Showtime’s ‘I’m Dying Up Here’ shows the dark side of making people laugh in 1970s L.A.

It’s the early 1970s and comedy in Los Angeles is king. And ruling over it with an iron fist on the Sunset Strip is one Goldie Herschlag. As played by Oscar winner Melissa Leo (“Frozen River,” “Treme”) on Showtime’s hourlong drama series “I’m Dying Up Here,” premiering Sunday, June 4, she’s the tough-talking, chain-smoking owner of Goldie’s, a comedy club for up-andcomers hoping to be discovered and maybe get on “The Tonight Show.” But that’s only if this hard-bitten mama bear thinks they’re ready to play the main room. “The club is called Goldie’s,” explains Leo, “and if the comics want to stand up and do comedy in her joint, there’s a certain rule she goes by and she does happen to have a particularly really good funny bone. Not that she’s funny, but she knows what’s funny. She knows what works. It doesn’t have to do with the race of the comic or the gender of the comic. She knows what’s funny and funny works. And so she’s gained a reputation around town that if you want a really good comic, you’ll probably come over to Goldie’s to find them.” Among the regulars are Cassie (Ari Graynor, “Mystic River”), a pretty, blond Texan with Santino,comic tongue;Dailya heritageRalphwith personality;pothead“Vicean an Showa (Erik with comicedgy outsizedEdgar “Mixology”),as Principals”),who Griffin,With talent fodderand style;and(Al uses AdamJon physique Madrigal,andTV for “Workaholics”),Bill his Stewart”),writera a his an (RJ (Andrew troubledhungry Mexicanacidact; Cyler, and “The youngwho handyman.young Angarano,In by the Boston Africanday openingClark doubles comics AmericanDuke) episode,as (Michaelarrive Goldie’scomictwo in untilonlyin L.A.a trafficto theyto learn stay can accidenthe’d withfind been regulartheir hours killed buddyafter work, on gang “The nailingat Goldie’sTonightit in his Show.”mournbig breakoneAs theof theirat the fallenbar, one brethren comic over wonders shots if the they funeral, should only bookto bea church correctedfor by Goldie: “You’re in one.” “She’ll kind of morph into what she needs to be for the situation,” Leo says. “She’s canny and brave and courageous in a way, a woman alone doing what she’s doing at the time she’s doing it. I don’t think there’s another human being, never mind didn’t)youas the book whatearlyin stand-upThea world wouldn’tYou frontlineof part man Goldiehere serieshavethe wouldn’t withoutof or in comicssame stand-upwasthe woman,is have entertainmentCalifornia.”based ‘70s, doing namehave what Comedy... doing comedy,. on investing(If in comedyby happenedthe the you William Central.in amongJim doingthe has ’80s. Carrey,the Knoedelsederstand-upits look The executivewhoof showa on cut ’70s the and certainlyhis producerscomedyStrip countsteeth in club, thick side-burned,from cigarettethe bell-bottom-jeanedmod smoke decor and to the the men. come Andoff as none particularlyof the comics happy people.manyIt shouldof the also cast be– amongnoted that them Madrigal,– have backgroundsGriffin and in Santino stand-up, thus adding to the show’s authenticity. “It’s a hard, hard life to be expected to make everyone laugh all the time,” Leo says. “And most of them have that pressure on themselves as much as anything else, and it’s a complicated and dark personality, in fact, that makes us laugh.”