Since we’re talking about comedy already, how about we talk about this comedy show I went to?
This is not in the 1,001 things to do in Los Angeles book, but I added it in my own version! I heard about this from my friend Stephen. (He lives in Spain, btw. Someone in Spain knows more cool LA spots than I do… for now. I’m learning!)
Anyway, there’s this place called the Blind Barber. It’s a “speakcheesy” (a phrase coined by one of my editor friends on my last job. It’s a secret little restaurant in the back of a basically unmarked barber shop that’s known for its grilled cheese.
(I know for “LA people,” grilled cheese can be sort of intimidating because some people are trying to eat vegan or gluten-free. Well, guess what? At the bottom the menu, the restaurant states they have a gluten-free bread option and a vegan cheese option! (What, what?) For many non-LA people, those sentences might have sounded ridiculous. But I’m just putting the info out there!)
If I was gonna go to this magical place, I figured I might as well go on the biggest night of the month.
Every month, there’s a Secret Comedy Show. (Obviously it’s not that much of a secret, but that’s what it’s called.)
It’s harder to get into than I imagined. So you’ll have to do a little planning for this one (if you wanna go). First, get on the mailing list. They’ll blast out when they open the spots for the month. I emailed right away and got in. My friend emailed I dunno, what seemed like only a day or couple of days later and didn’t get in. So, email fast!
The spots are free, and they plan for some people not to show up. So, if there’s a chance you’d use a spot, get on that list, baby!
When going to the Secret Comedy show, it doesn’t seem quite as cool as it might be to walk to the little back door in the barber shop – ’cause it’s propped open. And there’s a guy out front taking names. So this is super not secret. But other than that, it has a very speakeasy-type vibe. There’s a lot of candlelight and even some mirror balls on the ceiling.
The show started a little late (’cause it’s LA). But that was cool anyway, ’cause it gave us a chance to get to know our neighbor seatmates a little better. (There was only room left in the back sharing a booth with these guys.)
It was weird to sit in the back. There was a big pole in my way. So I just had to kind of listen to the comedy without watching someone, which felt weird. (Where do I put my eyes?!) But I did get to kind of people watch, which was fun.
The grilled cheese is indeed quite good. The sandwiches are big and filling! My recommendation is to get different kinds and share with the people around you.
I sort of regret eating my entire sandwich (well, half of mine and half of my friends – so my whole new one) because I was so full!
So, go hungry. (Go really hungry, ’cause they have dessert grilled cheese too – which we had no room for, but you could!)
The people running the show were really into it being very quiet in the restaurant. Even the bartender would put his hands in the back room when he had a drink he had to shake (so as to try to do it as quietly as possible). They wanted all the attention on the comedians.
I haven’t been to a ton of stand-up shows. I’m not sure that that’s usually how it is. I’ve been to the Comedy Store a couple of times and I feel like I always hear some people chatting in the back. But I don’t really know what stand-up show etiquette is. Maybe that’s how it always is.
Anyway, it was a good night! (In case you’re wondering, I got the #9 – the grilled cheese with pickles. Mmmmm, pickles. One of my favorite foods!)