It's been said that laughter is the best medicine, and nowadays people could overdose from the steady supply of wit and wackiness the likes of YouTube and Comedy Central serve up around the clock. But with so much hilarity only a mouse or remote control click away, are fewer heading out to comedy clubs for their dose of humor?
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Word on the street is that Houston's Laff Stop will close after tonight's shows. The Improv moved into the market some time ago. The economy sucks. Take your pick among the various excuses.
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Tight household budgets, cheap tickets and the craving for a good laugh during the recession have prompted a comedy boom and ticketing businesses are seeking to share in the laughter. Comedy venues have been luring in customers with affordable tickets and topical stand-up routines on the economic downturn, according to the ticketing agency WeGotTickets.
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Jamie Masada says he's blunt with people trying to switch careers in this recession, especially the older aspiring comics in their 40s and 50s that he says he sees more and more often these days. He tells them he's seen just about every successful comedian of the last 30 years come through the door, and it took even people like Jim Carrey and Dane Cook years to make it big. The harsh reality is that television shows don't book old people and even the funniest arthritis and hemorrhoid jokes don't...
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When Jay Leno's new 10 p.m. show goes on air in September, some of his vintage cars will be making guest appearances. The host intends to drive his prized possessions onstage some nights. While Leno's plan to roll onstage in an expensive car could be viewed as an unnecessary display of opulence in the midst of a recession, he might be using his car collection as a Trojan horse to position his show as the place to advertise automobiles.
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Eminem says he and Jimmy Kimmel will fly about 200 laid-off autoworkers to Los Angeles for Friday's taping of his appearance on Kimmel's show. The Michigan rapper says he and Kimmel want to remind everyone that real people are being affected by what's going on in Detroit. He tells the Detroit Free Press, through his publicist, that news reports ignore people who have lost their jobs without getting big payouts after dedicating themselves to the auto industry. Eminem says he and Kimmel also want ...
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While most agencies are calling for layoffs, cutbacks and hiring freezes to survive the recession, public-relations agency Peppercom is relying on the unconventional: stand-up comedy. The agency, which has laid off only three people since the economy took a dive in September, brings in a professional comedian for a few hours at a time to teach employees of all ranks how they can integrate the craft in their everyday jobs -- to show that laughter's good for business, not to mention a way to boost...
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A little laughter goes a long way, said manager Pat Mac. "People need this. With the economy, people need to laugh, now more than ever," Mac said. "We wanted to start out giving back to the community," he said. The plan to open this club has been in the works since the Funny Bone closed in 2007, Mac said. He managed the Bone and is now working with Hijinx owner Colby Smith to run this locally owned night spot.
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