Buffalo Comedy: Tons of local and national comedy shows alike are happening in Buffalo in the coming week. The Comedy Buzz is your guide to laughs this weekend.

(Above: Jay Oakerson in This Is Not Happening (2013). Photo by Jesse Grant – © Comedy Central)

By Jason Pomietlasz

Gas prices are still a little high, and while some Buffaloians no longer stop for red lights or stop signs, there are better ways to improve your MPG. Ridesharing or carpooling, if you’re from the New England area, is always an option when going to live comedy. 

Thursday, June 18

Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave., Suite w, Buffalo.
Improv Mixer, a relaxed environment to try out improv or just to watch. Sign-ups at 6:45 p.m., 7 p.m. start. $5 suggested or pay what you can. 

Mr. Goodbar, 1110 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, 8 p.m. Free.
Open mic comedy on the second floor. Sign-ups at 7 p.m, hosted by the above average height Bennett Solowski.

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. 7:30 p.m., tickets $32.99 – 184.99 (Couples package).  

Amber Wallin is a comic and storyteller, specializing in lifestyle and parenting content. Wallin has over 3 million followers across her social platforms thanks to her “Toddler Grievances” series. She co-hosts the podcast “Quit Playin’” and is a regular mainstage host for NPR’s The Moth.  

Friday – Saturday, June 19 – 20 

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. Times vary, tickets $32.99 – 184.99 (Couples package).

Big Jay Oakerson has built his audience the organic way, moving to New York, becoming a better comic and constantly touring. Oakerson uses a lot of crowd work in his act and he wears fingerless gloves as an homage to Andrew Dice Clay. He founded “SkankFest,” a three-day, fan-focused comedy festival with roast battles and live podcasts. Oakerson co-hosts the daily radio show The Bonfire with Robert Kelly on SiriusXM. His last special “Them/They,” a full crowd work special, is available on YouTube.

Friday, June 19

Buffalo Comedy Collective, 155 Chandler Street, Buffalo. 

Comedy Sportz match-up. Two teams “competitively” play short form improv games with suggestions from the audience, who also decides the winner. 7 p.m., tickets $18. 

The BCC Shorties hit the stage with host and coach, Sal Winston, for a fast-paced shortform show and all they need is suggestions from the audience. 9 p.m., tickets $12.

Saturday, June 20 

Buffalo Comedy Collective, 155 Chandler Street, Buffalo. 

ComedySportz Saturday match-up. Two teams “competitively” play short form improv games with suggestions from the audience, who also decides the winner. 7 p.m., tickets $18. 

Rookie Knights Showcase. Aspiring drag performers have been honing their skills and will present their unique style and personality through performance. 9 p.m., tickets $12.

Buffalo Improv House, 255 Great Arrow Ave., Suite 207, Buffalo.

Musical Improv Student Showcase. The students of Musical Improv Comedy Level one class will show off what they learned. All scenes will lead into song and every character, lyric, note and dance move is improvised. 6 p.m., tickets $8 presale or $10 general admission. 

Musical Improv Mixer, sign-up to try musical improv, maybe for the first time. You will be paired with a fellow improviser and the scene will lead into song, facilitated by the host. 7 p.m., tickets $5.

Various Factors Presents: The Movie From Memory The Musical. A lot of popular movies have been made into musicals in the past few years; Back to the Future, Death Becomes Her, Frozen, etc. Bring the title of your favorite movie and watch it be turned into a musical with songs, dialogue and choreography made up on the spot. 8:30 p.m., tickets $15 presale or $20 general admission.

Sunday, June 21 

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. 7:30 p.m., tickets $32.99 – 184.99 

Tiera Oleary made it to the finals on Kenan Thompson’s “Road to New York” comedy competition and built comedic momentum through online engagement and brings her characters to live on stage. 

Monday, June 22

Hen House, 690 Hertel Street, Buffalo, 7 p.m.

The Bird Soup Comedy Open Mic. A new open mic hosted by Brody Walsh and Connor Mink who love a good bird pun. Sign-ups start at 6 p.m. Free.

Tudor Lounge, 335 Franklin Street, Buffalo, 8:30 p.m. 

Comedy Open Mic Comedy. Start your week by hearing new premises and jokes. Once again hosted by the venerable Don Johnson with a bucket draw. Sign-ups at 7 p.m. Free.

Tuesday, June 23

Nietzsche’s, 248 Allen Street, Buffalo, 9 p.m. Free

Rust Belt Comedy Showcase, Buffalo’s longest running comedy show hosted by Jake Samson and Jake Piskor, also known as the two Jakes. Sign-ups at rustbeltcomedy.weebly.com. Free. 

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. 7 p.m., tickets $14.99 – 24.99 

The preliminary round continues with contestants Kevin Kelly, Anthony Sundquist, Gian Misso, Eddo, Alex Sum Else, Kelsey McCormick, Alex Brady, Merwin, Trebor Finnegan, Jake Bauer, Jesse Winterhalter, Jake Postman and Claire Deal.  

Wednesday, June 24

Milkie’s Elmwood Lounge, 522 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo. 

Comedy Open Mic Comedy. Sign-ups at 7 p.m. or online, show starts at 9-ish p.m. Hosted by the super funny Jesse Winterhalter. Free. 

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. 7:30 p.m., tickets $28.99 – 176.99 (Couples package).

Dru Montana is the reigning, defending champion of the Preble Frog Pulls, an infamous decades-old summer festival held at the historic Preble Hotel in Preble, New York and features live frog races where participants encourage frogs to pull tiny, blue plastic carts attached around their necks, with a party atmosphere. Montana is a regular at Skankfest and has two popular podcasts “Durag and the Deertag” and “Digital Bazooka.”

---

Have a comedy event you want to add, email lakeeffectcomedy@gmail.com.