Celebrating my Golden Years

Hello again, Internet!

I’m turning 50 years old in January, just two weeks after my 5th anniversary of when I began performing stand-up comedy. So, this seems like the right time to record some jokes for posterity.

Join me at the Pilot Light in Knoxville, my favorite dive bar/comedy sandbox in all of Knoxville, for two great shows on Saturday, January 5, 2019. My friends Tyler Sonnichsen and Sean Simoneau will also be performing to get everybody happily warmed up before I give it a go at recording an album of material.

Advance tickets are currently on sale on BrownPaperTickets.com at shanerhyne50.brownpapertickets.com. And why should you purchase advance tickets?

Well, it’s a small venue, so you don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to be a part of the audience. And, because you don’t want to miss out on the rewards of being an advance ticket holder.

Namely, everyone who purchases a $10 advance ticket via the BPT site, will receive a download code for a digital copy of the new album when it is released on Bandcamp later in 2019.

If you purchase the “Walkman” option for only $17, you will receive the digital download code AND a copy of the album on cassette.

And, finally, if you purchase the “Discman” option for only $20, you will receive the digital download code AND a copy of the album on CD when it is release.

I hope you can be a part of the fun on Saturday, January 5, at the Pilot Light. Be sure to visit here again for updates and to follow me on Twitter at @ShaneRhyne and/or Facebook at facebook.com/shanerhynecomedy for additional updates as we get closer to showtime.

Podcasting: Going "Whiskey Deep" at Whiskey Bear Comedy Festival

I had a great time back in May as a part of the Whiskey Bear Comedy Festival in Columbus, Ohio. As a comedian, one of the great things about a comedy festival is the chance to catch up with old friends in comedy from around the country and to make new friends as well. It's like a family reunion, but somehow weirder and more fun.

One of the fun things I had the chance to do this year was appear on "Whiskey Deep with Tom Plute," a podcast hosted by Columbus comedian Tom Plute. In the podcast, he assembles a panel of artists, performers, and community celebrities to chat over an entire bottle of whiskey and then somehow answer trivia questions.

Each year at Whiskey Bear, it's a comedy free-for-all with a panel of visiting comedians. And this year was my turn in the whiskey barrel. To make things more interesting we shared two bottles of whiskey as the show progressed (and simultaneously devolved).

Feel free to listen in to a conversation with five comedians from around the country getting more and more intoxicated in front of a live audience and then having to somehow answer movie and television trivia questions. It was weird and fun. And, somehow, I survived the whole thing.

You can find the podcast on Squeezecast at http://squeezecast.com/2018/06/wd-episode-16-angels-envy-andrew-rudick-bianca-moore-derek-minto-liz-greenwood-shane-rhyne/.

And, for fun, here's a photo of us after the show and one of me barely holding things together at the comedians' after party that night. And, look, Trae Crowder - a fellow Knoxville comedian who has done quite well for himself lately - even dropped in to say "Hi."

Thanks to Tom Plute for having me as a guest on his masochistic podcast and to the entire Whiskey Bear Comedy Festival team for inviting me to be a part of a great week of comedy.

Left to right: Tom Plute, Liz Greenwood, Derik Minto, Andrew Rudick, Bianca Moore, and Shane Rhyne (Kafe Kerouac, Columbus, OH)

Left to right behind me: Nicky Winkelman, Pat Sievert, Tyler Sonnichsen, Aaron Chasteen, Lydia Manning, Scott Eason, and Trae Crowder. (Mikey's Late Night Slice, Columbus, OH)

Nobel Prize Committee Scrambles to Redecorate Trump-Themed Celebration Party

Oslo, Norway - 24 May 2018 - Members of the Nobel Prize Committee have been seen running frantically in and out of the conference room at Nobel headquarters after today's announcement of the cancellation of the planned US-North Korean Summit.

"We had been making plans for a victory party for President Trump," said Lars Falsknavn, head of the Nobel Prize Committee's party planning committee. "We had already printed out and hung the banners congratulating him for winning, but this changes everything I suppose."

"Fortunately, we were able to cancel the engraving order on the trophy before the work had started," Falsknavn said.

Normally, the Nobel Prize is awarded as a medal but, according to Falsknavn, President Trump's representatives had insisted the President would be presented with a trophy that stood "at least a foot taller than the man himself."

An anonymous source within the White House confirmed that the President favors awards like those given out a child beauty pageants and, seeing that the Obama administration had not received any like it, wanted to make sure there was at least one giant trophy in the White House to remind everyone the Trump had yet again bested Obama.

Meanwhile, the Nobel Prize Committee will have to scramble to redecorate the conference room for a new Peace Prize winner.

"Tentatively," said Falsknavn, "we're thinking about giving it to anyone who keeps Trump's fingers away from the button." 

R.E.M.'s "Man on the Moon" is best-selling Andy Kaufman-related song for 25th consecutive year

Los Angeles, CA - April 18, 2018 - Seven years after legendary rockers R.E.M. called it quits in the music business, the band is still receiving accolades and awards in the music industry. The latest celebration took place this evening at a quiet ceremony in the lobby of Billboard Magazine's offices. Industry leaders gathered in recognition of an unprecedented streak of success for one of the band's major chart toppers.

Speaking to music industry executives and media representatives Billboard editor Mike Bruno announced, "We are thrilled to confirm that, once again, R.E.M.'s 1992 hit 'Man on the Moon' has been certified the nation's best-selling single about the late comedian Andy Kaufman for an unprecedented 25th consecutive year."

Former band front man Michael Stipe commented to the crowd, "When we first attended this ceremony in 1993, I don't think any of us imagined it would become an annual event. This is a joke right?"

Guitarist Peter Buck did not attend the ceremony but sent a message via his agent, "For the love of God, stop sending me these certificates," wrote Buck. "I don't need 25 of these things."

Bruno said the band should be proud of the song's success. "Our statisticians are still putting together the numbers, but we have reason to believe this is the most popular song in history that mentions a comedian by name."

Stipe replied in his well-known mumble something about the end of the world.

When asked for comment, bassist Mike Mills expressed gratitude that he was asked a question at all. He continued, "Honestly, I can't believe we've won this 25 years in a row. We were all certain that Tony Clifton would have come up with something by now."

Clifton, a retired lounge performer, could not be reached for comment.