paulrodriguez.com

To the average person, the name Paul Rodriguez invariably brings to mind memories of his numerous appearances in flicks like Tortilla Soup, A Million to Juan, or Born in East L.A. (the film that launched his cinematic career). Those are merely one part of Rodriguez's lengthy and varied résumé over the past three decades, as he's also pulled numerous guest star gigs on the small screen, hosted game shows and a talk show, and is an outspoken activist and political wag.

He's also an affable guy, one helluva funny stand-up comedian, and arguably one of the most famous Latino comics working today. Rodriguez took time away from his busy schedule of doing stand-up gigs across the country, promoting the 2012 documentary The Fight for Water (in which he makes an appearance on behalf of struggling farm workers in California's Central Valley), and meeting with politicians to speak with Jackalope Ranch about his performances this weekend at Stand-Up Live.

See Also:
- Juan's World: Comic Paul Rodriguez Works Both Sides of the Camera
- Chicanos and the Man: Comedian Paul Rodriguez and his skateboarding son, Paulie, are rich and famous.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jonathan_Winters_-_publicity.jpg

Jonathan Winters was an American artist and comedian, dubbed the "Pioneer of Improvisational Comedy."

Winters acted on stage and in films and television, including Stanley Kramer's It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Twilight Zone. He was known as a comedic chameleon who slipped in and out of characters with ease. He died Thursday at the age of 87.

The comedian wasn't one for one-liners, but he did leave us a few crumbs of wisdom.

See also:
- Architect and Artist Paolo Soleri (1919-2013)
- Legendary Comedy Club Tempe Improv to Reopen Its Doors in April

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The cheesy lights are going out for a while at 1022 Grand Avenue.

The end of 2007, just before the closure of the Paper Heart gallery, performance space, and beer and wine bar, was the approximate heyday of the Grand Avenue alt-arts scene, at least so far. Not that it isn't still fun and diverting and full of promise for the future, but we'll get to that.

Years of struggling to keep more than one bar of any kind, let alone more than one decent bar, open anywhere in the Seventh-to-15th-Avenue stretch, or to keep some sort of artsy endeavor open in the storefront between Trunk Space and Bikini Lounge (a.k.a. the one decent bar, and only if that's your groove), not to mention keeping food available in anything other than the dodgy spot around the corner by the boxing gym (hurray, Bragg's Factory Diner, but still no dinner) have been rough for people who simply want to hang out and have fun. But the situation's been even harder on the remaining retailers and venue operators, who depend on synergy to keep crowds at the break-even level.

See also:
- Three and a Half Kick-Ass Christmas Plays in the Valley
- Th [sic] Sense: Sic of the F#@*ing Heat! Is, Nonetheless, Fully Clothed -- but Fun
- Head: The Musical Is Pure, Horrifying Joy at Soul Invictus

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Paul Reiser via wikimedia

Comedian and actor Paul Reiser has starred in a wealth of roles over the course of his two decades in showbiz. Fans of NBC's "Must See TV" era will, of course, remember him for the seven seasons he spent as the neurotic Paul Buchman with Helen Hunt on Mad About You. And then there were his memorable cinematic gigs in such classics as Beverly Hills Cop II, Aliens, and Barry Levinson's Diner.

These days, Resier's has been busy tackling the role of stand-up comic, the profession he used as a stepping stone to success more than two decades ago, before his sitcom career took off in the early '90s. Having been away from the stage for close to 20 years, Reiser told Jackalope Ranch during a recent phone interview that he was a wee bit nervous about picking up where he left off in the comedy world last year. The 55-year-old comic, who is scheduled to perform Friday at Wild Horse Pass Casino's Ovations Live! Showroom in Chandler, quickly got his chops back and is looking forward to entertaining Valley comedy fans this weekend.

See Also:
- Legendary Comedy Club Tempe Improv to Reopen Its Doors in April
- Andrew Dice Clay on Female Comics, How Women Are Raunchier Than Men, Why He's as Fierce as Ever

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Wait. You got your Aziz Ansari tix already, right? Good. 'Cause his Buried Alive Tour stops at Comerica Theatre on May 5. Ready for the pre-party? Here it goes: 10 GIFS of our favorite swagtastic comedian, Yeezy sidekick, and Parks and Recreation character. (Deal with it, Swansonians.) That one up there? That's a bonus GIF, from us to you, boo.

See also:
- Is Parks and Recreation the Wu-Tang Clan of Comedy?
- 30 Minutes or Less Plays It Too Safe
- Rashida Jones Steps Out on Her Own

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Voice Places

Landmark local comedy club Tempe Improv, which closed last summer after decades of hosting hundreds of superstar stand-ups, is making a return. The legendary laugh establishment, located near University Drive and Rural Road in Tempe, is scheduled to reopen its doors in mid-April.

It's just the latest development in the recent drama-filled history of the Improv, and it has a couple of surprising wrinkles.

See Also:
- Tempe Improv Closing on June 1
- Tempe Improv Owner Mark Anderson Found Dead in Buckeye Hotel Room
- Medical Examiner Determines Tempe Improv Owner's Death Was From Natural Causes

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courtesy of Chandler Center for the Arts

Thanks to people who give me Christmas presents, I got to indulge my huge irrational Chris Kattan crush last weekend, admiring his sweet smile, sexy bod, warm brown eyes, and dormant career from a mere 30 feet away.

A true fan knows that Kattan's strongest mainstream film performance (except for Monkeybone, so I hear) was his supporting role in Undercover Brother and his most irresistible Saturday Night Live character was the horny yet prudish husband Jim Zimmerman to Cheri Oteri's horny yet delicate wife Laura.

See also:
- Five of My Favorite MTV Comedy Moments
- Teen Spleen: Talking smack wreaks high school havoc in Mean Girls
- Ape Escape: Monkeybone, like a dream, is best when half-remembered

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Courtesy of Jonas PR

The notorious Andrew Dice Clay

The next time you're bust up laughing after a bawdy female comedienne like Lisa Lampanelli, Whitney Cummings, or Chelsea Handler lays down some of her signature raunch, be sure to thank Andrew Dice Clay after your sides stop hurting. That's because -- believe it or not -- the ultra-lewd and oft-misogynistic outlaw comic, who served the scourge of feminists during his controversy-laden zenith in the early '90s, ultimately helped break ground for such vulgar vixens, some of whom are as crass and crude as The Diceman ever was.

Though Clay has gone through some bad times in the two decades since his heyday, he's been on a major roll the past couple of years. He pulled memorable appearances during the final season of Entourage, debuted a blockbuster Showtime comedy special titled Indestructible in December, and stars in Woody Allen's upcoming flick, Blue Jasmine. And this weekend, the Diceman will cometh to the Valley for a three-night stint at Stand Up Live.

See also:
- Best Place to See a Comedy Show - 2012: Stand Up Live
- 10 Favorite Strip Clubs in Metro Phoenix (NSFW)

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Charles Sohn

The bounteous cast of Th [sic] Sense's current revue, plus a few public figures who dropped in to say "Hi"

The setup: Doing anything artistic in the Valley for five straight (as it were) years is a huge accomplishment. A sketch comedy troupe that's been performing several times a year in a dump on Grand Avenue, beginning in 2008 when the economy tanked? Hella impressive.

Guess what else? They're smart, sufficiently funny, energetic, talented, and generally know their lines. Th [sic] Sense is about as probable as snow in Phoenix, an exploding meteor in Russia, or the Pope resigning.

See also:
- Th [sic] Sense: Sic of the F#@*ing Heat! Is, Nonetheless, Fully Clothed -- but Fun
- Th [sic] Sense's 3 Ways from Sunday Is the Fancy Snacks of Sketch Comedy
- Th [sic] Sense in 3D Fosters a Warm, Disgusting Sense of Community

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Wordpress.com

For 20 years, stand-up comic Louis C.K. has shocked, offended, and connected with audiences around the globe. His vulgar material is nothing short of hilarious as the comic continues to stun fans with new knee-slapping routines.

After postponing his originally scheduled Phoenix visit in December, Louis C.K. decided to move the dates to early February with plans to film his next HBO special, which will be hosted at Celebrity Theater February 15 and 16. Here are a few of our favorite one-liners of Louis C.K.:

See also:
- The 13 Best One-Liners of William Shatner
- Tonight: Comedian Jackie Kashian Comes to Monkey Pants Bar in Tempe
- King Louis

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