babs gray – The Comedy Bureau

Lyric Hyperion Is Swinging Big with Debut Comedy Specials from Emily Browning and Joey Greer at New Production Arm, Spesh!

August 29, 2025

ahmed bharoocha, alyssa sabo, babs gray, comedy special, emily browning, harper rose drummond, joey greer, kat bird, lyric hyperion, Natasha Mercado, spesh, uriah wesman, veronica osorio

While there are many a multi-national media conglomerate that are interested in the world of putting out comedy specials and content, do not count out smaller outfits being able to come to the table and play with the “big boys”.

Case in point, the mighty Lyric Hyperion, the long-beloved, forward thinking comedy theatre and performance space (and cafe) has just officially launched their very own production arm, Spesh!, in order to take some big swings and give the networks and streamers alike a run for their money (even with their very deep pockets). This team has taken a long gander at the comedy special landscape and seen a lot of the very same uploaded to everywhere and wanted to shake things up/break the mold with their spirit of “alt comedy 4 all”. Headed up by LH’s very own Sean Casey, Mike Bridenstine, and Jake Kroeger*, Spesh! “…will focus on producing trailblazing specials direct to YouTube alongside short vertical content across socials.”

Their very first specials will be a wild and great start for Spesh! with the debut hours from Emily Browning and Joey Greer, two very treasured voices in the vast and expansive LA comedy scene. Browning’s Temporary, Beautiful, due out Sept. 4th exclusively on YouTube, is equally splendid parts comedy, balloons, songs, and an “elevated deconstruction of crowd work” and Greer is seeking to redefine the entirety of what a comedy can (and should) be with Teeny Tiny, due out on Sept. 12th.

Following that, Spesh! is already on to lining up their next set of comedy luminaries that they’re looking to develop specials/hours with including: Ahmed Bharoocha (The Late Show, Dream Corp LLC), Kat Bird (Comedy Store Door Guy), Harper-Rose Drummond (Parallel Play), Babs Gray (Toxic: The Britney Spears Story, Lady to Lady), Natasha Mercado (The Joe Schmo Show), Veronica Osorio (Hail, Caesar!), Alyssa Sabo (120K+ followers), and Uriah Wesman (Three Cults Walk into a Bar).

From the looks of it, Spesh! could very well be a torch bearer for the future of alt comedy and we’re absolutely here for it.

*yes, that’s TCB’s very own Jake Kroeger.

Pick of the Day: 50 Worst Jokes (in LA) 12/28

December 13, 2023

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50 worst jokes, babs gray, best of 2023, brodie reed, los angeles comedy, silverlake, stand up comedy, worst of 2023

As the days fade away towards the end of 2023, year-end/best of lists are coming out aplenty. There is plenty to be celebrated with the very best in comedy of this year (Barbie might be the purest comedy to win a Best Picture Oscar in decades?). With that said, what about the worst?

Well, more accurately here, what are the worst jokes of some of the funniest folks in the LA comedy scene (the worst jokes of the year live in the comments of any social media platform)? That’s right, Babs Gray (Lady to Lady) is returning, along with co-host Brodie Reed, to have an absurdly fun, ridiculous evening of certified funny people doing what has proven to be their worst joke of the year (and you best bet that any attempt at an actual good joke will be met with boos). We’d argue that it’s almost more wild and unforgettable than the diametrically opposed 50 First Jokes that happens all over the country.

50 Worst Jokes will go down on Thurs. Dec. 28th at 7;30PM at Lyric Hyperion, complete with dance party afterwards. You can get all this show (and a chance to boogie at LH’s gorgeous theatre) for just $10 right here.

Pick of the Day: Stand up and Clown (in LA) 2/7

January 28, 2022

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ahamed weinberg, anna seregina, babs gray, christina catherine martinez, clown, elysian theater, ify nwadiwe, jessy morner ritt, kyle mizono, los angeles comedy, morgan jay, stand up comedy

It is our firm belief that when the different disciplines of comedy get cross-pollinated that some of the best, most boundary pushing comedy gets made. We also believe that Chad Damiani “live directing” (or ruthlessly roasting) people attempting clown is some of the funniest things we’ve ever seen.

Stand Up and Clown will combine all of that comedy goodness into a crucible of glorious failure and celebratory stupidity. Basically, Damiani, a veteran of the clowning and improv world will do his “live directing” of great stand-up comedians trying their hand at clown.

This first edition has a bunch of wondrous LA comedians that we can’t wait to see under Chad’s gun including:

Babs Gray
Morgan Jay
Christina Catherine Martinez
Kyle Mizono
Jessy Morner-Ritt
Ify Nwadiwe
Anna Seregina
Ahamed Weinberg

This inaugural Stand Up and Clown will happen at The Elysian on Mon. Feb. 7th at 9:30PM PT. Tickets are $12 right now and you really ought to get your tickets ASAP here.

Pick of the Day: Sauce Comedy (in LA) 9/28

September 24, 2021

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anna seregina, babs gray, brodie reed, erin lampart, james fritz, katrina davis, kyle mizono, la comedy, sauce, silverlake, stand up comedy, steve hernandez

Slowly, but surely (as much as the pandemic will allow), some of our favorite shows from the before times are coming back in LA.

Many Friday nights, you could have found us at the back of a private room at Desano Pizza in East Hollywood for the fantastic weekly comedy show known as Sauce. It was nice, neatly packed show that had some of the best stand-ups in LA and some out-of-left-field bits that were the perfect cherry on top for that slice of the evening.

Thankfully, it’s back with most of its original crew, Babs Gray, Erin Lampart, and Brodie Reed and they’ve relocated to both Silverlake Lounge and a Tuesday night. Their first show back since lockdown is set for Tues. Sept. 28th at 9PM PT and admission is free (proof of vaccination required). Per usual, they have a killer line-up for this edition of Sauce with Katrina Davis, James Fritz, Kyle Mizono & Anna Seregina, and Steve Hernandez.

If you’re in or around Silverlake in LA (or even if you’re not), make this your Tuesday night for this coming week.

Pick of the Day: Lady to Lady LIVE! Outside Show! (in LA) 9/5

August 17, 2021

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babs gray, brandie posey, la comedy, lady to lady, live podcast, ryan nemeth, tess barker

One of the very last shows that we watched before lockdown was a fantastic live edition of the splendid podcast Lady to Lady with venerable hosts Babs Gray, Brandie Posey, and Tess Barker. Per usual, it was a wild variety of some of LA’s best stand-up (Maria Bamford happened to be on that show), crazy games, live music, and their resident hunk, Ryan Nemeth.

Thankfully, on this side of the pandemic, Lady to Lady is returning to the stage, this time on the charming patio of Permanent Records Roadhouse, one of LA comedy’s newest, shiniest venues. Babs, Brandie, and Tess’ first time back since before lockdown is set for Sun. Sept. 5th and will go monthly on the first Sunday of the month with doors at 7PM PT. Tickets are $12 right now and we suggest that you snag them here.

Hopefully, this means they will bring back their adult baby contest in the not so distant future.

Pick of the Day: Final Week of Comedy Quarantine

December 7, 2020

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babs gray, comedy livestream, comedy quarantine, comedy show, dominque gelin, ig live, instagram live, sam varela, teresa lee

Comedy Quarantine has been dutifully and faithfully delivering stand-up comedy via Instagram Live (in a pretty slick way, we might add) for almost every week of lockdown/quarantine/this damn pandemic. The team of Barbara Gray, Teresa Lee, Dominque Gelin, and Sam Varela have connected the best comedians from around the country and the world to stay connected to everyone else and work on material within their own home or wherever they happen to be at the time (Teresa went live from a protest in DTLA) longer than any other comedy live-stream that we have known about this year.

On top of that, they have been taking donations to not only support the comedians on their line-up, but have raised plenty of $$$ for great organizations such as Ground Game LA or The Okra Project.

So, this week will be their last week and, as they have done throughout the duration of the pandemic, they’ve got stacked line-ups that are very, very much tuning into on IG Live for (as you can see above).

If you weren’t already checking them out, please check @ComedyQuarantine out for their final shows this Wed., Thurs., and Fri. at 7PM PT/10PM ET.

The backroom of the Blue Rooster Art Supplies was poised to be the heir apparent to Nerdmelt @ Meltdown. Alas, such a fate was not to come to pass as construction and expansion will prohibit the space from being a live venue.

Thus, Faded, On Deck, live tapings of All Fantasy Everything, and more will be moving on to a new home in the Mid City Arts Center next month.

However, before they go, they’re throwing a big farewell this Saturday in the form of an all female comedy marathon featuring 30 of LA’s best female comedians telling one joke. Signature Drink, another Blue Rooster show alum, and its hosts Courtney Karwal and Megan Gailey will be presiding over what should be quite the swan song.

Seriously, this would be a show that you shouldn’t miss without the whole prospect of a venue closing. As this is a living wake of sorts, it’s even more imperative that you enjoy yourself at a damn fine stand-up show.

Best get your tickets here quick.