Free Pizza. Great Comedy. No Kidding. Interview with Founder Ben Bryant BY KRYSTI JOMÉI • PHOTOS BY HASSAN JOSEPH BEN BRYANT From a back room in the late Irish Snug pub to a non-denominational church basement, Denver Comedy Underground finally found its new home — above ground — this year in the heart of the historic Five Points neighborhood. Nestled between California and Welton on 22nd Street, an unassuming tinted glass door opens to an atmospheric mid-size venue reminiscent of an iconic comedy club the likes of NYC, but with an undeniable Denver air. The ambient lit space is warm and intimate with thick brick walls, a long wooden bar, a front-and-center stage, and truly no bad seats in the house. Colorado local comic and Denver Comedy Underground Founder Ben Bryant explains there’s still more work to do since the grand opening of the new venue in January — like lowering the ceiling to perfect the sound for performances and album recordings, finishing their classic comedian photo wall of fame, putting up extra signage and some other minor renovations. But as is, the club is an unparalleled gem, serving up top-notch laughs in the evenings, plus a Sunday comedy brunch, for a fraction of the typical cost. With a roster of local talent and on the rise national acts, the average ticket price is a purposeful $20, as Ben is committed to keeping comedy accessible and affordable in Denver. He believes patrons should be able to have a night out where they can keep their focus on the hilarity on stage instead of worrying about their bank accounts, as he’s way too familiar with the latter. “I can’t get it out of my head, at the real inception [of Denver Comedy Underground], pre-moving to the church, I was basically living on the same $300 week to week that we would make from four or five shows, which is thin living. And thank God it’s not quite that anymore,” he reminisced. “But that’s been part of the journey. And I am very grateful to what it has allowed me to pursue within my life and my comedy and with the club, to be able to create community and to provide a national level of service for lack of a better word ... So I want to make comedy accessible to people. There’s ways to make it work financially, communally without outright gouging people like it feels like at some other places.” Considered one of the most successful independent comedy venues in the city, Denver Comedy Underground is rewriting the narrative in real time of what a typical club business model should look like by doing things their own way. This includes no standard two-drink minimum, a happy houresque priced beverage menu, and the crème de la crème, free pizza — yes, free pizza. “People like comedy. People LOVE pizza,” Ben said. After a local EELAND STRIBLING No. 137
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