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Buss has plans to host live music and other events in addition to comedy shows. Following in the historic footsteps of past Ice House comedy stars including George Carlin, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin and Ellen DeGeneres, the club will relaunch with a bang. IN addition to Cho’s one-night-only performances at 8 and 10 pm, the opening weekend will also headline HBO sitcom star Pete Holmes (“Crashiing”) in the club’s secondary stage the California Room. The ownership changed hands three years ago, when longtime owner Bob Fisher opted to finally retire and came to terms with Johnny Buss, the son of the iconic Angeleno Dr. Jerry Buss and also the co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. A huge comedy fan who was a longtime attendee of the club, Buss had long wanted to enter the world of owning a top nightlife destination.
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After Buss hired her as general manager of the team years later, she assembled the roster that led the Sparks to a championship victory in 2001. For all the years she was involved in the WNBA, Toler says she and Buss always had a great working relationship that allowed her to grow in her career. Many comedians go on to star in other improv style comedic ventures, such as “Saturday Night Live.” Enjoying a show at The Groundlings is kind of like getting a look at a future star.
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Other improvements include the addition of more seats in both comedy rooms, upgrades and an expansion of the restrooms, as well as a new VIP area designed to attract big names to the club. The new VIP room is located where the old dining room used to be and it now has a glass enclosure, so people can sit within that space and watch the show through glass and still talk and not disturb the comics, he said. Johnny Buss, the son of the iconic Angeleno Dr. Jerry Buss and also the co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers (left) has breathed new life into Pasadena’s storied Ice House comedy club. Fully renovated, the re-energized spot opens Feb, 16 with comedy legend Margaret Cho (right). Aside from the club’s new look and the new food items on the menu, the management is also planning to do open mics to showcase the talents of new and aspiring comics once the club reopens.
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From 1960 to 1978, The Ice House, originally managed by Keith Pearce, aka, O'Brien, was a folk music club with acts coming from around the country to perform. In 1978, the original owners were bought out by a trio of investors led by Bob Fisher who changed the format of the club to stand-up comedy. The Comedy Store was founded by comedians back in the 1970s and has been giving people giggles ever since.
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According to Buss, the Ice House has been beloved amongst comics since it opened in 1960 because of how the audience’s laughs reverberate throughout the space. The new Ice House might have a modernized kitchen and new booths and banquettes, but Buss was careful to keep the acoustics of the building intact. The Lakers team co-owner Johnny Buss is now the owner of the Ice House. "I just wanted it to survive in the spot where it originated," he said. "It's a beautiful venue now," said Kevin Dorse who was at a show Friday night. Since she became the club's general manager, Toler's been regaled by every comic she meets about stories of the club from back in the day.
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The Groundlings, Los Angeles, CA
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As fans of comedy, Johnny and Jerry had seriously discussed opening a comedy club together in the past. So after purchasing The Ice House in 2019 — and giving it a $4 million facelift during a three-year closure, mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic — Buss finally has the club he and his father had always dreamed about. The club, which has been around for over 60 years, has undergone a transformation under the new ownership of Johnny Buss, son of the late Lakers owner, Jerry Buss.
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Since the pandemic hit and the club could not operate due to restrictions, Johnny decided to have it renovated. Believing that the sale of the club was the “perfect opportunity” to fulfill his father’s dream, Johnny offered to pay 50% more than whatever the other buyer offered, ensuring the sale went through. Sign up to receive the latest news, event details, restaurant deals, and information on all things Pasadena. Playhouse Village, a quaint neighborhood in Pasadena, is brimming with public art, entertainment, beautiful...
Although his dad didn’t get see their comedy dreams come to fruition, Buss still plans on turning The Ice House into a family business. Pasadena Now strives to publish a full spectrum of news and information articles in service to the entire community. The publication will remain free to readers and will not erect paywalls.
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Stage 1, the main showroom, can accommodate up to 165 people while the second showroom can accommodate up to 100 people. The legendary Ice House Comedy Club, which has been closed since 2019 for renovations, will be opening next year on February 9, the owner of the club confirmed. Among performers who have recorded some of the more than 75 live albums at the club are the Smothers Brothers, Gallagher, Lily Tomlin, Pat Paulsen, Richard Jeni and George Lopez.
In 2019 The Ice House increased its LEGENDARY status when it was purchased by Johnny Buss. Son of Dr. Jerry Buss and co-owner of LA’s most iconic professional sports team the Los Angeles Lakers. While president of the Los Angeles Sparks the team brought back-to-back WNBA Championships to the city of champions.
“When you’re almost the pinnacle of sports ownership, what do you do? And my dad and I used to sit around and say, what we need to do is buy a variety club and have comics and magicians and maybe a singer, come out and just really have a really great evening. And we used to talk about that literally for the last 40 years,” he recounted. As an original draft pick for the Sparks when the team started in 1997, Toler was the first player to score a basket in WNBA history.
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