Libby MolyneauxFRIDAY, August 1
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Who's your Idle?
See Friday.
Eric Idle, the Montiest Python of them all (yeah, wanna fight about it?) presents his new comedic oratorio, Not the Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy). Idle wrote the thing with John Du Prez — the fellow who wrote Spamalot with him too.While skewering Jesus (wow, that was a poor choice of words!), Idle also goofs on Handel’s Messiah. Someone else has already come up with the term “baroque & roll,” and the music is described as “practically every genre of music including pop, country, hip-hop, Broadway, Welsh hymns, Greek chorus and a Bob Dylan impersonation.” Idle offers this: “Shorter than Handel, funnier than Handel, but obviously not as good theologically.” Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hlywd.; Fri.-Sat., Aug. 1-2, 8:30 p.m.; $10-$114. (323) 850-2000.
SATURDAY, August 2
“Laugh your face off” has been the motto of The Tomorrow Show for three years now. Says proud Tomorrow Show papa Craig Anton, “I’ve been telling people for three years to stop coming, but they never listen.” Come help Anton, Ron Lynch and Brendon Small celebrate their anniversary with special guest Janeane Garofalo and (probably) one of the Kids in the Hall. Extra bonus: tap dancer! Steve Allen Theater at the Center for Inquiry–West, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Hlywd.; Sat., Aug. 2, mid., $5. (323) 666-4268.
SUNDAY, August 3
Last month, it was the Miss Lesbian Princess Pageant. Now it’s theMiss Asian Princess Pageant, once again hosted by Paul Ryan, as part of the yearlong Miss International Princess Pageant Variety Show. Coming up: Miss Jewish, Miss Plus Size, Miss Playmate, and on and on. What, you’re asking, no Miss High School Dropout Pageant? No Miss Encino but Really From Van Nuys Pageant? No Miss Divorcée From La Canada–Flintridge Pageant? No Reads Danielle Steele With David Sedaris Book-Cover Pageant? Acme Comedy Theatre, 135 N. La Brea Ave., Hlywd.; Sun., Aug. 3, 8 p.m.; $18. (323) 525-0202.
MONDAY, August 4
You know how you and your pals think you’re so hysterical when you goof on movies? Well, comic Doug Benson brings some sarcastic standup savants (Sarah Silverman, Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn) onstage to tell stories and watch clips from their favorite movies for Doug Benson Loves Interrupting Movies. Doug will interrupt whenever he feels like it. He’ll even interrupt this little blurb: “This month’s theme is sports films, so each guest will bring clips from movies like Slap Shot, The Natural and Rudy, and we’ll crack wise while we watch ’em. It’s like Mystery Science Theater, with shorter movies! And no robots.” Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, 5919 Franklin Ave., Hlywd.; Mon., Aug. 4, 9:30 p.m.; $5. (323) 908-8702.
TUESDAY, August 5
This week is big on comedy that makes you think (except for maybe that Miss Asian Princess thing). Take this bit: “Puberty is the sickest joke God plays on us. So you’re just noticing members of the opposite sex: ‘Girls, girls, ooo.’ Naturally, you want to look your best, and God says, ‘No! You will look the worst you’ve ever looked in your life!’” Who said that? If you answered “Eddie Izzard,” you already have your tickets to Eddie Izzard: Stripped. If he’s not a comic genius, then who is? Izzard plays five nights at the Kodak — take that, two-nighter Ricky Gervais! Kodak Theatre, Hollywood & Highland, Hlywd.; Tues.-Sat., Aug. 5-9, 8 p.m.; $35-$65. (213) 480-3232.
WEDNESDAY, August 6
Film freaks are buzzing about super-hush-hush performances by Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen at Largo. Rudolph’s baby daddy is director Paul Thomas Anderson, and speculation is that the show was co-written and directed by PTA. Basically, you should claw your way into this one. Largo at the Coronet, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd.; Tues.-Wed., Aug. 5-6, 9 p.m.; $25. (310) 855-0350.
THURSDAY, August 7
Now 100 years young, Sid Laverents has been a vaudevillian, dishwasher, sign painter, Fuller Brush salesman, carpenter, soldier, sheet-metal worker and rocket scientist. Later in life, he became a filmmaker and made the short autobiographical film Multiple Sidosis, which gets its L.A. premiere at The Sid Saga: Sid Laverents’ Centennial Birthday Party. On hand for the screening and tribute will be Kim Cooper of Scram magazine; Jake Austin, editor of Roctober magazine and co-creator of the cable-access dance show Chic-a-Go-Go; Fritz Harshbarger, amateur filmmaker; and Ross Lipman, UCLA Film Preservationist. Hot tip: “There will be birthday treats — and maybe even balloons.” James Bridges Theater, UCLA, Westwood; Thurs., Aug. 7, 7:30 p.m.; $10, $9 one hour before show. (310) 206-FILM or www.cinema.ucla.edu.
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