Baltimore native and comedian Ryan Sickler stopped by the LCLA Podcast to talk NFL football. As it turns out, I’m a Pittsburgh-native, so Sickler and I have a friendly tension in our friendship due to the rivalry between the Ravens and Steelers. Good times all around.

CLICK HERE TO PLAY (PLAYER WILL APPEAR BELOW); RIGHT CLICK TO DOWNLOAD

Expect more subject-based discussions like these with L.A. comedians as we move into 2010.

OK folks…busy week for me in the comedy world (and technically I’m not even in the comedy world…maybe one day). In addition to podcasts with Josh McDermitt and Lachlan Patterson and a video interview with Bill Lucas of CandorTV, I’m headed out to the following shows. Join me if you can:

Tuesday – June 30th
8:00PM
Ice House – Pasadena
FREE
Paul Ogata and several other comedians are filming a special for Comedy.TV. Byron Allen’s new network. Email Paul for free tickets: paulogata@yahoo.com. Or you can pay $14 at the door. Your choice. Actually, don’t be a douche…just email Paul for the tickets. If you missed Paul’s podcast…when he was locked out of his house…it’s here.

Wednesday – July 1st
8:00PM
UCB – Los Angeles
$5
The Birthday Boys and A Kiss from Daddy hit the stage for some sketch comedy. I definitely don’t see enough sketch comedy, so it’ll be cool to get out and see these two groups. They are both supposed to be awesome. Plus Neil Campbell is in A Kiss from Daddy…I interviewed him for the podcast here.

Thursday – July 2nd
8:00PM
Laugh Factory – Hollywood
FREE or $20
Ryan Sickler is performing at the Laugh Factory at Tom Arnold’s weekly show. Sickler kills and Tom is the man. Both did interviews for LCLA here and here. You can get in for free if you are currently without employment. Otherwise it’s $20. You’d almost rather be unemployed at that price. Why is their pricing so out of whack? Not Tom’s fault…or Sickler’s for that matter. Holla at Mr. Masada on that one. He owns the joint.

Anyway, that’s the lowdown on the showdown for the week. Join me if you can. Hit me up on Twitter and we’ll try to connect if you are going to be out and about: twitter.com/livecomedyla

If you haven’t experienced a stand-up comedy show in the middle of a Thai restaurant, I suggest going one time. Just once though. That’s all you’ll need.

I went to “What’s Up Tiger Lily” for the first time last night at its temporary location – Pattaya Thai Restaurant. Mostly, I went to see Dana Min Goodman because I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear her say “Titties in the house!”, while elderly Thai folks slurp down Tom Yum Goong. It’s priceless really.

Dana was excellent. Brett Gelman, who I hadn’t seen before, was also very funny. But two strange things about the evening stand out (as if random Thai folks being bombarded by stand-up wasn’t enough).

1. Natasha Leggero had trouble getting through her set because a table of Thai people kept talking during their dinner. Crazy…I know. Talking during dinner. Look…when you’re at a comedy show…you should keep your yapper shut and let the comedians do their work. But when a comedy show comes to a Thai restaurant, a block from Thaitown…all bets are off. You just have to power through that action. Lesson…don’t hold your comedy show in the middle of a restaurant.

2. Comedian Greg Barris from New York used the term “CAIDS” in a joke. Now…the only other comedian I’ve heard use CAIDS is Ryan Sickler. It’s one of my favorite jokes ever. He’s performed it for years and he’s performed it on Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham”. I was curious, so I asked Greg about it. He said he’s been using the term in his joke for 6 years and it has to do with the pinky slipping when typing in AIDS (his joke was about IM’ing a doctor). Not the combination of cancer and AIDS in Sickler’s joke. He also said he never heard of Sickler.

I don’t know what to think here because I don’t want to accuse Barris of joke stealing if he didn’t. According to Urban Dictionary, CAIDS was first defined on the site in 2005 as a combination of cancer and AIDS. So there is some frame of reference. Even if Greg Barris never heard Sickler do the joke, you would think the proper thing to do would be to change his wording from CAIDS to something else because Sickler has performed it on television. That would seem like the professional move to me. But who am I?

Any thoughts or precedents on this?

Good times all around though. I will definitely check the show out again at its normal location which is at Cuba De Oro.

Tonight, comedian Ryan Sickler opened up for a very honest conversation about his life and comedy. I would not expect anything less from Sickler. His comedy is unapologetic and real and so is he. He’s a Baltimore native with a blue collar work ethic that grew up under tough circumstances. But he made it through. And now he’s here to make us laugh with his no bullshit humor. He’s a man’s man. Football, boxing, tits and ass. Thankfully, somebody is still preaching what life is all about ; ). I really enjoyed talking with him and getting to know him better. I have a feeling you’re going to dig this interview too.

CLICK HERE TO PLAY (RIGHT CLICK TO DOWNLOAD)

Thought I would combine the two comedy shows that I went to this week in the greater Los Angeles-area into one condensed post – Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge at Red Rock on Tuesday night and Comedy Juice at the Ice House on Thursday night.

Quick review of the Laugh Lounge line-up:
Matty Balaker, Karl Hess, Nadine Rajabi, Tommy Keating, Johnny Cardinale, Jen Kirkman, Jason Gillearn, Geoff Lott (google them…I don’t feel like linking right now).

Pretty sure Karl Hess is one of the most underrated comedians out there. This dude needs to be in the big shows. Voice inflection alone gets laughs…plus he has great material. Keating and Cardinale were first timers for me and both did awesome. I’ve spoken many times before about how much I like Jen Kirkman. Jason Gillearn is THE most underrated comedian there is. He is off the charts. His slow delivery and unexpected dirty punchline lines kill the audience every time. Geoff Lott seems like he could do material forever…he’s that good and that smart. Plus, he’s a good dude. Rule #1…don’t be a dick.

The Comedy Juice line-up:
K-Von, Adam Ray, April Macie, Ryan Sickler

I love the Ice House. I want to thank my friend Barbara Corry for always being so kind when I’m there. Please check out her book “The Ultimate Green Room”. She has supported live comedy for many years. April Macie was so awesome. I love dirty, female comedians…I can’t help it. And I don’t think I’m the only one. The audience loved her too. Sickler was great again and Adam Ray was awesome too.

The Live Comedy L.A. podcast is actually shaping into something.  People are listening to this thing…and have actually downloaded it.  That’s ridiculous.  And now there’s a schedule of upcoming podcasts.  I know…crazy.

Sunday – 4/12
Rebecca Michael (maybe Chris Franjola if he would respond to my text)
Rebecca is hosting an upcoming showing on thestream.tv called “Commercial Break”. She’s a hot chick. She does comedy. There’s a lot to talk about with her.

Sunday – 4/19
Ryan Sickler
Ryan is one of the top comedians in the city. He’s a man’s man. Grew up on the tough streets of Baltimore. And his girlfriend Dana Min Goodman is the dirtiest comedian I know. Should be fun.

Sunday – 4/26
Kerri Pomarolli
Kerri is a nationally recognized, touring comedian. She’s hilarious and 100% clean. We’ll talk about what it’s like to be married to another comedian, how her belief in God affects her comedy, and her upcoming trip to Africa.

Sunday – 5/3
Scot Richardson
Scot is the super-producer of the Comedy Juice shows around town. He’ll be fresh off a trip from Japan…so we’ll talk geisha girls, his future plans for comedy, and how he is able to do this stuff full time.

Obviously, this is all subject to change…but I’m excited about it. I have some asks out to some other people I think you will enjoy hearing from also. As always, we’ll keep it low key and no bull shit.

If you have any questions for anyone, e-mail me at info@livecomedyla.com or get me on Twitter.

I’m headed to Mike Dunphy’s “The Filthy Or” Show on Thursday night at the Hollywood Improv to see Ryan Sickler bust his funny ass on stage. This show is picking up steam on the L.A. comedy scene, so I’m excited to see what’s happening. The name of the show is awkward but…the line-up is good. Rumors of pornstars in the house, which is always good. You can’t beat boobs and comedy.

Another week, another packed comedy show. People are laughing in 2009 and I’m digging it.

Last night Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge was mobbed. Like standing room only…can’t get in the door mobbed. It was awesome.

There were a couple of Laugh Lounge first timers that I really enjoyed seeing – Kat Herskovik and Mike Feinberg. Kat had this quiet, dirty sense of humor that won the crowd over and Mike had some really solid material.

Iliza Shlesinger was great as always. She did a portion of the longer set I saw last weekend.

Kerri Pomarolli (KerriPom) hit the Laugh Lounge stage for the first time in a while. First, I have to mention that she looks great after having her baby. I’ve seen her 3 times now…once while she was pregnant, once just after the baby was born, and now about a year since the baby…and she looks awesome. Ladies…you need to get on the KerriPom Program. Anyway, Kerri works clean, but the reality is…she’s funny. I love dirty comedians…but I love Kerri too. She has a sarcasm that is very likable. I think she could easily co-host a talk show.

The headliner was Ryan Sickler. Everyone knows Ryan is a cool dude and a good buddy…but goddamn he’s funny, isn’t he? He came with a ton of new material this time out, including the Thai massage bit that hit home after I spent 2 weeks in Thailand. He’s the real deal. He’s going to be at the Hollywood Improv on March 26th…I suggest you be there to see the man.

I also want to give a quick shout out to Andy Kozel and Brad Schecter who performed as well.

If there’s two things better than Ryan Sickler at Ballgame’s Laugh Lounge…it’s titties (joke care of Mr. Sickler).

Other than that…this combo is tough to beat. My favorite show and my favorite comedian. Two birds. One stone. Done deal.

I’ll be in the house. Holla if you’re there.