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Although his dad didn’t get see their comedy dreams come to fruition, Buss still plans on turning The Ice House into a family business. The patio was also upgraded to what Buss refers to as a “French café patio,” which now includes a small stage. Since she became the club’s general manager, Toler’s been regaled by every comic she meets about stories of the club from back in the day. These tales keep motivating her to ensure that the club spends the necessary seven figures to upgrade itself without selling its soul in the process. “But I don’t know anything about a club, I’ve never managed a club,” she told Buss over the phone when he first offered her the job.
The Bigger Than Me Comedy Show is coming to Santa Ana on Sep. 28 - New Santa Ana
The Bigger Than Me Comedy Show is coming to Santa Ana on Sep. 28.
Posted: Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:22:36 GMT [source]
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Buss said he hopes to use this mecca of stand-up comedy to help contribute to charity. Hundreds of charities have already submitted requests to hold events at the venue. How those events will develop, Buss said, will depend on what programs become the most successful at the new Ice House.
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Mentor Ave., hasn't changed, but walking through its new glass doors is like entering a place that’s transformed from a dusty piece of coal into a frosty diamond. The upgrades include new glass doors and relocating the club’s main entrance from the alley to the front of the building. It also features what’s sure to be a popular photo opportunity for fans as a huge polar bear statue is situated just inside the club. The pandemic shut things down just a few months after the purchase, so he took the opportunity to renovate the venue with a design that he said still pays homage to the club’s past, while upgrading it for a new era. With a commitment to fostering new talent in the booming $300 million comedy industry, the iconic venue has enlisted former Los Angeles Sparks point guard Penny Toler to manage the club. Mentor Ave., hasn’t changed, but walking through its new glass doors is like entering a place that’s transformed from a dusty piece of coal into a frosty diamond.
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It has been the site of controversy and comedy legend, depending on who is on stage. The Laugh Factory is a showcase for both new talent and open mic nights and so-popular-it’s-hard-to-get-tickets acts. Since 2019, the world has quite literally gone to hell but that doesn’t mean that Johnny’s excitement and passion for this comedy club has ever wanted. As Covid-19 shut down business after business, Johnny took this as an opportunity to launch the Ice House into a whirlwind of amazing renovations. Since 2019, the world has quite literally gone to hell but that doesn’t mean that Johnny’s excitement and passion for this comedy club has ever waned.
After his father’s death, Buss said he didn’t want to think about opening a club anymore. He shifted away from sports, bought race cars and trucks and started getting into the business of off-road racing. Sparks in 2006 — a team he’d helped build into a winning franchise in the WNBA — Jerry’s health had already started declining. Playhouse Village Foundation Chair Phil Hawkey remarked on the Foundation’s charitable fundraising to enhance and activate the 34 square blocks in the heart of downtown Pasadena that make up Playhouse Village. The Laugh Factory labels itself as world famous thanks to being ranked as a No. 1 club in the country.
The club, which has been around for over 60 years, has undergone a transformation under the new ownership of Johnny Buss, son of the late Lakers owner, Jerry Buss. Buss has plans to host live music and other events in addition to comedy shows. One of the oldest comedy clubs in the United States, Ice House Comedy Club closed in 2019 after Los Angeles Lakers co-owner Johnny Buss, son of Dr. Jerry Buss bought it for an undisclosed amount from longtime owner Bob Fisher. Sparks in 2006 — a team he'd helped build into a winning franchise in the WNBA — Jerry's health had already started declining.
Holding himself to a higher standard because of his father is nothing new to Buss, who grew up in the midst of one of the world’s greatest sports dynasties. His father's notoriously outside-the-box methods of running a team made him a genius and impossible to predict. A regular at the Comedy Store, the Improv and the Laugh Factory, Johnny said he and his dad always talked about opening their own club together before Jerry’s death in 2013 at 80. Throughout the brick building in downtown Pasadena, vintage and modern flourishes demand attention like stylistic punchlines. The glowing stalactite chandeliers, electric neon art of cacti, waves and sun punctuate the walls of the California Room, the venue’s second stage.
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The reason for that is we want to make sure that everything is finished. We should actually be finished with the building the first week in January. However, we also have to train our staff and make sure that everything works. And so we’re basically spending that time until February 9th to make sure everything’s okay and ready to go for the public,” owner Johnny Buss said. “But I don't know anything about a club, I’ve never managed a club,” she told Buss over the phone when he first offered her the job.
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Punchline is the other San Francisco comedy club and has everyone from famous headliners like Dave Chappelle to other famous comedians of the big and small screen. “You know, my father and I used to talk about (opening up a comedy club) all the time. So, when the opportunity came to purchase the Ice House from Bob Fisher, I jumped at the chance,” Buss said.
Comedian Margaret Cho performed Thursday night, and legendary show host and comedian Arsenio Hall put on a set Friday night. Pasadena’s legendary Ice House has been closed for renovations since the end of 2019, when Los Angeles Lakers co-owner Johnny Buss bought the club for an undisclosed amount from longtime owner Bob Fisher. Since then, comedy fans have been waiting in anticipation for the legendary club to reopen, but according to the club’s PR team, they’ll have to cool their heels a little bit longer. Though Buss and Toler believe that the entertainment business is all about the fans, it’s also the club’s duty to take care of the comics.
With its rich history and commitment to nurturing new talent, The Ice House is officially open with a full schedule of shows. “It’s a little easier for me with the club because the Ice House has a legendary history. The addition of the supper club/music venue in 2012 helped bolster the area's trendy name, Eat Street.
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