michele balan-related stories
Posted Aug 1st 2006 11:20PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Other Reality Shows, NBC, OpEd, Last Comic Standing
(S04E09) We are now in super-filler territory here, folks. A 44-minute broadcast with only 15 minutes of real material (the three five minute sets from the remaining comics) dictates that we see things like: the last four comics introduced one-at-a-time... twice; longer bios of the remaining three comics; a commercial-interrupted elimination "ceremony"; a set by
LCS alum Jay London; and a really unfunny set by Caroline Rhea, a synergistic move that NBC used to promote the upcoming season of
The Biggest Loser.
Oh, and there were two Mel Gibson jokes. One good, one not so good.
Continue reading Last Comic Standing: The final three perform
Posted Jul 25th 2006 10:45PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Other Reality Shows, NBC, OpEd, Last Comic Standing
(S04E08) It's funny how shows like
Last Comic Standing look more thrown together as the contest goes along. It's a matter of material; as the number of comics gets winnowed down, the producers have to figure out a way to fill the time that's been freed up. Hence some of the time-killing methods used on tonight's show: immensely long introductions of the five finalists, an excruciating elimination segment, and, most frustrating of all, a set by
LCS alum Gary Gulman.
Continue reading Last Comic Standing: One leaves, four compete
Posted Jul 18th 2006 11:46PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Other Reality Shows, NBC, OpEd, Last Comic Standing
(S04E07) Here's where it comes down to nothing more than laughs. No bullshit like house behavior or immunity or challenges. From here on out, the comedians will give their sets, the viewers will vote by phone and web, and one by one, the comics will be elimintated. It's just a comedic mano-a-mano for all the marbles.
And, for now, it seems like it's going to be the Josh and Chris show.
Continue reading Last Comic Standing: And then there were five
Posted Jul 11th 2006 11:31PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Other Reality Shows, NBC, OpEd, Last Comic Standing
(S04E06) One thing you can say about Season Four of
Last Comic Standing is that it's full of surprises. The comics may not be all that funny, the editing may be choppy, the preliminary selections of comics may have been suspicious, and Anthony Clark may look like he's embalmed. But you can't deny that the comics being eliminated aren't the ones anyone expected to go so early. Unfortunately, the by-product of these surprises is a set of finalists (the set of comics that will perform live and have the viewing audience vote by phone, text, and web) that is a pretty uncompelling set of personalities and, for the most part, not very funny.
Continue reading Last Comic Standing: A roast and an ejection
Posted Jun 27th 2006 10:52PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Other Reality Shows, NBC, Talent, Programming, OpEd, Last Comic Standing
(S04E05) What the hell? I used to think that once the choice of who stays and who goes is put in the hands of the audience and not the producers -- who, let's face it, used other factors besides talent to see who made it in -- the choices would make more sense. I mean, everyone's tastes are different, but the audience in that "Last Comic Theater" can clearly tell who's funny and who's not, right?
I guess not.
Continue reading Last Comic Standing: Adam Carolla and a surprise
TV Squad Ten: Cartoon women who should have Playboy centerfolds
Six Mad Men characters who are in limbo after the finale
Fact or Fiction: Big Bang, Brothers & Sisters and CSI
