Comedy Clubs are Modern Day Pharmacies

“If laughter is the best medicine, then comedy clubs are the best pharmacies.” – Anonymous

 

According to medical professionals and psychologists,  laughter really is the best medicine. Besides releasing the same endorphins that exercise does, laughter is beneficial in many other ways:

• Laughter relieves stress.
• Laughter reduces blood sugar levels.
• Laughter increases blood vessel function.
• Laughter is good for the arteries and heart. 
• Laughter promotes brain connectivity.
• Laughter increases problem-solving skills.
• Laughter enhances creativity.
• Laughter not only relieves emotional pain, but physical pain as well.
• Laughter plays an important role in our social lives  and promotes a sense of unity and safety.
• Laughter improves job performance.

Comedy clubs pursue this field of medicine in the sense  they bring joy in the purest form, through laughter. Comedy clubs offer a variety of comic relief through entertainment such as stand-up, improv, magic shows, and more that influence us in the most positive way.

Comedy’s Origins

Comedy, of course, is a genre intended to bring humor into the lives of those who anticipated it. Since comedy has a wide range of genres in itself, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where it came from. However, some genres of comedy such as improvisation and stand up date as far back as Ancient Rome.

Improv

Improv first originated in 391 BC. The first documented improvisation was found in the Atellan Farce (a form of improvisational theater in ancient Rome).

Since its origins, improv has grown tremendously and can be found on TV such as the popular show Whose Line is it Anyways and on stage. The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is one of the country’s oldest improv groups.

Stand up

Stand up comedy is newer compared to improv and can be traced back to the 1800’s. Mark Twain is said to have an influence on stand up as he created a strand of comedy for America.

Comedy Clubs

One of the first comedy clubs ever in existence was Dangerfield’s and opened in 1969 by Rodney Dangerfield in New York.

Since then, hundreds of comedy clubs open in the United States. There are currently 500 comedy clubs in the U.S.

Comedy Clubs in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Denver, Minneapolis, and Atlanta were named some of the most popular. These cities offer some of the best comedy scenes.

Getting a good dose of the best medicine is easy to obtain as there are endless options to explore from. Check your local listings to find shows in your area or take a trip and enjoy a show at one of America’s renowned comedy clubs

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