Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of The Great Wall

Friday, February 17 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum Cafe



Los Angeles! Want to see some Asian Americans being funny? Again, you must respect the next-level trolling that goes into calling your comedy show Scarlett Johnasson Presents: Opening Night of The Great Wall. In which Matt Damon saves us all. The evening will include standup by Asif Ali, character monologue by Susan Song, musical performance by Danice Maxine, improv by the UCB Mess Hall Superteam and Voltron: The UCB Superteam. It's happening Friday, February 17 at UCB's Inner Sanctum Cafe. And it's free!

Here are some more details:

Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of Doctor Strange (With a Brief Lesson in Chinese History by Matt Damon)

(Scarlett Johansson will not be at this show.)



Following up the uproarious standing-room-only success of "Scarlett Johansson Presents: AAPI Heritage Month," you are invited to Scarlett Johansson Presents: Opening Night of Doctor Strange! (With a Brief Lesson in Chinese History by Matt Damon) -- another fine evening of comedy and trolling.

No, Ms. Johansson will not be appearance (nor will Mr. Damon), but this comedy show -- not coincidentally timed with the release of Marvel's Doctor Strange -- will actually feature some funny, kickass Asian Americans, including Sheng Wang, Jiavani Linayao, Stir Friday Night and Voltron: The UCB Superteam.

It's happening Friday, November 4 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum Cafe. Here are more details:

Scarlett Johansson Presents: AAPI Heritage Month

Scarlett Johansson will not be at this show.



You gotta respect the next-level trolling involved with an event entitled Scarlet Johansson Presents: Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. If you're in Los Angeles, celebrate AAPI Heritage Month and come see some good-ass comedy from some of the funniest Asian American improv teams in town.

It's happening Friday, May 27 at UCB Sunset's Inner Sanctum Cafe. Here are some more details:

This White Guy can't handle the Racist Sexist Improv Class

"A sword collection? Really? Your yellow fever is getting out of control, man."



People of color doing the Hollywood hustle know the struggle. If you've attended an improv class, or an acting workshop, or sketch comedy thing or whatever, it's likely you've encountered a fair share of racist and/or sexist bullshit, as well as some ridiculously dismissive weak-ass excuses for why it's not racist and/or sexist bullshit -- usually from a room of mostly white dudes. In this amazing YouTube sketch, Anna Akana flips the tables.

This is ferociously brilliant. Take a look:

The Comedy Comedy Festival: A Comedy Festival

Did I mention this is a comedy festival? August 27-30 in Los Angeles.



Los Angeles! You want some comedy? We've got some comedy. We've got a festival full of comedy. Save the dates for The Comedy Comedy Festival: A Comedy Festival, produced by Disoriented Comedy, Kollaboration, Tuesday Night Project, The Always Summer Project and Angry Asian Man.

Did I mention there will be comedy? Four days of showcases for standup, improv, storytelling, workshops, mixers and more, featuring some of the finest comedic talent you can shake a stick at. It's happening August 27-30 in Little Tokyo, Arts District and Echo Park. You want to get in on this. It's going to be pretty darn fun.

Here's a quick glance at the schedule:

Improv performer and teacher Jason R. Chin dies at 46

Chicago's comedy community mourns an integral longtime member of the iO Theater.



Sad news out of Chicago, where the comedy community is mourning veteran improv performer, director and instructor Jason R. Chin, a longtime member of the iO Theater, who passed away last week. He was 46.

Jason Chin, iO performer and teacher, dies at 46

Chin was io Chicago's Associate Artistic Director and previously served as head of the comedy theater's training center. He coached, managed and helped create a number of shows, including the long-running "Whirled News Tonight," which uses current events as a springboard for improvisation.

He was scheduled to teach a class at iO on Thursday night, but didn't show up, which was unusual. Friends went to Chin's apartment to check on him, and when he didn't answer, they called police. According to the Cook County medical examiner's report, the cause of death was heart disease.

Chin was born in New York City in 1968. After watching a friend perform at the famed Second City, he was inspired to move Chicago to pursue improv comedy in 1995. Taking classes at the Improv Olympic, he worked his way up the ranks and became a regular performer and teacher.

Here's a particularly fun clip of Jason Chin performing on stage: