The Brief

In the new Netflix competition show Funny AF, host Kevin Hart travels to the stand-up comedy hubs of New York City, Chicago and his adopted hometown of Los Angeles (no travel required) in search of “the next stand-up superstar.”

Ask which of those cities is the best for stand-up comedy today and you’re likely to have a debate on your hands.

L.A.’s comedy scene could arguably trace its roots back to the early days of Hollywood and comedic film production here, but for stand-up specifically, 1972 is when two major things happened — Tonight Show host Johnny Carson moved his massively influential late-night show from New York to Burbank, and The Comedy Store, the now-world-famous comedy club dedicated to stand-up and the first of its kind on the West Coast, opened on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.

In recent years, though, L.A.’s comedy scene has gotten a bit of a bad rap — with lots of talk of what feels like everyone leaving, film and TV jobs not being what they were pre-COVID (or pre-2023 strikes) — along with a long-standing reputation among comics that L.A. is a tough city to get stage time in.

Still, L.A.-based comedians Felicia Folkes, Steve Furey and Ray Lau say that for them, L.A. is the place to be. The three were among the group of 44 comics selected to compete in Funny AF for the grand prize — their own Netflix comedy special.

All three made it into the top 10, performing in front of crowds including guest judges like Chelsea Handler, Kumail Nanjiani and Keegan-Michael Key but were cut before making it to the final two episodes (which will film live May 4 and 5 during the Netflix is a Joke Festival in Los Angeles).

Folkes, Furey and Lau spoke with LAist about their experiences competing on the show and why they think L.A.’s stand-up comedy scene is still the one to beat.

The following responses have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Steve Furey

Steve Furey in "Funny AF with Kevin Hart" on Netflix.

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Ser Baffo/Netflix

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Steve Furey has been doing stand-up for 15 years and is originally from Northern California but now calls L.A. home. In the first round of competition on Funny AF, he got one of the most glowing reviews of all the L.A. comedians (with Hart describing Furey’s first set as “flawless”).

He told LAist that there’s a real camaraderie among comics in L.A. that other cities can’t match:  ”There's a couple people that everyone hates, you know … but overall, you're competing with people, but in the end [when] you see someone win, I don't really get mad about it and I don't think a lot of people [in L.A.] do.”

Steve Furey:  A lot of people since the pandemic have kind of s--t on L.A., especially some people that decided to move to other places …

[But] this is a great comedy scene. The best guy in that small town still moves here. The best person in New York a lot of times at some point’s going to still end up here. Sure, there was an exodus of a bunch of “podcast comedians” during the pandemic, but it allowed the scene to grow in a way that it hasn't seen in a long time. You know, there's a lot of younger people like Ray [Lau] now coming up and showing that this is a fantastic scene and it can hang with any other scene. 

We still have legendary clubs like The Laugh Factory. We still have legendary clubs like The Hollywood Improv. We still have the, in my opinion, greatest comedy club in the f--king world, The Comedy Store. They're still here, and we got other places popping up.

This is a great place to come [for] finishing — it's almost like you're searing steak. It's almost done, you put it in the oven for the last hour. That last hour, that heat that this place has is L.A. And that's how you can become great. It cuts the fat off the bulls--t of your act and it makes it great.

I'm proud to be from this scene. I will not leave the scene 'cause guess what? It's still f--king L.A. The ocean's right there. I look at the Hollywood sign, it’s beautiful. The weather's beautiful. The women are beautiful. The weed is wonderful. The comedy's awesome. This place f--king rocks and everywhere else is great, too, but I've been to those other cities and their weather sure f--king sucks sometimes. But I'm looking out right now and it's a blue sky, again. 

Ray Lau

Ray Lau in "Funny AF with Kevin Hart" on Netflix.

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Ser Baffo/Netflix

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Ray Lau, the son of immigrant parents from Hong Kong (who are featured briefly in the Netflix AF series when Lau calls them after each successful round) is originally from Seattle, but now based in L.A.

Lau has been doing stand-up for less time than Furey and Folkes but got glowing reviews from the Funny AF judges, too, with his fellow comics also praising him for his ability to get his material seen on social media and translate those views into ticket sales.

“It’s totally a grind,” Lau told LAist. “But at the same time, to be honest, I prefer it. Because I'm not really sure I would've cracked through in the old world where bookers and gatekeepers could decide whether or not you could move through the ranks.  And in this way, at least all of it is technically up to you. I mean, it's extremely exhausting and stressful and difficult and nearly impossible, but it is up to you.”

As for what Lau makes of the stand-up scene in L.A.:

Ray Lau: L.A. gets a lot of s--- talked [about it]. And in New York, there's a lot of good comics and there's a lot of stage time there, and that's good. I just like where I'm at. You know, sometimes the grass isn't greener. I like my life here … I like working on my standup. I like my friends here. I've gotten to know the bookers and other comics and it's just nice. 

Yeah, you might not be able to get up here as much as other cities, but the talent here is really, really good. Sometimes you're on shows and you're getting s---- on by these incredible comics and you're still feeling inspired all the time. There's still other people who are role models here that you can try to chase after, and there's still a lot to improve here.

Also I think all of us have a little bit of aspiration — we'd be down to be in movies or a TV show. That'd be kind of cool too, at some point — and it's just happening in L.A. I love it here.

Felicia Folkes

Felicia Folkes in "Funny AF" on Netflix.

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Ser Baffo/Netflix

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Felicia Folkes hails from Inglewood and has been doing stand-up comedy for about 12 years. In addition to the industry-wide disruption that the COVID pandemic caused, Folkes also spent about a year-and-a-half away from the stage while she underwent treatment for breast cancer.

Now, it’s something that she incorporates into her act. Folkes told LAist, “ I'm grateful to the gods and the energies that I have this creative outlet, honestly. Because I see a lot of people go through this and they don't have a way to express themselves about it. I don't take that lightly.”

As for why she’s stayed in L.A., apart from her family being here, Folkes said:

Felicia Folkes: I love comedy and [L.A.] has a great history. I can get up [on stages] here.  I know people complain a lot [about not being able to get stage time], but I think that's a skill issue. I've never had a problem getting up in my city. I don’t know what to tell these people.  I started doing open mics at Westside Comedy Theater, which is a smaller club. And so if you know where to go and if you know where to do — [I think people] wanna go to Hollywood and go on the main stage immediately at The Comedy Store. And it's like, ‘No.’ Like Ray [Lau] just sold out the main room at The Comedy Store — How many years have you been doing it? It took you a long f--king time to get there.

But people wanna come to the city and just get all the access. And it's like, I've been doing it for 12-plus years. It takes years and years to build these things. And for me, I'm from here. I've been doing comedy here since I was under age, like 17. I've been around, so I feel like I put time in the city. This is my city. And honestly I think they're kind of just jealous, all the other cities.  I think they're haters.

California voters will advance two candidates for governor to the November election in the most unsettled gubernatorial race in recent memory, concluding a long and winding primary campaign in which Democrats struggled to pick a new leader for the nation’s most populous blue state.

The decision comes at a particularly consequential time for California. Residents face a crushing cost of living, nation-topping gas prices made worse by the war in Iran, wildfire risks that have driven insurance companies out of state, an unstable state budget, impending federal cuts to the state’s expansive health system and an economy dampened by immigration enforcement.

Democratic former state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who has promised to fight Trump and freeze insurance and utility rates, is the leading Democrat in opinion polls and is favored by much of the state’s Democratic establishment. He appeared in contention to secure one of the top two spots for November heading into Election Day.

Republican Steve Hilton, a Donald Trump-endorsed former Fox News host who has vowed to cut income taxes and slash environmental regulations, was polling in second place ahead of Election Day, having consolidated support from many of the state’s conservatives.

But billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer, a progressive Democrat who has self-funded his campaign to the tune of $213 million, was still fighting for one of the top spots. A series of polls released in the final days of the race showed Becerra in the lead with roughly a quarter of likely voters’ support, and Steyer and Hilton locked in a tight battle for second.

Votes could take days or weeks to tally. Pollsters and strategists noted that lingering Democratic uncertainty led some voters to wait so they could back whoever appears to be ahead.

“Those polls could become self-fulfilling,” said Paul Mitchell, a Democratic strategist whose company tracks ballot return data.

The race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who will leave office at the end of the year due to term limits, is the marquee contest on the ballot Tuesday. The seat is considered a shoo-in in November for Democrats, who have nearly twice as many registered voters as Republicans, and holds national importance for the Democratic Party’s pushback to the Trump administration.

It’s also been one of the most unusually open races in recent state history.

No Democratic stars in the race

In contrast to decades of California politics dominated by movie stars, family dynasties and larger-than-life personalities, none of the most recognizable Democratic names jumped into the race.

That led to a crowded field on the left, briefly causing liberals to panic that Hilton and a fellow Republican, the bombastic Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, could each garner more votes than any Democrat, locking the party out of the general election. The state Democratic Party began a public pressure campaign asking lower-polling candidates to drop out. Nearly all stayed in the race.

But when Democratic then-Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out over multiple sexual assault allegations, Becerra was the clear beneficiary, raking in many of Swalwell’s donors and supporters. He’s been surging ever since, successfully dodging criticism of his record. Steyer, who spent $200 million boosting his name recognition through campaign ads, consolidated much of the party’s left flank. Former Rep. Katie Porter, a progressive dogged by allegations about her temperament, fell behind. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a moderate backed by Silicon Valley billionaires, rose from single digits in the polls, but not enough.

Trump’s endorsement of Hilton quickly helped him pull away from Bianco, making it unlikely both Republicans would come in first and second. If Hilton advances to the November election, he faces long odds of being elected against a Democrat.

Both he and Steyer have spent the final weeks of the campaign portraying Becerra as a symbol of the status quo and themselves as agents of systemic change amid multiple state crises, with affordability dominating the race.

For Hilton, that would mean ending 16 years of “one-party rule” under Democrats, slashing spending and reversing many liberal policies such as greenhouse gas reduction mandates, the progressive tax system and parts of the social safety net.

“After 16 years of everything being in one direction, that’s left a lot of people dissatisfied,” he said last week. “Anybody who wants change or balance in our politics, the only choice is for me.”

His name recognition as a former Fox host helped him start the race with a fan base. Nancy LeVesque, a retired salesperson from Roseville, already admired him and said he was an easy choice as she dropped off her ballot at a Placer County vote center on Monday. She liked that he would bring an outsider’s perspective to the governor’s office and a change for those leaving California because of its liberal politics.

“We have lost so many good people,” to other states, she said.

Steyer styled himself as a populist “class traitor” who would force lower costs for Californians by taking on monied special interests like investor-owned utilities, the real estate industry and health insurance corporations. He made a litany of progressive promises on climate change, single-payer health care and raising taxes on the wealthy.

Undecided voter Tina Varnado attended a rally last week for Steyer hosted by her union, which represents home health aides. The South Sacramento resident is a full-time caretaker for her elderly mother and her adult daughter who had open-heart surgery. Between her mother’s social security checks and her pay as her daughter’s health aide, “we do have to spend everything we have every single month” to stay afloat, she said.

“Everything he touched on really touched home for me,” she said after hearing Steyer speak. “If we can lower prices, maybe we can start putting money down on a home for my future.”

Becerra has emphasized his long experience in government, including his lawsuits against the first Trump administration and his time as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary during the pandemic.

That appealed to Evan Cragin, of the California Young Democrats, which endorsed Becerra weeks before his sudden surge. Cragin said he wants the next governor to have government experience to push back on federal “abuses” from the Trump administration.

“Secretary Becerra has done that before,” Cragin said.

Surrounded by supporters at the offices of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California on Monday, Becerra dismissed his opponents’ promises, pointing to past accomplishments including passing the Affordable Care Act and defending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration program.

“You can have all these great inflated promises,” he said. “Getting things done is not easy.”

Ryan Sabalow contributed reporting.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.

May gray has come and gone, and now it's time for June gloom.

Overcast skies will be present this morning, especially along the beaches and valleys closest to the coast. Otherwise, we're in for a partly cloudy afternoon.

Today's temperatures at L.A. County beaches will stay around 66 to 71 degrees, and reach 76 to 80 degrees for places more inland.

In Orange County, expect similar temperatures with highs from 67 to 74 degrees for Huntington Beach and surrounding areas. More inland areas like Anaheim and Garden Grove will see temperatures of up to 79 degrees.

Moving on to L.A. County valleys, expect high temperatures in the low to mid 80s.

In the Inland Empire, temperatures will range 80 to 89 degrees.

Election Day is here, but now comes the waiting.

Do you have something to watch on Netflix? Maybe you've been meaning to pick up a hobby — how about crochet? Whatever you do, take a deep breath and keep busy because it could be days (or weeks) before we get some California election results.

The state is often knocked by the rest of the country as being "slow" to count votes. But here's the deal: that's a feature, not a bug, of the election system.

The backstory

Things take a while here largely because California works so hard to expand the ways people can vote. For example:

• Californians in recent years overwhelmingly vote by mail — nearly 90% of votes cast in the 2024 presidential election were mail-in ballots. In that same year's primary the percentage was just as high. Those ballots can be postmarked up to and including Election Day. They're counted as long as the ballot arrives within seven days (for the June primary, that's June 9).
• California offers same-day voter registration at any voting center. These new voters must cast a provisional ballot, which is counted once election officials confirm their eligibility (they are overwhelmingly accepted — for example, Los Angeles County reports that historically between 85% to 90% have been counted.
• Voters also have the right to cast provisional ballots if there's any problem on election day — like if poll workers aren't able to void an outstanding mail-in ballot, or if there’s any issue calling up voter information from e-pollbooks. Again (see above), provisionals take longer to process because eligibility has to be confirmed.
• Vote-by-mail ballots require signature matching. When the one received doesn't match the one on file, county registrars must contact that voter to let them know — and give them the chance to correct it.
• And, with more than 23 million registered voters, we're really, really big. In the 2024 general election more than 16 million Californians voted (down from nearly 18 million in the 2020 presidential election). Either way, that’s more people than the total populations of all but three other states.

Why things have sped up, some

But things have sped up considerably in the 30 counties that have adopted a 2016 law called the Voter's Choice Act, including L.A., Orange and Riverside counties. In recent elections, the changes associated with that law — like voters not being locked into a designated polling location — drastically cut down the number of provisional ballots cast, which helped move things along faster than they had before.

A closer look at ballot counting times in California where an increasing number of vote-by-mail ballots has slowed ballot counts.

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Courtesy California Voter Foundation

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Still, accuracy and a commitment to "expanding the franchise" — translation: allowing more people to vote — means the process is not designed to produce instantaneous results.

Why you should take a deep breath Election Night

You'll have to get that endorphin hit elsewhere on June 2.

A few things to keep in mind: You may recall that during the 2024 primary, it took about a week to call the results for L.A. City Council races in District 4, where incumbent Nithya Raman was fighting to avoid a runoff election, and District 14, where challenger Ysabel Jurado wound up overtaking incumbent Kevin de León by just a few hundred votes.

It took an even longer 15 days to call the results of Prop. 1, during which opponents conceded, walked back that concession, and conceded again when the measure won by a razor-thin 0.4% margin. And it took 23 days to call the second-place winner for Orange County's 45th congressional district — it ultimately went to Democrat Derek Tran who went on to beat Republican Michelle Steel in the general election. Tran is now up for reelection and rematch with Steel is considered likely in November.

Depending on how close some of these races end up being, we may face similar waits this election cycle.

TL;DR: Officially, county and state election officials have until July 10 to certify election results — including a mandatory audit that requires hand-counting all of the ballots at 1% of precincts. Nevertheless, you're going to see a lot of national media headlines about California's relative "slowness." Brush it off. We have sunshine, beaches, and a highly enfranchised population.