Comedy Shows Thrive During Economic Troubles
It is said that laughter heals. With this in mind, its no wonder why comedy club business thrives during economic downturns. Award-winning comedian Don Barnhart has been around long enough to see this pattern twice already and says, When the economy goes into the toilet, people go into the comedy clubs. They need to laugh and comedy is a stress reliever and during the 80s and 90s when the economy took a downward spiral, comedy clubs were thriving and were seeing that happen again.
Barnhart knows what hes talking about. Throughout the eighties, Barnhart served as the House Emcee, Talent Coordinator and Manager for the prestigious Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, CA where he booked and opened for the comedy superstars of today. We served as the breeding ground for such greats as Jerry Seinfeld, Louie Anderson, Robin Williams, Jay Leno, Tim Allen, Dennis Miller, Ray Ramano, David Spade, Drew Carrey, Jim Carrey and more. These comics would come down to the club and work out their acts and showcase for the agents trying to get on TV. Barnhart remembers making a video-tape for Dennis Miller, an unknown comedian back then. I knew this guy was funny. I offered to come in on my off day to make copies of his video. He was just a broke road comic who couldnt afford to pay me so he bought me lunch. He used that tape to send in to Saturday Night Live and got the job as weekend update anchorperson.
Few people knew the comcs by name back then but just wanted a good laugh. Audiences filled the clubs to get away from the stress of daily life knowing that comedy clubs would fill that void. You could get a decent meal, a few drinks and a great show.
Its happening again as comedy clubs are opening and attendance is overflowing. People still need entertainment and when the economy slides, they dont take as many trips and buy the expensive toys but they still go out. Comedy clubs are an inexpensive alternative and the laughs are guaranteed. When you go to a movie, you may or may not laugh but when you go to a comedy club, you will usually see at least three professional comedians.
Many of the comedians working the clubs today are on the brink of being the next big comedy superstars. By working up to three hundred days a year on the road, they have the time to work out their act and get great. Right now, many people are rediscovering the comedy club as an evening out and are thoroughly surprised at the level of talent. You hear these comics on XM, Sirius, Bob & Tom, or may even have seen them on Comedy Central, Letterman, Conan, Leno and more.
Comedians like Barnhart not only headline the top comedy clubs across the country but they also headline cruise ships and entertain the troops overseas. Barnhart has been doing tour for the military since the early 90s and says, doing shows in Afghanistan and Iraq surrounded by exploding bombs and gunfire makes working a comedy club a dream date.
Don Barnhart is currently in preproduction on a new film that he wrote and will star in called, Freeloaders. He continues to tour over two hundred days a year headlining the top comedy clubs and cruise ships and his company, Don Barnhart Entertainment serves a comedy consultant for several top comedy clubs and is the premier independent booking agency for comedy shows around the world.
For more information please contact Don directly at:
barnhartjr@embarqmail.com
Don Barnhart Entertainment
www.donbarnhart.com
