COLAughs Comedy at NoMA Warehouse this Saturday

This weekend, on Saturday the 24th, catch COLAughs Comedy at NoMa Warehouse. The show starts at 8:03 p.m. and features headliner Jas Gill, as well as comedians Melanie Goldey and Shaine Laine. The event will be hosted by COLAughs founder Allie Johns and emcee Topher Riddle. There will be beverages available for purchase, air-conditioning (people ask every time!), and plenty of adult content — consider a babysitter!  

Host and founder of COLAughs, Allie Johns, has been doing her own stand-up comedy since 2018. But like many of us, the pandemic halted her plans. However, in January of this year, Johns was excited to get back to work. She noticed that Columbia was overflowing with comedic talent, yet there weren’t many spaces putting on comedy shows or supporting comedians. She decided to start COLAughs in order to bring Columbia’s comedy scene “out of the dark basements and into unique venues.”

Allie Johns

The first COLAughs show was in January of 2022, and the show this weekend at NoMa Warehouse will be the ninth. Johns says that partnering with venues who share her vision is key to helping the Columbia comedy scene come alive again. COLAughs now has regular shows at NoMa Warehouse, the Gardener’s Outpost, and the Warmouth. Johns is proud to say that they even have recurring guests in attendance, and that most of these shows have sold out. 

In addition, Johns assembles comedians for COLAughs shows from her own personal connections, and she likes to return favors. She frequently books comedians who have hosted her in the past. Her goal is to give exposure to both regional and out of town comics. Johns met the headliner Jas Gill doing comedy in Greenville. “Jas has a bubbly but sarcastic personality that everyone can relate to,” Johns says. 

The other two comedians, Melanie Goldey from Savannah, and Shaine Laine from Charlotte are sure to get some giggles as well. Goldey gives comedy ghost tours and hosts Totally Awesome Bar comedy in Savannah. Laine, on the other hand, works on the Funny Bus in Charlotte. He’s even toured internationally and is just getting back from a show in Canada. Topher Riddle, Johns’ trusted emcee, is in charge of the music and the lights, but he has his own comedy shows in Columbia too, including Movie Mockery and Tomorrowquest. 

This experienced group of comics is sure to cause a ruckus. Don’t miss this hilarious show, or the opportunity to help the comedic Columbia community keep on growing! Tickets are available for purchase online.

Written by Meg Carroll

The Art of the Dad Joke

No, Neil Patrick Harris and his beautiful family are not from Columbia, SC, but I wish they were. And since he has started a whole new newsletter project that, in honor of Father’s Day, shared some classic so-bad-they’re-good jokes this week, I decided to take a closer look at the Art of the Dad Joke - which, let’s face it, takes a certain skill set to pull off. Or not. Which really is the key to the Dad Joke to start with.

The following Dad Jokes come straight from the brain of Dr. Olaf Doogie Horrible himself, and You can subscribe to his newsletter, too, by simply clicking here.

To all the dads, granddads, stepdads, baby daddies, special uncles, and father figures out there, Happy Father’s Day. But most importantly, learn how to tell a joke and how to take yourself less seriously.

Now, are you ready to roll your eyes?

• Two guys walk into a bar…you would have thought one of them would have seen it.

• My son turned four today. I didn’t recognize him, I had never seen him be four.

• Do you know about the king who was 12 inches tall? He was a horrible king but he made a great ruler.

• Dad, can you tell me the difference between a grape and a raisin? No sun.

• Why do naval ships in Norway have barcodes on the sides? So when they get to port they can Scan-da-navy-in.

• Today this guy knocked on my door asking for donations for the local pool. So I went into the kitchen and gave him a glass of water.

• What rhymes with orange? No, it doesn’t.

• What’s the difference between a well-dressed man on a unicycle and a poorly-dressed man on a bicycle? Attire.

• You’ve heard of Pop Tarts, right? Why aren’t there any Mom Tarts? It’s because of the pastry-archy. - (My Favorite!)

• Dad jokes are how eyeroll. (My least favorite!)

Jasper Presents First Thursday at Sound Bites with Featured Artist Michael Shepard

We're so happy that Mai Turner & Terri MacLaughlin have invited Jasper in to host First Thursdays for them at Sound Bites Eatery -- And that they are letting us feature a new artist each month!

Join us at 6 pm on Thursday April 7th for dinner, drinks, art from Michael Shepard, and/or a comfy place to gather with your arts-loving friends!

Sound Bites is located at 1425 Sumter Street, one block off Main Street between Hampton and Washington.

About Artist Michael Shepard

Michael Shepard, a South Carolina native and long term resident of Columbia, SC, is an eclectic artist currently working in acrylics, soft pastels and mixed media. His styles, techniques and media change with each piece depending on the subject matter and the inspiration it ensues.

When asked what creating art means to him, Michael responded: “Well, I could say Art is an expression of the feelings and interpretations of my situation in the world around me. It’s a means to escape isolation and means to process emotions. It’s a salvation from adversity and destitution and it is also a celebration of well being and happiness…”

“But really, I’m just a guy painting pictures and hopefully creating works people will enjoy.”

Stay tuned for more about Michael Shepard as we approach First Thursday. Mark your calendars and we’ll see you on Sumter Street and Sound Bites Eatery!

Second City Comedy Coming to Harbison Theatre This Weekend!

Making people pee their pants with laughter has been to goal of Second City Comedy since they opened their doors in 1959, producing such comic geniuses as Bill Murray, Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Tina Fey, Kate McKinnon, Amy Poehler, Jordan Peele, and far too many more to list here.

But don’t forget the Belushi Brothers, Jason Sudeikis, and Tim Meadows. And Keegan-Michael Key.

And SC’s own Stephen Colbert got his start with Second City by answering phones in the BO and selling t-shirts in exchange for classes.

In 1969, Second City launched a touring company featuring comedians like Brian Doyle-Murray and Harold Ramis, (and in the ‘80s they developed a training center which eventually merged in 2016 with the Harold Ramis Film school, founded in Ramis’ honor.)

But it was from this touring company that Second City came to sharing laughs via improv and sketch comedy with the rest of the world, and Columbia has the opportunity to take part in this roving party this Friday night at Harbison Theatre via Second City Remix.

Second City Remix describe themselves as “the next generation of comedy superstars putting their spin on the legendary comedy company’s greatest hits, re-booted and re-imagined for today.”

The October 1st show is the company’s only performance in SC this season and it begins at 7:30.

For tickets visit the Harbison Theatre website and get a $5 off coupon by applying "SecondCityHT" to your purchase.

For more on the history of Second City, visit their website!

Harbison Theatre Covid Policy