Students get cheap laughs at local clubs

Weekdays are typically a time for students to focus on work and school, but sometimes they need more than just the weekend to get away from the books.

One great way to do this is to go to one of the local comedy clubs in Bloomington. Two spots to visit for good laughs are the Funny Bone Comedy Club and Bear’s Place.

The Funny Bone offers a weekly competition every Wednesday night called Bloomington’s Last Comic Standing. The competition typically features 12 local comedians trying to get their start in comedy.

“We have about 10 to 12 comics that are very, very good,” Funny Bone owner Jared Thompson said.

Watching these comics go from point A to point B and far beyond point B is something he said he is proud of.

The Funny Bone has brought in many big names in comedy including Maria Bamford, Arj Barker and Brian Posehn, which is something host Brad Wilhelm finds particularly amazing about the Funny Bone.

“If you look at clubs across the Midwest, even in Chicago, there really isn’t a club that can post the quality of a line up that Funny Bone does,” Wilhelm said.

Every Wednesday night, a local host warms up the crowd and introduces the competing comics. Then, each aspiring comedian is given 5 minutes to display their comedic ability in hopes of winning a chance to perform ahead of the professional comedians during the upcoming weekend. To finish the night, a closing comic gives a short routine while the votes are being tallied and the winner is announced.

“The crop of young comics now is better now than at any time I have ever seen,” Wilhelm said. “Even if you don’t know the comics, it’s cheap, you get to see them trying out new material and it’s fun.”

The Funny Bone also offers headliner comics on Thursdays for a reduced cost to students.

Monday is also a good opportunity for comedy at Bear’s Place. For 27 years, Bear’s Place has been home to the Comedy Caravan, which has made them the longest running one-night comedy show in the country.

“This is where comedy started in Bloomington,” host Michael Tucker said. “It has history, the staff is fantastic and it’s a family setting; that’s what I love about Bear’s.”

Over the years, Bear’s Place has brought in names like Sinbad and Roseanne Barr and has been called one the USA Today’s “Ten best spots in the country to watch live stand-up comedy.”

Bear’s Place puts on two shows on Monday, one at 8 p.m. and one at 10:30 p.m., both of which typically feature two to three comedians and an hour of laughs for $5.

Bear’s also has comedy shows for $7 at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

“Bear’s is a great place because anyone can come in, spend under 20 bucks and still have a great time,” Tucker said.