Comedy and Magic Club
Chris Rock had a problem, Comedy and Magic Club owner Mike Lacy recalled.
The comic legend was workshopping material for his Oscars hosting gig, hopping from club to club throughout L.A. But as soon as he stepped off the stage, his jokes had spread across social media, spoiled by audience members and their cameras.
Then, he got a tip. Jerry Seinfeld told Rock about the Comedy and Magic Club, an in-town place with an out-of-town feel, as comedian Craig Shoemaker calls it.
In two weeks, Lacy recounted, Rock got more work done in Hermosa Beach than he had made stick in two months.
“It really pays tribute to the South Bay — the people here are so good, they get it, they’re smart, and they’re not jaded,” Lacy said.
That’s why big-name comedians, like weekly performer Jay Leno, come back, time and time again.
“It feels more like a cool theater that’s focused on the art form, supporting their efforts, than a club,” Lacy said.
1018 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach; 310-372-1193.; ComedyAndMagicClub.com.
