Menu of surefire laughs launches the new year
Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops and Jeff B. Davis.
The 2020 touring version of the show doesn’t have Brady or Mochrie, but it does include veteran comedian Joel Murray (“Mad Men,” “God Bless America”), so there will be plenty of laughs to go around.
8 p.m. Feb. 13. $39$59. Luther Burbank Center, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. www.lutherburbankcenter.org; 8 p.m. Feb. 14. $37$65. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium, 10 Ave. of the Flags, San Rafael. www.marincounty.org; 8 p.m. Feb. 15. $39.50$59.50. San Jose Civic Center, 135 W. San Carlos St., San Jose. www.sanjosetheaters.org
Fabulously Funny Comedy Festival: This festival highlights some fantastic comedy veterans, including Sommore, “Breaking Bad” actor Lavell Crawford and Oakland native Mark Cooper of “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper.” Headliner Mike Epps is mostly known for his acting roles, including the recent hit “My Name Is Dolemite,” but he’s been a standup comic for much longer.
7 p.m. Feb. 22. $59$125. Oakland Arena, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland. www.coliseum.com
Bobby Lee: A part of what makes Bobby Lee exciting to watch is that he looks like he would do anything for a laugh. His performance is typically unhinged and even when he was on a scripted show like “Mad TV,” he looked like he could tap into the same uncontrollable comic energy.
7 and 9:30 p.m. Feb.28March 1. $25$75. San Jose Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose. www.improv.com/sanjose
Norm Macdonald: The “Saturday Night Live” alum behind the underrated movie “Dirty Work” and Netflix show “Norm Macdonald Has a Show,” is at his best just telling jokes. The jokes can even be bad and he will still find a way to milk a few laughs out of them.
7:30 and 9:30 p.m. March 1314. $28$78. San Jose Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose. www.improv.com/sanjose
Doug Stanhope: He’s not a household name, but Doug Stanhope should be. He’s like Bill Hicks but with a greater appetite for partying, able to vacillate with ease from cutting social commentary to jokes about hangovers. While his gravelvoiced delivery already makes his performance a treat, he has decades of material — eight specials worth — filled with insightful bits, like his hall of fameworthy take on nationalism.
8 p.m. March 1719. $45$55. Cobb’s Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave., S.F. www.cobbscomedy.com
Micheal Foulk: Micheal Foulk has the confidence of a longtime comic, though he’s only been at it for a few years. Then again, when you’ve written jokes as tight as his, you have something to be confident about.
A recent transplant to the Bay Area, Foulk is a comic hustler who performs several times a month at local venues. Catch him hosting Oakland’s version of the LGBTQ+ comedy storytelling series “Greetings From Queer Mountain” every month at Temescal Brewing in Oakland.
7:30 p.m. every first Tuesday. Free. Temescal Brewing, 4115 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. www.facebook.com/queermountainoakland