Mobsters, Murders & Mitzi: The History of The Comedy Store

CW: This episode discusses suicide and abortion.

"The Comedy Store is a dark temple of fear and pain that to this day I believe is built over one of the gates to Hell.” - Marc Maron

It might surprise some to learn that a place meant to bring laughter to audiences every night is the same place hiding some DARK secrets. We're talking MOB secrets. MURDER secrets. Add in some of the funniest people on the planet, a labor strike, LOTS of cocaine and a queen bee that would give even Regina George a run for her money, and you've got the world-famous Comedy Store. Oh, and it's haunted AF.

 

Episode Sources:

The Comedy Store website

“The Dark Organization Behind Some Of The World's Biggest Comedians” by Elizabeth Collins, Jan. 23, 2023

“It’s Not All Laughs at The Comedy Store” by Linda Cauthen, Oct. 29, 2023

“The Comedy Store Celebrates 50 Years on The Sunset Strip” WeHo Times, Apr. 8, 2022

“The Sad Final Days of a Very Funny Man: Inside Comedian Brody Stevens’ Tragic Death” by Scott Johnson, The Hollywood Reporter, June 20, 2019

“Pauly Shore talks growing up at The Comedy Store as iconic Hollywood club turns 50” by Kelli Skye Fadroski, Los Angeles Daily News, Mar. 29, 2022

“Is The Comedy Store Haunted? (We Asked A Regular)” by JD Roberson, Cracked, Oct. 30, 2021

“Leslie Jones' Comedy Store Ghost Encounter”

“Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack” S8, E12, 1996

“The First Comedy Strike” by Richard Zoglin, Time, Feb. 4, 2008

“THE STRIKE OF ’79”

Ghost Adventures, S24, E4, 2021

“When mobsters and movie stars ruled the Sunset Strip” by Hadley Meares, “Curbed Los Angeles” Feb. 14, 2019

“The Mostly True Adventures Of Standup Comedy's Legendary Frat House” by David Peisner, BuzzFeed, Oct. 21, 2015

“An Apology: The Son of THR Founder Billy Wilkerson on the Publication’s Dark Past” by W.R. Wilkerson III, The Hollywood Reporter, Nov. 19, 2012

“The Man Behind the Sunset Strip” by Cecilia Rasmussen, LA Times, Dec. 7, 1997

“Sunset Strip Landmark Revisited in 'Dancing at Ciro’s’" - NPR interview with Sheila Weller

“Favorite Haunts of Those Who Haunt” by Annie Murphy, Los Angeles Public Library: Photo Friends, Oct. 29, 2017

"11 Wild And Tragic Stories From The Most Famous Comedy Club In The World” by Erin McCann, Ranker, Sep. 23, 2021

 

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Creeptastic theme music by:

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