"I read an article in a Seattle paper recently about Bobcat Goldthwait," Oswalt says. "It said: 'We all know that stand-up comedy stinks, but if you've got a gun to your head and you have to see a show, you may as well go see Bobcat. That's how the article started."
"I think TV is responsible for a lot of bad trends in comedy," Tompkins says. "I think people have forgotten the joy of the live performance, how great it is to go to a show and see something you can only document with your memory."
BE THERE
Paul F. Tompkins, Karen Kilgariff, Patton Oswalt and others: 8 p.m. Monday at Largo, 432 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood. Cover charge $5. Call (213) 852-1073.
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Not Your Father's Improv
Where to find more alternative comedy:
* Largo, 8 p.m. Mondays, 432 N. Fairfax Ave., West Hollywood. Cover $5. Call (213) 852-1073.
* LunaPark, Beth Lapides' Uncabaret, 7:30 p.m. Sundays, 665 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood. Cover $7. Call (310) 652-0611.
* Tempest Supper Club, Comedy Free for All, 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 7323 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Cover $3 with two-drink minimum. Call (213) 860-9822.
* Borders Books, All Things Comedic, 8 p.m. Sundays, 1415 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica. Free. Call (310) 393-9290. Also at 8 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays at Borders, 330 La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood. Call (310) 659-4045.
