Check out these eight comedy acts about to take the stage in and around Sacramento
Get ready to laugh out loud. In honor of International Joke Day, which falls on July 1 every year, here's a list of eight comedy acts—from Jim Gaffigan to Steve Martin to Tracy Morgan—who are bringing the funny to Sacramento in the coming months.
Bobby Slayton
July 7-10 Known as both “pit-bull of comedy” and "Yid Vicious," Bobby Slayton has forged a 30-year career in comedy, working alongside actors John Travolta and Bruce Willis in movies like Get Shorty and Bandits, appearing on The Tonight Show and hosting his own stand-up special on HBO. Slayton will perform at the Punch Line Comedy Club in Arden, regaling the audience with stories of life as a road comic in his typical brutally honest and hilariously spot-on fashion. $15. 8 & 10 p.m. Punch Line Comedy Club. 2100 Arden Way. 925-8500. punchlinesac.com
Honest John
July 8-10 A comic known for his straightforward humor, John Basinger, aka Honest John, has performed in venues throughout Los Angeles and appeared on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. His stand-up shows at Rancho Cordova’s Tommy T’s Comedy Club will feature his satirical spin on topics like death, religion and the upcoming presidential elections. Times vary by date. $20-$25. Tommy T’s Comedy Club. 12401 Folsom Blvd. Rancho Cordova. 608-2233. tommytsrancho.com
Sebastian Maniscalco
July 10 Grab a corn dog and watch this Chicago-born comedian—who has been selling out shows on New York’s comedy circuit—hit the stage during the California State Fair. Maniscalco—whose stand-up routine typically includes bits about his Sicilian heritage and immigrant parents—got his big break in 2006 when Vince Vaughn recruited him for his Wild West Comedy Show and is set to appear in the 2017 comedy The House starring Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler. $10. 8 p.m. Cal Expo. 1600 Exposition Blvd. 263-6247. castatefair.org
Bobby Lee
July 22-24 The eccentric and outspoken Korean-American comedian, who is known for portraying Kim Jong-il and anchor Connie Chung on Mad TV, will go behind the mic for three performances at Punch Line this summer. Lee’s sassy, zany persona has landed him roles in movies and TV shows like Pineapple Express and Curb Your Enthusiasm. $25. 8 & 10 p.m. Punch Line Comedy Club. 2100 Arden Way. 925-8500. punchlinesac.com
Jim Gaffigan
Aug. 5 Dubbed “one of the hottest comedians in the country” by The Wall Street Journal, Jim Gaffigan performed last year for both Pope Francis and a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden, and earned his second Grammy nod for best comedy album. Known for bits about Catholicism, his infatuation with food, and living in New York in a two-bedroom with five kids, Gaffigan will stop by Lincoln on his new “Fully Dressed” tour. $44-$139. 8 p.m. Thunder Valley’s Outdoor Amphitheater. 1200 Athens Ave. Lincoln. 408-7777. thundervalleyresort.com
Steve Martin and Martin Short
Aug. 12 Steve Martin rose to comedy fame in the 1970s with his goofy observational stand-up, taking the stage with an arrow-through-the-head prop long before he became a film star through comedy classics like The Jerk and L.A. Story. Meanwhile, Martin Short became a household name in the early ’80s on Saturday Night Live with characters like the condescending celebrity interviewer Jiminy Glick. These two funnymen will spend an evening in conversation, tossing jabs at each other (Martin at Short’s height and intermittent career, and Short at Martin’s venerable age and pale complexion), and Martin may even play the banjo. $59-$199. 7 p.m. Thunder Valley’s Outdoor Amphitheater. 1200 Athens Ave. Lincoln. 408-7777. thundervalleyresort.com
Paula Poundstone
Sept. 17 A frequent panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me and a regular on the comedy circuit, Paula Poundstone has been described by The New York Times as “a comedian with an amiably witty, improvisational style.” She takes the stage at the Crest Theatre with her dry, observational jokes about family life and current events, as well as her trademark conversational interactions with the audience. $45. 7:30 p.m. Crest Theatre. 1013 K St. 476-3356. crestsacramento.com
Tracy Morgan
Sept. 22 Described by The Chicago Tribune as “one of comedy's most brilliant talents,” the former Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock star will perform his new “Picking Up the Pieces" routine at the Crest in September. The evening is part of the first comedy tour the comedian has embarked upon since his near-fatal 2014 car crash, which left him in a coma for eight days. The Emmy nominee will bring the laughs with his trademark over-the-top storytelling and plainspoken candor on topics ranging from the creative process to his long road to recovery. $45-$65. 7:30 p.m. Crest Theatre. 1013 K St. 476-3356. crestsacramento.com
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