“We’re Still Standing”: How the Spokane Comedy Club weathered the challenges of the pandemic

Although it was the last night of relative normality in Spokane, the strange mood at the Spokane Comedy Club was palpable 15 months ago. Seasoned comics veteran Gabriel Rutledge was scheduled to perform in front of about 100 fans who ignored the fact that a pandemic was approaching.

Rutledge was a last-minute replacement for comedian Brian Posehn, who canceled as most entertainers did at the time. Recording artists like Joe Bonamassa and Aaron Watson also canceled their Spokane dates and tours this week.

Virtually every event across the country was postponed as a force resembling an invisible hurricane was about to occur. However, Rutledge drove to Sprague Avenue for the final Olympia local event before COVID-19 changed everything.

“I remember talking to you after the show,” Rutledge said. “I remember we talked about how long we thought this was going to take.” Adam Norwest, the owner of the Spokane Comedy Club, wondered the same thing.

“When the pandemic started I thought we would be closed for two weeks, which seemed harmful to me at the time,” said Norwest. “In hindsight, I was so wrong. It was frustrating and confusing. “

What was so hard to digest for Norwest was that Washington restaurants reopened with limited capacity last summer, but his club remained closed. Why was it okay for a waiter to speak to customers in close proximity, but it was forbidden for a comic to rip across the room in front of an audience?

“I couldn’t understand,” said Norwest as he called from his home in Tacoma. “It didn’t make sense to me. I have a few gray hairs from putting up with all of this. I had so much stress and fear from it. “

Norwest, which also owns clubs in Tacoma, Oklahoma City and Appleton, Wisconsin, needed a way to keep its Washington clubs alive. As of April 2020, virtual comedy events have been booked and some shows have hit big numbers due to humorless fans.

Over 800 fans have signed up for the Spokane-born Kelsey Cook event. “That was so exciting,” Cook said when calling from her Los Angeles home. “It was like a drug, like heroin. I had to get rid of this feeling. “

But not all shows went as well, and some comics, including Dan Cummins, hated the virtual events. “Zoom is not for me,” said Cummins from his Coeur d’Alene home. “This show with the Spokane Comedy Club was a one-off for me.”

There is nothing like entertainers feeding on the crowd. Zoom comedy shows weren’t that well dressed in the summer, and Norwest had to switch. The Spokane Comedy Club has a kitchen. Norwest opted for milkshakes.

“We did what we could to hold on,” said Norwest. “It wasn’t easy to see how strict the Washington protocols were. We’re not the only ones struggling with it. We had to do our best at a very difficult time, but now it’s getting better. I couldn’t wait to get back to some kind of normal in Washington. “

The Spokane Comedy Club is half full, that’s 150, and the mood is very different from 15 months ago. During a recent show with Cook, the veteran comic bonded with the crowd that kept breaking down during their hour-long set. It felt like the old days.

“It’s been really great since we came back with live comedy,” said Norwest. “I feel good about now and about the future.” Norwest has good reason to be happy as the shows are sold out.

Jason Mewes’ two shows and Trey Kennedy’s six appearances were both sold out. Summer, which is usually a quieter time for comedy clubs, is packed and full of big names at the Spokane Comedy Club.

Mike Epps (“The Hangover,” “Next Friday) and Big Jay Oakerson (” Hustlers, “” Isn’t It Romantic “) will hit the headlines in July, and Bobcat Goldthwait (” Police Academy “,” Shakes the Clown “) and Chelsea Handler (“Chelsea Lately”) will perform in August and their dates are already sold out.

“I’m really excited about everyone who comes in, but I’m particularly excited about Chelsea and Bobcat,” said Norwest. “The schedule is really good and we survived. This time last year I had no idea what that time would be like, but we’re still standing. We have survived the darkest of times and now it’s time to just have the best entertainment we can. “