From Pageants and Punchlines, Lace Larrabee Teaches Stand Up To Women
Lace Larrabee started doing comedy when a frequent patron of the bar she tended signed her up for a comedy show unexpectedly.
Photo courtesy of Lace Larrabee
Comedian Lace Larrabee’s life is a goldmine for material. Born to teenage parents, she spent years doing beauty pageants, a time that she frequently references in her stand up sets.
But instead of batons, singing or dancing for her talent, Larrabee would don a wedding dress and recite comedic monologs.
“I always refused to do what other people were doing,” said Larrabee in an interview with “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes. “And there are really so many similarities between [doing comedy and pageants], one of which being that I just really enjoy attention.”
Larrabee started doing comedy years later when a frequent patron of the bar she tended signed her up for a comedy show unexpectedly. Now, she is a nationally touring stand-up comedian and just started a new venture: teaching a women’s only stand up class. Called the Laugh Lab, Larrabee and the participants meet for six weeks and work on material. The class ends with each participate performing a five-minute set at the Punchline.
With the sexual abuse allegations against renowned comedian Louis CK and other high powered male entertainers, Larrabee said this class couldn’t be timelier.
“I watched a lot of women start comedy and then quit because it was not a very welcoming environment, and it is a boy’s club,” she said. “I wanted to give them a safe place to pour their hearts and work on a really strong first five minute set that they could present to the world instead of trying out open mics and losing hope.”
The Laugh Lab graduates perform on Dec. 10 at the Punchline at 9 p.m.
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