Bill Corbett

Corbett's tumbly-thing

[billcorbett]

The MST3K Reunion Show

The RIFFTRAX LIVE Mystery Science Theater 3000 Reunion Show shown live on June 28 will be rebroadcast in movie theaters around the USA and Canada this Tuesday evening, July 12 (a.k.a. tomorrow, or if you’re reading this Tuesday, TODAY. Hurry!).

For theaters near you, tickets, more info, etc., please go here:

RIFFTRAX LIVE MST3K Reunion show

A little behind-the-scenes stuff for those interested: when my RiffTrax colleagues agreed to this cockamamie idea of mine, it was clear right away that the basic model to use for this show was the shows we’d done at SF Sketchfest, with celebrity guests: a bunch of crazy old short films like the ones we’d often open the show with on MST3K, and still do regularly at RiffTrax; bringing each guest / guests on in turn. This would give all our old colleagues some time to shine in the spotlight alone, give us RiffTraxers time to clown around with each other and with guests between shorts, and accommodate a lot more people than if we just did a single movie. 

This show was a thrill to do.  As one of the hosts to our former MST3K pals, I had the time of my life occasionally stepping offstage for once and enjoying the show. Mary Jo and Bridget absolutely killed with our first guest short.  Next Trace and Frank brought the house down and showed why they are a classic comedy team for the ages.  Then founder of the feast Joel plus new kid Jonah thrilled the audience with belly laughs a-plenty, and provided a cool link between MST3K past and future.  Finally we all crowded the stage and had ourselves a big danged movie-riffing party together.  All throughout I was proud as could be of our Rifftrax crew for making this happen. Even after all these years, Mike and Kevin never fail to amaze me with their limitless talents, and our RiffTrax staff was brilliant.

It was a LIVE live simulcast show, and the show was quite a bit more complex than our usual RiffTrax Live show -- so we were white-knuckling the tech aspects a bit . But I’m happy to report that it all went swimmingly.  (Or, for fans of onstage debacles, I regret to report that one did not occur. TO MY KNOWLEDGE.) 

Please try to see the show tomorrow night if you can!  Again, for info and facts and whatnot:

RIFFTRAX LIVE MST3K REUNION SHOW

(P.S. My one regret about the show is that J. Elvis Weinstein, the first Tom Servo + sidekick to Dr. F, couldn’t join us since he’s busy making a documentary. He was missed!)

[rifftrax]

RiffTrax Live 2016: MST3K Reunion, Time Chasers Live & More! - An MST3K reunion done LIVE with cast members from the original show simulcast to theaters nationwide! Plus a Live riff of Time Chasers! - http://kck.st/1Rx43eG

[billcorbett]

I am incredibly happy that we’ll get to do a live show with Trace, Frank, Mary Jo and Bridget. This should be a great night!  (...Should be?  No. WILL be.  C’mon, Corbett.)

[billcorbett]

THE FILM CREW

“After MST3K but before RiffTrax, there was…. The Film Crew! This short-lived but hilarious four-episode project featured our own Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett as three basement-dwelling working stiffs tasked with reviewing movies for their insane boss.”

This month we are releasing all of the four-count ‘em-4 FILM CREW episodes digitally on the RiffTrax site, one each week!  

In our first release KILLERS FROM SPACE, Peter Graves -- the King of Excitement! -- faces invading aliens with supertight hoodies and half ping-pong ball eyes.  

More here:

THE FILM CREW on RiffTrax

[billcorbett]

Please go insane with us for Christmas

The rebroadcast of our RiffTrax Christmas show SANTA AND THE ICE CREAM BUNNY happens next Tuesday December 15.  It is utter madness, not only for the bizarre main feature but for the three short Christmas movies before it.  Santa explains Christmas using stock footage of chimps!  Kids dress as cute animals then murder and eat a pirate!  Ol’ St. Nick lords over an entire town of slave labor where agitated furries vie for his approval, and he doesn’t give a damn!  

Then, of course, the terrifying 7-foot rabbit who enters on a firetruck blaring a WWII air raid siren.  Merry Christmas!

Please find a theater near you, risk your mental health, and laugh a lot! We had an absolute blast performing this one. 

Information here:

http://www.fathomevents.com/event/return-of-rifftrax-live-santa-and-the-ice-cream-bunny

HURRRRGH HURRRRGH HURRRRGH, everyone! 

[liartownusa]

Enjoy Your Shit-Assed Little Bark Machine

[hodgman]

Sara Benincasa brought this to my attention. 

For context, HERE is the portion of Ari Shaffir’s special that Damienne Merlina is responding to. 

I have a lot of thoughts about this. In no particular order they are as follows. 

I don’t know Damienne Merlina, but I think this was a fair, brave, and totally appropriate response. 

I don’t know Ari Shaffir, but I would guess even he understands at this point that it is monstrously unethical and simply gross to name check a person on stage and on television in a bit that trashes their body and personhood.

I don’t believe in a lot of comedy rules. About punching up vs. punching down. What’s off limits and what’s fair game. Whether “getting laughs” doesn’t “count” as “making jokes.” Whether a comic is “just saying what EVERYONE is secretly thinking” or whether a comic is just secretly thinking awful things and hoping the audience validates his or her awfulness. 

“Real standup” is usually a term used by insecure comics to disqualify performers who aren’t doing the exact same thing they are. 

Instead I think everyone has the right to do what he/she thinks is funny and bear the consequences, good or bad.

(Just as everyone has the right to like what they like and dislike what they don’t.) 

Which is to say, it’s absolutely Ari Shaffir’s right to include what seems to me (to me!) as a formless personal rant about a colleague—something that one might say among friends over drinks after a show—as part of his professional stage show and the hour that he wants to show to the world. 

And I guess it’s even his right to use Damienne Merlina’s real name if he wants to, and take whatever heat that results. I’m sure he’s feeling it now. 

I wouldn’t do it, and I don’t like it. But plenty of people don’t like my work, and I don’t bear Ari Shaffir any ill will. We have mutual friends, and this is just one part of one hour of a whole career. 

But as a sometime employee of Comedy Central, it bothers me that this went to air. I don’t get why—if only from a legal perspective—they didn’t take Ari Shaffir aside and say, “hey, you don’t want to really do this, do you? Let’s maybe bleep out this person’s actual name.”

If Comedy Central finds this bit worthy of being part an hour special, that’s their choice. But why wouldn’t they protect Damienne, themselves, and even Ari from what I think we can all agree is just a grossly dumb and damaging and hurtful decision? 

[daddymymouthisfullofstars]

The Rifftrax Night of the Shorts 5 cast. Photo by Tommy Lau Photography

[billcorbett]

I got so into touching Hodgman inappropriately that I forgot to smile.  But in my heart, oh, was I smiling. Like, a bit too much.

FYI, from left to right, standing: Todd Barry, me, Michael J, Nelson, Kevin Murphy

From left to right, sitting / laying in fetal position: John Hodgman, Janet Varney, Paul F. Tompkins, Cole Stratton

[paulftompkins]

NO, YOU SHUT UP! FULL EPISODE

#307: “LIFE HACKS”

Guest: Andy Daly

Panelists: Bo Beetle, Dr. Mooz, Steeeeeew, Star Schlessinger

[billcorbett]

I am such a fan of both of these gentlemen.

[brudesworld]

Robert Maguire, 1960

[billcorbett]

In case you wondered what the night is for.

[billcorbett]

Christmas + superheroes = FUN

One last holiday plug for my funny comic book SUPER-POWERED REVENGE CHRISTMAS. I'm very pleased that people like it, and I think you will too!

It's available as a real physical book (WHICH LOOKS GREAT I might add) or as a download, if you need a good Yuletide read tonight and tomorrow. Thanks and happy holidays! http://www.superpoweredrevengechristmas.com/

[billcorbett]

More SPRC contest art

Please visit these artists' sites and check out their other work!

From http://sedgewina.tumblr.com/:

By http://dragonastra.tumblr.com/:

By http://killbog.tumblr.com/:

[billcorbett]

Super-Powered Revenge Christmas art contest WINNERS!

THANK YOU to everyone who entered the contest.  SPRC artist Len Peralta and I were honored by your work, so we'd like to send ALL contestants a free signed copy of Super-Powered Revenge Christmas.  The different choices and styles were very inspiring, especially since we spent so much time working on these characters before anyone else ever even saw 'em.

It was a tough decision for our panel, with such great work submitted, so we made 3rd place a three-way tie -- with everyone getting a full prize!  Here are the winners:

******

1st PRIZE

To Jessi Sheron, whose work on tumblr can be found RIGHT HERE, for her heroic take on the ever-popular Frostina:

******

2nd PRIZE

To Damian Fox, whose work on tumblr can be found RIGHT HERE, for his two hilarious (and very different!) versions of the Red Avenger:

******

3rd PRIZE

We felt it was just too difficult to limit ourselves to three winners, so we added two more winners to the 3rd Prize category.  Everyone will get the full cash prize of $50.  We would add more if we could!  In no particular order...

First, this awesome take on Frostina by Dave Jorel, whose work on tumblr can be found RIGHT HERE. Len Peralta was a particular fan of this one, which is high praise indeed!

Next, this by Kizzy, whose work on tumblr can be found RIGHT HERE.  She reworked an entire page of the comic book in her very cool style!  For comparison see the page she based this on, Page 37.  (Also see her original here for fuller size.)

Last but not least, this great series of illustrations by Geoff Long, whose work on tumblr can be found RIGHT HERE.  I love how he makes the characters his own:

Congratulations to all!

I will post a few more entries and artist page links later.  Please check out their work and hire them if you can!

TO ALL PEOPLE WHO ENTERED THE CONTEST: please email when you can at bill at rifftrax dot com with your full name and address, so prizes and signed books can be arranged.  Thanks everyone.

[winegrass]

Randomly getting this song stuck in my head is the best Christmas present of all

[billcorbett]

A-Wassailing!

[billcorbett]

Caribou's secret identity

NOT an entry for the Super-Powered Revenge Christmas art contest -- from an Amazon gift card.  But maybe Caribou's secret i.d. as a mild-mannered hipster?

[vintageholidays]

detail from 1946 ‘New York Central” Christmas ad; Tran Mawicke

[billcorbett]

Prancer is about to be taken OUT.

[nilbogz]

My last minute entry for the contest!!

[billcorbett]

Even more SPRC contest art! 

[davejorel]

Picture of Frostina from Super-Powered Revenge Christmas - written by the breathtakingly stupendous Bill Corbett (of MST3K and Rifftrax) - for their art contest.   Check the book out!  http://www.superpoweredrevengechristmas.com/

[billcorbett]

More SPRC contest art!