So two priests, a nun, and a rabbi walk into a bar, and the bartender says, “What is this? Some kind of joke?” OK, not a very funny one (I’ll keep my day job). But given that today is April Fool’s Day, when numerous jokes and pranks are pulled across the land, it seemed appropriate. Everyone loves a good laugh (check out the top 100 April Fool’s pranks of all time or what several prominent IT folks are pulling today), and if you’re on a New York vacation or visiting any other big city, there are plenty of comedy clubs where you can have a few laughs. And since most of these laugh factories are located in the heart of urban centers, they’re rarely far from your Chicago hotel or wherever you might be staying.
Find yourself a cheap flight to one of these laugh-it-up vacation destinations, and you can even use that standard lame joke, “I just flew in from Chicago and boy are my arms tired.” On second thought, don’t. Leave the laughs to the professionals. Here’s where you can enjoy them:
Carolines on Broadway, New York– There’s no bigger, brighter stage than the one on Broadway, and this New York comedy club actually bills itself as “America’s Premier Comedy Nightclub.” It first opened as a cabaret in 1981, but it wasn’t long before the comedians started taking the stage. With live stand-up performances every day of the year, some of the biggest names of comedy have graced the spotlighted stage, including Chris Rock, Janeane Garofalo, Margret Cho, Dane Cook, and Mr. New York himself, Jerry Seinfeld.
Second City, Chicago– Chicago is known as the Second City, but its comedy scene hardly plays second fiddle to anywhere – even the Big Apple. In fact, The Second City Comedy Club is world renowned for its improve and sketch comedy, launching the careers of numerous Saturday Night Live alum and some of the biggest names around, such as John Candy, Bill Murray, Jim Belushi, Mike Myers, Chris Farley, Steve Carell, Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, and Tina Fey. The club features two stages with an original comedy revue performed each night and serves food and drinks during performances.
The Improv, Los Angeles– Welcome to Hollywood, where there’s no business like show business, and no show like an improved one. While originally established on the East Coast, the Improv’s Los Angeles location took stage in 1975, where, as legend has it, Jay Leno helped paint the ceiling to help get the club ready for its opening night. Since that first performance, many notable comedians have cracked jokes such as Adam Sandler, Andy Kaufman, Damon Wayans, Drew Carey, David Letterman, and of course, his night-time, ceiling-painting nemesis. Given its location, you never know who might stop by and take the stage, but there are also 23 other locations across the U.S.
The Punchline, Atlanta– If you live in the South, and have ever laughed at a Jeff Foxworthy joke while watching him perform at the Punchline Comedy Club, you might be a redneck. It’s by far the place to catch a few laughs when on an Atlanta vacation (and help you blow off some steam if you got stuck in that rush hour Atlanta traffic). Aside from Jeff Foxworthy, The Punchline has also featured Ron White, Larry the Cable Guy, Jackie Mason, and Dave Chappelle.
