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Posts Tagged ‘Jerry Seinfeld’

Conan O’Brien American Express Pitchman

New Planters frontman Robert Downey Jr. isn’t the only star flexing his pitchman muscles for a new national campaign. Funnyman Conan O’Brien — whose eponymously-titled program joins TBS’ late-night line tonight @ 11 PM — has been tapped to serve as the new face of American Express. O’Brien has teamed up with the credit card [...]

Lindsay Lohan Pokes Fun At Cash-Flow Rumors In Parody PSA

Lindsay Lohan pokes fun at rumors that she’s one bounced check away from her next starring role — “The Grinch Who Got Evicted on Christmas” — in a gut-busting FunnyOrDie.com public service announcement in support of the nonprofit American Jewish World Service. “Hi, I’m Lindsay Lohan and I’m not Jewish, but I am happy to [...]

Steve Martin | California | Review | Pics

Words & Images by: L. Paul Mann

Steve Marting & The Steep Canyon Rangers :: 10.08.10 :: Granada Theatre :: Santa Barbara, CA

Steve Martin by L. Paul Mann

The big question on everyone’s mind when Steve Martin made his much anticipated appearance in Santa Barbara was whether he would be funny or serious about his musical performance. The answer turned out to be a bit of both.

The sold out show took place in the newly renovated Granada Theatre . It took nearly a decade and tens of millions of dollars to restore the historic 1550 seat performing arts venue to its former glory and beyond. With an original grand opening in April of 1924, the eight-story structure was the only tall building to survive the devastating 1925 earthquake in downtown Santa Barbara. Subsequent city ordinances and strict building codes have ensured that the Granada remains the only tall building now and in the future in this conservative town. An almost over the top restoration has created one of the most beautiful and comfortable venues in the nation. Sponsored by the UCSB Arts and Lectures Series, which brings a treasure trove of multimedia and live performances to the city each year, the event attracted a sold out crowd, largely composed of academicians. Taking advantage of discounted tickets, UCSB staff and students flocked to the show, creating an invigorating and insightfully appreciative crowd.

The mercurial Martin actually seems to have more than two brains with his ability to excel in most any endeavor he attempts. He has mastered the art of filmmaking as a director, writer and actor. He was written countless books from biographies to children’s stories. He even has become a successful painter whose canvases are praised by many critics in the art world. But in Santa Barbara this night, the 64-year-old Martin kicked off the second night of his new tour doing the two things he loves most: “Comedy and charging people to listen to music.”

From the moment he stepped onstage, it was apparent that the king of 1970s stand-up comedy had not lost his brilliance as a humorist. Posing in an endless array of crazy facial expressions that have defined him for decades, he immediately launched into band introductions. “Hello Santa Barbara, these are the Steep Canyon Rangers,” he said as the group received a standing ovation. “The local newspaper called them the ‘Steep Canyon Ramblers’.” A hilarious diatribe about the difference between Rangers and Ramblers came next. Then he quipped, “Oh, now I wish I’d practiced. It’s a longtime dream of mine to do bluegrass in Santa Barbara. Now I am one step closer to that dream.” Then he launched straight into a frenetic bluegrass jam titled “Pitkin County Turnaround” from his Grammy Award winning new album The Crow. The stage was set for the evening, as Martin followed nearly every song with what began as an innocuous comedic rambling and ended with an insightful, witty story. The academics in the crowd answered with wild applause and laughter following his witty punchlines and even some of his more obscure references. Indeed, at times the evening almost felt like a college lecture, albeit a hilarious one, on the History of Bluegrass in America.

Martin & Rangers by L. Paul Mann

As funny as his diatribes were, his music held equal weight throughout the night. Martin, who actually began playing banjo at the age of five, has been an accomplished musician for decades. In his earliest stand-up routines, which sometimes resembled a vintage vaudeville stage show, he would surprise the audience with a flash of brilliant banjo picking, although it was usually while wearing a cap with a fake arrow stuck through it. The North Carolina-based Steep Canyon Rangers are a masterful bluegrass group who are successful in their own right. Combined with Martin’s amazing songwriting and banjo prowess, they are a musical tour de force.

As Martin struggled to tune his four banjos throughout the night it was hard to tell how much of his banter was scripted and how much was improv. He spent several minutes playing with his new iPad, which he used to store the setlist. At one point he stopped to post a tweet, which he end with the typical LOL but spelled out in long form. After a song he wrote for his dog (where the fiddle player made barking sounds on his instrument), Martin’s dog actually made a sweep across the stage behind him. Such hilarious moments rolled over the audience like a runaway train. Wondering if some in the crowd were just curious to see a movie star play banjo, he imagined some might think it was like “Jerry Seinfeld playing a night of original song for the bassoon.” Martin then got to plug his new song “Bird Alert,” which will appear on the soundtrack of the new film Big Year. The film, in which he has a part, centers on the story of competitive bird watching and stars Jack Black and Owen Wilson. “I’m finally getting a break in life,” Martin sneered.

After the first rambunctious hour ended, Martin retreated backstage with a beer that Charles R. Humphrey III pulled out of his stand-up bass. The Steep Canyon Rangers then had a chance to showcase their talents on a medley of songs ending with a fantastic acappella take on the bluegrass gospel classic “I Can’t Sit Down.” Then in typical Steve Martin fashion, the veteran performer returned triumphantly to the stage to lead the group in another acappella Martin original entitled “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs.” From this point on, the brilliant comedy and masterful music seemed to meld into one great performance and it became hard to separate the two.

The band played a bluegrass classic “Orange Blossom Special” for the encore, which featured Nicky Sanders, the group’s prodigy fiddle player. Doing a mash-up jam composed of fine fiddle prowess, he led the group through snippets of songs ranging from The Beatles and The Beach Boys to classical music. Finally coming full circle, in what seemed like a fitting finale, Martin played his first campy classic musical hit, “King Tut.” The 1978 novelty hit resounded across a standing, cheering crowd throughout the restored Granada, which opened in 1924 about the same time that King Tut’s tomb was discovered in Egypt.

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Jerry Comments Lady Gaga’s Disrespectful Behaviour

Last night Lady Gaga was a commentator for the Mets when Jerry Seinfeld in his debut performance slipped in a shot at her. It is known that Jerry Seinfeld, a well-known TV comic, is a real fan of Met. The previous night he met Keith Hernandez who was invited to play a role in a [...]

Lady Gaga Falls — With Pictures!

You’ve heard of “Scarlett Takes A Tumble.” You’ve seen Beyonce roll down a flight of stairs live in concert. Now watch pop sensation Lady Gaga getting a butt-bruising lesson in selecting sensible footwear after falling down in an English airport this week! Somewhere in the Big Apple, Gaga-Hater Jerry Seinfeld’s counting his billions and having an [...]

Jerry Seinfeld Lady Gaga Diss: “I Hate Her!”

It’s safe to say “Paparazzi” does not have a home in Jerry Seinfeld’s iPod. The billionaire comedy icon, who roasted a shamefaced Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian on national television and routinely laments the perils of pop culture today, is openly displaying his anger at barely-clothed singing sensation Lady Gaga.Jerry’s been more entertained by burping [...]

“Skankee” Lady Gaga Banned From Yankees Clubhouse?

It’s no secret that Lady Gaga loves nothing more than taking in an afternoon of baseball — while downing a vodka tonic in her undies — but has her boozy misbehavior finally gotten the controversial star banned from her favorite baseball team’s clubhouse?Gaga attended the Yankees vs. Mets Subway Series matchup on Friday night dressed [...]

Lady Gaga Middle Finger Media Mess Nets Jerry Seinfeld Apology From Mets

Team managers with the New York Mets have issued a public apology to comedian Jerry Seinfeld after the star’s exclusive skybox was infiltrated by a bird-flippin’ Lady Gaga and her posse without his consent.The “Poker Face” hitmaker attended the Mets vs. San Diego Padres matchup at Citi Field Stadium in Queens on Thursday and stunned [...]

Jerry Seinfeld Has No Idea Who The Kardashians Are

Jerry Seinfeld filled in for Regis Philbin on Wednesday’s edition of Live with Regis and Kelly, and hilarity quickly ensued as the comic genius blindly interviewed Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian on the new season of their sunny docu-soap, Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami. It’s didn’t take long for viewers to realize that Seinfeld — whose reruns [...]

Evening Crunch Crumbs: “The Office” Baby Arrives Tonight; Cameron Diaz Wins “Worst Latin Actress” Lazzie; Life & Style Thinks Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Is A Crossdresser

Hey Lovelies, I’m feeling a little under the weather, so we’re going to get into our daily roundup of links a bit early tonight. First time for everything :) Let’s get to it:
-Jim and Pam are having their baby on The Office tonight…..(NBC, 9 PM)
-The Real Housewives of Orange County Season 5 *FINALE* airs [...]

League of Extraordinary International Douchebags

Some of them have a taste for sex slaves, others just don’t know what to do with all of their money; these are 14 of the filthy rich from around the world that belong in the League of Extraordinary International Douchebags.



Madonna turns “Marriage Ref” for TV

Pop star Madonna is joining British funnyman Ricky Gervais for an upcoming small screen series “The Marriage Ref” about domestic disputes.
The show is being produced by Jerry Seinfeld and will see a panel of celebrities judge the winner of domestic disputes between feuding couples.
Madonna is listed alongside Gervais as one of the panellists due [...]

Madonna “The Marriage Ref” Guest Appearance

Two-time divorcee Madonna has been tipped for a guest appearance on the new NBC reality series The Marriage Ref.

The Material Girl, who was previously wed to British lensman Guy Ritchie and actor Sean Penn, will appear on a celebrity panel to judge other people’s domestic issues on the series from creator Jerry Seinfeld, PEOPLE.com [...]

Morning Crunch Crumbs

Happy MLK Day To All. Remember to do something great for someone else today. We know a good portion of you have the day off, but here’s a peek at what’s going on around the blogosphere — for those of us who still had to get up early.
-Ricky Gervais has earned mixed reviews for [...]

Jerry Seinfeld Replacing Conan O’Brien On “The Tonight Show?”

NBC is ready to pull the plug on late night’s favorite Irishman. Word on the blogosphere claims NBC is ready to quit Conan as the wise-cracking ginger continues to struggle to revive ratings for the network’s fleeting Tonight Show.

NBC execs commissioned the passing of the guard on Tonight last June, moving former Tonight Show host [...]

Kanye apologizes on Leno & Leno’s ratings are huge!!!

Kanye West is definitely feeling the heat from the MTV VMA’s incident with Taylor Swift, but is the rapper really sorry? We think so. He looks visibly shaken and actually seems sorry.
You be the judge.

Kanye, who has apologized on his blog twice thus far, also apologized live on the new Jay Leno show, which was [...]

Jay Leno’s first guest revealed

As we told you before, Jay Leno is attempting to change the format of late night talk shows with his new The Jay Leno Show, which will be airing an hour earlier than conventional late night talk shows.
Having already announced the first musical guests (Jay-Z, Kanye West, & Rihana will perform together), he has now [...]

Jerry Seinfeld First Guest On “The Jay Leno Show”

Jerry Seinfeld has signed on to be the first guest when Jay Leno returns to NBC for his new primetime series, The Jay Leno Show, next month.

Bauer-Griffin
Jerry will be the first guest of Jay’s new 10 PM show — alongside musical performers Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West — when it premieres on Monday, Sept. 14, [...]