Most comedy clubs don’t care about an outlet cover plate. But Whiplash Comedy, a sprawling comedy club with a 1950s feel that opened this past week in the heart of Atlanta, does. “All the little details add up,” says Jeff Thompson, Whiplash’s lead investor. He assures me that the outlet plates will be replaced by antique brass ones; they just haven’t come in yet.
Inside the club, there’s a working metal payphone, hand-painted brick walls, a box office with flickering yellow bulbs; outside they installed custom kiosks on a nearby walking trail (Atlanta BeltLine) that resemble chrome 1960s automobiles and play jokes to passers-by, encouraging them to buy a show ticket.
The main room seats around 130 and has acoustic flooring and ceiling and thick curtains on the walls to absorb noise. “[Sound] makes a big difference. There’s nothing worse than being somewhere where you can't quite hear what they're saying,” says Thompson. “You'll be able to hear over the clapping because everything's being absorbed…We had Harman in here with computers tuning everything.”
The smaller room seats about 40 and will host intimate shows, magic demonstrations, and podcasts. The club sells tickets for about $25. Each month, a resident comic picks eight favorite comedians whose photos are framed on the club's walls. Photos of local comedians decorate other walls.
Marshall Chiles describes himself as a “comedy entrepreneur” and is behind the club. He started as a road comic before opening a series of clubs in Atlanta, including the iconic Laughing Skull. Chiles pulled inspiration for Whiplash from the first comedy club in America, The Improv in New York. “Budd Friedman did the first comedy club in America in 1963, and I was lucky enough to call him a friend towards the end of his life. He had a brick wall because he didn't have a lot of money to open the space.” Chiles, of course, had a brick wall installed. “When I first saw those bricks up, I was like, ‘This is crazy.’ Usually it's a brick accent wall, but it’s the entire thing, and everybody's looking at it like, ‘How much did this cost?’ I'm like, ‘I don't want to know.’"
Great comedy is often found in dingy dark rooms. But it’s also great when a club is built with comedy in mind. Whiplash has two green rooms that contain an original SNL desk, comedy posters from The Big Lebowski to Johnny Carson, and live feeds of the showrooms with timers for when to come on stage. The stage has a built-in timer; no need for a phone flashlight to tell you it’s time. These details are what Chiles has learned through trial and error and opening multiple clubs.
Chiles also wants it to be a watering hole for comedy. “Whiplash is a community center based around standup comedy. I want people to come here and connect,” he says.
Whiplash is a club comedians will want to perform in. At a recent show I attended in a brewery, a comedian and I discussed how the room’s oblong shape spread acoustics and laughter out in an odd way. Directly behind the stage was a large glass window to an alley with pedestrians that was distracting comedians and the audience. These are the sorts of things you just have to deal with in comedy, but sometimes it’s nice to have a space designed with comedy top-of-mind.
Punchup Live launches rankings highlighting the platform’s most-followed comedians of the week and most-watched comedy specials.
Comedy Central posts the first Stand Up Selects video with Ian Edwards. The series rolls out episodes through January 2027.
Dan Brooks argues in The New Yorker that the comedy-podcast boom reshapes what audiences consider funny.
Nearly 700 UK comedy professionals urge the British government to recognize comedy as an art form and include it in funding and tax measures.
WIRED reports that AI-generated influencer accounts copied at least eight comedians’ stand-up clips to drive traffic to OnlyFans and Fanvue.
Stavros Halkias shares a behind-the-scenes look at making Uncle Stav in the finale of his tour documentary series Road to the Special.
Legion of Skanks discusses Sebastian Maniscalco’s SiriusXM channel and its implications for comedians.
LAist covers Don’t Tell Comedy’s pop-up shows in places like WWII training huts.
Carrot Top announces an October 19 return to his Las Vegas residency following hospitalization after a reported suicide attempt.
National Comedy Center acquires hundreds of previously unseen I Love Lucy materials with a new exhibition planned for 2027.
Byron Allen pursues a major streaming deal for Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask as his CBS late-night block gains ground in ratings.
Druski reportedly joins the Saturday Night Live hosting lineup for November 7, the show’s first for a creator whose career originates in online sketches.
The Ankler examines how shrinking scripted-comedy output and studios’ reliance on established hitmakers limit opportunities for new creators.
Judd Apatow discusses his archival approach to Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald, now streaming on Netflix.
Michael Che responds to backlash over Shane Gillis’ Saturday Night Live monologue during a Today interview.
Sacha Baron Cohen will discuss his approach to comedy in an October 18 60 Minutes profile.
Grace Reiter earns praise from Deadline as the standout of last week’s Saturday Night Live episode.
Larry David recounts his clashes with Dick Ebersol at Saturday Night Live.
Ben Schwartz discusses how laughing doesn’t have to fill every moment.
Tony Dunn discusses how comedians build an audience large enough to support touring.
Jimmy Carr discusses why comedy is not a zero-sum game.
Bob Odenkirk argues that sketch comedy is more profound than Shakespeare.
Roy Wood Jr. explains how comedians’ digital royalties are changing.
Bobby Smith IV recalls how Ralph Barbosa doubted he could fill Smith's 100-seat club before eventually landing a Netflix special..
Judd Apatow shares why Norm Macdonald was fired from SNL.
Specials, Festivals, Shows, and Tours
Upcoming specials from Gareth Reynolds (October 19, Gorilla Comedy+), Theo Von (Netflix, October 20), Punkie Johnson (YouTube, October 21), Adam Conover (YouTube, October 23), Alfred Robles (YouTube, October 23), and Mandal (YouTube, October 25). You can find links to previously-released specials here.
The Crow hosts HAHAs for TATAs, a breast cancer awareness comedy benefit, October 23 in Santa Monica.
Festivals this week: Fountain City (Kansas City, MO, October 23–24), Make Em Laugh, OK (Tulsa, OK, October 23–25), Winnipeg Improv (Winnipeg, MB, October 21–24), Side Splitter (Perth, WA, October 23–24).
Festival Submissions
Knockouts Women’s Comedy Festival • March 2027 • New York City, NY. Ten female and non-binary comics, winner receives $500, a RØDE microphone, and a paid spot at The Stand. Submission fee: $35. Deadline: October 20. Submit here.
In the Middle of Nowhere Comedy Connection and Competition • January 14, 2027 • Midland, Texas. Each show's winner receives $250 and advances to a finale offering $1,000 and a paid headline spot in 2028. Submission fee: $25. Deadline: October 24. Submit here.
(Full list on our website here)
Comedy Jobs
The Comedy Bar · Detroit, MI. Comedy Club Show Runner. Part-time. $20/hour.
For the Gays Comedy · Los Angeles, CA. Comedy Show Producer. Weekly Friday show at 7:30 p.m. Booking, live production, and social media.
Audacy · Baltimore, MD. Morning Show Personality. Full-time. $85,000–87,300/year.
Comic Relief US · New York, NY. Senior Director, Individual Giving. Full-time. $160,000–190,000.
Comedy Village · New York, NY. Barback. Full-time. Compensation not listed.
American High · Remote. Development, Creative, and Production Internships. Temporary. Unpaid (course credit).
No Boring Brands · Baltimore, MD. Content Creator — Skits & Short-Form Video. Full-time. $55,000–75,000/year.
Smosh · Los Angeles, CA. Line Producer — Digital Content. Full-time. $90,000–100,000/year.
Gigs and Auditions
UCB Theatre New York Indie Team Incubator • December 2026–April 2027 • New York City, NY. Submissions close October 23. Submit here.
Pack Theater House Sketch Team Auditions • Season begins January 2027 • Los Angeles, California. Submissions close October 25. Submit here.
Phenixx Marketing & Media · Dallas, TX. Michael Jackson Impersonator. Temporary. $50–200/day.
May Productions · Tempe, AZ. Female Hosts — Barely Explained Comedy Web Series. One-time. $500+/episode.
Citizens High School · Remote. Comedy Actor/Creator + Video Editor Team. Part-time. $250–400 per team for the paid trial.
(Full list on our website here)
That’s The Jokebook — your Sunday comedy update. Have something to share? Message us at [email protected]rg