Laugh till you cry
Pittsburgh comedians, clubs laughing through the pain during pandemic
Comedy is an art form designed specifically to make audiences feel good. You go to a club, watch some folks on stage try to make you laugh and immerse yourself in their craft for an hour or two.
So what happens when comedians aren’t feeling particularly funny? Where does the laughter go during a global pandemic?
“It was a year filled with loss, not just career-wise but also a lot of other stuff,” said Amanda Averell, owner of Burning Bridges Comedy Club in Lawrenceville. “It’s tough to process, especially because it’s still happening.”
Sure, there are comedians out there right now showing off their funny bones in virtual performances, podcasts, TikTok videos and the occasional outdoor live show. But that doesn’t do much for comics seeking personal fulfillment or trying to keep a roof over their heads.
“It was hard to make money as a comedian in Pittsburgh before the pandemic,” said Day Bracey, 38, of Beaver. “With all the virtual shows going on ... whether the quality is the same or not is a judgment call, but I do know the money is different.”
‘Hard profession’
Every local comedian lost work in 2020 because COVID-19 made putting on live shows a safety hazard. Some pivoted to whatever options were available, while others put their comedy aspirations on hold.
Steel Valley native Aaron Kleiber, 39, was set to have a big 2020 that included opening for Harland Williams’ countrywide tour, releasing his comedy special “Grown Ass Dad” and performing a small role in Showtime series “Rust” that was set to begin filming in the Pittsburgh area last March.
When the pandemic hit, “Grown Ass Dad” was released on Amazon Prime Video and Kleiber did the occasional
virtual show while mostly staying home to keep his three kids, wife and their parents out of harm’s way. He said comedy is already “a hard profession” that’s just getting harder, especially for families.
“If I perform live, we wouldn’t be able to see them, and that’s super important,” he said. “I would pick that over making my inner child filled with glee from doing comedy. It’ s worth keeping them safe .”
Bracey was more equipped for COVID-19 than some comics because he was already doing his Drinking Partners podcast and writing a beer comedy column for the Pittsburgh Current. But it turns out that when no one’s out, booking podcast guests and writing about bars becomes much more difficult. He also quickly realized that virtual comedy just wasn’t his thing.
“I’m in awe of the people who were able to transition to a digital format,” Bracey said. “It just didn’t really work for my style. I would rather not do comedy than do bad comedy.”
It did, however, work for Anna Failla, a 27-year-old Lawrenceville resident who was doing something comedy-related almost every day of the week pre-pandemic. The rest of the time she works full time as an analyst for Dick’s Sporting Goods. She’s not a huge fan of “Zoomprov,” but she’s helped produce multiple online shows and urges Pittsburgh comedy fans to invest in humor before it’s too late.
“Maybe instead of your Hulu subscription for the month, you take that money and say you’re going to watch five comedy shows and put $5 to each of them. ... We vote with our money. When we give somebody money, we’re saying we value what you do and we want to see more of it.”
Tough crowds
Comedy clubs have also felt the pandemic’s wrath. Local comedians and audiences lost a major venue when Hambone’s in Lawrenceville permanently closed in October after the death of owner Jeff Holt a few weeks earlier.
Venues are treading water and doing what they can to survive, said Jason Clark, general manager of Downtown’s Arcade Comedy Theater.
“We’ve always believed: Take care of our audiences and performers. It’s all about their comfort level and safety — everything we can do to make the experience feel best. There’s no rush back into the room. It’s all about a gradual build back.”
Paul Tebbets, general manager of the Waterfront’s Pittsburgh Improv, said his
club was projected to have its best year financially in 2020 and wound up having its worst. He was forced to furlough his 50-plus employees and is currently the only one working.
He said the Improv, which has been around since 1963 and is equal parts restaurant and comedy club, is just biding its time before touring acts feel comfortable stopping by again.
“We’re sad we’re not doing comedy and we all want to go back to it as soon as possible,” he said. “We want to do it safely, and we want to see our local comedians that are working hard get to put their best foot forward.”
New blood
Against all odds, a new comedyvenue will be giving it ago this year. Los Angeles based co median Steve Hofstetter recently moved to Pittsburgh to start a “livework-play space” for standups in a former Stanton Heights church that he has dubbed Steel City Arts Foundation.
Hofstetter continues to work on the logistics of getting Steel City AF ready to launch while still reeling from the mixed response his December announcement received from the local comedy community. Some welcomed the idea of a new space for comedians to hone their craft, while others were skeptical of an outsider’s intentions.
“It’s a weird dichotomy of very passionate beliefs,” Hofstetter said. “I chose Pittsburgh because I like it, not because my parents happen to be there. I’m not from there. I chose it because I actively want to be there.”
Some comedy insiders felt blindsided by Steel City AF’s abrupt reveal in a Post-Gazette story in December.
Hofstetter tried to rectify that by reaching out individually and holding a Zoom town hall to assuage concerns.
Averell used the phrase “cautious optimism” to describe her feelings about Steel City AF. Bracey says it will prove to be a good idea “if it’s done fairly and equitably.” And Justin Zell, cofounder of Steel City Improv in Shadyside, welcomes Hofstetter’s plans.
“I was really impressed with what he was doing,” he said. “I’m for whatever reminds people that comedy is an option.”
Show goes on
Most comedians and venue owners feel there will be a voracious appetite for live comedy once enough people are vaccinated.
“I feel like everyone is experiencing COVID fatigue,” Averell said. “Once restrictions are lifted and we’re able
to get out and go to theaters again, I think there’s going to beno better time for comedy.”
That sentiment was echoed by Zell: “A lot of Pittsburghers have been good about the pandemic, wearing a mask, being safe .... I think every live theater venue will be doing really, really well by the end of the year. And I know people are clamoring for it.”
Nothing would make Abby Fudor, Arcade Comedy’s managing artistic director, happier than to present comedy again on an indoor stage.
“Five months into the pandemic, I was like, I’ll do comedy in a cage, underwater, for sharks .... We didn’t found a theater to be on Zoom and outdoors, but those are our options to keep our community safe.”