Since moving to L.A. nearly six years ago, I've celebrated Jewish holidays in true nomad fashion, from Hollywood to the Valley and back again. The first year was at the Laugh Factory. The female Cantor played the guitar as she sang, swaying slowly and dreamily back and forth and making me think that at any moment she was about to ask us to cross our arms in front of us and hold hands with......

What NME wrote about local band Mere Mortals yesterday: The hotly tipped LA-based band are known for adeptly combining elements of Britpop and psychedelic rock reminiscent of Primal Scream or The Jesus And Mary Chain, earning them 'best unsigned band' accolades left and right. Mere Mortals @ Spaceland The Fuxedos @ Safari Sam's The Wreckers, Kate Voegele @ The Roxy Eleni Mandell @ The Bordello Intervention, Mathew Jordan, Anaura, The Dimes @ The Mint......

Paris Hilton Ordered To Court For Allegedly Violating Probation A judge on Tuesday ordered hotel heiress Paris Hilton to appear in a Los Angeles courtroom on May 4, when she could face jail time for allegedly violating her probation in a reckless driving case. After a lengthy private conference with attorneys from both sides, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer said Hilton would be "required to attend" the next court date. Los Angeles 2016 Reacts......

With Joe Rogan's recent calling out of Carlos Mencia's joke-stealing habit, comedy has been a bit more interesting lately. This weekend, Rogan is performing twice at The Improv, and a few miles away, Mencia will be safe from him at The Comedy Store, where Rogan has been banned due to Mencia's feelings that he was "physically threatening." Comedians can be so dramatic sometimes. The Improv (8162 Melrose Avenue Los Angeles) 2/16 Joe Rogan @ 8:30......

We don't know what's in the water at local comedy clubs but we like it. First it was Kramer and then Damon Wayans and then Anthony Michael Hall at the Laugh Factory and this Saturday Joe Rogan chose to use The Comedy Store to confront Carlos Mencia for allegedly stealing jokes. Here's how he explained it on his website: I had a set at the comedy store Saturday night, and after I closed, I......

Rarely are we confused by things, but either Anthony Michael Hall has lost his fucking mind, or we have. Today TMZ does their best Celebrities Uncensored imitation and shows the world a cocksure Sixteen Candles star droppin the n-bomb like it ain't no thing. Murmuring something about being high he poses with fans and bullshits with the photographers. Is he that desperate for attention that he would greet people with "whaddup my nigga" while......

It's the beginning of the year and we haven't even cracked a new book. Have you? Instead of feeling guilty for sitting on your lazy duff, go check out a reading. It's free, it's easy -- and they'll read to you! All you have to do is show up, sit back and heckle when the mood strikes. Actually, heckling during a reading is really kind of lame. That's more for Laugh Factory types. If......

Nigger Nigger Nigger Nigger Damon Wayans was banned from the Laugh Factory yesterday after he dropped the "N-Bomb" sixteen times on Sunday at the infamous comedy club, now known as the stage that killed the career of Michael "Kramer" Richards. Nigger Nigger Nigger Nigger "I'll be damned if the white man uses that word last," Wayans, the star of such films as "Mo' Money", reportedly said. The Sunset Strip landmark recently warned comedians that they......

Primus, GOGOL BORDELLO @ Palladium Panic! at the Disco, Bloc Party @ Long Beach Arena Jon Lovitz @ Laugh Factory Storm Lee, Shane Mack @ Genghis Cohen Amos Lee, Mindy Smith @ El Rey Slightly Stoopid, Pepper @ Wiltern Tralala, Jim Noir, Annuals @ Spaceland Waz, Greg Johnson, Jake Coco @ The Hotel Cafe Disco Biscuits @ Roxy DJ AM @ LAX Freshwater Collins, Phillip Sace @ Viper Room The Colour @ The Troubadour......

- There are twice as many men than women with IQs over 120. Not so fast, Dubya - The Independent - Police taser an 11-year-old in a Jonesboro, Georgia middle school - WSBT - Just in time for Christmas! A perfectly preserved dinosaur nest containing 22 fossilized eggs of ancient dead baby dinos will go on auction tomorrow here in LA - AP - Just in time for Kwanzaa! Own Jessica Alba's bra -......

Like Santa (pictured) LAist knows who's naughty and who's nice. We also know that many of you probably didn't check in with your favorite city blog since Wednesday, so here's some highlights of what we busted with while you were scarfing stuffing. - How To Handle Your Horndog Spouse - A montage of the most Thankful People Alive - Tom Waits has a new Box Set out for your ass - How To Add......

It’s been a long week for the folks at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, which got hit with plenty of shrapnel from the Michael Richards explosion. And it was on the lips of everyone on Thanksgiving, the day that the Laugh Factory turns into the home away from home for about 1,200 actors, comedians and anyone else who comes in for the free meals and a free show at the comedy venue. If there......

In case you missed it, Michael Richards (better known as Kramer) apologized on national television last night for his racist tirade at the Laugh Factory last week. It seems like he's on an acid trip but the apology nonetheless sounds genuine. Still, forgivable? You decide.......

- Just like the old days, tonight on the Late Show with David Letterman, Kramer will burst into Jerry Seinfeld's spotlight and apologize for his racist remarks. Word is Richards doesn't apologize any better than he delivers stand-up. Kyle Doss and the other African Americans who were at the Laugh Factory show on Friday probably won't be satisfied - Defamer - UPDATE: CBS News has posted a clip of the interview on their site......

Seinfeld's oh-so-funny Michael Richards left a crowd full of fans silent as he walked off stage Friday night at the Laugh Factory down on the Sunset strip. Kyle Doss was at the show with 25 other friends when he started to heckle Richards, saying "You're not funny". The cellphone-camera/handycam starts rolling as soon as Richards screams "Fifty years ago we'd have you hanging upside-down with a fork in your ass," then continuing "You can......

Monday Night "Monday Night Football" (ESPN, 5:30 p.m.) Giants @ Jags "College Football" (PRIME, 7:00 p.m.) UCLA @ Arizona State "Talk to Her" (IFC, 7:30 p.m.) Pedro Almodovar's flick about people falling in love with comatose patients. I had a relationship like that once. "How I Met Your Mother/The Class/Two and a Half Men/The New Adventures of Old Christine/CSI: Miami" (CBS, 8:00-11:00 p.m.) All new episodes. "Prison Break" (Fox, 8 p.m. EST) New episode.......

Well, someone did. We're not kidding. The Laugh Factory recently auctioned off stage time on EBay for a Katrina relief event. The winning bid was $7,600.00. Catch the wealthy comic, Mark Moseley, open at 8pm tonight for Jon Lovitz. Tickets cost $15-25.00 and all proceeds benefit The American Red Cross. The Laugh Factory 800 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood CA, 90046 323-656-1336 ext. 1......

After a week of moving into a new house, travelling to the midwest and back and being without internet or TV, this LAist contributor is a little overwhelmed with everything he's missed and has to catch up on. We say goodbye to Phil and hello to Alex and just as soon as we can get our -ist shit together, we'll have a new contributor writing focusing on local politics as well. Now, here's what......

Tuesday is National Hunger Awareness Day, the day set aside to remind everyone that hunger is still a problem close to home. According to statistics from a 2004 UCLA study, 8.2% of all adults in Los Angeles County are food insecure with hunger, while 29.8% of all adults in Los Angeles County are food insecure. That places Los Angeles County nearly 5% higher than the national average of 3.5%. Events are taking place across......