Animal Planet goes to the most unforgiving landscape in the world – Central Texas, for a look at the Sixth Street wildlife and the denizens of Austin’s party hub.

Plus a splashy magical fountain illusion by Ray Anderson and the classic “Sam I Am”, Dr. Seuss for lovers, are back in the show!

Here at Esther’s, we have an idea for everyone who feels like a fiscally fleeced plucked chicken left to roast in the cool 108 degrees here in the Capital City;  LAUGH.

In this economic quagmire, a laugh is one of the only commodities that can never depreciate in value,  it can be passed on to family & friends, and has the potential to keep you looking young.

Since it looks like that “…must be a certain age to work as a US politician” thing isn’t keeping complete children from running our entire government,  we here at Esther’s  say, “Come out and play!”.  Help us take this debt ceiling pressure cooker off the fire, and fill it with so many smiles that we collectively raise the roof!

Q: Where were you born?
I was born at home in Southgate, Kentucky. My dad was a medical student at the time. The plan was that there would be an attending physician there, along with a midwife and my dad assisting, but due to an ice storm the doctor never made it. Don’t worry though. I came out just fine.

Q: Is that where you grew up?
Kentucky, Kansas, Washington, and California were all briefly places I called home as a kid, but for the most part I grew up in Oregon. Ashland, in Southern Oregon to be exact. It is a beautiful town and home to a world renowned, award winning Shakespeare festival which runs for 9 months out of the year. I’ve also worked in Washington DC for a lobby, performed national service work for two years in Denver and attended college in a sweet little mountain town in Colorado.

Q: What’s your favorite book/movie?
My favorite book is Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. It’s a lovely book which takes place in a traveling side show and flips your perspective, making normal seem freakish and freakishness, normal. It’s pretty neat. My favorite movie has always been Harold and Maud. Apparently I just have a thing for weird love stories.

Q: Favorite actor/actress?
I don’t think I have a favorite, but I have always thought that Annette O’Toole was one of the best and yet somehow least celebrated actresses out there. Also her daughter asked for my autograph back in 1994 when I was working for Cygnet Children’s Theater Company in Oregon. So that’s pretty cool.

Q: How long have you been in Austin?
I moved to Austin in 2005. Long enough to develop cedar fever…apparently.

Q: Fave Austin restaurant or bar?
Food and beverage in Austin are good. Real good. It is hard to find a place to eat or drink here that isn’t lovable!

Q: Fave Austin haunt/places to go for fun?
I haven’t been in quite some time, but Jinny’s Little Long-Horn Saloon on Burnett has chicken-shit bingo (am I allowed to say chicken-shit?) on Sunday afternoons. Plus they serve free chili-dogs and have great live music!

Q: Fave Austin festival?
Hands down the Out Of Bounds Comedy Festival is not only one of the best festivals in town, but one of the best in the country! OOB features stand-up comics, sketch comedy performances and world-renowned improv performances. Last year Three Falling from Israel and Kevin McDonald of Kids in the Hall–doing his one man show “Hammy and the Kids,” made up the headlining act. This year, Greg Proops of Whose Line is it Anyway and Tim Meadows of Saturday night Live along with his current improv troupe, Uncle’s Brother, are booked for the festival. Seriously. Make a point to go to this festival.

Q: What about your acting chops…tell me more?
I have been performing since I was 6 years old. I landed my first major role a few months before my 8th birthday, as Tiny Tim in the Minshall Theater production of Scrooge–a musical version of Dickens’s a Christmas Carol. Side note: My dad played Ebenezer Scrooge. I trained in vocal skill along with both stage acting and improv comedy throughout middle school and high school, joined a professional theater company and produced my own experimental comedy show.

Now I do a great deal of improv comedy performance, making up Broadway-style musicals on the spot with Girls Girls Girls Improvised Musical comedy and I teach improv comedy for the Merlin Works Institute for Improvisation. For folks who aren’t familiar with improv, the term (as it is frequently used these days) refers to performed works that are unscripted and unrehearsed and often based in comedy. Sketch comedy like you see on Saturday Night Live, Funny or Die or Esther’s Follies is written, approved and refined. Improv is spontaneous and requires keen listening and quick response time. None of it is predetermined. Talk about adventure!

Q: Who has inspired your acting career? How did you get the acting bug?
My father wanted me to have confidence, so he got me up on stage early. He had no idea he was creating a performance monster, hungry for audience laughter and a applause…or did he? When I was very little, a psychic told my dad that I was not only Madame Marie Curie in a past life (theory of radioactivity–you’re welcome!), but that I would grow up to be just like Carol Burnet.

Q: I heard you like to travel, where have you been?
I’ve lived in a lot of places and played tourist in several countries; most notably I lived in Israel for one year following graduation from High School and after college I taught Conversational English in South Korea for two years.

Q: Where were you born?

I was born in Cincinnati, OH but have been in Austin since I was 8. (save for 8 years in LA)

Q: What’s your favorite book/movie?

Favorite book is The Stranger by Albert Camus, and my favorite movie is The Shawshank Redemption.

Q: Favorite actor/actress?

Favorite actor is a three-way tie between Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.

Q: How long have you been in Austin?

I’ve been in Austin from 8 years old on before moving to LA for 8 years when I was 22.

Q: Fave Austin restaurant or bar?

Favorite Austin restaurant would have to be Shady Grove or Hula Hut.

Q: Fave Austin haunt? (places to go for fun)

Spiderhouse is always fun.

Q: Fave Austin festival?

Believe it or not my favorite festival is the book festival.

Q: Who has inspired your acting career? how did you get the acting bug?

I caught the acting bug when I saw ET and Elliott got to kiss that girl during the frog scene. I was hooked.

Q: So I’ve heard you have a famous brother…tell me more?

My brother is Mehcad Brooks, who played the role of “Eggs” Benedict on True Blood. He also played Matthew Applewhite on Desperate Housewives. His new show is called Necessary Roughness on USA. It looks great.

Q: What about your acting chops…tell me more?

I’ve been acting for fifteen years, I’m trained in ballet, ballroom and jazz dancing, and I attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood.

So the Esther’s Follies team is taking a much needed hiatus this weekend but we’re pumped to announce there’s still something exciting, awesome and downright AMAZING brewing at the Follies. Pop in for the “Best of Austin’s Standup Comics” show this weekend. HERE’S more info on the showtimes and the headliners, including: Jimmie Roulette, Matt Sadler, Nancy Reed, Kerry Awn, John O’Connell and emcee Ramin Nazer.

So, you want to snag yourself some HALF PRICED TICKETS? We’re offering them for these exclusive showtimes and prices:

Thursday, June 9th at 8pm ($10 – $5)

Friday, June 10th at 8pm ($12 – $6)

Saturday, June 11th at 10pm ($15 – $7.50)

All you need to do is call (512) 320-0198 or (512) and say the magic word “VELVEETA” to score this great deal because we’re only offering these half priced tickets in limited quantities.

So what do you say…pick up that phone, grab a buddy (or a date) and head over to Red River and Sixth Street for a night filled with laughter and side-splitting fun…all courtesy of Austin’s best!

Side-note: Esther’s Follies will be back to our regularly scheduled programming and showtimes starting Thursday, June 16th.

All you need to do is call in (320-0553 or 320-0198) and say, “JUNE JAMBOREE“ for the deal!

If you absolutely can’t make either showtime, we’ll also open up a very limited quantity for Friday’s 8pm showtime, so do know that’s also an option but you need to hurry up and call. The half priced deal is only good for these show-times and there are limited quantities, so CALL! We can’t wait to see your smiling faces and hear your belly laughs this weekend. Here’s a snippet about what to expect in this month’s show:

Sixth Street’s comedy mavericks tackle the summer satirical season of political hanky-panky, from Obama’s budget busting to Schwarzenegger’s love child! Celebrate the reprieve of the Rapture, and get your update on local, national, and world news in song, dance, and comedy sketches!

Heading out to Sixth Street this weekend and not sure where to get your grub on? We have the perfect option for you. Open on Friday and Saturday nights from 7pm till 3am, Esther’s Follies Slammin’ Sliders and Fries will be filling the street with an insane aroma that’ll have you following your noses to the sweet spot. Located directly adjacent to Esther’s Follies (on the Red River side) this surely will suffice your weekend burger and fries craving. Our motto: no man will leave hungry!

If you’re heading to the Esther’s Follies show, feel free to bring your sidewalk faire right in with you. The cafe was previously mentioned HERE…are you drooling yet? Just giving you an idea of the delectable goodness you’re about to partake in. Check out the pictures of the sidewalk cafe below and pop in on  Friday or Saturday night for great food, good fun and some always interesting Sixth Street people watching.

The show will feature Esther’s very own Kerry Awn (below) with Nancy Reed, John O’Connell and others. It’s sure to be a night filled with side-splitting laughter and non-stop hilarity! The hour and a half show will only run during this particular June weekend and limited tickets are available. Call 512-320-0553 to order your tickets today!

Ticket prices and times:

Thursday 6/11: 8pm show – $10 (gen. admission) and $15 (reserved)

Friday 6/12: 8pm show – $12 (gen. admission) and $17 (reserved)

Saturday 6/13: 8pm AND 10pm show – $15 (gen. admission) and $20 (reserved)

*You can still catch a regularly scheduled Esther’s show on June 2-4, 16-18, 23-25 and the 30th!

http://www.kvue.com/v/?i=121050094

We’re pumped about THIS great write up for Patsy’s Cafe over on Austin Foodie Reviews. Here’s a snippet from the review:

‘I took my husband Evan, my friend Hannah and my dog Ginger, we sat outside on the patio. We were welcomed by a great little lady named Deb, who has been working there since they opened 4 years ago. We all ordered an Austin Amber Independence pint for $2 each!!! Happy hour is ALL DAY Saturday, which is amazing because most places don’t have any happy hour on the weekends let alone a $2 local brew! I’m a huge fan of beer, especially cheap beer! We asked Deb what we should get for an appetizer (she’s the expert) and without hesitation she said “the Cowgirl Queso” – DONE. It was awesome. Brisket, cheese, guacamole, and pico! It also came with salsa, not quite spicy enough for my taste but it didn’t really matter because we were all focused on that queso…’

Check out the great pics below that accompanied the review and click HERE to read the entire review. Make sure to pop into our sister restaurant, Patsy’s Cafe and check out all their daily/weekly specials right HERE! Also, they have rockin’ happy hour deals too. Yum, now I’m hungry!