SF Sketchfest

Easily the best-​run and most fun comedy festival I’ve been to, both as a performer and a patron. A huge variety of acts and great venues. The only downside is that a lot of shows sell out so if there’s something you really wanna see, make sure you get tickets in advance. But if anything, that should just speak to the quality of the acts on the schedule. Highly highly recommend!

This review is of the Jan 16^th SF Sketchfest performance at the Brava Theater starring Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet and an improv group.
I love Eric Stonestreet and would have been happy hearing him talk about his career followed by Q&A but the promo said that he would take questions from the audience about his life and career, which would «inspire him and his seasoned actor friends to improvise hilarious (and totally off-​the-​cuff) scenes». The improv bits were good but had nothing to do with the Stonestreet’s Q&A about his life and career (as far as I could tell). Honestly, it felt like Eric Stonestreet came up to SF to hang with his friends, as he is the famous one, they figured he was a draw on his own so no need to put any thought into a well produced show. I get that improv is ‘improvised’ but advertising this as improv based on Stonestreet’s life and career was a stretch. With that said the actors were talented.
NOTE TO SKETCHFEST ORGANIZERS: Noticed at least 4 rows of nearly empty seats front and center (which Eric Stonestreet also noticed by commenting on ‘lots of empty seats’), which must have been reserved for sponors of Sketchfest because those seats were unavailable when I purchased my tickets nearly two weeks prior. The rest of the theater was nearly full, so it just looked bad having that many empty seats front and center.

SF Sketchfest was founded in 2001 to showcase the talents of six Bay Area sketch comedy groups and but has grown into a nationally recognized Comedy Festival that mixes national headliners, local favorites and the best up-​and-​coming groups for a month of sketch, improv, stand-​up and alternative comedy. The festival has become a highly anticipated artistic showcase that consistently delivers top quality comedic performances, tributes and panel discussions and offers its audiences the rare opportunity to see their favorite performers in intimate live performances and discussions.
SF Sketchfest also hosts comedy events throughout the year at one of the 22 venues across the City. Recently, we had the opportunity to catch Saturday Night Live veteran, Fred Armisen’s show as part of SF Sketchfest’s Summer Social held at the Castro Theater. Fred started his performance as his alter ego, Ian Rubbish, as he and his band performed several songs. Didn’t realize he was a talented singer. Then Fred performed some funny skits and improvs and then held a Q&A with audience members. He concluded the performance with another musical performance. Fred also recognized his friend, Director John Waters, who was in the audience.
It was my first SF Sketchfest event and I had a great time seeing SNL funny man Fred Armisen in person. Will look forward to future SF Sketchfest events.
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I loved this fest while I was there. I only got to go for a few days, and one was Super Bowl Sunday, so there were no shows. But I definitely want to go back next year. It’s really well-​organized, and the shows are so great and timed apart enough that you can make it to different ones on time. I saw JV Club with Tig Notaro as the guest (so moving and a fantastic show), the Nerdist Podcast with Pete Holmes as the guest, and a double-​headliner show at the Punchline. All great.
There is such a sense of community, especially at podcast tapings, but everything was great, especially since it was in San Francisco and everything is so accessible. I love it, and highly recommend it.

With so many things wrong, how does it come out right?
* The Sketchfest is not at the Eureka Theater. Rather, it’s all over town for 2.5 weeks each year.
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* A sketch is a drawing or a skit. The Sketchfest is definitely not a drawing but nor is it limited to a skit. The offerings on tap for Sketchfest include storytelling, interviews, plays, stand-​up comedy, and — oh yeah — skits.
* Even though this event comes only once per year (it’s on right now), lots of the performers come around regularly at other times of the year. The Sketchfest just packages it all up a little differently, rebrands it, and puts it back out there. This is not a bad thing. It incents people who might not otherwise do so to get on out there and see some live comic performances.
What I like is that certain performers come to town specifically as part of Sketchfest. One year it was «Kids in the Hall» at the Palace of Fine Arts. Another year Conan O’Brien was scheduled. This year there’s Eddie Izzard and Amy Poehler (not together) coming as a result of Sketchfest. Check out the schedule (currently ongoing), then get out there and see something. Laughter is always a good thing.

Let me keep it short. SF Sketchfest is one of the best things– actually, I’ll go out on a limb and say THE best thing– about San Francisco.
If I had to choose between having an immortal pet talking unicorn/​pegasus that shat gold or going to everything at next year’s Sketchfest, I’d have quite a story to tell my friends while waiting in line outside Cobb’s.

This review is for the show on Jan 22 8 pm, which reflects very poorly on Cobb’s choice of comedians and advertising done by LiveNation. I have not been back, and won’t unless they book someone I HAVE to see. This show was advertised as Maria Bamford, Greg Behrendt, The Moore Brothers, Brody Stevens and more with hosts Brent Weinbach and Ryan Stout. Greg Behrent got about 10 minutes, which was way too short. Maria Bamfor got about 15 – 20 minutes (advertised at the headliner), which was also way too short. I’m not sure which was worse the faux-​headliner Brody Stevens plugging every second he’s ever been shot in front of a camera or the lame hosts, Brent Weinbach and Ryan Stout, who went on and on and on about ‘docking’ male penises. A little was funny, but it dragged on so long. I was proud of the girls that got up and walked out from their front row seats during Brody’s run on.
I asked for my burger well done. It arrived and I took a bite, saw bloody juices running out and asked to have my order corrected. In the kitchen they took my patty off my bun and put it back on the grill. Then they placed the burger with the bite taken rotated 180 degrees from the bun bite. Is that really allowed per CA health codes? I will not be eating at Cobb’s again; if I ever go back.

SF 20 111
I was only able to make it to one of the Sketchfest performances: Who’s Live Anyway. It’s a live performance of the who’s line is it anyway tv show.
The cast consisted of:
Greg Poops,
Ryan Stiles
Jeff Davis
chip esten
Well, it was hilarious. It was great. Love, love, love Grep Proops and Ryan Stiles. Discovered Jeff Davis and he is both beautiful and talented. The entire evening was great until.. .
during the encore of the evening, the suggestion of a racist dragon was thrown out. The cast decided against that but somehow the theme worked it’s way into the performance. It wasn’t bad because it was about different colored dragons.. . haha.
Then it took a dark turn. chip decided that it was ok to say the, «and nobody like the chink dragons.» The cast scrambled to cover for him but it was too late. The little racist said it already.
For him, for anyone to dare to say such a thing in San Francisco of all places especially in light of our first Asian-​American mayor is beyond insulting. Did he think it was okay to choose Asian-​Americans? What if he targeted Blacks or Latinos? Would he have apologized? No, there was not even an apology. No acknowledgment that he even did anything wrong.
Quite frankly, I will never go to see any of his performances and I hope his soul rots in hell for all of eternity. Am I being unforgiving. Yes. chip can kiss my big fat yellow ass.

I’ve attended this event 3 years running. I plan to attend every, single year in the future. ASSSCAT is always my favorite show.

Saw Celebrity Autobiography last night @ Cobb’s. And it was hilarious!
Thanks for a GREAT show!

I’ve always thought SF Sketch at 4 stars. I doubt it matters, because SF Sketchfest is starting to feel more like a marketing machine/​venue for sketch talent from LA with a pinch of NYC than anything else. You’ll notice how the troupes are pretty incentuous and share the same sensibilities. I don’t mind, because folks from THE STATE, are part of this «family.» And I dig them (plus: Naked Babies when they used to come and Kasper Hauser and some SNL talent from UCB).
Generally speaking, for the past 4 years I’ve seen an average 5 shows each annual SF Sketchfest. I go for the improv, but mostly SKETCH. It’s completely skewed to LA talent, but that’s fine for the sketch acts.
Usually SF Sketch nets out at a solid 3.75 to 4 stars for me (mixing in weak stuff with sometimes hilarious fun).
TONIGHT we saw Terry Jones. Granted this interview with him was focused on his movies, which we watched, but the INTERVIEWER is what started to skew my view of Sketchfest. Unfair, I know, but still… he left a bad taste in my mouth. But I’ll get to that in a second.
1) *****5 stars for Terry Jones and his conversation AFTER Holy Grail at the CASTRO THEATRE. AWESOME Sketchfest for getting Terry-​fckn-​JONES! He was a great story-​teller and I was glad to see live! How awesome. SF SKETCHFEST: well done for getting him slotted!
2) WhoTF is Carl Arnheiter? Smug, unintelligent not-​really self-​aware interviewer of Terry Jones. Rather than act like a catalyst, he seemed to think people cared about him, his mumbling voice, affectations, and interruptions over Terry Jones. A handful of my friends and I watched, grimacing every time this guy spoke — even Terry Jones was watching him, slightly annoyed, too. Carl Arnheiter actually used a «Voltron» metaphor to compare the Monty Pythons to. Not only was it a lame metaphor, Terry Jones was completely in the dark — he wasn’t familiar with this very American ‘80s reference. Blah. Sketchfest, you get 1 star on this guy. I read up on him… I guess he has a track record of being called in to interview people, but if this is his M.O., he needs to change. His style may have worked 5 years ago, but today, he looks completely Blah. I can’t shake how irritating he was. Terry Jones was loquacious enough not to need more from you but a couple of lead in words… volton, my gawd.

I was highly excited about going to SF Sketchfest for the first time after hearing and reading so much great stuff about it. Bought tix for Celebrity Autobiography first (which is in a couple weeks… will re-​review then) but also bought tix to the Game Show Extravaganza this last Saturday night. Great group of comedians lined up, great format and glowing reviews as a «must see» for the Sketchfest patrons «in the know»!
Much to my dismay!!! Show was almost less then 60 minutes long! WHAAAA? $ 35 plus service charges and then a 2 drink minimum for a 55 minute show? The waitress didn’t even have enough time to give us the bill before the show was over. Granted I went to the 8pm show which is usually a bit shorter because they have another show after, but not until 10:30pm. You need 90 mins to get ready for the next show? WHAAAA? Personally I felt GIPPED! RIPPED OFF! and well… I’m curious to see if it will be the same for the Celebrity Autobiography show. I will be really bummed if that is the case.
So for now… what I saw was funny as hell, but sheesh! A little more for my hard earned dough pleeeze? It might as well have been a drive by with my wallet open watching my money fly out the window! Thank goodness I wasn’t LATE for the show.

SF2010:
Me and Mel went last night, to see the game show extravaganza. We laughed, but I felt we could have laughed way more.
I think it was more the format of the session than the comedians fault, because they were HI-​larious, and I think a few were high. They were def drunk.
I liked it and I think I will check out 1 – 2 more events.

I’ve been attending the Sketchfest for 6 years, and have been a volunteer for 5. If you went to shows at the Eureka Theatre, I probably stamped or tore your ticket. Hello!
I love. this. festival. It’s the only time San Francisco comes alive and has a legitimate comedy scene — well, except for stand up. Otherwise, SF is a dead town for improv and sketch.
While the big names each year are absolutely great, I love seeing new comedy and new talent. SFSF has introducing me to to some of my favorite groups, like Elephant Larry and Kasper Hauser.
In conclusion:
1. Amazing comedy festival.
2. Pricey yes, but comedy like this rarely comes to SF (you could also ask to volunteer)
3. Great venues (Eureka Theatre!!!)
4. Great staff
5. #$@$@4gfgdgdfg…it’s amazing.
I love you, Sketchfest.

First time I’ve seen really good comedy in SF (and I’ve lived here 10+ years). The line-​up is incredible. Whole city’s going off with comedy for weeks. How did I not know about this festival in past years?!!
We went to see «Lets Get Awkward» and «Facebook Improv» at the Eureka Theater on the 23^rd. Lets Get Awkward, an opening act of two women, actually trumped the main feature. These women were brilliant. I haven’t laughed so hard and so genuinely in a looong time. They managed to make a skit on the ghost of Anne Frank haunting a «Valley Girl» type hilarious. And did a skit that seemed to be a take-​off of Cormac McCarthy’s «The Road» (about an apocalyptic experience). Not situations you’d usually joke about, but they pulled it off. Then they broke into a song about slutty girls at meat market bars with the refrain «Take me home tonight.» I wish they had a video. It’d be a YouTube phenomenon.
Love, love, love this Festival. I’ll be going every year here out.

Have gone to Sketchfest for several years now and I’ve seen a ton of awesome comedians: Paul F. Tompkins, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Horatio Sans, Will Forte, Jason Sudeikis, Rachel Dratch, Lorraine Newman, Michael McKean, David Cross, MST3K, Bob Odenkirk, etc. etc.
It’s such a great way to see huge names in comedy doing the things that helped them get where they are today and very cool to see how down to earth many of these comedians are.
I highly suggest seeing at least one of the shows every year. I’ve seen improv, game shows, and this year, I saw Celebrity Biography, where comedians just read excerpts from the most ridiculous autobiographies (such a good show for a librarian). :)
Great stuff and a great way to support sketch comedy! :)

First time at Sketchfest and we laughed from the opening act, Diani and Devine, through the end of the Naked Babies performance. I hate slapstick, physical humour, but this was fast paced and witty. Better than most scripted sketches!

Always completely awesome. Would be nice if it were slightly cheaper, but as most of the decent acts have to be flown in, I’m sure that’s wishful thinking.
Year in, year out, at least four to five shows that can’t be missed!

This tradition has bee going on for 6 years now and every year it gets a little bit better.
This year I am attending three events. Last night I got to go to a night in Tributre to the one and only Paul Reubans. Even though the interviewer was a little dull, PeeWee was full of entertainment. He told stories about how he started and how his now infamous character began. I was just completely delighted through the whole show.
Tonight I am attending SF Sketchfest first annual film night hosted by my love Tony Hale, aka Buster Bluth.
Tomorrow Emerging Sketch Night where my good friend and co-​worker comedy group Rice and Beans will be preforming. I give this a pre-​5stars because sketchfest NEVER disappoints.
If you can a chance this week try and catch something! Sadly this annual event ends on Sunday :(

SF Sketchfest, founded in 2001 by members of local improv troupe Totally False People, has officially become one of the things I love best about living in San Francisco. And it’s become a nationally recognized festival — because, yes, there are people who fly in from across the country just for Sketchfest! It’s thrilling that David, Cole, and Janet have created a venue for our local favorites to flaunt their best stuff side-​by-​side with the best improv and sketch comedians in North America.
As I write, we’re smack in the middle of the 2007 performances. Here are my reviews of the shows I’ve seen so far…
Naked Babies: These guys are seriously polished and talented improv actors. Their ¹⁄₁₂ late show rivaled the best that scripted sketch comedy can offer. I’ll be first in line for tickets if they come back in ’08. Rob Corddry, their «star», is a funny guy, but he was well matched in talent and wit by his three co-​stars.
Pretty Pretty Pony: How can you not give Cole and Janet mad props for organizing the entire festival AND finding the time to get with their new LA-​based troupe to open for Naked Babies? While Cole and Janet are strong, their two co-​stars at the ¹⁄₁₂ late show were not as strong. Blank stares, aimless plots, and breaking character do not make the best improv comedy.
Match Game Live (with David Cross, Maria Bamford, Doug Benson, Paul F. Tompkins, Scott Aukerman, B.J. Porter and host Jimmy Pardo): You know you’re in heaven with a lineup like this! If you haven’t seen Match Game, the game show from the 70s, just picture any cheesy game show with lots of opportunities for double-​entendres and hearty back-​slapping. That’s Match Game. This show was so popular that it sold out and they added a late show. I saw the early show and it was laugh-​out-​loud-​until-​your-​tummy-​hurts funny.
Comedy Death Ray: Stand-​up comedy at a a sketch festival? What’s this? While I was excited to see the great comedians from the previous night’s Match Game, they just weren’t firing on all cylinders in this format. Next year, I’ll stick to the sketch for Sketchfest. (Plus, I couldn’t get close enough to offer them some llama-​cheese!)
On the plus side, Hard ‘n Phirm are worth keeping an eye on.
Still to come on my lineup: Kasper Hauser (local favs) with Elephant Larry (remembered them from last year as a can’t-miss); Filmed Sketch Night; and Emerging Night.
Memories of previous years:
— UCB ASSSSCAT with Horatio Sanz, Rachel Dratch, Will Arnett, and Amy Poehler in 2006 was riotously funny, but not enough of their material is new to make it worth going every year. Maybe on even years.
— Stella!!! Oh how hopeful I was when I saw you at the Independent. And ohhhhh how disappointed I was. Dare I risk it again???
— The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. Oh yes, love the weird. I was delighted to see them somewhere in 2006 other than opening for They Might Be Giants. Of course, I was delighted to see them open for They Might Be Giants too!
— Totally Looped with Dan Castellaneta: Funny in 2003. Not funny in 2004. Well, that’s improv for you.