Triumph the Comic Insult Dog

I meant to post this ages ago, but this is the video that Robert Smigel did for our comedy show in New York benefitting Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary in May. The lineup included Janeane Garofolo, Louis CK, Gary Gulman, Dave Attell, Will Franken, and me as MC. It was a great show and a good time was had by all.

The human in the video is Doug Abel, the co-founder of Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. He's also a successful film and TV editor, so he knows a lot of cool dudes like Shmigel, Attell and Louis CK. Here's a page about the show.

FUN and ME!

(Click image to enlarge)

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Come to Woodstock, NY this Saturday, June 14, and meet your favorite cartoonist, as well as a hundred-or-so snazzy farm animals and good food, music, dancing, face painting, caricatures (by me), more good food, beer, fun, etc.

PLUS! You can buy a limited-edition print of the image above, signed by the artist!
Holy crap! Are you kidding?!
NO!

More info here... http://www.woodstockfas.org/newsletter/2008-06.html

Coast Hopping

Today's Bizarro (title panel at left, full cartoon below) is brought to you two days late by Jet Lag Industries. "Stay in bed until noon. You deserve it!"

Haven't posted in several days because I've been out in Californy since Friday and I just got back late last night. The comedy show at The Rio in Santa Cruz on Friday night went wonderfully–good show, met a lot of nice folks in the lobby, sold some books and trading cards, no casualties and very little collateral damage. Saturday, I lept out of bed at dawn, drove to San Jose, flew to Los Angeles, then drove up to Encino to MC the main stage at an all-day festival in a park. By the end of the day I was beat.

But somehow I made it to Sunday and took the day off. Slept late, had brunch at Real Food Daily, walked and rode bikes up and down the beach with CHNW and a friend of ours, took a nap, then had dinner at Madeleine Bistro, one of our favorite restaurants in the country. Lovely weather, lovely company, lovely weekend.

Monday was spent in airports and airline seats, so let's not talk about it.

This cartoon is based on my own experiences in a band many years ago, and the many musicians I have met since. Like all areas of the popular arts, most talented musicians must grovel to make ends meet as they watch wave after wave of mediocre talents make millions because they had the right look, the right agent, an uncle in the Mafia, etc. Many are magnanimous, but surely some are bitter enough to have written a song like this one.

The guitar in this cartoon is my own Gibson ES-137, which I love more than my own son. (All right, I don't have a son, but I like the guitar a lot.)

Click on the cartoon for an enlarged version. Click on the blue words for a humorous experience.

Saturday In The Park With Piraro

This Saturday I'll be in Los Angeles all damn day hosting an outdoor festival thing called Worldfest. It will be both fun and funny. Please drop by and say hello. If you mention to me that you saw this blog, I will give you an invisible, weightless bowling ball. I'll even autograph it if you want. CHNW will be there, too, so this is your chance to meet the lettuce bikini goddess in person!

As usual, I'll be selling books and trading cards. These first packs of trading cards will be collector's items, don't forget.

Click on the poster image for a larger, legible version!

Trading Card Orgy

Piraro (left) and his brilliant, indispensable assistant, Mo Wyse (other left), display an original sketchcard and the $25 American received in return for it.

Big crazy fun in Allentown this weekend at the non-sports trading card show. As I've mentioned, I have a new line of Bizarro Trading Cards out, so I went to this event to promote them. I sat at a table all day Saturday and Sunday, and did a talk on Saturday afternoon. Here's the story in pics and captions.


At right, rabid fans mob world-famous cartoonists, Dan Piraro, for trading cards, sketches, and autographs in one of his many books.








No fan goes home without a warm reception from the notoriously gregarious Piraro.


As promised in a previous blog, Piraro (below) gives a peanut to Ultra-Fan Vinny for mentioning that he found out about the show on this blog!














Piraro is startled by what appears to be a malevolent being from another world.











Whoops, false alarm! It only wanted an autograph!













3pm means time to head to the conference room for Piraro's big talk. It's just through the antique mall, down this long corrider,


down this next long corrider,


and through that door.


Here we are, just moments before the talk is to begin!



There's nothing more fun than spending a weekend schmoozing with Bizarro readers. All in all, I sold a lot of cards, made some good contacts in the collectors' world, and sampled some dandy local vegan food joints. Vegan Treats is not to be missed, and Balasia has a brunch that will blow the lids off your horn section. Seriously, brothers and sisters, hope to see you at another event soon.

Comedy Show Santa Cruz

I'll be in Santa Cruz THIS FRIDAY NIGHT at a wham-kerbloom comedy show with my good buddies and dyn-o-mite performers, Johnny Steele and Will Durst. Also on the bill is a guy I don't know yet, but is said to be funnier than a rabid weasel in the president's pants, Richard Stockton. It's a big show, like two hours long, and you'll laugh every minute of it and like it!

Come see me, and if you tell me you found out about it on this blog, I'll kiss you. CLICK HERE for a DISCOUNT, just for being a GROOVEMONKEY!

Friday, May 9, 8pm, Rio Theater, Santa Cruz CA
Stand-up comedy with Piraro, Johnny Steele, Will Durst, Richard Stockton
Ticketweb.com 866-468-3399, Streetlight Records 831-421-9200

Allentown This Weekend!

Lady and gentleman, boy and girl,
I'm going to be dozing behind a table at the Philly Non-Sports Trading Card Show this weekend in Allentown, PA. Please come see me. Really. Please. (Why is the Philly card show in Allentown? Come to the show and find out!)

I'll be selling my new Bizarro Trading Cards, as well as my books and some one-of-a-kind sketch cards. I'm also doing a presentation on Saturday afternoon which will be as much like a comedy show as possible in a brightly-lit hotel conference room in the middle of the afternoon.

"Why are you doing this, Dan?" the creepy voice inside my head is saying. Because contrary to popular belief, "rich" does not always go with "famous." I'm a little famous now and then, here and there, but if I were rich would I be sitting behind a folding table all weekend signing stuff?

YES! Because I LOVE THE FANS! So come see me, and tell me you found out about it on this blog and I'll give you a peanut! If I have one.

LINK FOR CARD SHOW






P.S. Click on this image for a larger version. The note at the bottom of the ad refers to comics shops who carry cards. You can buy a sketch card from me at the show, which I will draw in front of your eye. Both eyes, if you like.

CHEAP CITY COMEDY

Ladies, gentlemen, both, undecided,
My good friend and fellow cartoonist and stand-up comedian, Michael Capozzola, is doing a comedy show in The Bay Area soon. Check out the poster below and PLEASE GO!

Readers of the SF Chron will recognize Mike as the cartoonist who does CHEAP CITY, the cartoon in the weekend watchamacallit. Please mention to the Chron how much you like Cheap City here: http://tinyurl.com/5ss9j7 Mike has done tons of free publicity for me and for Bizarro and I think his feature is original and cool. It's locally-grown and hand-crafted with care, compassion, and no small amount of personal lubricant. What more can one ask for in one's comics?Thursday May 8th @ 8PM at La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley. Show details at: http://www.lapena.org/event/761

Questions for ME

Here's a link to an interview I did with a photographer dude recently. Yo, check it.
http://ekwimmer.blogspot.com/2008/04/10-questions-with-dan-piraro.html

See You At NY Comic Co

For those of you in the NYC area, I'll be signing, drawing, and selling junk at the Comic Con this weekend on Friday, April 18. At 2pm, I'll be at the Andrews McMeel Universal (AMU) booth signing posters of my new pirate cartoons book cover. The book won't be out until August, so these posters will be collector's items!

After that is over, about 3pm, I'll be hopping over to the IndieSpinnerRack booth and hanging out for a couple hours selling and signing my retrospective book (blue cover) from last year, drawing elaborate sketchcards (see examples below, front and back) for a nominal price, and selling my new line of trading cards, which are not even in stores yet! What?! Oh my god, ("oh my nobody" for atheist readers) the three or four Bizarro fans who show up for this event will go home with some rare booty, indeed!

Hope to see you there –and if you tell me you found out about it on my blog, I'll give you an extra special premium gift! Don't know what yet, but try not to act disappointed when you see it. www.nycomiccon.com

Comedy Buddies

Today's Bizarro cartoon (left), featured in living color.

Hey, kids,
My good pal and talented comedian, Jeff Kreisler, is bringing his wicked brand of political comedy to San Fran next week. Remember Bizarro's Politicomedy-a-Go-Go tour a few years back? He was a big part of that. And he's been practicing daily ever since, so he's even better!

Here is your Bizarro Mission for today:
Read info below.
Go see Jeff's show.
Laugh freely.
Go home.

Just as with all my directives, this comes with a personal guarantee: You will have a better time at Jeff's show than if you go somewhere else and have a lousy time.

Smooches,
3TP

Jeff Kreisler's Comedy Against Evil is *the* political comedy tour.

The Purple Onion
140 Columbus Avenue San Francisco, CA 94133
Friday & Saturday, April 25 & 26, 8pm
TICKETS ARE CASH ONLY, AT THE DOOR, DAY OF SHOW
$20 at the door
$12 with local student id
Reservations and info: www.ComedyAgainstEvil.com, info@comedyagainstevil.com, 800.529.2765

Bill Hicks Spirit Award winner, writer for Comedy Central's Indecision2008, CNN, and 23/6, cast member of Shoot The Messenger (from the creator of The Daily Show), and author of Harper Collins' "Get Rich Cheating," Kreisler dissects American politics with passion, absurdity, and hope.

Joining him in his return to San Francisco and the legendary Purple Onion will be local favorites Joe Klocek, Mike Capozzola, Boxcar, Nato Green & others.

Comedy Against Evil believes humor speaks truth to power and that laughter can save the world.

"A highlight." - The New York Times

"Kreisler tore into politics, race and religion in a similar style to Hicks, but with his own personal slant and some very acute and funny observations. This is one show that will have you laughing from start to finish and is probably one of the best comedy shows at the Fringe..." - Fresh Air at the Festival

"An hour of excellent comedy... Jeff Kreisler does clever, well-presented political stuff..." - The Scotsman

"Kreisler changes the pace a bit with a slightly demented, extremely animated set that attacks everything..." - San Francisco Chronicle

"Funny and on-fire Jeff Kreisler followed, railing against attack ads and injecting some powerful and pointed political barbs on both sides " - San Francisco Herald

"The highlight of this all-American evening was final act Kreisler, who, with slow, dry rigour, pulled apart America..." - ThreeWeeks

"Jeff Kreisler and his Comedy Against Evil show were amazing. Jeff's act was thought provoking, edgy, and quite hilarious... He had all of us on the floor laughing for an entire hour." - Georgetown University

"A welcome reminder of a time when comedy cut a lot closer to the issues of the day than most comics now dare." - Dallas Morning News (from the original Bizarro PolitiComedy A-Go-Go Tour)

Pittsburgh, Pie, Pi, and Pirates

I found myself stumbling through the streets of Pittsburgh, PA recently and had a
surprisingly good time. I say "surprisingly" because PBurgh isn't the sort of place one might normally choose as a holiday destination. But it is one of those places that, once you have a good reason for going there (like business, a convention, escaping the law,) you are glad you did.

I was asked by the fine folks who run Toonseum – a cartoon art museum inside the Children's Museum – to emcee a thing called Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School. The group started in Brooklyn, but now has dozens of satellite orgs all over the planet. What happens is that burlesque-style performers and models do a song or dance for a few minutes, then freeze in poses for various lengths of time while audience members draw them. As MC, I vamped and entertained in between poses and drew funny funny cartoons on a big pad of paper. As if that weren't enough fun, there were also prizes, beer, pie, and shenanigans of all sorts.

The theme was Piraro, Pie, Pirates, Pi and Pittsburgh. It was March 14th (3.14 is both the date and the math thing), I put pieces of pie in my cartoons almost daily, I have a book of pirate cartoons coming out in a few months, and the names of both the city and myself start with the letters "p,i". What more do you need for a theme?

Here's your MC for the evening, dressed in some
semi-piratey gear. I dress this way fairly often,
but it was nice to have a legitimate excuse for once.




The non-stop goofy goings-on on stage looked something like this. If you're wondering if the evening included monkey business, the answer is yes.


Here, in true pirate style, I am hugging a bottle of spiced rum.


One of the beautiful and talented performers signs my leg. I really wish I could remember her name. Was it "signy"? No, it was not.


This is a crazy artist dude who lived in the artist-loft-studio-former-brewery-dilapidated-warehouse place where the event took place. I think his name is Ray, but I can't be certain. I was distracted by his hat. That's some of his work behind us.


Lastly, I must share this amazing sculpture at the children's museum. It is made of plastic pieces from old gas station signs. As you can see from the closeup, they are sort of stitched together with wire. The whole thing has a stained glass look resulting from the translucency of the plastic. It's dandy as hell, I tell you.

Thanks for sharing my fun time in Pittsburgh with me. I hope you enjoyed it and will savor the memory for the rest of your life.
Smooches,
3ThighsP

Live Comedy Show! (No dead guys)

Next month, February '08, I'll be making an increasingly rare stage appearance at San Francisco's legendary Purple Onion. I'm not doing the full-on "Bizarro Baloney Show" as I did last time I was there in '06, this will be more of a regular stand-up comedy show.

A brilliant comedian named Johnny Steele will open with a 30-minute set that will hurt you. This guy is drastically, fall-down, pee yourself, sore-stomach-muscles-the-next-day, pray-for- the-apocalypse funny – just the sort you would never want to follow onstage. Then I follow him with an hour set of my own.

My built-in excuse for not being as funny as Johnny, though, is that I'm not really a stand-up comic. I'm a cartoonist who occasionally does stand-up. If Johnny ever wants to challenge me to a drawing contest, then we'll see who the lame-ass pretender is. But on February 22nd, I'll be the lame-ass pretender, so come watch if you're in the area. It's a small venue and will sell out, so get your tix now, mon ami.

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/26425