Friday Night Standup 8/18/2017 Tickets

On Friday, August 18th, 2017, the world was treated to another round of the beloved comedic tradition that is stand-up comedy. Across clubs and theaters from coast to coast, comedians of all stripes went up on stage to do what they do best: make people laugh.

It's easy to take it for granted, but just think about it for a second. Stand-up comedy is a truly unique art form. Unlike music or theater, it relies solely on the words and performance of the performer to entertain the audience. There are no special effects, no backup dancers, no pyrotechnics. Just one person, a microphone, and their wit.

Of course, all of this would be meaningless if the comics themselves weren't funny. Thankfully, there was plenty of laughter to be had on Friday night. From established stars like Louis C.K. and Amy Schumer to up-and-comers like Jermaine Fowler and Aparna Nancherla, there were plenty of options for comedy lovers to choose from.

Interestingly, there seems to be a bit of a shift happening in the world of stand-up comedy. For years, comedians have used their sets to tackle everything from politics to relationships to their own personal struggles. While these topics are still fair game (and always will be), there's been a noticeable increase in comedians using their sets to talk about larger societal issues.

This was particularly evident in the sets of W. Kamau Bell and Hasan Minhaj, both of whom talked extensively about race and America's fraught racial history. This is not to say that comedy hasn't tackled these issues before, but it feels like it's becoming more common. It's an interesting development, and one that could signal a larger shift in how we approach comedy as a society.

Of course, not everyone wants their comedy to be political or socially conscious. Some people just want to laugh, dammit! And there were plenty of comics on Friday night who delivered just that. Michael Che had the audience in stitches with his irreverent takes on everything from chicken wings to Tinder, while Maria Bamford's idiosyncratic brand of comedy left everyone in awe of her sheer talent.

All in all, Friday Night Standup was a reminder of how much we need laughter in our lives. In these divisive times, it's easy to get bogged down in anger and frustration. But for one night, people all over the country came together to share a laugh and forget about their troubles. It may sound corny, but it's true: comedy really can bring us all together.