Show Me The Funny

I love comedy.  I love reading funny stories, I love reading jokes, I love watching sitcoms on television.  My favorite type of comedy is stand-up, and there's nothing better than watching live stand-up comedy.  As an audience member of live stand-up, you almost feel connected to the comedian and it is definitely an amazing experience when you are with your friends.  You walk out of the venue laughing and reliving the last couple of hours for days to come.

My first live stand-up comedy experience was Russell Peters at the Paramount Theater in Seattle last June.  That was my birthday present to myself.  At about $75, the tickets were not exactly cheap.  Factoring in overheads like the convenience fee, taxes and charges to park, it cost close to $100 after all was said and done.  It was worth it though, as a one-time treat to myself.  Although born in Canada, Russell Peters is of Indian origin like myself, so I can relate to a lot of Peters' routine.  Getting to attend the show with other friends who could relate to the routine for  similar reasons made it all the more fun.  But I digress, because this post isn't intended to be about comedians but about venues.  Since the Russell Peters show last year, I have been to three other live stand-up comedy shows.  All of these have been at Laughs Comedy Spot in Kirkland, WA. 

Conveniently located just off I-405, you will remember where the Godfather's Pizza used to be in the Totem Square strip mall if you are familiar with the Kirkland area.  Laughs Comedy Spot is now in what used to be the once-famous pizzeria.  The club shares the strip mall with Chan's Place, Liquid Lime and a possibly questionable Massage Parlor.  But once you get inside the venue, you will forget that you're not in some fancy location like The Parlor Live in Bellevue. For one thing, parking is free.  The cover charge is either $15 or $20.   Additionally, there is a 2 order minimum from the menu, but that won't set you back too much.  More details on the menu later in this post.  All in all, you can get away with spending no more than $30 per person.  What you get for that price is live comedy in an intimate setting.  The club is just the right size to comfortably seat 200 people.  Each of the tables has an unblocked view of the stage.  The waitstaff are polite and helpful through the show.  The decor makes you feel cozy and the little lamps at each table provide a touch of romantic intimacy.  The sound system, while fairly loud, does not feel like an assault on your ears.

One doesn't have very many choices when it comes to food on the menu at Laughs Comedy Spot.  There is enough to choose from if you decide on a meal.  Don't expect anything exotic or fancy, though.  Your choices are three kinds of salads, two kinds of pasta or four kinds of sandwiches.  The salads run between $5 and $8 and pasta at $8.  Neither contain any protein.  You have to pay extra if you want chicken ($3) or shrimp ($4).  The sandwiches are priced between $9 and $10.  No problem though, because if you decide to have dinner elsewhere and just come to Laughs for the show, you have quite a few other choices for your two order minimum.  The menu offers appetizers running between $3 and $10, desserts between $5 and $7 and beverages around $2 to $3.  The Club also has a full bar with some really interesting cocktails with names that are in keeping with the whole comedy theme. 

Humor is affordable at Laughs Comedy Spot. Tuesday is Open Mic night, where up-and-coming acts get to try out their routine and hone their skills.  Open Mic night is free to the audience, with selections from what is called the Starving Artists Menu.  This special menu includes $2 draft beers and $2 hot dogs.  The club is closed Mondays.  As mentioned before, the tickets cost either $15 or $20 depending on the headlining comedian, with taxes and convenience fee extra.  Every time I have been there, the headliner is preceded by an emcee, and at least one local act.  If you opt for the 8 pm show for ages 18 and over, seating begins up to an hour prior.  You want to make sure you get there in time because once the show begins you will not be seated.  If you decide on the 10 pm show for ages 21 and over, be prepared to wait in line outside the club while the audience from the previous show exits and the staff get ready.  Also, the 10 pm requires your ID to be checked.  The best thing you can do to speed things up is book your tickets online and in advance.  Have a copy of your order available, either printed out or on your cell phone.  

I was particularly impressed by the fact that obnoxious behavior like heckling or being generally disruptive is not tolerated.  One of the shows I went to had a couple who had no problem with public displays of affection, having their cellphone ring and laughing loudly at everything.  It is possible that they may have been more than slightly inebriated, but the bouncer showed them the door about ten minutes into the show.  Everyone who comes to Laughs Comedy Spot is there to have a good time.  Just because they don't have to pay as much as some other venues does not mean they don't have a right to expect an enjoyable atmosphere.  I visit their website calendar regularly to see who the headliners are.  Even though I hate being on an e-mail list, I am actually considering signing up for theirs so I can stay updated.

So if you enjoy stand-up and you are looking for a good evening out without having to break the bank, consider Laughs Comedy Spot.  The experience just might surprise you.

Laughs Comedy Spot

12099 124th Ave NE

Kirkland, WA 98034

(425) 823 6306

Family Guy - What's Not To Love?

Okay, I'll admit it. I made many, many futile attempts to watch the show Family Guy. I couldn't, I just couldn't. There were just so many things I found so offensive. The pedophile, the permanently horny guy, the political incorrectness around the handicapped ex-police officer and against the African-American just to name a few. Not to mention how irritating I thought the main character Peter Griffin was. So I'd try and then give up 5 minutes into the episode.


Then I subscribed to Hulu. While I am not the kind of person to be swayed by opinion, the fact that Family Guy was the most popular show on Hulu piqued my curiosity. I decided to give the show one more try. I still remember the first episode that I watched all the way through, titled "Padre de Familia". It was the one where Peter is made aware that he isn't an American citizen. I remember thinking to myself, "This isn't so bad!" and I watched two more episodes. That's when I began to look past everything I found offensive and noticed how enjoyable the show was.


I realized that Peter is portrayed as annoying buffoon for a reason, mainly so you can appreciate how much work it is for everyone in his life to just endure him. His wife Lois puts up with all of his shenanigans and really stupid ideas, like when he decides to take on the MTV show "Jackass" by sliding off the roof in a shopping cart. Their children Chris and Meg have the same relationship you see in so many homes, where the brother makes his sister's life a living hell by picking his nose and touching her with booger fingers. There's also Stewie the evil baby, whose ultimate life goal is world domination, but first he wants to kill his mother. Last but not least, there's Brian the dog, who somehow manages to father an illegitimate human child.

In addition to the main characters are a brilliant cast of supporting characters. While I don't condone pedophilia in any way, you have to laugh at Herbert, who is so old he needs a walker to go anywhere. Then there's the evil monkey that lives in Chris' closet, the giant chicken that shows up every once in a while and fights Peter, Lois' highfalutin parents and the town Mayor Adam West, voiced-over by none other than (who else) Adam West. And that's exactly what is so great about the concept of this show. For all their political incorrectness and equal opportunity offensiveness, the writers of the show come up with one-liners so witty and humorous that it may take more than one viewing of an episode to get everything that it has to offer. The other thing I love are the literal depiction of the analogies written into the script, like in this one about the lonely old widow.

Then there's the music. There are little tidbits thrown in, like the melodic conversation exchange between Brian and Lois in the episode titled "Brian Wallows and Peter Swallows". Apparently this is a nod to a scene from the 1962 movie "The Music Man". Who can forget the family's driving song, "The Rose" done in four-part harmony, with just a hint of pathos? The other cover that I love is the music video that Stewie makes for Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do, I Do For You". If you watch really closely, you'll notice that this is a compilation of scenes from popular music videos. But not only does the show do an excellent job of covering popular songs, the music written specifically for the show is amazingly good. Not just the lyrics, but the score as well. Original scores for the show like "420" about the legalization of marijuana, "Road to Europe" where Brian and Stewie perform in order to create a distraction and steal a camel, and of course the numerous scores done by Peter are sheer musical genius.

So when I think about the work that goes into the making of one episode, including script writing, animation, voice-overs (creator Seth McFarlane does Peter, Quagmire, Brian AND Stewie) and music, I can't help but marvel at the end result. If you happen to read this and you are a fan of the show, I would really be interested to know your favorite moments.

PS: Most of the links above are from hulu or youtube. I would recommend opening each link in a separate window. Also the one for "The Rose" is from an unfamiliar source, so please don't open it if you're unsure about potential harmful content