Preferred Parking Comedy Tour

Sitting across the table eating a French dip sandwich, Samuel J. Comroe looks like any other 22-year-old - but he's not.

A Northridge native, Comroe was diagnosed with the neurobiological disorder Tourette Syndrome when he was in third grade.But rather than consider it a setback, he's long approached his condition as a laughing matter. "I just go out on stage and say, `I have Tourette Syndrome. That's what it is,' " said Comroe, a
stand-up comic. Comroe's condition manifests itself in recurring eye twitches and head movements that could easily be mistaken for nervousness.
"The reaction I usually get from crowds is a very shocked `We don't know how to deal with this' look," Comroe said. "Most people don't believe
me and will come up to me after the show and ask if I really have Tourette Syndrome. Like I would just go around doing 20-minute bits about
Tourette Syndrome and making fun of others - `Come back next week when I make fun of people in wheelchairs' - no, that's not what I'm
trying to do."

Comroe will be trying to entertain Tuesday night as one of the headliners of the Tourette Syndrome fundraiser at the Ice House Comedy Club Annex in Pasadena.
In the process, he may clear up some misconceptions.

In reality, the verbal outbursts Tourette Syndrome is commonly perceived as a disorder that causes its sufferers to uncontrollably shout obscenities and racial slurs. Though that can be a symptom, the condition more typically induces
tics such as eye-blinking, head-jerking, shoulder-shrugging, tongue-clicking, sniffing and facial grimacing. (called coprolalia) associated with Tourette Syndrome afflict
approximately 10 percent of those with the disorder, according to Dr. John Piacentini, director of the Child Anxiety and Tic Disorders
Program and professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA.

"Typically, Tourette Syndrome is thought to be (caused by) a dysfunction in circuits in different areas of the brain that are associated with movement and inhibition," Piacentini said. "Unlike many psychiatric disorders that impair thinking, like schizophrenia or autism, people with Tourette's are usually normal," he said. "The
disorder itself does not inhibit anyone's ability to think or reason, (although it) can really interferewith kids paying attention in school or adults in the workplace, and can be very socially stigmatizing."

Despite his humorous take on the condition, Comroe admitted that growing up with Tourette Syndrome was at times a challenge. "From the point I was born I realized that something was going on, but I didn't know what it was," said Comroe, who has five sisters and one brother. "I felt very alone and thought, `I'm twitching and spasming and no one else has this. What's wrong with me?' But it helped to make me grow. I don't think that I would be doing standup comedy if I didn't have a hard shell from being picked on."

As most signs of Tourette Syndrome reveal themselves between age 4 and 6, children who suffer from the disorder often have difficulty socializing and focusing in school. These symptoms, as well as the motor and vocal tics that characterize Tourette Syndrome, are typically treated with drugs.

Many people who have Tourette Syndrome also have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. "The medications work reasonably well, but are powerful and have many side effects," said
Piacentini, who works primarily with children.

"Over the last several years there has been a fair amount of research looking at nonmedication treatments, specifically a form of behavior therapy that is called habit reversal training," he said. "This treatment and work is being done at UCLA along with several other leading research centers around the country. The
behavioral treatment is especially important for children and is a very viable option at this point for people, either as a treatment by itself or with
medication."

Having developed a hard shell from the playful teasing of his friends and family, Comroe first tried out his stand-up act at his 11th-grade talent show. From there, he got up on stage as often as he could.
He began college, but soon found that his true passion was in comedy. "I used to make jokes about Tourette's but I didn't really like talking about it," Comroe said.
"But I did open up and start having a lot of fun with it. "Stand-up is really therapeutic and a distraction," he said. "When I'm focused on something else I don't twitch as much and the fact that I can recognize this and express myself to the people in the audience is my way of handling it."

Making others laugh has helped Comroe come to terms with his disorder. However, he has found another way to make others ha - Daily Breeze and Daily News

Nothing to do on a Wednesday night? Meet me at the Brea Improv for a night of laughter that is sure to provide you with a few great jokes to tell at the office Thursday morning!

"The popular showcase returns to the Brea Improv featuring comedians who have been on The Tonight Show, Comedy Centrals Live at Gotham, and [my favorite] Chelsea Lately." I attended one of these shows in December and what a Christmas gift to myself that turned out to be.

Normally when somebody tells you they have Tourettes (syndrome), your first instinct is not laughter-unless the person telling you is Samuel J Comroe. "I didn't even get the good kind, you know-Cussing. I got a twitch in my eye. My friends were trying to get me to go to this party with strobe lights. Do you see how fast my eyes blink? Every light is a strobe light to me!" It was precisely this brand of humor that landed Comroe in the LA's Funniest Comic Finals at the Jon Lovitz Club on March 1st.

The first comic of the evening was the beaming husband and father, Tony Baker. If dimples were black holes, I narrowly escaped death sitting front and center. "You can't smile in the hood with dimples!" said Baker. He is already becoming well known for his 'fade into the background' philosophy. For a quick laugh follow Tony Baker on Twitter here.

Next up coming to the stage was the mastermind behind the whole show, the producer himself, Nick Cervantes. With nuggets like, "Ever notice they always hold canned food drives, but never ask for can openers?" the audience seemed quite pleased this previous broadcasting major turned to comedy. But even before his broadcasting and comedy days, Cervantes held jobs just like most of us that were less than favorable. "I used to work at Disney Land and I'd flirt with the Little Mermaid. . .Mostly because she couldn't get away." In addition to pithy dialog, this entire show was made possible by the brain child of Nick Cervantes so expect great things from him in the future.

This guy I had never seen before, but he reserved himself a spot as one of my favorites in one fell swoop. "I hate Secret Santas. Why can't we give gifts to the people at work we really hate? You know, like give the bad breath guy a pack of gum and a card that says F*** You!" Jay Ko quickly had all of us in the crowd re-thinking our priorities. "I don't give my change to bums because I can't. I need it to make wishes." Ko left us with one last laugh that might also serve as a bit of parenting advice. "You know what you get when you put a fat kid in gymnastics? Farts." My unborn son thanks you for that Jay.

Having already seen him a few times, I watched in anticipation to see the looks of the unsuspecting audience members faces' as Thai Rivera took their minds for a spin. "When shopping for my first car I don't know if my parents knew that I preferred a Honda, but I'm sure my dad preferred a straight son so. . .We'll take what we can get." Thai ripped the stage so hard that I feared they might call an intermission to put it back together for the next guy!

Luckily, the next guy had no trouble following the previous power-house of a comedian. KT Tatara started off by playing a game with us called Girl or Kid? where he compared certain women's behavior to that of a four year-old. KT also evaluated the nature of a woman to want a man who is, "Older, smarter, richer. . .See that's why, as men, all we have left to look for is ass!" He has a lot of interesting theories that make for a great laugh, some of which you might get to check out when he headlines the Irvine Improv on March 24th. FREE tickets and more details here or email ktsguestlist@gmail.com.

You've seen him on the Chelsea Lately round table and will soon see his Comedy Central special debut later this year, but I got to see Mo Mandel up close and personal. "My friends warned me about becoming shallow moving to Hollywood for show business and all. . .But I don't even talk to them anymore so it's cool." As if this soon-to-be household name doesn't have enough fans he grabbed a few more with this one liner, "I don't use condoms in order to build a bigger fan base." Mandel went on to address a bigger question that most of us probably don't give enough thought to. "How do you know if you're good in bed? I wish I could bang a robot and get a printout that says something like you're a six just so I would know if I'm any good or not." I concur. After, what I now understand to be an ill-timed tap on my shoulder, Mo announced, "Never go home with a girl you meet at a comedy show. . .[looks around the room] Although tonight it's probably okay." Love you too Mo.

Quinn Dahle would round out the evening for us and bring the show to a close. "Women are smart - Miami Comedian Examiner

Comedian with Tourette Syndrome
Helps Raise Funds for TS Kids Camp!
Flappers Comedy LLC in conjunction with the Ice House Comedy Club
Proudly Present Comedian Samuel J Comroe!

PASADENA, CA – Flappers Comedy LLC and the Ice House Comedy Club are proud to announce they are producing a Comedy Fundraiser for the Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) Southern California Chapter. The purpose of the fundraiser is to help raise money for TSA, and their Youth camp in Southern California this summer and have some laughs at the same time. We are requesting a suggested Donation of $20.00 or you can just come and donate what you can!! We'll also be having a raffle, so you can buy some extra raffle tickets and win something for yourself! The Camp is brand new and located in the mountains of Orange. This will be a great opportunity for TS kids to meet and socialize with each other. Many kids with TS have never met anyone like themselves. It will be a life changing experience for many.
What if Stand Up Comedy and Tourette Syndrome met face to face? Meet the headliner of the show the 21 year old Samuel Comroe, a young brave comedian who shares his trials and tribulations about living with Tourette Syndrome and turns them into an unforgettably funny, energetic and vibrant Stand Up comedy set. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, the Greater Los Angeles area. Being the fifth child of seven, and diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at an early age, and he has never taken himself too seriously. He began developing his stand-up career as early as his junior year at Canoga Park High School, performing in the school auditorium during lunch, where his high-energy, and relatable material always brought in the crowds. Now, almost four years later he continues to bring his energy and talent to explore the world of stand-up comedy, creating material from his every-day observations, relations, and life in general. His comedic inspirations include, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, George Carlin, Daniel Tosh, Richard Pryor, Dave Chappelle, Kyle Cease, and many more.www.SamuelJComroe.com
Flappers Comedy LLC, Sam’s Management team is a production, management and booking company that has been working with famous talent with disabilities for while now, you may recognize them for helping bring Josh Blue to the College Market and helping to get him a winning appearance on the Last Comic Standing in 2006. They also created the “Preferred Parking Comedy Tour.” Owned and operated by two seasoned comedians; Barbara Holliday and Dave Reinitz. Since they began producing live comedy stage shows in 1997, the couple have established themselves as leaders in L.A.'s comedy scene. Together, Reinitz and Holliday have produced lives shows and festivals such as Uncle Clyde's Comedy Contest (14 Years), Survival of the Funniest, Side of Fries, the Hollywood HaHa Festival, and are currently working on opening their own comedy club venue called Flappers Comedy Club in the Burbank and Claremont areas. More Info: ComedyCasting.com or www.SamuelJComroe.com.
Ice House Annex
Where: 24 N. Mentor Ave Pasadena CA
When: Tuesday April 13th, 2010
Time: 8pm Show
Ages: 18+
Show Tickets: Suggested Donation $20.00 - Flappers Comedy Club

YouTube is littered with flavor-of-the-nanosecond memes, shaky videos of concerts with poor audio and days upon days worth of footage of people getting hit in the groin. However, the catch-all website has the unmatched ability to give anyone the chance to become an overnight star, regardless of talent level. Just ask Rebecca Black, Antoine Dodson, the “Chocolate Rain” dude and the sneezing baby panda. While still in high school, comedian/musician Bo Burnham was vaulted to Internet fame with a series of lo-fi, high-humor compositions forged in his bedroom.

Now 22 years old, Burnham’s material has grown beyond YouTube. The motivated youngster has released two albums, filmed a one-hour special (a feat that takes some respected veteran comics decades to accomplish), appeared in films such as Hall Pass and Judd Apatow’s Funny People, and currently stars in the new MTV program Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous (a show he co-created). Somewhere along the way, Burnham found the time to write another hour of introspective, singalongable and all-around hilarious material for another upcoming special, entitled what. Thursday night, the bludgeoning young performer treated a jam-packed Pabst Theater to an early performance of the new hour in its entirety, along with other songs that help the Internet sensation break out of his bedroom and into theaters.

Following an inspiring and uproariously funny (non-musical) opening set by Drew Lynch – whose act centered around his severe speech impediment – the decidedly young crowd was sent into a frenzy as Burnham entered to a hype-heavy pre-recorded intro song that found him lip-synching whilst shedding tear-away pants (only to reveal another pair of the same colored tear-away pants), punch-dancing and holding prolonged eye-contact with one (lucky?) audience member. As the grandiose gut-busting salutation subsided, Burnham did five minutes of pure stand-up (touching on bodily fluids and detailing his appreciation for loose women) before sitting behind the keyboard to play a song called “Sad,” which he introduced by saying, “Imagine a depressed onion cutting itself.”

Burnham alternated from seated singing to telling jokes on his feet throughout the night. In terms of musical highlights, a duet between the left and right hemispheres of the comic’s brain especially served to touch on his flare for intelligent songwriting skills. Showing he’s “so f--king deep, bro,” Burnham continued tickling the ivories and funny bones with the ballad “Hashtag Deep” as well as tongue-in-cheek atheist anthem (“Song From The Perspective Of God”) and a Justin Bieber-slamming dissection of how to write a pop song called “Repeat Stuff.”

After an indescribable exit interlude that strung together faux interactions he likely deals with since breaking out and wove in recorded music (to which Burnham provided air-accompaniment), Burnham feigned departure, only to return for a two-song encore that concluded with “Oh Bo” off Words Words Words.

The affable pianist pulled no punches in his 75-minute set, making off-color comments and biting social commentary between – and oftentimes, within – pretty and expertly arranged songs. Brows of all heights left happy after bearing witness to the odd, offensive, versatile and undeniable genius of a diamond unearthed from the pixilated rough of auto-tuned interview and (insert name of spice) challenge videos. Eat your heart out, Double Rainbow guy. - Milwaukee Magazine

He was pretty damn funny. His voice reminded me of Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory.
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[–]L00pback 19 points 3 months ago
Deedee, get out of my La-bor-itory!
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[–]ibrainwashkittys 91 points 3 months ago
This was actually pretty damn funny. Good for that kid fuck speech impediments
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[–]goal2004 19 points 3 months ago
I've been to Flappers a bunch of times. This kid actually works there too, and normally I've noticed he spoke with much less of a stutter, although I imagine being on stage might have its own impact.
Anyway, I got to see one of his first shows there and he was great. He did much better than the headliner too; I don't even remember who did headline that evening.
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[–]Blackultra 2 points 3 months ago
I saw Drew at a Bo Burnham show last month in Iowa City. This guy opened for him and he was fucking hilarious.
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[+]mrtron comment score below threshold (1 child)
[–]Pantstown 23 points 3 months ago
My buddy and I were early to a concert on Sunset in Hollywood and went to a comedy club that was having an open mic night across the street (the one across from the House of Blues). He was one of the comics there and was by far the funniest. I never could find any of his stuff online, so thanks for posting OP!
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[–]Blackultra 2 points 3 months ago
Try searching for "stunner stutter", my girlfriend and I found a bunch of his and he's just as good in all of them
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[–]IridiumForte 35 points 3 months ago
Wow.
His material is so funny but obviously and reasonably is centered around his disability, it makes me think if he'd have been a comedian otherwise. I think it's safe to say that he's got quite a bright future ahead of him regardless
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[–]floyd1989 27 points 3 months ago
Also the jokes were constructed in such a way that you didn't need to be quick to pull them off, rather they all had twist punchlines in the end so that the speech impediment actually helped with building up expectations in an appropriate pace before the left turn.
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[–]Elkram 9 points 3 months ago
He might not have been a comedian, at least not a good one. From what I have heard of other comedians, having some sort of bad experiences in your past (I imagine he has been made fun of for his stutter, if not being insecure about your voice can be pretty bad as well). 9 times out of 10 people who are good comedians didn't have very happy lives when they were children. Maybe they use comedy as a coping mechanism to get over their past. It's very interesting to see the psychological profiles of comedians.
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[–]_valtiel_ 2 points 3 months ago
Everybody hates Chris.
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[–]theephiix -4 points 3 months ago
Strf????
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[–]PastaOfMuppets 6 points 3 months ago
Nah, I think he would have been a comedian regardless. The guy has a great sense of humour.
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[–]ArmoredUnicorn 6 points 3 months ago
I know him personally. He was a comedian even before he got the speech impediment. Softballs are no bueno to the throat though. Thus he had to make due.
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[–]Teggert 1 point 3 months ago
It seemed like at least half of the jokes had nothing to do with his disability, outside of his delivery of course.
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[–]kasparovsmixedmind 15 points 3 months ago
His stutter almost improves the comedic timing of the entire act. Big ups to him for using it to his advantage like that.
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[–]banebot 6 points 3 months ago
Absolutely. It gives a pace to his set ups and lets him deliver punch lines smoothly, oddly enough. It's almost like a super power.
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[–]Blackultra 2 points 3 months ago
I noticed that too. He does a lot of anti-jokes and it just works perfectly with his demeanor and stutter.
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[–]Tapeworms 35 points 3 months ago
W-w-wow, what a great audience
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[–]marcolema20 2 points 3 months ago
This about sums it up
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[–]alphanumerica 1 point 3 months ago
all he needs now is some crutches
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[–]WeaponsGradeHumanity 9 points 3 months ago
I'd rather listen to people who talk like this than people who say "um" and "like" every few syllables.
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[–]JankyS13 20 points 3 months ago
I'm so glad that she's here, If she wins this contest, I'm gonna be pissed. LULZ
Here's another one of him doing the softball and his voice has changed. But still funny as all fuck. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIbnFPmzgRE
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[–]BohemianJack 3 points 3 months ago
That interpreter is very good at her job.
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[–]visceralhate 2 points 3 months ago
The Sarah McLachlan bit fucking killed me.
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[–]JankyS13 1 point 3 months ago
tur tur turn turn it up, ??????, I want this guy to cry.
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[–]JehovahsThickness 5 points 3 months ago
&quo - Redditt

It’s no secret that across the years we’ve gotten the opportunity to work with a number of celebrities, pairing the stars with some of our all-star dogs. Well, we recently got the awesome opportunity to work with the young up-and-coming comedian and actor, Drew Lynch, in pairing him with a new Golden Meadows Vizsla pup.

Drew has an interesting story: although he was an eager young actor that was notorious for talking a mile a minute, he was unfortunately hit in the throat with a softball at the age of 20, causing his vocal chords paralyze and, ever since, he’s spoken with an extreme stutter.

Of course, while many actors would consider this the death of their career, Drew has made the best of it, flipping it into a very promising career in comedy (with his stuttering at the center of it all). See for yourself…



As you can see, he’s good at what he does! What could have been a life changing injury ultimately sparked a passion for writing and performing his stand-up comedy that not only brings to life the social hardships of dealing with a newly found speech impediment but it has also earned him the opportunity to open for Bo Burnham and others.



In all of this, aside from Drew’s budding career in comedy, we’re proud to say that he came to us looking for a new pup to take home and we proudly paired him with Stella – one of our very special vizsla puppies. Safe to say they were a match made in heaven and he’s very happy with his new best friend.

“If you’re looking for smart and loving companions, Golden Meadows sets you up for success. They are the best.” – Drew Lynch - Golden Meadows Retrievers

Bo Burnham is no stranger to Iowa City. In 2010 he had a show at The Englert Theatre, and in 2012 he had another show at Englert Theatre. Last night Bo returned once again to the IMU Main Lounge, with brand new material in his fourth comedic tour, the “what.” Tour.

For those unaware, Bo Burnham is a musical comedic sensation who gained a fan-base via YouTube in 2006. His popularity grew over the years, and in August 2008 he became the youngest comedian to record a Comedy Central comedy special, just four days shy of his 18th birthday. His first CD was released in 2009, and has since released a second, and in the process of recording his third, What. Recently he filmed the first season of his MTV show, ”Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous”, in which he stars, writes and produces. The first episode premiered last Thursday night, (watch the first full episode here), and 11 more episodes of season 1 are set to air Thursday nights at 9:30 central.

People, (mainly UI students), lined the street outside the IMU waiting to see Bo. Some people had been waiting for so long that they were working on homework while waiting for the 7pm doors. Loyal Bo Burnham fans.

Opening comedian Drew Lynch had me laughing through the entirety of his set. Not one of his jokes flopped and I was highly impressed with his bravery. Lynch has a verbal stutter due to a sports accident involving his vocal chords, yet still is an amazing comedian and stand-up performer. Check out his stand-up here.

After Lynch’s act, Bo Burnham hit the stage. He opened the show with a funny, but bizarre five-minute-long narrated introduction. It included dancing, singing, magic tricks, 40 seconds of “prolonged eye contact” with an audience member in front of him, and shouting “Fuck you!” to the front row.

The first song he played was called #Deep, a new song from his upcoming album, and followed it with the most hilarious and vulgar “love poem” you’ve ever heard titled “I Fuck Sluts”.

One thing that must be said about Bo Burnham is that he is undoubtedly unique with both his verbal and physical comedy. A short list of the outrageous things Burnham did on stage would be throwing bouncy balls at the crowd (unexpectedly), simulating masturbation, pulling a cloud of rainbow glitter out of his pocket, and telling a joke in slow motion.

No one can argue that Bo Burnham is not talented in any aspect, and I was pleasantly surprised by his ability to play the keyboard. I also was surprised that some of his comedic songs and material had some serious underlying commentary on actual issues like religion, gay rights, and shallowness of the music industry.

Bo closed the show with a hilarious new song he recently wrote, which he described as “a song from the perspective of God.”

But after he exited the stage, Bo came back on stage and performed two of his classic and highly popular songs, “Love Is . . .” and “OH BO”. During “Love Is . . .” he changed the Anne Frank lyric to “. ..like Anne Frank wanted to be a Belieber.” Which the crowd went crazy for, and even earned a laugh from Bo himself as he delivered it. He also spent some time talking to the crowd, and thanking them for coming out on a Tuesday night. He exited the stage saying “If you liked what I did, my name’s Bo Burnham If you didn’t like what I did, my name’s Kendrick Lamar.” To which the crowd responded with applause and a standing ovation.

After the show both Drew and Bo waited to meet and take pictures with every single fan that lined up, (which was a couple hundred roughly). When I met Bo I asked him, “What did you think of Iowa City and the crowd?” and he responded with, “Iowa City is amazing. Been here three times in three years, always fun. They’re great. Very patient, they listen, they’re loud and excited. It’s great. So in conclusion, I hate it.” He kept his humorous answers going when I asked him about his plans to return to Iowa City, “Uh when I have new material It might take me ten years but. . ” Lastly I asked him how I should end my article about his show, so here you go Bo. What ever you want. - KRUI Radio

"I Love these comedians"
You Tube Guest - Youtube Comments

"The preferred parking comedy tour is a diverse and hilarious comedy show that helps brings awareness and acceptance fr peoples with disabilities. I laughed my @@#$$ off!"

Cal State Long Beach Student - Various Colleges

"I have booked Diane Kawasaki on a few of my shows at The World Famous Improv, no matter which venue it is she always delivers the goods! Big things come in small packages and from her first joke to her last one the audience is constantly having a good time. She is a great addition to any show and has the kind of fun/outgoing personality that makes you want to not only work with her again and again.. but recommend her to all your friends to do the same. I nominate Diane Kawasaki for President of the United St.. er I mean.. she's awesome -soo book her!! ..now."- Tim Chizmar, Owner/Executive Producer of "Championship Comedy"

"I recently hired Diane Kawasaki to work as an actress on my film "elephant" which we are currently doing the festival run with. As a producer, writer director I worked closely with all aspect of the production and found Diane a delight to work with. She was at all times a consummate professional and a wonderfully talented actress. Diane created a fun and easy energy to be around and was well liked by all the cast and crew. I hope to do many more projects with her in the future."- Shae Kuehlmann, Underdog Productions

"I really love working with Diane. She's hilarious. I produce a lot of shows and I can always count on her to bring the heat. I always make sure I'm in the room when she's on stage because i'm a fan too!"- Scott Shimamoto, Producer/Comedian
- Various

Testimonials

"As a fellow comic and a producer, I've had the pleasure of booking Diane for multiple shows. She's tenacious and feisty which makes for great comedy. On a personal level she's serious about the business and works hard to keep her edge. She resists being stereo-typed and succeeds in taking you inside her world on her own terms!"

- Kamaka Brown, producer "Random Acts of Comedy" Thousand Oaks, California.



"Smart and remarkably confident, Diane is truly one of the biggest up and coming comedians."

Ice House Patron - Various

"Effective, funny, energetic, I would not call this guy handicapped, he is definetly capable of making people laugh."

Ice House Patron - Various