Family Guy: Rest in Peace Brian Griffin

Last night as I watched the new episode of Family Guy I was under the impression that Brian dying was just a little unfunny joke.  It wasn't until I saw on my twitter feed which made me realize that Brian will no longer be on Family Guy.  My initial thought was why would they do this? Then I thought why do I care?

Why did Family Guy kill off one of their main characters?  Well the only logical explanation is to create publicity so that people would be talking about it.  Let's face it Family Guy has been around for a while and changing things up seemed to be necessary.  The writers of Family Guy wasted no time and already a new dog named Vinny is now in the Griffin family. 

It should be noted that The Simpsons also talked about killing off a main character.  Maybe once again Family Guy is "borrowing" ideas from The Simpsons. 

Now as the cartoon continues Stewie no longer has his best friend.  It should be interesting what the writers decide to do with this new scenery.  Whats even more interesting is that their has now been two dogs with the ability to communicate with humans on the show.

Brian was a classic character and even though its just a cartoon, its sad to see this happen.  Watch the video below for a classic Brian Griffin moment

Workaholics a Big Success

Comedy Centrals show Workaholics has peaked in popularity in the last few years.  The show has been recognized by young people and accepted as a hilarious show with immaturity being the punchline.  The main characters Blake Anderson, Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Kyle Newacheck write and produce the show themselves. 

The four guys started making videos for Mail Order Comedy and their chemistry has grown ever since.  Just recently they signed a deal to shoot season four and five.  Whats really amazing about this story is that these four got recognized from the internet and now have a really popular show on Comedy Central.

Internet sketches seem to be a little over played in 2013, however it has been one of the most helpful tools for young comedians today.  It really has changed how the comedy networks choose their next sitcom.  More and more they are finding talent through internet ratings and it gives everyone an opportunity to get noticed. The cast of Workaholics are a perfect example that anything is possible.

The four main characters of the show have gained so much chemistry together that writing the show is not only fun but rather easy for them.  Workaholics has been becoming increasingly popular and it really is a funny show.  Adam, Blake and Anders have all been having success in their careers from their show and are well recognized in the comedy world.  The crew is also going to be doing some work with Seth Rogen!

Here's a clip of when the Workaholics crew were just amateurs making a sketch video... They have become a lot funnier by the way

Joe Rogan: Podcast by Day, Comedian by Night

First things first, if you have not been introduced to the Joe Rogan Experience podcast I highly recommend you give it a listen.  Many people only know Joe as the man who hosted the very surreal show 'Fear Factor' and as a commentator for the UFC.  However Joe Rogan is also a stand-up comedian and hosts one of the most popular podcast on the internet. 

Joe Rogan as a comedian is funny in a different way than most stand-ups performing today.  Joe's comedy routine doesn't just get you laughing but it also makes you think of topics in a totally different perspective.  His style of comedy reminds me of the two legends George Carlin and Bill Hicks.  When they go stage their purpose is greater than just making people laugh.  Which makes comedy so special because it allows the performer to totally create an unfiltered performance.

However this blog is not just about Joe Rogans comedy.  The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast is a very inspiring and fascinating form of entertainment.  I find every time I watch the podcast or a snippet of one (they are all over YouTube) I learn something new.  Joe brings on many different people on the podcast for interesting conversation.  Comedians, Philosophers, Athletes and many different fascinating people join the conversation and just discuss topics. 

I highly suggest you give the podcast a listen and see what you think.

Here's a little sneak of what the podcast is all about

Nineteen Seasons of the Outrageous 'South Park'

If you are a fan of the cartoon South Park you know the show isn't afraid to push the boundaries.  Well the show has made it to nineteen seasons and they are still going strong.  The creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been in the middle of controversy ever since the show has aired. 

No issue or celebrity is off limits for the outrageous cartoon and that's why the fans love the show so much. The show has made a name for itself across the world.  The cartoon touches upon political topics and makes jokes about some very serious issues in the world.  

I myself have been a fan of South Park for many years but I'm starting to think the show is going in the wrong direction.  Some of the episodes in the recent seasons have been extremely silly.  It will start off with a good premise and then all of the sudden the show will just be slap stick (silly) humor.  I am still a fan and will watch the show but my point is I think the show used to be funnier and more genuine.  And when your on your nineteenth season it's easy for the funny to fade away and just make the show to make money. 

None the less South Park is an iconic show and has been extremely successful. The main characters Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny are still together in Colorado. 

Let me know what you think and vote in the poll. 

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Are you ready for the return of Ron Burgandy and his infamous news team? Well in case your not just know its kind of a big deal because the sequel is coming to theaters soon. The hilarious: Will Ferrel, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner are back at it and in character. All four main characters have been talking about it on talk shows and claiming it is better than the first. If that doesn't put you in a glass case of emotion, I don't what will.

By the way if you haven't seen the first Anchorman movie you probably won't be getting any of the references in this blog. And I would recommend you go watch it if you are a Will Ferrel fan. While some people think it is just a silly movie majority of people agree it was a funny film.

A fascinating part of it all is that most of the content in the original Anchorman is improvisation. The actors go in with an idea and then improvise their scenes. And while most comedy movies in the past have been completely scripted, I have noticed a trend in comedy movies where improvising is becoming more present. Actors need to have good chemistry in order for the film to be funny rather than just having a funny script. Obviously the Anchorman crew mesh so good together and that is why I think the movie was such a success.

Check out the official trailer here for a sneak peak at the film.

Dave Chappelle Returning to Comedy

Arguably one of the greatest comedians of our time, Dave Chappelle is rumored to be going on a solo tour.  To any Dave Chappelle fan this is a big deal as he has been absent from comedy for some time now.  He has been showing up at comedy clubs on random occasions and doing a set however he usually doesn't announce his whereabouts.  As of lately though he seems to be slowly returning as he was featured on the 'Funny or Die Oddball Festival'.  None the less Dave Chappelle has been missed dearly in the comedy world and the legend is back at what he does best.

In case you were living under a rock or just too young to know, in 2006 Dave turned down a 50 million dollar deal to renew his sketch-comedy show 'Chappelle Show'.  He not only turned down the deal from Comedy Central but he also flew to Africa to get away from all the stress and pressure.  He didn't tell anyone and just left.  Rumors were flying around saying that Dave Chappelle was on "drugs" and a "crazy" person.  When he returned he denied all claims, however he still has a false reputation for that till this day. 

But then again what person in the right mind would run away from 50 million dollars? Well this guy would...

Dave Chappelle is one of the most down to earth celebrities that you will ever find.  After watching countless interviews of the comedian I find him to be modest, genuine and all around a good person.  He is an average person with a family who just happens to be a comic genius.  When asked about why he fled to Africa he stated that he was not running from the money, he was running from everything else.  Dave stated that he was under pressure, people around him were treating him differently and his values were beginning to change.  In my mind the fact that he walked away from 50 million dollars says a lot about his character, all of which positive. 

Ever since that crisis Dave Chappelle has been under the radar in the comedy world.  From having the most popular show on T.V and HBO stand-up specials... all of the sudden he was gone from comedy.

Now the good news is that Dave is going to have a stand up tour.  Any fan of his work will be eager to see him live.  A comic genius is now back in action.  In one of his recent shows Dave said at the end "Ive missed you guys more than you've missed me"

Here's a must watch clip of Dave Chappelle's Stand-Up

Top 3 Stand- Up Comedians of 2013

While everyone has their own personal opinion I have taken the liberty to make a top 3 list of the best comedians of the past year.  I am basing my judgement on relevance and the hustle of the comedian.  Comedians that are hilarious but sitting at their couch at home will not be on this list.

Take a look and judge for yourself if it's accurate or if I am just a crazy person.  Also take a look at my video tab as you will see clips of each these comedians.

1. Chris D'elia

This comedian has had an outstanding year and ever since the app Vine came out this fellow has gained MANY more fans world wide.  He has a style like no other comedian and every time he goes on stage he brings a totally different (and hilarious) performance.  Chris D'elia is the type of comedian to go on stage with just an idea and improv most of his set.  He has proven to the world how funny he is and I guarantee that he will only become better and more popular in the next decade.

2. Louis C.K

If I had to describe Louis C.K in one word that word would be genius.  Not genius like Albert Einstein or Steve Jobs but more like a genius at articulating the world we live in so perfectly.  When he goes on stage his material makes a point, sometimes its serious and sometimes it's just plain silly.  None the less,  Louis C.K has released an hour long special the past three years in a row and all of them have been hilarious.  There is no doubt that one day Louis will be in the conversation among comedy legends such as George Carlin, Dave Chappelle etc.

3 Kevin Hart

Last but not least Mr. Kevin Hart.  The man has been fiercely selling out arenas across North America and this cannot be ignored which is why he made my top 3 list.  Kevin Hart can somehow relate to his fans by telling stories about hanging out with famous celebrities.  He is personable, edgy and he knows how to put on a show.  Not to mention a hilarious actor Kevin Hart has been a strong force in the comedy world. 

Well there it is folks.  These are the stand-up comedians that have taken over in 2013.

Saying Goodbye to The Simpsons

It's kind of tough to write a piece on a TV show that has been on this earth longer than I have been breathing.  The Simpsons has been around since 1989!

It has yet to be confirmed officially, however, there has been a lot of speculation that this will in fact be the last season ever for the Simpson family.  Some people might react to this news and be shocked that the show is still on the air, others may react a little differently... I literally saw someone tear up.  However you take the news it is amazing that a TV series has been able to go this long.  It really has made the impossible, possible. 

Not only is it impressive that the show has been on for so long but how about the wide demographic of fans.  Fans can be as young as a 3 year old just interested in the bright colors or the old person who enjoys it because of the references that they can understand.  The Simpsons is a show that everyone can watch and relate to at some level, which is every writers dream to accomplish. 

The writers of the show seem to want to spice things up as they say farewell.  If you didn't hear I hate to be the one to tell you but apparently one of the main characters in The Simpsons will die in the last season! It's sad to hear that and it's also sad that this effects me so deeply.  I mean who can the writers kill, not Homer, not Bart, not Maggie!

The Simpsons is a classic show and will be forever apart of pop culture.  It has made it's mark on all of it's fans and inspired many other shows that are currently higher in ratings.

Kanye West Takes Offense to Jimmy Kimmel Skit

Just a few hours ago hip-hop star Kanye West went on a twitter rampage bashing the talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.  Kanye is known to go on twitter rampages but this time he seems more upset than usual.  He started the rant with this tweet "JIMMY KIMMEL IS OUT OF LINE TO TRY AND SPOOF IN ANY WAY THE FIRST PIECE OF HONEST MEDIA IN YEARS". 

Kanye is apparently upset about a sketch that Jimmy Kimmel did on his show (link will be posted end of blog).  From a neutral stand point it seems that the sketch wasn't out of line considering Kanye West is a media icon who gets made fun of every minute... literally every minute. 

We all know Kanye West has a rather big ego, calling himself a God in his songs and interviews.  Kanye went on to call Jimmy Kimmel and insisted that he apologize publicly and said his life will be a lot better if he did. 

Jimmy Kimmel addressed the issue on his show and showed all the tweets Kanye posted.  He seemed rather surprised himself that he got the rap star so upset.  Jimmy took a few more cracks at him and did not apologize for his sketch video. 

Being a fan of both these celebrities I am surprised and thoroughly entertained at the topic. I just hope this isn't publicity stunt which is a possible explanation

Be the judge yourself.  Did Jimmy Kimmel go to far or is Kanye West being to sensitive?

Dumb & Dumber 2 to be Released 2014

Anyone who has seen the first Dumb and Dumber movie would definitely be excited hearing that a sequel is being made called Dumb and Dumber To (No typo). The even better news is that they have the original writers and the two same actors playing Harry and Lloyd (Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels). The two stars of the movie tweeted a picture of themselves just this week in character ready to go.

The original Dumb and Dumber was released in 1994 and it is still, twenty-years later, brought up as one of the funniest movies to come out. The acting was incredible and it shows you just how hilarious stupidity can really be. Jim Carrey has kind of taken a break from comedy and it's very nice to see a legend back in action making a sequel to a classic film.

I think its appropriate to mention in this blog post that there was prequel made in 2003 called "Dumb and Dumberer". I found the movie pretty funny, however, it was not received well by critics and not even comparable to the original.

Oh yeah, i forgot to mention that Jeff Daniels even said that the Dumb and Dumber To (the new one) is going to make the original film look lame. If that doesn't set the standards I don't know what will. But as a fan all i have to do is wait patiently and be the judge myself.

If you haven't seen the movie... watch the movie. But if you don't have the time here's a clip.

Jimmy Fallon to Replace Jay Leno on 'The Tonight Show'

We have all heard the saying before "All good things must come to an end".  Well in this case this "good thing" lasted a very, very long time.  Jay Leno has been host of The Tonight Show for about twenty years!  And while Leno has been excellent, I think the vast majority of viewers are ready for a change. 

A few months back NBC announced that Jimmy Fallon would be taking the torch of The Tonight Show, one of the longest running shows in history (its kind of a big deal by the way).  As many already know Jimmy is a Saturday Night Live Alumni and in general a talented man.  He has proved to be a great host on his current show Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  His show has been doing well in ratings and staying very competitive in the late night race against other hosts such as Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel. 

From singing with the President of the United States and becoming BFF's with Justin Bieber it's safe to say that Jimmy Fallon is well known in Pop Culture today.  I for one am excited to see this new change in a legendary show.  Jimmy is scheduled to host the first show in February 2014, the week after the Olympics finish. 

By the way check out just how funny Jimmy Fallon is in this hilarious sketch parody of Breaking Bad that was aired on his show that aired on his show this week.