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Last Comic Standing
''Last Comic Standing'' was an American reality television talent competition show on NBC that aired from June 1, 2003, to August 9, 2010, then again in 2014 and 2015. The goal of the program was to select a comedian from an initially large group of hopefuls. For the first seven seasons, the winner received a cash prize and a television special; for season eight in 2014, the winner won a cash prize, a talent deal with NBC, and a half-hour scripted project developed by Universal Television. Format The show varied its format season by season. For seasons 1–2 and 4–7, NBC talent scouts Ross Mark and Bob Read held open casting calls in various locations around the United States. At each casting call, Mark and Read identified comics to participate in callback auditions in front of live audiences. Mark and Read then selected a predetermined number of comics from each callback, who were invited to participate in a semifinal qualifying round. The comics who advanced to the semifinal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Talent Contest
A talent show is an event in which participants perform the arts of singing, dancing, lip-syncing, acting, martial arts, playing an instrument, poetry, comedy or other activities to showcase skills. Many talent shows are performances rather than contests, but some are actual contests. In the instance of a contest, participants may be motivated to perform for a reward, trophy, or prize of some kind. For example, a high school might not have many students with any interest in performing in front of the student body for the sole purpose of performing alone and may offer different prizes as an incentive for these students to participate in the contest. Media Since the late 1940s, talent shows have become a notable genre of reality television, such as ''Doorway to Fame'' (1947), ''The Original Amateur Hour'' (1948), ''Hollywood Screen Test'' (1948), '' Opportunity Knocks'' (1949), '' Chance of a Lifetime'' (1952), ''NHK Nodo Jiman'' (1953), ''New Faces'' (1963), ''Notun Kuri'' (19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reality Television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s with shows such as ''The Real World'', then achieved prominence in the early 2000s with the success of the series '' Survivor'', '' Idols'', and '' Big Brother'', all of which became global franchises. Reality television shows tend to be interspersed with "confessionals", short interview segments in which cast members reflect on or provide context for the events being depicted on-screen; this is most commonly seen in American reality television. Competition-based reality shows typically feature gradual elimination of participants, either by a panel of judges, by the viewership of the show, or by the contestants themselves. Documentaries, television news, sports television, talk shows, and traditional game shows are generally not clas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alonzo Bodden
Alonzo Bodden (; born June 13, 1962) is an American comedian and actor known for winning the grand prize in the third season of the reality-television series ''Last Comic Standing''. He had been the runner-up in the previous season. In 2007, he released his DVD ''Tall, Dark and Funny''. He was a talent judge in NBC's 5th season of ''Last Comic Standing'', along with Kathleen Madigan and ANT. He is also a television host and voice-over actor, and is a regular panelist on the radio quiz program '' Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!''. Early life Alonzo Bodden was born and raised in the Saint Albans area of Queens, New York City. His mother was African American; his father was black Honduran. Before his work in show business, Bodden went to Aviation High School in Long Island City, New York. He went on to work for Lockheed Martin and McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach in the training department in the early ’90s. Television He hostedThe Adam Carolla Podcast, 3/11/2009 the Speed TV prog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Heffron
John Heffron (b. July 19, 1970) is an American stand-up comic. Career John started his comedy career as a student at Eastern Michigan University, skipping night classes to perform stand-up comedy. He got his first gig as an emcee at the Main Street Comedy Showcase on the University of Michigan campus. After graduating, John immediately began working in his field of choice, touring the college circuit performing at more than 80 shows each year. By that time, he was already a seasoned comic with more than four years of experience. The college audience related to his type of humor, which talked about his days in college, the retro music that he and his classmates listened to and the Pop Rocks candy he played with as a kid. This material made him a hit on college campuses, where he recorded his first comedy CD ''Kid With A Cape''. By the age of 25, John was a successful headlining comedian who decided to also put his degrees in communications and psychology to work by taking a job as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dave Mordal
Dave Mordal (pronounced like "more doll") is a comedian from Elk River, Minnesota. Career He was a contestant on the first and third seasons of NBC's ''Last Comic Standing'' where, as per the ''Arizona Daily Star'', he came to be "best known for his sarcastic humor as a battling comedian". In a July 2003 ''People'' report, Mordal shared his views about the show: "“Ten comics living in a house together. ..It’s just going to be a matter of time before either everybody gets used to it or somebody snaps and kills somebody." He was fourth eliminated in the first season after losing in a head-to-head competition to Dat Phan, the eventual winner of Last Comic Standing season 1. He was first runner-up in the third season. On the show he was known for his great friendship with Rich Vos, with whom he was seen taking baths and ironing. Also notable was the "infamous" rat hunt where Dave caught a rat. He also has made guest appearances on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' and was in t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sean Kent
Sean Kent is a stand-up comic who stars on A&E's unscripted comedy ''Modern Dads''. He won the 2011 San Francisco International Comedy Competition and the 2009 Seattle International Comedy Competition. Originally from Austin, Texas, Kent resided in Los Angeles during his development as a comic, moving back to his hometown in 2011 with his partner, Rachel Dory, and their two daughters. He is also known for his stand-up comedy appearances on Showtime and Nickelodeon, and as a series regular on the NBC show ''Last Comic Standing'' (seasons 1 & 3). His comedy has been critically acclaimed by ''Rolling Stone'' and XM Radio, who called his debut CD "An instant classic". Early years Kent attended Hyde Park Baptist Private School in Austin, where he lettered in Varsity Basketball and Cross Country. He was almost molested several times but graduated in 1992. After high school, Kent attended the University of Texas at Austin but dropped out in 1994 to move to Los Angeles and pursue sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cory Kahaney
As a given name, Cory is used by both males and females. It is a variation of the name Cora, which has Greek origins and is the maiden name of the goddess Persephone. The name also can have origins from the Gaelic word ''coire'', which means "in a cauldron", or "in a hollow". As a surname, it has a number of possible derivations, including an Old Norse personal name Kori of uncertain meaning, which is found in Scandinavia and England. As an Irish surname it comes from Ó Comhraidhe (descendant of Comhraidheh). Notable people or fictional characters named Cory include: * Cory Aldridge (born 1979), American baseball player *Cory Alexander (born 1973), American basketball player *Cory Arcangel (born 1978), American digital artist *Cory Asbury (born 1985), American Christian musician and worship pastor *Cory Bent (born 1997), English footballer *Cory Booker (born 1969), United States senator from New Jersey *Cory Bowles (born 1973), Canadian actor and choreographer *Cory Carr (bo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rich Vos
Rich Vos is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor. Since 2011, he has been the co-host of the podcast ''My Wife Hates Me'' with his wife, comedian Bonnie McFarlane. Early life Vos was raised in a Jewish family who lived in an "all black neighborhood" in New Jersey. Vos's parents divorced when he was young and he did not graduate from high school. He became a fan of stand-up comedy from watching television as a child and cites acts featured on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' as a big influence. Career Vos began his stand-up career in 1984, choosing to pursue it full-time as he "failed at everything else", and developed his act in local clubs. In 1995, Vos became the first white comic to perform a set on ''Def Comedy Jam'' on HBO, a show usually featuring African American comedians. In July 1999, Vos hosted at the Woodstock '99 festival, later calling it a highlight of his career. In 2000, Vos received the Bistro Award for Outstanding Achievement as Comedy Performer. In 2001, V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralphie May
Ralph Duren May (February 17, 1972 – October 6, 2017) was an American stand-up comedian and actor, known for his extensive touring and comedy specials on multiple media platforms. Early life May was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and raised in Clarksville, Arkansas. He was the youngest of four children. At age 17 he won a contest to open for Sam Kinison, whom he considered his idol. May explained, "The joke that he liked the best was talking about the drummer ( Rick Allen) from Def Leppard. 'After he lost his arm, I felt bad about listening to him. Not that I'm prejudiced against handicapped people, it's just the fact that if I applauded, it was insulting to him, like "Ha! Ha! Look at my use of two hands!"' Kinison suggested that May move to Houston to further develop his comedy routine. May graduated from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Career In 2003, May was chosen to participate in the first season of ''Last Comic Standing''. He finished in second place ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dat Phan
Dat Phan (born January 25, 1975) is a Vietnamese American stand-up comedian. He first rose to fame in 2003 after defeating runner-up Ralphie May to win Season 1 of Last Comic Standing. In Fall 2004, he returned for the third season dubbed "Battle of the Best" which featured contestants from season 1 against season 2. He and May were eliminated in the fifth round. Early life Phan was born in Saigon. He immigrated to the United States as a child with his mother and nine other siblings. They suffered financial hardships throughout his childhood. He grew up in the City Heights neighborhood of San Diego, California then spent his teenage years in Santee, California, a suburb of San Diego. Phan was voted most successful of his class at his West Hills High School ten-year reunion He dropped out of Grossmont College to pursue comedy. He was later voted into Grossmont College's Walk of Fame. Career In 2003, he entered the first season of NBC's stand-up comedy competition reality sho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Immunity (reality Television)
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s with shows such as ''The Real World'', then achieved prominence in the early 2000s with the success of the series '' Survivor'', '' Idols'', and '' Big Brother'', all of which became global franchises. Reality television shows tend to be interspersed with "confessionals", short interview segments in which cast members reflect on or provide context for the events being depicted on-screen; this is most commonly seen in American reality television. Competition-based reality shows typically feature gradual elimination of participants, either by a panel of judges, by the viewership of the show, or by the contestants themselves. Documentaries, television news, sports television, talk shows, and traditional game shows are generally not clas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Friars Club Of Beverly Hills
The Friars Club of Beverly Hills (also known as the Friars Club of California) was a private show business club started in 1947 by comedian/actor Milton Berle, among other celebrities who had moved from New York. It was forced to change its name in 2007 after losing a lawsuit with the New York Friars' Club, and later closed. Its building, designed by modernist architect Sidney Eisenshtat, was demolished in 2011. History The modern history of the club began in 1947, when Milton Berle got a group together at the old Savoy Hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, including actors Bing Crosby, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Durante, George Jessel, Ronald Reagan, and Robert Taylor. The Friars Club of California was originally established as a spinoff from the New York Friars' Club as a non-profit, membership only club. In 1961, the California club moved into a distinctive, almost windowless building at 9900 Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills designed by architect Sidney Eisenshtat. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
