Ruckus September 1, 2023

‘Our birthday party’

RACHEL HERGETT

For the Chronicle

“Bozeman is happening for comedy,” Last Best Comedy founder Levin O’Connor said over co ee on Tuesday.

Not too many towns the size of Bozeman boast their own comedy club, yet Last Best Comedy is celebrating the start of its third year of operations next week with the inaugural Last Best Comedy Fest. Last Best Comedy

Fest will feature 80 performers with three evenings of improv and stand-up shows from ursday, Sept. 7, to Saturday, Sept. 9, and weekend improv classes.

“ e festival is like our birthday party,” added Annie O’Connor, Levin’s wife.

After owning and running comedy clubs in Los Angeles, and touring as a duo with “NOW with Annie and Levin,” the couple moved back to Levin’s home state in 2018 for

the bene t of their growing family. By the next year, they had settled in Bozeman and met the third Last Best Comedy co-founder Molly Hannon, known for her work with Verge eater and the Bozeman Improverts.

“ ere’s a whole scene here,” Annie said. “ ere’s all these very impressive people.”

“ ey’ve been working really hard and also have always had to survive in nooks and crannies and

corners that would allow them to cram into a co ee shop or a bar or whatever,”

Levin continued seamlessly. “But that is a really hard setting for you to thrive.”

When Hannan and the O’Connors started teaching classes in 2019, Bozeman was already transitioning, growing into a small city with a vibrant arts scene. But could it support a full time comedy venue? Buoyed by student showcases that would draw

over 100 people, they started making plans. Originally slated to open in March 2020, Last Best Comedy would have to wait more than a year before pandemic restrictions were lifted and they could move into their home in the basement of the old Bozeman Hotel on Main Street.

“Sel shly, we sort of needed this venue to feel artistically ful lled,” Levin said.

From left, Levin O’Connor, Annie O’Connor and Molly Hannan, co-owners of Last Best Comedy, sit at the venue’s bar on Sept. 13, 2021. (Chronicle file)

What’s Available NOW On

“Movie: Vacation Friends 2” (Available Now)

In this comedy film sequel, Marcus (Lil Rel Howery) lands an all-expenses-paid trip to a Caribbean resort, and he and his wife, Emily (Yvonne Orji), invite their uninhibited vacation besties, Ron (John Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hagner). But when Kyla’s incarcerated father (Steve Buscemi) is released from San Quentin and shows up unannounced at the worst possible moment, things get out of control and the vacation friends’ perfect trip turns into total chaos.

JAY BOBBIN

“Movie: The Banshees of Inisherin”

(Sept. 4)

On a remote island off the coast of Ireland, Pádraic (Colin Farrell) is devastated when his buddy Colm (Brendan Gleeson) suddenly puts an end to their lifelong friendship. With help from his sister and a troubled young islander, Pádraic sets out to repair the damaged relationship by any means necessary. However, as Colm’s resolve only strengthens, he soon delivers an ultimatum that leads to shocking consequences.

“Movie: The Friendship Game”

(Sept. 8)

Teens in a small town come across an object with mysterious cosmic powers and a baffling sort of consciousness. Over the course of a night, the object tests their loyalties and unravels the mystery about their missing friend. Peyton List stars.

Jeremy Sisto has been in strapping physical form for some time, but viewers who noticed him early watched him grow into it.

Now playing Assistant Special-agent-in-Charge Jubal Valentine on “FBI” Tuesdays on CBS, the actor has gotten very visible roles virtually from the start of his career, making his screen debut as the son of Kevin Kline and Mary McDonnell in director Lawrence Kasdan’s 1991 movie “Grand Canyon.” Devotees of “Clueless” certainly know him from that 1995 comedy, but as the ‘90s continued, he also appeared in such films as “Hideaway,” “Suicide Kings,” “Moonlight and Valentino” and “White Squall.” Additionally, he did a screen test for director James Cameron to play Jack in “Titanic.”

Television also has been a big part of Sisto’s career from an early point, since he had the title role in the 1999 miniseries “Jesus.” He followed that with a series run in the acclaimed “Six Feet Under,” and he also was in the final episode of “Dawson’s Creek.” More weekly TV work awaited him in “Kidnapped,” and though that drama lasted only half a season, it helped set him up to join one of the most iconic shows in the medium’s history.

After playing a guest role in a 2007 episode of “Law & Order,” Sisto was invited back by executive producer Dick Wolf … but as a regular cast member as Detective Cyrus Lupo, a part he had over three seasons and more than 60 episodes. From there, he tried something different in the sitcom “Suburgatory,” then made a couple of other shows before returning to Wolf’s creative fold in “FBI.”

“Movie: Mad Max: Fury Road”

(Sept. 9)

Years after the collapse of civilization, the tyrannical Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) enslaves apocalypse survivors inside a desert fortress. When the warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) leads the despot’s five wives in a daring escape, she forges an alliance with Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), a loner and former captive. Fortified in a massive, armored truck called the War Rig, they try to outrun the ruthless warlord and his henchmen in a deadly high-speed chase through the Wasteland.

The drama about federal agents has given Sisto much to play through Jubal’s rich personal history, which has encompassed his sobriety struggles and his young son’s medical challenges.

Considering that along with the program’s strong ratings, it seems that Sisto will remain on “FBI” duty for some time to come.

Birthdate: Oct. 6, 1974

Birthplace: Grass Valley, Calif.

Current residence: Los Angeles

Marital status: Married; he has two children

Other television work includes: “FBI: International,” “FBI: Most Wanted,” “The Long Road Home,” “Ice,” “Wicked City,” “The Returned,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Suburgatory,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Law & Order,” “My Boys,” “Numb3rs,” “Kidnapped,” “Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King,” “American Dad!” (voice only), “Dawson’s Creek,” “The Twilight Zone,” “Julius Caesar,” “Six Feet Under,” “The Outer Limits,” “Jesus,” “The ‘60s,” “The Wild Thornberrys” (voice only), “The Day Lincoln Was Shot,” “Rugrats” (voice only), “The Shaggy Dog,” “Desperate Choices: To Save My Child”

Movie credits include: “Frozen II” (voice only), “Ferdinand” (voice only), “Love Is All You Need?,” “The Other Side of the Door,” “Hangman,” “Break Point” (also co-writer and a producer), “Into Temptation,” “Waitress,” “Broken,” “Unknown,” “The Thirst,” “A Lot Like Love,” “Wrong Turn,” “The Movie Hero,” “Thirteen,” “Angel Eyes,” “This Space Between Us,” “Playing by Heart,” “Without Limits,” “Some Girl,” “Suicide Kings,” “White Squall,” “Moonlight and Valentino, “Clueless,” “Hideaway,” “The Crew,” “Grand Canyon”

5

8

11

12

48 Bruin legend Bobby

49 “Dear” advice-giver

50 “Better Call ___”

51 “The Man Who Knew Too Much” (1956) star Doris

52 Eavesdropping org.

15 Howard of “Happy Days”

19 Dash gauge

20 Sailor’s hail

21 Disapproving sound

22 Car nut

23 Itinerary info: Abbr.

26 Turn _ ___ profit

27 Packing info: Abbr.

29 Sea, to Cousteau

30 “Are you a man ___ ___ mouse?”

35 Olive ___ (military uniforms)

36 Nero’s successor

37 “An apple ___ ___ ...”

38 Slowing, in mus.

BY JAY BOBBIN

For a while, two people seemed essential to a successful British romantic comedy: star Hugh Grant and writer Richard Curtis.

After the huge international hit they scored with “Four Weddings and a Funeral” in 1994, the duo was much in demand, and they next merged their talents on “Notting Hill.” The 1999 film, streaming currently on Hulu, has retained its charm in telling the tale of the romance between a modest London bookstore owner (Grant) and the movie superstar – appropriately played by a real superstar, Julia Roberts – who happens to pop into his shop one day.

Though he recognizes her, he’s low-key enough to try not to let on that he does. They’re fated to meet again soon when they literally run into each other on the street, and after some initial tension, things start to warm up considerably between them. However, romancing a world-famous actress is a complicated proposition for someone who’s much more comfortable keeping his head down … so whether the couple has a future is a real question. (A well-known actor has a cameo as her soon-to-exit boyfriend.)

Within the boundaries of a love story, “Notting Hill” does some other things extremely well. Curtis gets in some very clever and amusing jabs at the entertainment industry, particularly when Grant’s William Thacker is mistaken for a journalist as he tries to connect with Roberts’ Anna Scott again during a press junket for her latest film. Though he intends to speak only to her, he’s roped into interviewing her co-stars, which only reveals that he can’t distinguish Leonardo DiCaprio from Leonardo da Vinci.

“Notting Hill” also gives Curtis an opportunity to revisit the close bonds of friendship, since Grant is part of another engaging group again. His character’s sister (Emma Chambers) nearly loses her mind when she sees who he’s brought to her birthday party as his date, while nonchalant pal Bernie (Hugh Bonneville, well before “Downton Abbey” was even a faint glint within his eyesight) is quite nonplussed by celebrity Anna, not really realizing who she is initially. When he casually asks how much money she makes, her factual and impressive reply changes that.

2 Sounds of hesitation

3 “___ Misérables”

4 Actress Dern who won an Emmy for “Big Little Lies”

5 Lamp-bound spirits

6 Be exceptionally good at

7 Hot time in Quebec

8 Put back together

9 Performance halls

10 Kind of classic film

12 Item on a to-do list

celebrity update

39 Comedy “tribute” to an actor or comedian

40 Apple music player

41 “Arrested Development’s” George Michael: Michael ___

44 Give a scathing review to a new show

45 Tea holder

46 Him, to Henri

47 Will Ferrell Christmas flick

BY JAY BOBBIN

Milo Ventimiglia

OF FORMERLY “THE COMPANY YOU KEEP” ON ABC

Q: Now that “The Company You Keep” is over, what’s next for Milo Ventimiglia?

A: That remains to be seen. The actor put a lot into that ABC series, since his production company was heavily involved in it, in addition to his being the show’s star. It also came pretty much on the heels of the end of his run on NBC’s “This Is Us,” so he had been busy for quite some time.

The much-acclaimed family drama, on which Ventimiglia played Jack Pearson, followed a string of other regular roles for him on series (“Mob City,” “Chosen,” “The Whispers”) … so if he should take a break from weekly television work for a while, it’s understandable. It’s also mandated, at least for the time being, given the work stoppage that has been prompted by the actors’ and writers’ strikes.

Other shows on which Ventimiglia has appeared have included “Gilmore Girls,” “American Dreams,” “The Bedford Diaries” and “Heroes.” He’s also not opposed to guest shots, as he proved on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” as it was nearing its finale.

Even if TV isn’t the route Ventimiglia takes when show business gets back to business, he’s done a sufficient amount of movie work that might inspire him to go down that path again instead. “The Art of Racing in the Rain” and “Second Act” are among his more recent films, as is “Creed II,” in which he reprised the role of Rocky Balboa Jr. that he first played in (aptly enough) “Rocky Balboa.”

Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in “Notting Hill”

“Notting Hill” is a place, and a movie, of charm

What’s Available NOW On

“Movie: Babylon” (Available Now)

A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood. Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo and Li Jun Li star.

in focus

“The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” - Season 1 (Sept. 10, Series Premiere) This latest spinoff from The Walking Dead universe follows Daryl (Noman Reedus) as he washes ashore in France and struggles to piece together how he got there and why. The series tracks his journey across a broken but resilient France as he hopes to find a way back home.

“One Shot: Overtime Elite”Season 1 (Sept. 5)

This high-stakes, character-driven docuseries uncovers the devotion and resilience of Overtime Elite’s (OTE) players and coaches through every loss and victory—on and off the court. The six-part series explores the lives of OTE’s next generation of basketball stars from around the country, as they navigate through various challenges and grueling training in pursuit of a professional basketball career. The series will take audiences behind the scenes of a league that is disrupting traditional paths to the NBA and inspiring an entirely new generation of basketball players and fans alike.

“Movie: Sitting in Bars with Cake”

(Sept. 8)

Inspired by true events and based on the cookbook of the same name by Audrey Shulman, this new rom-com follows ultimate extrovert Corinne (Odessa A’zion) and her introverted best friend, Jane (Yara Shahidi), an immensely talented baker. Young and doing their best to navigate life in Los Angeles, the friends commit to a year of baking cakes and bringing them to bars — called “cakebarring” — in order to meet new people. As they work their way through L.A.’s vibrant nightlife scene, the story is a moving celebration of female friendship, forging identity and finding joy in unexpected places.

“Movie: Sentinelle” (Sept. 8)

François Sentinelle (Jonathan Cohen) leads a double life. During the day, he is the most high-profile cop on the Island of Réunion — but outside of working hours, Sentinelle indulges his dreams as a singer. As Sentinelle prepares to make his music industry comeback after the brief fame of his youth, a wave of violent crimes shakes up the island. As he takes on the case of a lifetime, he struggles to balance his work as a cop and his musical revival.

Solution on page 12

HISTORIC SUNSET HILLS CEMETERY WALKING TOUR

Sundays at 4pm now through September 3, 2023

Brought

Sponsored by:

BY CAROLINE COLLACUTT

Farm to TV: Chef Molly Yeh shares delicious recipes in ‘Girl Meets Farm’

From “Molly on the Range: Recipes and Stories from an Unlikely Life on a Farm,” her debut cookbook released in 2016, to its 2018 predecessor, “Yogurt,” to her current, farm-fresh-loving television show, Molly Yeh has proven herself to be “the duct tape of food” – a chef with endless creative applications who works connecting cultures and who aims to make her ideas accessible to the masses. Yeh’s series, “Girl Meets Farm,” does exactly that, with new episodes airing Sundays on Food Network.

A biography for the author and chef on Food Network’s website describes: “Molly has been featured by the New York Times, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit and New York Magazine, and has contributed to Vanity Fair, Saveur, Condé Nast Traveler, Food52, and The Jewish Daily Forward. She was named to Forbes’ 30 under 30 list for 2017 and Apartment Therapy’s 10 under 40 list.”

They continue: “Outside the kitchen, Molly is a Juilliard-trained percussionist and has performed with orchestras around the world, in off-Broadway theater, and as the glockenspielist for the pop band San Fermin. She lives on a farm on the North Dakota-Minnesota border with her fifth-generation farmer husband and their little flock of chickens.”

It is there, on the couple’s border-town farm, that Yeh hosts her Food Network series, “Girl Meets Farm.”

The series has been running since June 2018, now boasting 13 seasons of Molly’s most delicious Midwestern meals – dishes often influenced by her Chinese and Jewish heritage.

In its recent seasons, “Girl Meets Farm” has shared recipes such as Mini Strawberry Princess Cakes; Tomato Basil Soup with Parmesan; Beet Ricotta Dip with Vegetables; Blueberry Muffin Smoothies; Hammy Breakfast Hotdish; Pretzel Crusted Chicken Nuggets Salad; Churro Pancakes; Harissa-Braised Chickpeas with Feta; Yogurt Marinated Chicken Skewers and more, inviting viewers to try the dishes themselves, with in-depth, follow-along recipes shared on the Food Network website.

Aside from her TV hits, Yeh also shares more of her favorite creations on the site, some straight from her bestselling cookbooks. Hungry chefs and kitchen-dwellers of all skill levels are welcome to try their hand at Yeh’s Scalloped Potatoes; Orecchiette with Broccolini and Sausage; Sugared Pork Buns; Baked Challah French Toast; Chicken Pot Hotdish; Pastrami Egg Rolls; Miso Ramen with Fried Pork Cutlet; Shawarma Stuffed Peppers and more creative eats.

With endless (and delicious) talent to share, Molly Yeh invites us into her world with “Girl Meets Farm,” airing Sundays on Food Network.

Molly Yeh as seen in “Girl Meets Farm”

What’s Available NOW On

“Predators” - Season 1 (Sept. 6)

This visually-stunning, five-part nature docuseries follows the lives of five different predator species around the world as they work to survive in their ever-changing environments. Looking at cheetahs, polar bears, lions, pumas and wild dogs, the series allows viewers to experience life through the eyes of these outstanding creatures as these powerful hunters fight to maintain their dominance. Narrated by Tom Hardy.

“Top Boy” - Season 3 (Sept. 7)

In this critically acclaimed British crime drama’s third and final season, Sully’s (Kane “Kano” Roninson) actions at the end of the last season have led to changes in his business rules with Dushane (Ashley Walters), while new shared problems arise and outside forces threaten to set their empire crumbling. In the end, they’ll have to decide if they can coexist by following the rules they’ve always lived by in a changing world, or if there can only be one top boy after all.

celebrity quotes

“A couple of days, I had to start the day as Dr. Charles and end the day as Cicero.” - Oliver Platt , in an interview with Variety done before the SAG-AFTRA went on strike, on juggling his roles in “The Bear” and “Chicago Med”

“Dear Child” (Sept. 7)

A six-part miniseries based on Romy Hausman’s novel of the same name, this mystery drama follows Lena (Kim Riedle), who lives in complete isolation and under a strict set of rules in a highly secured home with children Hannah (Naila Schuberth) and Jonathan (Sammy Schrein). When Lena escapes and winds up in hospital, her story takes another surprising turn.

“‘Scenes From a Marriage’ was very tough. And I love Oscar [Isaac], but the reality is, our friendship has never quite been the same. We’re going to be okay, but after that, I was like, I need a little bit of a breather. There was so much ‘I love you, I hate you’ in that series.” - Jessica Chastain , in an interview with Vanity Fair before the SAGAFTRA strike.

“Virgin River” - Season 5, Part 1 (Sept. 7)

New relationships, a shocking break-up, a difficult court trial, a heartbreaking goodbye and a wildfire that threatens the town shake things up in the newest season of this romantic drama series, bringing some people of Virgin River together while tearing others apart. Issues of motherhood push Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) to make a big decision about her future at the clinic while her pregnancy unexpectedly sparks an emotional connection to her past. Then, to further prove himself to Mel, Jack (Martin Henderson) squares off with some long-overdue confrontations.

“I thought I’d done something wrong. Right up until the last two series, I had no complaints at all. ... I felt that last series was a bit rushed. I was inconsolable, but now I’m fine about it.” - Conleth Hill , speaking with The Times UK, about his reaction to his character’s demise in “Game of Thrones”

felt with The Times UK,

ACROSS

14.

18.

37.

14. Bowl clumsily

20. Terrifies

38.

21. Blood carrier

22. Special little treat

DOWN

1. Restaurant employee

2. “Lights, camera, __!”

3. Tricycle rider

4. Brylcreem amounts

5. Beatle wife

6. Misshapen folklore creature

7. Japanese rice wines

8. Largest mammal

11. “__, Honey, I’m home!”

12.

23. Phone download

24. Texter’s giggle

25. Walk away with

26. Reese, for one

29. Drama

30. Foreign affirmative

31. ICU line

34. TV’s “Say __ to the Dress”

35. Ms. Longoria

13. Sault __. Marie

1. Canine guards 8. Central Texas city

9. Paquin or Faris 10. Begin to study seriously (3)

Part of the musical scale (2)

15. Shut-__; housebound folks

16. Bumped into 17. Bread spread

90 degrees from NNE

19. European capital city 20. Heroic tale 24. Psychedelic drug letters 27. Farmer’s concern

28. Run up a tab 29. Fraternity letter 32. Perched upon

Cowardly (hyph.)

Entreaty

“It Was a __ Good Year”; Sinatra hit

Effortless (hyph.)

Suffix for light or length

What’s Available NOW On

“I Am Groot” - Season 2

(Sept. 6)

There’s no guarding the galaxy from this mischievous toddler! Baby Groot takes center stage once again in his very own collection of shorts, exploring his glory days growing up—and getting into trouble— among the stars. Season 2 consists of five new original shorts featuring several new and unusual characters, starring everyone’s favorite little tree, Baby Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel who voices Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.

“Movie: The Little Mermaid”

(Sept. 6)

The classic, beloved story of young mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey) takes on new life in this recent live-action adaptation. Hoping to make her own way away from her father’s (Javier Bardem) strict rules, Ariel makes a deal with a sea witch (Melissa McCarthy) in order to pursue a chance at love on land with the dashing Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King).

Surprisingly great rates that fit any budget.

I can help you bundle your home and auto insurance, at a rate that may surprise you. Call me for a quote today.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there

“9/11: One Day in America”

(Sept. 6)

This documentary miniseries from National Geographic examines the harrowing moments of the historic morning of Sept. 11th, 2001, through archival footage, eyewitness and survivor accounts, and with new footage that has never been seen before.

in focus

“Welcome to Wrexham” - Season 2 (Sept. 12, Season Premiere)

This hit FX docuseries is hitting the pitch with high spirits for its second season. Following “Deadpool” (2016) star Ryan Reynolds and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” star Rob McElhenney as they purchased Wrexham AFC, a historic professional football club in Wales, and work to return the struggling team to its former glory, the series zooms in on the passion of the community and the impact the club has on their lives. This season, the team continues their quest to move up through the ranks to the premier league.

“Bin Laden’s Hard Drive”

(Sept. 8)

Taken from the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed, experts use hundreds of thousands of newly declassified digital files to piece together a roadmap into his mind and reveal a groundbreaking look at his personal life.

Kyle Chandler in “Friday Night Lights”

Off (and on) the gridiron

Questions:

1) Which Texas high school football squad is the focus of “Friday Night Lights” for the first three seasons?

2) Starring Burt Reynolds, “The Longest Yard” (1974) was remade several times — which comedian played a washed-up football player in the 2005 version?

3) Which 1980s HBO comedy series followed the antics of a fictional football team, featuring O. J. Simpson as a player turned coach?

4) Which CW drama is based on the life and career of former NFL linebacker Spencer Paysinger?

4) “All American”

3) “1st & Ten”

2) Adam Sandler

1) Dillon Panthers

Answers:

Solution on page 12

BY JAY BOBBIN

“Mary Tyler Moore” still makes it after all

The life and career of one of television comedy’s most iconic actresses got justified attention in a recent HBO documentary, and logically, much of that project focused on her eponymous 1970s sitcom. “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” remains in evidence weekdays on Catchy Comedy, and it continues to hold up beautifully, thanks in no small part to the smart writing that began with series co-creators James L. Brooks and Allan Burns.

The saga of Mary Richards, a local-TV-news producer negotiating her social life as well as her career, also had a major benefit in what Moore – whose company produced the series – understandably called “the best ensemble cast” when she addressed the studio audience after filming the final episode. Edward Asner, Valerie Harper and Cloris Leachman all got their own spinoffs, with Gavin MacLeod, Ted Knight and Georgia Engel also contributing mightily to the sophisticated fun.

Puzzle Solutions

Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”

BY ROBERTO JOZEF

Ferrari and Leclerc look to keep consistency going in Italy

It’s another exciting weekend for Formula One fans as the Italian Grand Prix kicks into gear Sept. 1-3, at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy. Practices, qualifying runs and race-day coverage air live on ESPN.

As the Formula One season travels to Italy, naturally, Charles Leclerc and Team Scuderia Ferrari quickly come to mind. Looking to avoid reliving subpar performances from last season, this year Ferrari has remained in the hunt for a World Championship, in large part thanks to Leclerc.

Prior to the summer break, the Monégasque driveronly had two retirements with a couple of minor accidents in Baku and Miami during qualifying, including two podium appearances in four races. And while teammate Carlos Sainz has performed well himself, Leclerc remains Ferrari’s most reliable driver to get the job done, beating Sainz 8-4 in qualifiers and losing to him three times while beating him six times in races.

As points become tougher to attain, individual and overall team performances are paramount down the stretch, and for Leclerc and Ferrari to remain in the hunt, they’ll need to get past Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez seemingly running away with the World Championship.

Going into this weekend, Leclerc has gone over 12 months without a Formula One victory. Look for Leclerc and Team Ferrari to put together a good strategy and avoid taking any further steps back on the grid.

Full Name: Charles Marc Herve Perceval

Leclerc

Birthdate: Oct. 16, 1997 (25)

Birthplace: Monte Carlo, Monaco

Height/weight: 5-9/152 pounds

Team(s): Team Sauber (2018), Team Ferrari (2019-present)

Car number: 16

Formula One wins: 5

Podiums: 27

WORKSHOP DATES:

9/20/2023, 10AM

Comedy is an art form that builds community, Levin said, both within the audiences and performers. The physical space has only served to introduce them to more “artistically driven, creative, fun, funny, curious spirits” who needed a place to lean into those qualities.

Now, word has spread. Performers are often surprised by the quality of their experience, by the attentive audiences and Montana hospitality, Levin explained. “What we’re doing is real and resonates.”

It also brings in a variety of performers. Unlike many other comedy venues, Last Best Comedy features and fosters the growth of performers in two different comedic art forms: stand-up and improv. The two styles are opposites in many ways. Stand-up comedians usually write jokes on their own, trying out and honing in on the scripted material in front of an audience. Improvisers must work together as an ensemble, but generally come up with nothing in advance. They are connected by elements of surprise and humor, and laughter, of course.

“Our venue celebrates both in a normal week,” Levin said. “We alternate nights and we’re always about bringing people together. There’s a lot to learn from how stand-ups approach what they do. There’s a lot to learn from how improvisers approach what they do. We’re just tinkering with how to get these things that are so close to know each other and it’s kind of maddening that they don’t overlap more than they do.”

Last Best Comedy Fest will naturally follow this blueprint, with both stand-up and improv performances at the

home venue, the Rialto and Live from the Divide.

“It was always part of the model of opening LBC,” Annie said. “We always wanted to have a comedy festival.”

Annie’s vision for the festival is that it someday grows into a huge event everyone knows about and that it will take place in multiple

venues around the state. Implementation of the latter goal has already begun and the inaugural festival will feature satellite shows in Butte, Helena and Townsend.

“We’re kind of ‘go big’ people,” Annie said.

While some may have more recognition and credits behind their names,

each festival comedian will be paid the same for their performance. Last Best Comedy has never been celebrity driven, the O’Connors say. They’re not trying to bring in Jerry Seinfeld, though they acknowledge that they would certainly give him the stage if he showed up.

IF YOU GO ...

Last Best Comedy Fest

Thursday, Sept. 7 to Saturday, Sept. 9

Tickets are $10-20 for individual shows, $30-45 for day passes, $125 for a festival pass, and $250 for VIP.

18 and up

www.lastbestcomedyfest.com

“We want to put in front of audiences someone you haven’t heard of but is brilliant,” Levin said.

One of the headliners of sorts is Rich Hall, who Levin calls an “absolute comedy legend who happens to live in Livingston.” Nearing 70, Hall is still working, still touring and honing his craft. He has also been delving more into musical improvisation as part of his set. Change is inevitable, he said. Some things age out — “nobody wants to hear jokes about Gerald Ford.”

Hall has been a fan of Last Best Comedy since its inception, lauding the commitment to developing new talent and providing space for established Montana comedians to showcase their craft.

“Comedy is as valid an artistic form of expression as any other like music or theater or anything like that, but you constantly have to be trying out new material. The only way you get better is by going up onstage.”

Hall also imagines the festival as a grand event.

“All the kinds in town will be putting decorations in the yard,” he said. “I guess there will probably be a parade. I’m sure the schools will probably shut down for a comedy festival, something of this magnitude.”

For tickets and more information, visit www. lastbestcomedyfest.com.

CHRONICLE FILE, PROVIDED PHOTOS

TOP: Hannan, Annie O’Connor and Levin O’Connor joke around on stage on Sept. 13, 2021. ABOVE LEFT: Josh Johnson performs at Last Best Comedy in Bozeman. ABOVE RIGHT: Orange Tuxedo, an improv team with Craig and Carla Cackowski, will perform at Last Best Comedy Fest. The Cackowski’s will also teach weekend improv workshops.

Solution on page 12

in focus

“Animals Up Close with Bertie Gregory” - Season 1

(Sept. 13, Series Premiere)

Bertie Gregory is back to take viewers to the most spectacular corners of our planet — from Antarctica to Africa and South America to Asia — tracking down extraordinary animals to capture their daily lives like never before.

Armed with drones, state-of-the-art cameras, and underwater tech, he and his team brave subzero seas, climb snow-capped mountains and sleep suspended 120 feet in the air to reveal the challenges these animals endure, their fierce rivalries, and the threats they face on our changing planet.

NFL Season Kick-off

Questions:

1) The reigning Super Bowl champions kick off the NFL season this Thursday, Sept. 7. Who was the team’s Pete Rozelle Trophy winner?

2) Prior to relocating to Kansas City, MO., the Kansas City Chiefs played under a different name. What was it?

3) Unstoppable! Who holds the record for most touchdowns (rushing, receiving, special teams combined) in a single season?

4) The infamous 1967 NFL Championship Game between Green Bay and Dallas is immortalized by what nickname?

5) Who is the NFL’s all-time leading scorer?

6) Before Hollywood, Terry Crews played professional football being drafted in the 11th round of the 1991 NFL Draft. Which team drafted him?

7) Aaron Rodgers moved to the Big Apple this offseason. Which Green Bay Packers icon signed with the New York Jets in 2008?

8) Only one AFC Conference team holds a perfect (3-0) record in internationally played games. Name the team.

9) Nobody could catch this back with his 1,653 rushing yards. Name last season’s leading rusher.

10) Who is the only team in NFL history to have a perfect (undefeated) season?

The Bay Bar and Grille

Answers:

10) the 1972 Miami Dolphins

9) Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas Raiders)

8) New England Patriots (3-0 in NFL International games)

7) Brett Favre

6) Los Angeles Rams (281st overall pick)

5) Adam Vinatieri (2,673 points)

4) The Ice Bowl

3 receiving)

(31 in 2006, 28 rushing and

3) LaDainian Tomlinson

2) Dallas Texans (1960-1962)

1) Patrick Mahomes

Have you had your shrimp wonton fix lately?

WELCOME DR. SCHENK BOZEMAN HEALTH CANCER CENTER

Bozeman Health is excited to welcome Dr. Kara Schenk to Bozeman Health Cancer Center. Dr. Schenk is board certified in internal medicine, and fellowship trained medical oncologist from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Schenk specializes in immunotherapy, a type of cancer treatment that stimulates a person’s native immune system to recognize and attack cancer. Dr. Schenk also manages a nationwide clinical trial through the National Cancer Institute. Bozeman Health Cancer Center provides the latest diagnostic technology and treatments allowing patients to get the best care closer to home. Learn more at BozemanHealth.org/cancer or call Bozeman Health Cancer Center at 406-414-5070