Upcoming Events

Featuring both professional comedians from the midwest's best Comedy scene right here in Bloomington as well as brand new folks trying out their 5 minutes for the first time- you never know what you're going to get or who you'll see!

Kamau returns to the stand-up stage, full of questions, thoughts, and a heavy dollop of silliness in these hectic times. He’s pretty sure the only way we make it through all of this is if we face it together. So Kamau wants to know: Who’s With Me?

W. Kamau Bell is a stand-up comedian, filmmaker, husband, and dad. For seven seasons, he was the host and executive producer of the five-time Emmy Award-winning CNN Original Series United Shades of America. In 2023 Kamau won an Emmy for his HBO documentary 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed. He also won a Peabody Award for his 2022 Showtime docu-series We Need to Talk About Cosby. He is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Do the Work: An Antiracist Activity Book and the author of The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama’s Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian. In March of 2025, Kamau will have a chapter in bestselling author Michael Lewis’ new book Who is Government? It is based on Kamau’s Washington Post article and short documentary, The Rookie. Kamau’s last comedy special, Private School Negro, is available on Netflix. Kamau is on the board of directors for DonorsChoose, a nonprofit that helps teachers raise money for class projects, and Live Free, a nonprofit dedicated to ending gun violence, mass incarceration, and mass criminalization. Kamau is also the ACLU’s Artist Ambassador for Racial Justice and hosts the ACLU podcast "At Liberty.” In 2023, Kamau and his wife Melissa Hudson Bell co-founded Who Knows Best Productions, a media production company based in Oakland, CA. He cares too much and sleeps too little.

Moshe Kasher is the Co-host of the Endless Honeymoon Podcast, and author of the 2012 memoir "Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and Then Turned 16." In 2018 Moshe and his wife, Natasha Leggero, debuted a three-part comedy special for Netflix, “The Honeymoon Stand-Up Special.” His 2012 special "Live In Oakland" was among the first specials to appear on Netflix.

In 2017, Moshe hosted his Comedy Central talk show, "Problematic with Moshe Kasher." Named one of "Variety’s" 10 Comics To Watch, Kasher was  a co-executive producer on "Another Period," on which he was also a cast member. He made frequent appearances on Comedy Central’s "@midnight" with Chris Hardwick, "This Is Not Happening," and "Drunk History" and has also appeared on the series "Not Safe with Nikki Glaser" and "The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail." Kasher has also had roles on "The Good Place" "Portlandia," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "The League," "Shameless," "Maron," "Garfunkel and Oates," and "The New Normal." 

A versed writer, Kasher has written for several films, series and specials including, HBO's Betty, Little America, "Wet Hot American Summer," "Zoolander 2," "Another Period," and the "Comedy Central Roasts." 

Bailey Pope (She/Her/Etc) is a New York based Comedian, writer, and pigeon-holed actor, providing the overly-tattooed, failed rock star transgender woman comedy that everyone has been searching centuries for. Bailey has shared stages with Roy Wood Jr, Sam Jay, Mark Normand and Ashley Gavin. As an actor, she often appears as “Angry bartender” or “Aloof tattoo artist” in shows such as AppleTV+ “City On Fire”. Her writing has been published by Hard Times and Refinery29.

Ian Lara is one of the hottest rising comics in New York City. He found internet success when he recorded his “Comedy Central Stand up Featuring” which has garnered over 10 million views, he also made an appearance on the first season of “NBC’s Bring the Funny” and made his late-night debut on the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon all in the same year. He was a regular player on ‘This week at the Comedy Cellar’ on Comedy Central with his second Comedy Central set hitting the 10 million views mark yet again. He's been featured in The New Yorker Magazine and was named a “2021 JFL NEW FACES" of comedy. On February 10th, 2022 he debuted his Comedy Central half-hour special titled “Growing Shame”. Shortly after on November, 11th, 2022 he debuted his first standalone HBO special titled “Ian Lara: Romantic Comedy” now streaming on MAX. In 2023 he has hit the ground running and has received the high honor of being name one of “Variety’s 2023 Comics to Watch” he then went on to make his third appearance on The Tonight show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Join Bloomington great Shanda Sung and her dozen or so graduates of her five week workshop that covers the fundamentals of performing and writing stand-up! For many graduates, it'll be their first time ever performing comedy in a live setting! This is always a great time and we can't wait for you to join us!

Carmen Lagala masterfully blends silly, dark, and confessional humor with an approach that makes you feel like you’re up late getting buzzed with a best friend. Carmen’s journey from a shy Vermont collegiate hall-of-fame athlete to a well-known New York City stand-up comedian is nothing short of inspiring. After performing throughout the country for over 15 years, Carmen has developed a fearless approach to comedy, leaving no topic off limits.

Credits:

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Don’t Tell & Cracked Comedy

Comedy Central

Ten Thousand Laughs (Headliner)

Vail Comedy Festival (Headliner)

Rogue Island Comedy Festival (Headliner)

New York Comedy Club Annual Winner (2019)

Comedians You Should Know (NYC)

BUY TICKETS TO SEE LAURA HERE!

Laura Peek is one of the most promising young Los Angeles based stand-up comics to come out of Nashville’s bustling comedy scene. She was selected as a 'New Face' at the prestigious 2022 'Just For Laughs Festival' in Montreal, and was named one of Vulture Magazine’s Comics ‘You Should and Will Know’ 2022. Her storytelling and sharp wit delight audiences across the country and as of recently, internationally. She has had the pleasure of working with comics like Taylor Tomlinson, Iliza Shlesinger, Fortune Feimster, Chris Distefano, Marc Maron, and many more.

BUY TICKETS TO SEE DANIEL HERE

Daniel Van Kirk has performed at South by Southwest, Riot: LA Comedy Fest, Meltdown Comics, Set List Live, and Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal.

Van Kirk currently co-hosts The Pen Pals Podcast alongside fellow comedian Rory Scovel, and Dumb People Town with Randy and Jason Sklar.

In November 2019, Van Kirk released his debut comedy album, Thanks Diane, on Blonde Medicine. It was recorded at UCB's Franklin Theatre in Los Angeles.

In April 2024, Van Kirk released his new special, Rose Gold, named for his grandmother, Rosemary Van Kirk. Recorded at the Lincoln Lodge in Chicago, it is an all new hour.

BUY TICKETS TO SEE RIVER HERE

River Butcher is a Los Angeles-based standup comic, actor, and writer. His first half-hour special “A Different Kind of Dude” debuted on Comedy Central’s Youtube channel and was called “a masterclass in culture war commentary” by Esquire.com. The special also garnered the title of “Some of the Best Jokes of 2022 So Far.” River recently wrote and produced on the FX pilot “Belated,” previously wrote for “A League of Their Own,” and created/starred in/wrote the critically acclaimed and GLAAD award-nominated “Take My Wife.” You may have also seen them as nonbinary standup comic LB Brady on “Good Trouble” and Adam Conover’s sibling on “Adam Ruins Everything” or queer dinner guest Denim in the hit “Friendsgiving.” They’ve done stand-up all over the country, the globe, and the screen, including Ellen, Conan, Comedy Central, and HBO.

BUY TICKETS TO SEE ALI HERE

Ali Kolbert is “a post-therapy Howard Stern in the body of a 5'2" 30-year-old lesbian."

After graduating from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, Ali landed a coveted job as an NBC Page at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where she worked on Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers. It only took a couple of years until she made her television debut in that very building, performing her clever and provocative stand-up on The Tonight Show in 2017.

Since then, Ali has appeared on The TODAY Show, NBC’s Bring The Funny, in countless episodes of TruTV's Comedy Knockout and delivered her sophomore stand-up performance on A Little Late with Lily Singh. She has been featured in Variety Magazine’s comedy issue, profiled in Forbes Under 30 and was named one of New York’s Funniest in 2019.

In 2021, Ali starred as a lead on TruTV’s half hour comedy, Top Secret Videos, alongside Ron Funches and Brian Posehn. More recently, Ali returned to perform stand-up on The Tonight Show and was named one of Just For Laugh’s 2022 New Faces. In addition to performing stand-up comedy nightly, Ali has a combined social media following of over 300k and hosts her hit podcast on Spotify, Breaking Down with Ali Kolbert.

BUY TICKETS TO SEE CURTIS HERE

Curtis Cook is a stand-up comedian and WGA Award-nominated writer. He’s traveled through an Ebola checkpoint for a segment on VICE, appeared with Fred and Carrie on IFC’s Portlandia, featured on Comedy Central, and famously puked on a TV show called Flophouse. He was named as one of Vulture’s Comedians You Should And Will Know. In addition to performing, Curtis has written for the recent reboot of Crank Yankers, the critically-acclaimed Hulu comedy This Fool, Survival of the Thickest on Netflix, and the GLAAD-nominated series American Dad on TBS.

Jaye McBride is funny, smart, and proudly transgender. Jaye is the first openly trans comedian to perform at Madison Square Garden and is a regular at New York City’s Comedy Cellar. She was featured as one of the "New Faces" at the Just For Laughs comedy festival the Netflix is a Joke Festival and her special 'Daddy's Girl' was praised in the New York Times as 'very funny' and Jaye as having 'an ear for jokes'. In addition to comedy, Jaye recently won a Writer's Guild award for her work on 'Inside Amy Schumer'

Ivy Wolk can next be seen in Jonah Hill’s OUTCOME in scenes opposite Keanu Reeves, in Sean Baker's multiple Oscar winning film ANORA distributed by NEON, in Eugene Kotlyarenko's film THE CODE, in Mary Bronstein's IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU, and in Andrew De Young's film FRIENDSHIP for Fifth Season, opposite Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson.   

Ivy starred as PRINCESS KLEPTO, the lead role in an Amazon pilot last year. Ivy is a recurring character on Brian Jordan Alvarez’s comedy ENGLISH TEACHER for FX, and was just listed as one of System Magazine’s ‘Ones to Watch.’ Ivy was also a cameo in the Judd Apatow movie THE BUBBLE and is best known for her strong recurring role in EVERYTHINGS GONNA BE OK for FREEFORM (Josh Thomas’ show). Ivy does stand-up comedy and can be seen in shows throughout New York City.

40 YEARS OF FOLEY
Wrestling’s finest storyteller is back with his first one-man-show tour in three years. Mick has assembled a brand new show featuring stories from throughout his legendary career - and each show concludes with a 45 minute Q&A. Featuring Mick’s trademark blend of warmth and wildness, wit and wisdom, this show is sure to be a hit for the legion of Foley fans out there. ONLY 25 US SHOWS IN 2025 - so make sure to get yours now!

Jared Freid is a stand-up comedian and podcaster based out of New York City. His most recent stand up special, “37 & Single”premiered on Netflix last year to rave reviews and rose to the Top 10 most watched TV in the US and Canada on Netflix. In addition, The New York Times touted “In the crowded field of dating jokes, Jared Freid…distinguishes himself...”. With a strong focus on dating and relationships, Jared’s comedy reflects the ordinary daily thoughts of everyone you know, especially if you know a lot of millennials that are obsessing over dating apps, trying to be real adults, and worrying about their bodies. His prior special, “Socially Distanced… Of Course” premiered on YouTube in 2021. Jared has also appeared on a number of television programs, including multiple appearances on “The Tonight Show” and as a regular contributor on “Good Morning Football” on the NFL Network. He can also be seen in the upcoming independent romantic comedy “31 Candles.”

In addition to his hectic touring schedule, Jared hosts two highly-rated weekly podcasts including his “JTrain Podcast” which boasts over 450,000 listeners per month and regularly lands in the iTunes top 100. The show has a cult following of loyal fans. Guests have included: Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Colin Quinn, Sal Vulcano, Bert Kreischer, Dave Attell, Michelle Wolf and more. It’s been called “A Dear Abby for Dudes,” which is why both men and women tune in religiously. Many of Jared’s fans say that his advice has helped them in their personal lives. Jared also co-hosts “U Up?” with Jordana Abraham of Betches, where they discuss their takes on modern dating with issues ranging from apps to hookups to relationships. “U Up?” has over 750,000 monthly listeners.

In 2019, Jared released his first full-length comedy album “Always a Momma Bear” through Virtual Comedy Network. The album debuted at #1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts. Jared was also named a New Face of Comedy at the Just For Laugh’s comedy festival in 2017.

Mike Finoia is a Comedian based out of NYC. He is a producer for TruTV's hit show Impractical Jokers, and tours regularly with the guys on their national tour. Mike is also the host of the podcasts Dented Cans and Comes a Time, which he co-hosts with Dead & Company bassist Oteil Burbridge. Mike's debut special, "Don't Let Me Down" was met with glowing reviews in 2023, and when Mike isn't on the road he can be found nightly at NYC premiere comedy clubs, and heard regularly on Sirius XM's The Bonfire.

Usama Siddiquee is a Bengali-American stand-up comedian, writer and actor based in New York. His debut 1/2 special was released on YouTube March 21, 2025 produced by Don’t Tell Comedy. Last year, Usama had his late-night debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. On the acting front, he is most known for his roles on Netflix’s Inventing Anna and Survival of The Thickest, HBO’s And Just Like That, Comedy Central’s Awkwafina, and on FX’s Better Things. He was featured on the 2020 season of America’s Got Talent as a semi-finalist. In 2018 he was a New Face at Just For Laughs. Shortly after he was passed at the world-famous Comedy Cellar in New York. His standup has been featured on Showtime’s Desus and Mero, MTV’s News, and Bravo’s Cash Cab. He was a finalist for the 2017 NY's Funniest Competition at Caroline's; a finalist in the 2017 NBC Standup Competition; 1st place winner of the 2016 Laughing Devil Cup Comedy Festival in New York; the 1st place winner of the 2015 Yonkers Comedy Festival as well as the 1st place winner of the 2015 Make Me Laugh Albany Comedy Festival. Usama has also featured on videos for NBC, Buzzfeed, Refinery29, and Huffington Post.

They call him the Bitter Buddha, comedian Eddie Pepitone is a master of the dark art of comedy. Hailed as a modern day cross between Jackie Gleason, Don Rickles and Eckart Tolle.

Eddie is a force of nature on stage, switching between social rage and self-doubt. His shows are an energetic combo of calm and chaos, blue-collar angst and sardonic enlightenment. Few comedians working today channel the power of the rant better than Eddie Pepitone.

In addition to his regular stand-up shows, Eddie is stand-out comic/character actor. Beginning in New York City’s improv/sketch scene (where he quickly became a regular face), and continuing on to recurring roles on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Eddie has also appeared on numerous comedy TV shows, including The Life and Times of Tim, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Sarah Silverman Program, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Comic Standing, Chappelle’s Show, appearances on Bob’s Burgers, and he’s a regular on Adult Swim’s Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell. Fans also might recognize Pepitone from his role in the hit comedy Old School or from his multiple award-winning short, Runyon: Just Above Sunset, co-written by his wife Karen Simmons.

Nowadays Eddie can frequently be found on his must-follow Twitter & Instagram, hosting the popular comedy podcast Pep Talks, and writing/appearing in the hit web series: Puddin’.

Langston Kerman is an LA based comedian, actor, writer, and producer. Langston can be seen starring in Bust Down (Peacock), a series that he also Executive Produced/Co-Created with Sam Jay, Chris Redd and Jak Knight. He is the head writer/one of the Executive Producers of PAUSE with Sam Jay (HBO), which was nominated for a WGA award for its first season and recently finished airing a second season. On screen Langston recurred as ‘Eagle The Archer’ in the second season of The Boys (Amazon). His other acting credits include starring alongside Lake Bell and Dax Shepard as ‘Brandon’ on the Bless This Mess (ABC) and recurring as ‘Jared’ on Insecure (HBO). He will next be seen recurring opposite Gina Rodriguez in Not Dead Yet (ABC) and recurring as ‘Jesse’ in the highly anticipated The Other Black Girl (Hulu/Onyx). Langston wrote for 2 seasons of South Side (HBO Max) and he recurs on the series as ‘Adam Bethune’. Langston’s podcast My Momma Told Me is part of Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network through iHeartMedia. His Comedy Central Half-Hour Special aired in September 2018 along with the release of his debut comedy album “Lightskinned Feelings.”  

"Let me tell you something, friends. Doug Stanhope is one funny sumbitch. He's also one of the most twisted individuals I've ever met, but that's part of his charm. He's one of those comics that doesn't make shit up. He lives a mad, mad life and what he remembers he reports back to us. He's been known to bare his soul, and other things, right there on thestage. If you're easily offended, stay home this week. Watch Matlock or something. But if you like your comedy rough, raw, and rowdy, there's no one better than Doug Stanhope. Have I made myself clear?"
- Austin Chronicle

"He blazed with the honesty, outrage and lucidity that made his name... Much of what's wrong with the world melts away in Stanhope's flame... comedy with brains and guts and a heart", "the charm, don't-give-a-damn swagger and aggressive intelligence that make for important, exciting comedy." 
- The Guardian, London

"There's a kind of Olympic torch of extreme American comedy, which passed from Lenny Bruce, through Richard Pryor and Sam Kinison... to the late Bill Hicks. Stanhope is the latest, and equally brilliant, bearer." 
- Independent on Sunday

"Stanhope's stage show is a momentous thing to behold. Don't expect typical Bush-bashing or paper-thin material - he takes no prisoners in his ruthless baiting of everything that gets under his skin." Glasgow Evening Times "On his way to self-immolation, Stanhope works through an hour of brilliant material which slaughters just about every sacred cow on the farm." 
- The Scotsman, Edinburgh

"Stanhope breaks down the walls of decency. He uses profanity, but nothing he says is meant to shock. Everything he says is designed to make the audience laugh. Stanhope has worked his way to become one of the best comics around." 
- The Reno Gazette Journal

"Ask anyone whose opinion matters, and they'll tell you Doug Stanhope is one of the top ten stand-ups in the world today. Stanhope's confrontational stance comes from the rough, blistered underbelly of America's trailer parks; he's a feral, aggressive man full fuelled by primal urges to drink, fight and screw ­ and the corrosive material has all the venomous aggression you might expect from that background. But what underlines it, and makes it so untouchably good, is the passion and conviction with which he holds his intelligent beliefs, informed by sensibilities that might seem alien to such a no-nonsense, pig-headed persona." 
- Chortle UK

"Watching Stanhope is half entertainment and half survival. It's that perfect mix of substance and chaos that made punk rock fun in the seventies. There's a very real chance a fight will break out or all hell will break loose and the tension is intoxicating." 
- ClevelandYucks.com

"If there's such a thing as being too honest in comedy, Doug Stanhope may come close. Known for brutal honesty, railing against the "system" and caring very little about what his audience thinks, Stanhope has elevated himself to become one of today's most talked-about artists." 
- TimeOut, Chicago

"Doug Stanhope is a gritty comic that mixes atrociously profane gutter humor with acerbic social commentary that would likely get him killed if he weren't so damned funny. If there any one thing about Stanhope that's telling of his talent, it's that his material bears repeated listening. Unlike so many of his contemporaries and influences, you can listen to the same Stanhope CD over and over and always get something new out of it." 
- Deadtide.com

"Stanhope possesses a range of stunningly effective stand-up skills and a talent for subtle verbal phrasing. More importantly, he speaks out not only about sex and drugs and so-called perversions, but also about social and political hypocrisy. And his rants command attention because he clearly means every single thing he says." 
- TimeOut, London

"Some of the sharpest and most biting cultural commentary you'll see in a comedy club." 
- St Louis Post-Dispatch

"See him very soon, because he describes his own intake of drink and drugs as staggering. "Jesus died for your sins," he reminds us. "I'm doing it for your mere entertainment." Well, he isn't Jesus. But at his peak only a literal miracle could produce better, more challenging comedy."
- EdinburghGuide.com

"Sharp, off color, and howlingly funny"

- The San Francisco Chronicle

Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer and podcaster based in Brooklyn. The NY Times called him “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today” and described his 2018 Netflix special Warn Your Relatives as “an incisively funny and formally adventurous hour that reveals a comic in command of his powers.” The special was named on many “Best of” lists, including for Time, Paste Magazine, Cosmopolitan, E! Online, and Mashable. 

He was also named one of 2018’s “Comics To Watch” byVariety. In 2017, his truTV documentary The Problem with Apu was released to critical acclaim and spurred a global conversation about race and representation. The Nation called it “a devastating critique of the ultimate comedic sacred cow: The Simpsons.” It is now used in high school, college and grad school curriculums around the US.

Hari has also released two comedy albums, Waiting for 2042 & Mainstream American Comic with legendary indie rock label Kill Rock Stars. Additionally, he has performed onsuch shows as Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman among many others. He is also a former writer & correspondent on the much loved, Chris Rock produced FX show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.

A regular on the public radio, Hari is a panelist on the NPR game show Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me. As a podcaster, he co-hosted the popular Politically Reactive with dear friend W. Kamau Bell. Additionally, he also co-hosts what he politely describes as a “pop up podcast,” The Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Podcast with his younger brother Ashok (“Dap” from HBO’s Chillin’ Island and defunct rap group Das Racist.)

Hari attended both Bowdoin College and Wesleyan University, graduating from the former institution with a B.A. in Comparative Politics. A former immigrant rights organizer in Seattle who worked under the leadership of now-Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Hari also earned a Masters in Human Rights from the London School of Economics in 2008. He was the “Artist In Residence” at NYU’s APA Institute for the 2014-2015 Academic Year and at Shangri La Museum in Honolulu in 2018.

With over a billion streams across his 8 albums, Chad Daniels is one of the most listened-to comedians of all time. A Minnesota native, Chad has spent over 20 years touring the country, bringing his sharp wit to audiences nationwide. He’s made 6 late-night appearances is one of only 13 comics ever featured on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien. Chad’s latest special, EMPTY NESTER, was shot in his hometown of Minnesota and recently premiered on Netflix. Chad co-hosts the podcast PRETEND PROBLEMS with his girlfriend Kelsey Cook, as well as Middle of Somewhere with his buddy Cy Amundson.