Comedy Death-Ray

Comedy Death-Ray is a weekly "alternative" comedy show held every Tuesday in Los Angeles. CDR, as it is also known, was started by former Mr. Show writers/actors Scott Aukerman & B.J. Porter, who also perform as The Fun Bunch. The first show was on October 1, 2002 at L.A.'s M Bar. After more than two years, the show moved on to the Los Angeles division of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, where it has remained ever since. Aukerman also hosts Comedy Death-Ray Radio, a weekly radio program that features many regulars from the stage show.

About

Regular performers include many TV and movie mainstays, such as Mr. Show's Bob Odenkirk and David Cross; Comedians of Comedy members Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, Zach Galifianakis and Maria Bamford; current and former Saturday Night Live cast members such as Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Casey Wilson, David Koechner, Jerry Minor and Kevin Nealon; FX's Louie and HBO's Lucky Louie star and creator Louis C.K.; The Office's Ed Helms, Ellie Kemper, B.J. Novak and Mindy Kaling; Parks and Recreation's Aziz Ansari and Aubrey Plaza; Curb Your Enthusiasm's Jeff Garlin; Reno 911! creators Thomas Lennon and Ben Garant; The Daily Show correspondents Wyatt Cenac, Kristen Schaal, Demetri Martin and Rob Riggle; 24's Mary Lynn Rajskub and Janeane Garofalo; The Sarah Silverman Program's Sarah Silverman, Steve Agee and Tig Notaro; Best Week Ever commentators Doug Benson, Rob Huebel, John Mulaney, Paul Scheer and Paul F. Tompkins; Upright Citizens Brigade founding members Matt Besser, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh; sketch comedy performers such as Andrew Daly, Nick Kroll, Paul Rust, Michael "Mookie" Blaiklock, Jon Daly, Brett Gelman, John Gemberling, June Diane Raphael, Jackie Clarke, Josh Fadem, Jordan Peele, Ron Lynch and Craig Anton; and stand-up comics such as Jimmy Pardo, Todd Glass, Jimmy Dore, Jen Kirkman, Marc Maron, Greg Behrendt, Brody Stevens, Ian Edwards, Chris Hardwick, Kyle Kinane, Howard Kremer, Neil Hamburger, Greg Fitzsimmons, Nick Thune, Dana Gould, Greg Proops, Hannibal Buress, Anthony Jeselnik, Brent Weinbach, Rory Scovel, Reggie Watts, Garfunkel & Oates, Charlyne Yi, Amy Schumer, Eddie Pepitone, James Adomian, Natasha Leggero, The Sklar Brothers, Harris Wittels, T.J. Miller, Matt Braunger and Andy Kindler.

A two-CD compilation of acts from CDR was released on Comedy Central Records on September 11, 2007. It includes recordings from both the eleven-and-a-half-hour 4th Anniversary show on September 30, 2006, and their special performance at SF Sketchfest. In addition to the CD, Aukerman and Porter have signed a deal with the website Super Deluxe to produce three internet series based loosely on ideas from CDR. One of the shows, entitled The Fun Bunch, is to star the creators themselves.

Comedy Bang Bang Podcast

In May 2009, CDR co-creator Scott Aukerman began hosting "Comedy Death-Ray Radio" on Indie 103.1, a weekly radio program where Aukerman interviews many of the comedians who regularly appear in the live CDR shows. The one-hour comedy-themed broadcast airs on Fridays from 12 noon until 1:00 p.m. PST.

CDR Radio is now released as a podcast before airing on Indie 103.1 through Scott Aukerman's new production company Earwolf.

The Right Now! Show FOX Pilot

In 2007, Aukerman and Porter attempted to bring the successful "alt-comedy" showcase to television, and began developing a new late-night sketch comedy pilot titled The Right Now! Show for the FOX channel, which was looking to expand its late-night comedy schedule and had expressed interest in picking the show up as a new one-hour sketch series. The show's cast and writing staff was made up of regular Comedy Death-Ray performers from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles. The show's cast members consisted of CDR sketch comics James Adomian, Maria Bamford, Ian Edwards, Natasha Leggero, Mike O'Connell, Paul Rust and Casey Wilson. The one-hour pilot included sketches performed in front of a live audience, filmed sketches and short films, animated segments and stand-up comedy monologues. Aukerman and Porter were credited as creators, writers and executive producers. By late 2007, it had seemed that FOX was no longer interested in picking up any new late night comedy programs, and as a result ended up passing on ordering the pilot to series. However, one of the "Right Now!" cast members, Casey Wilson, was hired by Saturday Night Live a month after the pilot was turned down.

Discography

Albums

• 2007: Comedy Death-Ray (album)
• 2009: Xmas CD 2009 (AST Records promo)
• 2010: Xmas CD 2010 (AST Records promo)

External links

• Comedy Death Ray Now on IFC!
• ComedyDeathRay.com - Official site
• Comedy Death-Ray Radio Wiki
• Comedy Death-Ray Radio - Earwolf Podcasting Network