SXSW gets a bigger comedy slate, podcasts galore

South By Southwest is almost upon us and its keynotes are going to be tremendous this year. Three weeks ago, the festival announced that the cast of Veep, Bob Odenkirk and Seth Rogen were among some of the speakers. They made good on their promise to announce more. Now funny people like Janeane Garofalo, Wyatt Cenac, and Michael Ian Black are joining the fracas. Additionally, all the podcasts like Comedy Bang! Bang!, improv4humans, and Hollywood Handbook will be there. The full line up can be found below and other details can be seen on the SXSW website.

“2017 SXSW Comedy Participants:

Al Madrigal, Andrew Santino, Big Jay Oakerson, Bob Odenkirk, Bonnie McFarlane, Brendon Walsh, Chris Hardwick, Dan Harmon, Dave Hill, Doug Benson, Doug Stanhope, Dulce Sloan, Glenn Wool, Eddie Pepitone, Guy Branum, Horatio Sanz, Janeane Garofalo, Jason Mantzoukas, Jessica McKenna, Joe DeRosa, Joel Kim Booster, John Hodgman, Jon Gabrus, Liza Treyger, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, Matteo Lane, Michael Ian Black, Morgan Murphy, Nate Bargatze, Nick Swardson, Nick Thune, Nicole Byer, Phoebe Robinson, Rich Vos, Robert Kelly, Sasheer Zamata, Scott Aukerman, Scott Thompson, Sean Patton, Shane Mauss, Shaun Diston, Tim Dillon, Tom Lennon, Wanda Sykes, Whitney Cummings, Wyatt Cenac, and more to come.

SXSW Comedy Festival Special Programs Featuring:

Above Average, @midnight, ASSSSCAT, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Doug Loves Movies, Doug Stanhope and Friends, HarmonQuest, Improv4humans, The Laugh Button Live w/ Gotham Comedy Club, My Wife Hates Me, Night Train, Talk Show the Game Show, What’s Your F@%kin’ Deal? and more.”

— SXSW

Seeso seesaw seesome seenew seeshows, See?

Seeso continues to bolster its comedy show reputation by announcing more dates for new shows. Summer premiere dates for a GQ series, Wyatt Cenac's new show and one from Dan Harmon, who already has maybe four other shows elsewhere. Save some creative juices for the rest of us, Harmon! And on June 16th, Seeso will debut a movie based on LA women's rec league basketball team, The Pistol Shrimps. The full list of shows can be found below:

““Gentlemen Lobsters” (8 episodes) – Premieres June 16
Based on the Webby Award Winning hit GQ digital series, “Gentlemen Lobsters” features Garrett and Quinn, best friends and roommates, who struggle to survive the devastating reality that is being a twenty-something lobster. Starring and Executive Produced by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider. For Condé Nast Entertainment, Executive Producers are Dawn Ostroff and Antonio Hernandez. For HotHouse Productions, Executive Producers are Michael J. Rizzo and Sean Conroy.

“Night Train with Wyatt Cenac” (6 episodes) – Premieres June 30
A freewheeling mix of stand up, music and other surprises, where anything can happen and anything is welcome, “Night Train with Wyatt Cenac” captures the amazing talent and spontaneity that has made the live show a staple of the New York comedy scene for the past three years. Executive Produced by Wyatt Cenac and Marianne Ways. Produced by Avalon Television, with David Martin, Jon Thoday, and Richard Allen-Turner also Executive Producing.

“HarmonQuest”(10 episodes) – Premieres July 14
A comedic journey into the hilarious world of fantasy roleplaying with Dan Harmon and his Comedian Companions. The show will feature Executive Producers Dan Harmon and Spencer Crittenden, as well as Erin McGathy and Jeff Bryan Davis with new guest appearances each episode. Produced by Universal Cable Productions.

“The Amazing Gayl Pile” (10 episodes each) – Season 2 & 3 Premieres July 28
A scripted series about one man’s misguided quest to conquer the world of home shopping. Starring and Executive Produced by Morgan Waters and Brooks Gray. Executive Produced by Matt King and Andrew Ferguson for LaRue Entertainment in association with Tom Spriggs for The Coronel Group, Jonathan Stern for Abominable Pictures, Paul Scheer for 2nd Man on the Moon and Becca Kinskey.

“Take My Wife” (6 episodes) – Premieres August 11
A half-hour, single-camera original series that follows a young lesbian couple (Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher) as elements of their domestic life intersect with the underground standup showcase they co-host. The series is Executive Produced by Cameron Esposito and Rhea Butcher, as well as Scott Aukerman and David Jargowsky for Comedy Bang! Bang! Productions.”

IFC would like some more 'Comedy Bang! Bang!' please

In the midst of this current 40 episode fourth season of the show, IFC sat down and decided that it was time to offer up a renewal for Comedy Bang! Bang! to which Scott Aukerman probably replied "This makes my little butt wet!"

IFC president Jennifer Caserta also had nice things to say about the show and its host: “Scott has created an absurd world that attracts the biggest names in pop culture,” she said, “They show up, do insane things and oftentimes come back for more. We have no idea how he does it, but we’re not about to start asking questions now.” 

Kid CuDi is set to replace Reggie Watts as band leader this July. A 20 episode fifth season will come next year. Maybe then Aukerman can find a way to implement a television version of the podcast's game "Riddle Me This."

Marissa Wompler to 'Womp It Up' in her own Podcast

This April Fool's day has been one to remember. First, Paul F. Tompkins's newest podcast, Spontaneanation was finally released and now Earwolf announced that Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair will be heading up a new podcast called Womp It Up. News comes via Splitisder and I'm still unsure if I should take it seriously. Listeners of Comedy Bang! Bang! should know the title hails from the character of Marissa Wompler (St. Clair), an intern at CB!B! She'll be joined by her teacher Miss Listler (Parham) who will provide love advice and music. The podcast is set to debut on April 20 with a "school project" theme.  

SXSW Books Judd Apatow, Scott Aukerman, Vanessa Bayer & Many More

Austin's South By Southwest Festival released a schedule of funny people that are going to attend the comedy portion of events. From March 14 through the 21st, patrons will be able to see the likes of Amy Schumer, Scott Aukerman, Vanessa Bayer, Dan Harmon, Eric Andre, Brooks Wheelan, Nick Kroll and more. SXSW Comedy (as it has been dubbed) will also have some special events courtesy of Above Average and Upright Citizens Brigade; something called a Roast Battle; podcast recordings via Comedy Bang! Bang!, Doug Loves Movies and Harmontown; among others. You can read the schedule of events here.