Per usual, I’ll be at Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge at Red Rock. The line-up is particularly good though. Chris Franjola, Tom Segura, and Dana Min Goodman…three of my favorites and three of the best in Los Angeles…will be in the house. I’ll be in the back having a Coke. Say hi.
Red Rock Bar and Eater
Sunset Blvd.
8:30PM
Upstairs Lounge
FREE
I picked up the Rolling Stone Comedy issue in the Vegas airport this weekend on my way home from BlogWorld (yeah…I was at BlogWorld). If you can still grab it, it’s a good read. My biggest take away from the issue was how opinions differed on the importance of the internet to comedy.
It’s 2008 folks. This isn’t debatable anymore. The internet is extremely important to comedy and comedians. Some quotes:
Dane Cook
“It’s the most important tool any comedian can implement into their career. It’s up to you to gather your fans for your own personal personal programming. That’s powerful.”
Katt Williams
“I think it’s been wonderful for comedy - a gold rush. It happened with the comedy clubs in the Eighties and Nineties, and it’s happened again now with the internet. Whoever thinks differently is looking at it the wrong way.”
Craig Ferguson
“I think it’s actually bad for performers who are starting out. They’re not getting a chance to fail in private.”
Zach Galifianakis
“The little bit of success that I have is due to the internet. It has nothing to do with me guest-starring or being on a sitcom at all.”
Albert Brooks
“I think the internet is slowly going to take down all creativity.”
Just had a quick brainstorm related to yesterday’s post about the Comedy Store that I wanted to get down.
From a business model perspective…I really feel that it is in everyone’s best interest for a comedy club to be owned by a media company. It needs to be a part of a larger organization that does not rely on the current revenue streams (tickets and drinks) as its sole income. A media company can leverage the assets (comedians, show development, scripts, etc.) into other income streams. No one individual can do that (or VERY few).
If an individual owns it…you may see a better working environment. More programming options…more pride. However, it will be difficult for them to pay comedians because of the economics.
As much as I love comedy…I would not advise anyone to be in the comedy club business unless you are in the business of creating intellectual property that you can sell and distribute on a large scale OR comedy is an ancillary part of your larger business…think Dave and Busters or the casinos.
For the second time this week I went to a show I have never been to before. I made the quick trip over to the NoHo Arts District to see Milkshoot. It’s a small show run by Faith Choyce and Bobaloo Rox at the Amsterdam Cafe in North Hollywood.
Comedy is built on the backs of small shows like this one. The Improv, Laugh Factory, and Comedy Store would be garbage if L.A. didn’t have rooms like Milkshoot for comedians to work out their material. It’s not a place for the run of the mill fan, however, if you are interested in seeing the comedic process, it’s a cool show. Plus, you never know who you will discover or meet. It’s just cool people doing their best to make other people laugh. A noble cause if you ask me.
Milkshoot goes twice a month. We’ll keep you in the loop on the next show.
In my opinion (sometimes it’s humble…sometimes it’s not), Tom Segura understands what stand-up comedy is all about. No subject is off limits and there is no “line”…so to speak. That’s stand-up comedy. It’s the one place you are allowed to say anything you want and the audience is allowed to laugh. Very few comedians take advantage of that power and freedom like Segura.
One of the most prolific writers of comedy in Los Angeles, Segura’s jokes are racial, sexual, and most importantly intelligent. I have seen Segura perform 8 - 10 times in the last year or so and he consistently delivers new material every time. Two of my favorite jokes are “Guys with ponytails” and “Men who wear tank tops”. You can check out the videos below.
Segura is no doubt on the cusp of going big. He is currently headlining shows across the country and performing along side the likes of Jay Mohr. Also, you can catch him as Teddy Loons in “Cutman”, which he co-wrote with Ryan Sickler.
Of course, I say check him out live:
Comedy Store - Main Room
Comedy Abuse Show (Send Chris Millhouse a note for 1/2 off = $5)
Thursday, September 11
8:30pm
Videos provided by the good folks at Rooftop Comedy - they understand what stand-up is all about also.
Crazy show last night at Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge. The line-up was killer - Last Comic Standing winner Iliza Schlesinger was in the house warming up material for her tour; Ryan Stout from MTV threw down 10 minutes; Carlos “The Chicken Whisperer” Kotkin killed it; plus new comer Brad Schecter did a quick 5; and Matty “Ballgame” Balaker brought the heat with some great jokes about disappointing his parents.
Just want to call out two great comedians - “Dragon Boy Suede” Howard Kremer did Ballgame’s show for the first time. I’ve said it before…he’s probably top 10 most talented comedians out there. He gave me a CD last night with the greatest song ever on it called “Nut Valet”. Did I mention DBS raps? Get this guy a show…now!
Finally, I got to see a complete set from Bert Kreisher. Jesus…he’s good. He’s all energy…and dirty. He does a joke about his baby girl sucking on a finger that killed. Plus…one of the great moments in Ballgame’s history happened last night. Playboy Cyber Girl Natasha Budhi (NSFW) a.k.a. “The Chocolate Bunny” showed up to the Laugh Lounge in an outfit that showed three-quarters of her beautiful and gigantic breasts. Some how she ended up on stage with Kreisher in one of the funniest exchanges ever. We need more Playboy Cyber girls at live comedy shows - you will be heavily promoted here at Live Comedy L.A. - I’m just sayin’.
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
FREE!!!!!
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.
So get a Twitter account and start following us at www.twitter.com/livecomedyla.
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