Buffalo Comedy: Tons of comedians perform live in Buffalo this weekend. The Comedy Buzz is your guide to comedy in the Queen City.

(Above: Joe Avanti. Image via joeavanti.com).

By Jason Pomietlasz

Celebrating a birthday today is Mr. T. He brought to life the character B.A. (bad attitude) Baracus and briefly held the heavyweight boxing championship belt in the Rocky universe. And he’s famous for pitying fools that don’t go see live comedy.

Thursday, May 21

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

The Wood and Wine’s Comic Strip, 25 N. Johnson Parkway, Buffalo. 7 p.m., free. 

A brand newish open mic in the Elmwood area hosted by Mamudu Kargbo. With “comic” in the name of the venue, how could they not have an open mic? Sign-ups at 6:30 p.m.

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 $60.70 – 78.26 

Joe Avati is an international comic, born in Australia and of Italian descent, he has performed around the world. Dubbed the “Italian Seinfeld,” his clean material is filled with minute observations on life. Avati holds the record for fastest selling comedy show in Canada, with 3,200 tickets sold in nine minutes. 

Friday – Sunday, May 22 – 24 

Helium Comedy Club, 30 Mississippi Street, Buffalo. Times vary, tickets $32.83 – 192.95 (Couples package).

Tommy Davidson has been performing for four decades and was an original cast member of “In Living Color.” Davidson won the amateur standup competition at the Apollo Theater in 1987, which probably wasn’t easy. After that opened for Patti LaBelle, Kenny G and Luther Vandross. 

Friday, May 22 

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 Comedy Showcase with host Gian Carlo Misso and a hand picked list of local and near local comics. The event is 18+ recommended due to content. 9 p.m., tickets $5.

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

The Happy Hour Improv Jam. Try improv for the first time with experienced improvisers or practice what you have already learned. 6:30 p.m., tickets $5 or pay what you can. 

Collider Night. Collider teams “Unnecessarily Complicated” and “Bad Haircut” will perform different long form styles. 7:30 p.m., tickets $8 presale or $10 general admission. 

Good Neighbors, a monthly show featuring notable Buffalonians telling stories which improvisers use to craft scenes, with proceeds going to charity. This month’s monologist is Drag King superstar Freddie Knight, raising money for Justice for Migrant Families WNY. Knight will end the show with a performance. 8:30 p.m., tickets $22.15 presale, $27.35 general admission or pay-what-you-can at the door. 

Saturday, May 23 

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. 

Buffalo’s Bravest: Standup Show. The lineup is Jessie Winterhalter (Headliner), Katarina Valentine, Josh Prygon, Sierra Little and Shawn Lutz (Host). 9 p.m., tickets $18 presale or $20 general admission.  

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

Standup Class Showcase. Graduates of the standup class perform 4 minute sets. 7 p.m., tickets $8 presale or $10 general admission. 

Babushka is Buffalo’s longest-running long form improv show, with Level 2 Class Showcase opening the show. Babushka has over 50 years of improv experience combined, Todd Benzin and Don Gervasi create an entirely improvised play based on an audience suggestion, playing multiple characters. 8:30 p.m., tickets $15 presale or $20 general admission.

Monday, May 25

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.

**Call to ensure this is still scheduled due to Memorial Day. 

Tuesday, May 26

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. 

Wednesday, May 27

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. 

Open Mic, where over twenty comics will perform their best 3 minutes, 7 p.m., free with two-item minimum.

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