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underground comedy

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Via Airbnb, You Can Ride Along with The Comedy Bureau for an Evening

April 18, 2017
Uncategorized
airbnb, experimental comedy, improv comedy, indie comedy, local tours, los angeles, podcast taping, sketch comedy, stand up, tourism, tours, underground comedy, what to do, what to see

UCB’s Cool Sh*t/Weird Sh*t taking the show into a convenience store, Hollywood

Airbnb has officially launched an exciting new “experiences” program where local experts can show visitors places and happenings that usually only denizens of that city could know and love. 

Our founder, Jake Kroeger, is indeed hosting one of those experiences, a “Comedy Bureau Ride Along”. 

Basically, we here at The Comedy Bureau see the best comedy in LA seven nights a week to keep tabs on what’s going on and what’s worth telling our readers about. 

Good Heroin at Stories in Echo Park, Photo by Kelly Dwyer

So, if you want to see what we see and hang with us as we make the rounds around the LA comedy scene, you can book us for a night here.

Moses Storm literally connecting to his audience with a specially made sweater at UCB Franklin

For your money, we’ll cover all admission to shows we go to, let you grab a ride with us from spot to spot, and hang with us after with comedians wherever that may be. Think of it like a police ride-along, but it’s for comedy and it’s with one of the most highly regarded authorities in LA comedy. 

As you can see above and below, we really go wherever we have to for a hearty laugh. There are limited spots for our ‘ride along’, two per night in fact, and we’ve already got people reserving their spots. So, you might want to act on this fast.

Again, get more details and reserve your spot for the experience right now right here. 

Alex {Hanpeter] and Jude [Tedmori] having a bit of innocent, “harmless” fun at their “What A Time to Be Alive” show, Photo by Joel Mandelkorn

How a Comedy Show on a Roof Gets Shut Down

March 31, 2012
Uncategorized
comedy shows, los angeles, rooftop, underground comedy

Photo by Tyler Ross

One of Los Angeles’ delightful cultural veins is the weird places that it chooses to do comedy. Often marginalized by traditional venues and even cliques of performers as well, Los Angeles’ resident comedy folks have sought out movie theaters, Chinese restaurants, laundromats, video rental stores, and even their own garages/living rooms/roofs to put on their own brand of comedy on their own terms. 

Yet, there is a risk to be run as many people that are uninitiated in the world of comedy at all cannot simply compute that someone can be made to intentionally laugh in a space that wasn’t originally purposed for laughter. Specifically, they’ll call the cops for disturbing the peace because your rooftop stand-up show with a packed crowd and some of the city’s, and even the country’s, best comedians and you’ll have to end what you’ve worked so hard to build. 

Such a thing happened to Alex Hooper’s and Eric Sheffield’s Long Way Down, a show that was just mentioned in Splitsider’s Guide to the LA Comedy Scene. Before you get too worried, Alex and Eric weren’t arrested or charged and they intend to relocate the show and bring the same amazing DIY comedy spirit to wherever that may be.

For now, here’s Alex Hooper’s personal account of what happened:

Last night was our one year anniversary party for Long Way Down-Comedy With a View. For those not familiar, it is a comedy show that Eric Sheffield and myself (Alex Hooper) throw monthly on the roof of our house. For 8 shows, we never had an issue. Everyone loved what we were doing and every show was more fun and special than the next. 

Ricky Carmona-Photo by Tyler Ross

Last month, at our 9th show, the police showed up. They were very understanding (particularly because we lied and told them there were 30-40 people upstairs, when in fact it was closer to 150.) They let us finish the show, James Adomian handled it like the true pro he is. We wrote letters to our neighbors trying to explain our cause, we bought them chocolates, we thought we would be OK this month. Even Still, we started at 7:30 to be sure we would be done before 10.

The Roofies (our first annual award show for our audience) was going swimmingly. It was smaller, about 90 people and mostly a core group of the people who have come since the beginning. As Josh Androsky was on stage, JC Coccoli, our last comic to perform, showed up, but unfortunately not alone. Three members of the LAFD were with her. 

Fire Chief: “You guys really know how to piss off the neighbors.

Androsky: Can I put that on my resume?

I went downstairs with the fire department. They weren’t angry about the show. They actually thought it was really cool. Their issue was the roof collapsing or a fire starting. Understandable. We never set out to be the Great White of Comedy. We like our audience alive. 

LAFD and I exchanged information. They left, and they were very cordial to myself and Eric. JC went on stage, and told the story of her letting them in as if it were a polished bit she had been working on for weeks. "I’m tired of all you kids laughing, like we are the town in Footloose.” I’m obviously paraphrasing because we all know JC is more lyrical than that, but I was drunk and deal with authority. 

Show ends. Everyone takes their gift bags, and either continues to party or goes home. We laugh, Its Silly. As Jesse Case said, “The LAFD came and Lafd. (Does that translate in writing? I hope so).

2 hours later the cops show up. I go downstairs to deal with it and I am immediately put up against the wall and handcuffed. My crime: running an illegal comedy show. Not gonna lie, my first thought after "Holy Shit!” was that this would be exactly what I needed to make it to the top! Lenny Bruce and George Carlin went through my head. Comedians who had been arrested for their art. Then my delusions of grandeur slowed as I realized I was in cuffs (cherry popped on that front), and I could go to jail. I was searched for narcotics but thankfully I had used them all. Long story short, the neighbors are pissed. Cops are tired of coming back to the same house, because “we apparently never learn." 

Oh, I learned Officer Ballerina, and i get your whole good cop/bad cop routine you are doing with this clearly closeted homosexual officer/buddy/whatever, but you have no idea what you are taking away from us. It isn’t just myself, Eric, or the people who live here. Its the friends, family, and amazing audience members this show has entertained for a year. People love this. It was described as magical. If you were here, you were doing one of the coolest things in LA that night. One good friend said "It’s completely original in a town full of recycled ideas." 

Long Way Down has become one of my favorite things. Its my favorite stage in the world. Over 60 comics have had killer sets. The audience didn’t care who was on stage. To us comedians, having murderers like Kinane, Andre, Brody, Adomian, etc is a treat. We know we are privy to some of the best LA has to offer. But my friends, and the people who attended this show, had pretty much never heard of anyone. They just knew, you came here to laugh. The people we put up were continually great, whether they had credits or not.

Long Way Down is on hiatus. It saddens me to say. One of my favorite things in the world is being stripped from me because of one stupid neighbor who is against laughter. But, we are not dead. This show stands for something. It stands for freedom in comedy. Freedom from rules, clubs, drink minimums, pressing bookers and promoters. Long Way Down is special, and everyone who has ever been here knows that they were part of something great. 

Eric Sheffield & Alex Hooper-Photo by Tyler Ross

I stress, we are not dead. We will come back bigger and stronger than ever. As soon, as I talk to the cops and/or find a new roof. I love you all. Thank you for your unparalleled support of this underground movement. Its all been worth it.

Alex Hooper

Morning Debriefing 6/16/11

June 16, 2011
Uncategorized
al yankovic, andy sanford, beth stelling, channel 101, comedy news, comedy shows, compatish, compilation, conan, crying in public, dave chappelle, emily heller, free, futurama, fyf, head to head, holy fuck, jay leno, jimmy pardo, karl hess, kyle kinane, larry david, los angeles, nbc, ron funches, rooftop, silver nails, tbs, tonight show, underground comedy

1) Rooftop Comedy’s Silver Nails 2011: The Best in Underground Comedy features some names that need to be known. Among them, Karl Hess, Ron Funches, Emily Heller, Beth Stelling, Andy Sanford, and more!!! Pick it up now.

2) New episode of Compatish-a game show’s game show with special guest Kyle Kinane!!!

3) Tonight on the small screen: Kyle Kinane on Conan 11PM TBS and Larry David on the Tonight Show NBC 11:35PM.  Great stand-up and what is sure to be an interview to remember…

4) Can’t wait for Al Yankovic’s Alpocalypse? Don’t. 

5) One of LA’s best comedy shows Holy Fuck is now EVERY TUESDAY!!!  Starting July 5th, you’ll be at the Downtown Independent Theater at 9PM.  Trust me, you will.

6) Jimmy Pardo in Time Out New York

7) Dave Chappelle Might Have a New Show. (Yes, we already posted this, but we think deserves a second mention, don’t you?) [via theDaily]

8) The FYF Fest in Downtown LA has “stand-up comedy”!!!

9) Crying in Public w/Casey Wilson, June Diane Raphael, Josh Fadem, Drew Droege, Eddie Pepitone, Kulap Vilaysack, Paul Rust, Kate Comer, Sean Conroy, Morgan Walsh, Ryan Perez, Tig Notaro, and whole bunch more funny folks just bawling out in the open. Trust us, I know it sounds sad (or maybe it doesn’t and you have a dark sense of humor like we do), but either way you’ll laugh.

Crying in Public from Casey Wilson

10) Channel 101, one of the best short film competitions ever, is in the news (beyond here, that is)!!! Check out articles at Turnstyle and NPR.

11) Whether you’re aware of it or not, Futurama’s almost back on the air and good as ever.  Have doubts? Check out the clip below.

12) ON THE HORIZON
Andrés Du Bouchet’s Center for the Performing Arts @ Bootleg Theater June 29th 8PM $8

13) COMEDY CRAWL
Toby Huss Boozebag Revue @ The Fedora Room 7PM $15 
The Super Serious Show @ Smashbox Studios 7PM $15 
Thai Rivera Album Release @ Ontario Improv 8PM $15/2 item min. 
An Intimate Evening with Jeff Garlin @ The Comedy Store Belly Room 8PM $5/2 item min.
Jackie & Judy: Looking For Good Dick @ UCB Theatre 8PM $5 (stand by only)
Comedy 90210 @ Roxbury Cafe 8PM $5
Comedy Speakeasy @ the Loft 8PM FREE
Cookin’ With Gas @ Groundlings 8PM $18
Sarah Silverman & Friends @ Largo at the Coronet Theatre 8:30PM $25
The Josh & Josh Show @ Bar Lubitsch 8:30PM FREE 
The Chicken & The Fetus @ Westside Comedy Theater 9PM $8
School Night @ UCB Theatre 9:30PM $5 (stand by only)
Comedy Slice @ Hollywood Improv Lab 10PM $5 
Live! at Carnegie Hall @ Hollywood Hotel 10PM FREE 
The 11th Hour Show @ ArtWorks Theatre 11PM FREE 

14) OPEN MIC RUN
SAL’S COMEDY HOLE 7356 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA 6PM/$4 minimum/first come, first served
ZAPATA VIVE 101 S. First Ave., Arcadia, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/20 spots available/5 min.
COFEE BEAN 16101 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA, Suite 180/Starts 7PM/mixed mic/no purchase necessary
SANDWICH SPOT 3101 Ocean Park Ave., Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/first come, first served
CAFE ON 2ND 7 S. 2nd St., Alhambra, CA/Sign-up 6:30PM/Starts 7PM/first come, first served/10 min.
CAFE UNURBAN 3301 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA/Sign-up (lottery) 9PM/No purchase necessary 

15) Our dear friend and hilarious comedian Jeremy Paul is posting a personal ad, “Perpetually SBM. 32. 6 feet tall. Intellectual. Comedian. Pervert. Seeking adult female. 18 to 80. Blind, crippled and/or crazy okay. For relationship or FWB. Disease free a must. No Herp.” Any takers?

Report 00186

THE COMEDY BUREAU/@thecomedybureau

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