(le) poisson rouge

Radio Happy Hour is a live variety show featuring an old-time radio comedy/drama and guest stars from the worlds of film, music, and letters. Hosted by Sam Osterhout, the show engages its guests in a wildly right-angled conversation that careens between interviews, stand-up comedy, musical performances, and trivia. At the center of it all is a short, old time radio comedy in which the guest stars as him or herself and is forced to help the Radio Happy Hour crew solve the crime. Audiences will see all of this--the interviews, the corny jokes, the guest performances, and the behind-the-scenes making of a radio drama--live every month, and podcasted online as well. Trust us, it will make more sense when you see it.

Drinking in the afternoon. Radio Drama. It’s like the depression, but funnier.

Past guests include Norah Jones, Andrew WK, Cursive, David Bazan, Tapes 'n Tapes, The Hold Steady, Jolie Holland, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Showalter, Eugene Mirman, and many others.

You can download past episodes of Radio Happy for free at iTunes or at RadioHappyHour.com.

Long Island, NY-based indie pop quintet Twin Sister make music that is dreamy, yet danceable. The five members of the group -- vocalist Andrea Estella, bassist Gabe D'Amico, drummer Bryan Ujueta, keyboardist Dev “Udbhav” Gupta, and guitarist (sometimes vocalist) Eric Cardona -- crossed paths while playing in their respective bands, ultimately befriending each other and forming Twin Sister in 2008. Their first EP, Vampires with Dreaming Kids, was self-released that year. After their first live show out of town, at SXSW, they toured with tUnE-YarDs and Xiu Xiu before putting the final touches on their second EP, Color Your Life, which followed in 2010.
-by Jason Lymangrover via All Music

http://twinsistermusic.com/

When Mike Doughty released his second official solo album, 2008’s Golden Delicious, the reaction from fans was intense. “Some hated it, some loved it better than Soul Coughing,” Doughty says. “I tend to take sharp left turns. Every time I put out a record, the audience seems to like what I did two years ago better. You’d think I could shrug it off because that’s what always happens, but it always gets to me.” Doughty admits that his upcoming album, Sad Man Happy Man – released October 6th on ATO Records – is a reaction to his fans’ reaction and that he’s giving the people what they want. “I really went for the ‘na-na-na’s’ and the simple choruses and stuff on Golden,” he says. “The songs on Sad Man are more arcane and convoluted songwriting-wise, though they’re sparer in terms of instrumentation. Although my choruses are still simple — I love taking phrases and repeating them ad infinitum.”

The largely acoustic Sad Man Happy Man is a deliberate return to everything people love about Mike Doughty, he makes albums that simmer with verbal wit, and Sad Man Happy Man is no exception with its songs about everything from relationship bust-ups (Doughty was going through one while he was recording it) to his astute observations about the American economy.

“Pleasure on Credit” is a celebratory tale of the American spender in the face of the U.S.’s credit addiction crushing the world’s markets; “Lord Lord” is all sly drug references, like “Tango and Cash” and “Dr. Nova,” which are both brand-names for bags of heroin. “That song is kind of like my ‘Walk on the Wild Side,’” Doughty says. “I like how Reed’s tune is all about tranny whores and yet is all over classic rock radio.” Doughty wrote “Rising Up” after his girlfriend sent him a terse email and, with his heart thumping, wrote five pages trying to exorcise his anxiety. “It’s my Gloria Gaynor moment,” he says with a laugh. “The message of the tune is: ‘You’re fucked, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll keep on with my spiritual journey.’ Yes, I really am that much of a hippie.”

Musically, Sad Man Happy Man finds Doughty returning to his acoustic roots thanks to its stripped-down arrangements that feature Doughty backing himself on guitar. He also did all the drum programming, as well as played keyboards and what he calls the “weird noise stuff,” while his long-time touring partner Andrew “Scrap” Livingston handles bass duties. Recorded at New York’s Kampo Studios, the album was co-produced by Doughty and engineer Pat Dillett (They Might Be Giants, David Byrne, Arto Lindsay), with the exception of album’s first single “Doubly Gratified,” which was produced by David Kahne, who helmed Soul Coughing’s 1996 album Irresistible Bliss, as well as albums by Paul McCartney, Sugar Ray, and Tony Bennett. Doughty maintains a widely read blog that chronicles his unique shows, international travels, and creative endeavors. He’s currently writing a memoir, recording an electronic album entitled Dubious Luxury, and working on a photo book about Eritrea’s capital city of Asmara, for Yeti Books. He also recently published a play, Ray Slape is Dead, in 24 by 24: The 24 Hour Plays Anthology, alongside Terrence McNally and Theresa Rebeck.

But for now, Doughty is looking forward to a fall ‘09 “Question Jar” tour with his friend Scrap and releasing Sad Man Happy Man. “Basically I’m trying to make stuff I want to listen to,” he says of the album. “And I mean that in a literal sense, not like, “Were I a listener, I would like this,” but rather something I can listen to on the subway on headphones and really dig. This is my life, this is what I do. That sounds matter-of-fact, but I really do look at it as a sort of calling — and being an artist at its best is selfless. I’m working for the language, I’m working for the music, I’m working for the songs. I’m a happier guy when I’m conscious of that.”

Franz Nicolay is that mustachioed man-about-town and musician you may have seen with such groups as The Hold Steady and World/Inferno Friendship Society. He is the founder of new-music collective Anti-Social Music, and is working on a book for Vol. 1 Press.

Max Silvestri is the host of the award-winning Big Terrific comedy showcase. He has written for the Onion AV Club and Gawker, and New York Magazine called him one of the "Ten Comedians People Find Funny".

Visit Gabe Liedman's Website for more details.

Arthur Phillips was born in Minneapolis in 1969 and educated at Harvard. He has been a child actor, a jazz musician, a speechwriter, a dismally failed entrepreneur, and a five-time Jeopardy! champion.

His first novel, Prague, a national bestseller, was named a New York Times Notable Book, and received The Los Angeles Times/Art Seidenbaum Award for best first novel. His second novel, The Egyptologist, was a national and international bestseller, and was on more than a dozen “Best of 2004” lists. Angelica, his third novel, was a national bestseller and made The Washington Post best fiction of 2007. His work has been translated into twenty-five languages.

“Brother-and-sister team John and Molly Knefel skip the sibling rivalry in favor of joke-telling, making charming videos and populating their monthly show with quality performers.” -Time Out New York

John and Molly Knefel are brother and sister and both staples of the NYC indie comedy scene. They've performed on Radio Happy Hour, Tell Your Friends, Comedy as a Second Language, We're All Friends Here, and the Keith and the Girl podcast. Their web series (John and Molly Get Along) has been featured in Punchline Magazine, The Apiary, Urlesque, and Funny Not Slutty. Their writing and other comedy videos have been featured on Gawker, the New York Times, CNN, Jezebel, and This American Life.

Past performers on their monthly show, John and Molly Get Along, include:

Janeane Garofalo, Hannibal Buress, Ted Alexandro,Kurt Braunohler,Sean Patton,Jordan Carlos

and much more.

Comedian and world-renowned entertainer MURRAY HILL is a relentless retro shtick slinger, buster of audience chops and freewheeling ad-libber. The New York Times anointed Murray “the patriarch of downtown performance.” He recently performed with Dita Von Teese for sold-out engagements in New Orleans, Los Angeles and Seattle. He can be seen on television this year, playing himself, on STARZ "Gravity" Season 1 and HBO's "Bored to Death" Season 2 which airs September 2010. He's performed his comedy at top showrooms like Upright Citizen’s Brigade, Gotham Comedy Club, Comix, LA’s Billy Wilder Theater, and headlined his own show at Caroline’s on Broadway. Murray has toured with Le Tigre, hosted The Gossip concerts, and introduced the Beastie Boys, Antony and The Johnsons, to name a few. He’s hosted sold-out burlesque shows at the Bloomsbury Ballroom (London), MTV Italia’s opening party for the Venice Film Festival, NY International Burlesque Festival, Just For Laughs (Montreal) directed by Thierry Mugler and co-starred in Immodesty Blaize's show at London’s Arts Theatre in the West End. He's produced and starred in several theatrical productions: The Murray Hill Show, A Murray Little Christmas, and This is Burlesque. He’s been included in “Best of New York” lists in the Village Voice, Paper, and New York Magazine; inducted into Paper’s Nightlife Hall of Fame; and selected as OUT magazine’s Top 100 influential performers. He enjoys cheeseburgers, Swedish Fish, showbiz biographies, showgirls, and he put the "yes" in polyester. He's currently working on his debut Off-Broadway one-man show to debut in 2011. For a good time, visit http://mistershowbiz.com and follow him http://twitter.com/murray_hill

Jessi Klein was born and raised in New York City. She attended Vassar College, where she spent 4 years as a writer and performer for the school’s sketch group. After college, Jessi moved back to Manhattan and began performing stand-up comedy. She quickly caught the eye of scouts at NBC who made her a regular at the PSNBC workspace. After only two years of doing stand-up, Time Out NY called her one of their “Top 10 Comics We Never Get Tired Of” in December 2002, listing her alongside such names as Sarah Silverman and Dave Attell.

After winning the first ever “Emerging Comics of New York” award for Best Female Stand Up in March 2003, she made her television stand-up debut on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend last August. She is currently a regular commentator on VH1’s talking head hit, “Best Week Ever,” a weekly roundup of pop culture. Jessi’s sharp insights on that show have led to appearances on CNBC’s “Topic A with Tina Brown” as well as an appearance on NBC’s “The Today Show,” CNN’s “American Morning” and “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn” on Comedy Central. She has also just completed work as the lead voice on a pilot for Cartoon Network from the creators of the cult hit Home Movies.

This past March she appeared at the Aspen HBO Comedy festival as a storyteller for The Moth, a NYC storytelling phenomenon. Through the Moth, Jessi also performed at Central Park’s Summerstage last July 2003 to a record crowd. Her story about researching the aftermath of a breakup on Google made the Moth’s “Best of 2003” CD.

She has also been a commentator for Andy Borowitz’s satirical “Borowitz Report” on NPR. This year she’ll be writing a chapter for an up and coming book, “Bar Mitzvah Disco,” a humorous collection of photos and essays about the Bar Mitzvah culture of the 1980’s, which is scheduled to include work from Jon Stewart, Esquire’s AJ Jacobs, Joel Stein, Sarah Silverman, Corey Feldman, and obviously, the Village People.

Jessi continues to be a favorite at clubs and alternative rooms all over the city, performing alongside such names as Dave Chappelle, Louis CK, Janeane Garofalo, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman and Roseanne. Roseanne told Jessi that she thought she was really funny, which Jessi thought was a big deal. Other people who’ve told her she’s funny include Robert Smigel, Ethan Hawke, Stephen Baldwin, and still other people who aren’t famous. Stephen Baldwin gave her his pager number.

Who is Dave Hill? It’s a question I ask myself often, which is strange considering the kind of access I have. This much I can tell you though- I am the new Hollywood “It” girl, the next Leo, America’s fresh-faced boy next door, and your new best friend all rolled into one. I am a poet, a dancer, and- perhaps most of all- a thief. Soon I am to steal your heart.

More to the point however, I am a writer, performer, musician, actor, comedy-type person, artist, and thinking man originally from Cleveland, Ohio but now living in the Big City, New York to be exact.

On the show business front, you might recognize me as a frequent on-air correspondent on the popular premium cable television channels HBO and Cinemax. I also recently starred in wildly popular “King of Miami” program on the MOJO network (a futuristic high-definition television channel that was recently destroyed in a horrible explosion) which is now airing in the United Kingdom on the futuristic Film24 channel. Or perhaps you’ve seen me on Court TV’s comedy news show “Smoking Gun TV,” which was canceled. I’ve also shown up on the popular MTV, Comedy Central, VH1, Adult Swim, Sundance Channel, TLC, Current TV, and Spike TV networks a few times. Deal with it. Sometimes I miss being able to walk into the free clinic and stuff without being harassed by people who watch TV really late at night, but for the most part I gotta say this “fame thing” suits me well. Really, really well.