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.