These Bumbershoot acts are always good for laugh

You may have heard that headlining comedian Zach Galifianakis canceled and is no longer performing at Bumbershoot 2008.

Never fear. "Human Giant" is funny, Janeane Garofalo is still funny and the comedians from Laff Hole are funnier than you thought Seattleites could be.

Sketch-comedy program "Human Giant" is an oasis of creative thought on MTV, easily the best thing on the channel. Writers and performers Aziz Ansari, Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer appeal especially to fans of droll programs like HBO's "Flight of the Conchords" or NBC's "The Office." About half their sketches miss, but the hits are absurd and original.

Search "Human Giant Osama Bin Diesel" on YouTube and witness a subtle, perfect impression of tough guy Vin Diesel explaining what happened after he was bitten by "a radioactive Osama bin Laden." The mutant's labored over-explanation takes the situation from zero to hilarious in about five seconds.

Billed as "Human Giant & Friends" (which, a few weeks ago in L.A., meant Mindy Kaling from "The Office"), Ansari, Huebel and Scheer will bring mysterious guests to Comedy Stage South (the Charlotte Martin Theatre) at 8 p.m. all three days of Bumbershoot.

Janeane Garofalo performs all three days, too, at 6:15 p.m. on the same stage as "Human Giant." She'll be with "Satiristas," a loose group of comedians whose jokes are often political.

Local comedians from the weekly Laff Hole show (Wednesdays; currently downtown at the Re-Bar) will do "alternative comedy" at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Comedy Stage West (the Vera Project), though it says on www.myspace.com/laffhole they don't know what that means.

Andrew Matson: 206-464-2153

or amatson@seattletimes.com