Canada left out of Steinberg’s Inside Comedy

Larry David, Tim Conway and David Steinberg taking TCA Inside Comedy

Tonight, Inside Comedy premieres on Showtime. It`s hosted and executive produced by Winnipeg-native David Steinberg. It`s funny and insightful and offers great up close and personal moments with comedy icons like Martin Short (from Hamilton, Ont.). Too bad it isn’t inside Canada. No Canadian broadcaster has picked it up yet, at least not as far as Steinberg knows. And that’s not funny.
C’mon, The Movie Network/Movie Central. C’mon Comedy Network. Take us Inside.
Ironically, Steinberg told me two weeks ago after his TCA Showtime session that that outsider perspective is what distinguishes Canadian comedy. “You’re up against the window with your hands up against it, looking inside,” he says.
A former Second City improviser, he takes credit for launching the careers of Short as well as other SCTV cast members. Indeed, prior to SCTV, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin and Short all appeared on Steinberg’s 1976 Canadian effort The David Steinberg Show, which can be seen currently on Comedy Gold.
The new series is essentially Steinberg sitting opposite other comedians talking comedy. Short appears on the Inside Comedy episode with Brad Garrett and Billy Crystal; they trade stories about Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Frank Sinatra.
Tim Conway was paired with Ellen DeGeneres in another episode I screened, but the most illuminating may be Steinberg’s sit down with Larry David. Steinberg has directed several Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes over the years and has a nice rapport with David, whose remarkable candor extends to his own idiosyncrasies. Fun to watch and listen to, especially for comedy fans.
David’s former collaborator Jerry Seinfeld, Martin Mull, Carl Reiner, Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, Gary Shandling, Sarah Silverman, Chris Rock, Steven Wright and co-executive producer Steve Carell are also featured on the series, which premieres tonight at 11 p.m. on Showtime.

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