Live Comedy L.A.

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.

Andrew Norelli was just spotted as one of the 10 comedians in the Honda Sweepstakes Online Voting competition taking place in conjunction with Last Comic Standing. He is not on LCS…it’s more like a promotional tie-in that Honda is doing with the show. Here’s the point…get online now and go vote for Norelli. He’s an L.A. comedian and one of the the most underrated comedians in the country. Go here.

We hit up No Name Comics on Sunday at Room 5. Host Brad Stewart puts on the show every Sunday and usually gets a decent crowd from what I hear…but always a very solid line-up of funny comedians, including the likes of Aisha Tyler and Brody Stevens on a regular basis. No difference last night as far as comedians are concerned, but the room was absolutely packed - which was terrific to see. I really hope we can help keep this room full every Sunday night. Last night featured 4 of my favorite comedians in Los Angeles - scratch that - in the country and the discovery of 3 more terrific talents.

Favorites: Andrew Norelli, Iliza Shlesinger, Christina Pazsitzky, Ryan Sickler
New Discoveries: Carlos Kotkin, Andrew Orvedahl, Alex Nussbaum

You’ve heard me talk about the favorites over and over again. But I’d like to make something clear…great comedians are like fine wine - you can experience them many times but enjoy them just as much as you did the first time…and notice new things every time you see them…and appreciate the nuances that you never recognized previously. It’s really incredible. I’ve seen Ryan Sickler do the same set at least 10 times…to the point where he apologized to me before going on stage. But the reality is you will never see a comedian do the same set, the same way…ever. And last night, Sickler performed his set better than I’ve ever seen it. He truly has evolved as a comedian in terms of his delivery and pacing. His material has always been amazing but watching him last night was just awesome. The same is true for Norelli and CP (CP is how we will refer to Christina Pazsitzky from now on). I love watching them because they are on-point every single time. I am so happy that Norelli is filming for the Late, Late Show tonight and CP is going full steam with stand-up. Please do yourself a favor and get out and see them at your earliest convenience. I will pay you money if you do not enjoy their performance.

Carlos Kotkin was an interesting change-up as far as stand-up comedy is concerned. He is more of a story teller. I dug it…and so did the rest of the crowd. He had a bit about herpes and HIV that was off the charts. Andrew Orvedahl and Alex Nussbaum were great surprises as well. Nussbaum’s jokes about his Russian mother were killer and Overdahl’s Riverside jokes were great. I’ll definitely get out to see these guys again.

Good night of stand-up comedy on a Sunday night. Now it’s time to pick my brackets.

Comedian Andrew Norelli will be filming for the Late, Late Show on Monday. Norelli is of the country’s best comedians and his appearance is well deserved. On Tuesday, I appeared on Stuart Paap’s internet show “Live From the Future” and gave a list of comedians that I thought were going to be big in the very near future. I was remiss in leaving Norelli off this list. It was a huge oversight. If you read this page, you are aware that I think Norelli is just as good as bigger name comedians like the great Daniel Tosh. Norelli is professional and will be big time. It’ll be great to see him on the Late, Late Show.

If you are interested in seeing the set live before he performs it on the Late, Late Show, Andrew will be doing a run through on Sunday at No Name Comics. We gave you all the details here. Hope to see you there.

In case you didn’t know…this Sunday is a Holiday…it’s Selection Sunday. The day that 65 teams are picked to participate in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. It’s an amazing day for a college basketball junkie like myself. Unbelievably…my Sunday just got about 33x better. Brad Stewart…the host of No Name Comics…just informed us of this absolutely incredible line-up:

Andrew Norelli
Iliza Shlesinger
Ryan Sickler
Christina Pazsitzky
Carlos Kotkin
Ed Galvez
Andrew Orvedahl
Alex Nussbaum
Brad Stewart

Are you kidding me? Folks…the first 4 comedians on that list are as good as it gets. Not just in Los Angeles…but in the country. Unreal. Selection Sunday. No Name Comics. Let’s do this.

No NaMe CoMiCs @ROOM 5
143 LA BREA 2ND FL. (SOUTH OF BEVERLY)
LOS ANGELES, CA 90036
THIS SUNDAY MARCH 16 @7PM
NO COVER - FULL BAR - DINNER AVAILABLE

I asked a few of my favorite L.A.-based comedians a simple question - if you have the night off and feel like going to laugh, who are you going to see? One stipulation…it must be another L.A.-based comedian so that our readers can go see them. Here are the answers I got:

Greg Fitzsimmons - Greg Proops Chat Show at Largo
Tom Segura - Bert Kreischer
Brian Scolaro - Ben Gleib, Bobby Lee, Elon Gold, Ian Edwards
Matty “Ballgame” Balaker - Bert Kreischer
Dana Min Goodman - Sarah Silverman, Tig Notaro, Greg Fitzsimmons
Jason Gillearn - Ian Edwards
Ryan Sickler - Zach Galifiniakis
Chris Franjola - Jason Gillearn, Brody Stevens, Tom Segura
Duncan Trussell - Brian Holtzman
Andrew Norelli - Brent Weinbach
Bob Bledsoe - Zach Galifiniakis

Comedy is very subjective…so you are going to have to get out there and see these guys and gals yourself. But make no mistake about it, comedians are a tough crowd folks. I watch comedians in the back of the room during shows…when the audience is cracking up…they are not laughing. So when they say a comedian is funny, chances are, he/she is bringin’ the goods. Hope you find some new comedians to see from this list - I know I have. A quick search on Myspace or Google will help you find these comedians…or subscribe to our page…we’ll let you know where they are performing in L.A.

I have said it before and I will say it again…I believe Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge is the best stand-up comedy show in Los Angeles right now. Matty “Ballgame” Balaker gets great comedians…there is no cover…there is no drink minimum…there is no line…the atmosphere is totally friendly…and the show lasts a perfect 90 minutes. I’m not saying it’s the best business model…I’m just saying it’s the best stand-up comedy show. I go every time the show is put on…which is the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month…and it’s a great time. All the comedians agree…this is a stellar room for comedy in Los Angeles.

Tuesday’s line-up is sweet and I’m sure I will talk more about it next week…but I’d like to highlight Andrew Norelli right now. He is one of L.A.’s hidden jewels. He is simply one of the best stand-up comedians in our city and I would venture to guess in the country. Get to this show to see him…in the mean time…check him out in this VideoShot.

Go see these comedians this weekend. Trust me. Juuuust trust me. Good deals to see some of the best…

Ryan Sickler - Ontario Improv: 10/19 (8pm, 10pm), 10/20 (7pm, 9pm, 11pm), 10/21 (7pm). Pretty sure you can still give them the myspace promo-code LAUGH and get into the Friday and Sunday shows free. He’s the guy. He had instant classics with Dash of Downs and CAIDS. I request these jokes…that’s how good they are. I repeat…I request these jokes.

Suli McCullough - Laugh Factory: 10/19 (8pm). Suli’s slow, deliberate, friendly style is great. It’s “Crazy Legs” people!

Sebastian Maniscalco - Hermosa Beach Comedy and Magic Club: 10/19&20 (8pm). Sebastian has definitely launched his career to the next level. His material on cell phones, coffee, and basically how Americans have become a bunch of pussies is terrific.

Jason Gillearn - O’Brien’s (Main St. in Santa Monica): 10/20 (9pm). Pretty sure it’s free. Gillearn is a dirty bastard and is one of the most consistently funny comedians in Los Angeles. He’s not known nationally (although has appearances on Kimmel and the like)…he’s truly one of the best in the biz. The guy teaches juvenile offender kids…that’s endless material.

Andrew Norelli - Room 5 (143 N. La Brea): 10/21 (7pm). Maybe a small cover ($5-$10). Norelli is worth the price of admission…whatever the cost. He’s a big timer…no joke…see him while it’s cheap. His jokes are untouchable…he’s as good as Tosh.

Iliza Shlesinger - Hollywood Improv: 10/20 (8pm). Iliza is one of the top up and coming comedians out there in my opinion. She is very polished. I’ve said it before…she has the “I don’t give a fuck attitude” that you have to have. Watch her when a joke doesn’t work…she just powers through…one of the best in the biz at it. And it happens to EVERYONE!

Line-up:
Zack Pollard
Matty Ballgame
Erik Lundy
Christina Pazsitzky
Ron McGehee
Lachlan Patterson
Andrew Norelli

I grabbed a couple visiting from Minnesota off the Sunset strip to come see this show…they loved it…good stuff!

Zack Pollard -
Zack was really good as the host. He took the job seriously and introduced the comedians with energy and very clearly…I can really appreciate that. I think his material needs development…but he has good stage presence and verbal skills.

Ballgame -
Always coming with new material…his joke about catching up with old friends was absolutely stellar…that’s a keeper!

Erik Lundy -
This is my second time seeing Erik and he just seems frustrated by comedy and his heart isn’t there. He had a tough set.

Christina Pazsitzky -
She’s off the charts good…I love her. I want her at my 30th birthday. She’s dirty and clean…and smart…her material is great…she’s quick. She has the goods to be big time.

Ron McGehee -
I’ve seen Ron kill…tonight wasn’t it. His marriage material wasn’t hitting home with this crowd…but he kept plowing ahead with it. I respect that. That stuff happens.

Lachlan Patterson -
So good. Laid back…great material. Canadian. You’ll love this guy.

Andrew Norelli -
Norelli officially became big time in my eyes. I’ve seen him 3 times…and he hit it out of the park. BTW…Norelli has been doing comedy for 10 years…so who the fuck am I to say he’s big time now…he’s an established comedian. But to me…he has the material…the attitude…the presence…to be big. He just doesn’t have the name recognition yet. In my book…he’s as good as Byrne and a few other guys at that level. He and Sickler are killer. I’ll get Norelli to my 30th too. His joke about customer service at Sprint had me screaming…and his joke about Indians was priceless. Love this guy!

Line-up:
Matty Ballgame
J. Chris Newberg
Iliza Shlesinger
Bret Ernst
Sam Tripoli
Adam Gropman
Andrew Norelli
Bone Hampton

Nice to see the line-up card making a second appearance at the Laugh Lounge…and in color. I’m diggin’ it. And I saw people taking it with them…I think it’s going to catch on. Also, cool to see a special slot on the line-up card dedicated to me for my birthday…no I didn’t do the card this week…thanks Matty! Loved the new seating set-up…I probably should have thought of this…but I’m glad someone did (I can’t think of jokes, line-up cards, how to deal with a guest appearance by Bret Ernst…and new seating arrangements - however - I think we should take Franjola’s advice from the last show and put a table up there for the comedians). They took one of the “couches” from the “Judges” section and put it out front. Good call. Sweet crowd…late arriving L.A. crowd as usual…but whattaya gonna do…ask the Dodgers. People don’t come till the third inning for their games…people don’t come till the third comedian for this show. On to the comedians…

Matty Ballgame - myspace.com/balaker
Ballgame kept it to a tight two minute set last night because of a stop in by Bret Ernst (more on him later). Gotta love Matty for sacrificing himself for the good of the show. No joke…he knows what’s good for the show…he knows Ernst is one of the best…and one of my favorites ; )…so he cut his own time. He did some standard jokes…kept it tight…and nailed his Lindsey Lohan joke. Can’t ask for much more than that. Ballgame knows how to wear the promoter hat when he needs to and that’s clutch. It is exactly why this is the best room in the city.

J. Chris Newberg - jchrisnewberg.com
At some point, I’ll give you my thoughts on what I believe a host of a comedy show should be. I believe it’s a special position that plays a pivotal role in the evening’s events. I won’t get into it now…but stay tuned for it. What I do know is that J. Chris Newberg is not a host. His material is good…I liked the short musical bits…but he’s not a host. And the notebook on the floor by the mic needs to go. Fitzsimmons, Silverman…even Gillearn can pull off the notes like that…but they are very special cases. This isn’t that type of room. I’m not trying to knock the guy…but truth be told…ditch the notebook and bring it back around for a smoother set.

Iliza Shlesinger - ilizashlesinger.com
Two takes on Iliza (who I’ve now seen 4 times) - even with a shortened set…she did new material. I like the house party jokes. And there is nobody in comedy better at handling non-laughter than Iliza. That may sound bad…but it’s not. Sometimes…you tell a joke…and it doesn’t work. Sometimes…you tell a great joke…and the crowd isn’t into it yet. Sometimes…shit just happens. Iliza handles those situations better than anyone I’ve seen because she has this sarcastic, “I don’t give a shit” attitude that works so well on stage…and actually helps loosen the crowd…and can create funny moments. She just powers through…it’s really incredible if you are paying close attention. Telling a joke and not getting a ton of laughs is tough…she says “Fuck it…you didn’t like that one…I got another one right here.” I like her a lot.

Bret Ernst - breternstlive.com
Bret has reached a point in his career where he doesn’t even have to think when he’s on stage. You can just tell…it just flows out of him. He’s hilarious. His jokes about his “guido” friends back on the East Coast are priceless…especially the jokes about bottle service. Christ…those had me rolling. And the “old man jokes”…just awesome. I love Ernst…loved him since ‘04…and it’s great to see him just pop into places like Red Rock to help out Matty Ballgame. That’s a good guy. Because he’s top notch folks. If you ever get a chance to see the roller skating joke…it kills.

Sam Tripoli - myspace.com/crimefighter
I love the “Crime Fighter”. He’s really starting to be very consistent every time he goes up. Tripoli did a short set…but make no mistake about it…this guy has the ability to go on for a long time. Still love the “300″ joke…just makes you want to go to Westwood and beat the shit out of Persians, he says. Hilarious!

Adam Gropman - myspace.com/gropman
First time seeing Gropman. He had a lot of material…but I just don’t think the tech jokes were playing with the crowd. His Sandler impression was good. And he definitely got thrown by some silent moments…tough set this time. No worries though. He’ll bring it back around.

Andrew Norelli - andrewnorelli.com
Norelli had such a great set…last time he performed…I performed…so I wasn’t fully concentrating on his stuff…but I did this time. His joke about wishing the Indians would just move here so we could just pick up the Mexicans and Indians outside of Home Depot in one trip might have been the joke of the night. Also, the chin to shoulder ratio being the determining factor of how gay you look in pictures is unreal. Plus his AIDS jokes were stellar. Norelli is great. So glad I could see him again and pay attention this time.

Bone Hampton - bonehampton.com
I just love this guy. Not just because he knows I write this blog and talked about during his set…but because he’s a riot and a hell of a good guy. There are very few comedians that I quote on a consistent basis…Tosh, Sickler, Gaffigan…and Bone. “FO’ FIFTY….BYE!!!” My girlfriend and I say that at least once a week. Now Bone grabbed me after the show and said he thought I would write something about him needing to do new material. The fact is…I could listen to his material all the time…just like a good song. But I want to hear new material because he’s that good. Just like I want to hear new material from Sickler and Gillearn. Because when they write new stuff…it’s awesome. Lookin’ forward to new material from Bone!

Next Show: August 7th