The Very Best of 2014 on The IBang

2014 THE IBANG

It’s been a tremendous year of change for all of us.  At the end of our first year devoted full time to comedy, we wanted to thank everyone who has helped the site grow.  The contributors, the developers, the writers, readers and commenters, and everyone who helps us out by retweeting, posting on other sites and boards, we can’t thank you enough.  We have big plans for 2015 to continue and grow and hope you’ll all stick around.  We always could use more help so please let us know if you want to join the team.  Just email editor@theinterrobang.com and let us know.

Have to give a few people individual thank you’s because they do so much for the website.  Amy Hawthorne, and Lesley Coffin who do so much great writing, Christine Evans who helps to connect us with many great people, Kevin Kanach for his daily meme’d from the headlines list, writers Andrew Fargnoli, Kelsea Bauman, RJ Waldron, Earl Douglas, Liberty Hardy, Dan Murphy, Dan Perlman,Sharon Doughterty, Laura, Debra, Jarred, Jason, Mike, Kate and a long list of unnamed contributors, Bonnie McFarlane, Mike Bocchetti, Luis J Gomez and the late great Otto Petersen, for contributing pieces, John Young from Shout it Out Design for so much help, Dennis Hyland for his incredible drawings, Gina for her amazing design work, our new friends Matt and Kyle for their work on the site, Foggy Otis for helping to spread the word, to Johnny Go Go and family for all his time and help getting the word out, the long list of people who send in links and stories including our good buddy Kyle the linkmaster, the new people who are coming on board in 2015 and all the club owners, bookers, managers and producers who we have just started working with us, all the comedians, our good friend Jeffrey Gurian, and most of all our good friends at the Ron and Fez Show for an incredible year of collaboration, and particularly Ron Bennington.  Of course we’ve missed someone, and someone important and as soon as we figure out who, we’ll feel awful about it because every single person who contributes in any way is greatly appreciated.

So for our final year end wrap piece, we’ve picked our 25 favorite stories this year, a nearly impossible task,  and our 10 favorite interviews– also really tough to do.  So if you missed this past year and you’re just joining us, this should catch you up to date.

Thank you again to everyone and we are so excited for 2015!


Our 25 Favorite Articles

42 Essential Comedy Albums by Interrobang Staff
Black Saturday: Remembering the Greatness of Patrice O’Neal by Andrew Fargnoli
The Power of Comedy: How a Simple Line From Comedian Hannibal Buress Reframed How America Sees Bill Cosby  by Interrobang Staff
13 Going on 30: Young Comedians on the Rise by Interrobang Staff
The Oscar They Didn’t Give Out: 80 Years of Best Comedy Picture by Leslie Coffin
Why Does Will Arnett Have So Many Failed Comedies  by Leslie Coffin
Behind the Burger: The Brilliant Comedy Voices Behind TV’s Best Animated Comedy  by Interrobang Staff
Why Roast Battle is Becoming the Biggest Can’t Miss Show in Comedy by Amy Hawthorne
Lock Yourself in Weekend: Bill Murray Movies Five Ways by Leslie Coffin
Otto Petersen: These Comedians Changed My Life by Otto Petersen
The Meltdown Effect: How One Show Changed the Shape of Comedy In LA by Amy Hawthorne
The Best Sitcom on TV, Louie, Isn’t a Sitcom at All by Laura Brooks
A Comics Life: Working Club Check Spots by Dan Perlman
Is the First Amendment Protection Enough for the 21st Century? by Interrobang Staff
Out of the Tarpit: Rebirth of LA Comedy Club Scene by Amy Hawthorne
You Can’t Intimidate Joan Rivers by Interrobang Staff
Lock Yourself in Weekend Peter Sellers by Leslie Coffin
David Letterman Changed Everything by Laura Brooks
Liberty Hardy’s Perfect Comedy Summer Reading List: 42 Books by Liberty Hardy
Tom Segura Met Mike Tyson and It’s the Greatest Story Ever by Interrobang Staff
Jim Florentine Talks About the Cringe-Worthy Time He Met Andrew Dice Clay for the First Time Dice Story by Interrobang Staff
24 Comedians Talk About The Comedian They Are Most Thankful For by Interrobang Staff
The Clubs Speak! The Best Stand Up Comedy Moments of 2014 (as decided by the Club Owners, Bookers and People Who Produce Comedy) by Interrobang Staff
The Comedians Call It! 22 Comics Tell Us Who Will Be The Next Best Thing by Interrobang Staff
Nine Great Artists Share Their Memories of Nine Incredibly Talented Comedians by Jim Florentine, Danny Aiello, Mitch Glazer, Lynne Koplitz, Rick Overton, Vic Henley, Gary Gulman, Bill Burr and Shecky Greene.

 


Our Five Favorite List Stories

Comedians in Batman Masks
Celebrities Who Look Like Their Alma Mater’s Mascot
Best Stand Up Halloween Costumes 20 People Who Dressed as Comedians: Atell, Friedlander, Kinison and More
Homer Simpson 50 Greatest Jobs: The Definitive (and probably only) Ranking
Seinfelds Famous Girlfriends Year by Year

Our Fifteen Favorite Comedy Interview Stories

Bill Burr Talks About His New Special, and the Next Generation of Comedy by Amy Hawthorne
My Day at ComicCon with Curtis Armstrong The King of the Nerds by Leslie Coffin
The Changing Tides of SNL with James Miller by Interrobang Staff
Talking With Kurt Metzger About His Emmy Nomination by RJ Waldron
The Carson Podcast.  All Things Carson From the People Who Knew the Tonight Show the Best by Interrobang Staff.
Loni Love Sets the Record Straight by Interrobang Staff
Sara Schaefer Bringing You Las Vegas and a Podcast of Lies by Interrobang Staff
The Tao of Tracy: Tracy Morgan Gets Serious with 21 Tracy-Isms  From Unmasked with Ron Bennington and Tracy Morgan
How Simon Peggs Daughter Saved Star Wars,  From Unmasked with Ron Bennington and Simon Pegg
Another Side of Dane Cook: Is This the Real Dane Cook From Unmasked with Ron Bennington and Dane Cook
Opie and Anthony Celebrate Twenty Years in Radio With a LIVE Unmasked From Carolines in NYC! From Unmasked with Ron Bennington, Opie Hughes, Anthony Cumia and Jim Norton
Rick Newman and the Magic of Catch a Rising Star  From Ron Bennington Interviews
Andrew Dice Clay: I Wrote Sam Kinison’s Famous Intro.  From Unmasked with Ron Bennington and Andrew Dice Clay
Gilbert Gottfried Talks About the Joke that Tore the Friars Club Apart From Ron Bennington Interviews
Joan Rivers Hired Body Guards After Jerry Lewis Death Threat  From Unmasked with Ron Bennington and Joan Rivers

Shout Out Column of the Year!

JUMPING AROUND WITH JGURIAN
Shout out to Jeffrey Gurian and his weekly column! Check them all out here including amazing coverage of Montreal JFL, NYCF and comedy in New York!

Thank you again and have a happy and healthy 2015!