The Las Vegas comedy scene has been a pillar of the entertainment “hub” since the post-war days of Rat Pack lounges and light roasting.
It started with a Murderer’s Row of Vaudevillian comedians, people like Don Rickles, Shecky Greene, and Phyllis Diller, who drew a new generation of travelers to luxury showrooms and the valley’s brand-new resorts.
When the booming Club Era hit in the 1980s, Vegas was well suited to dedicate space to the world’s best traveling comics. Variety shows started to fade, and the comics filled their space, eventually establishing outposts for long-standing clubs like The Comedy Store, which opened a room at the Dunes Hotel in 1984.
This week’s comedy shows
Today, Las Vegas hosts dozens of shows every weekend, spread across a number venues. Top headliners can be found at the larger casino arenas, while Carrot Top can almost always be found at Luxor, where he has spent the last 20 of his 30 years in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, independent venues like Wiseguys offer the latest up-and-coming comics just a short Uber away.
It can be hard to make sense of it all and find the right information in one place, so here’s a weekly roundup for September 14-20.
Comedy Cellar runs every night with a rotation of 5-6 different comics.
Monday, Sept 14
The early part of the week is usually dominated by the clubs that are open every night, like Comedy Cellar, Kimmel’s and Brad Garrett’s. Rich Little occupies the newer Laugh Factory at Horseshoe Monday through Wednesday, and Eddie Griffin follows the same pattern at Planet Hollywood.
Elsewhere, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club in the Linq Promenade and Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand run a nightly show, sometimes two.
Rich Little - Laugh Factory at Horseshoe Las Vegas - 6:30pm - from $68
Comedy Cellar (Rotating) - Rio Las Vegas - 7pm and 9:30pm - $50-60
Josh Wolf - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the LINQ - 7:30pm - from $54
Nate Craig (with Matt McClowry and Steven Roberts) - Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand - 8pm - from $55-75
Eddie Griffin - Saxe Theater at Planet Hollywood - 8:30pm - from $100
Luenell - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the LINQ - 9:30pm - from $54
Take the escalators next to the poker room to get to the Laugh Factory at Horseshoe.
Tuesday, Sept 15
The Tuesday lineup repeats a lot of Monday’s acts, with the addition of Michael Yo at Jimmy Kimmel’s. Comedy Cellar continues its daily lineup of rotating comedians, who shuttle in from the New York City location for West Coast seasoning. It’s a time-tested format with 5-6 comedians performing 10-minute sets.
Rich Little - Laugh Factory at Horseshoe Las Vegas - 6:30pm - from $68
Comedy Cellar (Rotating) - Rio Las Vegas - 7pm and 9:30pm - $60
Michael Yo - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the LINQ - 7:30pm - from $96
Nate Craig (with openers) - Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand - 8pm - from $55-80
Eddie Griffin - Saxe Theater at Planet Hollywood - 8:30pm - from $100
John Caparulo is among a regular rotation of familiar faces at the Jimmy Kimmel Comedy Club.
Wednesday, Sept. 16
Rich Little - Laugh Factory at Horseshoe Las Vegas - 6:30pm - from $60
Comedy Cellar (Rotating) - Rio Las Vegas - 7pm and 9:30pm - $50-60
Michael Yo - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the LINQ - 7:30pm - from $90
Nate Craig - Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand - 8pm - from $75
Carlos Mencia - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the LINQ - 9:30pm - from $48
Eddie Griffin - Saxe Theater at Planet Hollywood - 8:30pm - from $100
Eddie Griffin’s show runs M-F at Saxe Theater, tucked into the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.
Thursday, Sept. 17
Silver Sevens, an off-strip casino just a short drive down Flamingo, joins the rotation on Thursdays with Don Barnhart and Friends. Barnhart is a comedian and a hypnotist, and he is bringing some friends. Elsewhere, John Caparulo rotates in as one of the regulars at Kimmel’s club.
Don Barnhart & Friends - Delirious Comedy Club at Silver Sevens - 7pm - from $31
Comedy Cellar (Rotating) - Rio Las Vegas - 7pm and 9:30pm - $50-60
John Caparulo - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the LINQ - 7:30pm - from $50
Nate Craig - Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand - 8pm - from $75
Friday, Sept 18
Reg Thomas, a trusted regular at Comedy Cellar in NYC, swings through town on Friday for the first of two nights at Wiseguys, an independent club in the Town Square shopping complex just south of The Strip. He’ll do two shows at the popular club each night at one of the lowest price points in town.
For the Dr. Demento crowd, Weird Al is playing MGM Grand Garden Arena at 8pm.
Reg Thomas - Wiseguys Comedy Cafe at Town Square - 7pm and 9:30pm - from $41
Comedy Cellar (Rotating) - Rio Las Vegas - 7pm and 9:30pm - $50-60
Nate Craig - Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand - 8pm - from $75
Weird Al Yankovic - MGM Grand Garden Arena - 8pm - from $31
Reg Thomas has four shows at Town Square’s Wiseguys on Friday and Saturday night.
(Photo courtesy of regthomas.com)
Saturday, Sept. 19
Kimmel’s club welcomes Chicago’s own Skillz Hudson for an early evening set on Saturday, and The L8nite Set to book end two shows from regular Caparulo. Otherwise, Saturday looks just like Friday.
Cool Air Comedy starring Skillz Hudson - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at LINQ - 5:30pm
Reg Thomas - Wiseguys Comedy Cafe at Town Square - 7pm and 9:30pm - from $41
John Caparulo - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the LINQ - 7:30pm and 9:30pm - from $50
Comedy Cellar (Rotating) - Rio Las Vegas - 7pm and 9:30pm - $50-60
Nate Craig - Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand - 8pm - from $75
The L8nite Set - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club - 11:30pm
Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club is located on the Linq Promenade, just north of the Flamingo.
Sunday, Sept. 20
The week ends/begins with Josh Wolf back at Kimmel’s and the always-wonderful Luenell to follow later that evening.
Comedy Cellar (Rotating) - Rio Las Vegas - 7pm and 9:30pm - $50-60
Josh Wolf - Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club at the LINQ - 7:30pm - from $54
Nate Craig - Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand - 8pm - from $75
Luenell - Jimmy Kimmel’s - 9:30pm - from $54
Most shows will be at least 18+ or 21+, and you’ll want to check for drink minimums. As always, these schedules are subject to change up to the very last minute.