Carol Hartsell
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Carol Hartsell is the Senior Comedy Editor of Huffington Post. She is also a comedy writer, producer and performer.

She wrote and performed in the Off-Broadway show Shoot The Messenger from 2007-2009 alongside 'Daily Show' co-creator Lizz Winstead. In addition to weekly performances in NYC, the show travelled to LA, DC and Minneapolis, Minnesota during the Republican National Convention.

She has contributed to The Onion, was formerly the Director of Programming and Video Production for Comix comedy club, as well as the founder of humor Web site Drink at Work.com. In addition to booking and producing live comedy shows since 2005, she has shot, directed and edited numerous shorts for Drink at Work, as well as Lifetime, Bravo, NBC Universal, and more.

Originally from Alabama, she lives in New York with her husband and writing partner, Sean Crespo, their dog Fenny, their cats Graham and Dr. Girlfriend, and a container garden that has gotten out of control. She enjoys whiskey, Burt Reynolds movies and Radiohead.

Blog Entries by Carol Hartsell

Five Reasons To Stop Being Terrible

(0) Comments | Posted June 22, 2012 | 9:20 AM

It's Friday and if you're like me, you're ready to wash off the snark (and sweat), drink a pitcher of margaritas because you're a grown-up dammit, and enjoy some honest-to-Bill-Murray happy thoughts.

From the return of one of the best viral video series of all time to 21 photos that...

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Dancing 2012: Matt Harding Returns With New Dance Around The World Viral Video

(32) Comments | Posted June 20, 2012 | 12:35 PM

It's been a long four years, but the wait for a new "Where The Hell Is Matt" video is finally over, and this one's pretty jaw-droppingly great. For fans of viral videos that make you want to hug your neighbor, Matt Harding's oeuvre is pretty much the gold...

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'Crippled' Censorship: Comedian With Muscular Dystrophy, Promoter Detained For Using Offensive Term

(561) Comments | Posted June 19, 2012 | 11:08 AM

Comedian Ally Bruener, who has muscular dystrophy, and her promoter Forest Thomer, were recently detained by Cincinnati police for using the word "crippled" in a public park. Thomer was later cited for disorderly conduct, the AP reports.

Bruener and Thomer were attending Party in the Park, a weekly...

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Adam Carolla Lobs Slow Pitch At Relevancy

(155) Comments | Posted June 18, 2012 | 4:51 PM

I think I'm happy with that headline. Here are a few other options:

Adam Carolla Makes Bid To Win 'Adam Carolla' Search Term On Google

Adam Carolla Has A Book Out, Did You Know: Women Aren't Funny, How About Now?

'Man Show' Star Interviewed... No The Other One

In case...

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Crossing The Line: Susie Essman On The Nature Of Comedy & The Shocking Truth About Sexism

(9) Comments | Posted June 12, 2012 | 11:28 AM



Comedy is social commentary. In a totalitarian regime, what’s the first thing to go? Comedy. Because comedy is, by its nature, subversive.

Susie Essman

Many comedians and fans alike, consider the comedy stage a sacred place, where the dark, offensive, sacrilegious and even stupid...

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Five Reasons To Stop Being Terrible

(0) Comments | Posted June 8, 2012 | 1:51 PM

The theme of this week's five reasons to stop being terrible seems to be childhood: whether it's kids doing awesome things, the things you weren't too cool to geek out over when you were a kid, or the single greatest television personality ever being re-delivered to us in the most...

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Wisconsin Results: What The Recall Vote Means For You

(15) Comments | Posted June 6, 2012 | 1:56 PM

Now that Scott Walker has made history as the only U.S. governor to win in their own recall election, you're left wondering how the vote outcome will affect your daily life.

Not to worry, dear reader. We were there when you needed to know how to...

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Romney Typos Lead To Copywriter Search & Not A Moment Too Soon (PICTURE)

(20) Comments | Posted June 5, 2012 | 1:56 PM

After multiple Romney campaign typos have made the news -- most of them not nearly as glaring as the "Amercia" mobile app gaffe -- the GOP candidate is finally taking the problem seriously and looking for a new copywriter.

And if this early draft...

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Wisconsin Recall Vote: How To Pretend You Understand What's Going On

(10) Comments | Posted June 4, 2012 | 1:16 PM

It seems like everyone on TV is talking about the Wisconsin recall election, which probably means at some point -- maybe in the elevator at work, in line at Starbucks or at the dinner table -- you're going to have to talk about it, too.

But what if you...

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Five Reasons To Stop Being Terrible

(14) Comments | Posted June 1, 2012 | 3:16 PM

In a week where a horrific act of violence turned into a zombie meme within a matter of minutes, we need to be reminded that there are good things in the world; positive things that are to be enjoyed rather than riffed upon.

Lord knows, I'm no poster girl for...

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Bath Salts Vs. Bath Salts: Which Ones Will Make You Eat Faces?

(32) Comments | Posted May 31, 2012 | 1:00 PM

Our nation's day spas and Etsy artisans were dealt a cruel blow yesterday when news broke that a drug called "bath salts" was behind the Miami "cannibal" attack. Now the Web is saturated with stories about the ultra-dangerous hallucinogens, which can cause the kind of violent...

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Five Reasons To Stop Being Terrible

(6) Comments | Posted May 24, 2012 | 10:45 AM

I can't take it anymore. We're miserable, awful people and we must be stopped. We love our FAILs, our bloopers, our "worst evers". We share animated GIFs of reality television monsters and consider ourselves droll and whimsical.

Shame on us. Shame on me and definitely shame on you. Shame on...

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Battleship & 7 Other Board Game Movies (PHOTOS)

(129) Comments | Posted May 15, 2012 | 4:13 PM

When we heard that "Battleship" was being made into a movie, we immediately had two questions: 1) "Why?" and 2) "Will there be pegs?"

The answer to the first question was, "Shut up," and the answer to the second was, "You bet your sweet ass there will be pegs."

...
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It's Not 'Childless', It's A 'Choice'

(445) Comments | Posted May 10, 2012 | 1:13 PM

At the risk of seeming insensitive as we approach Mother's Day, I have a bone to pick with everyone out there who has chosen -- or tacitly accepted -- the role of motherhood. Could you please, for the love of God, stop referring to those of us who have chosen...

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Jimmy Kimmel Talks White House Correspondents Dinner, Emmys & More

(54) Comments | Posted April 24, 2012 | 3:01 PM

In 2003, Jimmy Kimmel left “The Man Show,” a high-testosterone homage to the male id, to host his own late-night talk show. Nearly a decade later, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” leads a rare double-life as both a network ratings contender and the occasional Internet meme, thanks...

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Watching GATZ: Sometimes You Just Have To Go See An 8-Hour Play

(0) Comments | Posted April 18, 2012 | 11:15 AM

"Word on the street is you went to see an 8-hour play. WTF?"

I can't decide whether it's a good thing or a bad thing that it seemed completely incongruous to those who know me that I went to the marathon event that is Elevator...

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We Are Augustines: The Band That Gave David Letterman Pause

(4) Comments | Posted April 10, 2012 | 12:18 PM

When you think of David Letterman there are probably a few things that immediately come to mind: his top ten lists, his famous late night war with Jay Leno, his post-9/11 return, or even Rupert the deli guy.

What's sometimes forgotten is the host's long-time tradition of breaking new...

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Dear Men: Shut Up About Women

(37) Comments | Posted April 2, 2012 | 1:55 PM

Here's a tiny piece of unsolicited advice: if you are a man and someone, especially a journalist, asks you if you think women are funny, SAY NOTHING. It is a trap. Walk away.

If only someone had said this to "Two & A Half Men" co-creator Lee Aronsohn.

During an...

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Colbert Demands Hoodie Control, Mocks Geraldo Over Trayvon Martin Comments (VIDEO)

(60) Comments | Posted March 27, 2012 | 9:32 AM

Will hoodie control be the next hot-button political issue? It will if Stephen Colbert has anything to say about it.

Both Colbert and Jon Stewart addressed the tragic shooting of Trayvon Martin on their programs Monday night, each with their own unique take. Colbert made the story the...

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James Urbaniak: 'Dr. Venture' Talks Travesties, Super Fans & Being Mistaken For Jarvis Cocker

(4) Comments | Posted March 20, 2012 | 2:55 PM

On a recent Friday evening in New York City, a group of writers and comedians assembled in the SoHo offices of The Onion for "Whiskey Friday," an informal drinks and conversation gathering created by features editor Joe Garden.

Similar to the Algonquin Roundtable, only with less cribbage and more...

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