Dog Tease, featuring a bacon-loving mutt, has been downloaded more than 70 million times since its spring debut on YouTube.
Established funnymen such as Will Ferrell and collaborator Adam McKay, founders of Funny or Die, also have found new short-form creative outlets. Such successes are prompting fresh investment in comedy-centric channels and programming by major web players.
Social media networking sites such as Twitter are helping comedians market themselves. "In terms of getting your name and material, it's indispensable. It's a real way to connect and advertise," Cho says.
Eventually, Masada hopes to have enough clubs open to draw well-known comics with regular gigs, which in turn will draw steady audiences. Given the 2012 presidential election, anemic economic growth and an increasingly divisive social agenda,
Masada is confident comedy will remain king.
"We always need laughs," he says. "The need for laughter is as strong as the need for oxygen.''
Read more:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/story/2012-01-05/comedy-clubs-movie-tv-economy/52397846/1
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Social media networking sites such as Twitter are helping comedians market themselves. "In terms of getting your name and material, it's indispensable. It's a real way to connect and advertise," Cho says.
Eventually, Masada hopes to have enough clubs open to draw well-known comics with regular gigs, which in turn will draw steady audiences. Given the 2012 presidential election, anemic economic growth and an increasingly divisive social agenda,
Masada is confident comedy will remain king.
"We always need laughs," he says. "The need for laughter is as strong as the need for oxygen.''
Read more:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/story/2012-01-05/comedy-clubs-movie-tv-economy/52397846/1
'via Blog this'
