At 10 p.m. on Feb. 16, the crowd in Laffs Comedy Caffé watched as the lights turned off and the spotlights lit up the exposed brick in the front of the room. After a voice overhead introduced Dylan White as the host, he moved up stage and began his set, which ranged from jokes about his last name, to quips surrounding discussions with interior decorators and more. As the audience were listening, a fleet of waitstaff flew through the room handing out drinks, appetizers and meals.

For $15, or $20 for preferred seating, a night of comedy is open to anyone over the age of 21 at Laffs Comedy Caffé. 

Many people, like Rithy Meas, choose these live events “because of the environment and because you get the close interactions with the comic themselves and with the audience.” Also, a friend of Meas got free tickets for them.

Some people are interested in these events because of the headliners, like John Novosad or ‘Hippieman’ who performed that night. Tony Bruhn, an employee and comedian who works at the venue, likes Laffs because he “gets to learn from all the people who have been working longer than [him].”

The sense of community that comedy brings is also a major reason people come to the cafe. “You get to really enjoy each other without talking to each other, and I think that it’s kind of beautiful,” Bruhn said.

The night was filled with four different comics each with distinct deliveries, topics and more. After White, Brady Evans was next with his slow intonation while talking to the audience and making jokes about the truthfulness of comedy bits. Johnathan Gregory followed with his yelping, intense delivery and strange approach by using statements, puns, questions and grabbing an audience member’s hands several times during his set.

The night was finished with the headliner ‘Hippieman’ who delivered with a variety of jokes about buses, walking, being an old man and finishing off his set by reading a children’s book that he changed the ending to. While he talked the crowd erupted, not just at the jokes but between punchlines and at his delivery and persona.

“I feel like there is a social aspect that you don’t get at other places, like at a club things could get very loud, you’re isolated, if you want to talk to somebody you’ve got to yell in their ears. Something about comedy that I love is that it’s a room full of complete strangers having a shared experience […], ” White said after the event. 

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