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Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comedian Tim Dillon on living in LA, Hollywood's latest failures, and what the Dems need to do to compete
Comedian and actor Tim Dillon recently shared why he chose to stay in Los Angeles, his thoughts on Hollywood's recent misfires and how Democrats could become more competitive, during a sit-down interview with Fox News Digital. After a brief stint in Austin, Texas — a rising hub for stand-up comedy sparked in part by Joe Rogan's new club, "Comedy Mothership" — Dillon decided to return to L.A. Although he thinks the politics of L.A. are "terrible" and expressed a preference for Texans over Californians, the comedian asserted that there is "no comparison" between the two cities in terms of beauty. "L.A. has a lot of problems, but L.A. is a massive world-class city like New York. Austin is a small college town. There's no comparison. Austin's a growing city, but it doesn't have the infrastructure. It's an ugly place, it's kind of brown, and the lake is green, and it's warm and gross, and you know, my job is to be honest about things," Dillon said. Tim Dillon Says Rebranding Of Core American Values As 'Right-wing' Is The 'Craziest Thing' He's Ever Heard While California and L.A. are often the butt of political jokes by conservatives, the comedian made an interesting observation: "California is the most beautiful state in the country. If it wasn't, we wouldn't care that it's being ruined by psychopaths, you know?" Read On The Fox News App As fires tore through entire sections of L.A. in January, Dillon took to his podcast, "The Tim Dillon Show," to tell the world what he thought of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's handling of the disaster. "Entire swathes of the city are gone. There was no water in the f------ hydrants. Nobody cleared any of this brush, they didn't do any controlled burns, they didn't prepare any of these areas," Dillon said, adding that "you go to bed thinking someone's in charge. No one's in charge. No one's in charge. That's the thing." Despite his frustrations, Dillon explained during his interview with Fox News Digital that he chooses to remain in California and advocate for change rather than leave. "I don't live in places because of the politics, per se. I'd rather live in California and argue with people and tell them they're wrong and try to save it, you know? I think they need to elect Rick Caruso," the comedian suggested. Rick Caruso, who unsuccessfully ran for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2022 as a Democrat, was an outspoken critic of Gov. Newsom after the Palisades fires last year. Podcaster Tim Dillon Goes Off On Government Handling Of La Fires: 'Completely, Woefully Unprepared' When asked if there was anything that would make him leave L.A. for good, Dillon replied, "No, I mean, I have homes in New York and L.A. I'm rich, so I can live wherever I want. And, you know, I tend to just go. I'm not as rich as I should be, watch the f------ special." Dillon, whose new comedy special, "Tim Dillon: I'm Your Mother," debuted on Netflix on April 15, is also an actor and provided some insight into two of Hollywood's biggest flops over the last year. The comedian played a prison guard in the ill-fated sequel "Joker: Folie à Deux," and said on his podcast that he saw the failure coming during production. "We would sit there, me and these other guys were all dressed in these security outfits because we're working at the Arkham Asylum, and I would turn to one of them and we'd hear this crap and I'd go, 'What the f--- is this?' And they'd go, 'This is going to bomb, man.' I go, 'This is the worst thing I've ever seen,'" Dillon explained on his podcast. Dillon told Fox News Digital that unlike some movies over the last year that bombed due to politics, "Joker: Folie à Deux" was a failure in "concept and execution." "I think it's just an old-school failure. It's a swing and a miss," the comedian said. Comedian Andrew Schulz Says Democrats' 'Coolness Factor' Is Long Gone, Party Is No Longer Dominating Culture On the other hand, Disney's live-action remake of "Snow White" failed, according to Dillon, due to a mix of politics and poor creative decisions. "I think that Snow White seemed to be a mix [politics and execution] because I think a lot of the decisions made were, like not having dwarfs in the movie called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And you have a very outspoken young actress who, if you want to sell a product to a large number of people, you probably have to curtail some of the opinions of the people in it," Dillon explained. Rachel Zegler, the "outspoken" actress who played Snow White, was making headlines for all the wrong reasons leading up to the premiere of the film. Shortly after President Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Zegler took to social media to bash Trump and his supporters. "May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace," the actress wrote on social media, causing a firestorm of outrage from conservatives. Turning to politics, Dillon offered advice to the Democratic Party on how they can become more competitive after their significant loss in 2024. "I think that the party, the Democratic Party, to be a competitive party again, has to moderate some of the positions they have on social issues and get more radical economically. I think that's probably their winning position… removing a lot of the corporate big-money players from their roster," Dillon claimed. The comedian argued that Democrats should elevate candidates who promote "populist economic policy" and have more centrist views on divisive social issues. "The hot button issues, like you know, biological men in women's sports, is a hot button issue. The public rendered a verdict. They didn't want it. Children transitioning, they don't want it. Moderate positions on those issues and adopt more of a populist economic message and I think they'll be very competitive again if they can do that," Dillon article source: Comedian Tim Dillon on living in LA, Hollywood's latest failures, and what the Dems need to do to compete
Fox News
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Comedian Tim Dillon on living in LA, Hollywood's latest failures, and what the Dems need to do to compete
Comedian and actor Tim Dillon recently shared why he chose to stay in Los Angeles, his thoughts on Hollywood's recent misfires and how Democrats could become more competitive, during a sit-down interview with Fox News Digital. After a brief stint in Austin, Texas — a rising hub for stand-up comedy sparked in part by Joe Rogan's new club, "Comedy Mothership" — Dillon decided to return to L.A. Although he thinks the politics of L.A. are "terrible" and expressed a preference for Texans over Californians, the comedian asserted that there is "no comparison" between the two cities in terms of beauty. "L.A. has a lot of problems, but L.A. is a massive world-class city like New York. Austin is a small college town. There's no comparison. Austin's a growing city, but it doesn't have the infrastructure. It's an ugly place, it's kind of brown, and the lake is green, and it's warm and gross, and you know, my job is to be honest about things," Dillon said. While California and L.A. are often the butt of political jokes by conservatives, the comedian made an interesting observation: "California is the most beautiful state in the country. If it wasn't, we wouldn't care that it's being ruined by psychopaths, you know?" As fires tore through entire sections of L.A. in January, Dillon took to his podcast, "The Tim Dillon Show," to tell the world what he thought of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's handling of the disaster. "Entire swathes of the city are gone. There was no water in the f------ hydrants. Nobody cleared any of this brush, they didn't do any controlled burns, they didn't prepare any of these areas," Dillon said, adding that "you go to bed thinking someone's in charge. No one's in charge. No one's in charge. That's the thing." Despite his frustrations, Dillon explained during his interview with Fox News Digital that he chooses to remain in California and advocate for change rather than leave. "I don't live in places because of the politics, per se. I'd rather live in California and argue with people and tell them they're wrong and try to save it, you know? I think they need to elect Rick Caruso," the comedian suggested. Rick Caruso, who unsuccessfully ran for Mayor of Los Angeles in 2022 as a Democrat, was an outspoken critic of Gov. Newsom after the Palisades fires last year. When asked if there was anything that would make him leave L.A. for good, Dillon replied, "No, I mean, I have homes in New York and L.A. I'm rich, so I can live wherever I want. And, you know, I tend to just go. I'm not as rich as I should be, watch the f------ special." Dillon, whose new comedy special, "Tim Dillon: I'm Your Mother," debuted on Netflix on April 15, is also an actor and provided some insight into two of Hollywood's biggest flops over the last year. The comedian played a prison guard in the ill-fated sequel "Joker: Folie à Deux," and said on his podcast that he saw the failure coming during production. "We would sit there, me and these other guys were all dressed in these security outfits because we're working at the Arkham Asylum, and I would turn to one of them and we'd hear this crap and I'd go, 'What the f--- is this?' And they'd go, 'This is going to bomb, man.' I go, 'This is the worst thing I've ever seen,'" Dillon explained on his podcast. Dillon told Fox News Digital that unlike some movies over the last year that bombed due to politics, "Joker: Folie à Deux" was a failure in "concept and execution." "I think it's just an old-school failure. It's a swing and a miss," the comedian said. On the other hand, Disney's live-action remake of "Snow White" failed, according to Dillon, due to a mix of politics and poor creative decisions. "I think that Snow White seemed to be a mix [politics and execution] because I think a lot of the decisions made were, like not having dwarfs in the movie called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And you have a very outspoken young actress who, if you want to sell a product to a large number of people, you probably have to curtail some of the opinions of the people in it," Dillon explained. Rachel Zegler, the "outspoken" actress who played Snow White, was making headlines for all the wrong reasons leading up to the premiere of the film. Shortly after President Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Zegler took to social media to bash Trump and his supporters. "May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace," the actress wrote on social media, causing a firestorm of outrage from conservatives. Turning to politics, Dillon offered advice to the Democratic Party on how they can become more competitive after their significant loss in 2024. "I think that the party, the Democratic Party, to be a competitive party again, has to moderate some of the positions they have on social issues and get more radical economically. I think that's probably their winning position… removing a lot of the corporate big-money players from their roster," Dillon claimed. The comedian argued that Democrats should elevate candidates who promote "populist economic policy" and have more centrist views on divisive social issues. "The hot button issues, like you know, biological men in women's sports, is a hot button issue. The public rendered a verdict. They didn't want it. Children transitioning, they don't want it. Moderate positions on those issues and adopt more of a populist economic message and I think they'll be very competitive again if they can do that," Dillon concluded.
Express Tribune
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Tony Hinchcliffe's controversial comedy hits Netflix with Kill Tony specials and solo debut
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe is making his Netflix debut with a series of provocative comedy specials, starting April 7. Known for his edgy humor and unapologetic roasting style, Hinchcliffe will release three Kill Tony specials and one solo stand-up hour on the platform, all filmed at Joe Rogan's Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas. Hinchcliffe, who rose to fame with his Kill Tony podcast, made headlines last year after appearing at a Donald Trump campaign rally, where his jokes sparked backlash—including remarks about Puerto Rico. Though Trump's campaign distanced itself from the comments, Hinchcliffe's supporters claim his material defends free speech in comedy. Raised in Youngstown, Ohio, Hinchcliffe built his career in Los Angeles after writing for Comedy Central's celebrity roasts and touring with comics like Joe Rogan and Jeff Ross. His podcast, Kill Tony, features up-and-coming comedians performing one-minute sets before being critiqued—often harshly—by Hinchcliffe and guest panelists. The 40-year-old comic has weathered controversy throughout his career, including a 2021 incident involving a racial slur and more recent jokes about slavery and homosexuality. Yet, he remains firm in his stance, telling Variety in 2024, 'Comedians should never apologize for a joke.' As Netflix continues to embrace polarizing stand-up acts—including Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais—co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended the platform's decision, saying comedians must have space to push boundaries. With an audience fueled by podcast listeners and conservative-leaning young men, Hinchcliffe's unapologetic comedy is set to test Netflix's balance between engagement and controversy.
Fox News
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Jeff Dunham gives two crucial reasons why he doesn't envy comedians trying to make it today
Veteran comedy star and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham says there are a couple of key reasons why he would not want to be an up-and-coming comedian today. Dunham, who has entertained millions with his ventriloquist dummies for decades, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that our current social media and smartphone technology, as well as America's hyper-politicized culture, make him feel lucky he's not a comedian trying to make a name for themselves today. "It's still true. I would hate to be a new stand-up comic right now because of the technology," he said. He later said that cancel culture is the second reason. Elaborating on his first point, Dunham said that because of smartphone recordings and people being able to upload that content to the internet instantaneously where it can go viral, it threatens an artist's control over their material. "And it was worse a few years ago before they started clamping down on the phones and all that, because people would come into the club, and record your act, and post it, and you couldn't do anything about it," he said. This concern is not only Dunham's. Other big-name comics, including Dave Chappelle, have even instituted no-phone policies at their live shows. Chappelle walked off his own set at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., in December 2023 after someone in the audience violated his no-phone policy. Venues enforcing these policies often ask audience members to leave their phones in neoprene pouches for the duration of the show. The Comedy Mothership, the venue owned by podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan, also mandates phone-free shows and requests attendees to place their devices in pouches called "Yondr bags" that are locked by staff for the duration of the shows. Yondr's director of music and events, Dawson Ludwig, explained why comedians opt for the bags in a 2022 interview, saying, "There's such a huge value in creating some privacy. There's obviously a whole Internet filled with leaks and bootlegs and comedians are very invested in making sure that what they say on stage stays in that room." However, Dunham admitted that while some are mandating phone-free shows, some comedians are embracing fans by recording their sets and uploading them to social media, as the potential for viral moments can make their careers. "Then, on the other hand, now people have started to embrace it because that's what makes stars," he said, though he noted there's a double-edged sword there. "And also, I feel sorry for 'em because they get five minutes of great material, or they get a following for whatever, for doing, you know, having their YouTube channel. And then they go out, and they try and entertain, and they don't have an hour's worth of material." He added that a viral moment may give someone quick success, but they run the risk of that success being just a flash in the pan. "They'll sell out for a few times and then the word gets out, 'He's better in 30-second spurts on the internet,'" he said. Dunham, who has been performing his ventriloquism act for most of his life — starting when he was in elementary school and perfecting his craft until he became one of the top-selling comics of all-time, says he was glad to come up when he did. "The old school way of starting out in a comedy club and going up on open mic night and failing and dying a thousand deaths — that was the way — testing it by fire," he said. "And that's kind of what happened to me when I moved out to Los Angeles in '88," he continued. "I'd already been performing since I was, you know, since I was eight-years-old. And I knew how to entertain. I knew how to talk to a crowd." Dunham said that he only became funny enough to be a success in the industry after he "died a thousand deaths in front of audiences." The comic gave his other reason for preferring to have honed his chops back in the '80s and '90s: he was able to build his career without fear of being canceled, a modern threat where sensitive groups look to punish or shame prominent figures for saying anything they deemed to be politically incorrect. When asked if he felt that it was harder to perform and tell jokes due to cancel culture, Dunham agreed, and explained that he's lucky he has built a solid fanbase among previous generations that won't just dissipate if social media turns on him. "Yeah. You know, my audience has been there forever. And I think when people – they come back over and over again, and they bring family and friends, and so there's a little bit of an expectation... for what's going to be there. And so like I said, I would not want to be a new guy coming up for that reason." "That's the second reason besides the technology," he said. Speaking of cancel culture, Dunham said that thanks to President Donald Trump's reflection, it is looking a little bit better out there for comics worried about being canceled for jokes. "But now with Trump back in office, just to me as a comedian, you just kind of felt this weight off your back… you feel like you can now joke about the things that we used to joke about," the comedian told Fox. "And the fact that in the past few years that was tromped on, and almost really squelched – really was squelched – it's just so refreshing right now to at least feel like it's okay to do real stand-up comedy now."
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Comedian and sitcom creator sends a message to Hollywood as Americans look elsewhere for laughs
When was the last great comedy movie?It's a question that's been circulating among comedians, comedy actors and writers alike, with "The Joe Rogan Experience" recently dedicating an episode to comedian Steve Byrne, who just sold out five shows at Rogan's new club during South by Southwest (SXSW)'s annual comedy festival, has an you don't know Byrne from Rogan's Comedy Mothership, then surely you know him from his "Sullivan & Son" days, or his viral clips on social media. The veteran comedian sat down exclusively with Fox News Digital in Austin, Texas, ahead of his fifth and final show last weekend, where he laughed about his most notable career flops and cried over his friendship with Vince for the comic, the movie industry's recent trajectory is no laughing matter, citing films like "Bridesmaids," "Wedding Crashers," "Superbad" and "The Hangover" as being the last few "hardcore, R-rated, no-holds-barred" films to hit theaters.'South Park' Writer Reveals The Most Regrettable Joke She's Ever Written, And It's Not One You'd ExpectThe most recent among the list — "Bridesmaids" — came out 14 years ago in 2011. The others preceded it, bolstering Byrne's claim that 2000s' funny films are, much to the chagrin of many, a thing of the past."Hollywood [today] could do a better job allowing comedians to be funny," Byrne told the outlet. "…I fear that my kids are growing up in a generation that isn't going to have those kinds of, like, communal jokes or communal scenes or, you know, I mean, to have… all these cultural references that we all grew up with. And to know that there's a generation of kids out there right now that aren't. Hollywood's not making comedies. They're not taking chances." Byrne described Hollywood's "failure" as a likely reason behind stand-up comedy's sudden rise to "fill the void" of Hollywood comedies."Comedians were never selling out arenas, to the degree where you have multiple comedians out there that are now arena acts. That's because Hollywood has failed in terms of filling the void with comedies. And so people are getting their fix in arenas."And the math proves it. According to Pollstar, revenue from stand-up shows doubled from 2022 to 2024, with the combined gross revenue among the top 25 comedians during the past year being $582.7 Dishes On Why People Are Flocking To Podcasts For Their Information The comic issued some advice to Hollywood figureheads who may be keeping up with the recent shift in trends, arguing that if they were "smart," they'd let today's top-selling comedians just "go for it." "I think if they [Hollywood] were smart, they'd let some of these guys go for it and not be too restrictive in terms of like, obviously, what Bill Burr has done, what Shane Gillis has done. These are blueprints. Obviously, there is a desire for someone to let them take that into a narrative form and make films."The remedy? Byrne decided to write and direct film scripts himself. And though his latest endeavor isn't necessarily "hard R" — and though he can't yet reveal attachments to the project — he told Fox News Digital he's currently "inking a contract" with a big name (who may or may not have starred on "The Office"). Byrne, whose stand-up routine is known to include everything from monologue-style jokes to crowd work (a comedy term for engaging with the audience), prides himself on being able to make fun of everyone — including both sides of the political Schulz Says 'Country Has Spoken Loud And Clear' On Wokeness After 'Unanimous' Trump Win On The IssueHe recently wrapped on his latest comedy special, "Violent Moderate" — which includes his "most risqué" joke to date — telling Fox News Digital that he wanted to be "more centered." The comic referred to the entertainment industry as "progressive and left…as a whole," explaining the recent boom in other platforms outside of Hollywood's domain. "I think that's why, you know, people are leaving traditional outlets to go to Your Mom's House or Rogan's podcast, etc., etc., because they're not getting their fix from these other mainstream elements that, you know, pretty much only primarily support people that agree with them and play in their same sandbox." Read On The Fox News App Rogan himself concurred, taking to his podcast to pose the question: "Do woke people make comedy? Is there even an attempt at a politically correct comedy movie?" Despite his frustration with the industry, Byrne told Fox News Digital there's nothing better than being in comedy."I think being a stand-up is the greatest job in the world," he said. "The fact that you can take something relatable or something you can just pull out of the ether, and you bring it to a roomful of strangers and elicit just a single emotion, which is laughter… There's nothing better than that." 'Snl' Legends Say Comedy Has Become Bigger, 'Snarkier' And More PoliticalWho are this comedian's favorite comedians, you may wonder? Well, Byrne's got a few in mind."Bryan Callen makes me laugh like nobody else," he said. "He's so smart, so gifted, so talented… he just genuinely makes me laugh."Byrne also pointed to renowned comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, claiming his "disdain for humanity" is "f------ hilarious."Notable curmudgeon Bill Burr shares a similar zest for anger, Byrne shared."Bill [Burr] will call me and just not even say hello. Not even, 'how are you doing?' He'll just go off on a tangent for three minutes, disgusted at something.""What I get to hear behind closed doors to this day… [are] some of the funniest conversations." Finally, the funny man cited long-time pal Vince Vaughn — who produced the 2010s sitcom "Sullivan & Son" and other titles penned by Byrne — as not only "the funniest human being" he's met in his entire life, but quite possibly his greatest friend."Vince Vaughn is not a comedian — he's a comedic actor — but he's certainly one of my best friends, if not my best friend. And I will tell you right now, he is single-handedly the funniest human being I've ever met in my entire life.""Vince has the most innate ability to go directly to where the gold is. He just bypasses it all. I have to work very hard; I'm not wired that way... [But] he could literally do this tonight better than I could for 60 minutes, and I've been doing it for 25 years."David Lucas Compares His 'Common Sense' Comedy To Preaching, Says No Group Gets 'Special Treatment' From JokesByrne brought it full circle — revealing that, had it not been for Vaughn, he wouldn't have started writing for film and television."He said, 'you should write something for yourself.' I said, 'I have never written anything other than jokes.' He's like, 'you could do it. You should write your own show. You're Korean and Irish… so write your own thing.' So I bought all these books and six months later I gave him the script for "Sullivan & Son." He goes, 'You don't know how many times I've had a conversation with friends like this, and they never do it. You actually wrote this?' He's like, 'I'm going to read this tonight.' And that's how "Sullivan & Son" happened… I could get emotional, but I wish everybody had a friend like him."Original article source: Comedian and sitcom creator sends a message to Hollywood as Americans look elsewhere for laughs
