The Comedy Store (California)
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Coordinates: 34°05′42″N 118°22′26″W / 34.09510°N 118.37384°W
The Comedy Store is a comedy club located in West Hollywood, California, at 8433 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip.
The Comedy Store was opened in April 1972 by comedians Sammy Shore and Rudy DeLuca. The building was formerly the home of Ciro's, originally a nightclub owned by William Wilkerson and later a rock and roll venue,[1] where The Byrds were discovered in 1964. Sammy Shore's ex-wife Mitzi Shore gained ownership of the club in a divorce settlement.
Beginning in 1979, The Comedy Store served for many years as the host location for the annual HBO Young Comedians specials.
Also in 1979, stand-up comedians formed a short-lived labor union and demanded to be paid for their appearances at the Comedy Store. For five weeks, several famous comedians staged a protest in front of the club, while others crossed the picket line. After the strike some comedians were no longer allowed to perform at the club, including Steve Lubetkin, who committed suicide in front of the building by jumping off the roof of the Continental Hyatt House next door. His suicide note read: "My name is Steve Lubetkin. I used to work at the Comedy Store."
In 2005, Sammy Shore's son Pauly Shore starred in the TBS reality show Minding the Store. The series followed Shore as he took control of The Comedy Store and attempted to revitalize it.
The Comedy Store has a sister comedy club in La Jolla, San Diego, California.[2]
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[edit] Television features
The Comedy Store has been featured on many television specials, including an episode of Unsolved Mysteries, for its reputation as being a haunted establishment.[1] Staff members testify that "trickster ghosts" play pranks on them during the off-hours of the club. One incident even depicts a malevolent spirit in the basement of the comedy club.
[edit] Alumni
[edit] References
- ^ a b Ogden, Tom (1999). "The Comedy Store". The Complete Idiot's Guide to Ghosts and Hauntings. Alpha Books. p. 284. ISBN 9780028636597. OCLC 42714505. http://books.google.com/books?id=OxuiLy0FhuoC&pg=PA284.
- ^ "The Comedy Store, La Jolla". The Comedy Store. http://comedystorelajolla.com/. Retrieved on 2009-05-28.
