For those of us in Los Angeles, 2025 got off to a rather rocky start with the fires. It’s a time when many in the community have been hurting. To help raise money for those impacted by the fires and those who need the extra support, Comedy Gives Back brought together the biggest names in the alt-comedy world for a benefit last weekend.
The benefit - which took place at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood - featured a wide array of comedic talent. First up was a Mr. Show reunion. The reunion featured Bob Odenkirk and (live via Zoom) David Cross, as well as Jill Talley as the character Candy Adams. The premise was that they are auditioning a replacement for Cross, who that morning received a letter stating he was let go from Mr. Show Enterprises.
Some of the auditioning talent included Mr. Show cast members Jerry Minor, Brian Posehn, and Tom Kenny, as well as non-cast member Jonathan Kite. The part wound up going to Kenny - or his alter-ego, that is -, much to the chagrin of Adams. It definitely started the night out with a bang, as well as a reminder of the fact that we really need more Mr. Show in our lives.
Following that was a night of hilarious stand-up comedy from Patton Oswalt, Laura Kightlinger, Brian Posehn, Dana Gould, and Tom Rhoades. But perhaps our personal favorite was seeing Zach Galifiankis and Doug Benson do a “joke-off.” At a certain point, Zach decided to jump into the crowd and distribute donuts for some reason. But it was certainly a very memorable set.
From stand-up comedy to sketch performers to The Grunge Tumblers - which was basically just a bunch of aging grunge performers rolling around on a mat -, it was a memorable night that raised money for a great cause. If you ever have the chance to check out a Comedy Gives Back benefit, we highly recommend it. And please, donate what you can!
More information can be found here!