Tonight is the last “No Name Comics” show that Brad Stewart will be putting on at Room 5. Management told him they were going to be replacing his slot with music. Bastards. Like there isn’t enough music around town. What’s worse than bad music. The business model is in shambles anyway.
Maybe I’m being harsh. But I like the show Brad puts on at Room 5…and I like Room 5. It’s one show that I feel comfortable recommending to folks every week because I know they’re going to get a funny, professional show with great comedians
I feel like I haven’t promoted the show enough in the space that I have write here. We can’t have good shows going away. I’ll work harder. I ask the comedians to work harder in promoting themselves. And I ask readers to just GO LAUGH, every once and while. This show was FREE. Brad is looking for another venue to host Room 5. I’m confident that he will find something.
Tonight’s line-up is really great:
Suli McCullough
Kyle Kinane
Jonah Ray
Tom Clark
Rick Mitchel
and a couple more surprise guests (let’s pray that means the smokin’ hot Aisha Tyler - who is a show regular)!
7pm
TONIGHT
143 N La Brea 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90036
A tipster just sent us a bulletin (see bulletin below) that Doug Stanhope just posted on Myspace. Stanhope re-posted an email that he got from someone that saw Cook at the Melrose Improv. The person essentially claims Dane Cook stole a Stanhope bit. Stanhope clearly agrees. Can we get an explanation from both sides? Dane…say it ain’t so.
MYSPACE BULLETIN:
Stanhope,
I went to a show at the Melrose Improv last night, and this surprise guest comic gets onstage and starts doing this long bit about how he had to take this girl to get an abortion and how ridiculous the experience was, and then started talking about going to Heaven, and how he’d be so happy to see his grandma in Heaven, but when he got to Heaven, there was this little pissed off guy giving him shit and it was his abortion, furious at him.
And the comic was fucking Dane Cook.
Thought you should know. I got really mad. Interest is definitely waning in that douche, even in the frat crowd. I feel like people are finally realizing what a fucking joke he is and how unfunny his “jokes” are, but if he tries to make a comeback using YOUR shit so HE can get fans, I’m gonna lose it.
It’s no secret that I like my comedians the way I like my women - dirty and funny (actually…I think it was a secret and I just announced it to the universe). Anyway…the point is…Dana Min Goodman is 100% dirty and 100% funny - definitely my kind of comedian (and woman apparently…don’t judge me).
You have probably seen Sarah Silverman and Lisa Lampanelli. Stop right there. The only thing Dana has in common with those two women is a va-j. Dana is more like Dice Clay or Kinison….not the next Silverman or Lampanelli. She’s filthy. It’s a site to behold. And just like the two greats, she can divide an audience. Either you’re laughing your ass off because you’re a freak like me…or you’re in shock because you can’t believe she just said, “I’m so poor it’s either food or tampons. Unfortunately, my carpets are now stained with blood.”
Beyond her talent for the dirty, Dana is a skilled writer, not only of stand-up comedy material but of scripted material. Dana performs frequently around town doing sketch with her writing partner Julia.
Dana is also an accomplished actress. She had a small role in Adam Sandler’s “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” and a starring role along side Ana Farris in the upcoming movie “House Bunny”. In fact, she walks the red carpet tonight at the premier. And, she’s in post-production on another Sandler film called “Bedtime Stories”. Plus, if you were watching the new Gong Show on Comedy Central last Thursday, she and Julia made an appearance on that show as well.
Here’s a quick clip of Dana in a small web video. It’s a not her stand-up, but it’ll give you an idea of what’s brewin’. And go see her in “House Bunny”. Check out her Myspace for performance info…or just come here…we’ll give the lowdown. You can also add us on Twitter for last minute updates: twitter.com/livecomedyla.com.
Dash of Downs. CAIDS. Vaccination Scar. Three of the greatest jokes ever told from one L.A. comedian - Ryan Sickler. I’ve seen Sickler close to 20 times and his material never gets old. In fact, it has gotten better since I first saw him last year at Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge at Red Rock. He has settled into a smooth rhythm on stage that all great comedians have.
The key to Sickler’s greatness is two fold - his writing skills and his “every guy” attitude. I find that many comedians talk about similar topics. Honestly, how much is there to talk about. Life is life - we all live in it. I’ve never heard anyone talk about CAIDS. I’ve never heard anyone talk about a retarded child with only a Dash of Downs. And I sure as hell have never heard anyone talk about hot Latinas with vaccination scars. The guy just understands the importance of writing…and writing…and writing more…until he comes up with something that no one else has thought of.
Also, Sickler is just a dude. A guy who likes football, boxing, and beer. He’s from Baltimore. He loves tits and ass. This is what America should be. I’m so tired of having to watch Faith Hill or Pink show up on Sunday Night Football. I’m tired of Ryan Seacrest producing shows like “Bromance”. Ryan Sickler gives me hope that one day we will have entertainers that act like men.
Sickler recently did a set for the Late, Late Show and performed on Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham. He has several projects in the works, including a comedy he co-wrote with fellow comedian Tom Segura, called Cutman.
Check out these clips of Sickler doing his thing and make sure to catch him live around town (We’ll keep you in the loop on where he is scheduled to perform or you can check his Myspace):
Variety Magazine came out with a list of “Top 10 Comics to Watch”. No disrespect to Variety or the 10 comedians they chose, but I have a different definition of “watch”. Their definition is “to keep an eye on in the media and movies”. My definition is “to go see in a club and laugh your ass off”. To each his own. I happen to think my list can and will accomplish both feats. But what do I know.
So here is the “10 Really Good Comedians that You Should Go Watch in a Club to Laugh Your Ass Off” list.
1. Ryan Sickler
2. Dana Min Goodman
3. Tom Segura
4. Christina Pazsitzky
5. Jason Gillearn
6. Chris Franjola
7. Steve Flye
8. Andrew Norelli
9. Sam Tripoli
10.The Unknown Comedian
Starting on Monday, we will spotlight each of these comedians. I guarantee…if you go see any of these comedians live…it’ll be a good night.
I’m going to start a new feature called “Comedy and Technology”. I will try to spotlight some of the newest interactive, social media, and online marketing tools and how they should and can affect the world of live comedy. Todays tool:
Twitter is a tool that allows you to send quick messages (140 characters or less) to a large group of people at the same time. You can send the message via the Twitter site, text message, or various Twitter applications that are desktop or browser based.
If you are a comedian, this is another way to communicate with fans in a proactive way. Very few people remember to come to your Myspace to check when you are performing and email is just one way to communicate. With Twitter, you can send a quick message that goes out to all of your followers on where your next gig is…or while you are at the gig, you can tell them you just bumped into Chris Rock…or you can give them a sneak preview of your next great joke…or a million other creative ideas that you can think of to generate buzz. It’s a way to establish an intimate relationship with fans in quick bite sized messages.
Live Comedy L.A. is going to use Twitter to communicate deals on comedy shows. Plus, I’ll use it to let people know what comedy shows I am attending…while I’m there. One text sends a Twitter message to everyone who is following Live Comedy L.A. So if you read the blog or if you are a comedian at the same show, you know I’m there and we can chat.
Comedians need to use technology more and Twitter is just one tool that can help you reach out to your audience. It’s all about proactive communication and promotion.
Congrats to Los Angeles comedian Iliza Shlesinger for winning NBC’s Last Comic Standing. Looks like America agreed with me. Iliza will probably start going on tour and hitting clubs around the country, so I’m not too sure how many opportunities we’ll have to see her here in the L.A.-area over the next 10 - 12 months.
We’ve been writing about Iliza for a few years. So it’s cool to see her do well. What can you say…read about the comedians here…go see them in the clubs…and then see them when they make it big on TV and in the movies. It’s kinda cool. You can say…I used to watch them when.
Anyway, the folks at Current.com sent me some clips of Iliza that I thought you might dig. Iliza will be around for a while, so keep an eye out (and not just on her boobs fellas).
Comedian Steve Flye and the Ice House in Pasadena make a killer combo folks. Last night I hit up Flye’s monthly show at the venue for the first time. Again, the Ice House proved that it is the best large comedy venue in the greater L.A.-area - hands down.
The Ice House is what live comedy is all about. The staff is incredible - especially long time staffer and new author Barbara Corry. I want to personally thank Barbara for showing us a great time last night. She is an amazing contributor to the community. Live comedy and the Ice House should be proud to have her. We will be spotlighting Barbara Corry and her new book “The Ultimate Green Room” in the coming weeks.
On to the show - simply put…Steve Flye has the skills to be a big time player. I asked Steve to perform at my 30th birthday a few weeks ago because I wanted more people to see that he is the real deal. But, honestly, I think he is doing just fine on his own…he packed the Ice House last night…that’s not easy. You may know “Life of the Party with Jay Davis”. But “Flye Comedy” is right there. His material killed again and he can sing (who knew?). I loved when he went into the crowd and talked about the “horchatas” on the Mexican girl in the front row. He said, “Those things could squeeze out cinnamon.”
I also enjoyed the sets from Honest John and Chris Spencer. Honest John is this older dude who talks dirty. Love that. If you are a fan of stand-up, you probably know Chris Spencer from hosting Chocolate Sunday’s at the Laugh Factory. I had never seen him before, but he was great. Tons of great material and so natural.
I want to thank Barbara Corry again. And I want to thank Steve Flye for giving Live Comedy L.A. a big shout out at the end of the show. So cool. He called me the Founder and CEO. How ’bout that people…I’m a CEO. Go Laugh.
Upcoming shows at the Ice House
Gabriel Iglesias: Aug. 28, 29, 31
Kevin Nealon: Aug. 30
I have not seen Dane Cook perform in more than a year and a half. Considering I saw DC perform about 25 times between 2000 and 2006, knew every word of his first two albums, and my license plate says SANGWCH - a year and a half is a long time.
I credit DC for sparking my love for stand-up comedy. He inspired me to put “Perform Stand-Up Comedy” on my 2006 New Year’s Resolutions list and to actually do it. I used to gather all my friends and take them down to the Laugh Factory to watch him perform.
But right around 2006 things changed. Other people started to get involved with Dane’s career. Other people tried to market, write, and speak in his voice. Much like what happened to Dennis Miller. Maybe it was execs at the studios, maybe it was agents, maybe it was the promotions people, I don’t really know. It just became forced and cheesy. It wasn’t authentic. It wasn’t what made Dane Cook great. It wasn’t the bond that I felt he created with his fans. So I tuned out for a while.
On Wednesday night at the Hollywood Improv at the Comedy Juice Show, I not only saw Dane for the first time since 2006…I saw something different. I saw a comedian who has matured. His material has gotten edgier and darker. His writing has gotten deeper. Yet his stage persona is still infectious. When he tells jokes about abortion, rape, and being white…you know it’s not the same as it used to be. Gone is the manic style I used to love. He has adopted a calm presence that all the greats have. It was incredible to watch.
It was so cool for me because it was like watching a friend perform. I loved it. It was just him, the mic, and a small audience in a club…making people laugh. That’s what it’s all about. Go Laugh.
