We’re celebrating live comedy, Live Comedy L.A., and yes…my 30th birthday this Saturday at Red Rock with a show that will blow you away. The line-up is awesome. If you want to laugh, please come down and enjoy the celebration with me. The show is FREE. Yeah…FREE COMEDY. I swear to you…this line-up rivals any of the line-ups you will see at a major club this weekend. Hope to see you there.
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.
Matty “Ballgame” Balaker has solidified himself as one of the premier promoters of stand-up comedy in our city. Tonight’s show at Red Rock was off the charts. Ballgame consistently brings in the best newcomers like Rebecca Michael…the top featuring comedians like Iliza Sheslinger and Jeff Short…and top headliners like Tom Segura and Brian Scolaro. If you have not been to this show yet…you really are missing out on a great Tuesday night of laughs in the middle of the week. I have a regular job…I need to laugh…this show helps me de-stress…it’s awesome. Did I mention it’s free. Imagine that…you get to laugh for free. Oh…and there was a black midget in the house. Yep…heaven.
Quick Line-Up Run: Matty “Ballgame” Balaker, Joe Braza, Rebecca Michael, Tony Moser, Eliza Shlesinger, Jeff Short, Tom Segura, Brian Scolaro
I loved Joe Braza’s first person references…hilarious. Great to see Rebecca Michael do her thing. I went to her show at IO West on Sunday (which is great btw)…and to be doing stand-up for only a year…she is great. This isn’t easy folks…I’ve done it. There is nothing more difficult. Eliza Shlesinger did her 6 minute set for the Montreal Showcase. It was so polished. I watched Iliza for about a year now…and this 6 minute set was so dialed. I love when she does the joke about coming out of the water looking like a rat…awesome. Jeff Short brought some great new material…”gay guys never lose a staring contest”…LOL! And what can you say about Tom Segura and Brian Scolaro…I have written about them countless times…and they are two of the best comedians we have. I just saw Scolaro on Sunday…and I laughed just as hard at the “Sneezing” joke today as I did Sunday.
More updates this week on some good weekend shows coming up…
We hit up IO West tonight to check out Rebecca Michael’s Master’s of Comedy Show. IO is hallowed ground for improv comedy but they opened it up tonight for some very good, very inexpensive stand-up comedy. It was my very first time at IO West and I really dug it. Full bar out front to grab a drink. Very courteous staff (read…they let me put out Live Comedy L.A. flyers). Cool theater inside…not cramped. Even a nice screen to show videos if necessary. Good stuff. And the crowd was solid for a first time show…I was very happy. Here was the line-up:
Ro Delle Grazie
Mal Hall
Jennifer Murphy
Stuart Paap
Clinton Pickens
Lauri Roggenkamp
Brian Scolaro
All the comedians were excellent. Ro Delle Grazie held things down as the host while Rebecca was up in S.F. Ro makes me laugh with that NY accent. She did a baby joke to close her set…and just her saying “crwwwaaal”…made the joke. Jennifer Murphy just finished the L.A. Marathon…God bless her…and still brought so laughs for the crowd. Clinton Pickens was solid and Stuart Paap laid down some funny material also. Brian Scolaro is incredible…he does a caveman joke that is killer…and a 5 minute bit on noises that had me laughing outloud. Plus…the “Sneezing Joke”. He probably gets tired of me telling him how good it is…but is folks…it’s really that good.
But the stand out of the night for me was Lauri Roggenkamp. Her timing was incredible…her poise was perfect…and she had everyone in the audience cracking up. Just a great performance from someone I have never seen before. I love that! Definitely going to be keeping an eye out for Lauri.
I’ll definitely be at this show again. Add it to your options for Sunday night comedy in Los Angeles…along with No Name Comics at Room 5.
If you are a fan of stand-up comedy or just feel like a good laugh this week…Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge at Red Rock is set for killer line-up. Brian Scolaro, Tom Segura, and Jeff Short are simply 3 of the best stand-up comedians in the country…let alone Los Angeles. It’s FREE, there’s no drink minimum…and you can park in the $4 lot across the street. Take a cheap date…hell…take your wife…and get some laughs on the cheap. But I promise you…this is the real deal. Check out this VideoShot of Segura…and I’ll see you on Tuesday at 8:30 at Red Rock.
Stand-up comedy maven, Rebecca Michael, launches her Masters of Comedy Show this Sunday - March 2nd at Improv Olympic. Rebecca has only been doing comedy for a year but her dedication to the craft is paying dividends as she also makes an appearance at the Punchline in S.F. this weekend (Watch out Matty Ballgame!). I will definitely be the house tomorrow for her first comedy promotion. Rebecca was able to pull Live Comedy L.A. favorite Brian Scolaro as the headliner. Scolaro has the funniest joke I’ve ever seen. He does a sneezing routine that is off the charts and never…EVER…gets old. I scream like a little girl when I hear it. $5 at the door…gotta love that.
Line-Up:
Matt Baetz
Jessica Glassberg
Matty “Ballgame” Balaker
Josh McDermitt
Sarah Colonna
Chris Franjola
Brian Scolaro
Let me tell you why I love live comedy…you never know what’s going to happen. This Stevie Nicks look-a-like chick kept interrupting the show. It was kind of funny at first…but as all obnoxious crowd members go…it got annoying. Ballgame handled it well…but eventually she had to be tossed…loved it. Look folks…as much as we think live comedy is some type of interactive thing…90% of the time…it isn’t…so per usual…keep your yapper shut. If the comedian wants to engage the crowd…he’ll come calling…don’t worry. There is nothing worse than an audience member thinking they are funny…you’re not…no really…you’re not. Me included. Big crowd last night…the show may have reached the tipping point…people are starting to talk about it. Onto the comedians.
Matt Baetz -
Best host in town…hands down…it’s not even close. Not only does he get the crowd warmed up with very good material…he knows every comedians name…and you can just tell things were loose. Matt hosts in a way where he doesn’t make it about him…it’s about the show. By doing so…he comes off way more professionally…and his material and skills shine. Not to mention he was dealing with that d-bag lady in row 2. I’m not kidding…she kept saying she was from Texas…so damn annoying. But Baetz handled her. This guy is a gamer…go see him…ASAP!
Jessica Glassberg -
I really liked her slutty baby material…she called her Slutty McSlutterson…and she did some Pussy Cat Dolls action. I think she hung with the jury duty material for about 3 minutes too long…but I’m sure she was testing. She has good presence…and she’s cool. Some material development and she’ll be good to go.
Matty “Ballgame” Balaker -
Ballgame was solid…unflapped by Stevie Nicks…he powered through his set. The unfortunate thing is…because of this chick…I’m having a tough time remembering his material. But he handled her really well…didn’t lose his cool…got the crowd laughing at her…never lost his confidence on stage…and kicked ass. Folks…this chick actually walked on stage…anything less than Ballgame kicking her in the ass was a miracle. That’s a pro, ladies and gentlemen.
Josh McDermitt -
My first time seeing Josh. He was solid…his joke about you are what you eat was great. He said, “I don’t agree…I’ve never eatin’ a 29 year old loser who still lives at home with his dad.” Awesome. Looking forward to seeing him again.
Sarah Colonna -
Sarah is great. So cool. She’s getting Britney, Paris, Lindsey, Tom Sizemore, and The Hof…all in a house for a show called….”So You Think You Can Drink”. Genius. I love the roofy girl too. And she cut the her vibrator joke at the end at the perfect spot. Awesome set.
Chris Franjola -
I’m telling you right now…there are very few comedians on Franjola’s level. He’s off the cuff…he’s current…he’s quick. Can we get this cat a show or something…seriously. Can we put him, Sickler, Segura, Brody…I could go here…in some stuff. Franjola closed with his sex joke…which kills. I also love the one about his neighbor taping himself having sex…that is unreal. Go see Franjola…seriously.
Brian Scolaro -
There is one joke I will never get tired of…and Brian may be sick of it…but I’m not…and no audience I have ever seen is…the sneezing joke. I think it might be the best joke of all time. I scream like a chick every time I hear it. His caveman material was great too. Scolaro was awesome…he’s a cool dude.
Great time last night…if you aren’t going to stand-up comedy…you are missing out. It’s too good not to go.
Great show on Tuesday the 6th at Red Rock…I’ll be in the house.
