Laugh Factory

Two types of comics are on display at the Laugh Factory: recognizable television commodities and young upstarts managed by opportunistic owner Jamie Masada -- a man whose efforts to open the club to the needy every Thanksgiving are dwarfed only by his colossal publicity campaign about the event.

But say what you want about him, Masada runs a great club. It's clean, the acts are vibrant, the shows run on time and the audience is the most responsive in town. For a nice mix, try Tuesday night. It's open-mic for an hour (be kind; these comics wait as long as eight hours to get up there), usually followed by industry showcases. It's a great time to watch stars delivering their best lines under pressure.

Late at night, TV commodities play around with new material, which is interesting if you're an aficionado. Soak up the atmosphere, generously provided by the producers of "Comic Strip Live," and don't believe any stories about the ghost of Groucho Marx. (The only one who's claimed to see him is, curiously, Mr. Masada.)


Performances: Stand-up comedy.
Special features: Bar menu.
Tickets: $18-$20
Weekly schedule: Mon., Latino night and La Casa de Risa; Tue., all-star comedy and Life of the Party With Jay Davis; Wed., An Evening With Jon Lovitz; Thu., Asian Night and College Night; Fri -Sat., continuous comedy and Midnight Madness; Sun., Chocolate Sundaes.