Laughs at the Lobero

When the world seems to be turning upside down even faster than it’s rotating on its axis, throwing back your head to laugh out loud is a lot more fun than throwing up your hands in exasperation. (Of course, you can do both.) The Lobero has two top comics coming our way on successive nights to help us cope with crises, perhaps showing us that stand-ups are the saviors. 

Former Saturday Night Live cast member Rob Schneider (1990-94), who also scored three writing Emmy nominations along the way, has had big roles in a number of Hollywood hoots including Big Daddy and Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo but also stayed in touch on the stage. His mixed background (Filipino and Caucasian ancestry, a Jewish father and Catholic mother) has been a common theme in his comedy acts but his current tour, called Rescue Husband, gets even more personal as it’s largely drawn from his life as a dad to two young girls. 

Schneider’s show on Thursday, January 22, is followed immediately by another SNL alum in Janeane Garofalo, just as she did on the iconic sketch comedy series, although she only lasted a single season over 1994-95. Emmy has also smiled on the comic actress, including for stints on The Ben Stiller Show and The Larry Sanders Show as well as roles on Mad About You and the final season of The West Wing (which would be wonderful to re-watch right about now). Garofalo, who has also starred in a number of popular movies, and was involved in the early days of Air America Radio, the liberal antidote to Rush Limbaugh, which also launched fellow SNL colleagues to run for U.S. Senate. There’s no title for her Friday night frolic on January 23, but you can expect her usual incisive and smart comedy to raise your spirits.