David Koechner will perform at Helium Comedy Club June 13-15. (Photo by Mandee Johnson)
Each week, ArtsATL delivers a critic’s short list of the shows, exhibitions, concerts and events we recommend for the coming weeks within one area in the kaleidoscope of Atlanta arts and culture. This week, we offer a look at a few of the biggest comedy shows of the summer. Many of the venues below offer a large roster of comedy shows, including the Punchline, Helium Comedy Club, Uptown Comedy Corner, Atlanta Comedy Theater, City Winery, Dad’s Garage and even Symphony Hall.
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June 12-14
Billy Gardell is probably best known as the star of Mike & Molly and Bob Hearts Abishola, but he got his start doing stand-up comedy and now he’s back at it. He’ll be at the Punchline June 12 through June 14.
June 13
Ali Siddiq is a stand-up comedian and public speaker from Houston who discovered his talent for storytelling while incarcerated on a drug charge. Following his release in the late ’90s, he began performing at open mic nights and went on to produce many successful specials and albums. He’ll bring his In the Shadows Tour to the Fox Theatre on June 13.
June 13-15
Actor, writer and producer David Koechner got his first break as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, but you might know him best as Todd Packer on The Office and Champ Kind from Anchorman and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. He’s at Helium Comedy Club June 13 through June 15.
June 18
Noah Gardenswartz, who got his start in Atlanta, was a writer on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and has performed stand-up on Conan and The Late Late Show with James Corden and has his own Comedy Central special. He was a semi-finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing and has released four chart-topping comedy albums. Catch his act at the Laughing Skull Lounge on June 18.
June 19
Indiana-bred comedian Michael Palascak has been featured on just about every late-night show and starred in his own half-hour special on Comedy Central. He was a finalist on Last Comic Standing. He’ll perform at the Punchline on June 19.
June 20
The Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center offers up a summer of comedy with Funny Fridays with Joel Byars, a new series showcasing nationally recognized comedians with local ties. The shows take place on June 20, July 18 and August 22.
Improv legend Colin Mochrie will take the stage at Variety Playhouse for a night of unscripted fun with some of Atlanta’s best improvisers. Expect a night fueled by audience suggestions and classic improv games beginning at 7 p.m. June 20.
June 20-21
Chris Hardwick has a massive resume that includes hosting the Emmy-nominated Talking Dead, the after-show that discusses all things The Walking Dead, and he’s currently hosting the game show series The Wall. He’ll be at the Punchline June 20 and June 21.
These days, you’ll know Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti, the Abbott Elementary teacher who always seems to “know a guy” to fix any situation. Before her stint on the hit comedy, she’s had a long career in television, film and on the stage, including roles in films such as The Parent Trap, Bruce Almighty and Shall We Dance? She’ll be at Helium Comedy club June 20 and June 21.
It’s a big weekend for Abbott Elementary fans. In addition to Lisa Ann Walter’s appearance at Helium, Janelle James is in town with her stand-up comedy show. James stars as the scene-stealing Ava Coleman, the hilariously narcissistic yet somehow lovable principal. It’s a role that’s brought her three Emmy nominations and, along with her castmates, a Screen Actors Guild award for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series. Catch her act at the Atlanta Comedy Theater in Norcross on June 20 and June 21.
June 20-22
Carl Payne is known for his role as Cole on Martin and as Cockroach on The Cosby Show. He’ll bring his stand-up comedy to Atlanta’s Original Uptown Comedy Corner in Hapeville June 20 and June 22.
June 21
Performance artist, author and actor ALOK, aka Alok Vaid-Menon, has been a powerful voice of kindness and enlightenment against the violence and hostility surrounding gender nonconformity. They’ve performed sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Netflix is a Joke Festival and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and their first comedy special, Biology!, executive produced by Christopher Guest, was released on YouTube in December 2024. Expect a dose of heart and affirmation with the comedy as ALOK brings Hairy Situation: A Comedy Show to Center Stage on June 21.
June 27-29
In addition to being the son of another great comedic actor, Damon Wayans Jr. is known for his character Coach on The New Girl and as Brad Williams on the brilliant but short-lived ABC sitcom Happy Endings, for which he was nominated for the Critics’ Choice Award for best supporting actor. He’ll be at Helium Comedy Club June 27 through June 29.
July 19
Richard Kind is one of those actors that everyone recognizes but few know his name. That’s sure to be a featured topic in How Not to Be Famous, the conversational show he’ll bring to Atlanta Symphony Hall on July 19. The veteran character actor will share stories from his long career in show business, which most recently includes a recurring role in the fourth season of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.
July 24
James Austin Johnson is a comedian and actor who has been in the cast of Saturday Night Live since 2021, where he’s played both Joe Biden and Donald Trump. He voiced the character Pouchy in Inside Out 2 and appeared in the Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. He’ll perform at Helium Comedy Club on July 24.
Like many comedians these days, Jon “Polar Bear Gonzalez” has fueled his stand-up career via social media. His viral videos poke fun at the differences between his White and Hispanic sides of his heritage. He’ll take the stage at the Atlanta Comedy Theater on July 24.
July 25-27
Bryan Callen first gained notice as an original cast member on Mad TV, but he’s gone on to rack up a long list of television and movie credits. One of his highest profile gigs was playing Coach Mellor on both The Goldbergs and Schooled on ABC. He’ll be at the Helium Comedy Club July 25 through July 27.
August 1-2
Luenell calls herself “the original bad girl of comedy,” and she’s been performing for more than 30 years. Her list of credits includes the Coming 2 America sequel, Dolemite Is My Name and, most recently, a role in the HBO Max comedy Hacks. She’ll be at City Winery Atlanta Aug. 1 and August 2.
August 16
In 2017, Russell Peters was named as one of Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Comics of All Time. The Canadian comedian’s observational comedy draws on cultural stereotypes, not only from his own Anglo-Indian background but across the spectrum. His performances have set attendance records at venues in London, Sydney and Toronto, while his YouTube channel, where he boasts 1.5 million subscribers, has amassed an impressive number of views. He’ll perform at Atlanta Symphony Hall on August 16.
August 28-31
One of the original Kings of Comedy, DL Hughley, has also starred in and produced his namesake television show, The Hughleys, which ran for four seasons on ABC and UPN in the late ’90s and early 2000s. He’ll be at City Winery for a four-day run August 28 through August 31.
