THE WEITZ PAPER

It took us eight long years to get to this day, but we are here at the threshhold.  Or as the pithy movie quote put it: Busted old joint, new Hotness.  Though that sums up nothing about this orderly transition of power demonstrated in America once again, the line does illustrate one simple and stark truth at the end of this day and the dawn which follows: one in, one out.

Fourty-four.

Yes We Did elect Barack Obama as President

Amid the pomposity and circumvention of our recent past, the promise and celebration of our future, a breath softly ends one era and starts another.  Yet the power wielded by this moment sends imperceptible shock waves years and decades ahead, changes we can only recognize in unseen days.

I know there’s a great deal of media circus and extemporaneous ‘hype’ going on to fill the hours of live coverage today, but the general sense of hope, inspiration and optimism I’m seeing and feeling from these images are now palpable.  This is no longer a campaign in the political sense, it is now a civic movement.  Change is not coming, it is here.

Today is the last day before Tomorrow takes effect in America — an astonishing, humbling and uplifting moment to witness.

To crib from another such moment in our time: thank God Almighty, here at last!

BIG NEWS pops the cork on our 301st show and kisses 2008 goodbye this Sunday night at the IO West in Hollywood!

Expect topical satire and sketch comedy skewering: Caroline Kennedy, the Christmas season, and gift to comedy writers everywhere, Rob Blagojovich.

Yes, there is a Big News tonight. After our triumphant 300th show/6th anniversary show, many of our fans wondered, “what next?” Why, show #301 of course you sillies!

Come out to the iO West tonight at 9pm
See: Christmas in Heaven, coffee haters, Rod Blagojovich and Jeremy Piven’s tears.

Starring Gregg Lopez, Dan Reber, Bailee DesRocher, Artemis Pebdani, Peter Fluet, John Abbott, Aydrea ten Boche, Sean Cowhig and Ray Stakenas

with Special Guest stand up Ed Greer

Directed by Artemis Pebdani, Gregg Lopez and Sean Cowhig.

IO-West
6366 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA

Before the misty eyes ensue, I hope you all are enjoying the holidays and look forward to the New Year with promise. 2009 has the prospects to be a much better year, in that it would have to toil awfully hard to turn out worse than 2008.

As is customary at this time of year, we look back on the previous twelve months and see where we’ve been, and with sadness remember who we have left behind.  Few people do this better than the people at Turner Classic Movies, who annually cut together a film montage remembering actors and filmmakers who have died during the closing year.  Not to sound ghoulish or crass, but I admit I do look forward to watching their yearly remembrances — not with glee over such notable passings, but because these montage are so artfully, touchingly crafted and they appear only at the end of each year.

The 2008 version of TCM Remembers is no exception to this rule of excellence, though it does differ in visual tone substantially from previous years: the haunting shots of winter streams, barren trees and empty shorelines would be utterly bleak were it not for the soulful refrains of God Only Knows by Joe Henry to lighten one’s heart while watching.  Perhaps TCM has not matched their loving film tribute to music better than this year’s union of image and song.

As always, TCM goes to some lengths to include writers, producers and fellow behind-the-scenes contributors to cinema history, including many actors known best for one part (often in their youth) only never to grace the silver screen again.  Naturally they can’t include everyone who passed this year — even so, this installment runs nearly five minutes, which might be their longest yet — but I do enjoy that those outside the limelight also get paid their respects so richly deserved.

So if you’re a film fan like me, bid a farewell to the likes of Paul Newman and Heath Ledger, Harvey Corman and George Carlin, Suzanne Pleshette and Charlton Heston plus many more, with thanks for their lifetimes of work spent entertaining and inspiring us.   And take a moment to think of those dear to you, some close and some far away. We all leave our legacy behind in the lives we touch every day, and by that we are remembered.

BIG NEWS stuffs your stocking with comedy this Sunday with all-new sketches and satire from this week’s headlines including: Obama appoints a cabinet, Caroline Kennedy wants a seat, Iraqi throws a shoe and Dick Cheney is still a dick. Jay Starr adds his great standup set to a fantastic show… yule love it!

The news doesn’t take off for the holidays – and neither does Big News, Los Angeles’ longest-running news-based sketch comedy show! So join us this Sunday, December 21 at 9pm at iO West as our friends Peter Fluet, Matt Johnson and Andy Trask join our regular cast for brand-new collection of sketches based on the events of the previous seven days – and our friend Jay Starr joins us for a great standup set!

And your ticket gets you into all shows at iO West that evening – including a brand new Mainstage Sketch show at 10, and the holiday Late Night Explosion at 11! At only $5 for a full night of comedy, and with the drink specials at Hollywood’s friendliest bar, you can have a great night out even if Christmas shopping has tapped out what’s left of your savings!

Big News Episode 299: “Goody! Two Shoes!”

Starring Sean Cowhig, Bailee Desrocher, Rachael Drummond, Peter Fluet, Michael Hughes, Matt Johnson, Jim Nieb, Melissa Okey, Tammie Smalls, and Andy Trask

Written by Brandon Burkhart, Shawn Carlow, Tammy Connors, Mark Dorsey, Rachael Drummond, Erich Eilenberger, John Faga, Scott Garner, Julia Gaudette, John Hallmann, Michael Hughes, Matt Johnson, Gen Kiyooka, Michael S. King, Matt Manser, Jason McClain, Rick Paulas, Jeff Perlmutter, Dan Reber, Tom Repetto, Howie Scheer, Peter Soby Jr., Aydrea ten Bosch, Niilo Tippler, Ron West and Phillip Wilburn

Directed by Ron West

iO West
Sunday, December 21
9-10pm
$5
Valet Parking/Full Bar/21+

BIG NEWS is always your “in” for great live comedy and we celebrate our 300th show in true Spartan style this Sunday by kicking the ass of the Persian army!   Okay, not quite.  But we will be carpet bombing the IO West audience with laughter, and in the good company of stand-up legend Emo Phillips.

Please read the details below with great interest, won’t you?

This Sunday night, December 14 at 9pm, Big News, Los Angeles’ longest-running news-based sketch comedy show, celebrates six years of laughs at the pitfalls and foibles of the famous and powerful with our landmark 300th show! Joining us for this special occasion is our good friend, Emo Philips!

So stop by iO West this Sunday night at 9 for a brand-new collection of sketches based on the events of the previous seven days. At only $5 for a full night of comedy, and with the drink specials at Hollywood’s friendliest bar, you can have a great night out even if you’ve cleaned out your savings to buy an Illinois Senate seat!

Your ticket gets you into to all shows at iO West that night.

Big News Episode 300

Starring Christopher Biewer, Kipleigh Brown, George Caleodis, Bailee Desrocher, Neil Garguilo, Michael Hughes, Jason Kelley, Melissa Okey, Artemis Pebdani, Ray Stakenas and Phillip Wilburn

Written by Kristina Adelmeyer, Christopher Biewer, Matt Blitz, Brandon Burkhart, Shawn Carlow, Dwayne Colbert, Erich Eilenberger, Adam Fisher, Julia Gaudette, John Hallmann, Michael Hughes, Michael S. King, Gregg Lopez, Matt Manser, Jason McClain, Shanon Muir, Andrew Orvedahl, Dan Reber, Tom Repetto, Howie Scheer, Emese Simm, Peter Soby Jr., Hayley Terris-Feldman, Aydrea ten Bosch, Niilo Tippler, Justin Vestal, Scott Weitz, Ron West and Phillip Wilburn

Directed by Ron West

iO West
Sunday, December 14
9-10pm
$5
Valet Parking/Full Bar/21+