Now That's Funny...

It's Friday night.  Let's load up the car and head out for some laughs.  Where are we headed?  South Beach? Brickell?  Nah.  Palmetto Bay!

From the "Are You Kidding Me?" files, not only is there a comedy club in Palmetto Bay, it at the Quality Inn! (Northbound on South Dixie Highway at 145th Street)

I heard about this comedy club a few months back and waited until some visiting relatives were in town.  I didn't have any high expectations, but figured it would be a hoot whether the entertainment was good or bad.

Arriving at a comedy show and realizing you are walking into the lobby of a hotel is a bit surreal, but once you are near the comedy hall (a simple, small banquet room), the mood starts to swing.

$25 per person at the door drops you into a room for about 60 people and allows you to saddle up at the open bar to loosen your inhibitions.

Each Friday night at approximately 9:30pm, Mike Levine welcomes show goers to his family's Quality Inn.  The make-shift club, aptly named "The Comedy Inn" has been operating for a while now.  It's an interesting twist on the hotel business his family started in Palmetto Bay in 1972.

After a so-so MC (sorry, but it was true), tonight's show featured three warm-ups and a headliner.  Mind you, this was not Comedy Central level stuff, but it was surprisingly good for a sleepy Village.  The headliner, Chris Johnston (from NJ) was quite strong.  I laughed heartily...and it wasn't the open bar chuckling for me.

Unfortunately, the headliner did have to deal with one unruly drunk patron who literally stopped the show with some foul language and a bit of an a-hole tirade.  The rest of the comedy staff quickly silenced the heckler and Chris Johnston was on for another happy and hilarious 45 minutes or so.

So, if you're up for some entertainment and don't feel like getting all touristy, head to the "secret" local haunt.  A decent value in your own backyard.  Who knew?