Magooby's Joke House

So you don't live in Downtown Baltimore, and you don't feel like driving down there just to catch a comedy show? No problem! Magooby's Joke House is located in Northeast Baltimore County, and offers the same experience, minus the hassle of finding a parking spot.

In addition to featuring ample free parking, Magooby's is reasonably priced at $12 plus the usually two item minimum. Looking at the lineup, they seem to feature the same acts as the Baltimore Comedy Factory, usually the week before or after. Be sure to keep Magooby's in mind for something new on the weekend!

Current Happenings in Baltimore

Exactly what is going on in the next couple months in the comedy scene? I’ll try to be a source for local comedy events, but, as always, if you something to add, please comment or email me. So far:

March 30 : There will be Stoop Storytelling at Centerstage. This performance features seven people who are given seven minutes to tell their stories and entertain. The theme is “You want fries with that?: Stories about jobs, careers and working for ‘the Man.’”

Centerstage is located at 700 N. Calvert Street. The show starts at 8 pm.

April 3: Lily Tomlin, an Oscar nominee and Tony and Grammy award winner, will be performing stand-up at the Lyric Opera House.

The Lyric Opera House is located at 140 W. Mount Royal Ave. The show starts at 8pm.

April 10-11: Mike Von, a Chicago-based, Baltimore born comedy doing stand-up back home at the Baltimore Comedy Factory.

The Baltimore Comedy Fatcory is located at 36 Light Street. April 10 shows: 8 pm, 10 pm and 12 pm. April 11 shows: 7 pm, 9 pm and 11 pm.

April 12: Comedian Alabama, manager of the Baltimore Comedy Factory, will be performing stand-up Easter Sunday at the club.

The address of the club is listed above. The show starts at 7 pm.

April 18 : Dave Attell, known for his show Insomniac, will be performing at Rams Head Live in the Power Plant downtown. -

Rams Head Live is located at 20 Market Place. The show starts at 8 pm.

Chatting with Comedian Alabama - Q & A Edition

Comedian Alabama not only does stand-up, he also manages the Baltimore Comedy Factory downtown. After a quick chat with him, here's what he had to say:

What is your real name? Are you originally from Alabama, and if so, what brought you to Baltimore?
Well my birth name is Deshawn Frazier, and I’m orginially from Talladega, Alabama, home of the world’s fastest NASCAR track in the world (my small city’s claim to fame). I moved to Baltimore in June 2001; my then wife was from B’more and I followed her up here.

When did you decide that you wanted to pursue comedy as a career?
I’ve been in this business for seven years and this is my world. I pursued stand-up prior to arriving here in Maryland. I went to open mics and began developing different routines. I also met veteran comedians who helped me out with advice and I took it all in. I developed my own comedy style.

What comedians inspire you? How did you develop your style?
I grew up watching Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Sinbad and many more. I studied comedian greats like Milton Berle and Redd Foxx, and I admired the way they’d get the crowd laughing and they never stopped laughing.

How has the Internet helped with your career or the club? Do you have any upcoming projects, events or shows you want me to mention?
The Internet is good for finding clubs and helping me to promote outside of the box. I have an Easter show, April 12th at 7 pm. I’ll be doing stand-up at the Baltimore Comedy Factory that day.

The Baltimore Comedy Factory

It's great to watch stand-up comedians on Comedy Central and other networks, but the live experience is definitely a great way to spend an evening with your friends. Baltimore has plenty of opportunities to see comedy, and a lot of venues offer specials for certain nights.

One of the most notable comedy clubs locally is the Baltimore Comedy Factory. Here's the details: you must be 18 years old or over, admission is $17, and there's a two drink minimum. Keep this quick tip in mind though, if you sign up for their email list, they will send you tickets either waiving the entry fee or for unlimited drinks (the latter is my preference). Also, Burke's, the restaurant underneath the club, has great food and the servers are incredible. If you let them know that you’re going to see a show, they make sure to get you in and out, no matter how crowded it is.

The Baltimore Comedy Factory is located at the corner of Light Street and Lombard Street downtown, and there are shows every Thursday – Saturday nights. So when you’re looking for laugh on the weekends, keep the Comedy Factory in mind!