Dr. Katz - Live? JFL42 Toronto 2015

[Donovan's Monkey]

Most of the line-up for the late September comedy festival in Toronto awkwardly labeled as 'JFL42', was announced today. As you would expect, most of the performers are known for their television appearances in some form, certainly some more successful or better known than others for their acting, hosting talk shows, or voicing animated characters in addition to their stand-up comedy. Among them are Bill Burr, Craig Ferguson, John Mulaney, Trevor Noah (two days before he debuts as new host of The Daily Show), John Hodgman, Al Madrigal, Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, Gilbert Gottfried, and Chris Hardwick. Maybe not the absolute biggest names, but those have their own headlining tours instead of being part of festivals.

One of the more odd things listed is 'Dr. Katz Live',
http://www.jfl42.com/act/dr-katz-live/

presumably something like the 'Family Guy Live' event in a previous year with the performers on stage reading at least one episode of the animated TV series (Edit: Or maybe not). What makes it odd is that this was a not-very-well-known cable-only 1990s show, difficult to recall now even by many of those who saw it at the time. I also thought I remembered hearing several years ago that Jonathan Katz had become debilitated by multiple sclerosis. The humour was also mostly more subtle and presumably less suited than Family Guy for a live event of this type. The regular cast -- Katz, Jon Benjamin (Archer, Bob's Burgers), Laura Silverman (Sarah's more soft-spoken sister), and Todd Barry (in later episodes) -- aren't known for being loud and outrageous.

The main focus of the show was actually the (usually) two guest stars per episode reciting some small parts of their stand-up routines in the guise of talking to 'Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist' in his office. In looking over the Wikipedia list of episodes, some of them are mostly-forgotten (who remembers Judy Tenuta or Emo Philips today -- or knew they were married to each other?) or dead (Mitch Hedberg, Richard Jeni, John Pinette, Robert Schimmel, Rodney Dangerfield, and Joan Rivers). But hopefully two or more still-alive guests will appear, as apparently occurred for at least one other similar live event in 2007.

Edit: Results of a google search show Katz has been doing this already in 2015 in places such as San Francisco, Portland OR, and Austin TX. Although Jon Benjamin was his character from the TV series at the SF event, it looks like these were not attempts to recreate specific TV episodes from the 1990s, but a few guest 'patients' talking individually to Katz, depending on who is available (the above-mentioned Emo Philips sometime being one), after Katz opens the show for a few minutes by himself.
I would guess Andy Kindler and Pete Holmes are likely for Toronto since they have been part of other shows and are already scheduled at JFL42 that weekend.
Another Edit: That didn't take very long to be confirmed.

Jonathan Katz -
Andy Kindler continues his quest for mental health @JFL42 in Toronto. He is so close it's scary.

Andy Kindler -
That's what you told me $10,000 ago. This therapy thing you got going on is quite a racket!

Jonathan Katz -
it's not about the money. I think we are making progress and I have the cash to prove it.

Another edit: As last year, headliners are at Sony Centre, with other acts (including Dr. Katz Live) at Queen Elizabeth Theatre at Exhibition Place, and this year at the Royal Theatre, which would appear to have replaced the Mod Club about three short blocks away on College Street as a JFL42 venue.

[lostjon]

Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist - now that brings back some memories. Before The Comedy Network launched in Canada, I remember in the late 1990s (starting from 1997) when Global was the only Canadian broadcaster that held the rights to a few shows from the Comedy Central library, and this was one of them.

Just as South Park was making its debut that year, Global also carried Viva Variety, which was a satire of popular variety shows in Europe, starring Thomas Lennon, who went on to star in Reno 911 and is now in the remake of The Odd Couple on CBS.

Mind you, these shows aired past midnight but for a time, Global had some interesting offerings (mostly syndicated or câble fare) as an alternative to the network latenight talk shows - I'm thinking of Sliders (when it moved from FOX to the Sci-Fi channel) and being able to catch MAD TV one night ahead of FOX on Friday nights. That all ended just before the end of the decade when they started airing The Late Late Show in simulcast with CBS, when Craig Kilborn took over hosting duties.

[PokerFace]

NOTE: From 10am today, until 11:59pm Thursday Jun 4th, use the offer code 42SINGS to get your pass before the general public.

Go to JFL42.com and get your tickets early.

[Donovan's Monkey]

According to an e-mail sent out by JFL42, the celebrity 'patients' appearing in Toronto at the Dr. Katz Live show are scheduled to be Scott Thompson, Andy Kindler, Sean Cullen, and Doug Benson.

[Donovan's Monkey]

The lineup for the 2016 Toronto JFL42 fest is to be announced at 7am ET on May 31.
http://www.jfl42.com/

[Donovan's Monkey]

Well, that was quick. I got all the etickets/barcodes for what I want to see. But if it's like last year, they'll add one more thing later that's at the same time as something else I've already reserved, and then have to hope I can shift that to another show by the same act on a different night.

[Donovan's Monkey]

A week before it starts, they finally announced the venues for a lot of the non-headliner shows that had been listed as TBA for months. Two I don't recall being used before are 'The Garrison', and 'Revival', a place I must have walked past many times and never noticed, as once again it's on College Street very close to the Royal Theatre and the Mod Club they formerly used. I suppose it helps to have venues close together if possible so people can quickly go from one to another, instead of being awkwardly spread all over the GTA.

[Donovan's Monkey]

The 2017 JFL42 line-up was announced this morning, and includes Bill Burr and John Mulaney among the designated headliner acts at the Sony Centre.
Some of the acts, including some non-headliners, will also have afternoon "conversation" appearances where they will be interviewed, usually earlier on the same day or the day after their stand-up performances, and some (Bill Burr, Tim & Eric) of them are at the Tiff Lightbox, which is a venue I don't remember JFL42 using before. And unlike last year when they were only available to VIP pass holders, the conversation events this year can be reserved by any pass holders.