It’s seriously no joke when you’re stuck in traffic for two hours. But sometimes, the only cure for the 405 is a laugh. A major laugh. And Los Angeles has a lot of them to offer.
From classic clubs to new indie venues (like the back of a taco stand), L.A. has one of the best comedy scenes in the country. Here, eight places to see comedy. Who knows? Maybe Amy Poehler will show up to do a set.
This once-a-month event has established comics doing 20 minutes of their usual act, then seguing into a personal story which sets up them singing. Yes, singing. At a recent event, Sarah Silverman sang Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” and killed.
The Lyric Theater, 520 N. La Brea; facebook.com
You know that off-kilter gleam in Amy Poehler’s eye? Well, that’s the irreverent vibe you’ll get at almost any show at this improv and sketch theater, founded by Poehler (OK, and three other dudes) almost two decades ago in NYC. Now, with two hubs in L.A., you can catch up-and-coming comedians and well-known vets almost any night of the week. Sometimes, even Amy shows up.
5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood; 323-908-8702 or franklin.ucbtheatre.com
No, it’s not in Mexico. It’s also not a comedy club. It’s a little food shack in Los Feliz where the first and third Tuesday of every month, stars like Nick Kroll (Ruxin on The League) and Hannibal Buress (Broad City) perform free sets to a crowd sitting under a thatched canopy. That calls for a Corona.
You’ve heard of Tig Notaro, right? The woman who famously opened her act with the words “Good evening. Hello. I have cancer”? She hosts a monthly show here. So does Sarah Silverman. And Patton Oswalt. So if you’ve got a twisted sense of humor and a thing for oddballs, this hipster theater is your happy place.
Largo at the Coronet, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd.; 310-855-0350 or largo-la.com
Arguably the most fabled comic nightspot in town, this nightclub owned by Mitzi Shore (mom of comic Pauly Shore) launched the careers of industry superstars including Garry Shandling, Jim Carrey and Chris Rock. (She was so devoted to bringing women into comedy, she opened “the Belly Room” to book all female performers.) Today it sticks to the same formula, with talent like Whitney Cummings, Todd Barry and Marc Maron popping up for sets.
The Comedy Store, 8433 Sunset Blvd.; 323-650-6268 or hollywood.thecomedystore.com
This 175-seat club in the back of a Hollywood comic book store has exactly the right DIY spirit----and every Wednesday comics Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) and Jonah Ray (Nerdist Podcast) host a variety hour with special guests like the women from Broad City.
7522 Sunset Blvd; 323-851-7223 or nerdmeltla.com
This place has been a great place to spot talent since the ’70s. From icon Roseanne Barr to today's Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe from 24 is actually really funny), the Laugh Factory's all about manufacturing stars.
8001 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; 323-656-1336 or laughfactory.com
So maybe you don’t want to cross the 405 for your laughs…now you don’t have to, since the Friday night “Unnecessary Evil” show here brings both HBO- or Comedy Central-anointed headliners (Hannibal Buress, Byron Bowers) to showcase with emerging talent.
1323-A Third St. Promenade, Santa Monica; 310-451-0850 or westsidecomedy.com
