Live Comedy L.A.

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.

Lewis Black
Lewis Black is live in Santa Barbara, Thousand Oaks, and Long Beach this May. The string of great stand-up comedy concerts in the Los Angeles-area keeps going. I saw Black two years ago at Comedy Central’s Last Laugh. He’s great. I like those angry comedians though. It’s cathartic. Here’s the info:

On Sale Sat, Mar 15 at 10:00 am:
Arlington Theatre - Santa Barbara
Thursday, May 1 - BUY TICKETS

On Sale Sat, Mar 15 at 12:00 pm:
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Friday, May 2 - BUY TICKETS

On Sale Sun, Mar 16 at 10:00 am:
Long Beach Terrace Theater
Saturday, May 3 - BUY TICKETS

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

Here is your schedule of stand-up comedy for the week in the city of Los Angeles - plenty of chances to see Joe Rogan and Jamie Kennedy…so get to it:

Tuesday, March 11th:

• 10pm - Valley Nights - Hollywood Improv - Joe Rogan headlines this show brought to you by local promoter Tim Mars. $13 online or at the door.

• 10pm - Life of the Party with Jay Davis - Laugh Factory - Looks like Jamie Kennedy will be there…and more than likely you will see Dane Cook. $10 if you get on Jay’s List.

• 10pm - Comedy Juice - Irvine Improv - Brian Scolaro, Ben Gleib, Nick Thune, Chris Porter. Stellar line-up in the O.C. Free.

Wednesday, March 12th:

• 8pm - Snuggle Time - Westside Ecclectic - Rob Delaney hosts a great line-up led by the unbelievable Tig Notaro and the incredible Natasha Leggero. I think it’s $5…but don’t quote me.

• 10pm - Comedy Juice - Hollywood Improv - Jamie Kennedy and Doug Benson. Hit up guestlist@comedjuice.com for $7 tickets.

• Check Time - Ontario Improv - Rice and Beans of Comedy - Bobby Lee and Johnny Sanchez.

Friday, March 14th:

• 8pm - Hollywood Improv - Chris Porter headlines. Use PROMO CODE: PORT for FREE tickets

• 8pm - Downtown Comedy Club - Jamie Kennedy

• 8:30pm - Ice House Pasadena - Joe Rogan

• 10pm - Downtown Comedy Club - Jamie Kennedy

• 10:30pm - Ice House Pasadena - Joe Rogan

Saturday, March 15th:

• 8pm - Downtown Comedy Club - Jamie Kennedy

• 9pm - Ice House Pasadena - Joe Rogan

• 10pm - Downtown Comedy Club - Jamie Kennedy

• 10pm - Hollywood Improv - Chris Porter headlines. Use PROMO CODE: PORT for FREE tickets

• 11pm - Ice House Pasadena - Joe Rogan

Tons of options for some really good stand-up comedy in Los Angeles this week. From Free to not that expensive. If you are looking for plans this weekend, look no further. Go Laugh.

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.

Chelsea Handler

Looks like Chelsea Handler from “Chelsea Lately” on E! is going head to head with Chris Rock on April 25th in Battle of the Stand-up Comedy Concerts in Los Angeles.

Friday, April 25
The Wiltern

Presale starts: Fri, Mar 7 at 10am
Presale ends: Fri, Mar 7 at 10pm (Tickets for Presale Available Here) Pre-sale code: rock

General On-sale Date: Saturday, March 8
Tickets Available HERE at TicketMaster

Rogan. It’s a show you do not want to miss. He delivers what could be the best live comedy performance ever. There is only one excuse for missing these shows - watching NCAA Basketball conference tournament games. But that’s it.

Friday, March 14th - 8:30pm and 10:30pm
Saturday, March 15th - 9pm and 11pm

Check the Ice House Website for details.

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.

Keep an eye out for the new Verizon Wireless commercial…you’ll see L.A. comedian Dwayne Perkins. Dwayne is a terrific, clean comedian from NY who now performs regularly in the L.A.-area. In fact, you can catch him this Tuesday, March 4th at the Hollywood Improv at 10pm. See them on TV…then see them live in the clubs. It’s great when our local comedians get their breaks. If you spot any L.A. comedians on TV shows, in commercials, or in movies…let us know. In the mean time, check out Dwayne in the Verizon commercial and in the this YouTube Video.