Home News STAND-UP RUNDOWN: Officially Funny

STAND-UP RUNDOWN: Officially Funny

Applause Break kicks off #FunnyFebruary by noting that NFL rules official Dan Blandino once attempted a stand-up comedy career.

by Chuck king
425 views

DELRAY BEACH – There’s been an abundance of news coming from the NFL over the past couple of days.

On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs earned spots in the Super Bowl. Then this morning seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady announced his retirement – again. And this time he means it.

In the spirit of The Big Game Applause Break brings today’s lead note.

Football fans will recognize the name of Dan Blandino as belonging to the Fox network’s rules expert that broadcasters consult for interpretations and critiques of officials’ calls. Most don’t realize that Blandino, the NFL’s former vice president of officiating, tried to make a career out of stand-up comedy.

In the 1990s Blandino made the New York comedy club rounds, performing at Caroline’s, Gotham and the New York Comedy Club.

Since most of Super Bowl Sunday isn’t really about football anyway, wouldn’t it be great if Blandino revived his act during that game to show America what he’s got? Applause Break would happily offer our interpretation of his performance.

Also in today’s Stand-Up Spotlight, some updates on a couple stories we highlighted previously: The quest to find a new Daily Show host and CNN’s attempt to bring comedy to its prime time lineup. There’s also Dave Chappelle talking facts, and one reviewer’s thoughts on the best stand-up specials coming to Netflix and Amazon this month.

Now, let’s get out there and make it a #FunnyFebruary.

STAND-UP SPOTLIGHT – Feb. 1, 2023

Dean Blandino, Fox Sports’ Rules Guru, Is a Former Stand-Up

STAND-UP RUNDOWNAs evidenced by NFL and college telecasts every weekend, even announcers who call football for a living don’t always understand the nuances of the game’s extensive rulebooks. That’s why Fox employs Dean Blandino, the NFL’s former VP of officiating, as its rules guru to break down the nuances of referee calls for viewers and occasionally call out the guys in stripes.

Sounds like a sweet gig. What kind of experience does a guy need to land a job like that? In Blandino’s case, apparently, it helps to have “stand-up comedian” on the ole’ resume.

Advertisements

As The Daily Show Welcomes Guest Hosts, Jessica Williams Shares Thoughts On Possibly Taking Over For Trevor Noah

STAND-UP RUNDOWNThe Daily Show is in a period of transition following the departure of its most recent host, Trevor Noah. Since Noah signed off in December, the Comedy Central series has been relying on a lineup of guest hosts that includes notable names like Wanda Sykes and Leslie Jones. Though the entertainers who’ve sat at the desk thus far have their merits, one still can’t help but wonder who’ll take the gig on a full-time basis. A number of names have been thrown into the discussion at this point, including former show correspondent Jessica Williams’. The actress and comedian is now sharing some thoughts on possibly taking over for Noah.

Opinion | Does airing Bill Maher weekly mean CNN is ready for a full dive into comedy?

STAND-UP RUNDOWNEver since Chris Licht took over as the big boss at CNN last April, one of the big questions he faced was: What to do about prime time?

Well, now it seems as if CNN is going to dip its toes into the comedy world. On Monday, the network announced that the online, post-show segment of Bill Maher’s HBO show will now air Friday nights at 11:30 on CNN. “Overtime” is the post-show segment of “Real Time with Bill Maher” and is a continuation of the panel discussion and viewer questions and answers following each week’s episode of “Real Time.”

Dave Chappelle Facts That Are Nothing To Joke About

STAND-UP RUNDOWNHis jokes have led to some criticism over the years since he doesn’t shy away from controversial topics like politics and race, but he doesn’t let that stop him from having a good time. Well, he did abruptly quit his massively popular series “Chappelle’s Show” during the height of its success and take off to Africa, but that was only one time.

Chappelle has spent a lot of time in the spotlight, but there are still many things that fans may not know about him. Discover these little-known facts about his early career, comedic influences, and more.

The best stand-up comedy on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and BBC iPlayer

STAND-UP RUNDOWNSat on doom-scrolling on your phone at home? TikTok not providing its usual injection of palpable joy, exhibited through a chorus of swift exhalations via your nose? Your usual rotation of classic Sitcoms like The Office, Friends, and How I Met Your Mother not giving you that desired feeling of warmth and laughter? Well, it sounds like you need to make the plunge and watch one of the incredible arrays of side-splitting stand-up comedy specials, found on the very streaming sites you are so zombiefylingly scrolling through for a much-needed serotonin boost.

Related Videos

Leave a Comment