Appropriately titled to reflect our economic hardship, or the way everyone seems to be feeling these days, the “Big Broke Comedy Show” at Mirage Café in Long Beach was a delightful treat. Probably because for once, finding something enjoyable to do on a Saturday night didn’t cost a thing.
The show, put on by five comedians, had an open-mic feel to it, creating an intimate and relaxing environment. Each comedian performed for nearly ten minutes in front of an audience of roughly 15 people, half of which where the comedians’ friends. Relationships, drugs, the state of our economy, and especially the holidays were the hot subjects of the night. One would think that the holidays would bring out the best in people, but not for some of the comedians at the “Big Broke Comedy Show.”
One of the featured performers, Matt Claybrooks, a graduate of Cal State Long Beach who has worked and toured with Chris Rock, had a dark twist to the word comedy. His negativity about the holidays dampened the ambience of the room when he explained, for the full ten minutes, that he had no reason to live, especially during the Christmas.
Another comedian, Chris Rubio, brought the “lol” out of the 12 people in the room. His demeanor was light, spunky, and fresh. One joke that resonated was how “fast food is only getting faster” that before you know it, your food will be ordered, eaten, and digested for you by the time you get to the second drive through window.
As the night progressed, prizes were given out by comedian Anthony Browning to show appreciation for the audience’s support. One of the prizes, a DVD that was tossed out like a Frisbee, landed conveniently on my head, so as a disclaimer, if you’re interested in visiting the “Big Broke Comedy Show,” bring a helmet.
The location of the show itself set the tone of the atmosphere for the night. An authentic, laid-back, unique coffee and hookah spot, Mirage Café is a cozy, hip and inviting place to escape from the redundancy of a Starbucks. The Café offers free wifi- connection, good Baklava, tasty hookah, and entertainment every Thursday, Friday and Sunday ranging from open mic to stand up comedy.
Overall, it’s great way to spend a Saturday night with friends, your flavor of the week, or even on your own without breaking your budget. For free laughs and a funky place to kick back, I give the “Big Broke Comedy Show” 3.5 out of 5 stars, and will definitely visit again soon.
