Event

The Comedy Club

Wed Mar 07: 7.15pm

David C. Schendel
US
2016
1h 30m
Series - Visiting Artists
Visiting Artist
** Filmmaker in attendance! **

About

Cobbs Comedy Club in San Francisco first opened in 1982 and became a breeding ground for young comedians hoping to make a name for themselves. Jim Carrey, Dana Carvey, Paula Poundstone, Bob Saget, Ellen DeGeneres, Bobcat Goldthwait, Bill Maher, Kevin Pollak and many more developed at the small club and the bookings and ownership belonged to Tom Sawyer, a true fan with a keen eye for emerging talent.

After a fire destroyed the club in 2002, Tom enlisted a crew of comedians to help rebuild the iconic club, having to move it from its original location to a larger venue. The move combined with the new era of comedy where cable television courted many comedians away from the small stage has Cobbs struggling to survive.

Told completely through archival footage and interviews, filmmaker David C. Schendel (Yank Tanks, 2003) documents the roller coaster ride to re-open and maintain the legendary independent venue, while showing how dedicated one man has to be to keep it open. The Comedy Club, like many of the acts that graced the stage, is not to be missed.