stand up comedy – Page 5 – The Comedy Bureau

Pick of the Day: Punkie & Pals (in LA) 4/25

April 13, 2023

hollywood improv, los angeles comedy, punkie johnson, stand up comedy

Technically, without the time warp that is the pandemic, it wasn’t too long ago that Punkie Johnson was a staple in the LA comedy scene. She went at stages of all shapes and sizes and wrought joyful havoc on the mic.

Punkie has now been a staple of Saturday Night Live for years now and it’s not too often that Angelenos are gifted to seeing her live. Thus, it behooves us to tell you when Punkie is in town, which, lucky for LA, is later this month on Tues. Apr. 25th at 9:30PM at The Hollywood Improv.

Tickets are only $10 (plus 2 item min.) and Johnson is bringing a handpicked line-up of her favorites including Cid Williams, Feng Chao, Dicey, Nick Kekeris, Bill Posley, Lucas Hirl, and Dave Helem. Go get your tickets fast before they sell out here (space is limited since the show will be in The Improv Lab).

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

March 31, 2023

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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.

Mae Martin Is a Master of Earnestness (and Talking Gender Identity) on “SAP”

March 30, 2023

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The prospect of truth when it comes to comedy, especially stand-up comedy, can often conjure up a world-weary voice at a mic, standing slack from the weight of everything that they’re going to tell you. It’s not common, however, to have truth presented with a forest backdrop with a spritely, bubbly Mae Martin sharing all of themselves with the funniest details, stories, and confessions all neatly honed together in an hour.

Martin’s latest Netflix special, SAP, goes against the typical grain when it comes being truthful with stand-up and very much leans into its title (not a references to “Spanish Audio Program” in case you were wondering) of being emotionally open and being uncompromisingly yourself. Whether that’s having difficulty of thinking of new baby names to share when in a new relationship or opting to run into your ex despite warnings from your best friend and very much being the opposite of the “good night” you wanted to have, Mae takes great joy in tapping the comedy of her own “sap”, an overarching theme of this hour, to celebrate the magnificent absurdities of being alive as a human being. Even though Martin doesn’t shy away from highlighting from their flaws, this hour is tender in such a lovely way where everyone wins/feels good (versus the notion of a comedian being a self-deprecatingly sacrificial lamb for laughs). It’s a much more soothing comedy special than one that might typically be described as “unfiltered truth”.

Also, Martin, as a non-binary comedian, succinctly shares their thoughts on the unfortunate punching down of trans-identity and jokes about gender identity in general that is, for our money, one of the best responses to the poorly thought out bits from Gervais, Chappelle, etc. Martin earnestly and hilariously highlights how paradigm-shifting and alienating it can be to opt out of the gender binary rather than just go for a cheap punchline. Go figure that the best material and points about gender would come from a non-binary comedian?

Overall, you’ll have a much more fond idea of snow globes thanks to Mae Martin, maybe even akin to Rosebud in Citizen Kane, after watching SAP, and that’s probably all for the better given the chaos of these times.

Mae Martin: SAP is now streaming on exclusively on Netflix here.

Pick of the Day: Chatterbox DTLA (in LA) 4/5

March 24, 2023

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It’s a kind of a testament to how far reaching the Greater LA Area really is when one of the best rooms/night/spots for comedy is on Sundays all the way out in Covina. Chatterbox has been home to one of LA’s favorite stand-up showcases for well over a decade thanks to its original hosts Steve Hernandez and Scott Luhrs.

All the way in 2023, Sunday nights in Chatterbox as well as its Thursday night open mic are both a hub that connects the Inland Empire and LA and presents one of the best curated line-ups every week from shrewd, uncompromising booking.

Now, for all those that think the Covina is another planet entirely from LA and never wanted to make the trek out, you’ll be thrilled to know that there will be a Chatterbox opening in DTLA (352 S. Broadway) and, with it, an accompanying night of comedy that’s set to start on Wed. Apr. 5th at 8PM. Hernandez and Luhrs will be leading off a line-up of their all time favorites including Caleb Hearon, Amy Miller, Byron Bowers, Ricky Macias, and Stevona Delgado.

It’ll be less of a drive (though parking in DTLA is still, well, parking in DTLA) and you really ought to buy your tickets at $10 a pop for this inaugural Chatterbox DTLA comedy night here.

You Know That the World Gets a Bit Better When Kyle Kinane Releases a New Hour; This Latest One Being “Shocks & Struts”

March 23, 2023

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Ever since Death of the Party, Kyle Kinane has been releasing truly beautiful hours of comedy that showcase the artistry that can happen with just the a mic, mic stand and one’s tightly honed thoughts and words. That was true in his landmark debut album and is still so very true with his latest special, Shocks & Struts, fresh off the presses from 800 Pound Gorilla Media.

The comedic world view of Kinane is equal parts epic poetry and some of the keenest observations in all of comedy and, above all else, a missive of hope in people and of the world despite the absurdity in the world he has so deftly highlighted in all of his jokes. This latest hour sees Kinane coming off the pandemic, after having left LA, resettling in Portland, getting a van, and playing the road without having lost an iota of his comedic prowess. The only difference is that this special taps into a world that seems as scarier than any other in our lifetimes with the pandemic, the threat of AI, the very real consequences of climate change, etc. etc. Again, Kyle so colorfully and masterfully weaves and paints a funny, yet quietly beautiful picture of a world where, perhaps, vaccines causing autism is the key to combatting the “Singularity”.

Also, Kinane, as an almost signature part of his comedic repertoire, highlights humanity in a hopeful way despite whatever snap judgments he has. On Death of the Party, it was being relieved when going #2 at a scary bar and here, on Shocks & Struts, it’s getting saved in the desert from a “dude” named “Garrett” who had an egregiously gigantic truck.

As we said in the headline, the world is just a bit better with a new Kinane special and such is the case right here right now with Shocks & Struts. You can rent the special for another week from 800 Pound Gorilla Media or watch it on YouTube com Mar. 30th.

Pick of the Day: David Cross-Worst Daddy in the World Tour (in LA) 3/24

March 22, 2023

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David Cross only comes to LA every once in awhile and it’s incumbent on us to notify you anytime he makes a stop in town as it’ll be a year or years until he stops in again. The same could almost be said for another one of NYC comedy’s very best, Sean Patton. Even in NYC where they go up all the time, no chance to see them should be missed.

Luckily for Angelenos, the two are coming to LA together this Friday, Mar. 24th at 8PM at the gorgeous Palace Theater in DTLA on David Cross’ adorably named Worst Daddy in the World Tour. Tickets are going for $42 and you really ought to snag them ASAP here since many of the best seats are already sold out.

Jenny Zigrino Sends Up All the Generations with Her Debut Hour Special “Jen-Z”

March 13, 2023

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The tapping of generational divides is a time honored source of comedy and very likely will be until, well, the end of time. That said, it takes exceptional comedic prowess, skill, and talent to find unique, singular footing on such well-tread territory. The keen wit and acumen of Jenny Zigrino in her first marvelous, amazingly self-produced hour special Jen-Z very much hit that mark (as well as broke away from the unfortunate comic habit of purely punching down at younger generations).

Zigrino herself is a Millennial and cheekily called it Jen-Z with plenty of great material on how Generation Z stole the thunder that Millennials had going for them going right before COVID-19 shuddered everything for awhile (Also, Jenny’s COVID material delightfully stands out from the countless hours of it we’ve seen over the last three years). Gen-X and Baby Boomers are in the mix too since Jenny does her due diligence to make inclusively satirize all ages.

Again, Jenny makes sure that any sort of generational bitterness gets evened out by a very insightful and funny balance for folks younger (who want everyone to be sexually gratified) and older (who didn’t have to find love through a dating app). Throughout Jen-Z, it’s a great reminder that people of all times are trying their best and some of the best comedy comes from finding where people’s “best” is sometimes just worthy of a participation trophy.

Jenny Zigrino: Jen-Z is now streaming on YouTube for your convenience, free of charge. Look for Jen-Z as an album from Blonde Medicine on Apr. 14th.

Pick of the Day: WAR (in NYC) Mondays Starting 3/27

March 13, 2023

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Over the last couple of years, whether you know it or not, NYC has gotten some true gems from the LA comedy scene. Namely, James Austin Johnson, Neel Ghosh, and Dave Ross have relocated to New York and spreading their honed comedy wares across the five boroughs. They all had their own respective, cherished comedy happenings that they built out in LA (Rod Stewart Live, Night Voyage, Good Heroin), but they’re set on making their mark in NYC (especially if they’re not already on SNL… yet).

So, these three hysterical LA-to-NYC transplants are banding together to make use of the fact that are way more night owls in New York and are setting up a weekly late night, Monday stand-up show at Brooklyn’s venerable comedy stage, Union Hall. What are they calling this 10PM Monday night comedy hang in Park Slope that’s probably equal parts chill and madcap fun? WAR. Perhaps, a perfect name?

WAR commences on (most) Mondays at Union Hall starting Mar. 27th at $11.55 a pop. Go get tickets over and over here.

Pick of the Day: Crane’s Comedy 7 Year Anniversary (in LA) 3/15

March 10, 2023

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Once just a hidden gem of a bar guarded by a bank vault door (we’re not kidding about that), Crane’s Bar in DTLA has become a fixture of great comedy in DTLA. They’ve carried a torch for 7 years making a neighborhood-y feeling basement a great spot to watch many of LA’s finest, both famous and on-the-rise, take the mic in a setting that’s pretty much as intimate as it can get.

By “they”, we do mean the splendid team that currently consists of Trish Hadley, Bri Pruett, Aston Wallace, and Trevor Smith. Come Wed. Mar. 15th at 8PM, they’re going to mark their 7 year anniversary with a damn fine line-up of Candice Thompson, Sean Grant, Derrick C. Brown, and Madison Shepard.

Don’t miss out on one of the only comedy shows in LA that makes it worth going downstairs from ground level and go get your tickets at $10 a pop right here right now.

Please Enjoy Greg Barris’ Late Night Debut on Corden

March 9, 2023

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Fresh off the release of his stellar album Deep Healing, Greg Barris is making quite the rounds with his stand-up in 2023. His self-effacing, hip charm and semi-mystical hijinks have been a personal favorite of ours for, well, as long as we’ve been around as a Bureau (nearly 13 years at this point).

So, it’s a bit of a mystery as to why Barris just notched in his first late night stand-up set last night on The Late Late Show with James Corden, but we’re glad that it happened and that Greg did one of “the hits”, a bit about his expectations of dating people of a certain name.

With all of that said, go watch and enjoy Greg’s late night debut here.

A Kyle Kinane Special, Shocks & Struts, Approaches

March 7, 2023

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One of the best comedy voices in our generation/era belongs to one Kyle Kinane. Kyle might get bashful with such a statement, but that humility feeds the ingenious bits and poetic hilarity that has seen him through several brilliant hours of comedy. When we first started covering comedy over a decade ago, we fell in love with Death of the Party, Kinane’s first album and pretty much watched this 10 minute bit about oversized pizza on repeat for a week.

Needless to say, the prospect of another special of Kinane’s coming out soon is extremely exciting and has been long awaited (Trampoline in a Ditch came out in 2020). Shocks & Struts is that special and Kinane just posted a teaser that has us thinking there is something very special coming on this month with this hour.

See for yourself here and then, likely, pay $10 because you’ll want to see as soon as you can starting Mar. 15th.

Howdy gang. New special on deck. March 15th for $10 dollars for you early birds, or wait until March 30 and get it for FREE.https://t.co/IiHdzLeImE pic.twitter.com/V2fokMcQXf

— Elon Musk (for serious Im totally him) (@kylekinane) March 7, 2023

For Some Good, Old Fashioned Ridiculous Silliness, Give Brad Wenzel’s Debut Special joke. joke. joke a Watch

February 28, 2023

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For what it’s worth, the jokes of most comedians are usually stringed together in some sort of intricate fashion that allows for an engaging narrative arc or, at the very least, a strong call back later in their set. To do more cut-and-dried, short form jokes is rare these days because, well, the writing would have to be so good to sustain that for more than a ten minute or shorter set.

That’s not to say that it can’t be done and Brad Wenzel has proved time and time again as he does on this very first special he just releaed, joke. joke. joke. His knack for distilling just the right amount of asymmetry in his observations for splendid, silly, original jokes feels simultaneously vintage and unmistakably current all at the same time. True to the name of the special, Brad goes from joke about fencing to joke about history remembering certain dinosaurs with shade, many just set-up-punch, but with an easy-going charm that makes all 40 minutes delightfully coast on by.

Honestly, it might be a special that almost anyone could get into, whether they’re an intense comedy nerd or someone who uses the word “skits” to describe stand-up.

Brad Wenzel’s joke. joke. joke. is streaming on YouTube for free at your convenience here.

Pick of the Day: Surrounded: Crowdwork in the Round (in NYC) 3/9

February 27, 2023

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crowd work, mike falzone, new york comedy, stand up comedy, the stand

For quite some time now, comedian multi-hyphenate Mike Falzone has encircled performers with audience members and prohibited them from doing any prepared material and resorting only to crowd work on his creation, Surrounded. It has been a delightful monthly installment at The Hollywood Improv, but is going to be touching down in NYC next week.

That’s right, there will be a special rearranging of the Main Room at The Stand in NYC, probably unlike the club has ever had and the crowd will be as close and on top of the comedians as possibly can be. It’s a special, unique crowd work show (especially because Mike brings such a positive energy to his crowd work show) that feels more like a communal experience rather than being singled out for something you’re wearing by a comic who forgot their next joke.

Surrounded is set for The Stand on Thurs. Mar. 9th at 8PM and 10PM and you can (and should) get tickets here & here respectively for $19.72 ($15 plus fees) a pop.

Pick of the Day: Maybe This Is Something? A Workout Show w/ Your Pal, Aparna (in LA) 3/13

February 20, 2023

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aparna nancherla, dynasty typewriter, los angeles comedy, stand up comedy

Long, long ago, Aparna Nancherla made her home here in LA and the LA comedy scene was all the better for having her intelligent and sensitive comedy on a regular basis. Then, she got hired on Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell and had to move to NYC and has made her mark throughout the city ever since then. In fact, Aparna still has one of the best “having your New York moment” stories/bits that we’ve heard.

Well, Angelenos, you’ll be happy to hear, as of 2023, that Aparna has returned to the City of Angels and we’ll be treating the scene to her beloved whipsmart humor more than a few times a year.

You can actually catch Aparna work out her new hour (and welcome her back) at Dynasty Typewriter on Mon. Mar. 13th at 7PM. Tickets are only $15 and you better go get ’em here.

Pick of the Day: The Big One-First of 2023 (in LA) 2/17

February 10, 2023

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Now that the winter is getting a little less chilly, by LA standards of course, many a show that normally takes advantage of LA’s picturesque weather, kind of like the kind we have today on Feb. 10th, are coming out of the wood work.

Namely, one of the best house comedy shows in LA, The Big One, in Highland Park, is coming back for its first go-around of 2023. They aren’t messing around with the line-up either as Carly Kane and Meg Indurti will be joined by Aparna Nancherla, Felicia Folkes, Brandi Denise, Lili Michelle, Meeki Leeper, and Ahamed Weinberg. An entire fleet of fold-up lawn-chairs and the perfect back patio for a house comedy show will be brought out next Fri. Feb. 17th at 7PM.

Tickets are only $15 and you better snag them here before they sell out.

Get a First Look at Josh Johnson’s Peacock Special “Up Here Killing Myself” Cutting Between Therapy and Live Stand-Up

February 7, 2023

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It’s a wonderful thing that mental health has been more focused on than ever in the realm of comedy. Not only are more and more people in and around comedy seeking out and getting the help they need with their anxieties and insecurities, but they’re more candid about it on stage than was ever previously the norm.

To highlight this shift even further (as well as furthering the emphasis on mental health), Josh Johnson‘s hour special Up Here Killing Myself, coming to Peacock. as it will intercut between Josh doing stand-up in front a live crowd and then to a reenactment of a therapy session, gorgeously shot in black and white. The link between his material and what eats away at his psyche is so strong that it seems Josh is finishing his own sentences in therapy on stage, in joke form (hence the title).

Take a gander for yourself with the trailer for Up Here Killing Myself here, then look for it on Peacock starting Fri. Feb. 17th.

Pick of the Day: Standups Doing Improv (in NYC) 2/9

February 7, 2023

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conor janda, improv, jeff wright, kaneez surka, nyc comedy, ruby karp, sabrina wu, stand up comedy

Of the disciplines in comedy, there will always seem to be the thickest line in the sand drawn between stand-up and improv. That line should be kicked away, but, in the indefinite mean time, seeing either side do the other can still be immensely fun. We still fondly hold a memory of Andy Peters “asking” for a suggestion of a car dealership and a planet and going with Saturn and Saturn on a show once called ImproVStandup.

So, Kaneez Surka and Ruby Karp are going to wrangle NYC comedy scene staples Jeff Wright, Sabrina Wu, and Conor Janda to let them do stand-up, then, make them take a suggestion and attempt to do scenes together. We wonder how many sweep edits or tagging out will happen (or if they’re even aware that those are options that are crucial to doing improv).

Standups Doing Improv is set to happen this Thurs. Feb. 9th at Friends & Lovers in Brooklyn at 8PM. Tickets are only $7.18 and you can (and should) get them here.

Here’s a Trailer for Marcella Arguello’s HBO Debut Special “Bitch, Grow Up!”

February 3, 2023

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Marcella Arguello wasted no time in staking her claim in the LA comedy scene when she moved down from the Bay Area some years ago. Her quick and cunning jokes and striking presence quickly made her favorite of crowds and comics all around the Greater LA Area.

So, it has been about time for Marcella to get an HBO special for awhile and, thankfully, that time is very, very close. Fri. Feb. 10th, Marcella will make her HBO debut with her hour special Bitch, Grow Up! Go ahead and set a reminder for that Friday when it drops on HBO Max and then see for yourself why Marcella has made every to-watch comedy list for years in the Bitch, Grow Up! trailer.

Get a Tasty Preview of Sam Morrison’s Sugar Daddy from His Set on Seth Meyers

January 25, 2023

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Up and coming NYC comedy star Sam Morrison has really put himself on the map with his delightful solo show about the loss of the love of his life, Sugar Daddy. He has already done a go of it at the Edinburgh Fringe and is currently in the middle of run at the SoHo Playhouse.

As if that wasn’t enough, he just got to do a bit of it on Late Night with Seth Meyers as a stand-up set for his late night network TV debut. The way that Sam Morrison specifically has woven in humor through his own grief is so full of truth-is-stranger-than-fiction sort of surprises that we’re pretty sure you’ll want to see the whole story after watching this set.

FYI, Sugar Daddy is playing at SoHo Playhouse in NYC through 2/17.

Looks Like Marc Maron Is Going to Show Exactly How to Do Dark Comedy These Days in Upcoming “From Bleak to Dark”

January 25, 2023

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No matter which phase of Marc Maron’s career one may look at, there is an unmistakable tangle of dark comedy threads throughout his work. Of course, it comes from his candor, which was much more political in his earlier years, then got intensely personal over the last decade and half or so. In either case, Maron has a preternatural feel for how to find the comedy gold in the darkness of the human experience as opposed to what a lot of “dark comics” do by simply trying to channel unfiltered shock in their material.

With how times have been going and are currently going as you read this, Maron might be one of the most crucial voices in comedy and this latest special From Bleak to Dark might be further proof of that fact. Set to come out HBO on Sat. Feb. 11th, we’ve heard excited whispers of this new hour that Maron has been largely working out a clubs, namely The Comedy Store, Largo, and Dynasty Typewriter here in LA.

The trailer for From Bleak to Dark, just released today, seems to very much validate said whispers and we can’t wait to watch it to get in the perfect mood for Valentine’s Day.

We’ll all be able to see for ourselves when From Bleak to Dark premieres on HBO on Sat. Feb. 11th.

Watch Fabrizio Copano Make U.S. Late Night Debut on Corden

January 24, 2023

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Fabrizio Copano has already made a name for himself as a comedian in his home country of Chile and all around South America. That said, the very clever and charming (what a great cardigan, no?) Copano has been working hard at making in-roads in the U.S. market for comedy right before and during the pandemic all the way through to now where he just debuted doing stand-up in English on U.S. late night TV (he’s done plenty of late night in South America) on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Copano made a hell of a first impression with roasting his friend, the current President of Chile, maintaining boundaries as a parent, and dissecting the label of “American” (or ‘MERican).

Give it a watch and enjoy it here.

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

January 23, 2023

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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: Hopkins & Friends (in NYC) 1/22

January 18, 2023

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adam pally, daniel simonsen, dina hashem, ilana glazer, james austin johnson, jess hopkins, moses storm, nyc comedy, phoebe robinson, stand up comedy, the stand

Sometimes, there’s just an amazing line-up for a classic stand-up show at a comedy club and tickets are still available for not a crazy price and those things together are worthy of highlighting.

Such is the case of Hopkins & Friends at The Stand this Sunday. Along with host Jess Hopkins, an incredibly choice NYC line-up of Adam Pally, Phoebe Robinson, Moses Storm, Daniel Simonsen, James Austin Johnson, Dina Hashem, Ilana Glazer, and John Hopkins (assuming that’s not someone from the prestigious medical institution?) will be taking The Stand’s Main Room stage at 8PM on Jan. 22nd and you ought to know that will be one hell of a show.

Also, tickets are only $25 (and there’s no item minimum). Go get ’em before they sell out here.

Pick of the Day: Rachel Kaly: HOSPITAL HOUR (in NYC) 1/14

December 20, 2022

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We’ve said it here more than a couple times that Rachel Kaly is one of the most exciting and unique voices in comedy at this point in time. That’s especially impressive considering how much more diverse (both in an inclusion way and style of performance) comedy has gotten (and continues to be) over the last few years. Her low key absurdity is sure fire delight every time we go see it and we’re always wanting more of Kaly’s brand of hijinks every time she has to leave.

Lucky for NYC, Rachel Kaly will be doing a brand new hour of comedy about “all the times she’s been in the hospital due to mental illness” at Union Hall in Gowanus, Brooklyn on Sat. Jan. 14th at 7:30PM.

Tickets are $18.98 and we highly suggest you go get them here before they sell out.

Please Listen to and Enjoy Mike Bridenstine’s “Hustle”, an Hour of Observational Comedy, Updated for Nowadays

December 19, 2022

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Even in 2022, the label “observational comedy” still conjures up a high pitched, slightly nasal utterance of “What’s the deal with [insert any topic of minutia]?” However, this current modern era of comedians that focus their jokes and bits on the observations of the world around them and their life, the sound, feel, writing, delivery, and verisimilitude have evolved to something (thankfully) that’s disparate from living comedy legend Jerry Seinfeld.

Mike Bridenstine‘s sophomore release, Hustle, exemplifies this evolution wonderfully.

Bridenstine’s comedy is indeed very delineated in an observational style, but Bridenstine’s candor and genuine enthusiasm hide the seams of his material much better than comedy of yesteryear. Whether zooming in on the micro with Star Wars minutia or zooming out to trying to solve racism or getting personal with his own life-altering time playing baseball, here on Hustle, Mike maintains a chummy, grounded delivery that really make his punchlines and the comedic twists in his stories hit sweetly. There’s a traditional rise in volume when he ramps up to those elements, but none of it feels forced in a way that would take you out of the listening experience to think about every comedian who has raised their voice to punctuate their jokes.

Even though so many presidential candidates have strived to be the candidate you can have a beer with, Bridenstine really has mastered how to make such a connection with a crowd on a given night.

Mike Bridenstine’s Hustle is out now from AST Records and avaialble wherever you get your comedy albums. Give it a listen here.

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