October's biggest comedy shows owe a lot to the small screen.

The small screen is, of course, a television. Unless it's a computer monitor. Or maybe a tablet. Or a phone. Whatever; you do you. It's a good way to annoy your significant other, blow off work and pretty much ignore other human beings. It's also a good way to get in a lot of laughs, and become fans of comedians you can see live at some point — provided you can pull yourself away from that small screen.

Fortunately, plenty of people can do that for a couple of hours, and that means comedy clubs (and a giant arena) will be filled with people looking for some stand-up comedy. And, often bolstered by popular television shows, the talented comedians are happy to oblige. 

Here are your best bets for October: 

Robert Kelly. OK, so Kelly didn't get all his notoriety on television. His brash, raw comedy has been popular among his peers and audiences for years, and he's toured extensively with the likes of Dane Cook. Kelly's became well known for his sharp wit and biting, abrasive humor on stage.

Still, you know that some people will go see him because he's Louis C.K.'s brother on the popular "Louie." They might not have ever seen him perform stand-up. And that's fine, because if they like thoughtful, adult material, they'll be fans by the time they leave.  

$10-$16.50. Oct. 13, 8:30 p.m.; Oct. 14-15, 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Side Splitters, 12938 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. 813-960-1197. sidesplitterscomedy.com.  

Amy Schumer. Right now there are just a handful of comedians who could play Amalie Arena. Kevin Hart? Sure. Louis C.K.? No doubt. Dave Chappelle? Yeah.

Time to add Amy Schumer to that list.

It shouldn't be a surprise, of course. She's been headlining arenas (including Madison Square Garden) for a while now. She seemed to go from comedy club headliner to television star to movie star to comedy rock star in the blink of an eye. In reality, she kept chugging along with her dry wordplay and adult topics, using each medium to highlight her wit and creativity at each stop. A lot of her comedy has also become thought-provoking, including sketches that reveal societal biases in a funny way.

Now she's a best-selling author as well. And yeah, she took a couple of digs at Tampa in those pages. But we can take some ribbing from a comedian who's annihilated people on Comedy Central roasts. Besides, she likes us better than Nevada.

In any case, thousands of fans will see her at a venue that's more commonly used by popular musicians and top-tier hockey franchises. Just performing there is a testament to both her popularity and how well she's honed her set into a relatable mix of adult content, sarcastic punchlines and sharp tags.

$35.25-$120. Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. Amalie Arena, 401 Channelside Dr., Tampa. 813-301-6500. amaliearena.com.

Carlos Mencia. A decade ago, "Mind of Mencia" was making waves on Comedy Central as a show that wasn't afraid to poke fun at racial stereotypes. Its creator, Carlos Mencia, became one of the hottest comedians, with plenty of demand for his cable television and live stage appearances.

But 10 years is a lifetime in the world of television, and things began to settle down. Mencia's show ended, and with it the continuous access to comedy fans on a regular basis. Then came the infamous, career-damaging accusations of joke theft, including a now-infamous confrontation with fellow comedian Joe Rogan. Those accusations continued to dog him for years, and that fall from grace could have caused several comedians to retire from the stage.  

But not Mencia. He's slimmed down considerably and kept an active touring schedule. He's back headlining comedy clubs instead of theaters, but he's performing the same kind of controversial, politically-incorrect material that made him a star in the first place.

And, several years after his show ended, he still has a good number of those television fans. Television itself changes quickly, but television viewers have long memories for their favorite material. They'll be out in force on this special engagement weekend to hear his expanded thoughts, and he'll be there giving them, exactly what they want.

$40. Oct. 27, 8 p.m.; Oct. 28, 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.; Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.; and Oct. 30, 7 p.m. Tampa Improv, 1600 E. Eighth Ave., Tampa. 813-864-4000. improvtampa.com.

This article appears in Oct 6-13, 2016.