So here we are - blasting off the third happy day of the MaxFunDrive! It's a beautiful day here in downtown Los Angeles . . .

Why? Well, for one, it's delightfully sunny and warm. But also: we have 307 new friends / members! Yay!

Become one of our members today! Visit MaximumFun.org/donate.

And we're off!

So far, in the first 36 hours or so of the MaxFunDrive, we already have nearly 200 new members!! Yay!

In addition, more than 50 loyal donors upgraded their membership!

You people are the BEST!! Our goal is 1,000 new members by April 12 - so let's keep it up!!

And BOY do we have some great things planned! First and foremost, take care of business, and support your favorite podcasts by visiting maximumfun.org/donate and becoming a member of Maximum Fun. It's ridiculously easy, and you'll get some great gifts.

Yes, GIFTS! Awesome ones! Intimate ones! For a full list of all of the amazing gifts we're offering to new and upgrading members this year, click here.

And after you've become a member, make sure you tell your friends about it. When you tweet a link to the donate page using the #MaxFunDrive hashtag, you'll be entered to win a trip to Los Angeles and a tour of MaxFunHQ. Seriously. For more details, visit this page. Remember, the best tweet wins it, so flex your creativity muscles.

Finally, we're topping things off with a live Jordan, Jesse, Go! on Friday, April 12th at 7:30 PM Pacific Time. Tune in for a great time and ANOTHER awesome giveaway. Stay tuned for those details.

We hope you enjoy what we have planned for these next two weeks. We really pulled out all the stops -- great guests, amazing gifts, and legendary giveaways. Become a member now, and support the MaxFun podcasts you love. Thank you!

Join your favorite comedians and musicians September 13th through 16th, 2013 for three fun-filled days on the high seas. It’s The Atlantic Ocean Comedy & Music Festival, presented by MaximumFun.org, Splitsider and KCRW!

Our ship sets sail from Miami, Florida for a three-night celebration of good times. We’ll have exclusive parties, a trip to a private Caribbean island, a stop in the Bahamas, and a truly spectacular lineup of comics and musicians, including

And don’t worry, cruise enthusiasts: there will also be shuffleboard and giant plates of shrimp.

Ready to join us? BOOK NOW!

This interview was conducted and submitted by our friend in London, Mr. Chris Bowman.

This month’s “International Waters” team for the UK features two great comedians. Maeve Higgins is an Irish comedian temporarily living in London. She was the creator of the show Fancy Vittles in which she costarred with her sister Lilly; and she’s recently become a popular author after releasing her book of essays called, “We Have A Good Time…Don’t We?”. Most exciting: she will be making a special US appearance this Spring at MaxFunCon2013! Our second comedian, Howard Read sports a ridiculously long list of credentials. He’s an award winning stand-up, a singer/songwriter, an animator, and a father of two. He’s the creator of Little Howard’s Big Questions and this very funny children’s lullaby. Maeve and Howard spent a little time with us before the match to answer some questions. Even though it wasn’t really a warm up, they nailed it. They got all the answers right.

International Waters: I think the obvious question is: Where do you find the time to be a comedian, a songwriter, an animator…

Maeve Higgins: …Meditate…

IW: (laughs)…Yeah! And all the other stuff that doesn’t involve creativity?

Howard Read: Well I, I don’t really! (Laughs) I’ve go no time for anything. The animation takes up the longest really. Yeah, I just don’t do anything else.

IW: Well, I guess you have to focus your attention on one thing at a time.

Our friend Marc Maron was on Conan last night talking about Cuba, Hawaii and roosters that can't tell time.

• Our own Graham Clark, co-host of Stop Podcasting Yourself, has launched my favorite web series of 2012 to-date: “Graham Clark Wilderness Man”. This is must-see internet.
• Eugene Mirman has announced that his first hour-long standup special, Eugene Mirman: An Evening of Comedy in a Fake Underground Laboratory will premiere on Comedy Central at midnight on Dec. 14th. Rumors are suggesting that it will include a theremin. If you’re in NYC, he’ll also be hosting a free simultaneous watching event / celebration at Bell House in Brooklyn.
• The State Department recently invited party-rocker Andrew WK to perform at the US Embassy in Manama. He quickly announced on his own website that he would be a “cultural ambassador” who would unite the human race “with love and partying.” But, sadly, it was not to be. The State Department, shortly after reviewing his “entire body of work” rescinded the invitation. Andrew tweeted later that he believed the trip had been cancelled solely "because I'm too party."
• Louis CK will release his fourth HBO special in early 2013. It will be filmed at one of the stops on his current tour. Good news for you folks without cable: he will eventually make it available as a $5 download from his website.

  

• Your long wait is over: here is Brandon Bird’s T-mas Card for 2012. Fa la la la la, Fool!
• Saddest comedy news of this holiday season: Wyatt Cenac is leaving the Daily Show. His last appearance will be on December 13th - the show’s last edition for this year.
• Happiest news: Both Key and Peele and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell have been renewed for another season.
• Bonus news: Hodgman on both 30 Rock AND the Daily Show this evening. Stay in. Make popcorn.

• Judd Apatow recently joined Conan O'Brien on the new online talk show "Serious Jibber-Jabber". Their conversation lasts nearly an hour, but is truly a must-see for those who strive to craft fine artisanal humor pieces.
• Founding UCB member Matt Besser has just released a digital short called “ The 6 Most Important Sets in the History of Stand Up”. It features Besser doing stand-up in six of his favorite characters: Satan, King George VI, Pope Benedict XVI, The Escaped Clone, Zeus and Bjork. You can grab it here and listen to it furtively throughout the holiday weekend while your cousins are out back sharing their dog pictures. (Quick aside: Matt Besser performed as Zeus at a past MaxFunCon and it was truly masterful.)
• Kyle Kinane’s first original one-hour special, Whiskey Icarus, is premiering on Comedy Central on Nov. 24^th. This video preview of it is, as you might expect, NSFW.



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• Jimmy Pardo was on Conan this week talking about his concerns regarding the movie “Brave”. Later this week, on Nov. 23^rd, he will be hosting the fourth annual Pardcastathon from noon to midnight. The show is a twelve-hour marathon of top-level comedy entertainment that raises money for SmileTrain. Be sure to watch the show – and donate generously - here. Guests will include Jon Hamm, Sarah Silverman and Doug Benson.
• British writer and actor David Mitchell has a new book out called Back Story– and you can hear him do two readings from it on SoundCloud. Also, Channel 4 just posted a few quick previews from the upcoming season eight of Mitchell’s popular sitcom Peep Show. (U.S. readers will have better luck watching them here).

• Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein announced the release date of the new season of Portlandia via this delightful video, Meditation Crush. The show will return to IFC for its third season on January 4th. As a holiday treat, the show will release a special on Dec. 14th called Winter in Portlandia.
• Here’s a bright start to the holiday season: on November 28th, Maria Bamford will self-release a new comedy special entitled Maria Bamford: The special special special! True to her unique style, the show was taped in her living room and the only audience members are her parents, Joel and Marilyn. Best of all, you’ll be able to download it from Chill.com for the fan-friendly price of only $4.99!



• Bored with your current collection of holiday music? We have wonderful news: Our MaxFun pals Jonathan Coulton and John Roderick are releasing a new CD of original Christmas songs! (And one Hanukkah tune!) For a taste, you can stream two of the songs here; but if you want the full holiday experience, you can order the complete collection - plus other related treats - here.



• Chris Hardwick premiered his first one-hour Comedy Central special this weekend. Entitled Mandroid, it is chock-full of the usual nerdy goodness you’ve come to expect from Chris and will be available on CD, DVD and as a digital download on January 22, 2013 (but a real friend would pre-order it , don’t you think?)



• And, of course, you’ve totally read Jon Ronson’s terrific new book, right? It’s an amazing set of stories entitled Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries- and it features the same unique blend of humor, adventure and thoughtful journalism that have made his previous works so memorable. Ronson visited The Daily Show recently to discuss it. You should also check out Ronson's recent appearance as our special guest on International Waters.

By Chris Bowman

In a continuing effort to initiate the uninitiated, we bring you a brief conversation with the UK side of this month’s installment of International Waters. Holly Walsh may be best known as the comedian who broke her elbow on a very public stage. Or possibly for her Edinburgh Fringe Best Newcomer nominated show Hollycopter. She’s appeared on many British panel shows including the pop music quiz show Nevermind the Buzzcocks and 8 Out of 10 Cats. Tom Allen is a Fringe festival veteran. After six consecutive appearances, he decided to sit it out this year. He’s a regular cast member on the BBC Radio Four show Bleak Expectations. He also writes and presents the show Dictionary Corner.

There’s a disturbing trend with the comedians who have been on this show. They are all exceedingly nice. Which begs the question: "What do they know that we don’t know?" For now, I think it’s residual Olympic fever.

International Waters: Holly, you are only the second repeat guest to appear on International Waters. Please describe how it feels.

Holly Walsh: Well, I feel like the first time I learned a great deal. Also, I’ve watched a lot of the Olympics, so I’m going to use some sporting phrases. I feel like I did enough in the first to get me through to the second one. But right now, I’m going to dig deep, I’m going to look forward, and I’m just going to do the best I can.