Here are some highlights from LA’s comedy landscape:
Best Weekly Shows
Arranged in chronological order, Mon.-Sun.
- The Smokes: A house team of veteran improvisers at UCB, the Smokes put on a show every Monday that’s always funny and well worth fighting through rush hour traffic to make the early 7pm start time. 7pm Mondays ($5), UCB Theatre
- Holy Fuck: This free stand-up showcase, run by Dave Ross, Jeff Wattenhoffer, and Jessica Ruiz, is one of the best around, and it’s the linchpin of a burgeoning comedy scene in Downtown L.A. Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer, and Louis C.K. have performed here once, and Kyle Kinane, Maria Bamford, TJ Miller, and tons of other amazing comics are regulars. 9pm Tuesdays (free), Downtown Independent
- Comedy Bang Bang: Formerly called Comedy Death-Ray, Scott Aukerman and BJ Porter’s stand-up show has been an important part of the local comedy scene for a decade now, and it’s the basis for the popular podcast (and upcoming TV show) of the same name. The yearly Comedy Bang Bang Nativity Pageant in December is also not to be missed. Tickets for Comedy Bang Bang go up on UCB’s website Fridays at noon and usually sell out within a matter of minutes. 8:30pm Tuesdays ($5), UCB Theatre
- The Crazy Uncle Joe Show: This long-running improv show is the perfect introduction to the Groundlings, an L.A. comedic institution that has spun off many a successful comedy person. You can currently see Community Dean/Oscar winner Jim Rash in The Crazy Uncle Joe Show, along with the man who plays his rival Dean, Jordan Black, and Stephanie Courtney from those Progressive commercials. 8pm Wednesdays ($14), Groundlings Theatre
- The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail: The Meltdown is the flagship show of the Nerdist Theater, one of the newest and most popular alternative comedy rooms in town. Located in the back of Meltdown Comics, it’s an excellent midweek stand-up show that always draws big names – both announced and unannounced. Jonah Ray and Kumail Nanjiani are funny and fit hosts who keep things moving along nicely and consistently introduce their audiences to a nice mix of lesser-known and extremely famous comedians. Comics who have dropped in to perform surprise sets include Donald Glover, David Spade, Louis C.K., and Aziz Ansari. Brian Posehn, Marc Maron, and Anthony Jeselnik have also played this show. 8:30pm Wednesdays ($8 presale, $10 door), Meltdown Comics (Nerdist Theater)
- Dot Comedy: This fairly new stand-up show at the Laugh Factory has been winning audiences over with its impressive lineups that have included Marc Maron, Jen Kirkman, and Eric Andre. While most of the Laugh Factory’s other shows involve big names like Tim Allen and Tom Arnold, Dot Comedy is a nice chance to see lesser-known but equally-talented comedians perform on the stage. 10pm Wednesdays ($15 plus a two drink minimum), Laugh Factory
- 16 Headlining Comics: Friday nights at the Comedy Store are known for their impressive lineups and offer proof as to why the age-old venue has remained so popular. Sure, the show’s a little pricier than the competition, but it’s worth it to see a whole slew of accomplished headliners. 9pm Fridays ($20 plus a two drink minimum), The Comedy Store
- ASSSSCAT: At UCB’s flagship show, you can see improv veterans like the theater’s founders Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, and Matt Besser take the stage to perform longform improv. One of the most popular shows on the UCB lineup, this is the perfect introduction to the theater. Be sure to get there at least an hour early to get a good seat for the free Sunday show. 8pm Saturdays ($10) and 7:30pm Sundays (free), UCB Theatre
Best Monthly, Biweekly, and Irregular Shows:
- A Kiss from Daddy/The Birthday Boys: Two of UCB LA’s predominant sketch groups, A Kiss from Daddy and the Birthday Boys, team up each month to put on a brand new sketch show. Both groups are filled to the brim with talented up-and-comers who have carved out their own unique comedic voices, and this double bill is your chance to see them perform live before they get snapped up by TV. 8pm the first Wednesday of the month ($5), UCB Theatre
- Harmontown: Community creator and Channel 101 mastermind Dan Harmon sits down for this monthly town hall meeting. Harmontown’s advertisements say it best: “Evening may include ineffectual rants, songs, shameful stories, special guests (Allison Brie, Donald Glover, and Gillian Jacobs have all stopped in), forehead sweat, and repeated exposure to the phrases ‘like,’ ‘uh,’ ‘sort of,’ and ‘you know.’” 8pm, usually one Monday a month ($10), Nerdist Theater
- Hamclown: Hosted by Josh Androsky and Grant Pardee, Hamclown is a biweekly stand-up/sketch free-for-all that’s unlike anything else you’ll see onstage in L.A. Folks like Eddie Pepitone, Dave Foley, Maria Bamford, and Andy Kindler have all performed at this exceptional show that’s quickly building a devoted following. 9:30pm the first and third Wednesdays of the month (free), Little Modern Theater
- The Super Serious Show – Launched in 2010, The Super Serious Show is a little classier than most indie comedy outfits in town. With this show, you get free beer, access to a popular food truck, and an outstanding lineup of stand-up with some sketch and comedy videos sprinkled in. Over the past couple years, The Super Serious Show has featured stand-up from Paul F. Tompkins, Daniel Tosh, Sarah Silverman, and Paul Scheer, videos from Jason Woliner and Scott Gairdner, and sketches from UCB teams The Midnight Show, A Kiss From Daddy, and The Birthday Boys. 8pm the third Thursday of every month ($13 presale, $20 door), Café Club Fais Do-Do
- It’s A Long Way Down – Local comics Alex Hooper and Eric Sheffield host this one-of-a-kind indie stand-up show on the roof of their apartment building each month. Rob Delaney, Pete Holmes, and Kumail Nanjiani have all performed under the stars at this show, easily the most unique in L.A. 7:30pm, one Saturday a month (free), an undisclosed rooftop in Culver City
- The Comedy Garage: Comedians Paul Danke, Cornell Reid, Sean Green, Casey Feigh, and Matt Sullivan put on this underground stand-up show/house party in a garage in Burbank. The Comedy Garage is one of the longest-running shows in L.A., and it was recently the subject of a documentary. The show always draws an impressive lineup and is a lot of fun. 8pm (free) one Saturday a month, an undisclosed garage in Burbank
- The Paul F. Tompkins Show: Comedian Paul F. Tompkins’s monthly variety show has been running since 2002 and often features special big name guests. Parts of the show are excerpted on Tompkins’s podcast, but seeing the full show is the best way to get your full PFT experience. 8:30pm, usually one Saturday a month ($25), Largo at the Coronet
- Dasariski: Combining the names of its three performers, Robert Dassie, Rich Talarico, and Craig Cackowski, this long-form improv show is pretty drastically different from the rest of UCB’s improvised offerings. Dassie, Talarico, and Cackowski are all veterans of Second City Chicago and play out a slow-paced, hour-long Chicago-style show each month. It requires a little more patience than other improv shows, but it’s always worth it. Monthly – irregular schedule ($5), UCB Theatre
Venues
Comedy Store: This historic stand-up venue is one-third of L.A.’s trifecta of big mainstream comedy clubs (the other two are listed right below). Founded by Pauly Shore’s dad and operated by Pauly Shore’s mom, the Comedy Store features popular big-name acts every week.
The Hollywood Improv: One of many West Coast branches of the Improv comedy club chain, the Hollywood location boasts one of the most historic stages in the L.A. area. The Improv also operates another room right next to it called The Lab, which features an eclectic lineup of new and experimental shows booked by the incomparable Jamie Flam.
The Improv owns franchises at strip malls all across the Greater L.A. Area, including venues in Brea, Ontario, and Irvine. There’s no better environment for comedy than a strip mall.
Laugh Factory: The final member of L.A.’s trio of mainstream stand-up juggernauts, the Laugh Factory has occupied a prime piece of real estate on the Sunset Strip since the late 70s. Stand-ups like Kevin Nealon, Tom Arnold, and Tim Allen are regulars here, and the club is also home to a lot of talented lesser-known acts.
The Groundlings Theatre: Historic improv and sketch club that birthed the careers of Hall of Famers like Phil Hartman, Paul Reubens, and Laraine Newman, as well as more recent comedy stars like Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and Chris Parnell. The Groundlings was the main LA venue that SNL pulled its cast members from before the UCB arrived in town, but it’s still a fervent breeding ground for comedic talent with a list of recent alumni that includes Oscar nominee Melissa McCarthy, Oscar-winner Jim Rash, and SNL’s Taran Killam.
UCB Theatre: The hub of LA’s alt-comedy community, UCB features cheap or free improv, sketch, and stand-up shows every night of the week. In addition to those listed at the top of the piece, you can’t go wrong with excellent improv shows/groups like Shitty Jobs, Facebook, Soundtrack, Convoy, Hot Sauce, and Sentimental Lady and the monthly sketch shows The Midnight Show and Sketchcram. No show is more than $10. The UCB’s prices make every other club in town look bad.
iO West Theater: The West Coast branch of the iO theater, this improv-centric venue boasts three stages and hosts a spectacular comedy festival every year (see below). For one of iO West’s best, check out The Armando Show on Saturday nights.
Nerdist Theater: The stage in the backroom of the comic book store Meltdown Comics, the Nerdist (or NerdMelt) Theater is a recently-opened venue that hosts live (mostly stand-up) shows seven nights a week. NerdMelt features monthly shows from Dana Gould and Dan Harmon, Kevin Allison’s Risk! Storytelling shows, and the wildly (and deservedly) popular stand-up showcase The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail.
The Ice House: A folk music club in the 60s that was converted to a comedy club in the 70s, the Ice House is one of the oldest comedy venues in town and a great place to find live mainstream stand-up.
The Second City Hollywood: The West Coast branch of the famed Second City theater isn’t as popular as rival improv and sketch havens like Groundlings, UCB, and iO, but it’s still one of the best places in town to see comedy in the Second City mold.
The Little Modern Theater: A new small theater in Hollywood that hosts comedy shows of all stripes. The Little Modern features a diverse array of popular and new shows like the popular monthly stand-up/sketch hybrid Hamclown, Dominic Dierkes’s live podcast The Anytime Show, Eliza Skinner and DC Pierson’s stand-up showcase Magic Bag, and the new indie improv show Hot Improv Nights.
Other places that occasionally host comedy shows
Downtown Independent: Home to Holy Fuck, a free weekly stand-up show that’s a cornerstone of Downtown L.A.’s burgeoning comedy scene, and Dan Harmon and Rob Schrab’s long-running monthly film festival Channel 101.
The Comedy & Magic Club: A club that offers exactly what its name promises — stand-ups and magicians. Members of the old guard like Jerry Seinfeld and Ray Romano have performed here frequently, and you can see Jay Leno play this club (doing comedy, not magic) every Sunday if that’s something you want to subject yourself to.
Largo at the Coronet: The music and comedy venue Largo was a bastion of the L.A. alt-comedy community in the 90s before being relocated to the Coronet Theater in 2008. Largo features regular comedy shows from Paul F. Tompkins, Nick Offerman, Sarah Silverman, and Jeff Garlin’s conversation series in which he sits down and chats with comedy luminaries like Judd Apatow, Tim & Eric, and Larry David.
The Palace Restaurant: The Chinese restaurant The Palace in Los Feliz hosts amazing stand-up shows every Thursday night. Even-numbered Thursdays host the show Comedy Palace, which has featured big-name guests like Kyle Kinane, Patton Oswalt, and Matt Braunger, and odd-numbered Thursdays feature the aptly-titled show Odd Thursdays, which I blurbed above. The Palace is also home to an open mic night every Monday night.
