In my previous life, I used to write sketch comedy for fun at the iOWest and Second City in…read moreHollywood, until that wet blanket of a pandemic closed both venues. UCB was also on my schedule to support my comedian friends on stage. Back then, I'd catch a comedy show multiple times a week - and I realized I really miss that part of me. Laughter is sunshine for the soul and it makes me happy to get my daily stress out with some giggles.
*** COMEDY x SPORTS BAR ***
To keep with the Yelp Elite's 2026 theme of doing more hobbies, I decided to tap into one of mine, which I almost totally forgot about. So when I heard about HOLLY STARR'S OPEN MIC night from one of the guests I met at The LA Breakfast Club last month, I thought I'd check it out. I was in the Culver City area on a random Tuesday and wanted to avoid LA traffic back to the Eastside.
*** THE PUB STUFF ***
Joxer Daly's is a great sports bar with lots of TVs, a decent-sized stage with seating area, and some fun games in the corner. Every Tuesday at 8pm, that stage is set for LA's comedians who want to try out new material in an intimate setting. There's a ONE DRINK MINIMUM, which isn't hard considering they have a slew of brews on tap, one cider, and a full bar with top shelf choices & well drink specials. There's also bar food to snack on. Since I was drinking Guinness, it also served as my dinner for the night.
*** THE DEETS FOR COMEDIANS ***
7:45pm. SIGN UP. The FIRST 10 to sign up, get center stage and all eyeballs focused on them for a dedicated amount of time. What I liked about this crowd is that everyone was really cool and it felt like a community. Some of the comedians were friends, some were stopping by to just test their wit. Some jokes landed, some not so much. Either way, no hecklers in this crowd and everyone put on their big boy/girl pants to show their respect. All the support was genuine. And it was all very inclusive with a he, she, they in the bunch offering diverse POVs and different styles & punchlines.
Other highlights: From what I heard, there's always at least one professional, touring comic at the mic. So you never know who may show up. (This is LA of course.) Also, no need to search endlessly for a spot or feed a meter while anxiously checking your watch because there's plenty of FREE STREET PARKING, which is a luxury on the Westside. And laughs are also complimentary.
Perhaps one day, I may dare to step up to that mic, but I'll need to excavate my pent up mommy issues or let another decade or pandemic pass. For now, I'll hide behind my laptop and save the stage for the real comedians in LA trying to make it & make me laugh -- even if I am the butt of their jokes.