It's Comedy Night on Google Hot Trends! That's where I double-taked to see John Mulaney — a very funny comedian and SNL writer but not yet a household name. I knew he had a comedy special tonight on TBS thanks to the Twitter feed of "Comic's Comic" blogger Sean McCarthy ; I also knew that John Oliver was on Comedy Central because I watched a bit, and vastly enjoye the tale of 11-year old John running a foot race with a key part of his anatomy exposed (which sounded like it affected his aerodynamics). But then as I checked it out, I saw that Mitch Hedberg was trending, too — high at #2 — that Greer Barnes was #1, and that Fabrice Fabrice (a character of comedian Nick Kroll) and Smacky the Frog, a character of Hedberg's, were all trending in the top 20. I know they're all funny and all, but — huh? (more...)

People really seem to love this Jersey Shore show, especially our own Steve Krakauer, who called it "the worst best show of all time" and who yesterday on Office Hours suggested to Time TV critic James Poniewozik that he consider it as a dark horse best show of the decade (Glynnis suggested Deadwood; I suggested Alias). Now I see that Jersey Shore: Week 2 is our lead story on the front page (which is fair enough, considering my devotion to all things seems to like it almost as much as Gaga). But more to the point, this gives me a terrific segue to introduce this: Nick Kroll on Funny or Die as "Bobby Bottleservice" in his audition tape for Jersey Shore. (more...)

A few weeks ago, Comedy Central televised a roast of Joan Rivers, hosted by Kathy Griffin and featuring a whole host of foul-mouthed comics cracking jokes about Joan's various facelifts, how old she is, and how old her vagina is. One of those foul-mouthed comics was Donald Trump, a.k.a. her new boss after Rivers was victorious on last season's Celebrity Apprentice (with a newly-relevant invocation of Godwin's law, no less). I double-taked when The Donald came onscreen and started talking about his "greatest and most ambitious construction project yet: The Joan Rivers Facial & Body Restoration." I double-taked further when I heard what was coming out of his mouth. The Donald was saying that on TV? This video was going to blow up tomorrow! Alas, when I checked the Comedy Central website, The Donald — by far the biggest star on the bill, sorry, Brad Garrett — was nowhere to be seen. Comedy Central PR confirmed that the Trump vid would not be posted. We would just have to be satisfied with Greg Giraldo. Or would we? Turns out Mediaite has obtained the video, and three weeks later it's still pretty damn funny, and shocking. (more...)