Proops Chat Show. Just Go Already.

An old friend of mine -- a comedy devotee and successful comedy writer -- told me yesterday that he lived two blocks from LA's Largo for years(the old location on Fairfax) and didn't know that Greg Proops regularly hosted a brilliant chat show there. Really? That seems unbelievable to me; but if he doesn't know, then perhaps you don't know. So here we go.

The charming and very smart Greg Proops chat show hosts guests in the cool and cozy Largo space for discussion and performance and whatever else comes to mind. It has now migrated over to the new Largo location on La Cienega, but this great tradition continues and you should catch it while you can. Past guests have included Jack Black, Sarah Silverman, Joe Walsh, Janeane Garofalo, David Cross, Maragaret Cho, Dave Eggers, Joan Rivers, Aidan Quinn, Jeff Goldblum, Kathy Griffin, Lewis Black, Patton Oswalt and John C. Reilly. And guests are really just the icing on the cupcake. I'd go just to check out Greg's suits. A sampling of the beautiful thing here:



Although I haven't had the pleasure of seeing Proops perform live in years, I can highly recommend the show because I have seen some of his most recent video and it is obvious that he has really been kicking ass again lately. Of course, I am somewhat biased because I'm a long-time fan and I especially love it when he is speaking to folks of our generation, as he does with this awesome recent bit about Evil Knievel:



But the Big Chat Show is friendly to all generations -- example: upcoming guests include the Flight of the Conchords, who will be joining him at New Largo on July 26. (Although the challenge of mixing Proops with the New Zealanders is that it is almost too much adorable for one stage to bear -- so one has to hope that the new Largo has undergone stringent seismic reinforcement). But hosting the younger set seems appropriate because the Proopsdog is nothing if not constantly hip and relevant. In my eyes, ageless and timeless.

You may be wondering at this point: why should we believe that a stand up comedian and improv master would necessarily make a solid chat show host? Easy. Proops is one of the most stunningly intelligent comedians alive and he is fastidiously well-informed. His opinions are better formed than his hair, and that is saying something.

Edited to add in a tasty video sampler of the show -- here is a holiday special (probably not typical, but none of these shows are):


I know I've said this before, but if you are stuck in LA anyway for a time, go see him. Just do it. Oh -- and before you go -- call me so I can pop down to join you.