Farley Elliott

After years of languishing primarily as a training center, it seems that the west coast outpost of the immensely popular Chicago comedy hotspot The Second City is finally revving up their push for a slice of the LA comedy scene. Now, the same ol’ space at 6560 Hollywood Blvd. has been completely revamped and is ready to party. Not to be outdone by the live venue, the burgeoning online presence of the SecondCityNetwork.com (please...

Photo courtesy Anderson Group PR. For anyone questioning those 'Are you still a virgin' billboards around town, seek your answers no further than Zack Pearlman, charismatic co-star of the new Gary Sanchez-produced flick The Virginity Hit. If you haven't already seen the trailer, suffice it to say The Virginity Hit takes a very viral look at one teen's attempt to make his first time...ahem... memorable. LAist recently spent some time with Pearlman as he...

Spend some time with Charlie Sanders, and you start to get this sneaking suspicion that maybe you’re the boring guy that everyone hates at work, and no one bothered to tell you. Now, unless you’re constantly comparing the merits of various CW shows, there’s a good chance it’s not you - Sanders is just that interesting...

Let's get serious for a second. Photo by lucyrk via LAist Flickr pool. What a week for comedy we can all expect this week. iO West is finishing up their Bobby Hot Stuff Slacker tournament, Patton Oswalt is down in the OC, Pasadena's Ice House prepares itself for a celebration 50 years in the making, and the Air Conditioned Supper Club makes a push for comedy west of the 405. Don't be a horrible...

You know, this means the girl in the middle is Slimer. Photo by trustcandy23 via LAist Flickr pool. You know it's going to be a good week for comedy when Bob Dassie is running all over town, doing shows left and right. And you know it's going to be a GREAT week for comedy when comedy heartthrob Alison Becker hits up the MBar to put up a free show with donations going to the...

SModCastle. Photo by Matt Cohen. Anyone who routinely drives along the battered Santa Monica Blvd. blocks known as ‘Theatre Row’ has undoubtedly noticed there’s a new kid in town: SModCastle. Located in a downstairs corner theater of the always-bustling Complex (a series of small black box theaters squished together just west of Vine), the ‘castle is the new de facto home for all things podcast and Kevin Smith. After the successful 2007 launch of...

Not the Downtown Independent, but you get the idea. Photo by nevercoolinschool via LAist Flickr pool. ‘Free’ is a much heavier word than it sounds. Free as a bird, you say, or free thinker. But there is another side to free, filled with warnings and buyers doing their best to beware. When it comes to free, you get what you pay for, they say, and usually that’s true. But every once in a while,...

Ah-wink! Photo via juliewolfson306 via LAist Flickr. You don't have to be that guy to scrounge together a few bucks for comedy this week. In fact, a lot of these great shows are completely free! And as for shows like Dead Authors at UCB or the Stand Up for Pakistan show at the Laugh Factory, any money you are giving is for a supremely worthy cause. So don't be afraid to get out, get...

It probably says Paper Trail, but what if there was an R in front?! By polaroidgirl via LAist Flickr. Of all weeks, this one can be a tough one to get out and see shows. There are *ahem* important issues at hand over the weekend, and lots of kids are getting back into the swing of school and all that jazz. Luckily, there's so many good shows happening all around down you don't need...

Photo via comedysportzla.com Usually, the faces change but the places stay the same. At least that’s the idea when it comes to the myriad of comedy houses peppered throughout Los Angeles. The names come and go (some bigger than others), but the brand and the comedy philosophy stay with the space. Groundlings, ACME, iO West, and UCB (a relative newcomer, but still not-so-quietly celebrating their 5th anniversary this month) all preach a very specific...