During quarantine, my husband and I found ourselves watching all the things on Netflix. We got through the early COVID classics like Tiger King and Love is Blind, but we also got hooked on stand-up comedians. We started with Gabriel Iglesias and eventually progressed to Tom Segura. My husband and I typically do not appreciate the same type of humor. He loves Family Guy and The Book of Mormon and thinks Will Ferrell is a genius, and I just don’t. It’s not that I’m a prude or don’t have a good sense of humor; we just have different preferences when it comes to comedy. I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon stand-up comics we both enjoyed.
As a result, once things opened back up, we started booking tickets to see our favorite comedians live. Since then, we’ve seen Jerry Seinfeld, Gabriel Iglesias, Bert Kreischer, and most recently, Nate Bargatze. We have tickets for Gabriel Iglesias’ new tour in a few weeks, Tom Segura’s show in July, and hopefully Nurse Blake in September (my husband and I are both nurses). Live stand-up has become our thing, and when I think of my perfect date night, that’s the first idea that comes to mind. It’s just so easy. Who doesn’t love to laugh? You’re guaranteed a good time. If you’ve never enjoyed date night seeing a stand-up comedian, you’re missing out! Follow my tips below to make plans.
Determine Your Comedic Style
For instance, I don’t like, for lack of a better term, “stupid comedy” (think Anchorman or Superbad) but am totally fine with vulgar and crude (like Tom Segura). I think Gabriel Iglesias and Nate Bargatze are funny, and I also know that if the kids overhear their show on TV, it’s fine. You’ll know your preference within the first 5 minutes of a Netflix special. Once you find a comic you like, follow them on social media. Part of the fun of social media is that once you follow one, you’ll magically get suggestions for similar comedians to follow. Since most comedians post clips of their acts on their pages, you can get a quick glimpse of their style.
Get Tickets
Follow Ticketmaster and the pages of venues, and again, magically, suggestions for stand-up tours will pop up. Unlike seeing a play, to me, great seats are less important. While we might splurge on awesome seats for Wicked, we don’t need perfect seats to see our favorite comedians. A decent view is fine as long as you can hear because there just isn’t much to see. Put that money toward a nice meal.
Consider the Late Show
Each show is about an hour and a half (including their opening acts), so many comedians will have two performances in one night, often a 7:00 and a 9:00 show. We like the 9:00 show because it gives us time to get the kids settled with a sitter, take our time getting ready, and enjoy dinner.
Make a Night of It
The shows are typically in town (The Saenger or The Orpheum usually), so we like to dress up a little and dine at a nice restaurant (Check out Tom Fitzmorris’ nomenu.com or follow Where NOLA Eats on Facebook for ideas). Go all out with appetizers, dessert, and some wine. Follow that up with a drink or two at the theater, and enjoy a carefree evening out.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
There’s a reason for the expression. Laughing releases endorphins. These feel-good chemicals interact in the brain to relieve pain, and, of particular interest in the context of date night, trigger feelings of arousal and pleasure. In the immortal words of Elle Woods, “Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands. They just don’t.” Laughing together helps a couple bond and keeps the mood light, so laugh it up and ride that endorphin buzz right into the bedroom when you get home.
Do you have a favorite comedian? Let me know. I’m always looking for new ones!
