Pamela Walt is a comedian from Los Angeles, who will be in Louisville for a show at Aloft Louisville Downtown.
Pamela has toured across the country, including a pre-pandemic tour with comedian and writer Lisa Curry.
Pamela will close out the Thursday Comedy Showcase on June 24 at 7:30 p.m. Other comics on the show include Andrew Rudick of Cincinnati and Kyle Kemper of Dayton, Ohio.
Tickets to the show are free and are available here.
Pamela recently took the time to answer 5 Questions from Louisville Laughs.
Live comedy is finally back in Los Angeles. What is that like?
It is still a bit of a mystery as to what shows survived and are coming back. I’ve done a few spots in LA so far. A lot of shows have been selling out. People are really just so happy to go out again.
The audiences are actually excited to be there, which prior to the pandemic was not always the case in LA. Sometimes you’d just get people sitting with their arms crossed in the front row not wanting to laugh.
(Shout out to the late great Brody Stevens. … He was the best at making these folks crack.)
Right now it feels more like NYC audiences in LA though. People who need and want to laugh and are happy to be there. (If you’re an LA audience member reading this, you’re amazing and always have been.)
Pamela Walt
You did some Zoom comedy shows during Covid. How was virtual comedy?
I sat out virtual shows at first and used the time in quarantine to connect with myself. I got bored of that quickly and eventually did Zoom shows.
Zoom was challenging as a lot of people had their cameras and sound off or they forget they didn’t and yelled at their partner and disrupted the show. A lot of awkwardness, especially with internet connections messing with timing. It’s not really the same energy as a live show.
I did like how it was more accessible and anyone in the world could attend. That part was incredible. I also liked that I could wear sweatpants.
How long have you been in LA and what jobs have you held to support your comedy career?
I moved to LA right out of college, so either a long time or just yesterday depending on who you ask. I’ve lived there longer than I’ve done comedy and I’ve done comedy over a decade, and I better not say more in case anyone reading this is good at math.
I’ve worked a lot in TV, film and theater doing costume work over the years as well as the little odd jobs that come with living in LA.
There was one job I remember where I was sewing dresses for a lady on Craigslist for like $1.70 an hour.
Or the time I had to try to sell people shots of mixed drinks at a bar by the beach. Not whiskey shots. We’re talking like shots of White Russians and Margaritas. Nobody wanted that. Talk about having to try to win a crowd over.
What’s your comedy horror story?
There are so many, it’s hard to choose. One show that always comes to mind though was doing a spot in a loud nightclub. They made the middle of the dance floor the “stage” (there was no stage) and the DJ didn’t stop playing.
Absolutely no one listened and people were dancing all around the comics. Everyone kept trying though as if it was normal. It felt like the myth of Sisyphus.
Also just being on the road and having to sleep in roach motels or comic’s basements. (Motels are sometimes safer.) There’s something sort of oddly romantic about all of that in a beat poet kind of way. Also though, I’d rather be in a Four Seasons.
What is bringing you to Louisville?
I have family here that I’m excited to see after this long year. I’m also looking forward to seeing what comedy is like in Louisville. And cicadas. (Addendum: I immediately regret wanting to see cicadas.)
How to sign up for open mics in the Louisville area as well as a list of the upcoming comedy shows and open mics. If we missed your event, let us know. (Information on how to sign up for open mics at bottom)
UPCOMING SHOWS AND OPEN MICS
Wednesday, June 16
7:30 p.m. – Laughs In The Lounge Comedy Open Mic with guest host Jeremiah Martin and special guest MrBikey, The Caravan LouisvilleTickets
7:30 p.m. — High Horse Wednesdays All-Entertainment Showcase and Open Mic, High Horse Saloon
6 p.m. — Sunday Night, Live!, all-entertainment showcase with Uncool Randy, 21st In Germantown
7:30 p.m. — Louisville Laughs presents Second Sunday Showcase featuring Gabe Kea, Planet of the TapesTickets
TO SIGN UP FOR OPEN MICS
Sundays — Sunday Night, Live!, all-entertainment showcase with Uncool Randy, 21st In Germantown Message @UncoolRandy on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
Sundays — Comedy Attack! open mic, Kaiju. First Sunday of the month. Show up and sign up
Sundays (starting July 18) — Comedy at Ten20 Craft Brewery open mic. Every first and third Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Sign up in advance by messaging Louisville Laughs on Facebook or emailing LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com
Tuesdays — Comedy open mic from Full Circle Comedy, 21st In Germantown. Show up and sign up. List out at 7:15 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. Message Chris Bowman or Full Circle Comedy on Facebook with questions.
Thursdays — Comedy open mic with MrBikey TheComedian, Lavish Looks, 935 W. Hill St. Register at mistabikey.com
Thursdays — Comedy Open Mic at Red Top Hot Dogs, 1127 Logan Street. Show up and sign up. Sign ups at 8:30, show at 9. For information, message the Dog + Mouse House Facebook page.
Louisville Laughs has a lot of great comedy shows coming. Here is a breakdown of what’s on tap in June and July. It includes some surprises and a Promo Code sprinkled in so you can save money.
This show features rising California comic Pamela Walt, who has toured internationally and is a regular at The Comedy Store in Hollywood.
Also on the strong lineup are Andrew Rudick and Kyle Kemper from Cincinnati, June Dempsey, Jake Hovis, James Ferguson, Alex Whittenburg and Big Daddy Ice.
Tickets are free but are required to ensure proper spacing and are available here.
Join Louisville Laughs at The Bard’s Town on June 27 for the Sunday Standup Showcase. The Bard’s Town is one of the coolest and most eclectic spots in town. You can get great food, see plays, comedy, perform karaoke or just have a drink.
The show features Danny Browning and several of our favorite comics, including Misty Stine, Will McKenzie and Sara Butryn.
Tickets are $8 each or $30 for a table that seats four and are available here.
Comic and stuntwoman Coor Cohen from Los Angeles joins with Chicago comics Winsolw Dumaine and Nick Kuntzman for the Human Extinction Comedy Tour, which will stop in Louisville at The Bard’s Town Theatre on July 2.
They will be joined by Louisville comic Holly Lynnea.
Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door and are available here.
Join us for the initial Grins at Gravely comedy showcase at Gravely Brewing Co. at 514 Baxter Ave. on Tuesday, July 13, at 7 p.m.
The show features Cincinnati comic Blake Hammond, Lexington comics Mike Fields and Elliott Rasile and some of our favorite Louisville comics — Darren Rodgers, Lucious Williams, Hillary Boston, RJ Ryan and Kelli O’Toole. Your host is Creig Ewing.
Admission is free, but reservations are required to ensure seating and are available here. Enjoy some great beer and a lot of laughs.
It will truly be a special Laughs in the Lounge open mic as 11 of Louisville’s top comics are on stage to deliver their best cleanish sets that will be taped to play on SiriusXM comedy channels.
See Mandee McKelvey, Keith McGill, Eric Kimbrough, Sean Smith, Melissa Doran, Jamie Utley, Jake Hovis, Katy Bevins, Creig Ewing, RJ Ryan and Tim Montileone all for $5.
You love this showcase of LGBTQ comics and allies at Aloft Louisville Downtown.
The headliner is Dwayne Duke of Cleveland, founder of the Midwest Queer Comedy Festival, and the featured comic is the hilarious Gwen Sunkel from Indianapolis.
Join Louisville Laughs at The Bard’s Town on July 25 for the Sunday Standup Showcase. The Bard’s Town is one of the coolest and most eclectic spots in town. You can get great food, see plays, comedy, perform karaoke or just have a drink.
The show features Katy Bevins, plus Marz Timms from Chicgo, Josh Dweh from Pennsylvania, Grant Weber from Indianapolis and Spencer Domolky from Lexington. We also have several of our favorite local comics, including Alex Whittenburg, Jen Cooper, Prittyboy Davidson and host June Dempsey.
The initial Planet of the Tapes Second Sunday Showcase is June 13 at 7:30 p.m. featuring nationally touring comedian Tim Northern. Tickets are available here.
And as a reward for reading this far, you can use the Promo Code PLANET to get $3 off general admission tickets for Sunday’s show, which are regularly $8.
Creig recently put off his afternoon nap to answer questions he asked himself.
Louisville Laughs: What made you decide to start putting on shows?
Creig Ewing: Who else was going to book me? Plus, I thought I would get my bar tab covered. I was wrong.
What is the best feeling in comedy?
A full room of people enjoying themselves and people laughing at a new joke you’re trying out are the best feelings. … So I am told.
What’s the most frustrating part about booking shows?
People like to wait until the day of the show to buy tickets. So it’s nerve-wracking to not know if you’re going to be performing in front of six or 60 people.
Tim Northern is on Sunday’s show at Planet of the Tapes. How do you know Tim?
When I started in comedy, one of the first opportunities I got was to perform in The Tim Northern Comedy Festival. Tim, who has been doing comedy for years and been on network TV, is very encouraging to the Louisville comedy scene. The festival, to him, was all about supporting and showcasing Louisville comics.
The next year I started working with Tim and others to put on the festival and produce shows and open mics. Covid put everything on hiatus, but we are back putting on shows and people are really ready for comedy.
Tim also is one of those comics who has really smart jokes that I wish I had written.
What tips do you have for new comics wanting to get stage time?
Go to open mics and work on your material. You only get better by being on stage. Don’t fall in love with your jokes. Always be willing to tighten them, rework them or add tags.
Be a good audience member. If you’re at an open mic, stay to listen to the other comics. Laugh. Network a little after.
Go to comedy shows to support others. If someone offers you a spot, don’t say you can do 20 minutes if you only have five. Be reliable.
Also, watch what you put on social media. If you seem like a jerk on your Facebook page, who is going to want to put you on a show?
How do you write a joke?
Take something that is true and lie about it.
Sometimes people have a true story that is funny, and they feel compelled to tell the whole story. Shorten it. Get to the funny parts. Embellish. Go over the top.
A five-minute story with a punchline at the end is going to lose the audience before you get to the punchline.
When someone tells a long stories with no laughs, Tim Northern says, “That guy was up there telling truths.”
How to sign up for open mics in the Louisville area as well as a list of the upcoming comedy shows and open mics. If we missed your event, let us know. (Information on how to sign up for open mics at bottom)
UPCOMING SHOWS AND OPEN MICS
Wednesday, June 9
7:30 p.m. – Laughs In The Lounge Comedy Open Mic with guest host June Dempsey and special guest Gabe Kea, The Caravan LouisvilleTickets
Sundays — Sunday Night, Live!, all-entertainment showcase with Uncool Randy, 21st In Germantown Message @UncoolRandy on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
Sundays — Comedy Attack! open mic, Kaiju. First Sunday of the month. Show up and sign up
Sundays (starting July 18) — Comedy at Ten20 Craft Brewery open mic. Every first and third Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Sign up in advance by messaging Louisville Laughs on Facebook or emailing LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com
Tuesdays — Comedy open mic from Full Circle Comedy, 21st In Germantown. Show up and sign up. List out at 7:15 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. Message Chris Bowman or Full Circle Comedy on Facebook with questions.
Thursdays — Comedy open mic with MrBikey TheComedian, Lavish Looks, 935 W. Hill St. Register at mistabikey.com
Thursdays — Comedy Open Mic at Red Top Hot Dogs, 1127 Logan Street. Show up and sign up. Sign ups at 8:30, show at 9. For information, message the Dog + Mouse House Facebook page.
Comedian Tim Northern will headline the Second Sunday Showcase from Louisville Laughs at 7:30 p.m. on June 13 at Planet of the Tapes in Louisville.
Tim tours nationally, but tries to stop at Uranus, Missouri, whenever he can. He has appeared on Star Search and Last Comic Standing and is the namesake for the Tim Northern Comedy Festival held in Louisville.
Tickets for the show are $8 for general admission and $20 for a table that seats up to three. Tickets are available here.
Also on the show are: Nolan Miller from Indianapolis, Jerrel Beamon from Dayton, Louisville’s Hillary Boston, Alex Whittenburg, Jen Cooper, Kimberly Freeman and Jake Hovis and host Creig Ewing.
Planet of the Tapes is the coolest new performances space in Louisville, combining a Comedy Theatre, full-service bar, Cinema Lounge and even old-school movie rentals.
How to sign up for open mics in the Louisville area as well as a list of the upcoming comedy shows and open mics. If we missed your event, let us know. (Information on how to sign up for open mics at bottom)
UPCOMING SHOWS AND OPEN MICS
Wednesday, June 2
7:30 p.m. – Laughs In The Lounge Comedy Open Mic with guest host Misty Stine and special guest Mike Nilsson, The Caravan LouisvilleTickets
Sundays — Sunday Night, Live!, all-entertainment showcase with Uncool Randy, 21st In Germantown Message @UncoolRandy on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
Sundays — Comedy Attack! open mic, Kaiju. First Sunday of the month. Show up and sign up
Mondays — All-entertainment open mic at The Granville Pub. Show up and sign up. Show starts at 8 p.m.
Mondays (starting June 14) — The Monday Night Late Mic, Planet of the Tapes. Show starts at 10 p.m. Fully vaccinated individuals can message The Monday Night Late Mic page or email MondayNightLateMic@gmail.com.
Tuesdays — Comedy open mic from Full Circle Comedy, 21st In Germantown. Show up and sign up. List out at 7:15 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. Message Chris Bowman or Full Circle Comedy on Facebook with questions.
Thursdays — Comedy open mic with MrBikey TheComedian, Lavish Looks, 935 W. Hill St. Register at mistabikey.com
Thursdays — Comedy Open Mic at Red Top Hot Dogs, 1127 Logan Street. Show up and sign up. Sign ups at 8:30, show at 9. For information, message the Dog + Mouse House Facebook page.
How to sign up for open mics in the Louisville area as well as a list of the upcoming comedy shows and open mics. If we missed your event, let us know.
TO SIGN UP FOR COMEDY OPEN MICS
Sundays — Sunday Night, Live!, all-entertainment showcase with Uncool Randy, 21st In Germantown Message @UncoolRandy on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
Sundays — Comedy Attack! open mic, Kaiju. First Sunday of the month. Show up and sign up
Mondays (starting June 7) — All-entertainment open mic at The Granville Pub. Show up and sign up. Show starts at 8 p.m.
Mondays (starting June 14) — The Monday Night Late Mic, Planet of the Tapes. Show starts at 10 p.m. Fullu vaccinated individuals can message The Monday Night Late Mic page or email MondayNightLateMic@gmail.com.
Thursdays — Comedy open mic with MrBikey TheComedian, Lavish Looks, 935 W. Hill St. Register at mistabikey.com
Thursdays — Comedy Open Mic at Red Top Hot Dogs, 1127 Logan Street. Show up and sign up. Sign ups at 8:30, show at 9. For information, message the Dog + Mouse House Facebook page.
Larry Starks and Joe Deuce will be performing at the Planet of the Tapes on Friday and Saturday.
Planet of the Tapes is bringing some of the top comedians to Louisville, including this weekend with a pair of stars from Lexington — Joe Deuce and Larry Starks.
Joe Deuce has been crowned Funniest Comedian in Lexington by Comedy Off Broadway (2013), Dayton’s Got Talent Champion (2015), Funniest Comic East of the Mississippi (2018), and NoHo Comedy Festival Rising Star (2019).
Shows are 8 p.m. Friday, May 21, and Saturday, May 22. Tickets are sold by the table — a three-person table is $30, a four-person table is $40 and a six-person table is $60.
Joe has also been seen on the TV show “Laughs” on Fox and Hulu as well as “Trial By Laughter” presented by Comcast. He has performed in over 30 states, more than 100 colleges and at corporate events, theaters and comedy clubs across the nation.
Here’s a review of Deuce from the Kentucky Kernel, the University of Kentucky newspaper, from a performance at UK:
“Deuce stole the show with his jokes about Black History Month, his pokes at college kids. … His charisma on stage captured the audience’s attention throughout his 45-minute set and had them laughing the whole night.”
Larry Starks is a powerhouse comedian best known for his STARKSTV1 YouTube channel. He has earned massive popularity there for his speed roasts of various celebrities and pop culture phenomena.
All shows are 21-plus. Bring a mask or proof of vaccination.
Planet of the Tapes is the most unique bar in the Louisville area with with a Comedy Theater, Cinema Lounge and a full-service bar with movie-inspired craft cocktails such as the “Strawshank Redemption” and the “Berry and the Hendersons.”
Planet of the Tapes also offers DVD rental at affordable prices.
How to sign up for open mics in the Louisville area as well as a list of the upcoming comedy shows and open mics. If we missed your event, let us know.
TO SIGN UP FOR COMEDY OPEN MICS
Sundays — Sunday Night, Live!, all-entertainment showcase with Uncool Randy, 21st In Germantown Message @UncoolRandy on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
Sundays — Comedy Attack! open mic, Kaiju. First Sunday of the month. Show up and sign up
Wednesdays — Laughs In The Lounge Comedy Open Mic, The Caravan Louisville. Email CaravanOpenMic@gmail.com
Thursdays — Comedy open mic with MrBikey TheComedian, Lavish Looks, 935 W. Hill St. Register at mistabikey.com
Thursdays — Comedy Open Mic at Red Top Hot Dogs, 1127 Logan Street. Show up and sign up. Sign ups at 8:30, show at 9. For information, message the Dog + Mouse House Facebook page.
Louisville Laughs 