Laughter is Power

I go to the Original Room at the Comedy Store a lot. If the Comedy Store were a dude, he would be my boyfriend. Well, no, probably my regular booty call, because the Store doesn't seem like the type to settle down. Anyway, I love that place. But, as they say, show me the hottest woman on earth and I'll show you a guy who's sick of sleeping with her. Sometimes you have to switch things up. So this week, I saw the Great & Secret Show, Storyteller Series Fisticuffs, and the Laughter is Power benefit for the Jenesse Center. Okay, the last one was at the Comedy Store, but it was in the Main Room with a very different group of comedians that I see on a daily basis. And it was amazing.

The host was the freaking fantastic Leslie. I've been hearing so many good things about her lately, but just haven't managed to see her until now. Every good thing I've heard was well-earned. She's got good material and is great with the crowd, even sullen Donald in the front row who was dragged there by his mama. Seriously, don't sit and freakin sulk at a comedy show. In the front row. Anyway, I'd wanted to go to the show mostly because I love RG and he was the one who organized the whole thing (plus, I love women and like supporting pro-woman organizations) but what sealed the deal was seeing Ian Edwards on the lineup. I've yet to see him have an off night - must be all that clean vegan living. Here's the thing, it only got better from there - great sets from Erin Foley, Sarah Taylor and RG. And then Retta got up and just slayed. Out of control good. And thanks to the Lakers game, this was not a large crowd - I'd say 50 or fewer people, including sullen Donald, a couple of other folks who didn't seem to find anything funny and one gal with an Elmer Fudd laugh who found everything funny (which is, in my mind, even worse). Nothing wins my respect more than a comedian who plays to a crowd of 200 no matter how many people are actually in the room.

But, like all the wandering unfaithful, I returned to my main squeeze for a pretty stellar lineup for a Thursday after 11. And I was rewarded with a surprise set from Justin Martindale. I ♥ Justin so much. He is one of the most naturally funny people I know, gives great hashtags on twitter, makes funny videos and is part of two of my favorite experiences at the Comedy Store - Tweetcrawl 4 and Smartasses Trivia. Okay, on that last one, he pretty much WAS Smartasses Trivia, along with Erik Marino. He hasn't been up at the Store much in recent weeks, so I was super excited when Tommy gave him the greenlight. Definitely made up for not getting to see the comedian who left early, thus leaving a vacant spot.

The other bonus of the night was Erik Marino all hopped up from the Celtics win (go Celts!). And, as Sarah Tiana points out in her act, we Boston fans cant just stick to the sport at hand. No, we need to pull all our other heroes and grudges into every other sports conversation. So, all the way from the front bar, I could hear Marino pontificating about Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, with Luke goading him on. And somehow we made it all the way to Tom Brady running for Governor, which is a wicked good idea. Except he lost 50% of the vote with that whole Giselle thing. I mean, whatever about the illegitimate baby, but marrying that stuck-up, non-Bostian. And Luke's suggestion that Schilling should run, don't even get me stahted...

And of course, there was the Band. Now, I still have this problem where sometimes I can't tell if a comedian is doing something meta or is for real. When Tony's working, they do this ridiculous (in a good way) piece where Tony & Earl take their shirts off so they can "give you directions" the second time I saw this, Don finished by saying "I just realized this is really gay and we're not going to do it anymore." I didn't remember that being part of the first time, so I thought he might be serious. Luckily, he wasn't. So I got to learn the way to Vine St again and it even inspired two fun audience members to get up on stage and dance.



I love when even just a couple of hard-core audience members stick it out until 2 or 3 for all the stand-up plus the Band's whole set. I love when they like it so much they want to come back, sometimes as soon as the same weekend. After all, I just want my boyfriend the Comedy Store to do well. But a little part of me is like those Mexicans who came over 10 years ago and now want to build a wall to keep the rest out. I get a little jealous when other girls get a hall pass, too.