los angeles comedy – Page 10 – The Comedy Bureau

Pick of the Day: Julie Klausner: Medleys and Other New Variants (in LA) 4/29-5/1

April 20, 2022

hotel cafe, julie klausner, los angeles comedy, musical comedy

The charmingly sardonic wit of Julie Klausner is usually reserved for NYC where she resides, leaving Angelenos to just obsess over her podcast, Double Threat, and TV show, Difficult People and experience her from afar.

Thankfully, Julie’s got a new shiny show she’s taking around including three nights at The Hotel Cafe in the heart of Hollywood. Called Medleys and Other New Variants, Julie has dug up some of the most delightfully obscure songs (one being from Kate Bush’s Silence of the Lambs musical for starters) and whipped some of her own “clevleys” (clever medleys) as well.

It’s such a special thing that Klausner is bringing to the City of Angels that the first two nights, 4/29 & 4/30 have sold out and there are only tickets for May 1st. You best get your tickets for $41.50 (includes fees) quick right here.

Pick of the Day: (2nd Return of) Blamblamblam (in LA) 4/19

April 18, 2022

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Anna Seregina & Kyle Mizono, blamblamblam, brian kiley, brodie reed, chris thayer, comedy show, free show, james adomian, k town, los angeles comedy, max beasley, ron lynch, stand up comedy, steph tolev, Vanessa Jeha

In November 2021, we thought we had reached a threshold where we all the things that we knew and love in comedy could somewhat return to happening as regularly scheduled pre-pandemic.

Then, Omicron hit and set most folks/shows/etc. back for months. Thankfully, we’re back to where they rescheduled their shows to or decided to return again and that includes one of LA’s torch bearing shows, Blamblamblam. Faithfully housed in what seems like the lower decks of tall ship in K-Town’s one and only R-Bar, Blam has offered up an otherworldly monthly comedy show for almost a decade and a half.

There’s such a mystical energy to it even when it’s simply a well curated collection of comedians from many corners and disciplines of the art form by one DeMorge Brown. This 2nd return of Blamblamblam is set for this Tues. Apr. 19th at 9PM ish PT (doors at 7PM PT) and a barnburner of a line-up including Ron Lynch, Brodie Reed, Max Beasley, Anna Seregina & Kyle Mizono, Chris Thayer, James Adomian, Vanessa Jeha, Steph Tolev, Brian Kiley, and host Paul Danke & resident mischief starter Davey Johnson are all set to welcome Blam back into the world of living once more.

Oh yeah, it’s free to attend in case we didn’t sell you on it enough already.

Talkies (in LA) 5/19

April 15, 2022

News

aviva siegel, george chen, los angeles comedy, nick stargu, talkies, variety show, whammy analog media

Once upon a time one of San Francisco’s best secret spots for comedy was the basement for Lost Weekend Video. Cynic Cave would be a weekly standing appointment for great indie, underground comedy, not to mention the irresistible kitsch of going back in time to renting physical media to watch movies/TV shows.

Sadly, Lost Weekend Video and its comedy filled basement are no more, but the spirit might just have found a new spark in the newly forged VHS only store, Whammy Analog Media, in Echo Park and shows like SF’s super-fun-quirky-stand-up-short-film variety show Talkies with Aviva Siegel, George Chen, and Nick Stargu. Truly, Whammy Analog Media is the closest thing you’ll have to actually traveling back in time to the 90s and, almost for that alone, you should check their shows out (though they’ve had and will have a bunch of very cool, offbeat events).

This new, LA version of Talkies will have its Whammy Analog Media on Thurs. May 19th at 8PM PT w/a grand LA line-up of Frankie Quinones, Anna Seregina, Andy Rider, Chaki, and a short film from Sara June.

Tickets are available now for a sliding scale of $5-$20 and you ought to snag them up quick (space is limited).

Pick of the Day: The Harold Experience (in LA) 4/25

April 14, 2022

News

broadwater, harold night, improv comedy, los angeles comedy, the comedy coop

Nearly every improv team worth their salt has had their rounds doing this very time honored form of improv scene that challenge every one involved to have seemingly disparate scenes come together in an organic way at the end of a set. Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays between UCB Franklin and UCB Sunset here in LA and just as much in UCB in NYC when all those were alive and kicking used to be dedicated to the specific long form improvisational form known as the Harold.

With theaters going dark because of COVID-19, there has been a stark absence of long form improv (and everything) of any kind, but definitely a large void where several routine Harold performances would happen at improv theaters across the country.

The Comedy Coop LA, much of which is comprised of former UCB/Second City/iO/Groundlings alums, is aiming to bringing that institution back with The Harold Experience. Over the course of four hours, 6 teams, including some original UCB house teams, will dive into the Harold once again and weave improv gold before your very eyes on Mon. Apr. 25th at The Broadwater Mainstage.

That’ll include:

7 PM SHOW – Griffith Park and Outside Dog

8:30 PM SHOW – YETI and The Producers

10 PM SHOW – The IT Factor and Santa Monica Pier

Some of those teams will be a mash-up of great improvisers such as Lyndsey Frank, Eli Gonzalez, Dayna LoBosco, Jenna Bryson, PJ McCormick, Leonard Smith Jr, Derrick Hackett, Greg Smith, Karen Baughn, Ted Asbaghi, Max Toretti, Colin McGurk, Genetra Tull, Paul Heredia, Carl Tart, Lilan Bowden, Ruha Taslimi, Santina Muha, Samat Turgunbaev, Mark Wilson, Adam Gottfried, Jorge Thomson, Bob Hsiao, Michael Roselle, Sarah Baggot, Monte Montepare, Andy Bustillos, Kelly Vrooman, Artin Sarkysian, David Luong, Sam Calpadi, Jesse Merrill, Zef Hussain, Kelly Hannah

Best of all, it’s the same price you’d pay for a Harold Night, $5. Go get your tickets right now right here.

Pick of the Day: Kristal Adams Does 39ish Minutes Album Recording (in LA) 5/5

April 8, 2022

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album taping, comedy album, glendale room, kristal adams, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy

Though sheer hard work and also being funnier and funnier every time we see her, Kristal Adams has worked her way up through the LA comedy scene. Kristal’s poise and intelligence on stage are a special charm on top of her very well-observed observations and personal comedic truths whether they be about race, jazz, or anything else in between.

Kristal will be doing a taping for her very first album, a 39ish minute performance in honor of her 39th birthday, at The Glendale Room on Thurs. May 5th. While much of LA will be hustling from Netflix Is a Joke Fest show to Netflix Is a Joke Fest show around then, you can watch this celebratory stand-up performance (that will also be a taping) from one of LA comedy’s rising stars.

There are two tapings, one at 8PM PT & the other at 10PM PT and admission is pay what you can. Go ahead and reserve a ticket anyway while you’re getting more details here.

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 106: Helen Levenson & Figuring Out a Comedy Scene

April 6, 2022

News, The Comedy Bureau Field Report

grammys, los angeles comedy, louis ck, nyc comedy

Helen Levenson, a rising person in the inner-workings of comedy, might be the freshest LA from NYC transplant we’ve ever had on The Comedy Bureau Field Report. As such, we catch her perspective on the LA comedy scene (and LA in general) in the very first days of living in the City of Angels. Helen herself works at one of the biz’s top management companies and is an intrepid fan of comedy (as it should be). In fact, we caught two shows back-to-back before we recorded this past midnight.

Also, of course we get into Louis winning his 3rd Grammy and how all sorts of wrong that is.

Follow Helen @helenisawkward across platforms.

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

Pick of the Day: Brew Haha (in LA) 4/8

April 6, 2022

News

brew haha, drinking game, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy

Very, very few comedy shows in LA, or anywhere for that matter, threw down party-wise quite like Brew Haha. The hybrid stand-up/drinking game game show put on a house show of the likes that you would largely only see in coming-of-age comedies. It would get so packed that folks would ascend to a rooftop if there was no space down below to watch the show.

Having the audience drink every time that one of the best of the LA comedy scene would say a certain thing during their set turned out to be one of the most successful alt comedy formats in the last several years.

All that said, Brew Haha is returning for their first in-person show in years this Friday, Apr. 8th at 8PM PT at Hollywood’s Thymele Arts. Tickets are only $10 and you really ought to get tickets before it sells out here.

Pick of the Day: Great Moments in Comedy Made Worse (in LA) 4/28

April 5, 2022

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experimental comedy, improv comedy, jeremy schmidt, los angeles comedy, sketch comedy, skyler madsen

In the days of yore, back when UCB Franklin gave its midnight slots to the most experimental, out there comedy shows and formats, there was a marvelous whirlwind of chaos lovingly called Great Moments in Comedy Made Worse. The scripts to famous sketches in comedy history are randomly given to a cast and after doing a cold read, they have to improvise and stretch the sketch however they can for at least 15 minutes.

This bout of lovely chaos was kicked up by Skyler Madsen and Jeremy Schmidt and had so many hysterical twists and turns with many of LA’s very best sketch and improv performers, especially if someone had no idea what the sketch was or didn’t really know who they were playing. Thus, we rolled out on to Franklin Ave. at 1 in the morning, thrilled at mashing up irreverence with comedic bedlam.

Thanks to The Comedy Coop LA, Great Moments in Comedy Made Worse is coming back for the first time in far too many years on Thurs. Apr. 28th at 8PM PT at The Broadwater in Hollywood. Tickets are $10 and we highly suggest snagging them up soon as space is limited.

Pick of the Day: Molly Shannon discusses Hello Molly!: A Memoir (in LA) 4/20

April 4, 2022

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book soup, john c reilly, los angeles comedy, molly shannon

Many of you reading this grew up with her loud and proud characters on SNL. While Mary Katherine Gallagher did help launch Molly into the national spotlight, she has done so much brilliant work since then including her roles as a very dedicated mother in Other People, The Other Two, and The White Lotus. Molly also seems far from done being in her prime whether that involves playing a mom or not in either a comedy or a drama or something else altogether.

So, naturally, you might be interested in a memoir in the many winding roads she has had in comedy and entertainment. Hello Molly!: A Memoir is that very book and Molly is embarking on an in-person book tour right now. The LA date, presented by one of LA’s favorite bookstores, Book Soup, will not only have Molly sharing her journey with the book, but also feature the one and only John C. Reilly in conversation at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Wed. Apr. 20th at 7PM PT.

Tickets are $38 and you’ll get one hardcover copy of Hello Molly!: A Memoir plus a signed bookplate. Go get ’em here.

Pick of the Day: (The Second Return of) Loud Village’s Comedy Night at Best Fish Taco (in LA) 4/5

April 1, 2022

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best fish taco, los angeles comedy, loud village, stand up comedy

Best Fish Taco in Ensenada, thankfully, has remained throughout almost the entirety of the pandemic, serving up fish tacos that does their name proud and is part of making Los Feliz the popular hang out destination in LA that it has been for several years now.

Also, they’re twice-a-month comedy show presented by Loud Village has been one of the most popular neighborhood stand-up shows for years with draws such a big crowd that people will stand out in the sidewalk and maybe even the street to see the show. Many of LA comedy’s best and brightest grace the carpet that has been placed over Best Fish Taco’s cozy and kitschy outdoor patio.

They had returned last year when the outdoor mask mandate was lifted, but took a break for the Winter/Omicron. The weather is warmer (though the pandemic continues), but Loud Village’s Comedy Night @ Best Fish Taco will return next week on Tues. Apr. 5th at 8PMish (maybe more like 8:30PMish) and go back to its 1st and 3rd Tuesday schedule w/line-ups posted hours before.

Pick of the Day: Tig Notaro: Hello Again (in LA) 5/14

March 30, 2022

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hello again, los angeles comedy, record release party, stand up comedy, tig notaro

Simultaneously a calming, yet silly, yet also so cathartically honest voice in comedy, the one and only Tig Notaro is back out on the road for the very aptly named Hello Again tour. There is no one quite like Tig who now sports one of the most unique presences in comedy history with the frosting of having been a Chief Engineer on Star Trek: Discovery and a badass helicopter pilot in Army of the Dead. We have no doubt that the stories from either production, hopefully stories that she winds all of us through in this new hour, will be something that pretty much just Tig and Tig alone could come up with.

Tig’s return to LA on Hello Again will be a very special evening at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel in DTLA on Sat. May 14th at 7PM PT. This particular stop on the tour will double as a record release party and that is double the reason to go get tickets starting at $39.50 (plus fees) right here.

Pick of the Day: Puddles Pity Party w/Dave Hill (in LA) 4/7

March 29, 2022

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dave hill, el rey, los angeles comedy, puddles pity party, sad clown

When encountering Puddles Pity Party for the first time, the roller coaster of emotions that ensues is probably unlike anything you’ve seen or felt before. There is a 7 foot tall, forlorn clown that emerges from somewhere in a way that is charmingly self-deprecating and does nothing whatsoever to tip what’s going to happen with Puddles Pity Party and his amazing voice.

Also, that’s still just part of the ride, no matter what you’ve seen on America’s Got Talent or otherwise. You have to see it for yourself and get brought into the truly otherworldly delights of Puddles and LA folks will get that chance come next week on Thurs. Apr. 7th at 9PM PT at the El Rey. Also, musical comedy dynamo and raconteur Dave Hill will be joining in with Puddles Pity Party giving you even less of the non-existent excuse to go get tickets right now.

Pick of the Day: Chris Gethard: America’s Loosest Cannon (in LA) 6/25

March 28, 2022

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chris gethard, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy, zebulon

While the Internet is fixated with Chris Rock getting slapped by Will Smith at last night’s Oscars and subsequently giving a surge to Rock’s ticket sales for his upcoming tour dates, Chris Rock is not the only renowned Chris in comedy that you should shell out for tickets to go see.

Chris Gethard, comedian, podcaster, TV host, actor, raconteur, pride of NJ, alt comedy elder statesmen, is back out on tour in person. He’ll be doing various stops that may be either a live episode of Gethard’s podcast Beautiful Anonymous or a special, intimate evening of stand-up comedy.

For his LA stop, Gethard will be bringing his wonderfully hilarious vulnerability and unflappable genuineness to Zebulon on Jun. 25th at 7PM PT. Tickets for what will be called Chris Gethard: America’s Loosest Cannon are on sale now for $24.60 and you ought to go snag them right now.

Oh yeah, for NYC folks, we should mention that Gethard will be opening for Jawbreaker 4/27-4/30.

Pick of the Day: Christina Catherine Martinez-How to Bake a Cake in the Digital Age (in LA) 3/28

March 25, 2022

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christina catherine martinez, comedy special, free screening, how to bake a cake in the digital age, human resources la, los angeles comedy

The artifice of a stage, mic stand, microphone and a bunch of negative space as to exude the solitary nature of a stand-up will always be core to the idea of a stand-up special. That said, there’s still room to push and redefine and reimagine what a person telling jokes for an hour or so can be or could look like, despite many folks insistence on going with the tried and true method that has seen stand-up comedy through several decades.

Christina Catherine Martinez‘s very first half-hour special How To Bake a Cake in the Digital Age is such a big swing of experimentation in form and content that is also so damn, absurdly funny that it really needs to be recognized as one of the specials of 2022, hopefully to be talked about in years to come. Against the odds of already making an original comedy special and the odds of doing any sort of creative work for public consumption during the pandemic, Christina was granted the space of Human Resources LA to make a pandemic era comedy special and cleverly devised a way to make it something that, we believe, is funny beyond the context of the onslaught of COVID.

There will be a very special screening of How To Bake a Cake in the Digital Age at the very place it was created, Human Resources LA, on Mon. Mar. 28th at 9PM PT. Admission is free and you really ought to take Christina and HRLA up on that if you’re in or around LA, even if you have to cancel Monday night plans you already had.

Pick of the Day: Pop Show with Ziwe & Jen Goma (in LA) 5/21

March 18, 2022

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dtla, jen goma, los angeles comedy, musical comedy, regent theater, ziwe

Ziwe owned 2020 with Baited on IG Live, ascended to premium cable with Ziwe on Showtime, and is poised to own 2022 with going live around the country.

Ziwe is bringing her iconic pop star status to stages very soon with one of her favorite pop stars, Jen Goma and, thankfully, one of those stops will be in LA at The Regent Theater in DTLA on Sat. May 21st at 7PM PT. Both her and Jen are going to wrangle LA’s best to perform their very own original pop songs (complete w/comedic intro/presentation). Do we need to say that it’ll be an iconic night or did you already presume that while checking how many tickets you’re going to buy?

This will undoubtedly sell out real quick, so you better snag your tickets starting at $30 here.

Pick of the Day: Greta Titelman’s Untitled Hour (in LA) 3/27 & 4/30

March 16, 2022

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elysian, greta titelman, los angeles comedy, netflix is a joke fest, stand up comedy

We used to revel in seeing one Greta Titelman prowl and command the stage all across LA in 2019 and early 2020. You could often find us in the back of Genghis Cohen on Tuesdays (Greta’s weekly stand-up spot that she shared with the beloved Blair Socci) delighting in Titelman charming any sort of crowd into submission with her sharply drawn bits, stories, characters, etc.

Like so many of our favorite folks, we haven’t really got to them as they’re supposed to be seen (in an intimate, properly lit venue for an hour) for years, which has left our head often hanging like Charlie Brown while pacing indoors during quarantine.

2022 is thankfully a different story with all venues and shows and comedians getting up and running again and such splendid comedic talents as Greta getting to grace audiences with their exquisite comedy wares once more.

No more sullen pacing around for us, thank goodness.

Greta will actually be headlining the Elysian twice in the coming months with her untitled hour on Sun. 3/27 at 7:30PM PT and Sat. Apr. 30th at 9:30PM PT (specifically for Netflix Is a Joke Fest). Tickets are $16 and $20 respectively and you best go get them right now.

Pick of the Day: Doug Stanhope (in LA) 3/15 & 3/16

March 14, 2022

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doug stanhope, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy, the comedy store

At this point, history will look back at Doug Stanhope as a foundational and influential comedian and what he has done for the art form and keeping its edge thoroughly sharp and actually speaking truth to power while being downright hysterical. It should almost go without saying that you should take up every single possible chance to see Doug live any time that you can.

In LA and NYC, that’s an incredibly rare happening, but it does happen every few years. Lucky for Angelenos, Doug is playing The Main Room at The Comedy Store this week, Tues 3/15 & Wed. 3/16 at 8PM PT. The Tuesday show is already sold out, but there are limited tickets available for Wed. for $45 (+ 2 drink min.).

Go get them here if they’re not sold out already (or wait at The Comedy Store for stand by because Stanhope, again, is truly worth it)

Pick of the Day: Playspace, The Clown Open Mic @ The Elysian (in LA) Thurs. Starting 3/17

March 11, 2022

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clowning, elysian, los angeles comedy, open mic, paul schlesinger, rachel ho, will duncan

While stand-up open mics are fully back (and have been back for more than a minute now), the open mics for other disciplines in comedy haven’t gotten a chance to return to the world of the living as quickly.

Thankfully, that dynamic is starting to change and there are starting to be improv jams and the like again. Starting next week, there will be an open mic specifically for the clown community where they can try all of their interactive, partially strategized bits that have been part of some of the most fun things we’ve seen in comedy over the last few years.

Called Playspace, it’ll be at the Elysian every Thursday with doors/sign-up at 4:30PM PT and the mic starting on 5PM PT with aspiring clowns Will Duncan, Rachel Ho, and Paul Schlesinger hosting. Clowns, solo show performers, and ensembles welcome (though, again, it’s explicitly not a stand-up open mic). There’s no need to purchase or buy anything and you can follow @__playspace__ on IG to keep up to date.

Keep in mind that The Elysian still required proof of vaccination and masks indoors.

Pick of the Day: Pack Theater Reopening (w/TCB Presents) (in LA) 3/5

March 3, 2022

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april clark, atsuko okatsuka, ayla glass, cait raft, Grace Freud, heather anne campbell, joan ford, los angeles comedy, madison shepard, malcolm barrett, miles stroth, nori reed, percy rustomji, zavior phillips

The Pack Theater, one of LA’s most innovative and boundary pushing comedy theaters, has survived the pandemic, seemingly, more than a few times. Right at the outset, they had a big fundraiser that raised enough money to cover their rent for several months, though we truly didn’t have any idea how long the pandemic would last (especially as it’s still not completely over two years later). In that time, they built one of the most robust offerings of virtual comedy from any venue almost anywhere in the world. All of that has kept them alive enough (even having to temporarily give up their original space in The Complex) through all the variants.

This Saturday, March 5th, The Pack Theater will be finally opening its doors for in-person shows and as a matter of it being a grand reopening, they’re going to have a grand evening curated from every corner of comedy (including with a bit of an assist from us here at TCB.

Right now, the Pack Theater Reopening has a line-up of:

7PM PT-improv from Heather & Miles (one of the all time, best improv duos)
8PM PT-sketch from Joan Ford & Cait Raft (one of the most fun sketch duos in LA)
9PM PT-The Comedy Bureau (that’s us) Presents (w/Girl God, Atsuko Okatsuka, Zavior Phillips, Nori Reed, Percy Rustomji, Malcolm Barrett, Madison Shepard, and host Ayla Glass

Just come around this Saturday, Mar. 5th to 6476 Santa Monica Blvd. to celebrate another comedy institution making it to this side of the pandemic. Get tickets for the evening’s festivities here.

Pick of the Day: Katrina Davis-The Comic Is Present (in LA) 4/1 & 4/2

March 2, 2022

News

artist is present, experimental comedy, katrina davis, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy

No matter how self-deprecating comedians will ever get and insist that comedy isn’t really an art form as some of us wheel and deal in humor for the lowest common denominator for much success, comedy is indeed an art form. There are others among comedy that actually bristle and brim and even burn through the edges of the forms and tropes of comedy, whatever discipline it may be, that really make it light up like the art form that it could be.

The warm and also sharply funny Katrina Davis is embarking on such a project, The Comic Is Present, with her upcoming performances of The Comic Is Present. Taking a cue from Marina Abramovic’s famous performance piece The Artist Is Present, Katrina will allow audience members to say whatever they want to her while seated opposite her for 60 seconds. Then, Katrina will turn all of that into fodder for a 50+ minute set of stand-up comedy. Neither Marina or Shia LeBeouf with a bag over his head went this far with the performance art, but, then again, either of them probably wouldn’t really want to do the stand-up comedy portion of this comedy experiment.

Here’s a bit of a sneak peek of what that might look like.

Katrina will be putting The Comic Is Present up at The LODGE in Hollywood/Melrose Hill on April Fool’s Day, Apr. 1st & Apr. 2nd at 6PM PT. You can, and very much should, go get tickets and more info here.

Pick of the Day: Clocktower Comedy (in LA) 3/12

March 1, 2022

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amy miller, asif ali, chris estrada, dtla, kevin camia, kurt braunohler, langston kerman, los angeles comedy, naomi ekperigin, steve hernandez, union station

Right around now, the two year mark of when the reality of COVID-19 was starting to set in for folks here in America, there seems to be things coming back from the appointed time that they were supposed to happen in March 2020.

One of those things was an outdoor comedy show at LA’s iconic train hub, Union Station in DTLA. A variety of stand-up and improv had been all booked and it was definitely going to be one of those highlight, pop-up shows with one of LA’s most picturesque Art Deco back drops.

Called Clock Tower Comedy, it’s now actually, really going to happen at Union Station on Sat. Mar. 12th at the North Patio. For only $5, you’ll get to see the LA’s very best with Naomi Ekperigin, Kurt Braunohler, Asif Ali, Langston Kerman, and Chris Estrada along with co-hosts in LA darlings Steve Hernandez and Amy Miller.

Tickets are only $5 right now (and $7 at the door. Go get them right here right now.

Pick of the Day: Megan Stalter (in LA) 3/14

February 28, 2022

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largo, los angeles comedy, megan stalter, stand up comedy

Ever since we saw Megan Stalter take the stage at Genghis Cohen all those years ago, we knew that there were plenty of dates destined for her on bigger, brighter, and more renowned stages ahead. Thanks a lot COVID for making that wait a lot longer.

Now, Meg is going to have a night all to herself and however she wants it to go (beautifully controlled mischief most likely) at one of LA’s most revered theatres, Largo (@ The Coronet). This night, on Mon. Mar. 14th at 8:30PM PT, will be the very first of what we hope will be several performances there for Meg and you really best get tickets before they sell out (Meg has really hardcore stans, FYI).

Get tickets here now.

Pick of the Day: The Comedy Co-op Presents Moon Goon (in LA) 3/5

At Feb. 24th, 2022, there’s still no telling what is going to happen with UCB and any sort of in-person return. That said, the beloved performers of the Upright Citizens Brigade, especially the house improv and sketch teams, are still very much around and very much want to take the stage again to perform for those folks that would line-up around the block night after night at any UCB in LA or NYC.

Moon Goon was a heralded Maude sketch team that sported the comedic acumen of many of UCB’s very best including Mary Anthony, Kylie Brakeman, Jill Cepela, Jeremy Culhane, Jasmine Don, Josh Fleury, Angela Giarratana, Paul Heredia, Mary Lou, Skyler Madsen, Chanse McCrary, Patrick McDonald, Nikki Mckenzie, and Andrew Santiago putting up sharply written and daringly performed bits, characters, and more every month pre-pandemic.

Thanks to the Comedy Co-op, Moon Goon is returning again to the stage, this time at the ultra cool, all-inclusive arts/event space Junior High in Glendale on Sat. Mar. 5th at 8PM PT. Tickets are only $12 and the sales go directly to the performers (an important sticking point in The Comedy Co-op‘s mission)

Space is limited, so go get your tickets now before it sells out right here.

Pick of the Day: (Actual Return of) Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen (in LA) 2/28

February 17, 2022

News

kristen schaal, kurt braunohler, los angeles, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy, the virgil

Hot Tub with Kurt and Kristen, arguably LA’s most venerable weekly comedy show, was supposed to come back some weeks ago, but, due to the variants, continued to postpone their return like so many other live events around town.

We were so excited to return to the Virgil and post up in the back, resting on the prickly back door that opens up into the show room and watch Kurt Braunohler and Kristen Schaal lead off many of LA and elsewhere’s best and brightest in comedy, famous and needing-to-be-discovered, classic stand-ups and bonkers weirdos. Also, we can’t wait to see how Kurt and Kristen incorporate the pandemic rat from the Hot Tub live-stream into the in-person show.

So, we’re thrilled, yet again, to say that Hot Tub with Kurt Braunohler & Kristen Schaal is returning (again, we hope) to The Virgil on Mon. Feb. 28th at 8PM PT sharp. Tickets and line-up to come soon! Follow @hottub_show on Twitter and IG for updates (and to make sure you snag tickets before they inevitably sell out.

Pick of the Day: Comedy @ Chaplin with Howard Kremer (in LA) Wednesdays Starting 2/16

February 14, 2022

News

howard kremer, los angeles comedy, outdoor comedy, outdoors, squatmelt, stand up comedy

Pre-pandemic, one of LA’s favorite comedy oddities was SquatMelt, born out of one Howard Kremer keeping the spirit of the legendary Meltdown with Jonah & Kumail at NerdMelt Showroom @ Meltdown Comics alive. When the building was sold, Kremer just “squatted” in the parking lot behind the comic books store and did a stand-up show there with a portable speaker and a DJ hidden in a tree, DJ Trees.

Yes, we are not making that up.

Despite the gray area legality of it, this “SquatMelt” persisted with folks bringing out lawn chairs and lining up to watch in the most unconventional ways that people have watch live stand-up in person. Construction on the space (as Meltdown Comics sold its space), but Howard would still carry that torch on by performing in the parking lot of another former comedy space, The Steve Allen Theater, the former home of Tomorrow! with Ron Lynch. Eventually, after being featured as Gene Cosineau’s theater where he taught his acting classes in Barry, that theater was bulldozed too.

So, Howard leaned into the nomadic nature of the show and had it be a walking tour of the neighborhood where comics would do a set and then they would walk to another spot. Sometimes, the city of LA is hell bent on making it really difficult to organically bring folks together for something unmistakably cool. So, there would be one more move of the show before COVID-19 hit when SquatMelt headed to Echo Park and walked around Echo Park Lake.

Kremer has kept safe this whole time during the pandemic, but is finally returning to the great outdoors, with Naked Comedy, for what will be known as Comedy @ Chaplin on Wednesdays at 8:30PM PT. The comics and audiences will meet at the Charlie Chaplin mural across the street from one of the best diners in LA, Fred 62 with Howard leading the way. This first post-lockdown edition of the show with its newly minted name will feature LA staples Anna Seregina, Kyle Mizono, Chris Garcia, Maggie Maye, Paul Danke, and Max Beasley.

Oh yeah, it’s the nice price of FREE as well. Don’t miss the first Comedy @ Chaplin this Wed. Feb. 16th at 8:30PM PT. Bring a jacket on top of your vaccinated and masked self.

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