Rats.
The Laff Stop is closed … forever. On Saturday, the legendary club — that gave rise to national names such as Sean Rouse, Brett Butler and Ralphie May — ended it’s nearly-three-decade run of comedy in Houston. In other words, it’s now The Laff Stopped. (What? Too soon?) But seriously folks …
“It’s sad to see it go, because it’s 28 years that club has been around,” says Rob Mungle, a comedian who started his career around the same time the Stop opened. Mungle says the Laff Stop, known for having one of the best open-mike nights in the country, was a starting point for many comedians. “There are people who weren’t even born when it [opened], who were doing open mike [there], you know?”
I saw Sam Kinison there in 1990 or so, and Kinky Friedman back when he was still just a singer/comedian. One of the jokes Friedman told is still one of the funniest I’ve ever heard. (No, I won’t repeat it here.) It’s been awhile since I’ve been, but I’m still sorry to see the place go.
This is weird. I called into Chris Baker’s show last Thursday to give him a little grief about not being in Houston and he brought up The Laff Stop as a place he was booked into in the future. My retort was whether they were even open anymore.
Funny.
So sad to hear that a comedy landmark has passed on in Houston. I remember going to the Laff Stopp several times in the nineties to catch national headlining comedians. I seem to remember seeing Dom Irrera and a newly thin Bobcat Goldthwait, amongst others.
That was a legendary room on West Gray. I think things went downhill the minute they left that location for the Waugh Drive location. You just can’t transplant the room and hope that the magic follows.
At least we have the memories, and the laughter.