A photograph of comedian and author Sam Tallent posing outdoors in western-style formal wedding attire. Positioned center frame in a medium close-up shot, Tallent looks upward and to the right with a wide, joyful smile. He wears a light beige cowboy hat, thin gold-framed eyeglasses, a black suit jacket, a white collared dress shirt, a floral boutonnière pinned to his lapel, and a black string bolo tie. In the background, soft outdoor daylight illuminates a lush green pine tree forest beneath floral wedding arrangements of white and lavender flowers.
Sam Tallent Credit: samtallentcomedy / Facebook

There’s a whole heck of a lot going on inside Sam Tallent’s egg of a skull.

In 2024, the 39-year-old told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that he was excited to head to Paris and get to work on a follow-up to his critically-acclaimed debut novel “Running The Light.” On Sept. 22, “Brut,” his 368-page thriller hits shelves.

Tallent recently told WDET that the novel centers on a contract killer doing one last hit, but that it’s really about two Marines who fall in love but then find themselves unable to deal with their toxic masculinity and the fact they’ve fallen in love with a man. It’s pulp fiction, he added, and it’s a boy beach read that’s lyrical and full of prose describing people getting pummeled to death.

“It’s fun to have the people who come to my shows and tell them, “‘Oh, it’s a hitman,’ and then they’re reading a book about two gay men desperately in love,” he told the radio station. “I like pulling that little switch on, the young men in their white hats and polo shirts.”

A true rare, um, talent, Tallent returns to Tampa for five shows next Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 13-15. Tickets start at $25.

This listing is maintained by CL staffers and contributors, who also keep a close eye on the publication’s user-submitted events calendar. Please help us out by submitting yours at community.cltampa.com.

A&E

  • GrowHouse’s 1st Mondays Open Mic and Poetry Workshop Every first Monday. 7 p.m. No cover. The Backroom, Tampa
  • The Art of Banksy On view through Aug. 30. $29.99 & up. Morsani Hall at David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
  • Oh, Cuore Mia Through Sept. 17. No cover. Tempus Projects, Ybor City
  • Jun Kaneko: Silence Before Sound Through Aug. 23. $5 & up. Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa. tampamuseum.org
  • Art After Dark: Summer Sessions Thursday, Aug. 6. 5 p.m. No cover for members and under 18; $16 for everyone else. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg. mfast.org
  • Dani Lewis: Apricity (Opening reception) Saturday, Aug. 8. 5 p.m. No cover. Morean Center for Clay, St. Petersburg moreanartscenter.org
  • The Art of Flight: Birds in Helping Hands Fundraiser w/Sasha Tuck Friday, Aug. 7. 6-9 p.m. No cover. Brenda McMahon Gallery, Gulfport
  • Ernesto Maranje: To the Edge of the Wild (Opening Reception) Saturday, Aug. 8 (on view through Sept. 19). 5 p.m.-9 p.m. No cover. Wild Space Gallery at The Factory, St. Petersburg
  • Still Forces: Browne Art Salon Grand Opening w/Paul Tilton Saturday, Aug. 8. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover (RSVP). Browne Art Gallery, St. Petersburg
  • Theatre Kids Broadway Dance Party Saturday, Aug. 8. 8 p.m. $20.97. Orpheum, Tampa
  • New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations Thursday, Aug. 13 through Jan. 3, 2027. 5-8 p.m. Museum admission $12-$24. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg
  • Asian Summer Food & Music Festival Friday-Sunday, Aug. 21-23. 12 p.m.; 5 p.m. Friday. No cover. Coachman Park, Clearwater
  • Coffee and Poetry featuring Tim Huff Sunday, Aug. 30. 3 p.m. $12.51. Kerouac House, St. Petersburg. stpetekerouachouse.com
  • Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue Saturday, Oct. 24. 7 p.m. $57.50 & up. Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater
  • An Evening with the Celebrity Housewives Wednesday, Nov. 11. 7:30 p.m. $72.80 & up. Ferguson Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
  • Dante Gebel Tuesday, Nov. 17. 8 p.m. $69.09 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Tampa
  • Cirque du Soleil: ‘Twas The Night Before Select times and dates from Wednesday-Sunday, Nov. 18-29. Prices TBA. Morsani Hall at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
  • Jonathan Van Ness Thursday, Nov. 19. 8 p.m. $81 & up. Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Tampa

Bookish

  • Book Bedazzling Thursday, Aug. 6. 6 p.m. Sold out. The Gilded Page, Tarpon Springs. thegildedpagebookstore.com
  • Aaron Cline Hanbury Sunday, Aug. 9. 3:30 p.m. $6.71 & up. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park
  • OE Book Club: On the Calculation of Volume Tuesday, Aug. 11. 6:30 p.m. $32.64. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park
  • H.M. Wolfe with Krystal Lang Wednesday, Aug. 12. 6:30 p.m. $39.41. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park
  • Bookstore Romance Day Saturday, Aug. 15. 11 a.m. No cover. The Gilded Page, Tarpon Springs. thegildedpagebookstore.com
  • Book Club: Isola Tuesday, Aug. 18. 6 p.m. $39.23. The Library, St. Petersburg. thelibrarystpete.com
  • Author-sponsored book club: “Lost and Found” by Tarah DeWitt Wednesday, Aug. 19. 6 p.m. $21. The Book Lounge, St. Petersburg. thebooklounge.com
  • Maria Fox (Book signing) Saturday, Aug. 22. 12 p.m. No cover with RSVP. The Book Lounge, St. Petersburg. thebooklounge.com
  • “The Open Door” by Matt Lettellier (Book signing and launch) Tuesday, Aug. 25. 5 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Book + Bottle, St. Petersburg. bookandbottlestpete.com
  • Lunchtime Book Club: Good People Wednesday, Aug. 26. 11:30 a.m. $12.28. The Library, St. Petersburg. thelibrarystpete.com
  • Silent Book Club Thursday, Aug. 27. 5:30 p.m. No cover. Aspirations Winery, Clearwater
  • Kristin Harmel Sunday, Aug. 30. 3:30 p.m. No cover with RSVP. Oxford Exchange, Tampa
  • OE Book Club: The Midnight Train Tuesday, Sept. 8. 6:30 p.m. No cover. Oxford Exchange, Hyde Park

Comedy

  • 10th Annual Countdown Improv Festival Wednesday-Sunday, Aug. 5-9. 6 p.m.; 7 p.m. Wednesday & Thursday. $21.94 & up. HCC Performing Arts Building, Ybor City. countdownimprovfestival.com
  • The Dating Detectives Live Thursday, Aug. 6. 7 p.m. $37. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa
  • Officer Kevin Eudy Thursday, Aug. 6. 7:30 p.m. $25 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
  • Kurt Metzger Friday, Aug. 7. 8 p.m. $25 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
  • Michael Colyar Multiple times Friday-Sunday, Aug. 7-9. $27. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa
  • JustCallMoe Comedy Jam Saturday, Aug. 8. 5:30 p.m. $15 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
  • Comic’s Night Out Sunday, Aug. 9. 9 p.m. $10 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
  • Porkchopz Sunday, Aug. 9. 7 p.m. $25 & up. Side Splitters Comedy Club, Tampa
  • Laughter League (Comedy showdown) Tuesday, Aug. 11. 6:30 p.m. $12. Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg. imaginemuseum.com
  • Majah Hype Thursday, Aug. 13. 7 p.m. $32. Funny Bone Comedy Club, Tampa

Film & TV

  • CatVideoFest Multiple times Friday-Thursday, Aug. 7-13. $9 & up. John T. Taylor Screening Room at Tampa Theatre, Tampa
  • Fiume o morte! Select dates through Aug. 6. 5:30 p.m. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
  • Snatch Friday, Aug. 7. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
  • 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up: A Film by NOFX Thursday, Aug. 7. 7 p.m. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
  • Remake Select dates Aug. 7-13. Various times. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
  • The Black Pirate (1926) Saturday, Aug. 8. 8 p.m. No cover. Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values at University of Tampa, Tampa. tampatheatre.org
  • The Devil Wears Prada 2 Saturday, Aug. 8. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
  • 2026 Cat Video Fest Select dates Aug. 8-9. 2 p.m. $10. Sun-Ray Cinema, Tampa
  • The Seven Year Itch Sunday, Aug. 9. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
  • Revenge of the Nerds Monday, Aug. 10. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
  • A Fish Called Wanda Tuesday, Aug. 11. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
  • As Good As It Gets Wednesday, Aug. 12. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor
  • Back To School Thursday, Aug. 13. Multiple times. $5.35. Gigglewaters, Safety Harbor

Learn

Markets & retail

  • Seminole Heights Sunday Market Sunday, Aug. 9. 10 a.m. No cover. American Legion Post 111, Seminole Heights. tampabaymarkets.com
  • 813 Day Market Thursday, Aug. 13. 6 p.m. No cover. M. Bird, Tampa. mbirdtampa.com

News & public affairs

Pride

  • Drag Bingo Every first and third Wednesday. 9 p.m. No cover. American Legion Seminole Post 111, Tampa
  • Drag Queen Bingo feat. Stephanie Stuart Every second Wednesday. 7 p.m. $10. Emerald Coast Brewing Company, New Port Richey
  • Drag Queen Bingo with Crystal Reigns Every final Wednesday. 7:30 p.m. No cover. Corner Club, Seminole Heights
  • Deviant Coven Every first Thursday. 6 p.m. No cover. Deviant Libation, Tampa

Theater

  • Jobsite Theater: American Idiot Select times and dates through Aug. 9. $41.40 & up. Jaeb Theater at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
  • The Last Unicorn (World premiere play adaptation) Multiple times and dates Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 13-23. $30. The Fringe Theatre, Ybor City. tampafringe.org
  • Jobsite Theater: Penelope Select times and dates from Wednesday, Aug. 19 through Sunday, Sept. 6. $71.40 & up. Shimberg Playhouse at Straz Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa
  • R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) Saturday & Sunday, Aug. 22 & 23. 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. $5; no cover for members. Carrollwood Cultural Center, Tampa

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This article appears in August 06 – 12, 2026.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...

Josh Bradley is Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's calendar editor. He started as a freelance music writer in 2020 at the age of 18, and after spending years covering, announcing, and previewing concerts in...