Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Catastrophe Gets 2 Season Renewal for Amazon; Lucille Ball Comedy Festival Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Catastrophe

Amazon announced it has greenlit two additional seasons of the critically-acclaimed comedy series, Catastrophe. Written by and starring Rob Delaney (Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage.) and Sharon Horgan (Pulling), Catastrophe, produced by Avalon Television, with co-producers Birdbath Productions and Merman, is a comedy following an Irish woman and an American man who, after making a bloody mess as they struggled to fall in love in London, have embarked on a series of best-attempts to clear it up and generally do the right thing. The highly anticipated third season of Catastrophe is scheduled to premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in the US in 2017, and the fourth season is expected to premiere in 2018.

The entire first and second seasons of Catastrophe are now available on Prime Video. In the second season of the show, the stakes are higher as we rejoin the now married Sharon and Rob who are struggling to stay in love-and lust-while taking their trademark mayhem into parenthood. A monstrous family (Carrie Fisher, Star Wars) and crazy friends (Ashley Jensen, Ugly Betty), also seem hell-bent on ensuring that whatever new life-journey Rob and Sharon embark on will be anything but simple. With times having changed for our turbulent lovers, and with their new arrival back home; at the start of the season we rejoin the chaos as they decide on an ill-considered party to get the introductions complete in one hit. Unfortunately for Sharon, the gathering coincides with a visit from Rob's eBay obsessed (and "card-carrying sadist") mom, a disturbing revelation about her father's health and an unfortunate incident with the family dog.


Lucille Ball Comedy Festival

National Comedy Center, Inc., the cultural institution developing the first national visitor experience dedicated entirely to the celebration of comedy, celebrates the 25th anniversary of its annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, August 4–7, in Lucille Ball's hometown of Jamestown, NY. The Center broke ground last year for its forthcoming museum of comedy, which will celebrate the art form's past, present and future in all its forms. Headlining this year's festival is Daily Show host Trevor Noah, the "king of the rant" Lewis Black, and one of this country's premier comedians, Brian Regan. Festival highlights also include a discussion with the Farrelly Brothers and the critically-acclaimed Story Pirates kids-comedy troupe. Additional tribute programming planned include a roundtable discussion with daughters Kitty Bruce, Rain Pryor and Kelly Carlin, of the comedy legends Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor and George Carlin.

The festival features more than 50 events at a dozen venues throughout Jamestown including three late night showcases, a Stand-Up Showcase free to members of the military past and present, and a special exhibition in honor of the 65th anniversary of I Love Lucy. Tickets can be purchased at www.lucycomedyfest.com or by calling the festival box office at 716.484.0800. Lewis Black first came to the festival in 1991 and returns with his iconic 'comedic yelling and finger pointing' act on August 4, Trevor Noah will perform his acclaimed stand-up act on August 5, and coming off making history as the first comedian to perform a live Comedy Central special broadcast from Radio City Music Hall, Brian Regan will perform on August 6. Kliph Nesteroff, author of The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels, and the History of American Comedy, will moderate a discussion with the Farrelly Brothers. Additionally, Bobby and Peter Farrelly will be bringing the iconic Mutt Cuts van from Dumb and Dumber to this year's annual festival, which will then be incorporated into the future exhibit experience at the National Comedy Center.

The National Comedy Center, a non-profit cultural institution, recently announced the acquisition of the George Carlin Archives for its collection. The Center is a $50 million project funded by public-private partnership and to date has been awarded more than $3.5 million from New York State, Empire State Development and I Love NY™. Design of the immersive, interactive visitor experience has been provided by renowned creative firm Jack Rouse Associates and interactive specialist Local Projects, who was recently awarded a Cannes International Creativity award for its work on the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. The National Comedy Center, Inc. embodies Lucille Ball's vision for her hometown of Jamestown to become a destination for the celebration of all of the comedic arts. The organization operates the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, and for the last 25 years has produced the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival where performers included Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Joan Rivers, Ray Romano, Ellen DeGeneres, Bob Newhart, Paula Poundstone, The Smothers Brothers and 100 plus other comedic artists.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, January 23

Shifting Gears - "Accommodations" (ABC, 9:02PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt joins Riley at Carter’s high school open house, where he’s unsettled to learn about the “accommodations” made for his grandson’s anxiety. Meanwhile, Riley reconnects with Caitlin, a former classmate, and sets her up with Gabriel.

Only Murders in the Building - "Sparring Partners" (ABC, 9:33PM ET/PT)
Closing in on the killer, Mabel takes her investigative talents into the ring; Oliver and Charles duke it out over a birdcage only to end up confronting their deepest paternal struggles.

Only Murders in the Building - "I Know Who Did It" (ABC, 10:12PM ET/PT)
The question of who did it remains, along with a few more questions that have been raised.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "An Old Mustang" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Georgie worries that he’s leaving Connor out of his new project with Jim. Meanwhile, Mandy and Audrey struggle to decorate CeeCee’s nursery without fighting.

Ghosts - "The Primary Source" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam’s book publisher requires source material for her biography on Isaac, she and Jay take a field trip to find a diary he claims he hid when he was alive.

Animal Control - "Baby Kangaroos and Chickens" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Frank and Victoria compete to win Fiona's affections at the new kennels' fundraiser; Emily gets some very bad advice from Bettany on her speech; Patel and Shred find themselves facing the world's most charming squatter.

Going Dutch - "Korfball" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Everyone in town is talking about the upcoming Korfball match between the Americans and the Dutch; the colonel refuses to lose to the Dutch and Quinn brings out her high school alter ego "The Rocket" to make her dad proud.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)

Thursday, January 23

  • James Marsden (30 Rock) - Catch James on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Fortune Feimster (FUBAR/Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Fortune appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Denis Leary (Going Dutch/No Good Deed/Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/The Job) - Denis stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) - Britt is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Thomas, Paul and Joe are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Al Madrigal (Lopez vs Lopez/About a Boy/Gary Unmarried/Welcome to The Captain) - Al appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason and his wife Jenny Mollen are telling Drew about their new show Dinner and a Movie that features an episode focusing on 50 First Dates on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series

10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series

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