la comedy

Pick of the Day: Blacula (in LA) 10/24

October 16, 2023

blacula, halloween, improv, la comedy, ucb

Halloween is just two weeks and change away and a whole slew of Halloween themed comedy shows are about to take over any and all comedy venues (and you absolutely should take make the most of the horror/comedy combo while you can).

Case in point, some of UCB’s best black improvisers are going to do their own improvised versions of vampire lore/cinema/TV the week before Halloween. Appropriately called Blacula, the likes of Shakira Paye, Carl Tart, Moni Oyedepo, Jerah Milligan, X Mayo, Corin Wells, Jacquis Neal, Lamar Woods, Blake Edwards, and Ashley Parchment will give you the flip of what has been predominantly a white subgenre (except for Blade and the latest Interview with the Vampire?). If they end up improvising the infamous baseball scene from Twilight, the audience ought to pay more than the $10 that this show costs.

Blacula is set for Tues. 10/24 at 10PM. You very much can (and should) go get your tickets here.

Pick of the Day: Free Screening of “Strange Man Bicycle Caper” In Celebration of Pee Wee (in LA) 8/5

dynasty typewriter, la comedy, pee-wee herman

With millions still mourning the loss of one dear Paul Reubens, there are all sorts of tributes honoring his memory, especially when it comes to Pee Wee Herman.

So, with that in mind, we hear that the good folks down at Dynasty Typewriter are doing a special free screening of “Strange Man Bicycle Caper” this Sat. Aug. 5th at 10PM. Is that a certain famous movie about trying to find some sort of two wheel dedicated mode of transporation or not? You’d have to (and probably should) go see for yourself.

There is an RSVP, but admission is still first come, first served. No matter if you make it in or not, you should ready a red bow tie, just in case.

Pick of the Day: Sandy Honig’s SandyFest (in LA) 8/3

echo park, film screening, heavy manners library, la comedy, sandy honig, short film

Whether it’s through Three Busy Debras, her very own comedy, her works as a filmmaker, or her stunning photography portfolio, you really ought to know the name Sandy Honig if you don’t already. Honig is an endlessly innovative, creative voice and force that LA comedy is lucky to have these days.

Another reason to know her name just popped up with the introduction of her own evening of short films, SandyFest at Echo Park’s magical art and design book resource, Heavy Manners Library. It’ll be a very special, exclusive night of the absurd, the out-there, and the hysterical and captivating of short films, handpicked by Sandy, from many other original visionaries whose names you should know. That’ll include Phoebe Parsons, Philip Steiger, Graham Mason & Ike Ufomadu, Joe Pelling, Eytan Boclin & Liam Klinkenberg, Sarah Squirm, and, of course, Sandy Honig.

SandyFest is set for Thurs. Aug. 3rd with doors at 7PM. Pay what you can for admission and get more details here.

Pick of the Day: Murderfist (in LA) 9/23

dynasty typewriter, la comedy, murderfist, sketch comedy

One score ago, a rag tag crew of FSU students banded together to take their college party hijinks and antics and honed it into the no holds barred comedy sketch lore gifted to us mere mortals by those that shall be known as Murderfist.

Yes, John Moreno, Walter Replogle, Holden McNeely, Henry Zebrowski, Jackie Zebrowski, Amber Nelson, Ed Larson, Jared Warner, Kelan Maloney and Adam Wirtz together made something of the most absurd, satirical, hard hitting sketch comedy that has ever been under the moniker of Murderfist. You can watch their stuff of legend here and read an oral history of their exploits (albeit from 10 years ago) from Paste Magazine here.

The group is coming upon 20 years since their creation and the venerable members of Murderfist, all individually successful in their own right, are reuniting once more for what should be a show for the comedy history books. Come Sat. Sept. 23rd at 10PM, Murderfist will take over one of LA comedy’s classiest venues, Dynasty Typewriter, with their hysterically dark comedy (perhaps, some of the darkest in all of sketch comedy?).

Tickets are only $20 for such a momentous event and you really better snag tickets now right here.

Pick of the Day: CHEERS TO QUEERS: The Overheard LA x Truly Comedy Show (in LA) 6/3

andrew stier, drew lausch, ej marcus, glaad, la comedy, mav viola, overheard la, pallavi gunalan, pride month, stand up comedy, teresa lee, truly, zach teague

In case you forgot, June is Pride Month and only a few days away as of this post. As such, there is going to be an amazing wave of LGBTQIA+ comedy that could (and should) potentially take over all of next month for you.

One of those shows, in LA, will be Overheard LA x Truly joining forces for CHEERS TO QUEERS, an exclusive evening of queer comedy supporting long-standing queer org GLAAD. Set for the beginning of June on Sat. Jun. 3rd, the likes of queer comedy luminaries Zach Teague and Drew Lausch will be making that afternoon feel like a party worthy of the much later hours. Joining them will be wondrous queer comics from the LA scene including EJ Marcus, Teresa Lee, Pallavi Gunalan, Andrew Stier, and Mav Viola.

CHEERS TO QUEERS is set for 1PM on Sat. Jun. 3rd at Truly LA. Tickets are only $15 and that’ll get you admission to the show, two drinks, access to confessional booths, and the dance party following the show. Sounds like a pretty good deal to us. Go get ’em here.

Pick of the Day: Ali Wong Live! (in LA & NYC) 5/19, 6/16, and 8/1-8/6

ali wong, la comedy, nyc comedy, stand up comedy

It has been quite some time and then some (and maybe a bit extra) since comedy superstar Ali Wong has gone on a big tour and especially headlined in and around LA (remember when she played The Wiltern every weekend for over a month and they were all sold out shows?).

Well, 2023 is going to be another big year for Ali as the highly anticipated revenge dramedy BEEF is due out on Netflix soon and Ali is going to be a massive tour across North America stretching from April to September.

For LA and NYC, Wong has lined-up early and late shows as follows:

Fri. May 19th-Thousand Oaks, Bank of America Performing Arts Center with tickets starting at $56 + fees
Fri. Jun. 16th-LBC, Terrace Theater at Long Beach Convention Center with tickets starting at $76 + fees
Tues. Aug. 1st-Sun. Aug. 6th-NYC, Beacon Theatre with tickets starting at $67 + fees

These tickets are already going pretty fast, so you best hop on them at aliwong.com/tour.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 151: Joel Mandelkorn & The Re-Rebirth of Hot Tub

February 15, 2023

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

hot tub with kurt and kristen, la comedy, midnight

One of our favorite guests/people/minds in comedy, Joel Mandelkorn, returns as has one of LA’s biggest comedy shows, Hot Tub with Kurt Kristen, the show he has co-produced for almost a decade here in LA. Joel fills us in, as part of the “new normal” we live in, on moving the show from its historic time of 8PM on Mondays (it had that time in NYC for all the years that it ran there as well) to Wednesdays, being permanently outside, and his thoughts on Angelenos being properly prepared for any wintry conditions.

Also, “hot” takes on the return of @midnight, Tina & Amy’s four city tour, and more.

Follow Joel @cleftclips and follow Hot Tub with @hottub_show across socials.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT
Photo by Mandee Johnson

Pick of the Day: Whatever Show with Rory Scovel & (Return) of Loose (in LA) Mondays

February 8, 2023

elysian theater, la comedy, mondays, rory scovel, whatever show

To say everything has changed from what it was in 2019, or even 2021, is a massive, massive understatement. While many things that we used to have pre-COVID are back or new things sprouted from after lockdown have taken root while going into 2023, nothing is really like it quite used to be.

For the purposes of this post, Monday night stand-up in LA is definitely no longer the same. Long standing Monday night comedy institution Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen moved to Wednesdays (and to a different part of a town-Cypress Park to be exact).

Don’t worry however as there is a great Monday night comedy run to be had in LA.

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A post shared by Rory Scovel (@roryscovel)

The always thrilling Rory Scovel has taken over Mondays at the Elysian with The Whatever Show, which strives to be true to his name with it being a night that could just be Rory doing top flight improvised stand-up to him riffing with Conan O’Brien and everything in between. That’s been going at 7:30PM since January and you really ought to be on the ball about getting tickets because the Elysian is getting packed on Mondays now. Do so here.

We also thought beloved Monday night LA staple Loose was over (for a bit) since their long standing home Little Joy is renovating and then no longer having comedy, but they are actually going over to the newly new Lyric Hyperion and going late night for Mondays at 9:30PM with one of the most venerable hosting duos in LA, Megan Koester and Alison Stevenson, and the beautifully hilarious clowning/stand-up antics of Anna Seregina. Their first night at Lyric Hyperion is set for this coming Mon, Feb. 13th with tickets only costing you $5. Go get ’em here.

Both are close enough to each other that you can very much make both shows and have Monday be, potentially, one of the best nights of the week.

Pick of the Day: Kyle Kinane (in LA & NYC) 2/10 & 5/4

January 23, 2023

bell house, kyle kinane, la comedy, largo, nyc comedy, stand up comedy

In the midst of the far off time of quarantine, the brilliant comedic mind that is Kyle Kinane uprooted from his long time home of LA and headed on up to Oregon. Thus, in LA, we were unfortunately no longer gifted the chance of regularly seeing Kinane comedically explore the existential nature of whatever he happened to be going through at the time and doing so in an unbelievably colorful, almost poetic way.

As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder and any chance to seeing Kyle will be even more special these days.

Such days are indeed coming up for both LA and NYC as Kyle will be playing the hallowed stages of Largo in LA and Bell House in Brooklyn in the coming months. Kyle’s Largo date appears to be sold out, but you can chance stand-by tickets on the night of or check Largo’s site over and over to see if they added tickets. The 7:30PM-Thurs. May 4th date at The Bell House has tickets available at $40.87 a pop. Definitely go get them before they sell out here.

Pick of the Day: Kristin Lynne Wallace’s White Time (in LA) 1/26-1/28

January 16, 2023

elysian, experimental comedy, kristin lynne wallace, la comedy, whiteface

The Elysian’s very first festival of completely, never before seen experimental comedy shows started off with an unquestionable bang thanks to Kristin Lynne Wallace and her electrifying variety show White Time done entirely in “Whiteface”. Flipping power dynamics and twisting satire as far as she can as a “gift receipt to the Jim Crow era”, Wallace brought the house down for the inaugural Forget About Spaghetti Festival. The show ends up being a perfect combination of hysterical and sticking with you to think about its greater, far reaching commentary long after you leave the theater.

Thankfully, the Elysian is bringing much of its festival programming back for another round and Wallace’s White Time will get three performances from Thurs. Jan. 26th-Sat. Jan. 28th, all at 7:30PM. Tickets are only $12 and you best go snag them here ASAP.

Pick of the Day: Hannah Einbinder & Friends (in LA) 10/30

October 14, 2022

coronet theater, hacks, hannah einbinder, la comedy, largo, stand up comedy

Doing your own “& Friends” show at Largo at the Coronet Theatre, not unlike getting your name on the wall of The Comedy Store, is one of the highest echelons you can get in the vast LA comedy scene. It’s rarefied air especially since Largo doesn’t run 7 nights a week or maintain any sort of farm system for people to work your way up. You just have to be good enough for Flanagan to hear of you on top of raising your own profile pretty high in comedy and then fit into the rustic, revered auditorium on La Cienega.

With all of that in mind, Hannah Einbinder is about to have her very first “& friends” at show at Largo as she has had a trailblazing last few years between her own stand-up and the award winning darling that is Hacks. Einbinder heartily worked her through the LA scene own her myriad of conceptual bits and very introspective observations and it’s truly something special to see her graduate to one of LA’s most sought after stages for comedians.

So, go put down $46 here to see her Largo “& Friends” debut on Sun. Oct. 30th at 8PM PT.

Pick of the Day: Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11 Screening (in LA) 9/11

September 8, 2022

Ahmed Ahmed, dynasty typewriter, jeff ross, julie seabaugh, la comedy, laurie kilmartin, nick scown, rory albanese

Even though it’s a rather new addition to the comedy documentary genre, Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11 is one of the best examinations on the art form of comedy. Following the progression of healing with the country as correlated with jokes about one of the most horrific attacks on U.S. soil ever is enthralling and should be watched by any and all, no matter what your interest level in comedy is.

Lucky for you, there will be a special screening in LA on this year’s anniversary of 9/11 on Sun. at 7PM at Dynasty Typewriter with special performances by comedians featured in the doc including Jeff Ross, Laurie Kilmartin, Ahmed Ahmed and Rory Albanese and a Q&A with directors Julie Seabaugh and Nick Scown.

Tickets are $20 and you really ought to go get them here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 123: Alex Hanna & The Door at The Comedy Store

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

alex hanna, la comedy, the comedy store

Even after almost 50 years of being around, one of the best ways to get in at The Comedy Store to get your name on the wall is working the door at the world famous comedy club. Alex Hanna is one such comedian on his way, starting from every indie crevice in the LA scene and then chancing upon one of the few open spots to both develop at The Comedy Store and work the door. From his vantage point, we chat about the state of The Comedy Store these days and how, if you can believe, live comedy is healthy (depending on who you are) in Summer 2022.

Also, “hot” takes on Everybody Hates Chris getting an animated series, whether SNL should end at 50, and more.

Follow Alex @alexhanna_good on Twitter and IG.

The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger).

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT
Photo by Van Corona

Pick of the Day: David Gborie Does Time (in LA) 9/15

david gborie, elysian, la comedy, stand up comedy

Pre-pandemic, the brilliant, hysterical, and just undeniably gregarious David Gborie lit up stages across LA all the time with a million dollar smile and comedic takes on the world that were both 1000% honest, but so fun and inclusive at the same time.

In the midst of pandemic times, Gborie has since relocated to Denver and carved quite the spot for himself in that scene. While that leaves a David Gborie size hole in our hearts, we’re thrilled and thankful to hear that Gborie is coming back for a night to headline The Elysian.

Thurs. Sept. 15th at 7:30PM PT, David Gborie will indeed do time and you shouldn’t miss a single second of it. Tickets are $18 and you can and very much should go get them here.

Pick of the Day: Summer Girl Winter Boy: Greta Titelman and Matt Rogers (in LA) 8/5

greta titelman, hollywood improv, la comedy, matt rogers, stand up comedy

You’re well aware that it’s actually quite the rarity to see a legitimate hour set from a comedian while in LA or NYC. Stage time is such a scarce resource for an ever growing number of comedians that you should take the chance, if you can find it, to go watch someone do an hour rather than one of their handful of ten minute sets they’re doing around town.

For all the attitude, style, spunk, and wit that both Greta Titelman (Search Party) and Matt Rogers (I Love That For You, Fire Island) bring to the stage, you should really never miss a set of theirs. Lucky for LA, they’re co-headlining back to back at the one and only Hollywood Improv next month.

Mark down Fri. Aug. 5th at 8PM PT for having an evening on Melrose and watching Greta and Matt take over the Improv’s Main Room. Tickets are $25 (plus 2 item min.) and don’t be surprised if it sells out soon. Go get ’em here ASAP.

Pick of the Day: Good Heroin with Lindsay Adams and Rob Haze (in LA) 7/16

comedy show, echo park, free comedy, la comedy, lindsay adams, los angeles, rob haze, stand up comedy

Good Heroin is and has been one of the very best weekly stand-up shows in LA for a very long time. Saturdays at the back patio of Stories has been a destination for comedy fans far and wide as well as those Eastside denizens looking for a splendid evening without having to go too far.

For a good run of the show’s history as a LA comedy staple, it was dutifully hosted by Dave Ross and Matt Ingebretson. When Ingebretson got swept away in the wonderfully dark Corporate on Comedy Central, which he co-created and co-starred in, Dave took on hosting duties solely. In the past several months, Dave has been bi-coastal and sharing hosting duties and the mantle to Good Heroin with LA comedy’s favorite reformed mean girl, Lindsay Adams.

Since Dave has made an official move to NYC, he has officially handed off and kept the Good Heroin name alive with faith placed in its two new co-hosting duo, the aforementioned Lindsay Adams and LA transplant and one of comedy’s most clever minds, Rob Haze. This coming Saturday, Jul. 16th marks Lindsay and Rob’s first Good Heroin (where Rob wasn’t kept as a secret to be revealed) and a start to new era of one of LA’s comedy cornerstone shows.

So, if it being great, free stand-up (w/Jackie Kashian, Jenny Zigrino, Nori Reed, Morgan Jay, Michelle Biloon, Rob Smallwood for 7/16) on a Saturday night at 8 wasn’t enough for you to come down to 1716 Sunset Blvd., we hope this historical moment will be enough to convince you to go (and subsequently keep coming back) to Good Heroin.

Pick of the Day: In Unit Laundry with Simon Gibson and M.K. Paulsen (in LA) Tuesdays Starting 7/19

la comedy, lyric hyperion, mk paulsen, silverlake, simon gibson, stand up comedy

Leading into 2020, it was a time where not only was there so much live comedy to go see, but one could treat themselves to seeing the very funny likes of Simon Gibson and M.K. Paulsen all the time. Having been roommates, doing a podcast together, being on a reality show about JFL, and more, Simon and M.K. are perhaps, LA comedy’s favorite odd couple.

Smack dab in the middle of 2022, we’re getting back to the volume of comedy that we had almost three years ago and part of that return is M.K. and Simon having a weekly stand-up showcase at the newly refurbished Lyric Hyperion. Called In-Unit Laundry, Simon and M.K. will gather their favorite comedy folks from the scene (and whatever good folks are in town) Tuesdays at 8PM PT at 2106 Hyperion Ave.

They’re kicking off this weekly run on Jul. 19th and tickets are only $10 if you buy them in advance here.

With an inaugural line-up of Joel Kim Booster, James Adomian, Kylie Brakeman, Solomon Georgio, Erik Rivera, and Steph Tolev, it’s a show that damn well better not miss.

Pick of the Day: Made of Bugs with Tim Platt (in LA) 7/23

Ayo Edebiri, girl god, joe rumrill, la comedy, sketch comedy, tim platt

One of NYC’s comedy treasures is the weird and wonderful talents and comedy of one Tim Platt. Purveyor and performer of charmingly off beat shows including his musical variety show Made of Bugs and the wild Evening of Wedding Speeches where comics give the most unhinged wedding speeches they can, Platt has earned a special place in NYC comedy that you ought to get to any time his putting anything up.

For LA folks, Tim will be making a very special stop at The Yard Theater to bring Made of Bugs to the City of Angels on Sat. Jul. 23rd at 7PM PT. Not only will Tim be bringing himself, but the likes of Ayo Edebiri (that, by now, you’ve should have seen kill it on The Bear), Girl God (your new favorite sketch group), and one of the newer NYC-to-LA transplants/sweet rapscallion, Joe Rumrill will be joining in for the evening.

Tickets are only $10 and you best go get them here.

Pick of the Day: Lance Bangs Presents (in LA) 9/2

brandon wardell, Caleb Hearon, david gborie, elysian, fred armisen, girl god, ian karmel, la comedy, lance bangs, moses storm, natalie palamides, reggie watts, stand up comedy

If you Google “Lance Bangs”, you’ll first read that he’s an American Filmmaker. While that’s very true, Bangs is also a curator of the underground, seeking out those thrilling voices, often in and around comedy that you hope to bare witness to at a live comedy and/or music show. Having worked with the likes of Jackass to Tyler the Creator to Marc Maron to Nirvana to George Harrison to John Hodgman to his latest work on Moses Storm’s acclaimed HBO special, Trash White, Bangs is one of the most respected figures behind the scenes.

So, the fact that he’s curating a very special night of comedy at The Elysian come Fri. Sept. 2nd should be something you mark down on your calendar immediately, right after you immediately get tickets.

The line-up features some of the best folks he’s worked with that happen to be some of the best, most clever, most subversive, funny voices in comedy.

That includes:

Fred Armisen
Reggie Watts
Girl God
Natalie Palamides
Caleb Hearon
Moses Storm
Brandon Wardell
Ian Karmel
David Gborie

It’s such a stellar line-up and you can see all of that for only $20. Go get your tickets for Lance Bangs Presents @ The Elysian on 9/2 right here.

Pick of the Day: Upcoming Abortion Fundraiser/Benefit Comedy Shows in LA & NYC

abortion access, abortion rights, brigid alliance, la comedy, lesbian agenda, nyc comedy, sophie santos, super secret arts, tiny cupboard, west alabama women's center

It should be pretty clear by now that, for several big chunks of the country, abortion under any circumstances will become illegal. That’s why it’s crucial right now to raise money for those most vulnerable as a result of The Supreme Court’s turn to the Dark Side with their overturning of Roe vs. Wade last week.

We’re going to use this particular post to shout out upcoming LA & NYC comedy shows that are supporting abortion funds/abortion access/reproductive rights/etc. The ones we’ve got listed thus far have great folks on them and have chosen critical funds/orgs to back. Buy tickets, go support, and/or donate directly to the places they’re giving money to.

The Lesbian Agenda with Sophie Santos @ Dynasty Typewriter in LA 6/28 for West Alabama Women’s Center Abortion Fund)

Drunk on Stage Planned Parenthood Benefit @ Akbar 6/28

Illuminati Party @ Gelso & Grand 6/30 for Lilith Fund

The Roe Must Go On @ Super Secret Arts 6/30 for Indigenous Women Rising, WRRAP and The Brigid Alliance

The JumpKick Fundraising Show: The Brigid Alliance @ The Tiny Cupboard 7/3 for The Brigid Alliance

Still Trying Our Best @ The Glendale Room 7/3 for Center for Reproductive Rights

Plan Z @ The Elysian 7/15 for National Network of Abortion Funds

We Are Having an Abortion (Rights Fundraiser) @ The Crow for Access Reproductive Care – Southeast 7/15

Sabrina Jalees & Friends @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre 7/19 for National Network of Abortion Funds

LAFF For NNAF: A Night Of Comedy For Abortion Access @ The Hotel Cafe 8/10 for National Network of Abortion Funds

If you have a comedy show supporting abortion rights/access coming up, let us know at thecomedybureau@gmail.com and we’ll add it to this post.

Los Angeles (and, More Importantly, the West Side) Is Getting a New Comedy Venue, The Crow

bergamot station, crow comedy, la comedy, santa monica, the crow

The majority of comedy in LA lives and breathes on the so-called Eastside. It was true far before the pandemic and is potentially even truer on this side of the pandemic. For years, the only dedicated comedy venues on LA’s widespread and oh-so-nice West Side were the Comedy & Magic Club and M.I.’s Westside Comedy Theater. The former was embedded deep enough in the Beach Cities that it’d be a trek even if you were coming from Santa Monica and the latter was very tucked away in an alley parallel to the famous 3rd Street Promenade.

Thankfully, to comedian/producer/educator Nicole Blaine and husband Mickey Blaine, The Crow will be the West Side and LA’s newest comedy venue (and that’s while the sheen on The Elysian and The Glendale Room are still very nice and bright). Blaine promises it for to be, “the intersection where art meets community through a comedy club and an educational space.” Shows and classes for the major disciplines in comedy will be available for all ages and Blaine’s extensive record in producing very fun live comedy around town (such as the mostly headliner and one first timer stand-up show, Virgin Sacrifice) as well as her very own stand-up special makes us pretty excited to see what she has planned (already there’s going to be a weekly open mic, a mic for female and non-binary comics, and a benefit for Children’s Hospital LA).

Oh, you should know that The Crow will be located at the long standing art complex known as Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, which is a wondrous place in of itself, but also boasts one of LA’s most scarce resources: FREE PARKING.

Look for The Crow to get up and running starting in June, which will be so nice when you’re looking for it to be ten degrees cooler on days where it’s 90 or higher).

Visit crowcomedy.com for more info, shows, classes, etc. and follow @crowcomedy on IG to see their latest happenings.

Pick of the Day: The George Lucas Talk Show (in LA) 6/3

connor ratliff, dynasty typewriter, george lucas talk show, griffin newman, la comedy, patrick cotnoir

Since it endures through the pandemic as a virtual show on top of it already being a beloved live show in-person for several years before COVID-19 was even a thought, The George Lucas Talk Show should be commended for its resilience, agility, and longevity as well as being thoroughly enjoyed as one of the most humorous curiosities to come in the last 15 years or so.

Connor Ratliff as George Lucas joined by Griffin Newman’s Watto and producer Patrick Cotnoir are actually going to be doing The George Lucas Talk Show live and in-person, once more, in LA, a rare occurrence even without a pandemic. If you’re not anywhere near Dynasty Typewriter, you’ll be happy to know that they’ll also be live-streaming the show as well, which should be pretty swell getting to see/hear it with a live crowd.

This very special live, LA edition (the last one was probably in 2017 or 2018 at UCB Sunset?) of The George Lucas Talk Show is set for Jun. 3rd at Dynasty Typewriter at 8PM PT (streams 8PM PT/11PM ET). Go grab your tickets for $20 right now ($15 for live-stream) here.

Pick of the Day: Chris Rock: Ego Death (in LA & NYC) Oct. & Nov.

February 25, 2022

chris rock, dolby theatre, la comedy, stand up comedy

When Chris Rock has dates lined up somewhere, is there any more to say than the comedy legend is coming to town in order to convince you to go? There most certainly shouldn’t be, especially after the vulnerability he had in his last special, Tamborine, that gave us a look at a never before seen side of Rock.

Rock, of course, isn’t just going to play any old comedy club and as such, wants it to be at a time where, hopefully, we will be a stage at the pandemic/endemic where thousands of folks can gather together once more in a crowded theater.

So, with all of that in mind, Chris Rock has set the dates for his latest tour, Ego Death, which will include a stop at Radio City Music Hall in NYC on 10/6 & 10/7 and The Dolby Theatre here in LA on 11/17 & 11/18. Tickets start at $69.50 (plus fees) at the Dolby and $102 at Radio City Music Hall. Best go get them here before they inevitably sell out.

Pick of the Day: Christina Catherine Martinez in Residence (in LA) Tuesdays in March

February 23, 2022

catherine christina martinez, elysian theater, la comedy, residency

The summation of her art critic background, penchant for the sublimely absurd in clowning, and her whimsical, class-struggle-informed stand-up is just a bit of why we love and, consequently, write so much about the absolutely splendid Christina Catherine Martinez here at TCB (and elsewhere).

We just got a sneak preview of her upcoming special How To Bake a Cake in the Digital Age and, yet again, was astounded at how cleverly she was defying the form of a comedy special, but still very much getting the jokes out. That’s all to say that is truly something special to see Christina take the stage in any form, no matter what she’s doing/has up her very fashionable sleeves.

So, you should probably go to every one of her residency dates at The Elysian coming next month in March. Christina will be workshopping new performances every Tuesday at the-new-place-to-be in LA comedy at 9PM PT. Tickets are only $12, meaning it would only be $48 for all four shows. Go get tickets to all of them right now right here.

Pick of the Day: Ladies Who Ranch (in LA) 2/8 & 2/12

January 20, 2022

Caitlin Dullea, caroline yost, jessy morner ritt, Kelly Cooper, la comedy, ladies who ranch, Maya Sharma, mitra jouhari, sketch comedy, Sophie Zucker

The beloved all around NYC comedy troupe known as Ladies Who Ranch are finally making their way back to LA. That’s Sophie Zucker, Maya Sharma, Kelly Cooper, Caitlin Dullea, and Caroline Yost that do bits, sketches, improv, and more and are bringing their wonderfully rambunctious comedic talents to The Elysian for two special nights in February.

Specifically, they’ll being doing a “bit” show on Tues. Feb. 8th at 8:30PM PT (w/Jessy Morner-Ritt and Mitra Jouhari opening) and a full on proper sketch show on Sat. Feb. 12th at 9:30PM PT (w/Robby Hoffman opening). Both nights ought to be an extra special evening of sublime ridiculousness and you really ought to not miss it. Tickets for either show are $16 and you can (and very much should) get them at elysiantheater.com.