Perry Sachs Interview- 4/07

Every Saturday night, Perry Sachs watches Amy Poehler or Seth Meyers read his jokes on Saturday Night Live's infamous Weekend Update segment. Sachs, who lives in Los Angeles with his fiance Julia, is a contributing writer to the show and e-mails in an array of jokes week after week, trying to figure out how to poke fun at Rosie O'Donnell, Pamela Anderson and George W. Bush. Along with SNL, Sachs has also produced and directed an array of film and TV work.

The Chronicle: Where did you go to school and what did you study?

Perry Sachs: I studied comedy and improv at The Groundlings and ACME Comedy Theater in L.A. From there, some friends and I started our own sketch comedy troupe "The Joke Pimps." We performed everywhere from "The Comedy Store" to "Jack's Sugar Shack" (Yes, THE "Jack's Sugar Shack"). Although the Pimps have disbanded, we still work together on projects from time to time. 

Chronicle: How did you get the job at Saturday Night Live?

Sachs: I was in development on a project with one of the creative execs at Adam Sander's company, Happy Madison. Adam was nice enough to suggest me to the producer at Weekend Update. Adam is not just "nice for a celebrity" but truly one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. 

Chronicle: What exactly does a contributing writer do? 

Sachs: In this case, what basically happens is that SNL sends me set-ups for their Weekend Update segment and I send them jokes. I'm not on staff, so I only get paid for the ones they use but then again, I don't have to deal with NY winters so it works out. 

Chronicle: What is the process like? 

Sachs: For me, I usually go through the set ups and jot down the basic idea for the joke. For example, if the set up has to do with Rosie O'Donnell, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have her eating somebody. Then I just keep going over them, re-wording until I get the best "punch." After that, I pick my favorites and send them in. Sometimes I'll send one in that I know won't make it on the air just because I think it'll make them laugh. I don't do this for the money.

Chronicle:  What are some jokes that you got on the air that got a great response?

Sachs: I had one about Viagra changing its name to "bo-oi-oi-oing!" That seemed to go over well. Funny thing is, my uncle was a vice-president at Pfizer at the time. I'm not sure if he saw the joke, I never brought it up - trying to stay in his will.

Chronicle: How many jokes do you write and from that, how many get on the air? 

Sachs: I submit 10 jokes a week. Out of that it really depends-sometimes more, sometimes less, sometimes none. I prefer more.

Chronicle: Have you written for any other shows? 

Sachs: I co-wrote a pilot at the end of last year that featured Nickelodeon stars Drake Bell and Jerry Trainer. We're pitching it now.

Chronicle: What are you currently working on? 

Sachs: Last year I directed a short film called F that was written by ex-Joke Pimp Michael Lacey and me and starred most of our old Joke Pimp friends. It's a dark comedy, set in the '50s, about a man's struggle with his uncontrollable desire for feet. We've already won a couple festivals with it and are continuing the circuit. I just directed a couple episodes of a new Fuel TV show called, Galaxy Cabin: Log Cabin In Space which also stars an ex-Joke Pimp, Brian Jarvis. In addition, I just produced my first feature film. 

Every week, Perry writes many more jokes than needed in order to whittle down to the very best of the batch. Here are jokes that didn't make the cue

According to a new survey, teenage girls who use cigarettes to stay thin don't actually lose any additional weight... until they have their lung removed.

The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck is upset about an episode of Law and Order: SVU in which a character named Elizabeth Hassenback is raped and murdered, saying the character was meant to be her. Producers from Law and Order apologized for their mistake and promised that next time it would be.

It was announced Monday that Pam Anderson and Kid Rock are divorcing after only four months of marriage. The good news is that they've already agreed to joint custody of her Hepatitis C.

The House of Representatives gave final congressional approval Tuesday to a bill that would preserve internment camps where 120,000 Japanese-Americans were kept behind barbed wire during World War II…just in case (wink).

A new video game called "The Shivah" is being billed as the first game to star a rabbi. If you don't count the ill-fated release from last year "Grand Theft: Foreskin."

Michael Angarano Interview, 4/2007

Nineteen-year-old Michael Angarano is slowly but surely rising up the ranks in Hollywood. As a child, he was featured in such films as Seabiscuit, Almost Famous and Music Of The Heart with Meryl Streep. More recently, with headlining roles in Lords Of Dogtown, a stint on Will and Grace and appearing in the upcoming indie Snow Angels, more and more people are taking notice- including the creator of 24.

 

Chronicle: What are some of the main differences between appearing in front of an audience acting (such as your recurring role on Will and Grace) and appearing without one? What was your experience on Will and Grace like?

 Michael Angarano: First off, Will & Grace was a pretty special show to me; it was basically a once in a lifetime experience. From when I first began on the show until it ended Ialways had to deal with those pre-show, backstage butterflies that progressively got better as time went on but make no doubt about it they were always there. I got a along great with everyone on that set but particularly Sean Hayes and Megan Mullaly. Maybe because I had more to do with them and they got to know me a little more or just that I had a pretty crude sense of humor at times much like they did. I guess someone could think the main priority for me would be just to fit in and not get in their way, but in never really felt like that. It always felt like I was bringing something as well.

Chronicle: You recently completed four episodes of 24 which is one of the most  popular shows on television today. What is it like being on such a high profile show and how did you get the gig in the first place?

 Angarano: I heard they might be interested in me for 24 from my agent – a kind of standard procedure. Then no more than a few days later, my cousin and I were at a store and all of a sudden I hear, "Hey. Michael Angarano, I want you on my show. I'm Joel Surnow, the producer." I knew exactly who he was. After I spoke with him then and a few times over the phone while I was on set somewhere else, that was that. The set is a real pro set. Everybody cruises on it, but they work real hard. Television in general is faster paced than movies, but this show is like Hercules of TV. They bull doze through episodes. The crew made me few like I had been on the show for four years by the end of my first day. The atmosphere was very loose but tight and focused at the same time. Especially when Kiefer Sutherland was on the set. They're going to do what they have to do but they're going to do it well.

 

Chronicle: Many people might remember you from your role in Lords Of Dogtown. How was it filming Dogtown, skateboarding and working with the director Catherine Hardwicke?

 Angarano: Lords of Dogtown was the set that as a person I grew up the most on. I was the youngest of the big group of guys and much like the guys we were portraying, we felt like this was something special. All of us were competitive with each other, but in the brotherly way; we were always pushing each other. It was also the only set I've ever been on where they encouraged the actors to get hurt. I thought Catherine Hardwicke was the perfect person to direct the movie. She lives in Venice, Ca and she grew up with these guys so she really knew the attitude and the time. But she also brings an energy as a director that rubs off on you. She was the toughest person on that set - nobody messed with her.

Chronicle: What is the audition process like?

Angarano: Auditioning can be very tedious, but in a really good audition with a good director and possibly another actor, you have a lot of fun. It's definitely a learning process. I've been auditioning for a very large portion of my life and I still haven't quite figured it out. Usually, the first audition is with a casting director. They give you a few pages of sides from the script to learn, then they tape you reading with the casting director. Then they call you back to read those same pages or maybe some different pages for the producer or director. Then after the first call back, there usually is one more you have to go through. Maybe with executive producer, or a studio head of some kind. The process depends on what it is you are auditioning for. Television requires more of a process because the studios and networks are involved.

Chronicle: Do you like attending film festivals and seeing your face on the big screen?

 Angarano: Festivals could be fun depending who you are with. As for seeing myself on screen, it's always interesting in good and bad ways. There isn't anyway of looking at something you've done in an objective way. Maybe there is though some years later.

Chronicle: What are some projects you are working on presently?

MA: I have a movie called Snow Angels coming out sometime this year or next that was at the Sundance Film Festival - Sam Rockwell and Kate Beckinsale are in that and David Gordon Green wrote and directed it. Then I have a movie called The Final Season with Sean Astin that should be coming out this summer and Man in the Chair with Christopher Plummer, which does not have a release date.  I am also going to do a movie with Jackie Chan and Jet Li that Rob Minkoff called The Forbidden Kingdom. It comes out April 18th, 2008.

Angela Kinsey Interview, 5/07

35 year-old Angela Kinsey is one of the most recognizable faces from the beloved NBC sitcom The Office. Since premiering in 2005, the half hour comedy has garnered a multitude of praise and is adored by both fans and critics alike. Born in Louisiana and raised in both Indonesia and Texas, Kinsey got her start as in intern on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Besides The Office, she recently appeared on the improvised Thank God You’re Here, and come this summer can be seen in the Robin Williams comedy License To Wed, with fellow Office cast member John Krasinski.

 

Chronicle: How did you get the gig on The Office on the first place?

Angela Kinsey: I auditioned for the role of Pam.  The producers liked me but not for that role.  When the character of the prickly accountant came up, they called me back in to audition and I got it!

 

Chronicle: Describe a typical day on the set?

Kinsey: My call time is usually around 5:30am.  I go straight into hair and make-up to get "frumpified".  My hair gets braided or slicked back into a tight bun/ponytail.  And then I get a little bit of makeup.  Nothing glamorous though.  They have strict orders from our producers to keep us looking like normal gals in a paper company.  No Hollywood fancy stuff.  Then it's off to my trailer.  I have a delicious breakfast thanks to Sergio our caterer. I look over my lines and get dressed in my fabulous Angela Martin attire.  Frumpy skirt.  A blouse with a million buttons up to my neck. Cat sweater.  Beige pantyhose.  Sensible shoes.  Then I head to set.  I go to my desk in accounting.  Turn on my computer.  Go online.  Pretend to look busy in the back of some scenes. Check my myspace page.  After we shoot a few scenes, I might head over to craft services and grab a snack.  I love me some cheese sticks and crackers and a regular coke.  If I'm not in the next scene I might go over to Jenna's trailer and hang out.  Sometimes we will pop in on John's trailer.  The boys all hang out in there and play Madden football.  Then it's back to set to do some work.  Shoot a bunch of scenes.  Try not to laugh and ruin every scene I'm in! Then it's lunch.  We have the most amazing caterers.  I eat all day long!  Then it's back to work! 

 

Chronicle: In your opinion, what was the funniest moment ever on the show? Is it tough not to crack up laughing all the time? 

Kinsey: Funniest moment ever on the  show?!  Are you kidding me?  Seriously, I have a new one almost every day.  This season when Steve did his version of Prison Mike in "The Convict", yeah that  killed me.  And there is a scene in last week’s episode with Phyllis that made me snort out loud.  She got flashed in the parking lot and her retelling of the events made me pee a little in my pants.

Chronicle: On The Office, how much is Improv and how much is scripted? 

Kinsey: Our show is 100 percent written but we are extremely lucky as actors to work in such a free creative environment.  Several of us have improv backgrounds and we do get to use those skills.  We usually do a bunch of takes as the scene is written and then at the end we'll do a "bonus" round of takes and improvise within the structure of the scene.  I love those moments.  Lots of great spontaneous things happen.  A perfect example was in Gay Witch Hunt when Steve kissed Oscar.  It wasn't written in the scene and when Steve made that move as Michael Scott, we all just lost it!

 

Chronicle:  Do you think you are like your character in any way?

Kinsey: Not really.  I can get anal about little things like the way I make my bed every day but other than, not at all!!

 

Chronicle: Any spoilers for the season finale of The Office you can give us?

Kinsey: Hmmm.  It's like Fort Knox on our set.  Brian (aka Kevin) jokes that we are the comedy version of Lost.  There are lots of secrets.  A crazy old guy.  No hatch but there were "others".  ;)  I can tell you this....questions will be answered.  There is a new job at corporate and lots of the Scranton branch vies for the position.  And that sends a ripple effect through the whole office.

 

Chronicle: What was it like being on Thank God Your Here?

Kinsey: I had a blast.  It's a real  rush walking out on that stage with no clue what's about to happen.  I have been performing improv in Los Angeles for the last 8 years.  I still perform at  Improv Olympic Theater (IOWest) whenever I get the chance so I was pumped to do  improv again.  I really miss that live audience interaction.

 

Chronicle: When people see you in person, what is the most common thing they usually say?

Kinsey:  It's so nice to see you smiling!

Jason Lee Interview, 4/26/07

Jason Lee has enjoyed quite a successful career since making the unusual transition from professional skateboarder to Hollywood actor. Since his first feature film, Mallrats, he has starred in countless projects, including Vanilla Sky, Almost Famous and Stealing Harvard and has even lent his voice to 2004's mega-popular The Incredibles. Currently, Lee can be seen every Thursday night at 8 p.m. on NBC, playing the title character in the equally popular My Name Is Earl.

The Chronicle: When you were skateboarding, did you ever think you would go on to a career in acting?

Jason Lee: I had no idea, which is what I love about life. Sometimes you know, and sometimes you don't, and there's something great about both scenarios.

Chronicle: One of your first film roles was the lead in Mallrats. What was it like on the set the first day and did you realize how that film would later become a cult hit?

Lee: When we shot it I was 24, turning 25, and the excitement of a new life beginning while out there in cold, cold Minnesota was just awesome. Being on the set was both exciting and scary. I had never had dialogue in anything, let alone a studio picture, and so my excitement was often curbed by the fear of the task at hand, which in my mind was not to screw up. And no, I had no idea that it would go on to become what it is today, but I love that an entirely new generation has embraced it.

Chronicle: How did you get involved in My Name Is Earl and are you basing your character on the show off of anyone in particular?

Lee: They offered me the role of Earl and although I loved the script, I was pretty apprehensive about signing the 7-year contract. You don't always know how things will turn out and it seemed like a big commitment, and a big responsibility, but I'm very happy I dove in. Earl isn't really based on anyone in particular, and I'm still learning about him to this day, which is the fun of playing the same character over such a long period of time.

Chronicle: You've appeared in both dramas and comedies and in both television and film. Which do you prefer working on and why? How are they different?

Lee: There's a bit more concentration that goes into drama, whereas comedy tends to be lighter and with sets full of goofing off and pranks, etc., which is fun, and that'll be a part of my career forever, I think, but I'd love to go in a totally different, and perhaps unexpected direction just to throw the whole thing off course for a bit by doing something dramatic.

Chronicle: Any details you can share about the upcoming Alvin and the Chipmunks film?

Lee: I'm currently shooting AATC and it's going really well. It's pretty awesome, and quite a little honor, to be playing Dave Seville.

Chronicle: What can you tell us about recording your voice for the upcoming Underdog film?

Lee: It's been a long, long process (I started last April and am still recording), but a very exciting one. Voiceover work is truly an art form, and can be very difficult and trying, as the only thing you have to express and define the character is your voice, so everything has to have energy and emotion. It's great.

Chronicle: When people bump into on the street, what is the most common thing they say to you?

Lee: With the moustache, "Hey, Earl!" Without the moustache, they just look confused, or they throw out the always enjoyable "Hey, Brodie!"

Paul Rudd Interview, 3/15/07

Paul Rudd is one of the most recognizable faces in the entertainment business. He has appeared in countless films (Clueless, Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Night At The Museum), on television (Friends) and on stage (Three Days of Rain alongside Julia Roberts). He can next be seen in a follow up to Virgin- Knocked Up, a film likely to become the breakout comedy of the summer.

Chronicle: Before you start a film, how do you prepare?

Rudd: Well, I never memorize a script before shooting and I hardly memorize while I'm shooting. The last few films that I've done have been primarily improv, so I'll memorize the scene the day before shooting, or even the day of. I really like working like that and sometimes great things can happen, it's cool to get something really organic without memorization at all.

Chronicle: Your first role was in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Meyers, the sixth film in the series. What was going through your mind during the making and release of it?

Rudd: When I got that role, I was in my early 20's and very particular and artistic about choosing roles. At first I thought it was embarrassing because I had gone to this acting school and was taking myself seriously- I never felt that it fell in line with what I was trying to accomplish, but I totally feel differently now. I was also very ignorant about the way things worked, like talking to the casting director and saying things like 'This isn't going to be like Halloween two through five. This is really gonna be the classy Halloween film'. When it came out I was horrified, but I totally had fun making it, and loved the experience. It's a part of my past I weirdly treasure.

Chronicle: Then came 1995's Clueless…

Rudd: I didn't really have a barometer and when Clueless came along. I was overwhelmed, because I had never done anything like that before. I loved everybody that I was working with and was especially excited about working with Wallace Shawn (a comedic actor that appears in the film). I was pleasantly surprised when the film came out with how well it performed and was liked.

Chronicle: Going from films to a sitcom, you next appeared in Friends.

Rudd: I was on some episodes during the final years during the ninth and tenth seasons. It was so surreal, I was only supposed to do two shows and I had never really done anything like that before. My role turned into a much bigger thing that I had ever imagined it was going to be. It was easy to be on set though, because I had known Jennifer Aniston beforehand, because we had done a movie together (The Object of My Affection) and knew David Schwimmer as well, because we would find ourselves in the same auditions. It was exciting to be around, to see how they tape the show and how excited the audience was to watch it; just how crazy people went over the six of them. Being around there when they shot the last episode was so strange, like I had shouldn't have been there. It was weird to be privy to something that so many people in the world were so interested about, but it was definitely cool to see.

Chronicle: When you get noticed on the street, what is the most common thing people say to you?

Rudd: Well, it's usually something about 'sex panther' from Anchorman. I also get, "You know how I know your gay?" - a lot from 40 Year-Old Virgin, which is cool. The last couple of years have been interesting because I had always loved comedy, that was my main interest when I was in high school, but then it changed during college. A lot of things in the comedy world started after I did the film Wet Hot American Summer. It has a small audience, but the ones who have seen it are passionate about that film. Those guys that made that movie are some of my closest friends, which is why it was so much fun. I actually got the role in Anchorman from that film, since the director (Adam McKay) liked my performance. That snowballed into me getting the role in 40 Year-Old Virgin, from Anchorman and now Knocked Up.

Chronicle: What is the atmosphere like working on comedies like Anchorman or Virgin?

Rudd: It is really, really laid back because it's working with people that you know and are friends like, like Steve Carrell or Seth Rogen. There's a lot of joking around when we're shooting or not. Everyone is totally free because they know that even if we go too far it won't make the film. We really enjoy each other's senses of humor and are equally inspired by each other. They are just great films to work on.

Chronicle: Did you realize during filming how popular the films you have appeared in would later become?

Rudd: You never know how a film is going to turn out. During the filming of Wet Hot, I remember Micheal Showalter saying to me, "I have no idea if this movie will ever come out or if anyone will even see it. I just want to get this on film, because that's the way we felt." As for Anchorman, I knew all three of those guys (Will Ferrell, Carrell and David Koechner) before filming started and I thought they were just great. I thought it would be funny but whether or not it would catch on, you never know. When I read Anchorman, years before it was ever made it was completely different, same thing with Virgin. The first draft of Anchorman had the newsmen on a plane, and they are smoking so much that the plane crashes and they wind up on an island that was infested with apes. The plane had a bunch of karate equipment so the movie was essentially these guys using Chinese throwing stars to fight with chimpanzees. It was a movie you couldn't even make- just unfilmable.

Chronicle: What was it like being in such a high profile Broadway show, Three Days Of Rain, and working alongside Bradley Cooper and Julia Roberts?

Rudd: Well, Bradley was in Wet Hot so we knew each other. I remember when we started rehearsing we kept on saying, "We are in a play with Julia Roberts!" It was a very different experience - much more challenging just to be kind of around that level of fame. And she was just so cool around everyone. Pretty quickly who they are goes away after a couple days of rehearsal. When we finished the show at night, there would be 700 people waiting. Things like that would just be surreal. It was pretty stressful - I'm sure much more for her than me.

Chronicle: What can you tell us about your newest offering, Knocked Up [out June 1st]?

Rudd: Judd Apatow wrote and directed it and a ton of people are in it from his past TV shows Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. Judd is kind of the poster boy for doing these amazing high quality shows, and it's great to see he is finally getting his due in film. It is basically a story about a guy that gets a girl pregnant on a one-night stand. It's a very real comedy, very funny and surprisingly moving.

Michael Cera Interview, 3/1/2007

In 2003 a brand new comedy series called Arrested Development made it's debut, making stars of the cast, including a young actor by the name of Michael Cera. With the show's Emmy winning three year run come to a close, Cera is now enjoying a flourishing career in film, with numerous projects in the works.

Hofstra Chronicle: How long have you been acting?

Michael Cera: For almost ten years now, I started when I was 9.

Chronicle: You've been in both films and television programs. What are some differences between the two mediums?

Cera: Well, mainly scheduling. When you're on a series you're committed to it for almost half a year where as a film only takes a month or two. Also, obviously a series can end up going for a few years, which gives you more of a chance to get to know the show and the character.

Chronicle: Looking back at Arrested Development, what was that experience like? What was your favorite Arrested moment?

Cera: I had a great time working on Arrested, it was an incredibly lucky experience for me. I don't have any particular favorite moment, but hanging around David and Jason and Alia all the time was so much fun.

Chronicle: Do you still keep in touch with any/all of the cast?

Cera: I see them all from time to time but that's significantly different from seeing them every day.

Chronicle: How did you get Arrested Development?

Cera: I sent a tape in from Toronto and then was flown in to read with Alia (Shawkat, Cera's costar). They told us both that night that we got it.

Chronicle: Growing up in Ontario, Canada, what was it like to film/reside in Southern California?

Cera: It's definitely different. I always seem to miss home when I'm in LA and miss LA when I'm home so I guess it works itself out.

Chronicle: What can you tell us about Clark and Michael?

Cera: Clark and Michael is this internet show I made with my friend Clark Duke. It's going to be coming out on cbs.com any day now.

Chronicle: You recently completed a film called Super Bad, due out in August. What is SuperBad about and what was that experience like?

Cera: SuperBad is about two friends leaving high school and going to different colleges. The idea is that there is a party they are trying to go to and they need to get liquor and such, but that's all just to cover the underlying plot which is really that these two guys are going through major separation anxiety. That's kind of what drives the movie.

Chronicle: What other projects are you working on presently?

Cera: Right now I'm in Vancouver working on an independent film called Juno. 

Chronicle: What are you watching currently?

Cera: Nothing really on TV, I've been watching Larry Sanders season 1 over and over. That's about it.

Seasons 1-3 of Arrested Development are available on DVD now. Super Bad will be released in theaters August 17th. Juno, with Michael alongside Jennifer Garner is due out sometime next year. It is directed by Thank You For Smoking's Jason Reitman.

UCB showcases NY comedy at its best

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater has been a haven for comedy performers and audiences alike for the past eight years right in our own backyard- New York City. Founded by current Saturday Night Live cast member Amy Poehler and her team of Matt Walsh, Ian Robert and Matt Besser, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (or UCB, as it is commonly referred to) features improvisational, sketch and stand-up comedy in a 150 seat theater at 307 West 26th street. On any given night, three shows are usually featured, with admissions ranging from absolutely free, to a measly eight bucks for the most notable. The infancy and upbringing of the theater is quite a story that stems from Chicago, Illinois. Poehler and company met up in the windy city in the early '90s and started a stage show entitled Upright Citizens Brigade, along with fellow SNLer Horatio Sanz and Adam McKay (who later went onto becoming a SNL writer and director of such films as Anchorman and Talladega Nights).
Its performance style was based on that of a man named Del Close who has since passed away and is considered the godfather of the UCB. The team decided to try their fortunes in New York and soon after, the theater was born in what used to be a strip club. From there, it steadily gained interest and a TV deal with Comedy Central followed where their wide variety of bizarre and improvised sketches took for. As the show progressed, increasingly more people fell in love with their unique brand of humor, but the program was cancelled in 2000 after three seasons. As a founding member and owner of the UCB, Amy Poehler is enjoying a multitude of success appearing in SNL's staple segment, "Weekend Update", and such films as Mean Girls and the upcoming Blades Of Glory alongside husband Will Arnett. Her UCB cohorts are also enjoying success in the world of comedy where Matt Walsh can be seen in Old School, Starksy and Hutch and School For Scoundrels.
The four founding members are not the only people that have found fame due to the UCB theater, a plethora of actors and actresses have walked through the UCB's doors. During the initial years of the theater Andy Milonakis had a one-man show when MTV talent scouts came along and gave him a successful show. That trend will repeat once again as another UCB mainstay, a sketch group that calls themselves Human Giant, will premiere a show of the same name on MTV in the coming weeks. VH1 has also taken notice of the UCB and many commentators on Best Week Ever and other shows of that nature on the network have taken talent straight out of the theater.
One of the most popular shows at the UCB is entitled "Asssscat" which runs on Sundays and a grab bag of special guests from SNL, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report could pop up and perform long-form improv and monologues--the fun is that you never know who is going to show up. A shortlist of past talent that popped up on the stage includes Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch, Conan O'Brien, Jack Black and Robin Williams.As the interest in comedy has been on the rise in America the past couple of years, so has the success of the UCB. In the summer of '05, a sister theater in Los Angeles was opened and March '06 brought the opening of a comedic training center in New York where young comedians can brush up on the art of improv and sketch writing. There looks to be no stopping the UCB. As local magazine Time Out New York puts it, "It is inarguably the city's premiere improvisational/sketch comedy venue and may also be the city's busiest. It is a hothouse of humor."