From AP:
Aziz Ansari and Louis CK will be among the more than 150 comedians descending on New York for the city’s annual comedy festival.
An announcement Tuesday says top shows at the New York Comedy Festival will include Louis CK at Carnegie Hall, Rosie O’Donnell at Town Hall and Aziz Ansari at the Beacon Theatre.
The five-day festival runs Nov. 3-7. Other notable acts include Adam Carolla, Margaret Cho, Brian Regan, Luis Jimenez and Joel McHale.
Aziz Ansari is featured in the August issue of GQ magazine. In it, there’s a picture of him tossing a television into a pool (below), as well as a list of “facts” from some of his friends.
credit: Chris Buck/GQ
From GQ:
From writing partner Jason Woliner: “Aziz’s power comes from his beard. And his power is to eat unspeakable amounts of food and still be able to shop at ‘Tiny Gap.’”
From Parks and Rec co-star Nick Offerman: “He is a very canny PR machine. Aziz is waiting until he has two more hit comedies before releasing the explicit sex tape in which he and R. Kelly make hay with Kim Fields of Tootie fame.”
From Amy Poehler: “It was between Aziz Ansari and Jackie Chan for the new Karate Kid movie. That’s how good he is at martial arts.”
All proceeds benefit benefit the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation.
From Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation:
The mission of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation is to shape the future of television while preserving its past. We are dedicated to educating, guiding and providing success for the next generation of the television industry. It is the goal of the Foundation to reach out to a diverse audience through its nationally recognized, unparalleled programs and ensure that television will reflect the voices, stories and concerns of our multicultural, complex society.
Don’t forget to set your TiVOs, DVRs or however else you’re watching TV these days. A replay of Aziz Ansari’s stand up special, Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening, will air on Comedy Central on Sunday, July 4 at noon.
This summer, Knope Knows will periodically upload Parks and Recreation caricatures by Norman Dapito before they are published anywhere else on the Internet. For more information on Norman, please visit his website or read an exclusive Q&A.
Here they are!
Forbes conducted a funny Q&A with Aziz Ansari. Below are some pieces from the interview. Click the “source” link for the full version!
From Forbes:
How do you use social media?
Some dude named Kevin that I hired off of Craigslist just writes all that stuff. I hope he’s funny and isn’t just writing hate speech on my Twitter. That would be bad.No, I write that stuff. It’s an interesting way to kind of connect with your audience. It’s weird because now, if you like a celebrity you can know so much about them through social media, like what TV shows and music they like, things like that. When I was a kid, I had no idea what kind of music Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bruce Willis liked.
Where do you see your career going–more performing or writing?
Of all the things I do now, writing is the one I do the least. I’m more of an actor/comedian, but I do like to be involved in scripts. On Parks and Recreation I’m not a writer. However, since the writers and producers are so cool about being open to ideas from the cast, I always pitch ideas for jokes and stories for my character, especially when we are shooting. Basically, I feel like I’d rather be more of a writer on set than in the sense of locking myself in my room with a blank screen going, ‘AHHHH! WHAT’S SOMETHING FUNNY??!’How do you decide what’s funny?
Obviously with standup you have an instant reaction to gauge off of. And with filmed pieces you can go the route of test screenings to get a similar gauge. Ultimately though, you have to just go with your gut.Do you worry that with studios focusing so much on global blockbusters that comedies will fall by the wayside?
There will always be an appetite for smart, funny comedies. If there’s not, please do not tell the various studios in which I’ve set up what will be smart, funny comedies.
