query: Istanbul is located on the historic Silk Road in modern day Turkey.

pos: Istanbul Istanbul ( -LSB- ˌɪstænˈbʊl -RSB- , -LSB- - ˈbuːl -RSB- or -LSB- - stɑːn - -RSB- İstanbul -LSB- isˈtɑnbuɫ -RSB- ) , historically known as Constantinople and Byzantium , is the most populous city in Turkey and the country 's economic , cultural , and historic center . Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia , straddling the Bosphorus strait ( which separates Europe and Asia ) between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea . Its commercial and historical center lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives on the Asian side .  The city is the administrative center of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality ( conterminous with Istanbul Province ) , both hosting a population of around 14.7 million residents . Istanbul is one of the world 's most populous cities and ranks as the world 's 7th-largest city proper and the largest European city .   Founded under the name of Byzantion on the Sarayburnu promontory around 660 BCE , the city developed to become one of the most significant in history . After its reestablishment as Constantinople in 330 CE , it served as an imperial capital for almost 16 centuries , during the Roman and Byzantine ( 330 -- 1204 and 1261 -- 1453 ) , the Latin ( 1204 -- 1261 ) , and the Ottoman ( 1453 -- 1922 ) empires . It was instrumental in the advancement of Christianity during Roman and Byzantine times , before the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 and transformed it into an Islamic stronghold and the seat of the Ottoman Caliphate .   Istanbul 's strategic position on the historic Silk Road , rail networks to Europe and the Middle East , and the only sea route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean have produced a cosmopolitan populace , although less so since the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923 . Overlooked for the new capital Ankara during the interwar period , the city has since regained much of its prominence . The population of the city has increased tenfold since the 1950s , as migrants from across Anatolia have moved in and city limits have expanded to accommodate them . Arts , music , film , and cultural festivals were established at the end of the 20th century and continue to be hosted by the city today . Infrastructure improvements have produced a complex transportation network .   Approximately foreign visitors arrived in Istanbul in 2015 , five years after it was named a European Capital of Culture , making the city the world 's fifth most popular tourist destination . The city 's biggest attraction is its historic center , partially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site , and its cultural and entertainment hub can be found across the city 's natural harbor , the Golden Horn , in the Beyoğlu district . Considered a global city , Istanbul has one of the fastest-growing metropolitan economies in the world . It hosts the headquarters of many Turkish companies and media outlets and accounts for more than a quarter of the country 's gross domestic product . Hoping to capitalize on its revitalization and rapid expansion , Istanbul has bid for the Summer Olympics five times in twenty years .

neg: History of Afghanistan The written history of Afghanistan , ( تاریخ افغانستان د افغانستان تاريخ can be traced back to around 500 BCE when the area was under the Achaemenid Empire , although evidence indicates that an advanced degree of urbanized culture has existed in the land since between 3000 and 2000 BCE . The Indus Valley Civilisation stretched up to large parts of Afghanistan in the north , with several sites being known . Alexander the Great and his Macedonian army arrived at what is now Afghanistan in 330 BCE after conquering Persia during the Battle of Gaugamela . Since then , many empires have established capitals inside Afghanistan , including the Greco-Bactrians , Mauryas , Kushans , Hindu Shahi , Saffarids , Samanids , Ghaznavids , Ghurids , Timurids , Mughals , Hotakis and Durranis .   Afghanistan ( meaning `` land of the Afghans '' ) has been a strategically important location throughout history . The land served as `` a gateway to India , impinging on the ancient Silk Road , which carried trade from the Mediterranean to China '' . Sitting on many trade and migration routes , Afghanistan may be called the ` Central Asian roundabout ' since routes converge from the Middle East , from the Indus Valley through the passes over the Hindu Kush , from the Far East via the Tarim Basin , and from the adjacent Eurasian Steppe .   The archaeological manifestation of the Indo-Iranians ( Aryans ) before their split into separate language groups is generally seen as the Andronovo culture to the north of present-day Afghanistan . The Iranian languages were developed by one branch of these people ; the Pashto language spoken today in Afghanistan is one of the Eastern Iranian languages . Elena E. Kuz ` mina argues that the tents of Iranian-speaking nomads of Afghanistan developed from the light surface houses of the Eurasian steppe belt in the Bronze Age .   The Arab invasions influenced the culture of Afghanistan , and its pre-Islamic period of Zoroastrian , Macedonian , Buddhist and Hindu past has long vanished . Turkic empire-builders such as the Ghaznavids and Timurids made the region now called Afghanistan of major importance .   Mirwais Hotak followed by Ahmad Shah Durrani unified Afghan tribes and founded the last Afghan Empire in the early 18th century CE . Afghanistan 's sovereignty has been held during the Anglo-Afghan Wars , the 1980s Soviet war , and the 2001-present war by the country 's many and diverse people : the Pashtuns , Tajiks , Hazaras , Uzbeks , Turkmen , Aimak , Baloch and others . The Pashtuns form the largest group , claiming to be descendants of ancient Israelites or Qais Abdur Rashid but scholars believe that they are a confederation of various peoples from the past who united under Pashtunwali .

neg: List of shopping malls in Istanbul This is a list of notable historical and modern shopping malls in Istanbul , Turkey .

neg: Yenikapı Yenikapı ( -LSB- jenikapɯ -RSB- ) is a port and a quarter in Istanbul , Turkey , in the metropolitan district of Fatih on the European side of the Bosphorus and along the southern shore of the city 's historically central peninsula .   Yenikapı is notable for the ongoing excavations on its Byzantine port discovered in 2004 . This has become one of the largest investigations in Europe , because of the size and the number of the shipwrecks found since the initial discovery , and the large number of associated artefacts . The commercial harbor , called the Harbour of Theodosius , in use between the 5th and the 10th centuries , was an alternative to Constantinople 's traditional berths situated along the inlet of the Golden Horn .

neg: Stone Tower (Ptolemy) Ptolemy , the Greco-Egyptian geographer of Alexandria , wrote about a `` Stone Tower '' ( λίθινος πύργος in Greek , Turris Lapidea in Latin ) which marked the mid-point on the ancient Silk Road -- the network of overland trade routes taken by caravans between Europe and Asia . It was the most important landmark on this route , where caravans stopped on their difficult and dangerous journeys to allow travellers to take on provisions , rest , and trade goods before continuing on .   Ptolemy 's famous treatise on cartography , Geography , written around 140 CE , is the only book on this subject to have survived from classical antiquity , and has had a profound influence right through the ages . In it , he set the coordinates of the Stone Tower at longitude135 and latitude 43 degrees north on his gradation system , but its actual location has been vigorously debated by researchers and historians over the centuries . This is because the information that he , and other scholars from his era , left behind is simply not precise enough ( despite his coordinates ) , due to the rudimentary methods caravans employed while route surveying distant lands from which ancient cartographers drew their maps . If the Stone Tower could be pin-pointed then not only would this be of great significance in the study of ancient geography , but it would allow other important landmarks in this region , similarly ( and imprecisely ) detailed by Ptolemy , to be more closely located also .   A brief survey of literature reveals the long-standing disagreements by geographers and historians to locate the Stone Tower : As far back as the 11th century Al-Biruni suggested it was the city of Tashkent ( which means `` castle of stone '' ) . In the 19th century , Hagar too maintained it was Tashkent , partly based on the striking coincidence of the city being on the same latitude of 43 degrees north ; while d'Anville identified it with the fortress of Aatas , 7 degrees northwest of Kashgar ; and Bell argued it was near the Pass of Chiltung in the Pamirs . Yule located it nearby at Daraut-Kurgan , while Bevan & Smith thought the Stone Tower was probably the same as the `` Hormeterium '' ( or `` merchants ' station '' which Ptolemy also writes about ) and located it near the Sulaiman-Too mountain in Osh . Bunbury thought the information given was too vague to precisely determine its location .   In the 20th century , Hackin travelled there and thought it was at Tashkurgan , while Hermann placed it in the vicinity of Daraut-Kurgan . Stein , who perhaps most extensively travelled this region , suggested the valley of Karategin was the area Ptolemy referred to `` when the traveller ascended the ravine '' and so proposed a site near Daraut-Kurgan , and Thomson agrees it should be nearby .   From the turn of this century , Rapin ( 2001 ) has suggested it is Sulaiman-Too ; while Bernard ( 2005 ) , by carefully tracing the route taken by the caravan of Maes Titianos , locates the Stone Tower near Daraut-Kurgan ; and P'iankov ( 2014 ) , after also considering information drawn from contemporary sailors , agrees with him . Tupikova et al ( 2014 ) , following `` the application of spherical trigonometry for the recalculation of Ptolemy 's coordinates '' , concluded that it `` can with great probability be identified as Tashkurgan '' . Dean ( 2015 ) also uses a new methodology , by proposing a set of three criteria to help locate this landmark , and identifies it as Sulaiman-Too .   All in all , there are four sites that are most often identified as the likely location of the Stone Tower : ( i ) the city of Tashkent , in Uzbekistan ; ( ii ) the Sulaiman-Too mountain in Osh , Kyrgyzstan ; ( iii ) the town of Daraut-Kurgan in south-western Kyrgyzstan ; and ( iv ) the town of Tashkurgan , in Xinjiang , China . However , some historians also consider the Hormeterium , located nearby in the mountains close to the crossover point with China , to be one and the same as the Stone Tower ; and believe this landmark to be the settlement of Irkeshtam .   All four sites mentioned above , as well as Irkeshtam , can be seen on the Map of Silk Roads over the Roof of Asia .

neg: Ottoman studies Ottoman studies is an interdisciplinary branch of the humanities that addresses the history , culture , costumes , religion , art , such as literature and music , science , economy , and politics of the Ottoman Empire . It is a sub-category of Oriental studies and Middle Eastern studies , and also Turkish studies .

neg: Rise of the Ottoman Empire The foundation and rise of the Ottoman Empire is a period of history that started with the emergence of the Ottoman principality in , and ended with the conquest of Constantinople on May 29 , 1453 . This period witnessed the foundation of a political entity ruled by the Ottoman Dynasty in the northwestern Anatolian region of Bithynia , and its transformation from a small principality on the Byzantine frontier into an empire spanning the Balkans and Anatolia . For this reason , this period in the empire 's history has been described as the Proto-Imperial Era . Throughout most of this period , the Ottomans were merely one of many competing states in the region , and relied upon the support of local warlords and vassals to maintain control over their realm . By the middle of the fifteenth century the Ottoman sultans were able to accumulate enough personal power and authority to establish a centralized imperial state , a process which was brought to fruition by Sultan Mehmed II ( r. 1451-1481 ) .   The cause of Ottoman success can not be attributed to any single factor , and they varied throughout the period as the Ottomans continually adapted to changing circumstances .   The earlier part of this period , the fourteenth century , is particularly difficult for historians to study due to the scarcity of sources . Not a single written document survives from the reign of Osman I , and very little survives from the rest of the century . The Ottomans , furthermore , did not begin to record their own history until the fifteenth century , more than a hundred years after many of the events they describe . It is thus a great challenge for historians to differentiate between fact and myth in analyzing the stories contained in these later chronicles , so much so that one historian has even declared it impossible , describing the earliest period of Ottoman history as a `` black hole . ''

neg: Silk Route (disambiguation) The Silk Route is a number of trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass .   Silk Route may also refer to :   Silk Route ( band ) , an Indian music band

neg: Forum of Arcadius The Forum of Arcadius ( Forum Arcadii , Φόρος τοῦ Ἀρκαδίου ) , was built by the Emperor Arcadius in the city of Constantinople , now Istanbul .   Built in 403 , it was built in the Xerolophos area and was the last forum before reaching the Constantinian city walls and the Golden Gate in a line of forums , including the Forum of Theodosius , the Forum of Constantine , the Forum Bovis , and the Forum Amastrianum , built westward from the city center along the Mese .   The forum was later converted to a bazaar by the Ottomans , referred to as the Avrat Pazarı or `` Women 's Bazaar '' , which was mistaken with the Slave Market at Tavukpazari near Nur-u Osmaniye used for the auctioning of female slaves , otherwise known as ` Cariye ' , who technically during the period had a completely different social status than regular slaves . This practice was abolished in 1847 during Reshid Pasha 's time possibly due to the British influence Slavery Abolition Act 1833 .   The Column of Arcadius , located in the center of the forum , was decorated with spiral bands of sculpture in bas relief representing the triumphs of the emperor , like Trajan 's Column in Rome . At the top of the column , which was more than 50m high , there was an enormous Corinthian capital surmounted by an equestrian statue of Arcadius , placed there in 421 by his son , Theodosius II . This statue was eventually toppled from the column and destroyed during an earthquake in 704 . The column itself remained standing for another thousand years until it was deliberately demolished in 1715 , when it appeared to be in imminent danger of collapsing on the neighboring houses . Now all that remains are the mutilated base and some fragments of sculpture from the column which are on display in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum .

neg: Caravan (travellers) A caravan ( from کاروان ) is a group of people traveling together , often on a trade expedition . Caravans were used mainly in desert areas and throughout the Silk Road , where traveling in groups aided in defense against bandits as well as helping to improve economies of scale in trade .   In historical times , caravans connecting East Asia and Europe often carried luxurious and lucrative goods , such as silks or jewelry . Caravans could therefore require considerable investment and were a lucrative target for bandits . The profits from a successfully undertaken journey could be enormous , comparable to the later European spice trade . The luxurious goods brought by caravans attracted many rulers along important trade routes to construct caravanserais . Caravanserais were roadside stations which supported the flow of commerce , information , and people across the network of trade routes covering Asia , North Africa , and southeastern Europe , especially along the Silk Road . Caravanserais provided water for human and animal consumption , washing , and ritual ablutions . Sometimes they had elaborate baths . They also kept fodder for animals and had shops for travelers where they could acquire new supplies . In addition , some shops bought goods from the traveling merchants .   However , the volume a caravan could transport was limited even by Classical or Medieval standards . For example , a caravan of 500 camels could only transport as much as a third or half of the goods carried by a regular Byzantine merchant sailing ship .   Present-day caravans in less-developed areas of the world often still transport important goods through badly passable areas , such as seeds required for agriculture in arid regions . An example are the camel trains traversing the southern edges of the Sahara Desert .

neg: List of people from Istanbul This is a list of notable people hailing from the city of Istanbul .   Hrant Dink editor of an Armenian newspaper  Halide Edip Adıvar , novelist , politician  Müjde Ar , actress  Oğuz Aral , cartoonist  Bülent Arel , music producer  Duygu Asena , women 's rights activist  Cenk Aydin , businessman  Hulusi Behçet , dermatologist  Semiha Berksoy , opera singer  Orhan Boran , radio and TV host  Aydın Boysan  Yaşar Büyükanıt , Chief of the Turkish General Staff  Eylül Cansın , transgender sex worker  Cornelius Castoriadis , Greek-French political philosopher  Hakan Celik , journalist , TV anchorman , radio producer  Hande Berktan , journalist , TV presenter  Nuri Bilge Ceylan , filmmaker  Manuel Chrysoloras , Greek academic , diplomat  Tansu Çiller , former prime minister  Bülent Ecevit , former prime minister  Neşe Erberk , Miss Europe 1984  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan , President of Turkey  Sertab Erener , singer  Ahmet Ertegün , co-founder and executive of Atlantic Records and the New York Cosmos  Nesuhi Ertegün , co-founder and executive of Atlantic Records and the New York Cosmos  Yonca Evcimik , pop singer  Leyla Gencer , opera singer  Fatma Girik , actress  Gregory V , Greek Patriarch of Constantinople  Ara Güler , photographer  Tunç Hamarat , correspondence chess world champion 2004  Tunch Ilkin , former American football player , TV anchor  Ertuğrul Işınbark , stage magician  Nihat Kahveci , football player  Elia Kazan , director , producer , screenwriter , novelist  Hülya Koçyiğit , actress  Fahri Korutürk , former president of Turkey  Lefter Küçükandonyadis , football player  Mike Lazaridis , founder of Research in Motion  Nasuh Mahruki , first Turkish person to summit Mt. Everest  Barış Manço , musician  Andrew Mango , British author  Arif Mardin , music producer  Kleanthis Maropoulos , Greek footballer  Alexander Mavrocordatos , Greek dragoman to Sultan Mehmed IV  Kostas Negrepontis , Greek footballer  Aziz Nesin , novelist  Marika Nezer , Greek singer  Irfan Orga , Turkish Air Force fighter pilot , diplomat , writer  Orhan Pamuk , novelist  Pekinel sisters , twin pianists  Ajda Pekkan , singer  Athinodoros Prousalis , Greek actor  Nicola Rossi-Lemeni , opera singer  Alexandros Soutsos , Greek poet and partisan  Haldun Taner , playwright  Hidayet Türkoğlu , basketball player  Orhan Veli , poet  Stavros Xenidis , Greek actor  Hamza Yerlikaya , wrestler and Olympic gold medalist  Cem Yilmaz , stand-up comedian , actor  Alexander Ypsilantis ( senior ) , Greek diplomat  Alexander Ypsilantis ( junior ) , Greek military commander  Constantine Ypsilantis , Greek revolutionary

neg: Immigration to Turkey Since the 19th century , an exodus by the large portion of Turkish ( Turkic ) and Muslim peoples ( who are termed `` Muhacir '' under a general definition ) from the Balkans ( Balkan Turks , Albanians , Bosniaks , Pomaks ) , Caucasus ( Abkhazians , Ajarians , ` Circassians ' , Chechens ) , Crimea ( Crimean Tatar diaspora ) , Crete ( Cretan Turks ) , took refuge in present-day Turkey and moulded the country 's fundamental features .   Trends of immigration towards Turkey continue to this day , although the motives are more varied and are usually in line with the patterns of global immigration movements -- Turkey , for example , receives many economic migrants from nearby countries such as Armenia , the Republic of Moldova , Georgia , Iran , and Azerbaijan , but also from Central Asia .

neg: Etiler Etiler is a neighbourhood on the European side of Istanbul , Turkey , in the district of Beşiktaş , close to the business quarters of Levent and Maslak .   Etiler is famous for its upmarket cafés , pubs , night clubs , restaurants , gyms , coiffeurs , fashion shops and shopping malls , such as Akmerkez . It is a favourite area among Istanbul 's elite . The quarter also has many villas and private residences .   The name Etiler is an older name in Turkish for the Hittites , as it was fashionable in the early years of the Turkish Republic to give the names of ancient Anatolian civilizations to the new districts of Istanbul . A similar example is the neighbouring quarter of Akatlar , which means Akkads , another ancient civilization from the history of Anatolia .

neg: Marmaray Marmaray ( -LSB- ˈmaɾmaˌɾaj -RSB- ) is a partially operational rail transportation project in the Turkish city of Istanbul . It comprises a rail tunnel under the Bosphorus strait , and the modernization of existing suburban railway lines along the Sea of Marmara from Halkalı on the European side to Gebze on the Asian side . The procurement of new rolling stock for suburban passenger traffic is also part of the project . Construction started in 2004 , with an initial target opening date of April 2009 . After multiple delays caused by the discovery of historical and archaeological finds , the first phase of the project opened on October 29 , 2013 . It is the first standard gauge rail connection between Europe and Asia . The second phase of the project was scheduled to open in 2015 , but the work has been stopped and it is unknown when it will be finished .   Marmaray is the fourth underground system in Istanbul after Tünel Funicular , Metro and Kabataş -- Taksim Funicular and highly integrated with Metro lines .   The name Marmaray comes from combining the name of the Sea of Marmara , which lies just south of the project site , with ray , the Turkish word for rail . The Turkish press has compared it to the Silk Road .

neg: Ankara Province Ankara Province ( -LSB- ) is the capital province of Turkey .

neg: India–Turkey relations India -- Turkey relations refer to foreign relations between India and Turkey . Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Turkey in 1948 , political and bilateral relations have been usually characterised by warmth and cordiality . India and Turkey are both secular democracies , based on ethnic , religious and linguistic plurality . India has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate -- general in Istanbul . Turkey has an embassy in New Delhi and a consulate-general in Mumbai . As of 2015 , the bilateral trade between India & Turkey stood at US$ 6.26 billion & is heavily tilted in India 's favour .

neg: Culture of Istanbul The culture of Istanbul has its basis in the city that has been the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires . However , when the Turkish Republic turned its focus away from Istanbul and toward Ankara , the city 's cultural scene throughout the mid-20th century lay relatively stagnant , seeing limited success on the international , and even national , level . The government of the new republic established programs that served to engender Turks toward musical traditions , especially those originating in Europe , but musical institutions and visits by foreign classical artists were primarily centered in the new capital . Although much of Turkey 's culture had its roots in Istanbul , it was not until the 1980s and 1990s that Istanbul reemerged globally as a city whose cultural significance is not solely based on its past glory .

neg: Silk Road sites in India Silk Road sites in India are sites that were important for trade on the ancient Silk Road . There are 12 such places in India . These are spread across seven states in India ( Bihar , Jammu and Kashmir , Maharashtra , Puducherry , Punjab , Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh . These sites are on tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites .

neg: Sogdia Sogdia or Sogdiana was an ancient Iranian civilization that at different times included territory located in present-day Tajikistan and Uzbekistan such as : Samarkand , Bukhara , Khujand , Panjikent and Shahrisabz . Sogdiana was also a province of the Achaemenid Empire , eighteenth in the list on the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great ( i. 16 ) . In the Avesta , Sogdiana is listed as the second best land that the supreme deity Ahura Mazda had created . It comes second , after Airyanem Vaejah , `` homeland of the Aryans '' , in the Zoroastrian book of Vendidad , indicating the importance of this region from ancient times . Sogdiana was conquered by the Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great in 328 BC and later formed part of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and Sasanian Empire .   The Sogdian states , although never politically united , were centred on the main city of Samarkand . Sogdiana lay north of Bactria , east of Khwarezm , and southeast of Kangju between the Oxus ( Amu Darya ) and the Jaxartes ( Syr Darya ) , embracing the fertile valley of the Zeravshan ( ancient Polytimetus ) . Sogdian territory corresponds to the modern provinces of Samarkand and Bokhara in modern Uzbekistan as well as the Sughd province of modern Tajikistan . During the High Middle Ages , Sogdian cities included sites stretching towards Issyk Kul such as that at the archeological site of Suyab . Sogdian , an Eastern Iranian language , is no longer a spoken language , but its direct descendant , Yaghnobi , is still spoken by the Yaghnobis of Tajikistan . It was widely spoken in Central Asia as a lingua franca and even served as one of the Turkic Khaganate 's court languages for writing documents .   Sogdians also lived in Imperial China and rose to special prominence in the military and government of the Chinese Tang dynasty ( 618 -- 907 AD ) . Sogdian merchants and diplomats traveled as far west as the Byzantine Empire . They played an important part as middlemen in the trade route of the Silk Road . While originally following the faiths of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism from Persia , Buddhism from India , and Nestorian Christianity from West Asia , the gradual conversion to Islam among the Sogdians and their descendants began with the Muslim conquest of Transoxiana in the 8th century . The Sogdian conversion to Islam was virtually complete by the end of the Samanid Empire in 999 , coinciding with the decline of the Sogdian language , as it was largely supplanted by Persian .

neg: Tashkent Tashkent ( -LSB- ˌtæʃˈkɛnt -RSB- Toshkent , Тошкент , تاشكېنت , -LSB- tɒʃˈkent -RSB- Ташкент , -LSB- tɐʂˈkʲɛnt -RSB- literally `` Stone City '' ) is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan . The officially registered population of the city in 2012 was about 2,309,300 .   Due to its position in Central Asia , Tashkent came under Sogdian and Turkic influence early in its history , before Islam in the 8th century AD . After its destruction by Genghis Khan in 1219 , the city was rebuilt and profited from the Silk Road . In 1865 it was conquered by the Russian Empire , and in Soviet times witnessed major growth and demographic changes due to forced deportations from throughout the Soviet Union . Today , as the capital of an independent Uzbekistan , Tashkent retains a multi-ethnic population with ethnic Uzbeks as the majority .


query: Funny or Die is a production company.

pos: Funny or Die Funny or Die is a comedy video website and film/TV production company founded by Will Ferrell , Adam McKay and Chris Henchy . The website Funny Or Die contains exclusive material from a regular staff of in-house writers , producers , and directors , and occasionally from a number of famous contributors like Judd Apatow , James Franco , and Norm Macdonald . The production company makes TV shows like truTV 's Billy on the Street , Comedy Central 's @midnight , and Zach Galifianakis 's popular Emmy-winning web series Between Two Ferns .   Many videos on the site feature well-known actors ( examples include Steve Carell , Charlie Sheen , Ryan Gosling , Patrick Stewart , Daniel Radcliffe , Sophia Bush , Mila Kunis , AnnaSophia Robb , Hilary Duff , Adam West , James Van Der Beek , Jim Carrey , Ariel Winter , and Selena Gomez ) . Michael Kvamme , an aspiring young comedian , came up with a concept for a new kind of comedy site ; and the site was developed by Randy Adams .   Funny Or Die launched on April 12 , 2007 with the site 's first video , `` The Landlord '' . `` The Landlord '' has received over 84 million views and features Ferrell confronted by a swearing , beer-drinking two-year-old landlord . In June 2007 , they received venture capital funding from Sequoia Capital , and in June 2008 , they announced a partnership with HBO . On August 3 , 2016 , Funny or Die shut-down one of its California offices , reducing its headcount by 30 % to 95 employees , with the announcement coming just two month after the new CEO , Mike Farah , took office

neg: The Comedians (1971 TV series) The Comedians is a British television show of the 1970s ( later reprised in the mid-1980s and early 1990s ) produced by Johnnie Hamp of Granada Television . The show gave a stage to nightclub and working men 's club comedians of the era , including Russ Abbot , Lennie Bennett , Stan Boardman , Jim Bowen , Jimmy Bright , Duggie Brown , Mike Burton , Dave Butler , Brian Carroll , Frank Carson , Mike Coyne , Jimmy Cricket , Colin Crompton , Pauline Daniels , Charlie Daze , Vince Earl , Steve Faye , Eddie Flanagan , Stu Francis , Ken Goodwin , Jackie Hamilton , Jerry Harris , George King , Bobby Knutt , Bernard Manning , Mike McCabe , Paul Melba , Mick Miller , Hal Nolan , Tom O'Connor , Tom Pepper , Bryn Phillips , Mike Reid , George Roper , Harry Scott , Sammy Thomas , Johnny Wager , Roy Walker , Charlie Williams , Lee Wilson and Lenny Windsor .   Also featured on the TV show , were Shep 's Banjo Boys , a 7-piece band comprising ( for the first 5 series ) Charlie Bentley ( tenor banjo ) , John Drury ( sousaphone ) , Andy Holdorf ( trombone ) , John Orchard ( piano ) , John Rollings ( drums ) , Graham Shepherd ( banjo ) and Howard Shepherd ( lead banjo ) . In 1973 , the line up was Mike Dexter ( banjo ) , Tony `` Tosh '' Kennedy ( sousaphone ) , Ged Martin ( drums ) , Tony Pritchard ( trombone ) , Graham Shepherd ( banjo ) and Howard `` Shep '' Shepherd ( lead banjo ) .   The Comedians began as an experiment for Granada TV . Filmed before a live audience in Manchester , comics each performed 20-minute sets , which were then edited together into half-hour shows . Each edition featured up to ten stand-up comics .   Working men 's clubs are numerous in Britain , especially in North East England and have been a useful training ground for artists , especially comedians . Most of these clubs are affiliated to the CIU ( Working Men 's Club and Institute Union ) founded in 1862 by the Rev. Henry Solly . There are also political clubs , as well as Servicemen 's Clubs affiliated to the Royal British Legion .   It was remarkably popular during the earlier series . An LP recording of the show reached the best-seller charts , several sell-out national tours followed , including a season at the London Palladium , and the programme won the Critics ' circle Award .   The comedy frequently took the form of anecdotes or jokes and often involved racist or sexist stereotypes . Like other British comedy successes of the day , notably , Love Thy Neighbour , this kind of entertainment was acceptable on British television during this period but would not be so today . Viewing the series in retrospect it stands as a major social document of the times .   In recent years , the series has been repeated on the ( now defunct ) British satellite television channel Plus , and can now be bought on DVD , having been released by Network .

neg: When Jews Were Funny When Jews Were Funny is a 2013 documentary film by Canadian director Alan Zweig , which explores the role of Jewish comedians in the history of North American comedy and humour from the Borscht Belt to the present day .   The film features interviews with and/or performance clips of a wide variety of Jewish comedy performers and writers of the 20th and 21st centuries , including Howie Mandel , Gilbert Gottfried , Rodney Dangerfield , Eugene Mirman , Marc Maron , Bob Einstein , Andy Kindler , Shelley Berman , Alan King , Judy Gold , Elon Gold , David Steinberg , Jackie Mason , Jack Carter , Norm Crosby , Henny Youngman , David Brenner , Shecky Greene , Mark Breslin , Cory Kahaney , Harrison Greenbaum , Simon Rakoff , Lisa Lambert , Larry Josephson and Michael Wex .   The film premiered on September 10 , 2013 at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival . It subsequently won the festival award for the year 's best Canadian feature film .

neg: Broad Humor Film Festival The Broad Humor Film Festival is a film festival that takes place every year in Los Angeles , California . It focuses exclusively on comedic films written and directed by women . Begun in 2005 , it is held yearly in the summer months and brings together female writers and directors for a weekend of screenings , readings and events with the aim of fostering greater opportunity for women as the creators of film content . The festival has film and screenplay competitions for both feature-length and short films . Projects can be narrative or documentary . In addition , the festival offers continuing support to festival filmmakers and writers through its Legacy Program , a series of initiatives encouraging alumnae to create and screen new work .

neg: Phoenix Productions Phoenix Productions is a New York based creative studio that produces advertising , television , film and video production company . The company was formed in 2005 by Chris Phoenix to create the show open and graphics package for Bravo 's Battle of the Network Reality Stars . It has since expanded into marketing , advertising and other programming , most notably the Comedy Central series Important Things With Demetri Martin and Jon Stewart 's `` Night of Too Many Stars '' .  The company bills itself as a combination creative agency , production company and post-production house .

neg: Drop the Dead Donkey Drop the Dead Donkey is a situation comedy that first aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 1990 and 1998 . It is set in the offices of `` GlobeLink News '' , a fictional TV news company . Recorded close to transmission , it made use of contemporary news events to give the programme a greater sense of realism . It was created by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin . The series had an ensemble cast , making stars of Haydn Gwynne , Stephen Tompkinson and Neil Pearson .   The series began with the acquisition of GlobeLink by media mogul Sir Roysten Merchant , an allusion to either Robert Maxwell or Rupert Murdoch . Indeed , Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin note on their DVDs that it was fortunate for their libel lawyers that the two men shared the same initials . The series is mostly based on the ongoing battle between the staff of GlobeLink , led by editor George Dent , as they try to maintain the company as a serious news organisation , and Sir Roysten 's right-hand man Gus Hedges , trying to make the show more sensationalist and suppress stories that might harm Sir Roysten 's business empire .   According to Swedish comedian Kryddan Petersson , he and the group behind Helt Apropå had come up with an idea for a show like this , which they presented to British colleagues sometime around 1989-90 . Most of them were not impressed , but two of them took the idea seriously and wrote this show . Later on , the Swedish group bought the material rights to the show back to Sweden , and created the show Döda danskar räknas inte ( `` Dead Danes do n't count '' ) , which aired on SVT in 1994 .   The show was awarded the Best Comedy ( Programme or Series ) Award at the 1994 BAFTA Awards . At the British Comedy Awards the show won Best New TV Comedy in 1990 , Best Channel 4 Comedy in 1991 , and Best Channel 4 Sitcom in 1994 .

neg: Shout! Factory Shout ! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2003 . Its video releases include previously released feature films , classic and contemporary TV series , animation , live music , and comedy specials . Shout ! Factory also owns and operates Timeless Media Group , Biograph Records , Majordomo Records , HighTone Records , and Video Time Machine .

neg: Enoki Films is a producer of anime based in the Enoki Building in Shinjuku , Tokyo .   Enoki Films also had a North American division , established in 1986 , headquartered in the Encino area of Los Angeles , California , United States called Enoki Films USA , Inc. . Enoki Films USA acted as a middle-man between Japanese companies and American licensees such as 4Kids Entertainment and Saban . In May 2007 it was announced that their content would also be provided as video on demand by Internet startup ReelTime.com ( worldwide except Japan ) .   As of 2002 Enoki licenses anime but sub-licenses its licenses to various distributors instead of distributing them directly . Anime News Network wrote that `` They generally only license TV shows that they hope to also license to TV broadcasters such as Cartoon Network , ABC Family and Fox Kids . ''   Some of the anime productions that were listed on Enoki 's website are under alternate names and may list characters under different names as well . In many cases , when sub-licensed to anime home video companies , the original titles and character names have been restored . Enoki 's translations of episode titles and scenarios may also be different than what may be on the official release .   If Enoki 's series ' had a separate movie or direct-to-video production , it is usually not licensed by Enoki , and the film or direct-to-video production may be licensed to a separate company than the series ( as is the case with the Slayers movies and OVAs and the Utena movie ) .   As of 2016 , Enoki Films ' North American division is now defunct , since it bought its operations to an end in 2010 .

neg: You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes You Made It Weird is a semi-weekly comedy interview podcast hosted by comedian Pete Holmes on the Nerdist network since October 25 , 2011 . The show originated under the premise that Holmes would ask his guest , usually a fellow comedian , about three `` weird '' things he knew about them , but the show has since evolved into a much more loose conversation about such complex topics as comedy , religion , and sexuality .   While initially focusing on interviews with comedians , an increasing number of guests from other fields have appeared on the show , including musicians , pastors , scientists , and authors . Many guests comment on Holmes ' unique laugh , which tends to be very loud and borderline obnoxious . Katie Levine is the producer of the podcast .   The show is usually recorded in-studio at the Nerdist studio at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles , California . Since March 21 , 2012 , Holmes has recorded multiple live episodes of the podcast , in Austin at South by Southwest , New York , Bloomington , Chicago , Montreal , Quebec , San Francisco , Los Angeles at the LA Riot Festival , and Toronto at Just For Laughs . These have featured several guests rather than the usual one , and focus more on comedy rather than the in-depth discussion of a regular episode .

neg: Dance or Die (Family Force 5 album) Dance or Die is the second studio album from the band Family Force 5 . It was produced by Joe Baldridge ( Beck , tobyMac ) and lead vocalist Solomon `` Soul Glow Activatur '' Olds . The album was released on August 19 , 2008 both in stores and via digital distribution . This is the band 's second full-length album release . However , it is the band 's first release on the Tooth & Nail Records label . The band was previously with Gotee Records . The record was leaked in its entirety on the internet on August 15 , 2008 . As of December 2009 the album has sold over 100,000 units . Dance or Die won Best Album at the 2008 Rock on Request Awards .

neg: Inherently funny word Certain nonsense words may be inherently funny , according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of Memory and Language . The study 's lead author , Chris Westbury from the University of Alberta , suggests that the inherent humor of certain non-words can be explained by the property of entropy . Entropy , in this case , expresses how usual the letters in the word appear to be : the less commonly they are used , the lower the total entropy and the more funny they are likely to be found . According to Westbury , `` Some non-words are funny , and they 're weird when they are -LSB- ... -RSB- But there 's actually a consistent relationship between how funny they are and how weird they are '' .   The idea that humor can be predicted by a word 's entropy corresponds to the incongruity theory of 19th-century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer , who posited that humor is a product of one 's expectations being violated . According to Westbury , `` One reason puns are funny is that they violate our expectation that a word has one meaning '' .   The vaudeville lore that words with the letter k are funny is recorded by the playwright Neil Simon in his work The Sunshine Boys . In the play , which is about a pair of aging vaudeville comedians , the character Willie lectures his nephew about funny words :

neg: Animation studio An animation studio is a company producing animated media . The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce , own the physical equipment for production , employ operators for that equipment , and hold a major stake in the sales or rentals of the media produced . They also own rights over merchandising and creative rights for characters created/held by the company , much like authors holding copyrights . In some early cases , they also held patent rights over methods of animation used in certain studios that were used for boosting productivity . Overall , they are business concerns and can function as such in legal terms .   Currently there are about 201 animation studios dedicated to the production and distribution of animated films that are active . Few are actual production house where as others are corporate entities . Many of these animation studios help with the fulfillment of animation works for big brand names and have carried out outsourced projects including Nemo .

neg: Drunk History Drunk History is an American television comedy series produced by Comedy Central , based on the Funny or Die web series created by Derek Waters and Jeremy Konner in 2007 . In each episode , an inebriated narrator , who is played by a comedian joined by host Waters , struggles to recount an event from history , while actors enact the narrator 's anecdotes and also lip sync the dialogue .   The series premiered on Comedy Central on July 9 , 2013 , and its second season premiered on July 1 , 2014 . Will Ferrell and Adam McKay are among the show 's executive producers .   In addition to creator Derek Waters and celebrity guest stars , the show 's additional characters are played by regulars Bennie Arthur , Tim Baltz , Mort Burke , Sarah Burns , Maria Blasucci , Craig Cackowski , Michael Cassady , Michael Coleman , Tymberlee Hill , Adam Nee , and Jeremy J. Tutson .   On January 13 , 2017 Comedy Central renewed the show for a fifth season , which is set to premiere later in 2017 .

neg: The Comedy The Comedy is a 2012 drama film directed and co-written by Rick Alverson , and starring Tim Heidecker . Supporting actors include Eric Wareheim ( Tim and Eric ) , James Murphy ( LCD Soundsystem ) , and Gregg Turkington ( better known as Neil Hamburger ) . The film was premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and screened within such festivals as Maryland Film Festival 2012 . The film was distributed by Tribeca Film and was slated for theatrical release on November 9 , 2012 and nationwide On Demand starting October 24 , 2012 .   Despite the title and use of comedians as actors , Sundance festival chief programmer Trevor Groth says that the film is not a comedy , but instead `` a provocation , a critique of a culture based at its core around irony and sarcasm and about ultimately how hollow that is . ''   The first ten minutes of the film was purposely leaked onto various torrent websites with an anti-piracy statement at the end of the video . The resulting publicity made the actual film the most pirated independent film of the year .

neg: 30-Second Bunnies Theatre 30-Second Bunnies Theatre is a Flash cartoon series featuring films re-enacted by anthropomorphic animated bunnies in 30 seconds . The series is produced by Angry Alien Productions , the one-woman company of creator Jennifer Shiman .   The series debuted in 2004 , when Shiman sought to create a humorous web series . She unveiled a version of The Exorcist , re-enacted by animated bunnies in 30 seconds . It received an overwhelmingly positive response online from a global audience , prompting Shiman to create more re-enactments . In 2005 , the `` bunny troupe '' was commissioned by Starz ! to make new shorts . Each Starz-commissioned re-enactment premiered on Starz on Demand before moving online . The series take on Star Wars was featured on CNN on April 16 , 2006 .   Angry Alien Productions released a selection of the shorts on DVD on October 20 , 2009 . Previously , the Titanic short was included on that film 's 4-Disc Special Collector 's Edition DVD , released in 2005 .   In 2007 , Crackle became a distributing partner .   In 2008 , the site won two Webby Awards for Online Film and Video/Animation , as well as the People 's Voice award in that category .   On June 13 , 2010 , Shiman announced on the 30-Second Bunnies Theatre Website that , after six years and 68 shorts , she was placing the series on hiatus to move on to other pursuits . The final short at the time was a re-enactment of the film Evil Dead II .   As of October 2011 , Shiman completed three more re-enactments : Alfred Hitchcock 's The Birds , Freaks ( 1932 ) and Michael Dougherty 's Trick ' r Treat .   Shiman teamed up with FEARnet in 2012 to make more horror movie shorts . The first season of shorts is complete , and the second season is in production as of September 16 , 2013 .   In mid-March 2014 , Angry Alien Productions ventured into new bunny territory by re-enacting the life of Kevin Spacey ( with bunny voices by Kevin Spacey himself ) to celebrate the launch of his new website . In Spring 2015 the staff of Angry Alien Productions informed that they would indefinitely stop making re-enactments after Blade Runner .

neg: Friday Nite Improvs Friday Nite Improvs , or Friday Night Improvs ( FNI ) , is a long-running weekly improvisational comedy show staged on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . The show functions as an improv jam , performed by improv actors who do n't normally work together . FNI is unique in that , in addition to the audience 's providing improv suggestions , the performers are all pulled from volunteers in the audience .   Friday Nite Improvs is the longest-running theatrical/comedic production in the city of Pittsburgh . The show regularly features actors from every improv group in Pittsburgh , and alumni have gone on to act , write , and produce for television and film .   Readers of the Pittsburgh City Paper ranked Friday Nite Improvs as the 3rd best place to see comedy in Pittsburgh in the 2004 `` Best of Pittsburgh '' survey behind the professional stand-up clubs The Improv and The Funnybone .   College Prowler ranked Friday Nite Improvs as the ninth best thing about Pitt .

neg: Rysher Entertainment Rysher Entertainment was the owner of television and film programming content , primarily distributed around the world by CBS Television Distribution and Paramount Pictures . Select rights are also distributed by Warner Bros. , Universal , Lionsgate , Fox , Columbia Pictures , MGM and other entertainment distribution companies worldwide .   The company has its roots in Bing Crosby Productions ( `` BCP '' ) . Its namesake , actor-singer Bing Crosby , founded BCP in 1949 , and was best known for producing the sitcom Hogan 's Heroes and the medical drama Ben Casey -- in succeeding years , BCP was acquired by Cox Broadcasting .   In 1993 , Cox acquired Rysher Entertainment . Rysher , founded in April 1991 by Keith Samples , had been established as an independently owned company whose original sole product had been the distribution of NBC 's series Saved By The Bell . In 1993 , and later distribution of another NBC series California Dreams in 1994 , Rysher merged with Al Masini 's Television Program Enterprises to form Rysher TPE , its alternate name used from 1993 to 1995 . Through Rysher TPE , they produced and distributed shows such as Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous ( renamed Lifestyles with Robin Leach and Shari Belafonte for its final season ) and Star Search . Later , they produced and distributed George & Alana , which ran for one season in 1995 .  The company was shut down in 1999 and the library was acquired by Viacom who folded it into both the film and television division of Paramount .   Rysher 's library , today distributed by CBS Television Distribution ( CTD ) and Paramount Pictures ( for TV series and films , respectively ) , includes television and feature film classics such as Hogan 's Heroes ( whose partial rights are held by CBS ) , Ben Casey , and Walking Tall , as well as more recent programs and films including Nash Bridges ( 1999 -- 2001 episodes are produced by Paramount Network Television ) , Highlander : The Series , The Opposite of Sex ( with Sony Pictures Classics ) , Kingpin and Big Night .   Rysher also distributes internationally through CTD several of HBO 's award-winning titles including Arli $ $ , Oz and Sex and the City .   Rysher also produced House Arrest and Zeus and Roxanne , both of which were released by MGM and distributed by HBO Home Video for home release .

neg: Just for Laughs: Gags Just for Laughs : Gags ( in French , Juste pour rire : Gags ) is a Canadian silent comedy/hidden camera reality television show that is under the Just for Laughs brand . It is based on the similar American series Candid Camera .  The series is also on YouTube .  In December 26 , 2000 , JFL : Gags began airing on French Canadian network Canal D . In the following years , the show was picked up by TVA , CBC and The Comedy Network in Canada , BBC1 in the UK , TF1 in France and ABC and Telemundo in the United States ; the Canadian version ( unlike the ones produced for ABC ) aired in the United States in first-run syndication starting in the fall of 2015 and ended in February 2016 .   The series uses a hidden camera format , playing pranks on unsuspecting subjects while hidden cameras capture the subjects ' responses ; each episode presents multiple gags . While some segments have included brief dialogue , most do not contain any sound or dialogue ; the audio is replaced with sound effects , a laugh track , and public domain music . Most segments are filmed in Quebec City , Montreal and Vancouver , while some have been filmed in Mexico . British and Asian versions have been produced in the UK and Singapore , respectively . In 2011 the show spawned a spinoff , Just Kidding , which consists exclusively of kids playing pranks on adults .   With its silent format and no translation required , Just for Laughs : Gags has been purchased for use in over 100 countries throughout the world as well as in airports and by airlines . Reactions to the gags range from `` inane '' to cross-culturally funny . The same distributors also distribute Surprise Sur Prise , a similar show .   In March 2011 , Just for Laughs Gags entered into a partnership with Montreal-based , entertainment site , Videobash.com and now have their own devoted channel there . ( No video has been posted as of this writing . )

neg: K/O Paper Products K/O Paper Products is an American television and motion picture production company founded by Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci c. 2009 , in which year Bobby Cohen became chief executive officer of its films division .

neg: Adult animation Adult animation , adult cartoon , or mature animation is any type of animation work that is mainly targeted towards adults and sometimes also teenagers , acting as a contrast to most animated films and TV series being aimed at children . Works in this genre may be considered adult for any number of reasons . They may be noted for using risqué themes , graphic violence , profane language , sexuality , or dark humor . Works in this genre may explore philosophical , political , or social issues . Some productions are noted for sophisticated and/or experimental storytelling and animation techniques .   Before the enforcement of the Hays Code , some cartoon shorts contained humor that was aimed at adult audience members rather than children . Following the introduction of the Motion Picture Association of America film rating system , independent animation producers attempted to establish an alternative to mainstream animation . Initially , few animation studios in the United States attempted to produce animation for adult audiences , but later examples of animation produced for adults would gain mainstream attention and success .

neg: Fun Little Movies Fun Little Movies ( FLM ) is a production and distribution company of short films intended for the internet and mobile devices .   It was founded in 1988 by Frank Chindamo , currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California . Based in Burbank , California , Fun Little Movies was the first U.S. company to produce comedic films for mobile phones worldwide . By the time the company was in development of Psyche 101 in 2004 , they had already begun producing shorts promoting internet dating services . In 2007 , ROK Entertainment bought controlling interest in FLM , although in 2008 ROK defaulted on their agreement .


query: David Carradine is a performer.

pos: David Carradine David Carradine ( born John Arthur Carradine ; December 8 , 1936 -- June 3 , 2009 ) was an American actor and martial artist . He was known for his leading role as a peace-loving Shaolin monk , Kwai Chang Caine , in the 1970s television series Kung Fu . He was also known for playing Frankenstein in the original Death Race movie and Bill in both Kill Bill films .   He was a member of an acting family that began with his father , John Carradine . Carradine 's acting career , which included major and minor roles on stage and television , and in cinema , spanned over four decades . A prolific `` B '' movie actor , he appeared in more than 100 feature films in career spanning over sixty years . He was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards , for projects such as the television series Kung Fu ( 1972 -- 1975 ) , the Woody Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory ( 1976 ) and the miniseries North and South ( 1985 ) . His final nomination came in the category of Best Supporting Actor for portraying the titular character in Quentin Tarantino 's Kill Bill : Volume 2 ( 2004 ) .   Films that featured Carradine continued to be released after his death . These posthumous credits were from a variety of genres including action , documentaries , drama , horror , martial arts , science fiction , and westerns . In addition to his acting career , Carradine was a director and musician . Moreover , influenced by his most popular acting role , he studied martial arts .   He was sometimes arrested and prosecuted for a variety of offenses , which often involved substance abuse . He died on June 3 , 2009 , in a hotel room in Bangkok , Thailand from auto-erotic asphyxiation .

neg: Whole World Theatre The Whole World Theatre is an improvisational theatre located in Atlanta , Georgia .   Whole World Theatre ( WWT ) is a non-profit theatre company that began in Atlanta , Georgia in late 1993 , when David Webster began teaching a group of student actors whom he would train to become the hottest improv company in town . Jennifer Horne and David Webster were co-founding members .   The original students of Whole World Theatre performed their first show in front of 25 people in September 1994 . Specializing in experiential improv and unconventional scripted works , and using a unique approach to improv , which put more emphasis on acting , character and atmosphere than on cheap laughs , Webster wrote and directed original ground breaking pieces such as , Blood Bath Bingo and Pimps , Queens , and Dope Fiends . Webster also produced scripted works included , Balm in Gillead , Bitches , Women Behind Bars , Four Dogs and a Bone and The House of Yes , among many others .   In June 1995 , Jennifer Horne and David Webster spent their honeymoon money to open Whole World Theatre at their current location at 1214 Spring Street in mid-town Atlanta . As their popularity grew , the cast of Whole World Theatre were given the opportunity to produce their live improv comedy show for television when Webster sold the show to television . `` Whole World Comedy '' - Whole World 's premier TV show - helped to launch the southern based Turner South Network .   David Webster taught every actor at Whole World Theater until 2001 . He wrote , directed and emceed every show for over 1000 shows . He won several awards including an Emmy award for writing .   In 2003 Managing Director , Emily Reily Russell , created a youth summer camp program and an improvisational acting program for teens and young adults at Whole World Theatre that still exists to this day . Many of the graduates of this program have entered the `` Performance Ready Group '' that hosts a more family oriented show the first Saturday of every month November through May . The Performance Ready Group is directed and mentored by Assistant Artistic Director , Eric Goins . Russell , in conjunction with Callanwolde Fine Arts Center and The Starlight Starbright Foundation has also created `` Improv in Dialysis . '' Providing monthly improvisational acting workshops to patients and their families at Egleston Children 's Hospital in Atlanta .   Lance Krall , one of Webster 's original students , eventually moved to Hollywood and went on to produce his own television show , The Lance Krall Show , which aired Spike TV , and Free Radio , which aired on Vh1 . Lance has hired several alumni from Whole World Theatre to guest star in his projects .   In 2004 , Webster moved on to write and direct independent movies and Jennifer Horne moved on to begin her own improv troupe in Charlottesville , Va. . That same year , a complete change in management occurred at Whole World Theatre .   In 2004 , Chip Powell became Artistic Director of Whole World Theatre . The Company continues to perform improv shows and remains one of Atlanta 's most successful theater companies . Under Powell 's leadership the company has produced Improv in the Park : an annual free improv show in Atlanta 's Piedmont Park and Central Park at Atlantic Station . Improv in the Park was voted `` Best Outdoor Event '' by Creative Loafing . Powell also went on to launch Whole World 's 3rd Space Theatre by Producing and Directing scripted works such as Sordid Lives and Southern Baptist Sissies by Del Shores .   In 2005 , the theatre started a television show for a network called MAV TV and is currently broadcast in over 200,000 homes across the U.S. . The show features Whole World 's Improv Comedy and is geared towards a more mature audience .  Official Website   Category : Theatres in Atlanta

neg: Duet Acting Duet Acting ( often shortened to `` Duet '' or abbreviated as `` DA '' in tournament schedules and results ) is an event in competitive high school forensics . Similar to Duo Interpretation , Duet Acting varies in two major respects : first , Duet is not an official National Forensic League event although some state organizations , such as the Texas Forensic Association , the Louisiana High School Speech League , and ( formerly ) the Ohio High School Speech League practice the event . Secondly , unlike Duo , in which the actors are not permitted to make eye contact with each other or touch each other , Duet incorporates an element of acting . Cuttings must be made from scripts .   Duet Acting involves two people , two chairs , and ( in some jurisdictions ) a table ; the furniture is supplied in each room of competition . Time limits vary , but generally each acting pair performs an eight - to twelve-minute scene , typically using only two characters . Occasionally the performers change roles , but can only play one character per scene in the manner of dramatic or humorous interpretation . The pieces may be either serious or funny , and the extensive use of movement is permitted ( i.e. , interaction between both characters , as well as with the table and chairs ) . Duet Acting has been removed from the Ohio High School Speech League .   Category : Debating

neg: David Carr (journalist) David Michael Carr ( September 8 , 1956 February 12 , 2015 ) was an American writer , columnist , and author . He wrote the Media Equation column and covered culture for The New York Times .

neg: American burlesque American burlesque is a genre of variety show . Derived from elements of Victorian burlesque , music hall and minstrel shows , burlesque shows in America became popular in the 1860s and evolved to feature ribald comedy ( lewd jokes ) and female striptease . By the early 20th century , burlesque in America was presented as a populist blend of satire , performance art , music hall , and adult entertainment , featuring striptease and broad comedy acts .   The entertainment was presented often in cabarets and clubs , as well as music halls and theatres . Performers , usually female , often created elaborate tableaux with lush , colorful costumes , mood-appropriate music , and dramatic lighting ; novelty acts , such as fire breathing or contortionists , might be added to enhance the impact of their performance . The genre traditionally encompassed a variety of acts : in addition to the striptease artistes , there was some combination of chanson singers , comedians , mime artists , and dancing girls , all delivered in a satiric style with a saucy edge . The striptease element of burlesque became subject to extensive local legislation , leading to a theatrical form that titillated without falling afoul of censors .   Burlesque gradually lost popularity beginning in the 1940s . A number of producers sought to capitalize on nostalgia for the entertainment by attempting to recreate the spirit of burlesque in Hollywood films from the 1930s to the 1960s . There has been a resurgence of interest in this format since the 1990s , and it inspired a 2010 musical film , Burlesque , starring Christina Aguilera and Cher .

neg: Captain Carvallo Captain Carvallo is a traditional comedy play in three acts by Denis Cannan , telling the story of a philandering young army officer , Captain Carvallo .   The comedy was an immediate success when it opened at the St. James Theatre on 9 August 1950 , as the second production under Sir Laurence Olivier 's management .   The play was first tried out in March 1950 at the Bristol Old Vic , where Cannan was acting at the time . A few months later , Laurence Olivier boldly restaged the play -- billed as a `` traditional comedy '' -- at the St James 's theatre in London , with James Donald in the lead role , opposite Diana Wynyard . It was a great success , although Cannan preferred the Bristol production . `` His play shimmers with ideas wittily juxtaposed , and it is funnier than the Crazy Gang '' , wrote the critic Harold Hobson .   A television production of the play was broadcast on the BBC the following year , with Patrick Macnee in the lead . Cannan adapted the play himself for a Rediffusion production later that decade . In 1988 the play was revived at the Greenwich Theatre . A version aired on Australian television in 1958 .

neg: The Performers (play) The Performers is a comedy play written by David West Read and directed by Evan Cabnet . It premiered on Broadway on November 14 , 2012 .

neg: Thunder and Lightning (film) Thunder and Lightning is a 1977 action comedy film starring David Carradine and Kate Jackson and directed by Corey Allen .

neg: The Comedians (1971 TV series) The Comedians is a British television show of the 1970s ( later reprised in the mid-1980s and early 1990s ) produced by Johnnie Hamp of Granada Television . The show gave a stage to nightclub and working men 's club comedians of the era , including Russ Abbot , Lennie Bennett , Stan Boardman , Jim Bowen , Jimmy Bright , Duggie Brown , Mike Burton , Dave Butler , Brian Carroll , Frank Carson , Mike Coyne , Jimmy Cricket , Colin Crompton , Pauline Daniels , Charlie Daze , Vince Earl , Steve Faye , Eddie Flanagan , Stu Francis , Ken Goodwin , Jackie Hamilton , Jerry Harris , George King , Bobby Knutt , Bernard Manning , Mike McCabe , Paul Melba , Mick Miller , Hal Nolan , Tom O'Connor , Tom Pepper , Bryn Phillips , Mike Reid , George Roper , Harry Scott , Sammy Thomas , Johnny Wager , Roy Walker , Charlie Williams , Lee Wilson and Lenny Windsor .   Also featured on the TV show , were Shep 's Banjo Boys , a 7-piece band comprising ( for the first 5 series ) Charlie Bentley ( tenor banjo ) , John Drury ( sousaphone ) , Andy Holdorf ( trombone ) , John Orchard ( piano ) , John Rollings ( drums ) , Graham Shepherd ( banjo ) and Howard Shepherd ( lead banjo ) . In 1973 , the line up was Mike Dexter ( banjo ) , Tony `` Tosh '' Kennedy ( sousaphone ) , Ged Martin ( drums ) , Tony Pritchard ( trombone ) , Graham Shepherd ( banjo ) and Howard `` Shep '' Shepherd ( lead banjo ) .   The Comedians began as an experiment for Granada TV . Filmed before a live audience in Manchester , comics each performed 20-minute sets , which were then edited together into half-hour shows . Each edition featured up to ten stand-up comics .   Working men 's clubs are numerous in Britain , especially in North East England and have been a useful training ground for artists , especially comedians . Most of these clubs are affiliated to the CIU ( Working Men 's Club and Institute Union ) founded in 1862 by the Rev. Henry Solly . There are also political clubs , as well as Servicemen 's Clubs affiliated to the Royal British Legion .   It was remarkably popular during the earlier series . An LP recording of the show reached the best-seller charts , several sell-out national tours followed , including a season at the London Palladium , and the programme won the Critics ' circle Award .   The comedy frequently took the form of anecdotes or jokes and often involved racist or sexist stereotypes . Like other British comedy successes of the day , notably , Love Thy Neighbour , this kind of entertainment was acceptable on British television during this period but would not be so today . Viewing the series in retrospect it stands as a major social document of the times .   In recent years , the series has been repeated on the ( now defunct ) British satellite television channel Plus , and can now be bought on DVD , having been released by Network .

neg: Detroit International Jazz Festival The Detroit Jazz Festival is a free jazz music festival held each year over Labor Day Weekend at Hart Plaza and Campus Martius Park in Detroit , Michigan , U.S. . The head of the festival is Chris Collins , who also serves as President and Artistic Director of the Detroit Jazz Festival . Until 2000 , it was known as the Montreux-Detroit Jazz Festival . The festival again changed names in 2005 , becoming the Detroit International Jazz Festival after Ford Motor Company removed its sponsorship . In January 2006 , Gretchen Valade , Chairman of Mack Avenue Records founded the Detroit International Jazz Festival Foundation , which took over production and management of the festival . Since 2012 the festival name was changed to The Detroit Jazz Festival .   The Detroit Jazz Foundation has other events year round , and is involved in musical education . They have programs called Jazz Infusion and Jazz Week . Jazz Week started in 2007 when the Wayne State University Department of Music embarked on a long-term partnership with the Detroit Jazz Festival , serving as their Educational Advisor . Jazz Week at Wayne , one result of this collaboration , is a one-week workshop that provides forty high school students with an intensive and rewarding jazz education . All participants , selected from surrounding high schools , are awarded full scholarships to attend the program . Every year the Detroit Jazz Festival hosts an Artist in Residence . The 2016 artist is Ron Carter .   Notable past performers have included Dave Brubeck , Mulgrew Miller , The Manhattan Transfer , Paquito d'Rivera , Dave Holland , Regina Carter , Take 6 , and Tower of Power , Wynton Marsalis , Chick Corea , Wayne Shorter , Sonny Rollins , Gary Burton , Pat Metheny and Joe Lovano . 2016 performers include Ron Carter , George Benson , John Scofield , Brad Mehldau , Mark Guiliana , Jason Moran , Omar Sosa , Luciana Souza , and Alfredo Rodriguez .

neg: Deathsport Deathsport is a 1978 science fiction B-movie produced by Roger Corman , directed by Allan Arkush and Nicholas Niciphor . The film stars David Carradine and Playboy Playmate Claudia Jennings . It would also be one of Jennings ' final movies before her death .

neg: David McCallum David Keith McCallum , Jr. ( born 19 September 1933 ) is a Scottish-born American actor and musician . He first gained recognition in the 1960s for playing Russian spy Illya Kuryakin in the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and as interdimensional operative Steel in Sapphire & Steel .  In recent years , McCallum has gained renewed international recognition and popularity for his role as NCIS medical examiner Dr. Donald `` Ducky '' Mallard in the American television series NCIS .

neg: Improvisational theatre Improvisational theatre , often called improv or impro , is the form of theatre , often comedy , in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted : created spontaneously by the performers . In its purest form , the dialogue , action , story , and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time , without use of an already prepared , written script .   Improvisational theatre exists in performance as a range of styles of improvisational comedy as well as some non-comedic theatrical performances . It is sometimes used in film and television , both to develop characters and scripts and occasionally as part of the final product .   Improvisational techniques are often used extensively in drama programs to train actors for stage , film , and television and can be an important part of the rehearsal process . However , the skills and processes of improvisation are also used outside of the context of performing arts . It is used in classrooms as an educational tool and in businesses as a way to develop communication skills , creative problem solving , and supportive team-work abilities that are used by improvisational , ensemble players . It is sometimes used in psychotherapy as a tool to gain insight into a person 's thoughts , feelings , and relationships .

neg: Live at Donington (AC/DC album) Live at Donington is the DVD recording of the AC/DC show at Donington Park on 17 August 1991 , and it was the band 's third Monsters of Rock festival . The two-hour show was performed before 72,500 spectators and included real cannons , the Hells Bell , an inflatable Rosie and an inflatable Angus . It was filmed in 35 mm Panavision and had 26 cameras that included one situated inside a helicopter . The DVD includes special features such as stereo and 5.1 surround sound , Iso-cam versions of certain songs for different band members , and audio commentary from Angus and Malcolm Young .   Another option allows the viewer to focus on just one member for the length of a song . This option is available for Angus Young on `` Thunderstruck '' , `` Back in Black '' , and `` Highway to Hell '' . The option is offered for Malcolm Young on `` T.N.T. '' , Brian Johnson on `` Whole Lotta Rosie '' and Cliff Williams `` Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap '' . One other feature is a full catalogue discography with audio interview of all international albums .   Despite the commercial success of the DVD , many hardcore fans were disappointed that the audio was fixed , with many differences than the original video , though the DVD officially released in Brazil still has original audio . Tracks from Live at Donington on AC/DC Live have the original audio .

neg: List of Saturday Night Live episodes Saturday Night Live ( SNL ) is a late-night sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels . It premiered on NBC , a terrestrial television network , on October 11 , 1975 under the title NBC 's Saturday Night . The show often satirizes contemporary American popular culture and politics . Saturday Night Live features a two-tiered cast : the repertory members , also known as the `` Not Ready for Prime-Time Players , '' and newer cast members , known as `` Featured Players . '' Each week , the show features a host , often a well-known celebrity , who delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast . A musical guest is also invited to perform several sets ( usually two , and occasionally more ) . Every so often a host or musical guest will fill both roles , such as was the case with Britney Spears in 2000 and 2002 , Jennifer Lopez in 2001 and 2010 , Justin Timberlake in 2003 , 2006 and 2013 , Taylor Swift in 2009 , Bruno Mars in 2012 , Lady Gaga in 2013 , Miley Cyrus in 2013 and 2015 , Drake in 2014 and 2016 , Blake Shelton in 2015 , and Ariana Grande in 2016 . With the exception of Season 7 and several other rare cases , the show has begun with a cold open that ends with someone breaking character and proclaiming `` Live from New York , it 's Saturday Night ! ''   Saturday Night Live is one of the longest running network programs in American television history , with over 800 episodes broadcast over the span of 42 seasons . A number of the show 's sketches have been developed into feature films , including The Blues Brothers , Wayne 's World , A Night at the Roxbury , Superstar , Coneheads , and MacGruber .   Seasons 1 through 5 are available on DVD in Region 1 . Various Saturday Night Live sketches are available in several new media formats , including streaming on Hulu and Netflix . Selected sketches and segments are also available for purchase at the iTunes Store to download and playback on home computers and certain iPod and iPhone models .

neg: Professional performances Professional performances , as opposed to amateur performances , are those in which performers receive payment for their performances . Professional performances are engaged in creative and intellectually challenging work . A professional actor is someone who derives income by participating in professional performances . A professional theatre company auditions actors to perform in their professional theatre . The company sells tickets ; actors receive payment for their performances . This is the same for musicians , dancers , comedians . Also see : professional sports .   A professional performer is a person in a profession that requires certain types of skilled work requiring formal training or education . In western nations , such as the United States , the term commonly describes highly educated , salaried workers , who enjoy considerable work autonomy , economic security , a comfortable salary , and are commonly engaged in creative and intellectually challenging work . A professional athlete is someone who derives income by participating in competitive sports . Sometimes also called `` commercial grade '' .

neg: Concert film A concert film or concert movie , is a type of documentary film , the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian .

neg: Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival The Twin Cities Jazz Festival is one of the largest free civic events in the upper Midwest , attracting upwards of 30,000 people . Founded in 1999 by festival promoter Steve Heckler , The main events of the festival are held at Mears Park in St. Paul in the Lowertown neighborhood . The festival closes several blocks and has utilized clubs such as the Bulldog , Hat Trick , Black Dog , Station 4 , Artists ' Quarter , Union Depot , Amsterdam , Heartland , Bedlam , SW Craft Bar , and more . For the first time in 2015 , the festival will present music at the newly opened CHS Field with Jack Brass Band opening for headliner Dr. John .   In addition , Media partners have included Jazz 88 radio ( broadcasting live locally and streaming live on the internet internationally ) , WCCO-TV , The Rake , City Pages , Jazz Police , La Prenza and MPLS-St . Paul Magazine . The festival has also received extensive coverage in the Star Tribune , St. Paul Pioneer Press , The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and Skyway News .   Festival performers have included : Joe Lovano , Chick Corea , Esperanza Spalding , Return to Forever , Dave Brubeck , Clark Terry , Monty Alexander , Gary Burton , Deodato , The Bad Plus with Joshua Redman , Danilo Pérez , Branford Marsalis , David `` Fathead '' Newman , Eric Alexander , Jimmy McGriff , Red Holloway , Jack McDuff , Joey DeFrancesco , Benny Golson , Dr. Lonnie Smith , Dewey Redman , Lew Tabackin , Bettye LaVette , Ira Sullivan , Spyro Gyra , Bernard Purdie , Melvin Rhyne , Ben Sidran , Von Freeman , Frank Morgan , Mose Allison , Butch Thompson , Bill Evans , Chris Michalek , Alicia Renee , Heatin ' System , Howard Levy , Debbie Duncan , Big Walter Smith , Percy Strother , Tiger Okoshi , Peter Schimke , Yellowjackets , Kristin Korb , Hiromi , Phil Hey Quartet , Duke Ellington Orchestra , Henry Johnson 's Organ Express , Nachito Herrera , Salsa del Soul , Bobby Sanabria , George Avaloz , Barbara Morrison , US Air Force Falconaires , Norman Simmons , David Young , Jon Weber , Jerry Weldon , Tony Monaco , Atlantis Quartet , and MN Big Band .

neg: Theatrical jousting Coined in the late 20th century by American stunt performer Kent Shelton , the term theatrical jousting refers to a form of live entertainment in which a medieval jousting tournament is recreated in conjunction with a scripted performance .  Alternative terms are `` jousting reenactment '' or `` choreographed jousting '' .   The Hanlon-Lees Action Theater is credited with developing the theatrical joust format in 1979 ; its first appearance was at the New York Renaissance Faire in Tuxedo , New York .  This type of performance has become very popular at various renaissance fairs by the early 2000s .   Typically a three-act affair , the theatrical joust consists of  a display of skill ;  a mock battle which results in a verbal challenge ;  an armed joust on horseback , often `` to the death . ''   A variety of colorful characters , either villainous or heroic , give the audience ( which is usually divided into sectors based upon the number of `` knights '' ) a particular person to root for or against .   As the show must be repeated on a daily or weekly basis , all fights are carefully choreographed and rehearsed .  Horses must be trained to withstand such peculiarities as the clatter of steel weaponry , the occurrence of a rider being knocked from the saddle , and the roar of large crowds . Special makeup and/or property effects are often incorporated into the performance to provide the illusion of violent death or shattering equipment .

neg: Selected Shorts Selected Shorts is an event at New York 's Symphony Space on the Upper West Side , in which screen and stage actors read classic and new short fiction before a live audience . The stage show began in 1985 and continues today at Symphony Space 's Peter Jay Sharp Theater .   The annual season of the live events at Symphony Space begins in the mid-fall and ends in mid-spring . There is a theme to each Selected Shorts episode and performance . Several stories are presented around each theme . The stories are always fiction , sometimes classic , sometimes new , always performed by actors from stage , screen and television who bring these short stories to life . Evenings are often co-hosted by writers , literary producers , and other interesting characters . Symphony Space 's Artistic Director Isaiah Sheffer formerly hosted the live events , although many Selected Shorts also feature guest hosts , often well-known writers , who also choose which stories will be read . Mr. Sheffer died on November 9 , 2012 at age 76 . Actor BD Wong acts as the host of the live events since the fall of 2012 .   The readings are recorded live and become the basis of a one-hour radio program , hosted by actors , authors , and entertainers such as David Sedaris , Stephen Colbert , Cynthia Nixon , Wyatt Cenac , and Jane Kaczmarek , with literary commentator Hannah Tinti of One Story Magazine , and are produced in conjunction with WNYC . The programs are distributed by Public Radio International and air on PRI-affiliated public radio stations in the United States . The radio program airs weekly throughout the year .   Originally , the program was distributed by National Public Radio . However , in October 2007 , it moved its distribution to PRI , Public Radio International .   The program 's theme is David Peterson 's `` That 's the Deal , '' performed by the Deardorf/Peterson group . Until 2011 , the radio show began and ended with the piano and cello duet `` Come to the Meadow '' by Roger Kellaway .

neg: David Drake (actor) David Drake ( born June 27 , 1963 ) is an American playwright , stage director , actor and author . He is best known as the author and original performer of The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me , for which he received a Village Voice Obie Award , a 1994 Drama-Logue Award for `` Outstanding Solo Performance , '' and a Robbie Stevens Frontiers Magazine Award for the same . Nominations include a 1994 LA Weekly Theater Award and a Lambda Literary Award nomination for `` Best New Play of 1994 '' ( published by Anchor Books ) .