Monday
Jim Gaffigan
Whether talking about cake, bacon, wearing robes, or getting sick from eating hot pockets, Jim Gaffigan is one of the funniest men in America. Not only is he one of our favorite guests, he’s also been a regular on Conan O’Brien’s show, has appeared on a number of sitcoms and has released a number of fantastic comedy specials, including the new one available for download on his website, “Mr. Universe.” Gaffigan is also the author of the bestseller, Dad is Fat. Jim Gaffigan is currently on a cross-county tour so make sure to check out his website for upcoming show dates and locations. Preorder his new book Food: A Love Story at his website. Follow Jim on twitter and facebook.
Tuesday
Paul Thorn
Paul Thorn’s new album Too Blessed To Be Stressed stakes out new territory for the popular roots-rock songwriter and performer. “In the past, I’ve told stories that were mostly inspired by my own life,” the former prizefighter and literal son of a preacher man offers. “This time, I’ve written 10 songs that express more universal truths, and I’ve done it with a purpose: to make people feel good.”
Which explains numbers like the acoustic-electric charmer Don’t Let Nobody Rob You Of Your Joy, where Thorn’s warm peaches-and-molasses singing dispenses advice on avoiding the pitfalls of life. The title track borrows its tag from a familiar saying among the members of the African-American Baptist churches Thorn frequented in his childhood. “I’d ask, ‘How you doin’, sister?’ And what I’d often hear back was, ‘I’m too blessed to be stressed.’ ” In the hands of Thorn and his faithful band, who’ve been together 20 years, the tune applies its own funky balm, interlacing a percolating drum and keyboard rhythm with the slinky guitar lines beneath his playful banter.
Thorn’s trademark humor is abundant throughout the album. I Backslide On Friday is a warm-spirited poke at personal foibles. “I promised myself not to write about me, but I did on ‘Backslide,’ ” Thorn relates. The chipper pop tune is a confession about procrastination, sweetened by Bill Hinds’ slide guitar and Thorn’s gently arching melody. “But,” Thorn protests, “I know I’m not the only one who says he’s gonna diet and just eat Blue Bell vanilla ice cream on Sundays, and then ends up eating it every day!”
Mediocrity Is King takes a wider swipe, aiming at our culture’s hyper-drive addiction to celebrity artifice and rampant consumerism. But like Everything Is Gonna Be All Right, a rocking celebration of the simple joys of life, it’s done with Thorn’s unflagging belief in the inherent goodness of the human heart.
Wednesday
Sid Davis
Sid Davis, born Christopher Davis, grew up in a small farm town near Dayton, Ohio. The youngest of 4 children, was declared a very smart child….on paper. His razor sharp wit made him a distraction in school classrooms. Recognized early on as a great writer, Sid slowly honed his stage presence to project his hilarious and unique comic style that includes versatility for all occasions. He can switch a couple of things around and change his set from very clean, to PG to R. His versatility for audiences ranges from Churches, to clubs to cruise ships. Sid was a huge hit at the 2012 San Luis Obispo Comedy Festival and the audiences voted him into the festival’s Best in Fest Showcase (Which he unfortunately had to miss because of travel arrangements). Sid returned to the SLO festival in 2013.
The audience once again voted him “Best in Fest” and he headlined the festival’s Best in Fest Showcase, which was broadcast live on the SIRUS Comedy Raw Dawg Channel. AGAIN in 2014 the audiences of SLO voted Sid Best in Fest where he hosted the Sunday showcase in the 1500 seat Fremont Theater. During his airline tenure at the Charlotte airport he penned, Space Available; a hilarious suspense story about an airline baggage handler that uses his free flying to track down a man who stole his identity. “I based the characters on friends from the airport,” Sid shares. “I’m very proud of the story and hope to have it produced into a motion picture someday.” Visit his website here.
Tim Bedore
For longer than we can remember comedian Tim Bedore has been calling in or stopping by to deliver an editorial in which he talks about whatever happens to be on his mind. These musings can range from his relationship with his daughter, to hot topics in the news, and even updates on how the animal kingdom is waging war on mankind. From the Animal Conspiracy to his daughter Claire, Tim takes us inside his mind, and with the help of a few sound effects, puts together one of our favorite features. Follow Tim on Facebook. Visit his website here.
Thursday
Lachlan Patterson
Lachlan is a finalist on this season’s “Last Comic Standing” appearing on each and every episode through August 14, 2014. He embarks on an extensive live tour throughout the U.S. as soon as the winner is announced live on Thursday, Aug.14th, but you can see him at Crackers first!
At an early age, Lachlan Patterson knew that he would have to use his sense of humor to get him through tough situations. At the age of 19 he performed his first show at an amateur night in his hometown of Vancouver, B.C.
After several years spent learning the art of stand-up comedy, Patterson started to find his stride and began touring throughout Canada, landing him at festivals like Montreal’s Just for Laughs, the Halifax Comedy Festival and the Aspen Rooftop Comedy Festival.
His television appearances include “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham,” “Tosh.O.,” the FX comedy “Legit” and VH1’s “Sexiest Artists.” Patterson’s debut album..
“Jokes to Make Love To” made Rooftop Comedy’s top 10 in its first year and continues to be a major seller on Amazon and iTunes.
In his free time, Patterson co-host’s his weekly podcast “The Kooks of Komedy,” with fellow comedian Joe Praino, where they discuss surfing, comedy and their personal lives.
Geoff Keith
Geoff Keith began performing stand up comedy at the end of 2003. Since then he has been making a name for himself and audiences and industry have both been taking notice. After Keith’s first time on stage he walked off and heard an audience member saying, “remember that kid’s name.”
He spent his first two years traveling all over Southern California every night driving over 100 miles per night just to get stage time. He performed at AA meetings, restaurants, swap meets, nudist colonies, bars, clubs, etc. Whether there were two people or 200 people he would make the drive.
Soon he began traveling to other states such as Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, and Nevada for gigs. The drives did not get any shorter going from state to state each day.
In January 2006 he got an opportunity to work a week at the Sacramento Punchline Comedy Club with Pablo Francisco. Francisco immediately brought Keith on the road with him for the remainder of the year giving Keith tons of experience working in front of packed crowds at the top clubs in the country. Francisco also included Keith in his one hour Comedy Central special “Pablo Francisco’s: Ouch!” which aired in 2006. Since then Keith has appeared on Playboy TV’s “Night Calls,” Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham,” CBS’s “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” ABC’s “Comic’s Unleashed with Byron Allen,” HBO’s “Down and Dirty with Jim Norton,” BET’s “One Mic Stand,” E! Channel’s “Chelsea Lately,” and some others. He also was asked to perform at the Vancouver Comedy Festival in 2006 and the Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, Quebec in 2007.
On the acting front Keith was featured in “Coach Carter” and “Even Money” and has appeared in two national commercials. Along with those accomplishments, he had a development deal with Turner Broadcasting to create funny webisodes for their internet site SuperDeluxe.com. Keith also filmed a secret project for Ashton Kutcher which included funny short videos where he was the star. Kutcher directed four of the videos and Keith improvised the rest himself with Kutcher’s approval.
Keith most recently finished shooting two seasons as one of the stars of MTV’s “Disaster Date” with memorable characters such as “Mayhem the Wrestler,” the “Homeless Guy,” “Mr. Romance,” and many more.
Currently, Keith is touring the country performing at colleges and comedy clubs alike.
Friday
Jake Johannsen
A native of Iowa, Jake Johannsen spent three years at Iowa State University dabbling in veterinarian science and chemical engineering before moving to San Francisco and trying his hand at comedy. Jake sought to make his comedic mark on the city at a time when San Francisco was fostering the likes of young talents such as Bobcat Goldthwait and Dana Carvey. Jake made his own comedy debut during an open mike night at San Francisco’s Cobbs Comedy Club. Four years later, in 1986, he won the 11th Annual San Francisco Stand-Up Comedian Competition.
Brooks Wheelan
A regular cast member for the 2013-2014 season of the most famous sketch comedy show in history, Saturday Night Live, Brooks is as also an accomplished stand-up comic. In Los Angeles, where Brooks lived before SNL, he was a regular at many famous LA clubs and was a writer for College Humor.