Jaunted

Comedy Clubs / Comedy Travel / San Diego Travel / → All Tags

Catch the Nation's Longest-Running Improv Show in San Diego

People are more interested in catching waves than laughs in San Diego. But if you want a chuckle or two when the sun sets, check out National Comedy Theatre in Mission Hills, San Diego's longest-running show.

In the vein of ComedySportz, the 11-year-old improv troupe prides itself on clean, family-friendly shows with no cussing or lude language. If one of the players disobeys that No. 1 rule, like when one of the comedians did when he mentioned "oral," he has to put a paper bag over his head for a short time. A ref presides over the proceedings to make sure it's on the up and up. Though if you do like your humor dirty, the midnight show is anything-goes.

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Chicago Travel / Comedy Clubs / Theatre Travel / Celeb Travel / → All Tags

Spot the Next SNL Star at Chicago's iO Improv Theater

When it comes to the comedy scene in Chicago, most of the love goes to the famous Second City troupe, which has turned out the likes of Date Night's Tina Fey and Steve Carell. But iO, a smaller comedy club/school in Chi-town, also has an alumni roster that boasts big names like Mike Meyers, Amy Poehler, Jack McBrayer, Andy Richter and Andy Dick. Ever the meticulous comedy student, Fey studied at iO as well.

Another thing that makes iO, formerly ImprovOlympic, stand out from the rest of the Chicago comedy clubs is that it's the birthplace of long-form improv. Basically, this means that a whole show is created on the spot from a single audience suggestion. Improv impresarios Del Close and Charna Halpern dubbed this form "the Harold" and began teaching it in their iO classes.

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Cheap NYC / Comedy Clubs / New York Travel / New York City / → All Tags

A Comedy Club In NYC For Only $10? You've Got To Be Joking!

This is the only "decoration" in the joint.

In this economic slump, not everyone can shell out $100 for a ticket to see The Lion King on Broadway. But that doesn't mean you can't find good, cheap entertainment in New York City. For example, you can head over to the New York Comedy Club, where you can get tickets for only 10 smackers.

Granted, unlike The Lion King, these shows aren't G-rated. However, you may sit among a crowd of youngish faces, since the club is open to 16-year-olds and up. And to be clear, the $10 rate is for weekdays and $15 for weekends, and all shows have a two-beverage requirement. Of course, alcohol will only be available to those 21 and older.

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Second City Alumni Return To Chi-Town For 50th Anniversary Par-Tay

Almost every famous hilarious comic got his or her start at Chicago's Second City, a training center, theater and overall jokester factory. Its alumni includes John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, John Candy, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Chris Farley, Rachel Dratch. The list goes on forever because this marks the company's 50th year in the funny business. Of course, Second City has to throw itself a big birthday party to celebrate.

The company's illustrious alums will come back for a weekend-long bday party, December 11 to 13. Although it's only three days, there are a ton of events. Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Martin Short and other cast members from the cult hit television show SCTV will return for two special reunion performances December 11. There will be a panel on the Colbert Report on December 12, and a Saturday Night Live panel with former players Tim Kazurinsky, Horatio Sanz and Rachel Dratch as well as current staff writer John Lutz will be December 13.

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Movie Set Travel / Adam Sandler / Seth Rogen / Comedy Clubs / Los Angeles Travel / Funny People / → All Tags

LA's Best Clubs For Stand-Up Comedy

Judd Apatow’s latest film, Funny People, opens today with a pretty sure bet at dominating the weekend box office (did you read ‘Judd Apatow’s latest film’?) Unfortunately, the tale of two LA-based comedians played by Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen is getting mostly less-than-stellar reviews. But whether or not the movie and its parade of comic cameos (Sarah Silverman, Eminem, James Taylor) delivers the laughs, we’ve got stand-up on our minds and figured we’d take a look at LA’s best bets for live comedy.

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Comedy / Comedy Clubs / Festivals / → All Tags

LOLTravel: Our Picks at Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival

Ivan and Jason Reitman opened the final weekend of Montreal's comedy festival last night with reminiscences of working with Bill Murray (Reitman the elder) and turning down "Dude, Where's My Car?" (Reitman the younger).

Our picks for this weekend may not be as funny as "Ghostbusters," but they will make you laugh more than Ashton Kutcher:

Russell Brand: US audiences know him as Kristen Bell's new boyfriend in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" but the British comic, currently filming a movie with Adam Sandler, is poised to hit it big over here any minute now. Fri. and Sat., 9:30 pm, Centaur Theatre

Patrice O'Neal: Some call the former "Best Week Ever" comic confrontational; maybe in his solo show he'll do it in a sweet way. Fri. and Sat. at 11 pm, Theatre Ste-Catherine

Apatow for Destruction: Speaking of "...Sarah Marshall," producer Judd Apatow drags Canuck buddy Seth Rogen for--well, we're not sure exactly, but it's bound to be hilarious. Sat., midnight, Metropolis

Related Stories:
· Just for Laughs Festival [Official Site]
· Remembering George Carlin Travel [Jaunted]
· Comedy Clubs coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of Greg Proops and Ryan Stiles at Just For Laughs: anirudhkoul]

Comedy / Comedy Clubs / The Second City / Culture Travel / → All Tags

LOL Travel: Second City Founder Brought Joy to Millions

We here at Jaunted love to laugh, so we were saddened to read of the passing of Paul Sills, a founder of Chicago's venerable sketch-comedy institution The Second City. Sills may not have been a household name, but he worked with some of the most famous names in American comedy, from Nichols and May to John Belushi, Bill Murray, Stephen Colbert and Tina Fey in classes and nightly topical performances.

In the Chicago sanctum, anything goes--and often does at the adults-only shows. The drinks are great, too!

Catch a Second City show at permanent theaters in Chi-town, Detroit, Las Vegas (inside the Flamingo), Toronto and LA, or on tour.

Related Stories:
· The Second City [Official Site]
· Paul Sills, Founder of Second City Improv, Dies at 80 [Playbill]
· Comedy Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: johnlutes]

Celeb Travel / Comedy Clubs / → All Tags

Texas Isn't Big Enough For Damon Wayans' Entourage

Woe betide he who doth not bow to the rules of the entourage! Damon Wayans (he's the Wayans who was on "Saturday Night Live" for a while) walked out just before a sold-out show at Bart Reed's Comic Strip in El Paso because his guests weren't allowed into the audience. The club was forced to cancel three sold-out shows, according to TMZ, for the want of Wayans' lady friends.

Maybe stars should just steer clear of El Paso -- look what happened to Jared Leto. Then again, having worked in a box office, we recognize that Wayans could have avoided all this if he had asked for some comp tickets ahead of time. (Just sayin'.)

Related Stories:
· Comedy Club Travel [Jaunted]
· Hotels in El Paso [HotelChatter]

[Photo: EOnline.com]

Missed Connections / Comedy Clubs / → All Tags

Most Missed in St. Louis

Are you from "the Lou" and proud, or are you just passing through? We used to have relatives in St. Louis, and it is an exceedingly nice place to get dragged to, especially the part where it was still warm enough in October to get lost in the maze at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. But let's face it, you're not going to bond with your future significant other over lily pads and roses (unless he or she is a botanist!) Try these less kid-ridden places instead, and you'll have someone to go to the Ritz with:

Lloyd and Harry's -- This comedy pub hosts the creme of local talent, but if you're looking for love, don't drink the Bud Light. 208 N. Main St., St. Charles

MoKaBe's Coffeehouse -- Starbucks, schmarbucks. Locals value this South City cafe for its booths, its board games and for its vegetarian-friendly brunch. 3606 Arsenal St

JJ's Clubhouse -- Won't see any whippersnappers at this m-4-leather-jacketed-m bar with a weekend dance party (that's the Clubhouse!) A current special promises $2 long-necks and well drinks for whenever gas goes above $2.50 a gallon -- that's one way to wish for instability in the Middle East. 3858 Market Street

Related Stories:
· St. Louis Travel [Jaunted]
· Hotels in St. Louis [HotelChatter]

[Photo: sarannekanevsky]