Tag: date night

Louisville Laughs comedy events on tap for March

Louisville Laughs has a lot of great comedy shows, open mics and classes scheduled. Here is a breakdown of what’s on tap for March.

Sunday, March 6, 7 p.m.

Comedy at TEN20 open mic

TEN20 Craft Brewery

Free admission

Join Louisville Laughs for our popular comedy open mic at TEN20 Craft Brewery in Butchertown.

Comics — some new, some veterans — do their best to make you laugh and try out new material.

Comics also have the chance to earn $25 for sets of the night!

Come enjoy some laughs, craft beer, pizza from MozzaPi and more.

To sign up to perform, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

Comedy TEN20 is every first and third Sunday.

​Friday, March 18, 8 p.m.

Never Say Die Comedy Hour (or two)

Never Say Die

Free admission

This is a special show at Never Say Die. Cincinnati comic Chris Weir is coming down to do a set to prepare for his album recording.

After that show, we will hold an open mic for comics.

Have a craft cocktail and join the fun.

To sign up to perform, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

Never Say Die shows are every third Friday.

​

Saturday, March 19, 8 p.m.

Melissa Doran — Next Stop: New Jersey

Falls City Taproom

Tickets $10

Melissa Doran has been one of the most popular comedians in the Louisville area for the past decade. She’s leaving to go back home to New Jersey and take her career to the next level.

Join us as we enjoy Melissa’s comedy one last time here in Kentucky.

Also on the show are William McKenzie, June Dempsey, Misty Stine, Nathaniel Pott-Wells and host Creig Ewing.

Tickets are $10.

Come for the laughs, fresh beer and wine from Old 502 Winery.

Thursday, March 24, 7 p.m.

Comedy Night at Gravely

Gravely Brewing Co

Free tickets

Join Louisville Laughs for the popular Comedy Night at Gravely Brewing Co.

This show features comics from across the region, including:  Hanna Ljungholm and Spencer Domolky from Cincinnati; Jetta V from Indianapolis; and Louisville’s Jake Hovis, Lucious Williams, Reed Sedgwick and host Creig Ewing.

Admission is free. Ticket reservations are requested to ensure seating.

Come for the laughs, fresh beer and great food from Mayan Street Food.

Sunday, March 27, 7:30 p.m.

Jake Ruble and A.J. Wilkerson

The Bard’s Town

Tickets $15

Two best friends — comics who travel the country together with some of the biggest names in comedy — bring their stories from the road to the stage!

Join Jake Ruble & A.J. Wilkerson for a night of standup, story telling and crowd participation as these two comedic travelers take the stage together for this very special engagement!

Enjoy a night of laughter and dinner and drinks at The Bard’s Town for a one-of-a-kind evening.

Thursday, March 31, 7:30 p.m.

New Comics Showcase

Aloft Louisville Downtown

Tickets $5

Join Louisville Laughs for our New Comics Showcase at Aloft Louisville Downtown.

Come see some of the most promising new comics in the area, including Nathan Alexander, Lena Beamish, Danielle Schwolow, Jake Macias, Kelli O’Toole, David Santos, Melman and Esther Sturgeon.

The featured performer is Dayton’s hard-working Jerrel Beaman, who is a star in the making.

Come out for a night of laughs and enjoy a drink and great food at the Corner restaurant in the Aloft lobby.

Admission is just $5.

5 questions with Louisville comic Mandee McKelvey, who will reprise her One-Mandee show this week

Mandee McKelvey recently was named on of the 50 best undiscovered comics in the country, but she has been one of the most popular and hardest working performers in this area for a while.

Mandee was named a breakout performer at Limestone Comedy Festival and the Memphis Comedy Festival and has opened for Tig Notaro and Anthony Jeselnik.

Mandee will spin tragedy into comedy and perform an encore of her One-Mandee show, My Left Boob, at The Bard’s Town on Sunday, Feb. 27.

This show sold out all performances last month at Planet of the Tapes and received an Underdog Award at the 2019 IndyFringe.

Tickets for the Bard’s Town show are available here while they last.

Mandee took the time to answer 5 Questions from Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: You are doing an encore of your One-Mandee show, My Left Boob, at The Bard’s Town on Sunday, Feb. 27. How is this different from a usual Mandee McKelvey show?

Mandee: This is everything I’ve always wanted to do on stage that doesn’t fit into traditional standup comedy. I honestly think it’s funnier than my standup, BUT I can understand why some people would be caught off guard by it.

It’s longer stories, darker themes, and sometimes it’s serious too. It’s deeply personal has ALL the emotions, and that’s my preferred form of entertainment.

You often say you look like a Disney villain. Who is your favorite Disney villain?

My favorite Disney Villain to play is Maleficent. She’s hot and elegant and extremely petty. The most entertaining villain is Ursula, obviously. The truest villain is Cruella. She kills puppies for God’s sake.

You do comedy shows all over the country, plus you act, do Character Assassination roast shows and still work a regular job. How do you manage all that?

Poorly. I’m very tired. If you know anyone who’d like to fund my health insurance so I can be free to do more comedy, please pass along their information.

But I feel best about myself when I’m working and productive. I love making things. And being busy makes me so appreciative of all of the little things.

Getting to watch a whole TV show, go out to dinner, attend a friend’s birthday party, or visit my niece and nephew feels like a luxury.

What are the keys to a successful comedy show?

Obviously a funny comic goes without saying, but there’s so many ways to set a show up for success. Seating is so helpful. Angling chairs and tables directly towards the performer and pushing everything closer to the stage for a more intimate experience.

A lot of venues forget about sound. I’ve been in a lot of cavernous breweries where the sound is completely muffled and disappears into the ceiling. Having the show in a room where nothing else is going on is harder to come by than you would think.

Comics often have to compete with televisions in the room, meals being served, pool tables, and even blenders. God I hate blenders.

Oh and a venue that’s willing to act quickly and decisively regarding hecklers? Priceless.

What is your comedy highlight and your comedy horror story?

It gets better every year. Two years ago, my highlight was being the first and only woman to headline Gilda’s Club at the Louisville Palace. Right now, it’s selling a few hundred tickets with just my name on them — no openers, no hosts, no producers, just tickets that say Mandee McKelvey.

The fact that people trust me enough to come to a show with no other information except my name is the highest possible compliment. Now combine that with the fact that I can say whatever I want. Hard to imagine anything better than that.

As far as comedy horror stories go, my instinct is to say that it was being asked to drop everything to come fill in last minute at a comedy club. Then I was fired after one night and never paid at all.

But to be honest, that’s not the worst. The worst is how many hours of my time have been wasted by dudes in my face after shows pretending to be fans of my comedy only to proposition me later on.

I can only hope they’re out there somewhere right now, getting their time thoroughly wasted.

Follow Mandee on Facebook.

5 questions with comic Caitlin Peluffo, who will perform in Louisville this month

Caitlin Peluffo, the Lovable Loose Cannon, is a comedian from San Francisco currently living in Brooklyn, NY.

Caitlin has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and at festivals and comedy clubs around the country.

Caitlin will be in Louisville this month, headlining at Planet of the Tapes on Friday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 29, at 8 p.m. Tickets are available here.

She also will also being doing a shorter set at the Thursday Comedy Showcase from Louisville Laughs on Thursday, Jan. 27, at Aloft Louisville Downtown. Tickets are available here.

Caitlin took the time to answer 5 Questions from Louisville Laughs.

How did you earn the nickname The Lovable Loose Cannon?

I yell, a LOT.

Sometimes I go on rants, scream about the state of society or my student loans … it just depends. But I’m always smiling and enjoying myself. If you’re in the front row, beware because sometimes I’ll give ya a light roasting, but always in a loving way 😉

You went from studying performative video art in college to standup in New York City. How did that happen?

I loved Art School! It was like adult summer camp, but the work itself didn’t fit. I always felt out of place, cracking jokes, being a silly goose (not what the art world is known for).

I’d always wanted to try stand-up, but never had the guts. Luckily I moved to New York, comedy Mecca, for school and decided one day (after a particularly painful breakup) that I had nothing to lose so I just gave it a whirl, and bam! that shoe fit and I haven’t taken it off since.

You have several podcasts, including BEASTS! The Worst Sports Show, where you interview comics about their glory days in sports, and Good Time Gal with Caitlin Peluffo, where you interview comics about their worst alcohol-fueled decisions. Is it easier to find comics who were jocks or ones who made bad decisions?

Bad decisions … 100%. even the nerdy comics who got bullied in gym got hammered off wine coolers in a Staples Parking lot.

What is your comedy horror story?

I have 2.

I once had a jack and coke thrown on me by a VERY intoxicated Long Island housewife (I called her out for interrupting).

And another time, while on stage I got handed what appeared to be a wooden dildo, but was actually a cheese smoosher?

Honestly, I have no clue what that thing was, but it was just placed in my hand by some lady.

What is your comedy highlight?

Probably doing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. My family flew out from California, and my best friends were backstage with me. I worked really hard on that set, and I somehow managed not to forget my jokes while the cameras were on.

It was a proud moment, and those don’t come around a lot in this business.

Check out Caitlin’s Website and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Louisville Laughs comedy events on tap for 2022

Louisville Laughs is moving some things around for the holidays. Here is what is on tap for 2o22:

Sunday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m.

Comedy at TEN20 open mic

TEN20 Craft Brewery

Free admission

Join Louisville Laughs for our popular comedy open mic at TEN20 Craft Brewery in Butchertown.

Comics — some new, some veterans — do their best to make you laugh and try out new material.

Comics also have the chance to earn $25 for sets of the night!

Come enjoy some laughs, craft beer, pizza from MozzaPi and more.

To sign up to perform, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

Thursday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m.

Comedy Night at Gravely

Gravely Brewing Co

Free tickets

Comics from Bloomington take over the popular Comedy Night at Gravely Brewing Co. They include Shanda Sung, Mark Bookwalter, Emily Blackwood, James Tanford, Maria Bluck and Eric Groovely.

Admission is free. Please reserve a ticket so that seating can be arranged.

Come for the laughs, fresh beer and great food from Mayan Street Food.

Friday, Jan. 21, 8 p.m.

First 30 Show

Never Say Die

Free admission

It’s a new year, so it’s time for some new jokes.

In this show, 30 comics are invited to tell jokes written in 2022 (up to 2 minutes per bit).

Have a craft cocktail join the fun and let the comics know if their new jokes are a hit.

To sign up to perform, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

Sunday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m.

Momics!

The Bard’s Town

Tickets $10

It’s a night of standup momedy as Louisville Laughs presents Momics!

This popular show features comedy by moms for everyone.

Comics include Shanda Sung, Crystal Phoenix, Misty Stine, Keri Sprinkle, Dom Simone and host Jen Cooper.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door, if available.

Enjoy your night out at The Bard’s Town with laughs and great food and drinks.

Thursday, Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday Comedy Showcase

Aloft Louisville Downtown

Free tickets

Join Louisville Laughs for the popular Thursday Comedy Showcase at Aloft Louisville Downtown.

This show will feature New York City comic Caitlin Peluffo — The Lovable Loose Cannon. You may have seen her on Late Night with Stephen Colbert or other TV appearances. It’s a chance to see Caitlin before she headlines at Planet of the Tapes on Friday and Saturday.

Also on the show is another New York comic, Jill Weiner, plus several of our favorites from the Louisville area.

Tickets are free but seating is limited so reserve yours today.

Thursday, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m.

New Comics Showcase

Aloft Louisville Downtown

Tickets

Join Louisville Laughs at Aloft Louisville Downtown on Feb. 3 for our New Comics Showcase featuring comics on the rise.

This show will feature a performance from Jerrel Beamon of Dayton, Ohio, one of the hardest-working young comics in the Midwest.

Also on the show are a selection promising new comics:

Chester Goad

Lena Beamish

Danielle Schwolow 

Cat Fowler 

Kelli O’Toole

David Santos

Melman

Esther Sturgeon

Enjoy a night of laughter, plus food and drinks from the Corner restaurant in the Aloft’s comfortable lobby.

2 comedy shows set for Nov. 21 Kaiju with killer lineups – and they’re free

You have two chances to see some great comedy on Sunday, Nov. 21, in the back room of beautifully redesigned Kaiju. Seven of Louisville’s absolute finest comedians doing their best material, just for you. Andd it’s free.

This month’s shows will be hosted by rising local star June Dempsey and feature favorites Sean Smith, Dan Alten, Melissa Doran, Reed Sedgwick, Dallas Gambrel and Jordan Goodwin.

The first show starts at 7 p.m. and will be over in time for you to have some fun before you get some sleep to start your week.

The second show starts at 9 p.m. and will feature the same lineup of comedians doing different, perhaps dirtier, material.

Both shows are entirely free, however seating is limited so if you’d like to reserve a table send a message to the Dog + Mouse House on Facebook or Instagram.

We will be serving a full bar selection as well as snacks and Sushi from Dragon King’s Daughter. Bring your friends.

5 questions with comic Graham Kay, who will be performing in Louisville this week

Graham Kay is a comedian who grew up in Ottawa, Canada, and currently lives and performs in New York City.

Quirky, self-deprecating and sarcastic, Graham has three comedy albums out, which you can hear on Sirius XM radio. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Late Show with Steven Colbert and NBC’s Bring The Funny. He also has a podcast talking about his autistic brother.

Graham will be in Louisville this week headlining at Planet of the Tapes on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12 and 13, at 8 p.m. Tickets are available here.

Graham took the time to answer 5 Questions from Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: You and Kirk Smith host a podcast — Autastic: A Comedian’s Guide to Autism. Neither of you is autistic, but you have a brother who is autistic and he has an autistic son. How did that podcast come about, and how is it received?

Graham Kay: We met while both living in LA and doing comedy. A mutual friend introduced us saying we both had autism in our life. Kirk came up with the idea to do a podcast and I was hesitant. How many podcasts can you do about autism?

It turns out 270 and still counting. People really love hearing about autism. Turns out this disability is HUGE! Lucky us! 

You tell a story about accidentally painting the wrong house as a new house painter when you were a teenager. Is that true? If so, did that seem funny at the time?

It’s true and we were really scared about going to jail and losing our jobs. Turns out we only lost our jobs, and the summer was almost over so it was OK. I’m old enough now that I’m pretty sure the statute of limitations has passed and I won’t go to jail. 

What is your comedy horror story?

I once got beat up by a group of bandits in Marrakesh. I was able to escape but my opener was beaten until dead. I heard word from our guide Tic Tac that his severed  head was used as a trophy. Poor Brian 🙁 

You have a clip from an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon with pants way too short and Hawaiian shirt with a jacket. Was it awkward showing up that way for a national TV appearance?

I’m sorry I wasn’t dressed in duck hunting gear or whatever you country rubes wear.  

Your first national TV appearance was on The Last Show with Stephen Colbert. What was that like?

Good.

Follow Graham on Twitter, Instagram , YouTube and Facebook

You can find more of Graham’s videos here.

Louisville Laughs comedy events on tap for the rest of 2021

Louisville Laughs has a lot of great comedy shows, open mics and classes scheduled. Here is a breakdown of what’s on tap for the rest of 2021, including a Promo Code for half off a show.

Nov. 19 — Never Say Die Comedy Hour (or Two)

Never Say Die

Free

Join Louisville Laughs for our popular comedy open mic at Never Say Die cocktail bar and art gallery in St. Matthews.

This show features a special appearance by nationally touring comic Stef Bright.

Come on out for a fun night of laughs and craft cocktails. We also have comics coming from as far as Colorado, Canada, Bloomington and Bullitt County!

Comics also have the chance to earn $25 for sets of the night!

Nov. 21 — Comedy at TEN20 open mic, 7 p.m.

TEN20 Craft Brewery

Free admission

Join Louisville Laughs for our popular comedy open mic at TEN20 Craft Brewery in Butchertown.

Comics — some new, some veterans — do their best to make you laugh and try out new material.

Comics also have the chance to earn $25 for sets of the night!

Come enjoy some laughs, craft beer, pizza from MozzaPi and more.

A couple spots remain to perform. To sign up, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

Nov. 26-27 — Melisa Doran at The Caravan

The Caravan Comedy Club

Tickets

Extend your holiday with some laughter and a night out with the hilarious Melissa Doran at The Caravan Comedy Club.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov., 26, and 7:30 and 9:30 on Saturday, Nov. 27.

Louisville Laughs’ own Creig Ewing will be the featured comic, and Louisville Laughs followers can get free tickets to the show.

Simply email The Caravan at TheCarvan2017@gmail.com and mention Louisville Laughs. Make sure to let them know which show — Friday’s show or Saturday early or late — you would like tickets for how many you need. Then pick them up at the box office the night of the show.

You will not need a reply from The Caravan to pick up your tickets.

Nov. 28 — Sunday Comedy Showcase Improv Faceoff!

The Bard’s Town

Tickets

Join Louisville Laughs for this Sunday Showcase that will feature a blend of improv groups  — The Hystericals and Kentucky Bill — and stand-up comedy from Sean Smith and Jake Hovis.

Enjoy dinner and drinks at The Bard’s Town and this one-of-a-kind show!

Dec. 2 — Louisville vs. Cincinnati Comedy Battle!

Aloft Louisville Downtown

Tickets $10

Join Louisville Laughs at the Aloft Louisville Downtown where top standup comics from Louisville go head-to-head with some of Cincinnati’s best — and the audience judges which city is funnier!

Louisville comics are: Alex Whittenburg, James Ferguson, Jake Hovis and Lena Beamish.

Cincinnati comics are: Phil Pointer, Zach Wycuff, Cali Botkin and Jon Holmes.

We will also have a special appearance by Keith McGill.

Tickets are $10, but for reading this far you can use the Promo Code CINCY to get $5 off tickets while they last.

Come have some laughs and enjoy dinner or snacks and a drink at the Corner bar in Aloft’s comfortable lobby.

Dec. 5 — Comedy at TEN20 open mic, 7 p.m.

TEN20 Craft Brewery

Free admission

Join Louisville Laughs for our popular comedy open mic at TEN20 Craft Brewery in Butchertown.

Comics — some new, some veterans — do their best to make you laugh and try out new material.

Comics also have the chance to earn $25 for sets of the night!

Come enjoy some laughs, craft beer, pizza from MozzaPi and more.

To sign up to perform, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

Dec. 16 — Comedy Night at Gravely Brewing

Gravely Brewing Co.

Free tickets

Join Louisville Laughs on Thursday, Dec. 16, as Indianapolis comics take over Comedy Night at Gravely Brewing Co.

We have a great show with some of our favorite comics from Indianapolis.

The show features Gwen Sunkel. Gwen is one of the most popular comedians in the Indy area. She has opened for Iliza Shlesinger and performed in the 2021 Limestone Comedy Festival. She co-hosts a series of comedy shows that have raised over $15,000 for reproductive health groups in the Midwest.

Also appearing will be Griffin Sciarra, Dyke Michaels, Dustin Burkert, Tennah McDonald and Blake Champlin.

Your host is June Dempsey, and there will be a special appearance from Louisville’s Hillary Boston.

Admission is free. Tickets ensure seating.

Join us for laughs, fresh beer and food from Mayan Street Food.

Dec. 17 — Never Say Die Comedy Hour (or Two)

Never Say Die

Free

Join Louisville Laughs for our popular comedy open mic at Never Say Die cocktail bar and art gallery in St. Matthews.

Come on out for a fun night of laughs and craft cocktails.

Comics also have the chance to earn $25 for sets of the night!

To sign up to perform, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

Dec. 19 — Comedy at TEN20 open mic, 7 p.m.

TEN20 Craft Brewery

Free admission

Join Louisville Laughs for our popular comedy open mic at TEN20 Craft Brewery in Butchertown.

Comics — some new, some veterans — do their best to make you laugh and try out new material.

Comics also have the chance to earn $25 for sets of the night!

Come enjoy some laughs, craft beer, pizza from MozzaPi and more.

To sign up to perform, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

Dec. 26 — Sunday Comedy Showcase Home for the Holidays

The Bard’s Town

Free

Join Louisville Laughs for this Sunday Showcase that will feature comics who have had their fill of egg nog and in-laws and sneak out to entertain you.

One of the featured performers will be Tyler Jackson from Los Angeles.

If you’re interested in performing, email LouisvilleLaughs2@gmail.com or message Louisville Laughs on Facebook.

5 questions with comic Michael Palascak, who will be performing in Louisville this week

Michael Palascak is a comedian who grew up in Wabash, Ind., began his career in Chicago and now lives in Los Angeles. He has appeared on all the late night shows and has his own Comedy Central half-hour special.

Michael also was a Top 5 Finalist on Last Comic Standing and has his own Internet show where he looks on the bright side of things most people consider negative — like pollution, traffic or losing your job.

Michael will be in Louisville this week headlining at Planet of the Tapes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30. Tickets are available here.

Michael took the time to answer 5 Questions from Louisville Laughs.

Louisville Laughs: You have performed on all the late night network shows from Stephen Colbert to Jay Leno. What was the best experience?

Michael Palascak: First off, performing stand-up on late night network television is one of the top experiences of my life ever. Performing 5 minutes in front of a live studio audience that will air for everyone in the country that has a television is fun on all the shows and every one of my experiences was special in it’s own way.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno was my debut, and Jay was very interactive — he met me before the show and took pictures with my family. He gave me a watch.

The Late Show with David Letterman was my second, and so I was relaxed. I felt like I enjoyed the whole thing a lot. Doing stand-up in New York City is really special, and so it was a lot of fun warming up the set at The Comic Strip the night before. And then Ed Sullivan Theater and Letterrman’s show are so iconic.

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and The Late Late Show with James Corden are the ones I’ve done the most in that theater, and it’s really special because it’s so intimate and I’ve gone back there the most.

The crowd is right there and they’re great. And I live close by and they send a car to pick you up. It’s really cool.

Before my set James asked the crowd to really be a good crowd and that makes all the difference. Conan was amazing because he was the cool, young guy that everybody liked when I was in college and he was very nice, too.

And Lilly Singh was super fun because they had such a different fun show and I was one of the first batch of comics to do the show and Lilly was great.

And Colbert was great for some of the same reasons Letterman was — Ed Sullivan, NYC, iconic. And I still love hearing him introduce me on the YouTube clip.

You are described as a “likable” comedian. How does that help you engage with the audience, and are there ways for comics to be more likable?

I just do my best to be a good comedian.

What is your comedy horror story?

I think the only comedy horror story I would’ve had is if I hadn’t ever done stand-up or if I had quit or something. There have been for sure moments that someone watching might think would be really hard for me to get through or experience, but I really am grateful for it all and have enjoyed all of the experiences for what they were.

I used to do greenskeeping at a cemetery. I worked 60 hour weeks on a blistering hot metal machine at a car factory in rural Indiana. Stand-up comedy is a privilege and a joy.

You have more than a million views on YouTube. What’s the key to getting people to watch your comedy videos?

All those views came from my Comedy Central half hour, Colbert, Conan, and my Dry Bar special. So I just got material on channels that already have a huge following.

You released a new comedy album and a Dry Bar special this year. You must have kept busy during the pandemic.

I recorded both before March of 2020 and then it takes a little while to get them edited and deliverable. I did, however, shoot a web series about 90% by myself out of my apartment during the pandemic called The Bright Side.

It was really fun to make and it’s really funny. It’s a show where I take things that normally people find negative or bad — Ghosting, Traffic, Losing Your Job, Dictators — and I attempt to find the positive.

Here’s a link to all of them.

You can find more of Michael’s videos here.