KYW Newsradio is taking a look at Philadelphia’s entertainment scenes this week with a series of special reports called “The State of Entertainment.” In the spotlight today: the growing popularity of stand-up comedy.
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PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There are about 300 stand-up comedians in the Philadelphia region — beginners, veterans, and all levels and variations in-between. Live comedy shows are so popular right now that they're popping up in some unconventional venues.
From established clubs like Helium in Rittenhouse and Punch Line in Fishtown (two-drink minimum!), to smaller-stage improv theaters and neighborhood bar open-mics, Gretchen Dietz, 36, says every room is different — and that’s part of the fun.
“I think people like to laugh. They like a release.”
Dietz is a venue planner by day and, for a couple of years now, a stand-up comedian by night. She has performed at Helium and Punch Line. She says people just really like a live show.
“There’s really nothing else like it,” she said.
“It’s one thing, you can watch a Netflix special and say., ‘Oh, that person was really good. I really enjoyed watching that,’ but you show up [to a live performance] and … just that kind of dynamic of life — ‘I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Are they gonna make fun of us? Or are they going to say something really crazy that I thought they weren’t allowed to say anymore?’ It's exciting.”
On the third Monday of every month, Nancy Huang runs a sushi comedy night at Kinme, a BYOB Japanese restaurant near 11th and Locust streets.
“Anybody interested in sushi and a laugh, come on over!” Huang says.
It’s a chance for comics to show their — ahem — raw talent in front of about 30 diners while earning a little cash. But more than that, the show helps — um — hook more sales for the restaurant.
(Hey — comedy, like sushi, isn’t for everybody.)
“On weekdays, you need to have an idea to bring people in — like, to drag them in,” Huang said. “The comedy has been successful. We love it.”
And a sushi restaurant isn’t even the weirdest place to see stand-up in the city. Ask local comic Chris Aileo.
“I’ve done shows in barbershops, climbing gyms, caves,” he said. “You know — anywhere you could put people.”
Caves?
“That was a joke, yeah,” he said.
Aileo, 23, works the clubs and produces shows too. He says comedy is not easy money.
“Running a comedy show as a producer, your profit margins are pretty thin, so you can only afford to pay the comedians so much. So what a lot of shows will do — at the end, they’ll tell the audience, ‘Uh, you know we have a QR code or tip hat over here, and all of that money will be split evenly amongst the comedians,’ and that’s usually pretty helpful,” he said.
“Even at the clubs, the pay isn’t great — and even for headliners if you are touring. A lot of those guys will make most of their money doing podcasts or things like that.”
Philly-based seasoned comedian Chip Chantry, 45, has performed throughout the country. He writes for TV, he has worked with Bob Saget, Dave Chappelle and others, and he also teaches stand-up performance at Helium.
Chantry says stand-up comedy is more popular than ever, and more people want to be in on the joke — not just as audience members but as performers.
“Comedy has gotten more popular, and we are reaching more people on TikTok, on YouTube, on podcasts, whatever. So crowds are more aware of comedy,” he said.
“I swear there's a new club or a new venue or a new comedy night opening every night of the week — which is great.”
Chantry says if you’re going to be a comedian, a big part of the job is self-promotion on social media and telling everyone where you’ll be performing.
“Do you know what it’s like to be in a sports bar in Northeast Philly, where they tell you that it’s comedy night but they don’t tell the regulars? And then, all of a sudden, at 8 o’clock they shut off the Flyers game and say, ‘All right now! There’s a comedy show!’” Aileo said.
“It’s never fun. So we do appreciate those crowds that do seek us out now.”
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