Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon et al. Lead San Francisco Sketchfest, 1/19 - 2/4

SF Sketchfest will celebrate the 11th annual San Francisco Comedy Festival by honoring Eddie Izzard and the Upright Citizens Brigade with in-person tributes and by welcoming Drew Carey, Jennifer Coolidge, David Cross, Rachel Dratch, Chris Elliott, Will Forte, Elliott Gould, John Hodgman, Sally Kellerman, Marc Maron, Bruce McCulloch, Christopher Meloni, Laraine Newman, Bob Odenkirk, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Molly Shannon, John Slattery, Kevin Smith, Reggie Watts, Fred Willard, The Groundlings, the geeks behind w00tstock, the creators of Wet Hot American Summer and many more to fifteen venues over seventeen nights in San Francisco. SF Sketchfest, the most prestigious comedy festival on the west coast, runs January 19 through February 4, 2012. Tickets range from $10 to $75. For tickets and information, go to www.sfsketchfest.com.

SF Sketchfest will honor groundbreaking international comedy sensation Eddie Izzard with anin-person SF Sketchfest Tribute on Wednesday, January 25 at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Already one of the most acclaimed comics of his generation, Eddie Izzard is developing an equally stellar reputation as a film, television and stage actor. The SF Sketchfest Tribute program highlights comedic minds that have had a profound influence on the culture and on the craft of comedy. The evening will feature a selection of clips from Eddie Izzard’s illustrious career followed by a freewheeling onstage conversation and audience question-and-answer period.

The Festival will also present an SF Sketchfest Tribute to the founders of the influential Upright
Citizens Brigade: Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh, who will sit down
for an in-depth conversation about their unique place in the comedy cosmos, as performers and
creators of their own acclaimed Comedy Central series and founders of the Upright Citizens
Brigade Theatre. The UCB Theatre has two locations in New York City and one in Los Angeles,
and has become the breeding ground for a whole new generation of comedy performers and
writers. The Tribute takes place at Cobb’s Comedy Club on Sunday, January 22 at 5pm. An intimate performance of their hit improv show ASSSSCAT appears at the Eureka Theatre on Saturday, January 21 at 10:30pm.

In Wet Hot American Summer: The Live Radio Play, the original creators and cast of the
classic absurdist summer camp film will reprise their roles for a one-night-only performance of
the script, done in the style of a classic radio play-- complete with live music and sound effects.
Director David Wain and his co-screenwriter and leading man Michael Showalter will be joined
by cast members Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Christopher Meloni, Marguerite
Moreau, Michael Ian Black, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio. Special surprise guest “understudies”
will fill out the evening, which is presented by SF Sketchfest and Acker & Blacker, creators of The
Thrilling Adventure Hour. At Marines’ Memorial Theatre on Saturday, January 21 at 5pm.

SF Sketchfest 2012 closes with a series of film events at The Castro Theatre including M*A*S*H:
Celebrating Robert Altman. The film will be preceded by a conversation and Q&A on the late
Altman’s iconic career and the impact of the darkly comic 1970 film. In attendance will be frequent
Altman collaborators and M*A*S*H stars Elliott Gould and Sally Kellerman along with Altman’s
wife, Kathryn Altman. On Saturday, February 5 at 5:00pm at the Castro Theatre.