Ahead of a summit between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, authorities in Vietnam have kicked out Kim impersonator Howard X. Howard is on his way back to Hong Kong, reports the Beeb.

Howard X says officials have since told him his visa is "invalid", but says he has received no further explanation.

"Satire is a powerful weapon against any dictatorship. They are scared of a couple of guys that look like the real thing," Howard X, who was wearing a black suit and thick black glasses in the style of Kim Jong-un, told reporters.

Jason from the Comedy on Vinyl podcast writes, "I've spent the last eight years interviewing people from Rachel Bloom to Harry Shearer about their favorite vinyl comedy albums on my podcast, 'Comedy on Vinyl.' A few weeks ago, inspired by the brilliant podcast 'Mystery Show,' I decided to do something new, as I attempted to uncover the true identity and life story of long-lost comedian Dick Davy. A character comic, a white guy who won over The Apollo, and a civil rights activist who later settled into obscurity, Dick Davy's story temporarily took over my life and renewed my faith in comedy as a potential agent for change." (MP3) Read the rest

Louis CK is in disgrace in so many ways, and while comedians have often found humor in shocking and sorrowful current events, the combination of CK's lack of credibility and the extraordinary tastelessness of his jokes about the activism of the survivors of the Parkland high school shooting are a bridge too far. Read the rest

I first encountered Jeremy Hardy as a panelist on Radio 4's News Quiz, where he frequently reduced me to tears of hysterical laughter; I went on to buy the full back-catalogue of his old Jeremy Hardy Speaks to the Nation shows and devoured them, going back for several re-listens. Read the rest

Bob Einstein will be sorely missed. Read the rest

As is the case every year Maximum Fun's Jesse Thorn has posted a special episode (MP3) of the Bullseye podcast, anthologizing excerpts from the best comedy albums of the year. Read the rest

On December 18, 1997, comedian Chris Farley died of a drug overdose. He was just 33. Some 21 years later, his buddy Adam Sandler has written and performed a sweet, though sad, tribute song in the late comedian's honor as part of his new Netflix special Adam Sandler: 100% Fresh.

screenshot via SNL/YouTube Read the rest

When you've got moves like comedian Joe Kwaczala, it's best not to keep them to yourself. He says, "Yes, this is going to be the official dance from the music video." No, it's not. Watch it anyway.

Thanks, Jenny! Read the rest

Coming up in part 3: "I'm looking for a gift for my aunt."

Of course, no Mitchell & Webb sketch may be posted without including the increasingly relevant classic:

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Sacha Baron Cohen became Borat for a day to ask Republican voters some questions, like "Who are the fake news people who say [Trump] is not a racist? I'm a racist and it's nice." Read the rest

"Weird Al" Yankovic announced this morning that he'll be touring in 2019 with a full symphony orchestra, well, several full symphony orchestras.

He explains*:

Two weeks from today – Monday, Nov. 12 – we’ll be announcing the dates for my 2019 tour, which we’re calling Strings Attached.

We’re going directly from my most scaled-down, low-key show ever (this year’s Ridiculously Ill-Advised Vanity Tour) to my most full-blown, over-the-top extravaganza ever. Not only are we bringing back the costumes and the props and the big video screen, but also… every single night we’ll be performing with a FULL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. For real. No, we’re not cramming an orchestra on our bus – it’ll be a different orchestra in every city. Sometimes it will be a “branded” local orchestra (like, say, the Colorado Symphony), and other times we’ll basically just be putting together our own orchestra with local musicians.

And yes, we’re back to PLAYING THE HITS… but we’ll also throw in a few deeps cuts too (including a couple songs that we’ve never played before – not even on the Ill-Advised Vanity Tour!) Of course it’ll be the same amazing band as always – Jim, Steve, Ruben and Bermuda – plus, for the first time ever we’ll be touring with female background singers (Lisa Popeil, Monique Donnelly and Scottie Haskell – incredible vocalists who have appeared on many of my studio recordings).

I think it’s really going to be a special show, and I can’t wait to get started!

I recently caught Demetri Martin's latest comedy special on Netflix and loved it. I loved it so much that, while watching it, I started texting friends to tell them I thought they'd love it. I don't know if they listened, so now I'm telling you.

Watch this Ellen clip to get a sampling of that special. It's like a five-minute 'best of' reel. I think you'll love it but no hard feelings if you don't.

But if you do like it, and want more, watch that Netflix special or catch him on his Wandering Mind Tour which begins on January 18 in San Antonio, Texas. Read the rest

Say what you will about the Trump era: it has ushered in a SNL renaissance. Between Baldwin's eerily good Trump and McKinnon's Sessions, Melissa McCarthy's Spicer and Bill Murray's Bannon, SNL is proving Garry Trudeau's point that satire isn't supposed to change minds, it's supposed to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. Read the rest

Jim Mortleman & Stuart Houghton write, "We're two UK tech journalists who also write comedy. This is our (UK-based) scripted comi-documentary podcast explaining the weird, wacky and potentially world-changing field of quantum computing to a curious but confused general audience. With laughs. In episode one we answer the question 'What the photonic muck is a quantum computer?' with the help of some of the world's leading quantum physicists and, er, Al Murray The Pub Landlord." Read the rest

Team Coco has announced that Conan O'Brien is going on an 18-U.S.-city stand-up comedy tour with his "funniest friends."

Info below (links mine):

Tickets Go on Sale Friday, September 28

Featuring Rory Scovel, James Veitch, Marina Franklin, and Flula Borg. Fri, Nov 2 - Washington, D.C. (Warner Theatre) Sat, Nov 3 - Atlantic City (The Music Box) Sun, Nov 4 - Detroit, MI (The Fillmore) Tue, Nov 6 - Boston, MA (Wilbur Theatre) Wed, Nov 7 - Port Chester, NY (Capitol Theatre) Thu, Nov 8 - New York City, NY (Beacon Theatre)

Featuring Ron Funches, James Veitch, Taylor Tomlinson, and Flula Borg. Thu, Nov 15 – Atlanta, GA (The Tabernacle) Fri, Nov 16 - Houston, TX (Revention Center) Sat, Nov 17 - Austin, TX (ACL Moody Theatre) Sun, Nov 18 - Nashville, TN (War Memorial Auditorium) Wed, Nov 28 - Chicago, IL (Chicago Theatre) Thu, Nov 29 - Minneapolis, MN (The Orpheum Theatre) Fri, Nov 30 - Milwaukee, WI (Riverside Theatre)

Featuring Deon Cole, Ron Funches, James Veitch and Flula Borg. Sun, Dec 9 - Los Angeles, CA (The Wiltern)

Featuring Ron Funches, Laurie Kilmartin, Moses Storm, and Flula Borg. Tue, Dec 11- Seattle, WA (Moore Theatre) Wed, Dec 12 - Denver, CO (Paramount Theatre) Fri, Dec 14 - Vancouver, BC (Queen Elizabeth Theatre) Sat, Dec 15 - San Francisco, CA (The Masonic)

One man was unafraid. An underestimated voice of wisdom, he tried to warn us all, decades before the 2016 elections. His name was Buddy Hackett. Read the rest

Fred Armisen, a drummer, tells jokes that pretty much only a drummer would love and then ups the ante by going into guitarist humor. (Late Night with Conan O'Brien)

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