Michael Ian Black Returns to Bloomington!
Michael Ian Black is a multi-media talent who’s starred in numerous films and TV series, written and/or directed two films, is a prolific author and commentator, and regularly tours the country performing his ribald brand of jokes and observations. He most recently starred in TVLand's “The Gaffigan Show” and Comedy Central’s “Another Period.” He’s reprising one of his iconic film roles in the upcoming second season of the Netflix “Wet Hot American Summer” series. His third standup comedy special, “Noted Expert,” was released on Epix.
Black’s authored 11 books, including the recently released best seller, “A Child’s First Book of Trump.” He’s written two well-received memoirs: “Navel Gazing: True Tales of Bodies, Mostly Mine (but also my mom’s, which I know sounds weird)”, and “You're Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death and Other Humiliations.” In 2012, he collaborated with conservative Meghan McCain on “America, You Sexy Bitch: A Love Letter to Freedom.” He’s the author of “My Custom Van (and 50 Other Mind-Blowing Essays That Will Blow Your Mind All Over Your Face),” and seven children's books, including “Cock-a-Doodle-Doo-Boop!,” “Naked”, “Chicken Cheeks,” “The Purple Kangaroo,” “A Pig Parade Is A Terrible Idea” and “I'm Bored.” He also writes book reviews for the New York Times.
Previously, Black released two stand-up specials, “Very Famous” and “I Am A Wonderful Man.” He and Tom Cavanagh host the popular podcast, “Mike and Tom Eat Snacks.” He also writes and hosts a podcast with Michael Showalter, "Topics,” and his own interview podcast, “How ToBe Amazing.” He hosts “Debate Wars” on SeeSo, and he recently hosted “Easiest Game Show Ever” on Pop TV.
Sketch comedy fans know Black’s work on “The State,” “Viva Variety,” “Stella” and “Michael and Michael Have Issues,” all of which he co-created, wrote and starred in. Other TV credits include quirky bowling alley manager ‘Phil' on the NBC series “Ed,” and his hilarious commentary on cable’s “I Love the...” series. He recently starred in two hit web series that migrated to cable TV: “Burning Love” on E! and “You’re Whole” on Adult Swim.
Black’s movie roles include “Slash,” “Smosh: The Movie,” “They Came Together,” “Hell Baby,” “This is 40,” “Wet Hot American Summer,” “Take Me Home Tonight,” “Reno 911!: Miami,” “The Ten” and “The Baxter.”
Black wrote and directed the film “Wedding Daze,” starring Jason Biggs and Isla Fisher. He also co-wrote the comedy “Run, Fatboy, Run,” directed by David Schwimmer and starring Simon Pegg, Hank Azaria and Thandie Newton.
Originally from Hillsborough, NJ, Black resides with his family in the wilds of Connecticut.
Limestone Comedy Festival Presents Mat Alano-Martin!
Mat Alano-Martin comes to comedy from the world of rock and roll, where he spent 10 years touring North America as a member of several unknown bands and as a tour manager for much more successful, well known bands. With a comedic style that bridges the social and political views of his indie-rock background with the attitude and sensibilities of his rural and blue collar youth, Alano-Martin has appeared at comedy clubs, theaters, punk rock dives, redneck roadhouses, casinos, colleges, living rooms and everywhere in between.
Alano-Martin’s debut album “Profiled as Such” can be heard on the Sirius/XM Raw Dog comedy channel and he has appeared on the nationally syndicated The Bob & Tom Show. He has worked with such notable acts as Patton Oswalt, Tig Notaro and Marc Maron.
He is also the co-founder of the Limestone Comedy Festival and the Arch City Comedy Festival and the host of the Strangers On This Road podcast. His jokes have also been used for the Frank and Funny greeting card line.
The 14th Annual Bloomington Comedy Festival!
It's that time again, friends! 11 Weeks, 40 Comedians, 39 Frowny Emoticons, ONE Champion. With almost all sold out shows, the best audiences of the year, and the ability to decide the winner, The Bloomington Comedy Festival returns for its 14th year. Join us Wednesdays AND Thursdays ALL SUMMER LONG as we crown The Funniest Person in Bloomington!
First Round
June 8th & 9th
June 15th & 16th
June 22nd & 23rd
July 29th & 30th
Second Round
July 6th & 7th
July 13th & 14th
July 20th & 21st
Quarterfinals
August 3rd & 4th
August 10th & 11th
Semifinals
August 17th & 18th
THE FINALS
August 24th & 25th
Dina Hashem Returns to The Comedy Attic!
Dina Hashem first tried stand-up by auditioning for the 2010 New Jersey Comedy Festival at Rutgers University. After winning 1st place, she continued to pursue comedy and has been performing regularly in New York City. Dina's style involves a subdued delivery with dark observations about her life and Islamic upbringing. She was a competitor on Comedy Central's Roast Battle, and she has performed at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, Boston Comedy Festival, and popular NYC shows including UCB's Whiplash and Wyatt Cenac's Night Train for Seeso. Her writing has been featured on Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and TV Land websites.
Sam Jay's Bloomington Debut!
Originally from Boston, stand-up comic Sam Jay is the writer and star of “Bust Down” on Peacock, the WGA Nominated writer and host of “Pause with Sam Jay” on HBO Max, and an Emmy Nominated Writer for “Saturday Night Live” that frequently appeared in sketches.
In 2020, Sam dropped her Netflix Special “3 In The Morning” and was selected for Netflix’s Best of Standup 2020.
In 2018, she made her Netflix Debut on “The Comedy Lineup” and released her Debut Album “Donna’s Daughter.” She wrote for the “2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards” and had a recurring role on TV Land’s “Nobodies”.
In 2017, Sam was a standout of the “Just For Laughs: New Faces.” She was the host of “Ricking Morty,” the Rick and Morty post-show on Adult Swim and was a cast member of MTV’s “SafeWord.”
Sam made her late-night television debut on ABC’s Late Night with Jimmy Kimmel and her half-hour stand-up special premiered on Comedy Central. In 2015, she was named to the Comedy Central “Comics To Watch List,” and has since performed at the Vodafone Dublin Comedy Festival, Bumbershoot Festival, 208 Comedy Festival, New York Comedy Festival, Portland’s Bridgetown Festival, The Laugh Your Asheville Off Comedy Festival, Boston’s Women In Comedy Festival, and the list goes on.
Her credits also include a part in the award-winning film “Pinsky”, Starz’ “Take My Wife”, Comedy Central’s “White Flight”, “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail,” as well as Viceland’s “Party Legends” & “Flophouse.”
Pat Regan's Comedy Attic Debut!
PAT REGAN is a stand-up comedian and writer in New York City, of all places. He was most recently a staff writer on HBO Max's HACKS from Mike Schur and the BROAD CITY trio of Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky. He also guest starred in Season 4 of SEARCH PARTY. After three years as a house improviser at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, he has spent the past few years focusing on stand-up. Pat has performed at venues across the city, including: Caroline’s on Broadway, Ars Nova, Littlefield, Union Hall, Knitting Factory, The Bell House, and The Duplex with his stand up show, “Unsuccessful by Choice” (FKA “Pat Regan: Unrepped and Loving It!”). Pat has performed at Outside Lands, NY Comedy Festival, the Michigan LGBT ComedyFest, NYTVF, Podfest NYC, Vulture Festival, and Comedy Central’s Clusterfest 2018 in San Francisco, featured as one of Comedy Central’s UP NEXT comics. Pat can be heard weekly as host of the widely loved (and maybe hated) podcast (and live stage show) “Seek Treatment with Cat and Pat”, available wherever you listen to podcasts. Pat has been featured in publications such as NEW YORK TIMES, OUT, VULTURE, and PAPER MAGAZINE- where he was included on their list of “100 people that will take over 2019.”
An Evening With Kyle Kinane
Kyle Kinane is a comedian from Addison, Illinois. According to Wikipedia, he is a notable person from that town. Other notable residents of Addison have been the boxer Leon Spinks and a woman who wrote poetry about Beanie Babies.
Raised in such a cultural fondue pot as this, it was natural for Kyle to find his way from warehouse work into show business. As a comedian, he has been seen on Conan, The Tonight Show, Netflix’s “The Standups,” and three of his own hour-length specials on Comedy Central. As an actor, he’s been in the Judd Apatow series “Love” and truTV’s “Those Who Can’t.” He was also on “Drunk History,” where he unfortunately wasn’t acting. As a voice over actor, he was the former voice of Comedy Central for 8 years and currently plays Bullet on the Netflix series “Paradise PD.” He is also cohost of the Boogie Monster podcast along with Dave Stone, and the streaming show “Hey Girl” with Matt Braunger. As a musician, he has done nothing, as he is not a musician.
Kyle’s most recent standup work, “Trampoline In A Ditch,” was recorded at Comedy on State in Madison, Wisconsin and was released on 800 LB Gorilla Records in 2020. The album was accompanied by an animated short, produced by Meister.
“When you’re here, you’re family.”
Taylor Tomlinson: New Ideas Summer Tour
The New York Times opines: "Comedian Taylor Tomlinson demonstrates tight joke writing, carefully honed act-outs and a ruthless appetite for laughs” in her second hour-long special, Look At You- now streaming on Netflix. New York Magazine adds, “Watching Tomlinson gives you the same comfort as a Swift concert or a Broadway show that’s been on for years. This is a professional. This performance will be ultraproduced. You do not need to be anxious,” and the Los Angeles Times observes, “Even when she’s navigating painful waters, she can’t help but find the humor… her wit and pinpoint delivery reveal both an incisive writer and also a talented actor.”
Filmed last December at the historic Wilbur Theater in Boston, Look At You is an evolution of the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 star’s Quarter-Life Crisis that debuted on Netflix March of 2020. Her first hour-long special went on to be named “Best of 2020” by New York Times, Decider, Paste and earned unanimous critical praise with the Washington Post calling her “your favorite quarantine-watch” and Newsweek dubbing her “undeniably hilarious.” With appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, CBS This Morning, Kelly Clarkson and more, the woman Mashable calls "whip-smart and spectacularly cynical" and Variety Magazine names a Top 10 Comics to Watch is currently headlining her nationwide theater tour, Deal With It.
Beth Stelling: The Petty Betty Tour
Beth Stelling’s hour stand-up special Girl Daddy on HBOMax had The New York Timescalling it “The Best Debut Special of the year,” adding, “It's a virtuosic performance, conversational while dense with jokes." Her half hour special is on Netflix in season one ofThe Standups (episode 5). Stelling has another half hour special on Comedy Central and many appearances on late night television (Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Chelsea Lately, Lights Out with David Spade). Beth is a writer for Apple’s upcoming animated series Strange Planet, and previously wrote on shows such as The Last O.G., I Love You America with Sarah Silverman and HBO's Crashing. She was an on-set writer and associate producer for Good Boys, a feature film produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and has since been a go-to hire for punch-up. She plays Ms. Fish on Peacock’s comedy Rutherford Falls.