The current state of stand-up comedy looks more like a blast from the past.
One of the bigger live events of 2020 (and yes, that should have an asterisk by it) resembles the popular drive-in movie theaters from the 1950s: Rows of cars, an audience sitting in vehicles focused on the entertainment happening up front. The "Parking Lot Social" is a four-day event at Raymond James Stadium (the parking lots, of course) on July 15-19 that features DJ battles, trivia contests and movies.
Parking Lot Social comedy night
Wed. July 15, 9 p.m. $39-$49.
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
theparkinglotsocial.com
On Wednesday, it includes stand-up comedy. It's not just a few jokes in between other events: We're talking a full, 90-minute show featuring some of the best local talent. That talent includes Steve Miller, a longtime local favorite (and former Best of the Bay winner) who will emcee the show. Miller said while the circumstances are unusual, the comedians will have to do most of the adjusting.
"The audience will be with their friends and family, laughing and spending time together," Miller told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. "We are going to be out on a stage without the ability to hear the crowd reacting, standing on a stage staring out a parking lot instead of a crowd."
Miller said he plans to accommodate the circumstances by acting out his set in a more physical manner. But he won't be devoting too much time to COVID-19. While he plans to address what's happening in the world, Miller believes we've been subjected to an "all-COVID, all the time" barrage on the news and social media, and wants the show to be a form of escape for the audience.
Another performer on the bill, Cam Bertrand (also a previous Best of the Bay winner), agrees with Miller. His set will focus on non-virus topics, like exotic animals.
"I haven’t been doing much COVID material to be honest," Bertrand told CL. "I know other comics have a lot on it, so I kind of just want to leave it to them. I’ve been talking about my life more lately, so that’s what a lot of it will be about. Oh, and hippos."
Since the audience is in cars, the event will clearly have the social distancing part down. But there are a number of other procedures in place to keep people safe. Hand sanitizer stations should be easy to find. Restrooms will undergo vigorous cleaning and allow just one adult at a time. And almost everything else will be done in a no-contact manner: Ticket purchases, venue entry, concession orders and payment are all done online or scanned remotely. Finally, entry and exit lines are all done in vehicles so there should be little contact with other patrons.
Aside from the above set procedures and the comedy lineup (which also includes comedians Jaquavious Curry and Brian Aldridge), how the show will actually go is up in the air. It's an unusual form of comedy delivery with an unknown outcome. But since comedians usually like unusual things and unknown outcomes, the format suits them just fine.
"Honestly, I’m excited. I’m a big fan of weird shows," Bertrand added. "I’ve done backyards, basements, flea markets, but never a drive-in. Not really sure what to expect, but I’m definitely looking forward to it getting strange."
"Strange" is also fine for Miller, who is looking forward to another stage opportunity. Like most comedians, his normally-full comedy calendar thinned out due to the virus, and he's looking at just a handful of dates in a month that would normally be packed every weekend.
"I live for new experiences so this show has me all kinds of excited," Miller said. "It will be memorable for sure, and any time I can perform in the shadow of the house that Testaverde built, I am into it."
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This article appears in Jul 9-15, 2020.