LA comedy calendar: Upcoming stand-up and comedy shows in LA

Just about every alt comedy icon is coming together for this Comedy Gives Back benefit at the intimate Fonda Theatre. The staggering lineup of stand-ups and improvisers includes Patton Oswalt, Zach Galifianakis, Bob Odenkirk and the cast of Mr. Show (including Brian Posehn, Doug Benson, Laura Kightlinger and Mary Lynn Rajskub), with special guest Jon Hamm and more surprise guests to be announced. All ticket sales will go to the nonprofit, which provides a safety net for the comedy community in the form of mental health support and financial relief—including grants for comedians who have been impacted by the fires.

Vibe Check prides itself on spotlighting the some of the country’s “youngest, freshest and chillest” comedians in showcases that have sold out in L.A., New York and Chicago. The lineup at this installment at the Lab at Hollywood Improv—Clay Horwitz, Mario Adrion, Paige Gallagher, Raye Schiller, Jeremy Scippio and Helen Shephard—is made up of up-and-comers you may recognize from late-night TV, streamers or sketches on social media. They promise “unique perspectives and inclusively clever commentary”—all for only $16.

Some of L.A.’s best improvisers, podcasters and actors come together for this wildfire charity live read of the screenplay for 1979’s beloved The Muppet Movie. Participants include Paul F. Tompkins, Nina West, David Dastmalchian, Bobby Moynihan, Hal Lublin and Mark Gagliardi, among many others; Off Book, Jessica McKenna and Zach Reino’s hilarious improvised musical podcast, will handle the music. A portion of proceeds will go to GiveDirectly, which focuses on getting cash directly into the hands of disaster victims. Though in-person tickets are currently sold out, you can still support—and enjoy—the show via a paid livestream.

Ansari shot quickly through the stand-up ranks following his start on MTV’s Human Giant and career-making turns in Judd Apatow’s Funny People and NBC’s Parks and Recreation; the stand-up soon found himself headling arenas with tales about 50 Cent and his cousin Harris and starring in his own lauded Netflix show, Master of None.