Mitzi's Bar
Hours of Operation
- TUES-SAT6PM-11PM
Mitzi’s Bar and Lounge is an homage to Mitzi Shore
Mitzi Shore is considered the Godmother of standup comedy. Mitzi opened the Comedy Store in 1972. Mitzi scheduled the shows, sold the tickets, cleaned the rooms, gave encouragement to the talented, and blunt direction to comics that would become household names.
It Is a Sin to Encourage Mediocre Talent
Mitzi kept a plaque on her desk which read, “It Is a Sin to Encourage Mediocre Talent.” Mitzi judged every comedian who auditioned for her on charisma alone. If they had charisma, she’d give them the stage time to create an act. She developed her own comics, through what she called a “graduated process of development.” She’d select a promising comic to be a “paid regular.” The most coveted status among young comics then and now is to be a Comedy Store regular.
For thirty-five years, Mitzi gave the Comedy Store everything she had, from second chances to wayward comics, to second and third mortgages to keep the operation running through the slow 1990s. The Comedy Store grew under her direction from a 99-seat sublet on Sunset Boulevard, to the three-showroom palace it is today.
Mitzi's Indelible Mark and Legacy
Mitzi Shore passed away on April 11, 2018. Mitzi was an extraordinary businesswoman and decades ahead of her time who cultivated and celebrated the artistry of stand-up comedy. She was also a loving mother to the myriad of comedians who adored her. She leaves behind an indelible mark and legacy and has helped change the face of comedy. We will all miss her….