David Spade is not just one of those guys that used to be on Just Shoot Me or SNL, he’s definitive, original and a huge influence on the zeitgeist of 2018. From a hard scrapple upbringing to a huge star in his twenties, Spade not only entertained us, he redefined what comedy is. You can trace the snarkiness that permeates the 21st Century to Spade’s “Hollywood Minute” segment during SNL news in 1992. Spade’s contribution to the world of comedy can’t be overlooked.

(Quick sidenote: there might be 6 degrees of separation between me and Kevin Bacon, but there’s only …

Here’s a disclaimer: I’ve never seen Full House. I am aware of the characters and where the house is located in San Francisco, but the daily tribulations of the Tanner family escaped me. And yet, I feel like I grew up with Bob Saget. I saw him on Johnny Carson and the other talk shows of the day. I saw him as the host on AFV. To me he was, in some ways, the archetypal comic. A guy who could clean it up onscreen and throw it down live onstage. And when I look at his vast multi-faceted career …

In our first interview with Carlos Mencia we went back in time and revisited Mencia’s first decade in the business. This time around, Mencia is about to record 5 shows at the San Jose Improv (tix here), for his latest album(s).

Transparency: the recorder glitched at the beginning. So let’s dive into Carlos Mencia talking about his new 3 hours of material and breaking it down for the new album.

Mencia: When I do current jokes I try and tie it into an emotional idea. But once those moments go away, I can’t really use that material again. Last year I …

Chris Titus: Champion of the People.

Christopher Titus has to be one of the longest running, hardest working comedians in the business. From his major success at 35 on his own television show, Titus, to his ground breaking comedy albums, the guy’s work ethic is staggering. Last time SUSC talked with Titus, he was angry at life, angry at love and angry in a downhearted, but hilarious, way. Now that the entire planet is coming apart at the seams, Titus has found his stride and new confidence. Like Hunter S. Thompson said, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn …

Big goings on for the 4th annual Santa Cruz Comedy Festival on Saturday October 28th (and beyond).

It’s a SPOOKY Comedy Festival w/comedians from Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, Conan, Letterman, Better Call Saul and MORE!

ON Saturday October 28th 60 comics run around 10 venues in downtown Santa Cruz. Pick your favorite free venue and or see a ticketed show like:

David Liebe Hart (Tim and Eric Awesome Show) headlines The Atrium with Nervous Energy and DJ Real. With host Samantha Gilweit. Tickets here: http://www.catalystclub.com/event/1549075-david-liebe-hart-santa-cruz

Everyone deserves to laugh. So get out the door and downtown.

ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 28th

Free Comedy …

Bay Area Comic Sal Calanni recently moved to LA to pursue his dream of acting, stand-up and finding pick-up basketball games. Working the NorCal scene for the better part of a decade, Calanni hit all the checks on the comedy bucket list and now has a brand new comedy album out.

His album, Little Dago, is based off something his father used to say, and this album is kind of a nod to him since it’s the first time Calanni revisited material about his dad since he passed in 2012. It also covers Calanni’s journey from Cleveland, to SF to …

The big man will be at the Food Lounge on Saturday April 15th

Tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2922415

A brief bio of Barry Crimmins looks like this: Former Air America Radio writer and correspondent, internationally renowned political satirist and author of the acclaimed Seven Stories Press book Never Shake Hands With A War Criminal helped bring the Boston Comedy scene into the modern age when he founded two of Boston’s most fabled clubs: The Ding Ho and Stitches. Such acts as Steven Wright, Paula Poundstone, Bobcat Goldthwait, Kevin Meaney, Jimmy Tingle and many, many others cut their comedic teeth in the rooms …

On Saturday April 8th, get ready, as 50 comics from Chico, LA, SF and Sacramento converge on downtown Chico. This is a chance to laugh, in some cases for free, and take a deep breath. For a change.

It can be confusing to wrap your mind around a festival atmosphere, you  want to be able to see as much as you can, so here’s what it looks like.

On Saturday, April 8th starting at 6pm comics will begin checking into our HQ at The Naked Lounge. This is a good place for fans to check out, as you can questions from …

Comedian Paula Poundstone has it in her contract that the promoter must put a clock onstage. “I can’t tell how long I’ve been onstage when I’m performing.” Known for Springsteen like sets that top several hours, Pondstone has perfected the art of working a crowd. Stories splinter, drawing in several audience members, weaving ideas and reflections until the crowd is enchanted and falling out of their chairs laughing. From her early days in the Boston Comedy scene in the 80s to her recent ascent as a favored performer on NPR’s Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me, Poundstone is relevant and a force …

Piff the Magic Dragon is a once in a lifetime experience. Before he was hatched as Piff in 2006, the man behind the dragon, John van der Put, studied Shakespeare and was a theatrical director.  Performing magic in the UK, Piff’s incredibly sardonic personality was born. Opening for Mumford and Sons and appearing on season 10 of America’s Got Talent, as Piff, solidified this comedy/magic act as gold. Cantankerous with a definite slant on the world, Piff is refreshing, candid and amazing.

See him at The San Jose Improv on November 4th, 5th and 6th Tix here: http://tinyurl.com/zfnt9uv

Did you start off …