Comedy has become a major business over the last 20 years or so, and the proliferation of comedy clubs in major cities is a testament to this fact. Three of the seminal and more successful comedy clubs are found in Los Angeles--The Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard, the Laugh Factory on the same street, and the Improvisation on Melrose Avenue. These clubs are known for featuring new talent, as places where established talent tests material, and as magnets for celebrities in the audience as well as on stage. Each has also been well-served by their respective owners' dedication to promotion. The venues have somewhat different approaches to the presentation of comedy acts and target somewhat different audiences. They have also been buffeted recently by a downturn in the comedy business, though they have managed better in this climate than many others because they are in Hollywood, they are well-established, they draw on the best comedians they can get, and they are used in various ways by the film and television business for promotion, development of talent, and similar functions.
The Improv has had to weather the slump in the comedy business in the 1990s, just as has the Comedy Store and other Los Angeles venues such as the Laugh Factory. A number of clubs across the country closed in the 1990s. The very success of comedy may be a reason, for there is more and more opportunity on television so that audiences may stay home for their laughs rather than going out to a club and spending money. The Improv has had a show on cable for several years. Comedy Central is a cable channel with a number of stand-up shows offering the experience of a comedy club at home. HBO and other cable outlets have recorded comedy performances on a regular basis along with comedy specials throughout the year. However, comedy clubs in Los Angeles have been managing well even as other clubs in other parts of the country are closing. The audience numbe...