Joe Ditzel News Update Archive: 1993-2000
- Join in some great improv as Second City returns to the Improv stage in LA. We start at 730pm on Sunday Aug 13. (posted 8/6/00).
- We had another great night at Lulu’s Beehive on 7/21. With Amy Daulton, Mike Schmidt, David Feldman, Pamela Yager, Charles van Deventer, Bill Dwyer, John Dixon and MC Joe Ditzel. (7/22/00).
- Some of my jokes are in Judy Brown’s new book Joke Stew (Andrews McMeel Publishing). The follow up to her highly successful Joke Soup, the sequel features “the best jokes from today’s funniest comedians.” Joke Stew will be in bookstores around the middle of August (7/16/00).
- Second City is now in LA. Yell out obnoxious suggestions when I perform at Second City Night at the Improv on Sunday, June 18. (added 5/25/00)
- Today I joined the Friars Club. Just call me Shecky. (5/11/00)
- Andy Kindler explained “Gallagher Neat” and more at BarF2 (above Farfalla). Also featuring Gary Lucey, Nosmo King, Tess Rafferty, Pete Gray, Robb Fulcher, Sally Mullins, Vance Sanders and Chris McGuire. Sweeping up – Joe Ditzel, Greg Lobb, Riley Newton, Steve Benaquist , Ali (5/10/00).
- I’ll be the MC at Lulu’s Beehive, one of LA’s hottest comedy spots. The show is late (11pm) and the audience is completely nuts. What more do you want? Get directions here. Performers include Britain’s Moira Quirk, the USA’s Steve Benaquist, Gary Lucey, Joe Wagner, Joe Wilson, Jimmy Dore, the incredible Paul Hopkins, Andrew Solmssen, and more (4/28/00).
- The syndicated humor column “Joe Ditzel Has Some Problems” got picked up by Themestream.com (4/21/00).
- Started training with Second City at their new school next door to the Improv. (4/7/00).
- Shot a new demo video demo in the Rose Hills Theater at Pomona College (4/15/00).
- Take cover when I emcee the “Comedy is Dead” stand-up show at Monsoon in Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade on Dec 13, 1999. Doors open at 8 (12/7/99).
- Bunkershot.com announced they will publish “Like ESPN Says, Chicks Dig the Long Ball” in the next issue. (10/3/99)
- Daily Golf published “Like ESPN says, Chicks Dig the Long Ball” in the Sep 28 edition (9/28/99)
- PC Journal announced they will publish “Supergeek” in a two part series in the October and November issues. (9/20/99)
- After the Gypsy (see below) its off to emcee the Midnight Comedy Hour at Lulu’s Beehive in Studio City (11pm). Past comics have included Brett Butler and Larry David (co-creator of Seinfeld). (9/10/99).
- I’ll be performing in the stand-up comedy show Gypsy’s, Tramps and Comedians at the Gypsy (Westwood) at 8p on Friday 9/10/99.
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Today I published my first e-book called Fast Talking Disclaimer. What the hell is an e-book? I don’t really know either. Actually, it is like a regular book but there’s no paper. You read it on your computer. Whatever. Check it out here.
- Humorist Keith MacDonald asked me to join a group of humor writers called the Net Wits. Check out the whole crew here. (8/21/99)
- It’s old time Hollywood atmosphere meeting edgy new comedy on Tuesday, August 24 when I emcee at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Cinegrill’s “Comedy Becomes Eclectic” with Greg Behrendt, Fred Belford, Jordy Fox, Jason Kuller, Christy Murphy, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and Mike Young. 8pm. No cover. (7/31/99)
- Don’t forget to come to the Joe Ditzel Show on Thursday, August 19th. Surprise comedians, prizes (including Judy Brown’s bestselling book Joke Soup, CD’s, more) With guests Manuel, Jim Ryan, Jake West, Robb Fulcher, too many to count. 8pm. No cover. (7/15/99)
- Leave Saturday, July 31st open to come to the New Lights Foundation Benefitat Unurban. Music, comedy, and more. (7/14/99)
- I joined Stefani and Louis on their web-radio show Chatterbox to talk about my upcoming book. (7/14/99)
- Come to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Benefit on Wed., Apr 28, 930p at Luna Park in West Hollywood. Have some laughs with David Misiewicz, Robb Fulcher, Steve Wagner, Tom Bottelsen and Kim Carson and more. All for only $5. Sheesh! (4/21/99)
- The Joe Ditzel Column gets picked up by the Internet’s leading web syndicate (not the Mafia). (4/8/99)
- Everybody had a great time at the American Cancer Society Benefit show last night at Luna Park. Thanks to Jake West, Vance Sanders, Sheila Wenz, Danielle Koenig, Boris, Paul Hopkins, and Tom Sharpe. (4/1/99)
- Pictures from our successful fund raisers for Eclectic Theater and Company of Angels Theater. (3/99)
- I’ll be joining the Comedy is Dead #2 shows at Ecletic Theater on Mar 4 and Company of Angels Theater on Mar 8. Bring your friends!
- ILook for the American Cancer Society Benefit at Luna Park in West Hollywood on Wed., Mar 31st at 730p. Guests include Vance Sanders, Carol Ann Leif, Jake West and more. (2/9/99)
- Petterson’s is again the LA Weekly Comedy Pick of the Week. Check out number 8. (2/7/99)
- It was Joe Ditzel Comedy Night when I emceed at the Unurban. We learned you have “about a minute”. (1/27/99)
- Kim Carson is the host of the show called Shaken Not Stirred, featuring “L.A.’s funniest standup comics” (they’re everywhere!), at the Martini Lounge, 5657 Melrose Ave.; every Mon., 8 p.m.; $5. One-drink min. (323) 467-4068. (1/99)
- On Dec. 3rd I played emcee for the Comedy is Dead showcase. Performers includes Vance Sanders, Zack Galifianakis, Steve Wagner, Arthur F. Montmorency (That 70’s Show), Martha Kelly, Peter Berkowitz, Lisa DeLarious, and special guest Andy Kindler (Everybody Loves Raymond).(12/3/98)
- Bunkershot golf magazine ran my column on slow play in the December ’98 issue. (12/98)
- It was the annual imitate-a-fellow-comedian night at Petterson’s. Jake West blew the roof off with a dead-on Joe Ditzel imitation while Joe Wilson performed a killer Nosmo King. (11/24/98)
- Cristy Murphy lost her mind and put me in the emcee slot for her Comedy Falloon show at the Complex Theater. Comedians on the menu- Laura House, Joe Wilson, Paul Hopkins, Cristy Murphy, Steve Neal, and more. (11/11/98)
- Brennan’s close out this season’s Comedy Night with host John Shaughnessy, Jon Dixon, Joe Ditzel and more. (11/10/98)
- If you live in Southern California you know all too well how slow a round of golf is these days. I published my take on in it in The Opinion magazine. (10/29/98)
- At The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach I took my shots in The Comedy Shootout. (10/15/98)
- Brian B. invited me down to L.A. Cabaret to join the CABLE READY COMICS show. A packed house watched emcee T.K., Brian B., Nooch, Lisa Casilla, and Mark Fernandez. (10/9/98)
- Westwood Village is revitalizing these days and comedy is playing a role. Westwood Brewing Company has a packed comedy show on Wednesdays. A fast growing competitor is right around the corner at Duet. On October 7 I emceed the Blvd. Zoo Comedy Revue with Carol Ann Leif, Randy Kagan, Ed Krasnik, Zach Galafinakis, Jason Kuller, Shiela Wenz and more. (10/7/98)
- Steve Wagner invited me to join his comedy showcase at Buzz. On the bill: Dan Klass, Tom Sharpe, Sheila Wenz. (9/24/98)
- When I’m not on stage I’m playing golf. It seems everyone else is, too, because slow play has never been worse. My ranting about appeared in the September issue of Bad Golf Monthly in my humor article “The Only Blues You Should Be Playing is B.B. King”. (9/1/98)
- joeDITZEL.com goes on line. (9/98)
- I pitched in when Alexandra Karova took her show to the legitimate theater stage at the Complex Theater on “Theater Row”. (8/12/98)
- Comedian and comedy show producer Vance Sanders had the idea of spoofing the big comedy festivals like Aspen and Montreal. The result was the Culver City Humor Arts Just Five Laughs Comedy Festival. I contributed the character of Canadian Comic “Gordy Bacon”. The whole mess became L.A. Weekly’s Comedy Pick of the Week. (8/11/98)
- Back to Luna Park with Alexandra Karova. (6/27/98)
- Luna Park is the epicenter of the alternative comedy scene in L.A and was the site of Alex Karova’s show. (4/11/98)
- Didn’t get nominated for an Oscar, Emmy or Tony? Do what Vance Sanders did. Start your own awards show- The SCOOMIES. There were lots of winners including L.A. Best, an inner city service organization that provides safe and supervised after school programs in high incident gang and drug neighborhoods. (3/31/98)
- The Comedy Store was the site again for Alexandra Karova’s Alternative Comedy Night. (3/15/98)
- Alexandra invited me back to the Comedy Store. (11/2/97)
- Alexandra Karova brings her Alternative Comedy Night to the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. (10/7/97)
- One of the biggest crowds I performed for in those early days was at the Guys and Dolls Auction (auction off dates of single women and men) at the Grand Hyatt at Union Square in San Francisco. Over 2000 people were at this benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. (4/6/95)
- Tony Sparks invited me to perform at The Catfish Palace in Hunters Point to commemorate Black History Month. San Francisco. (2/25/95)
- American Cancer Society benefit at Dooley’s Pub in the Marina in San Francisco. (12/1/94)
- Tony Sparks set up a lot of the comedy rooms when I was starting out in San Francisco. We often performed at his comedy one-nighters at The Club Car- south of Market Street. (11/5/94)
- Talking to a room full of comics except a table of my “people”- cousin Katy and her husband Rob. Aunt Marj manned the camera at Fubar’s in Martinez, CA. (4/94)
- Press Release after I won the Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest in 1993 in Long Beach. (5/3/93)
