Watch Big News Episode 318: Large Information: “Old Wine, New Bottles”

Thursday, June 18, 2009 in Big News Episodes, Humor, News, News & Commentary, Video
Tags: "George Bush", A Whole New World, Aladdin, Alan Lebetkin, America's Next Top Model, Americorps, Barack Obama, Beyonce, Blackberry, Brian Smalls, Brian Vestal, Bristol Palin, Carrie Prejean, Christopher Biewer, Craigslist, Craigslist Killer, Dick Cheney, Dr. Phil, Erich Eilenberger, gay marriage, George Caleodis, Gitmo, Guantanamo Bay, Hillary Clinton, Iran, James Jones, Jason Kelley, Jed Alexander, Joe Biden, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Kipleigh Brown, Kristina Adelmeyer, Larry King, Levi Johnston, Lindsay Lohan, Mahmoud Ahmadenijad, Matt Blitz, Matt Moore, Megan McAllister, Melissa Okey, Michael Hughes, Miss California, Miss USA, national security advisor, National Service Act, Peabo Bryson, Philip Markoff, Phillip Wilburn, piracy, pirates, Ray Stakenas, Regina Belle, Robert Gates, Ron West, Single Ladies, Somali pirates, Stephen Hawking, Tammie Smalls, Tom Repetto, Top Story Weekly, torture, waterboarding

It was the last Big News ever! But if you enjoy sketch comedy that’s drawn from the headlines, don’t despair – every Sunday at 9 at iO West, you can catch a brand new episode of Top Story! Weekly, with an all-new collection of sketches based upon the news of the previous seven days! [...]

Watch Big News Episode 316: “The iO’Reilly Factor”

Saturday, June 13, 2009 in Big News Episodes, Humor, News, News & Commentary, Video
Tags: Abdullah Gul, Allison Reynolds, Ally Sheedy, Amy Scott, Andrew Clark, Anthony Michael Hall, Armenia, Armenian genocide, Artemis Pebdani, Bailee DesRocher, Barack Obama, Billy Bob Thorton, Bosley, Brian Johnson, Bristol Palin, Charlie's Angels, Claire Standish, David Doyle, Don't You Forget About Me, earthquake, Easter, Easter Bunny, Emilio Estevez, Farrah Fawcett, Flavor Flav, genocide, George Caleodis, Gregg Lopez, Italian earthquake, Italy, Jaclyn Smith, Jason Kelley, jesus, Jimmy Guidish, Joaquin Phoenix, Joe Biden, John Bender, John Hallmann, John Hughes, Judd Nelson, Julia Gaudette, K-Fed, Kal Penn, Kanye West, Kate Jackson, Kevin Federline, Kipleigh Brown, L'Aquila, Leon Panetta, Levi Johnston, Lindsay Lohan, marshmallow Peeps, Matthew Harris, Michael Hughes, Molly Ringwald, Musicians Roundtable, Neil Garguilo, Neil Garguilo in his underpants, Neil Garguilo in his underwear, Peeps, piracy, pirates, Pookie, Rahm Emanuel, Ringo Starr, Scott Garner, Sean Cowhig, Shashi Bhatia, Simple Minds, Somali pirates, Somalia, Stevie Nicks, The Breakfast Club, Tom Repetto, Tommy Bechtold, turkey, Tyra Banks, VH1, VH1 Classic, Watchmen, White House Easter egg hunt, Young Turks

BIG NEWS EPISODE 316: “The iO’Reilly Factor”
Starring Kipleigh Brown, George Caleodis, Sean Cowhig, Bailee DesRocher, Neil Garguilo, Jimmy Guidish, Matthew Harris, Jason Kelley, Gregg Lopez and Artemis Pebdani
Special Guest: Shashi Bhatia
Directed by Michael Hughes

Watch Big News Episode 314: “Hope Floats?”, with Nicholas D’Agosto and Aaron Krebs!!

Friday, June 12, 2009 in Big News Episodes, Humor, News, News & Commentary, The Biz
Tags: "George Bush", Aaron Krebs, Al Gore, Alaska, Andy Nordvall, Artemis Pebdani, Barack Obama, Bobby Jindal, Christopher Biewer, Chuck Norris, CNN, Current TV, David Crosby, Dead and Gone, economic crisis, Ed Salazar, Elijah Suleman, Facebook, farting, farts, Fired Up, George Caleodis, George Foreman, George Foreman grill, Gregg Lopez, I Love L.A., Jade Goody, Jason Kelley, Jimmy Guidish, Julia Gaudette, Just Dance, Justin Timberlake, Kim Jong-il, Lady GaGa, Lakeview Florida, Laura Ling, marijuana, Matt Blitz, medical marijuana, Melissa Okey, Michael Hughes, Nadia Suleman, Natasha Richardson, Neil Garguilo, Neil Garguilo in his underpants, Nicholas D'Agosto, North Korea, Octo-Mom, Octomom, Phillip Wilburn, Poker Face, Ray Stakenas, Rod Blagojevich, Sarah Palin, T.I., The Situation Room, Tom Repetto, volcanos, WLS, Wolf Blitzer

Back in March, Nicholas D’Agosto, star of the hit film “Fired Up,” and Aaron Krebs, one of the great teachers at iO West (and one of the folks behind the new M.I.’s Westside Comedy Theater just off the Santa Monica Promenade), guested with our cast in a show that turned out to be one of [...]

Watch Big News Episode 309: “Red Carpet Remnants”

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 in Big News Episodes, Humor, News, News & Commentary, Video
Tags: Britney Spears, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Heath Ledger, Oscars, News, McDonald's, Artemis Pebdani, Academy Awards, 'N Sync, Sean Penn, Joey Fatone, Melrose Place, Oprah Winfrey, Oprah, Jason Kelley, Michael Hughes, Ray Stakenas, Jimmy Guidish, Sean Cowhig, Tammie Smalls, Ron West, Julia Gaudette, Matt Manser, Melissa Okey, Erik Charles Nielsen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Repetto, Joan Rivers, The Dark Knight, Kristina Adelmeyer, Jonas Brothers, Sarah Palin, Bristol Palin, Levi Johnston, Harry Reid, Greg Shouse, John Boehner, Alan Colmes, Hannity and Colmes, California budget, California budget crisis, John Hallmann, Celebrity Apprentice, Rod Blagojevich, Milk, The Reader, Kate Winslet, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Situation with Erik Charles Nielsen, Matthew Harris, Roland Burris, Queen Latifah, Lisa Rinna, Penelope Cruz, 2009 Oscars, 2009 Academy Awards, Tim Geithner, Will Weldon, Huggies, Cialis, Dave Co, Darrell Steinberg, Sean Hannity, Fo, Dennis Rodman, Andrew Dice Clay, Tom Green, Nick Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Erik Hoffstad, cat fucking, Now That's What I Call Music, Flo-rida, Womanizer, Low, Rihanna, Don't Stop the Music, Kings of Leon, Se, on Fire, Wrigley's, Doublemint Gum

Our Oscar Night Show!
BIG NEWS EPISODE 309: “Red Carpet Remnants”
Starring Sean Cowhig, Jimmy Guidish, Jason Kelley, Matthew Harris, Michael Hughes, Melissa Okey, Artemis Pebdani, and Tammie Smalls
Special Guest: Will Weldon
Directed by Ron West

Watch Big News Episode 300 – “I-Rod” with Emo Philips!!!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 in Big News Episodes, Video
Tags: "George Bush", 1995, AIG, Andrew Orvedahl, Antonio Villaraigosa, Artemis Pebdani, Back to the Future, Bailee DesRocher, Barack Obama, Barack Obama is not an American citizen, Barney Frank, Batman, Batman Forever, Britney Spears, Call in Gay Day, Chicago Tribune, Christopher Biewer, Conspiracy Theory Girl, Doc Brown, Dora the Explorer, economic crisis, Edward Liddy, Emo Philips, Erich Eilenberger, George Caleodis, GM, Guantanamo Bay, health care, Hillary Clinton, Jason Kelley, Jason McClain, John Hallmann, Kim Jong-il, Kipleigh Brown, Larry Craig, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Times, Marty McFly, Matt Blitz, Melissa Okey, Michael Hughes, Michael McCarthy, Neil Garguilo, Oj Simpson, Oprah Winfrey, Pat O'Brien, Patti Blagojevich, Phillip Wilburn, Proposition 8, Ray Stakenas, Rent, Rick Wagoner, Rod Blagojevich, Ron West, Sally Struthers, Sam Zell, Sarah Palin, Seasons of Love, Shanon Muir, The Dark Knight, Tom Cruise, Tom Repetto, Tribune Company, Tropic Thunder, Valkyrie

Big News celebrates its sixth year anniversary and its 300th episode, with our very special guest Emo Philips!!! And what did we get for this auspicious occasion? Why, the news that the governor of Illinois tried to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat!
So if you weren’t among the 90 or so people who packed [...]

Watch Big News Episode 298: “Recession Proof”

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 in Big News Episodes, Video
Tags: Phillip Wilburn, American Idol, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Rosie O'Donnell, Journey, Christmas, Artemis Pebdani, Gregg Lopez, Christopher Biewer, Michelle Obama, Clay Aiken, Pennsylvania, Wal-Mart, Jason Kelley, Michael Hughes, Jimmy Guidish, Sean Cowhig, Tammie Smalls, Kipleigh Brown, Melissa Okey, Robert Gates, Chris Matthews, Hardball, Mr. T, Alan Thicke, Alec Baldwin, Tom Repetto, George Caleodis, Adam Fisher, Danny Ricker, General Motors, Barbara Walters, GM, Ford, Chrysler, pirates, piracy, Wunnaweeks, auto bailout, Matt Blitz, Janet Napolitano, Susan Rice, Eric Holder, James Jones, Liza Minnelli, Four Christmases, Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Jon Voight, Charo, 2010 Election, Richard Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, Nixon tapes, 3 am phone call, Jennifer Hudson, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Andy Williams, Paul Malewitz, Dreamgirls, Peter Soby, John Hallmann, Jeff Hawkins, Andrew Orvedahl, Dwayne Colbert, Tommy Bechtold, Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean

It was the week the government officially declared the US to be in a recession – but there’s no shortage of laughs in episode 298 of Big News!

In this episode:
- Rosie O’Donnell bursts into Barack Obama’s national security press conference!
- New Line Cinema announces the sequel to “Four Christmases!”
- Chris Matthews interviews the top candidate [...]

Watch Big News Episode 282: “So Two Guys Drive Into a Bar…”

Sunday, November 30, 2008 in Big News Episodes
Tags: "George Bush", ABBA, Alicia Sacramone, Andy Nordvall, Arnold Schwazenegger, Artemis Pebdani, Barack Obama, Bela Karoli, Bob Costas, Brent Forrester, China, Chris Stathis, Christopher Biewer, Cindy McCain, David Plouffe, Erich Eilenberger, fist bump, fist jab, fist pump, French Chef, George Caleodis, Georgia, Georgian War, Governor Schwarzenegger, Gregg Lopez, Hawaii, Hillary Clinton, Jason Kelley, Jed Alexander, Jim Nieb, Jimmy Guidish, John Chiang, John Edwards, John McCain, Julia Child, Laura Harper, lipsynching, Mamma Mia!, Matt Manser, Meryl Streep, Michael Bluestein, Michael Hughes, Michelle Obama, Mikheil Saakashvili, Morgan Hamm, Nate Liebermann, Olympics, Olympics opening ceremony, Pat McAleenan, Phillip Wilburn, Pierce Brosnan, PUMAs, Rick Paulas, Robert Mugabe, Ron West, Shawn Johnson, Susan Deming, Tammie Smalls, The Office, Tom Repetto, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, World War II, Zimbabwe

Our first show back after iO West reopened! And with special guest Brent Forrester from “The Office”, it couldn’t have been a better return!

In this episode:
- The Obamas’ Hawaiian vacation gets some unwelcome crashers!
- John McCain debuts a sequel to “Mamma Mia!”
- George Bush tries to figure out the Georgian War!
- Crazed Hillary Clinton [...]

Watch Big News Episode 283: “Biden, Your Time”

Sunday, November 30, 2008 in Big News Episodes
Tags: Adam Fisher, Anson Williams, Artemis Pebdani, Baby Come Back, Bailee DesRocher, Barack Obama, Bigfoot, Bob Costas, Boz Scaggs, Brett Favre, Bridget McCain, Christopher Biewer, Cindy McCain, CNN, Danny Ricker, Debbie Phelps, Donny Most, Ed Greer, Edward James Olmos, Erik Charles Nielsen, Erin Moran, Fonzie, fox news, George Caleodis, Georgia, Green Bay Packers, Gregg Lopez, Happy Days, Henry Winkler, Howard Cunningham, Jack McCain, James McCain, Jamie Escalante, Jason Kelley, Jimmy Guidish, Joanie Cunningham, Joe Biden, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Kristina Adelmeyer, Lido Shuffle, Marion Cunningham, Marion Ross, Matt Moore, Meghan McCain, Melissa Okey, Michael Phelps, Milwaukee, MSNBC, Olympics, Phillip Wilburn, Player, Potsie Weber, Ralph Malph, Ralph Nader, South Ossetia, Stand and Deliver, Texas, text bomb, text messages, Tom Bosley, Tom Repetto, Tom Thumb, Wisconsin, Wolf Blitzer, Wunnaweeks

The Olympics ended, and Joe Biden’s run as vice presidential candidate began. Enjoy this episode of Big News, which includes everything from a “Happy Days” reunion to a musical plea to Brett Favre using the music of ’70’s hitmakers Player!

In this episode:
- Barack Obama’s text bomb outs a nonsupporter!
- NBC extends its coverage of [...]

Watch Big News Episode 284: “Mile High Jinx”

Sunday, November 30, 2008 in News
Tags: "George Bush", Bailee DesRocher, Barack Obama, Baywatch, Bill Clinton, Captain and Tennille, Daddy Yankee, David Hasselhoff, Democratic Convention, Democratic National Convention, DNC, Ed Salazar, education, Erich Eilenberger, exceptional students, Gary Hart, Gasolina, gifted students, Greg Shouse, Hillary Clinton, Iraq, Jason Kelley, Jen Cain, Joe Biden, John McCain, K-Fed, Kevin Federline, Lance Armstrong, Matt Manser, Matt Moore, Melissa Okey, Michael Hughes, Michelle Obama, Neil Garguilo, Pamela Anderson, Phillip Wilburn, Pookie, Popozao, Ray Stakenas, roll call, Ron West, Sarah Palin, Sean Cowhig, Sheryl Crow, Tammie Smalls, Walter Mondale

The Democratic National Convention had just ended, giving us lots of great material for comedy – inane roll calls, seductive Bill Clinton speeches, and diehard Hillary supporters! Plus the comedy of Ed Salazar!

In this episode:
- The Democratic National Convention roll call gets out of hand!
- Sheryl Crow serenades Barack Obama with some specially written [...]

Watch Big News Episode 285: “Breaching a Levi”

Saturday, November 29, 2008 in Big News Episodes
Tags: "George Bush", Alaska, Alaska National Guard, Bandit, Barbara Walters, Bill Clinton, Brian Vestal, Bristol Palin, Buford T. Justice, Burt Reynolds, Deal or No Deal, Erich Eilenberger, Greg Shouse, Gregg Lopez, Howie Mandel, hunting, hunting wolves from helicopters, I Kissed A Girl, I Picked a Girl, Jackie Gleason, Jason Kelley, Jerry Reid, Jimmy Guidish, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Julia Gaudette, Katy Perry, Kristina Adelmeyer, Larry Craig, Levi Johnston, Levi Johnston blog, Matt Moore, Melissa Okey, Michael Hughes, Mitt Romney, myspace, Phillip Wilburn, Ray Stakenas, redneck, Republican Convention, Republican National Convention, RNC, Roberta McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin, Sean Cowhig, Smokey and the Bandit, Snowman, Susan Deming, Tammie Smalls, Tim Pawlenty, Tom Repetto, Tony Sam, wolves

What a week! We met Sarah Palin, learned her teenaged daughter was pregnant by a “f—in’ redneck” who blogs on MySpace, and mourned “Snowman” from “Smokey and the Bandit!” And we at Big News had our “I Picked a Girl” video aired on CNN twice! Plus the comedy of Tony Sam!

In this [...]