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Laugh Factory owner explains Long Beach flop
September 22nd, 2008, 4:11 pm · 8 Comments · posted by KELLI SKYE FADROSKI, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
I was feeling really bummed about the show at the Laugh Factory on Saturday night. With all of the hype and all of the no-shows, it left me hoping this wasn’t a sign of things to come for the place. The venue itself, as I said in the article, was spectacular — any comic (at least the ones I know) would be stoked to perform on a stage like that.
My spirits were lifted today, however, when Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada called me to explain, but not defend, the opening-night mishaps.
According to Masada, a series of unfortunate events took place . The valet parking situation hadn’t been worked out. Dane Cook had to cancel at the last minute due to promotion obligations for his new film My Best Friend’s Girl. Jamie Kennedy had an accident on the 405 on his way to the show. Brad Garrett had to pull out last-minute as well — hard to do much else on Emmys weekend — but he will be performing at the venue in a few weeks. (Details coming soon. Check back at laughfactory.com).
Masada calls Saturday’s event a “soft opening” and plans to do an even bigger event in about six weeks, in which he hopes to have even the smallest of kinks fully worked out.
Masada, who has owned the Los Angeles Laugh Factory for 29 years, has always been a huge supporter of the stand-up scene. So many comic greats have graced his club - Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Jim Carrey and Eddie Murphy, just to name a few. Masada says he created the beautiful $10 million Long Beach spot because he wanted to give comedians the type of venue they deserve to perform in.
“A lot of places just open up a club, they paint it black and put up a spotlight and a mic and then say, ‘We’re a comedy club,’” he says. “They don’t give the comics the dignity they deserve.”
He loves comedy and says that without comics, he would be lost.
“When I came to this country (from Israel), I was sleeping in a garage,” he says. “Absolutely, without stand-up comedy, I would not be where I am today.”
Bottom line: Masada’s goal is to ensure everyone has a good time, and is backing his word. If you had tickets to Saturday’s event (and can prove it) and came away dissatisfied, Masada wants to hear about it. You can reach him or one of his staff members at 323-848-2804.
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The joke was on the people who paid $75-$125 per ticket.
Why wasn’t the crowd offered an explanation on the night of the event?
Why wasn’t some type of compensation future admission ticket offered then & there?
Now if you had tickets to Saturday’s event *and can prove it* and came away dissatisfied,
Masada wants to hear about it? Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada has no credibility.
Why the $#@! did Masada pick Long Beach?!?!?!?!? Especially if he has so much experience. IT’S A TOILET BOWL!
Hey folks, things happen. I am glad the Laugh Factory came to Long Beach. Masada gives comics respect and he gives his audience respect by bringing a classy club to Long Beach. I am excited that he chose this venue.
To Santori,
Toilet bowl? Well I guess everyone has a right to their comments so I guess you being from El Monte need to know that is where the Toilet bowl crap end when we flush… Any way a new club will always experience some sort of problems on opeaning night. Get over it.
I for one LOVE the fact that the Laugh Factory is in Long Beach. We’ve been waiting FOREVER. I don’t know how Saturday night’s show went but Thursday night was GREAT. Despite the drunk chic that got tossed out. The comics were great, the staff were extremely welcoming and hospitable. I for one will continue to show up and will do everything I can to promote the club. I see great things happening in the future for the Laugh Factory in Long Beach.
Went to the “soft-opening” in August. Sad that still a month later things haven’t improved.
There is a $1 charge per ticket if you pay by credit card. I can totally understand this since nobody uses credit cards right?! No mention of it on the website or when you call.
Next is the set up; the seats are too high off the ground and the “tables” are odd and not conducive to drinking/eating.
The wait staff seem oblivious to the fact that they work in a comedy club. They actually don’t bend down but stand right in the way and more surprisingly try to talk over the comics!
You can hear glass clinking and cackling from the kitchen. The floor and wait staff congregate in the back and regale each other with fascinating stories from their really eventful lives. The comics are hanging out upstairs and having a grand time. It is near impossible to focus on the stage let alone even hear anything.
Ordered an Outback quesadilla. Once it arrived was told that I still needed to order drinks. Confused I asked and was told that you can order 12 items from the menu but you still needed to order two drinks. No 2 “item” minimum here.
The Outback quesadilla tasted like a salt lick. Waitress told us (loudly) that she would see what she could do. Came back and explained (to everyone within a 20 foot radius) that since it was Outback food they couldn’t take it off the bill; I would still have to pay for it with 2 bites gone. They did “give” me a ticket for another show. Had to ask for my drinks (that I was forced to order) several times. Came out tasting like there was soap in the glass. I gave up. Heard later that the show ended around midnight - started at 8pm.
Was given ONE ticket for a future show. “Complimentary” ticket expired in under a month and not valid for the “grand opening”.
Tickets are on average $25; terrible service; LOUD competitive staff; overpriced horrible food - sounds like a great way to spend money!!
Sounds like The Hollywood Laugh Factory.
Also poorly run. They have the nerve to try and charge comics $20 to watch an open mic show at 6 PM on a Tuesday. The Worst Open Mic show in the city. The Laugh Factory is the only club I know of that charges comics if they want to watch the show and it’s NOT sold out.
The Comedy Store and the Hollywood Improv would never ask a comic to pay for a ticket to watch their friends.
It looks very nice from the outside…I need to go…. I’m so glad it’s here….I can walk to it …maybe some retail will pop up around the Laugh Factory..