Sun Sentinel Broward Edition

Ansari coming to West Palm Beach

Tour is the comedian’s first since being accused of misconduct.

- By Phillip Valys SouthFlori­da.com pvalys@southflori­da.com or 954-356-4364

After laying low for much of 2018, embattled comedian Aziz Ansari will perform a string of lastminute dates Oct. 23-25 at the Palm Beach Improv in West Palm Beach.

Tickets for Ansari’s threenight stand, added to the Improv’s website and Facebook page on Thursday afternoon, cost $40 with a two-drink minimum at PalmBeachI­mprov.com. The 7:30 p.m. shows are part of his “Working Out New Material Tour,” his first since a woman accused him of sexual misconduct in January.

In January on the website Babe, a woman identified as “Grace” recalled a date that turned sour after Ansari allegedly became sexually aggressive, ignoring what she describes as “verbal and nonverbal cues to indicate” her discomfort. In a published response, Ansari said he was surprised to learn the encounter wasn’t consensual, adding, “I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said.” Several celebritie­s have since have come out in defense of Ansari, such as actor Joel McHale and comedian Retta, Ansari’s former co-star on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.”

Ansari was last in town three years ago on a coheadlini­ng bill with comic Amy Schumer.

Whether this is Ansari’s attempt at a comeback tour is unclear, but he returned to standup in September with unannounce­d sets at New York’s famed Comedy Cellar. The shows follow a trend of famous men who have been accused of and/or admittied to sexual misconduct returning to the comedy circuit, including Louis C.K.’s recent Comedy Cellar sets and Jeremy Piven’s scheduled appearance­s in November at the Palm Beach Improv.

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