Ta-da! SF Sketchfest 2017, the event's 16th annual incarnation, has revealed its gigantic lineup for shows from January 12-29. It's a who's who of comedy in all its forms, from film to stand-up to improv podcast or whatever is cool now. 200 shows at 20 venues over 17 days — it will be good to laugh again.
Fans of HBO's Silicon Valley can catch star Thomas Middleditch in "Teen Witch The Musical" and creator Mike Judge in a King of the Hill 20th anniversary tribute. A highlight is sure to be The Kids in the Hall’s “Brain Candy,” a live reading with Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. There are many happy returners including personal favorite Jeff Goldblum and his jazz band, the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. Oh, speaking of jazz, get ready for Bill Irwin with Bill Frisell doing vaudeville numbers. Meanwhile, podcast addicts can catch the Nerdist and Judge John Hodgman live, and local sketch comedy troupes and stand up comedians will be there to rep the Bay. Tickets go on sale this Sunday at 10 a.m. and range from $15 to $75 for performances and the full lineup, some of which is below, goes live today.
Coincidentally, there's more big news in the local comedy world: Deadline is reporting that Comedy Central is getting in on the festival game by partnering with Superfly, an organizer of Bonnaroo and Outside Lands. Their festival is going to be here in San Francisco for three days next summer. “The other festivals were more industry driven," Comedy Central president Kent Alterma told Deadline. "This is a totally fan-driven event for the comedy super fans."
As with Outside Lands, the "festival will bring together top comedy, amazing music and culinary lineup for a dynamic cultural experience,” Chad Issaq of Superfly told Deadline. We'll have more details on the Comedy Central festival when they're made available — for now, I'm just wondering where they're going to put this thing. Maybe some of it will be in the park, perhaps at the site of the annual Comedy Day, at Sharon Meadow: That, after all, is being renamed for its frequent highlight and secret benefactor Robin Williams.
Anyway, stay focused: Here's Sketchfest:
Sketchfest Big Nights, Tributes & Spotlights
The Kids in the Hall: “Brain Candy” Live Staged Reading with Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson
Double Bill: Bill Irwin & Bill Frisell Perform Songs and Scenes from Vaudeville, with guests Geoff Hoyle and Kenny Wollesen
Tribute to Robert Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans: “Hollywood Shuffle” 30th Anniversary
Tribute to Fred Willard, with special guests Christopher Guest, Robert Klein, Laraine Newman and moderator Kevin Pollak
Tribute to Tim and Eric: Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim in conversation
Tribute to Ricky Jay, in conversation
“King of the Hill” 20th Anniversary Reunion and Live Episode Read with Mike Judge, Pamela Adlon, David Herman, Toby Huss, Kathy Najimy, and Stephen Root
Salute to Peter Bogdanovich: “What’s Up, Doc?” 45th Anniversary and “Noises Off!” 25th Anniversary, co-presented by MiDNITES FOR MANiACS
“The Kentucky Fried Movie” 40th Anniversary with John Landis, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker
“Grease 2” The Peaches Christ Experience with special guest Maxwell Caulfield
“True Stories” 30th Anniversary with The Tobolowsky Files with Stephen Tobolowsky
“Kung Pow: Enter The Fist” 15th Anniversary with Steve Oedekerk
Soundtracks Live: Scenes & Songs from a Classic 80s Movie - A Benefit for 826 Valencia with Matt Ballard, Michael Ian Black, Beth Dover, Joe Lo Truglio, Chelsea Peretti, Marisa Ryan, Michael Showalter, Bobby Tisdale, David Wain and music by Amy Miles
Podcasts, Radio Shows & Talk Shows
StarTalk Live with Bill Nye the Science Guy and Eugene Mirman
Judge John Hodgman
Nerdist Podcast with Chris Hardwick, Matt Mira, and Jonah Ray
Jen Kirkman: I Seem Fun
The JV Club with Janet Varney and special guest Jon Hamm
Stuff You Should Know with Josh and Chuck
Crybabies with Susan Orlean and Sarah Thyre and guests Dave Hill, Mary Roach, and Adam Savage
How To Be Amazing with Michael Ian Black and special guest Grace Helbig
Harmontown with Dan Harmon and Jeff B. Davis
Spontaneanation with Paul F. Tompkins and guests Eugene Cordero, Tawny Newsome, Eban Schletter, Janet Varney, and more
“Hold On with Eugene Mirman” with Andy Richter and more
Come To Papa with Tom Papa, with guests Matt Besser, Natasha Leggero, and more
Comedy Film Nerds with Graham Elwood and Chris Mancini
Doughboys Podcast with Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger
Guys We F@#ked: The Experience
Hello From the Magic Tavern Podcast
Hound Tall with Moshe Kasher
Illogical Contraption
improv4humans with Matt Besser, Jon Gabrus, Mike Hanford, Jessica McKenna, Ian Roberts, and more
International Waters with Dave Holmes
John Hodgman and Adam Savage: A Spin-A-Wheel Conversation
Jordan, Jesse, Go!
Kevin McDonald’s Kevin McDonald Show
Kill Tony Podcast with Tony Hinchcliffe and Brian Redban
Pop My Culture: The Final Episode with Cole Stratton and Vanessa Ragland and guests Paul F. Tompkins, Samm Levine, and Rhett Miller
Rock Solid with Pat Francis
Roderick on the Line with John Roderick and Merlin Mann
Ronna & Beverly
Skull Juice Podcast: “TRENT” Live with Dino Stamatopoulos, Scott Adsit, Brian McCann, and musical guest Britta Phillips (Luna/Dean & Britta)
Superego
The Wahlberg Solution with Daniel Van Kirk
We Got This with Mark Gagliardi and Hal Lublin
Who Charted? with Howard Kremer and Kulap Vilaysack
Film & Video Events
The Benson Movie Interruption with Doug Benson: “Fifty Shades of Grey”
Everything is Terrible! The Live Experience!
Everything is Terrible: “2Everything2Terrible2: Tokyo Drift”
THE MADS ARE BACK! Live Movie Riffing with Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff
Shouting at the Screen with Wyatt Cenac and Donwill
Television Events
truTV presents Adam Ruins Panel Discussions: Inside “Adam Ruins Everything” with Adam Conover
Picture This: The “BoJack Horseman” Edition with creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg and guest animators and comedians
A Conversation with Daniel Handler: Inside “A Series of Unfortunate Events”
“Dr. Katz Professional Therapist” Live, with Jonathan Katz and guest patients Natasha Leggero, Tom Papa, Kevin Pollak, and more
“Futurama”: Why Are We Still Doing This? with David X. Cohen, John DiMaggio, David Herman, Maurice LaMarche, Phil LaMarr, Lee Supercinski, and Billy West
Outtake-o-Rama: Famous Celebrity Outtakes featuring the voice talents of "Futurama"
An Afternoon with “The Venture Bros.” with Paul Boocock, Michael Sinterniklaas, Dana Snyder, and James Urbaniak
Music & Comedy
Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
The Grawlix Yacht Rock Party with Mustache Harbor and Chris Hardwick, Jessica Kirson, Mike Phirman, and more
The Imaginary Radio Program with Drennon Davis
Jonathan Coulton and Paul & Storm
McQueen with DJ Real and JR De Guzman
Nancy & Beth with Megan Mullally and Stephanie Hunt
Susanna Hoffs & Friends, with Petra Haden and Tamara Yajia
Turnt Up with Eliza Skinner
Wheels Off with Rhett Miller
Improv Comedy
Upright Citizens Brigade ASSSSCAT with Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, and more
BATS: Improvised Game of Thrones
The Black Version with Jordan Black, Nyima Funk, Daniele Gaither, Phil LaMarr, Karen Murayama, Gary Anthony Williams, and Cedric Yarbrough
Dr. God with special guest Matthew Lillard
Gravid Water with Tony Hale, Kevin Pollak, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, and more
The Groundlings: Crazy Uncle Joe Show with Stephanie Courtney, Jim Rash, and more
The Groundlings: Personals with Drew Droege, Brian Palermo, and more
The Groundlings: Teen Witch The Musical with Artemis Pebdani, Colleen Smith, and more
Improvised Shakespeare Company with Joey Bland, Ross Bryant, Greg Hess, Thomas Middleditch, and Blaine Swen
Prompter
Shitty Jobs with Sean Clements, Dominic Dierkes, DC Pierson and Ben Rodgers
Speechless
Theme Park Improv with Ian Brennan, Rachel Dratch, John Michael Higgins, Michael Hitchcock, Jessica Makinson, Oscar Nunez, Cole Stratton, Janet Varney, and special guest monologist Jon Hamm
Wild Horses with Stephanie Allynne, Mary Holland and Erin Whitehead
WorkJuice Players Improv with Craig Cackowski, Mark Gagliardi, Marc Evan Jackson, Hal Lublin, Annie Savage, Paul F. Tompkins, Janet Varney, and guest monologist Jean Grae
Sketch Comedy
The Birthday Boys
Charles: Moby Alpha
Dead Kevin
Good Neighbor with Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, Nick Rutherford, and Dave McCary
Kasper Hauser in “ZooDangle for Kidz!*” *Not For Kids
Killing My Lobster
Matt Barats & John Reynolds
Mission CTRL
Trump Dump with Anthony Atamanuik
Theatrical/Storytelling/Magic
Above and Beyond the Valley of the Ultra Showgirls
Bawdy Storytelling with Dixie De La Tour
Celebrity Autobiography with Tony Hale, Wendie Malick, Laraine Newman, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Fred Willard, and more
Competitive Erotic Fan Fiction with Bryan Cook
Dead Pilots Society with Steve Agee, and more
Fake TED Talks
Kirsten Vangsness: MESS
KISS and Tell with Wayne Federman, Pat Francis, Dave Holmes, and more
Laraine Newman: The Audition
The Latino Comedy Project: Gentrif*cked
Audible presents “Timothy McSweeney’s Internet Tendency” hosted by Caitlin Gill
Mortified
“Plan 9 From Outer Space” Live Staged Reading with Matt Braunger, Bill Corbett, Dana Gould, Kevin Murphy, and more
Porchlight at the Oasis with Beth Lisick and Arline Klatte
Reunited with Josh Androsky and Bryan Cook
RISK! with Kevin Allison
Robert Townsend: Living The Shuffle, a work-in-progress
Turning Tricks - the magic of Eric Buss, Robert Strong and Christian Cagigal
Variety and Stand-Up
7 Minutes in Purgatory with Ian Abramson
Andy Kindler’s Particular Show
Audible presents “Fresh Voices of Stand-Up”
Audible presents “The Guest List” with Emmy Blotnick, Byron Bowers, Chris Cubas, Joe DeVito, Mike Drucker, Jesse Joyce, Jackie Kashian, Mark Normand, Henry Phillips, Giulia Rozzi, Derek Sheen, Ryan Singer, Brody Stevens, Jim Tews, and more
Boast Rattle with Kyle Ayers
Chad Daniels
Crabapples with Bobcat Goldthwait and Caitlin Gill
Derrick Brown
Dulcé Sloan
Flula Borg
Friday Forty with Dave Holmes
The Grawlix with Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Orvedahl and Ben Roy
Guy Branum
I’m New Here -- Can You Show Me Around? With Jon Ronson and Maeve Higgins, with Roman Mars and more
International Spotlight: Aisling Bea and James Acaster
Invite Them Up with Eugene Mirman & Bobby Tisdale, with musical guest Robyn Hitchcock
Jessica Kirson
Jimmy O. Yang
Josie Long: Something Better
Joyelle Nicole Johnson
Neil Campbell & Mike Hanford
Night Train with Wyatt Cenac
Phoebe Robinson’s Sooo Many White Guys
RoastSF Presents
Seaton Smith
Set List with Andy Kindler and more
SF Sketchfest Comedy NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences
The SF Sketchfest Dozen, the Next Wave of Stand-Up Comedy Stars: Ahmed Bharoocha, Joel Kim Booster, Gina Brillon, Rhea Butcher, Marina Franklin, Solomon Georgio, Josh Gondelman, Tony Hinchcliffe, Annie Lederman, Carmen Lynch, Hampton Yount and Jenny Zigrino
Sirof/Bentley
Stella: The Classic Nightclub Show with Michael Ian Black, Michael Showalter, David Wain, musical guest Robyn Hitchcock and surprise comedians
The Tomorrow Show with Ron Lynch
Will Durst and Friends on Inauguration Day: What Now?
Womanhood Live with Aparna Nancherla and Jo Firestone
Game Shows & Interactive Events
Brew HaHa: The Comedy Drinking Game Show
Iron Comic with Nato Green and Moshe Kasher
Jo Firestone’s “Friends of Single People”
Quiz-o-Tron with Rebecca Watson
Stardumb! with Bil Dwyer and Erica Rhodes
Uncalled Four
Debates
The Great Debate with Matt Price and IIyse Mimoun
Uptown Showdown Debate: Childhood vs. Adulthood with Michael Ian Black, Jo Firestone, Dave Hill, Aparna Nancherla, Michael Showalter, and more
Kids Events
The Groundlings Children’s Show with Regan Burns, Stephanie Courtney, Brian Palermo and more
Story Pirates, with special guest Patton Oswalt, and more
Related: Golden Gate Park Meadow To Be Named For Robin Williams, Secret Benefactor Of Park Comedy Day
