The Very Best of 2018 on The IBang!

It’s been five years since we started covering the comedy-verse and 2018 has been an exciting year with an updated site, bigger and better interviews than ever before, attending gigantic red carpets, and bringing you coverage from all around the continent. We have seen more comedians this year than ever before. We have more comedy contributors than ever before. We’re producing live comedy in clubs and festivals and we have such exciting things in the works for 2019.

Some of the people we spoke with this year included Pete Holmes, Jamie Lee, Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow, Sklar Brothers, Gad Elmaleh, Paul Lieberstein, Jeff Ross, D.L. Hughley, Dr. Katz, Tiffany Haddish, Dave Chapelle, Howie Mandel, Reggie Watts, Doug Stanhope, Amazing Jonathan, Super Troopers, Maria Bamford, Bert Kreischer, Brian Huskey, Sam Jay, Brian Regan, Gina Yashere, W. Kamau Bell, Tom Papa, Brad Williams, Julia Davis, Henry Winkler, Kumail Nanjiani, Tony Hale, Jerry Seinfeld, and Julia Louis Dreyfus. Amazing!

Special thanks this year go out to our 2018 writing team, Amma Marfo, Jeffrey Gurian, Ernie Tripper, Earl Douglas, Debra Kessler, Sara Dahms, Lesley Coffin, Dan Murphy, Mick Taylor and to special contributors like Fez Whatley, Barry Taylor, Larry Carlson, Lori Satterlee, and more. Also Brian at Comedy Artwork, and John Young from Shout It Out Design, if you need work done for your own projects, these are the guys. Thank you also to our comedy friends who keep us updated including comedians, club owners, bookers, managers and producers from all over the world. And our biggest thanks to our amazing friends at SiriusXM and the Bennington Show. We’ve had another amazing year collaborating with Ron Bennington, Gail Bennington, Chris “Pepper Hicks” Stanley, and Vito Calise and done amazing things together including several great live shows.

For our final story looking back at 2018, we’ve picked our favorite features, interviews, lists and reviews that we published in 2017– 15 features, 15 lists and 15 interviews and 15 of stories talking about our favorite things.

If you’re just joining us, this should bring you up to date, and if you really want to see the best of everything we’ve done you can also check out our Very Best of the IBang 2016, our Very Best of the IBang 2015 and our Very Best of The IBang 2014 stories.

Thank you again to everyone and we are so excited for 2018!  Click on any title to read the post.


Our Favorite Feature Articles of 2018

Saturday Night Line! One Fan’s Journey to Get Standby Tickets for Saturday Night Live
Dear Governor Cuomo, Congratulations on Your Decision to Support the National Comedy Center, It’s a Home Run
The Tragedies and Triumphs of Self-Producing a Comedy Album
On Aziz and Modern Romance
Behind Canada’s New Artists Collective: Canadian Association of Stand Up Comedians
The Punk Rock of Comedy: Why the Alt Scene Represents the Best of NYC
Why Did Lenny Bruce Wear A Trenchcoat and More Answers Revealed at the National Comedy Center Grand Opening
Netflix The Degenerates Explores All of Comedy’s Dark Corners
Belladonna Celebrates One Year: Find Out Why This Niche Site Devoted to Spotlighting Female Satirists is on Daily Read Lists Everywhere
In the New Comedy Studio, Comedy Nerd Rick Jenkins Builds His Dream Clubhouse

Our Favorite Analysis in 2018

Anatomy of a Scandal in 2018: Kevin Hart Scandal Races Through Six Phases in Less Than 30 Hours
The Louis C.K. Debate Just Took on Another Dimension
Should SNL Have Apologized to Dan Crenshaw?
Louis C.K. Sudden Return to Stand Up Comedy Has NY Clubs Reeling
Tonight Show Bans Norm Macdonald After He Comments on MeToo. Is This Really What We Want? 

Our Favorite Interviews in 2018

Gatekeepers of Comedy Tackle the Biggest Challenges Facing Comedy Today at Just for Laughs…and Answer the Louis C.K. Question
Nell Scovell Broke the Glass Ceiling. Why Are So Few Women Writers Getting to Follow?
Henry Winkler Discusses HBO’s Barry, Tells Stories About Garry and Shares Words of Wisdom About Life and Comedy
In Sally4Ever Julia Davis Brings to HBO a Brilliant Dark and Dirty Comedy for Grown Ups
Brad Williams Explains Why Just for Laughs is The Best Place to See Comedy, and Gives Love for Bobby Kelly
Tom Papa Loves Hearing Voices, and Writing About Them
W. Kamau Bell Tackles Trump, the Red Hen, Permit Patty and People Getting Fired for the N-Word
Gina Yashere, Brave in a Time of Timid Comedy
Brian Regan Finally Has His Own TV Show; Here’s How Jerry Seinfeld Helped Make It Happen
Sam Jay Greets a Stratospheric Moment With a Smile and a Shrug
Brian Huskey Takes Us Inside the Bizarre World of Mr. Neighbors
Bert Kreischer Keeps No Secrets in His New Netflix Special, “Secret Time”. Everyone’s Getting Outted
Maria Bamford’s Purple Vans, Vision Boards, and Park Benches All Add Up to Fabulous
D.L. Hughley Challenges Audience With Strong Perspective in New Netflix Special: “I think we have, as comedians, an obligation to help society see itself.”
Dr. Katz Remembers Antz, Clown and the One Comedian He Absolutely Had to Have on His New Audiobook

 


By the Numbers: Our Favorite List Stories of 2018

Fez Whatley Recasts Live Action Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with Comedians
Summer Reading List 2018! Featuring 42 Comedy and Other Books
Kevin Hart is Everywhere: A Look at the Ever Expanding Gigantic Empire of Kevin Hart
14 More of the Best Comedy Nights In America Picked By Comedians All Over the Continent
Whose Comedy Mom!? Wishing Comedy Fans Everywhere a Happy Mothers Day
10 Best Characters From Behind The Weekend Update Desk, RANKED!
5 Ways to Celebrate International Women’s Day With Comedy
Comedians React to Kevin Spacey’s Christmas Eve Surprise
Classic Coming of Age Comedies That Won’t Pass the #TimesUp Test
Michelle Wolf has Comedy Cavalry Come to Her Aid (not that she needed it)
The 5: Broken Lizard’s Five Most Quotable Movie Quotes
The 5: Geoff Tate’s 5 Greatest Tom Petty Songs to Listen to While High
The 5: Dan Schlissel’s Top 5 Places to Eat After a Comedy Show in the United States
The 5: Ross Bennett’s Top 5 Silent Movies You Can Enjoy in 2018
The 5: Erikka Innes’ 5 Most Important Films in the History of CGI

Saying Goodbye to a Friend and an Inspiration

Barry Crimmins, a Brilliant Satirist Who Changed Comedy, Has Died
Comedians Give Love, Respect to Barry Crimmins

 

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