Farley Elliott

Photo courtesy theuglyyou via LAist Flickr pool. This week, LAst Laugh is keeping things close to home (with the exception of Bert Kreischer down in Irvine all weekend). You can run over to the Melgard Public house or Largo on Monday, then move east for shows at UCB, iO West, or The Complex on Santa Monica. A week of great shows, and you don't even have to get on the freeway! If you think...

Imagine, if you will, a down-and-out porn director, desperate to make a legitimate film. Naturally, his reputation precedes him, and the only people willing to make his dream come true are the ragtag crew members from his porno sets. So, armed with skeezy studio money earmarked for a particularly boorish production, the director finds himself secretly filming legitimate cinema…with porn stars. Not exactly ‘high brow’, but then again neither is spending an afternoon in a papasan chair eating Cool Ranch Doritos and nursing a headache.

Photo courtesy Bera's. You can’t shake a hoagie roll in this town without hitting a non-native in their blabbering maw as they crow on about the magnificent tastes they can only get back East. In fact, this writer is one of those very same folks. So what does it take to get us all to close our traps? Put something delicious in it, and give it the flavor of home. For Bera’s Custom Cheese...

Got him! Photo via cultureshlock via LAist Flickr photo pool. This week's comedy scene is a combination of shows for a cause (well, one show is specifically WITHOUT a cause), indie improv tournaments, and national headliners. In other words, it's one of the best line ups we've seen in a while, so you should be out enjoying yourself. If you think you know better, email me and we'll work it out, Mr. Smartypants. MONDAY...

Photo by Farley Elliott/LAist.com. You know you’re in Los Angeles when Saturday is the ‘slow night’. At least that was the problem at Mid-City West watering hole The 3rd Stop. With a great patio, room to move between tables and a commendable beer list, most nights were kept buzzing by foot traffic and locals, but Saturday would slow down as the clientele were skimmed off in favor of more well-heeled locations around the city....

Woof. Photo courtesy 28500561@N03 via LAist Flickr. It's a dog-eat-dog week in comedy, but the Doberman's share has to be going to the Hollywood Improv. Their Improv Lab continues to book talent at a high level, and the unique shows they churn out are an absolute model for how to do comedy right in Los Angeles. In other news, the amazing One-Two Punch show returns, Broken Lizard is around, and don't miss the Wayans...

You’d be hard-pressed to argue against New York being ‘the city that never sleeps’. Just don’t bring that attitude to downtown Los Angeles at 4:30am. Here, at the LA wholesale produce market, deals are struck and days are made well before that notorious Southern California sun has had a chance to rise. Like every other community in Los Angeles county, the LA wholesale produce market seems content to grow out and not up. What began...

Photo courtesy Michael Showalter. Odds are, if you've gotten this far (that is, ten words under the headline and photo), you know who Michael Showalter is. If not, here's a the CliffsNotes: wrote and starred in cult classic Wet Hot American Summer, as well as The Baxter, Michael and Michael Have Issues, and the webseries The Michael Showalter Showalter. Of course, there's also Stella and The State. Of course. If you've made it THIS...

Harumph. Photo courtesy lord-jim via LAist Flickr pool. Sometimes the stars align, and all of the great indie stand up shows fall on the same week. Thankfully, this is that week. Frolic! is back, Red Velvet Comedy is at the Improv Lab, Holy F*ck! is delightful and downtown, and Comedy is Dead takes over the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Jeez. If you'd like to get a show listed, email me. Simple enough. MONDAY 2/28 The...

Go Burger. Photo by Farley Elliott / LAist. Last year, LAist did it. We took a stand. When other sites were making ‘feel good lists’ that gave everybody gold stars just for entering the race, we stood up and said, ‘No’. HERE are the best burgers in Los Angeles. And now, we’re about to do it again. See, 2010 was a great year for burgers in Los Angeles. GQ named local talent Umami Burger...