The city of Covina could be on its way to becoming the next comedy hotspot thanks to the opening of one of the biggest stand-up club chains around.
The world-famous Laugh Factory, which soft opened its doors in June inside the Covina Theater with performances by comics like Dane Cook, Jamie Kennedy and Azusa native Debi Gutierrez, will soon host its official grand opening event headlined by Mexican-American actor and stand-up comic Paul Rodriguez.
“They couldn’t get anybody cheaper,” the “Born in East L.A.” and “The Original Latin Kings of Comedy” star joked during a recent phone interview. Rodriguez, who is a longtime supporter and regular performer at the other Laugh Factory locations, will headline along with fellow Latino comic Gene Pompa during several sets scheduled for the christening of the venue on July 27-30.
The location of the new club is appealing, Laugh Factory general manager Harry Basil pointed out, noting that he expects it to attract audiences who finally don’t have to drive too far — either to clubs and theaters in Los Angeles, Long Beach or down to Orange County — for a comedy show.
“A lot of people don’t want to drive to Hollywood for an hour,” he said. “We looked at the map and we saw that Covina, from the East to the West, there are a lot of people there that would like to go to a comedy club and support a comedy club. We’re gambling that there’s a lot of an audience that would go there on a regular basis.”
“People are going to get good shows,” Rodriguez added.
Located in downtown Covina on busy Citrus Avenue, the new venue is housed inside the Covina Theater, which first opened its doors in 1920 before undergoing various major renovations. It was acquired by the city in 2022. The city then partnered with the Laugh Factory to operate the venue. The Laugh Factory crew made additional upgrades including repainting the lobby, adding more booths and seating in the balcony, while also elevating the…
Read the full article here
