{"id":6874,"date":"2014-11-25T18:42:37","date_gmt":"2014-11-26T02:42:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=6874"},"modified":"2014-11-25T11:45:04","modified_gmt":"2014-11-25T19:45:04","slug":"explore-comedy-hideaway-laugh-it-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=6874","title":{"rendered":"EXPLORE: Comedy Hideaway | Laugh it Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Leslie Dinaberg<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"COMEDY\"

Maz Jobrani at Santa Barbara Comedy Hideaway, photo by Mercedes Lowe<\/p><\/div>\n

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the comedy club, of course! Chickens know how to cluck it up, and now you can, too, at the Comedy Hideaway<\/a>. Andrey Belikov<\/a> launched the venture in 2012, with a single show per week in Goleta. Now the entrepreneurial comic and promoter puts on six comedy shows a week in Goleta and Santa Barbara, and has additional venues in Ventura and Oakland.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll frequently book comics to all three places together,\u201d says Belikov. The reception in Santa Barbara has been really good. \u201cPeople love our shows; they give them 4.5 or 5 on Yelp,\u201d he says. \u201cA lot of clubs in other places are really dated with a two drink minimum, long lines and bouncers\u2014it\u2019s not the best experience. Here in Santa Barbara, we\u2019re more laid back.\u201d<\/p>\n

That laid-back vibe attracts top-notch talent. Recent performers include Iliza Shlesinger\u00a0<\/a>(winner of Last Comic Standing<\/i><\/a>), Taylor Williamson<\/a> (second place winner of America\u2019s Got Talent<\/i><\/a>), Carlos\u00a0Alazraqui <\/a>(Officer James Garcia on Comedy Central\u2019s Reno 911<\/i>)<\/a> and Bryan Callen<\/a> (comedic actor in The Hangover 1 & 2,<\/a> Mad TV<\/a>, Ride Along<\/a><\/i> and Old School<\/i>).<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of our headliners will use Santa Barbara as a place to try out material when they know they\u2019re going to appear on Letterman,\u201d says Belikov. \u201cThey\u2019ll do seven shows just to get ready for a five-minute appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman<\/i><\/a>, which is great for us.\u201d The lineups are usually announced on Sunday night before the Thursday shows and typically include four to six comics: a host, special guests and a headliner\u2014and a lot of special guests are also headliners.<\/p>\n

Goleta Comedy Hideaway<\/b><\/a> is every Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. (inside Petrini\u2019s<\/a>, 5711 Calle Real, Goleta). Santa Barbara Comedy Hideaway<\/b> is every Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. (upstairs at Apero<\/a>, 532 State St.). \u201cThe later shows tend to attract a younger crowd (guests must be at least 18), while the earlier 7:30 p.m. shows get all ages,\u201d says Belikov. \u201cIt really depends upon the headliner. It just keeps growing and growing. It\u2019s been great.\u201d No joke! For more information or to purchase tickets, visit sbcomedy.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Originally published in the Fall\u00a02014 issue of\u00a0Santa Barbara SEASONS Magazine<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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