Science Comedian

My newest video for Time.com is about Philip K. Dick and all the movie adaptations of his books and stories, the latest of which is The Adjustment Bureau, based on the story “Adjustment Team” written in 1953.  It’s fascinating that Dick’s 50-year-old stories are just now being brought to the big screen – and still seem modern.  Testament to the strangeness of his brain.

I do mistakenly say that Blade Runner is one of ten PKD “books” that have been adapted, when I meant to say, “stories.”  Only a few novels have, so far, provided source material for films – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, A Scanner Darkly, Confessions of a Crap Artist, Radio Free Albemuth.  Most of the movies are based on short stories (which do appear in books).

I produced, wrote and edited the video along with producer Craig Duff, who shot and provided additional editing:

Link:
The Movies, Philip K. Dick and You

Once again it’s time to celebrate the births of Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln, who were both born February 12, 1809, making them 202 years old today.

Here’s the video I made for Time.com, in celebration of their 200th birthdays.  Just like the new Singularity video – I wrote, Craig Duff produced, and Jim Fields edited.

Link:
Lincoln and Darwin: Birthdays and Evolution

I have a new video up on Time.com about the Singularity.  If you don’t know what it is…  find out here.  I wrote it.  Craig Duff shot and produced it.  Jim Fields edited.

The video complements Lev Grossman’s new Time Magazine feature story on Ray Kurzweil.

Link:
When Robots Attack! Should We Fear a Singularity?

Science Comedian Street Team: Activate!  Please forward via email, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, telegraph, semaphore, smoke signals, and telepathy.

I have two(2) big San Francisco shows coming up – plus, a bonus appearance at Ignite SF.  One show is this week, part of SF Sketchfest – the others are just around the corner:  February 8 and 9.  Details and links… to more details and links:

This Wednesday, January 26, see two one-man shows for the price of one.  At the Eureka Theatre, comedian and cartoonist Michael Capozzola will present his food-themed multimedia show “Regurgitated,” and I’ll be doing my latest science comedy: “Spontaneous Emissions.”  Joining us will be the amazing Mike Meehan for a special cameo.

Wednesday, February 9, join me at the San Francisco Punch Line Comedy Club for an evening of science humor – again, “Spontaneous Emissions.”  My good friend Ngaio Bealum will join me as a guest performer.  Call the club and make reservations in advance!  This show will sell out.

And for something a little different…  the 2nd Annual Global Ignite Week is coming.  I’ll be participating in the San Francisco event at Public Works on Tuesday, February 8.  Ignite is an evening of 5-minute talks with 20 slides each, that auto-advance every 15 seconds.  Presentations are by artists, technologists, and other thinkers – designed to be of interest to geeks.  16 speakers!  A huge variety of topics.  My presentation will be called “How Wine Saved the World.”  True story.  Be there!

And, seriously – even if you’re not in the SF Bay Area, please forward this link to someone who is!  Thanks!

Jan. 13-16, 2011 – ScienceOnline2011, Research Triangle Park, NC

I’m thrilled to be attending and participating in ScienceOnline2011 – the fifth annual conference on science and the web in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.  My first time!  I’ll be leading a session with Joanne Manaster on communicating science with humor, and I’ll be speaking/performing at the Saturday night banquet.  I’m looking forward to reconnecting with some friends and making some new ones.

#scio11

8pm, Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 – Eureka Theatre, San Francisco

Sketchfest is an amazing annual event – actually three weeks of events – each January in San Francisco.  This year’s performers include…

Dan Aykroyd, Candice Bergen, James L. Brooks, David Byrne, Neil Patrick Harris, Garry Shandling, Eugene Mirman, Nerdist Chris Hardwick, Kevin Pollak, Greg Proops, RiffTrax, Will Durst, Bob Goldthwait, Brendon Small, The Sound of Young America, Paul F. Tompkins, Marc Maron, Todd Barry, Bob Odenkirk, Maria Bamford, Greg Behrendt, Doug Benson, Moby, Jimmy Pardo, and many many more.

Oh yeah:  I’m performing along with comedian and cartoonist Michael Capozzola on Wednesday, January 26th, 8pm at the Eureka Theater. Come enjoy an evening featuring two comedic performances! Mike will be doing his food-themed show and I’ll be doing my thing…

Brian Malow – Spontaneous Emissions
and
Michael Capozzola – Regurgitated

8pm, Wednesday, January 26th, 2011
Eureka Theatre
215 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
$15

Tickets are available here

You can also choose the option to buy a pass for all Sketchfest events being held at the Eureka Theatre on this page

Feb. 3-4, 2011 – Synthetic Biology conference held at Google’s Washington, D.C. offices

I am participating in a synthetic biology conference called “Here Be Dragons: Governing a Technologically Uncertain Future.”

Stellar cast of speakers from science AND science fiction:  Drew Endy, Andrew Hessel, George Church, Robert J. Sawyer, Neal Stephenson, Bruce Sterling, Robert Wright, and many more!

Part of the Future Tense series, the event is co-sponsored by Slate magazine, Arizona State University, and the New America Foundation, and will explore governance issues surrounding new, rapidly-developing fields of science.

How do we proceed when we have no maps for these unexplored territories?

*****************

Thursday, February 3, 2011 – 8:30am – Friday, February 4, 2011 – 1:30pm

Google, DC
1101 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20005

Wednesday, February 9, 2011.  An evening of science comedy at the Punch Line Comedy Club, San Francisco, with science comedian Brian Malow and special guest performer Ngaio Bealum.

Tickets are $15 if you call the club:  415-397-PLSF  (415-397-7573)
For an additional $5 service fee, you can buy tickets online

***
Science Comedian Brian Malow
presents
Spontaneous Emissions
An evening of science humor

“It’s as much about expanding the mind as it is tickling the funny bone.”
– The Washington Times

Get your geek on!  From the lighter side of helium to the darker side of the moon, join science comedian Brian Malow on a rocket ride through the humorverse.  Brian will dispel myths & misconceptions about science, explore the science in science fiction films, and exercise your brain as well as your funny bone.  Also, appearing:  special guest comedian Ngaio Bealum.

For all audiences!

Music is not just for musicians. Art is not just for artists. And science is not just for scientists.

—————————————————-

$15
8pm, Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Punch Line Comedy Club
444 Battery Street (between Washington and Clay)
San Francisco, CA 94111
415-397-PLSF

Tickets are $15 if you call the club:  415-397-PLSF  (415-397-7573)
For an additional $5 service fee, you can buy tickets online

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Brian Malow is Earth’s Premier Science Comedian (available for off-world appearances if transportation is provided). Based in San Francisco, Brian has appeared on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” and performed for NASA, JPL, NIST, OSA, ACS, and other acronyms. He also makes science videos for Time Magazine’s website, and has been featured in the Washington Post, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and San Jose Mercury News.

For more info, check out www.sciencecomedian.com and  www.youtube.com/sciencecomedian and www.twitter.com/sciencecomedian

FORA.tv has a short video of me performing at the recent Wonderfest science festival in Berkeley.  I’m talking about bad science in science fiction movies, and the example in the clip is a classic moment from Star Wars…

Link to video on YouTube

Link to video on FORA.tv

I had a fantastic time performing at the Sacramento Comedy Spot this past Friday.  We had a packed house in an intimate room – and they were just the perfect science-loving crowd.  Or, I should say, science-comedy-loving crowd.

The opening act was the hilariously geeky Nick Pettigrew (link is to a previous set of his), and I did a whopping hour and forty minutes, including some Q&A.  I’ll be putting more clips online soon.  Here’s the first.

My fever-dream inspired by the unbearable heat of an Arizona summer.  Some might fantasize of bikinis and water sports; I can only imagine global devastation, mutation, human extinction…

Link:  Science Comedian Brian Malow – 125 Degrees