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Best Comedy Shows Coming To Los Angeles In Spring 2017

They say laughter is the best medicine. Spring 2017 has a funny line-up of comedians who have been around the block making people laugh, think and laugh some more. Comics Kathleen Madigan, Jeff Ross, Sebastian Maniscalco, Lewis Black and the iconic Lily Tomlin are all on tour and making their way to Los Angeles.
Kathleen Madigan
(Photo by Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for CMT)

Kathleen Madigan
Fred Kavli Theatre - Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
(805) 449-2787
www.civicartsplaza.com
Date: Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 8 p.m.

Covering the gamut of current events and pop culture, Kathleen Madigan has a direct way of making anything funny. What makes her the funny lady she is is when she talks about her own life - everything from her travels, family stories, weird people in general and her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. She continues to do the spectrum of comedy specials (HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime and Netflix) as well as tour the world to entertain soldiers at USO shows. Tickets are on sale for Madigan's next L.A.-based show at the Fred Kavli Theatre, which is part of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

Jeff Ross
(Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Jeff Ross' Roast Battle
The Comedy Store
8433 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(323) 650-6268
www.thecomedystore.com
Date: Tuesday, April 4, 2017 at 10:30 p.m.

Comedian, writer and producer Jeff Ross, who is most well-known as the official "Roastmaster General," is making audience laugh especially at the comedic expense of celebrities. Ross produced and starred in the "Comedy Central Roast of Rob Lowe." He also takes hilarious jabs at the likes of Justin Beiber, James Franco, Charlie Sheen, James Carville and Donald Trump. Ross even went rogue by roasting the most dangerous criminals in "Live From Brazos County Jail," which aired on Comedy Central. This Newark, New Jersey kid brings his "Roast Battle" best throughout the year at The Comedy Store in Hollywood. The Comedy Store launched the careers of some of the funniest people in comedic history including Sam Kinison, Louie Anderson, Jim Carrey and Chris Rock.

Sebastian Maniscalco
(Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Sebastian Maniscalco "Why Would You Do That?"
Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 468-1770
www.sebastianlive.com
Date: April 29, 2017 at 10 p.m

Sebastian Maniscalco is touring "Why Would You Do That?," a comedy show that delves into Maniscalco's unique way of saying what everybody seems to be thinking. He gets people laughing by asking "What's Wrong with People?" and "Aren't You Embarrassed?" on his Showtime specials. His stage presence is exaggerated and funny. He got his comedic stripes by doing his stand up schtick at bars and bowling alleys in L.A., and has appeared on Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee."

Related: Best Places For Live Jazz And Blues In Los Angeles

Lewis Black
(Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for SXSW)

Lewis Black "The Rant, White & Blue"
Fred Kavli Theatre - Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
(805) 449-2787
www.civicartsplaza.com
Date: May 7, 2017 at 7 p.m.

Political curmudgeon, humorist and comedian Lewis Black brings a colorful vocabulary that is definitely not politically correct, to his latest tour "The Rant, White & Blue." This tour's rant will bring humor rather than horror to the current political climate, provided the audience isn't shocked by his middle finger and four-letter bombs. Black was perfectly cast as the voice of the character "Anger" in the Academy Award winning film "Inside Out" (Pixar). Black appears regularly in HBO specials, late night guest appearances, TV and film, national tours and performs for military bases all over the world.

Lily Tomlin
(Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

Lily Tomlin
Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons
26455 Rockwell Canyon Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
(661) 362-5304
www3.canyons.edu
Date: Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 8 p.m.

At 77 years old, Lily Tomlin still rules the comedy stage. Tomlin entertains and makes ‘em laugh in her one-woman show. This iconic comedian got her break as a regular on the variety show Rowan & Martin's "Laugh-In." She made people laugh by portraying her original fictitious characters including Ernestine, Mrs. Beasley and Edith Ann. Tomlin has appeared in critically-acclaimed movies ("Nashville") and in "Grace and Frankie," the successful Netflix hit co-starring Jane Fonda.

Related: Best Dinner Theater In Los Angeles

By Sheryl Craig
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