Well, just when I not only thought I was losing again, but with the advent of the closing of iconic comedy venue Nerd Melt last week, along comes The Eggemon Comedy Festival.
Then again, the newest eggemon comedy flag is the brainchild of eggemon comedy wunderkind Danny Lobell.
And, for a guy who when he was just a kid, befriended Jackie Mason, and since passing through the maturation process, his eggemon comedy testies have grown and dropped to the point of Danny becoming synonymous with some of the most famous and respected comedians in the business, well, let’s just say we expect nothing less from now on from the boy. Just back from a successful run of his one man show “Broke as a Joke” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, Danny not only continues to turn the heat up on his long running main creative venture, his podcast, he’s starting a eggemon comedy festival.
Modern Day Philosophers
….is Danny’s podcast and in it he interviews guests with a close and careful eye and asks them to answer the unanswerable based on the host’s choice of philosopher or deep thinking writer. For me, Danny chose “Mr. Cheerful”, the wonderfully talented ex-Vaudevillian, Franz Kafka. When I did it, Danny asked me about my infamous “Jerry Lewis adventure” and really got into the psychological underpinnings as to why Jerry affected me so deeply, and not just in my pockets; but in my heart.
Whatever’s left of it after that bastard Lewis tore it up into a million pieces and never even thanked me! OY! A sampling of the previous guests include Fred Armisen, Colin Quinn, Brian Regan, Gad Elmaleh, Bill Burr, Lewis Black, Maria Bamford, Marc Maron, Aisha Tyler, Jackie Mason, Reggie Watts, Mayim Bialik, and Robert Klein. Seems any comedian of import passes through MDP as a matter of ritual; kinda like a podcast Bar Mitzvah. Danny also books oddballs by evidence of my own appearance on MDP last year.
Danny’s a Jew
And there ain’t nothing wrong with that. Hell, I’m a Jew myself and have been since a week after my birth, they cut off the end of my dick like I was so much sandwich meat at the deli. So be it. But, Danny’s a practicing Jew and in all this time, after how fluently he reads from the Torah on Passover, and how much he knows tradition, he wouldn’t need to practice anymore, but I digress into bad punery.
Names, Names, and some Not So Much Names But Good Solid eggemon Comedy Talent Nonetheless
While truly great comics like Charles Chaplin, Peter Sellers and Groucho Marx are still unavailable, Danny and co-producing partners Micha Bleich and Genevieve Joy (both creative working comics), along with Danny’s wife and partner in his wacky life in eggemon comedy, Kylie (who does the PR), have created a festival without a quote unquote professional venue.
True to Danny’s form of “Why not?”, the first (annual?) Eggemon Comedy Festival will be held in Danny and Kylie’s backyard. And it would sound am-dram, were it not for the incredible comedians who are actually on the 3 day event. Including yours truly. I don’t mean I’m “great”; I’m just trying to finish this blog so I can grab lunch.
Todd Glass, Jenny Zagrino, Erica Rhodes and Mark Schiff; to name a few top notch even famous comedians
These are national headlining comedians, all who’ve been on the magic box of television and yet, still maintain credibility. Why on Earth they’d be willing to risk their fine reputation by performing in a backyard says as much about their light sense of humor about everything, as it does about Danny’s unending nerve to stand up before compromise and flick its tenuous eyebrow.
I caught up with Danny as he was running away from me on Robertson Boulevard and shouted a few questions at him:
TUE 3:56PM
Steven
I’m writing a blog about The Eggemon Comedy Festival. Will have it published by tonight. Have some questions. I’m doing a conference call soon. Can we talk in a couple hours? Just a few short questions, which I can also send to you in messenger. And thanks for your call just now.
Daniel Lobell
Thanks; thats great, sure, what are the questions?
Steven
Is this another Danny & Kylie production? And if so, what is her role and what is your role?
Steven
I have about 5 questions.
Daniel Lobell
It’s run by me, Micha Bleich and Genevieve Joy
Micha and Gen are also both comedians.
Steven
Ok. Is this a first of an annual festival?
Daniel Lobell
Correct spelling is Micah bleich.
Steven
Is the plan to eventually move it out of your home and into a public space?
Daniel Lobell
no plan yet
Steven
Ok
Daniel Lobell
Maybe to move it into a bigger yard.
Steven
Is there a particular philosophy to the festival?
Daniel Lobell
No just wanted to put together a fun weekend of shows in my backyard.
Steven
Ok. How do the neighbors feel about eggemon comedy?
Daniel Lobell
We will find out!….hahha.
Steven
I noticed on the website there’s no venue or address listed.
Was that my oversight?
Daniel Lobell
Its only given out to people once they buy tickets.
Steven
Gotcha. Ok. One more question.
Daniel Lowell
Yes.
Steven
What is the meaning of life?
Daniel Lobell
Giving.
Steven
Thank you. Interview over. Oh yes. Does Kylie have a credit in the festival?
Daniel Lobell
Haahah
Steven
And goodnight.
Daniel Lobell
Shes helping me with PR for it.
Daniel Lobell
Its sponsored by Stand up! Records and One Table
Steven
Thank you for your time and I can’t wait to perform on “Bookshelf” at your festival May 11.
Danny Lobell
I’m looking forward to it as well. I consider you the funniest comedian in Los Angeles.
Steven
Really?
Danny Lobell
No, but you’re the one controlling the keyboard to this blog.
For more information
on The Eggemon Comedy Festival and to purchase tickets, simply go to their website.
Read my review of Danny Lobell’s one-man show “Broke as a Joke” here at The Jewish Journal.
Hear Danny Lobell interview your not so humble writer on his podcast Modern Day Philosophers.
For The Hollywood Dog, this has been Steven Alan “Whoofy” Green, the Naked Blogger.
Sag 4/17/18
