All posts tagged: Comedians

George Clooney backs Jimmy Kimmel after Trump and First Lady call for comedian’s firing over ‘widow’ joke

George Clooney backs Jimmy Kimmel after Trump and First Lady call for comedian’s firing over ‘widow’ joke

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter George Clooney is defending Jimmy Kimmel against backlash over a resurfaced joke from the late night host that aged poorly in the wake of the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Kimmel joked that First Lady Melania Trump looked like an “expectant widow” in a monologue that aired Thursday, just two days before shots were fired at Saturday’s event which authorities are investigating as a possible third assassination attempt on President Donald Trump. The comedian’s days-old quip resurfaced after the shooting, leading to calls from the President and First Lady for ABC to “take a stand” and fire Kimmel, whose show was temporarily suspended last year after pressure from Trump’s administration. Clooney stood up for Kimmel and said that “jokes are jokes” during Monday’s Chaplin Award Gala. The Democrat actor compared Kimmel’s quip to a pre-dinner remark by White House …

70s comedians Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise’s real names revealed

70s comedians Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise’s real names revealed

Published by Daniella Wilson

Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise formed one of Britain’s most iconic comedy duos with Morecambe and Wise, and they dominated the comedy scene from the early 1960s all the way until Eric’s unexpected death in 1984. However, despite their surnames forming the basis of their partnership, neither Eric nor Ernie was actually using their real names during their performances, with Eric majorly changing his moniker. Eric, who lived between 1926 and 1984, was born as John Eric Bartholomew, and during the 1940s, he formed a close friendship with Ernie, with the pair starting their comedy careers in the same decade. Due to World War II, the pair had to put their act on hold as they served their country, but following the war, they reunited. In the 1960s and 1970s, their popularity exploded and they initially hosted Two of a Kind on ATV, before swapping to the BBC, where they started presenting The Morecambe & Wise Show. The show became a Christmas institution, and in 1977, the pair secured one of the largest viewing figures …

Taskmaster season 21 cast: Confirmed line-up of comedians

Taskmaster season 21 cast: Confirmed line-up of comedians

Published by Daniella Wilson

After much excitement in Taskmaster’s New Year Treat, the Channel 4 comedy show is back for its 21st season. As ever, five celebrities have signed up to leave all dignity at the door and take on yet another series of silly challenges set by Alex Horne, all in the hope of impressing Taskmaster Greg Davies. It’s a mere matter of time before the first episode drops on Thursday, 9 April on Channel 4 and the star-studded lineup of comedians and others in the industry has now been confirmed. So, who are the famous faces taking part? Read on to find out more about the cast of Taskmaster season 21. Taskmaster season 21 cast Amy Gledhill Armando Iannucci Joanna Page Joel Dommett Kumail Nanjiani Learn more about the comics taking part below. Amy Gledhill Amy Gledhill. Simon Webb / Channel 4 Age: 38 Instagram: @thatamygledhill Job: Comedian and actress Amy Gledhill is a comedian and actress who began her career as part of various comedy sketch groups before winning the Caroline Aherne Bursary in 2018, designed to …

Vince Vaughn Calls Out Late Night Comedians for Becoming Too Political

Vince Vaughn Calls Out Late Night Comedians for Becoming Too Political

Published by Daniella Wilson

Vince Vaughn isn’t a big fan of the direction of late night talk shows in recent years when it comes to politics. The actor and producer made an appearance on a new episode of Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, where he criticized the programs for becoming “the same show” that are “really agenda-based.” While Vaughn didn’t name any shows or comedians specifically, Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon are some of the current late night hosts who are known to get quite political and criticize President Donald Trump on their respective shows. “A lot of the late shows have struggled,” Von initially pointed out. “Because the only person they could make fun of at a certain point was just like white redneck kind of people. And it fucking tanked [ratings].” The Wedding Crashers star agreed with the podcaster, adding, “See, they never get it right. The podcasts have gotten so much more popular with less production, less writers [and] less staff, because people want authenticity. And I think that the talk …

Last One Laughing UK cast | Which comedians feature in season 2?

Last One Laughing UK cast | Which comedians feature in season 2?

Published by Daniella Wilson

Last One Laughing UK has finally returned for a second season, featuring a mixture of some of the nation’s greatest comedians. Once more, each of them are tasked with making the other contestants laugh, but to win the game they must ensure they don’t laugh either. Whoever lasts the longest without cracking a smile will be crowned the winner, and they have some tough competition as reigning champ Bob Mortimer re-enters the game to defend his crown. So, who else is in Last One Laughing UK season 2? Read on to find out more! Here’s the full list of Last One Laughing UK season 2 comedians. David Mitchell Diane Morgan Romesh Ranganathan Amy Gledhill Maisie Adam Mel Giedroyc Alan Carr Gbemisola Ikumelo Sam Campbell Bob Mortimer Read on for more information on who they are. David Mitchell David Mitchell. Robert Wilson Age: 51 Twitter/X: @RealDMitchell David Mitchell is a comedian, actor and writer who rose to fame alongside fellow comic Robert Webb as part of comedy duo, Mitchell and Webb. The pair went on to star …

Saturday Night Live UK comedians revealed ahead of series launch | Ents & Arts News

Saturday Night Live UK comedians revealed ahead of series launch | Ents & Arts News

Published by Daniella Wilson

Saturday Night Live has announced the comedians cast for the first UK incarnation of the hit late-night US series. They include Taskmaster stars Ania Magliano and Emma Sidi, Black Ops star Hammed Animashaun, and Ayoade Bamgboye, who was named best newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards last year. Larry Dean, who has appeared on Live At The Apollo, and Celeste Dring, whose credits include This Country and Lazy Susan, also feature in the SNL UK cast of 11, along with Paddy Young (Everyone Else Burns and Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping) and “Instagram heartthrob” Al Nash. George Fouracres (Steve), Jack Shep (Big Boys) and Annabel Marlow (Six The Musical) complete the line-up, billed as the “new generation” of British comedians. Image: Cher, Ariana Grande and Bowen Yang on Saturday Night Live last year. Pic: NBC Universal Media/ Sky UK SNL, broadcast on NBC in the US, is an American pop culture institution which has been running for 50 years, and launched the careers of stars including Bill Murray, Tina Fey, Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, …

Minnesota Club Cancels Comedian’s Sold Out Show Over Good Joke

Minnesota Club Cancels Comedian’s Sold Out Show Over Good Joke

Published by Jenni Sidey

A Canadian comedian with a solid international fanbase just watched six sold-out shows vanish in Minnesota. Ben Bankas lost his gigs at Laugh Camp Comedy Club in St. Paul after clips of his routine on Renee Good’s death blew up online – the routine hit raw nerves in a city still reeling from the January 7 shooting. Club owner Bill Collins cited threats, media frenzy, and street chaos as the reasons for the cancellation. “After discussions with, and concern from public authorities, legal counsel and staff, combined with heightened threats, increasing media attention and civil disorder, we have determined the risks and related liabilities cannot be overcome,” Collins told People Magazine. 👀Liberal Women👀 🤷🏻‍♀️😳Yikes, Ben Bankasjust went there. Watch to the end.😳🤷🏻‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/NmJ8jJue3f — 🇺🇸 𝓐𝓟𝓡𝓘𝓛 𝓢𝓟𝓐𝓡𝓚𝓢 🇺🇸 (@AprilSpark1890) January 11, 2026 Outrage began to erupt when Bankas did a routine on Good, the Minneapolis woman killed on January 7 when her vehicle made contact with an ICE agent while attempting to flee, after she had been obstructing an active ICE operation. Bankas performed material about …

Conan O’Brien Calls Out Anti-Trump Comedians for Focusing on Anger

Conan O’Brien Calls Out Anti-Trump Comedians for Focusing on Anger

Published by Daniella Wilson

Conan O’Brien is calling out comedians who have centered their jokes on being anti-Donald Trump and focus too much on anger rather than comedy. The late night veteran spoke at a recent Oxford Union event, where he said comedians “always need to be funny,” as that’s their job and should be their first instinct. “I think some comics go the route of, ‘I’m going to just say, “F Trump” all the time,’ or that’s their comedy,” O’Brien explained. “Well, now a little bit you’re being co-opted because you’re so angry. You’ve been lulled into just saying ‘F Trump. F Trump. F Trump. Screw this guy.’ And I think you’ve now put down your best weapon, which is being funny, and you’ve exchanged it for anger.” The Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast host suggested that comedians need to find a funny way to channel their anger, especially when it comes to topics surrounding serious life events and politics. “Any person like that would say, ‘Well, things are too serious now. I don’t need to be …

Bill Hader and Ali Wong Have Broken Up. (Sometimes, Comedians Can Make You Sad)

Bill Hader and Ali Wong Have Broken Up. (Sometimes, Comedians Can Make You Sad)

Published by Sam Flores

It’s no laughing matter: Ali Wong and Bill Hader have reportedly broken up and ended their relationship after about two years, sources told People, and a source with knowledge of the situation independently confirmed to Vanity Fair. The two confirmed their romance in April 2023, and made things red carpet official when they attended the 2024 Golden Globes together, where Wong took home an award for her lead performance in Beef. An unnamed source told People that the split is amicable and that Wong and Hader are still friends, but that “it was too difficult to make the relationship work with Ali’s upcoming stand up tour and Bill’s various film and TV projects this year.” “They’re focusing on their work and kids, while continuing to support and root for each other,” the person continued. Representatives for Wong and Hader did not immediately respond to Vanity Fair’s requests for comment. Whatever the impetus behind the apparent split, fans online are distraught at the demise of their parasocial faves. If there’s anything the world loves more than …