One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
LAst Laugh: This Week in Comedy
Photo courtesy Matt McK via LAist Flickr pool.
The Hollywood Improv Lab has been putting on some really intriguing stuff for a while, but their space is bursting at the seams this week with more shows than we can dare to list. There's plenty of other stuff around town, too.
If you've got a show you'd like to see listed here, email me, and we'll try to make it happen!
MONDAY 4/30
Star Dreck, 8p Nerdist Theater. Kumail Nanjiani and Matt Mira make fun of some of the worst episodes of Star Treck. Dana Gould and Jonah Ray drop in to help them out.
Jon Benjamin Has a Tour, 8:30p The Echo. Comedy Central’s Jon Benjamin has put together a tour of all his craziest antics, plus a whole host of new things to share with the live crowds.
TUESDAY 5/1
Performance Anxiety, 8p Pleasure Chest. It’s hard to believe this show is one year old, but it’s true. They’re pulling out the stops for this one, with Eli Olsberg and TJ Miller bringing in Natasha Leggero, Nick Kroll, Jon Dore and tons more great people.
Sponsored message
The Work Shop, 10p Laugh Factory. Sketch comedy takes the stage at this traditional stand up venue, with some of LA’s best teams: Bonafide, Up,Up,Up!, Nerdvana and iO’s Super Kudzu.
WEDNESDAY 5/2
Hour Comedy Time, 8p Atwater Crossing. It’s month two of this great new sketch / stand up show in Atwater Village. Kyle Mooney, Johnny Pemberton, Ryan Perez and a bunch of other great folks will be there. Hosted by Sergio Cilli.
Creepshow, 10:30p Hollywood Improv Lab. Maria Bamford, Dave Ross and a bunch of other great performers get on stage to talk about the creepiness that sometimes accompanies being a performer. Hosted by Barbara Gray and Brandie Posey.
THURSDAY 5/3
The Movie Guys Live, 8p Second City. Each month, The Movie Guys take their podcast to the masses, with a sketch comedy show that skewers all things cinema.
Odd Thursdays, 9p The Palace. Dana Gould, Johnny Pemberton, The Walsh Brothers and a ton more great people are upstairs for another night of stand up at The Palace.
Sponsored message
FRIDAY 5/4
TELETHON!, 8:30p Nerdist Theater. It’s a fake telethon, complete with outdated host, live acts, music, stand up and more crazy stuff.
Bloodbath, 9p Fake Gallery. Eddie Pepitone gets audiences on Melrose riled up, along with Dana Gould and Todd Glass.
SATURDAY 5/5
That’s Debatable, 7p Hollywood Improv Lab. Two teams of comics square off in this debate comedy show, featuring Theo Von, Shannon Hatch and more.
The Midnight Show, 11:59pm UCB. TMS is back from their mini-tour, and they’re still letting Drew Carey drive the bus. Should be another insane week.
SUNDAY 6/6
Sponsored message
LA Bluegrass Situation, 7p Coldwater Canyon Park. Sure, this is a banjo-heavy night, but if you can’t imagine Ed Helms and Steve Martin being funny while they’re there, you should just stay home. Tickets are going to sell out fast, especially considering they're for charity.
Gravid Water, 9:30p UCB. This show gives actors sides to a scene, and makes improvisers try their hand at working the scene alongside them. The results are usually magical.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
