Our second installation of the monthly Local Grins column features an interview with touring comic Nurse Blake and roundups of new and returning comedy spectacles across the region.
‘Very Loud and So Much Fun’: That’s the vibe of a Nurse Blake show. (Courtesy Photo)
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second edition of Local Spins’ new monthly feature, Local Grins, that gives comedy fans a spotlight on the region’s scene, interviews with touring comedians and listings of area shows — all assembled by writer and comedy devotee Virginia Anzengruber. Email comments, questions, show additions and your favorite ‘Joke of the Month’ to virginia.anzengruber@gmail.com. View full comedy show listings here. Interested in advertising your shows at Local Spins or sponsoring Local Grins? Email John at john@localspins.com
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Nurse Blake Brings Shock Advised Tour to Grand Rapids
It’s a well-known scientific fact: laughter is the best medicine.
There may be no touring comedian who understands that more than Nurse Blake, the professional registered nurse who, in recent years, has become a viral sensation for his hilarious videos and shows highlighting the ups and downs of working in the medical field. Patient stories with giant props have become part of Nurse Blake’s signature, and on Thursday (Nov. 14), he’ll bring his Shock Advised comedy tour to GLC Live at 20 Monroe in Grand Rapids.
Local Spins had a chance to chat with Blake before his GR stop. When asked what motivated him to move from being the “funny” co-worker to being a professional comedian, he admitted that back in 2017, he started making videos on Facebook after experiencing a panic attack while at work. “At the time, I felt like ‘I’m really lonely. Nursing is so hard.’ At the time I had no one to relate to. And I just started making videos hoping to connect with other people, and make myself laugh, and forget about work for a little bit.”
Nurse Blake (Courtesy Photo)
As our interview almost instantly revealed, connecting with people comes easily for Blake. He’s effortlessly charming, quick-witted, and earnestly loves relating to the nurses who make up many of his audiences. While initially connecting with them online, Blake quickly found a live audience to talk to about his life on stage.
In the years since he began to perform live, the post-COVID environment has fostered an even deeper relationship with his audiences – something Blake relishes. “There’s definitely more of a closeness and protection within the nursing community. We’ve seen this through massive strikes between nurses and hospitals that have happened since COVID. Nurses are striking in historical numbers and really sticking on the picket lines for weeks and months, even to fight for safe staffing and protections against nurse abuse and low wages in certain states. It’s really cool to witness the coming together of nurses and this strength. I wish it didn’t have to happen; I wish nurses didn’t have to strike for patient safety, but in the health-care environment we live in today, it’s really exciting and promising to see nurses stick together and fight for things.”
For audiences coming to Thursday’s show in Grand Rapids, Blake warns “It’s called the Shock Advised Tour for a reason, so you’re going to be able to get a whole new perspective on my life that you wouldn’t necessarily see online. I’m able to be a lot more vulnerable and raw and real and shocking. From growing up to gay conversion therapy to my first cousins that are married to each other to my life as a nurse – it’s about an hour and 45 minutes of ridiculousness. And the nurses are SO loud. They come in party buses. They drink all the White Claws. It’s very loud and so much fun.”
Visit www.nurseblake.com to learn more about Nurse Blake and the Shock Advised Tour. Tickets for the 7 p.m. Thursday show – $48 to 75.50 — are available online here.
Nurse Blake (Photo/Alex Missad)
Don’t Tell Comedy Returns to Grand Rapids
Die-hard West Michigan comedy fans can rejoice: Don’t Tell Comedy has made its triumphant return to Grand Rapids. Last Friday (Nov. 8), comedians and DTGR producers Alexa Stanton and Adam Degi welcomed a sold-out crowd to the pop-up event at Otono in downtown Grand Rapids, a show which boasted comedians from West Michigan and Detroit, including underground comedy darling Brad Wenzel and fan favorites Nick Kelley, Johnny Mocny, Matt Cook and Jacqui Marpa.
This secret-style series features a location and lineup that are kept under wraps from ticketholders until close to showtime, creating a “can’t miss” atmosphere of comedy fans and a room with a back wall of hovering local comedians there just to enjoy the show like everyone else. Follow @donttellcomedy on Instagram for more information about upcoming shows in Grand Rapids.
LaughFest is Back; Gilda’s Club To Fete 15 Years of Funny with Red Door Gala
Gilda’s Club of Grand Rapids announced that LaughFest will return March 5-9. Sponsored by Gun Lake Casino, LaughFest’s 15th round of community comedy is coming back for another year of amazing programming. Nationally touring comics, regional favorites and local legends all mix during this week-long festival that supports Gilda’s Club of Grand Rapids’ mission of providing “emotional health support surrounding cancer and grief.”
To ring in this momentous year appropriately, Gilda’s Club also will host the Red Door Gala dinner and fundraiser on March 19.
“When we started LaughFest in 2010, we had no idea the magnitude this festival would have in our community,” said Wendy Wigger, Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids president and CEO. “It’s really heartening to look back at our very first festival and see how many people we’ve been able to help through our free cancer and grief support program because of the success of LaughFest these past 15 years. We can’t wait to bring back LaughFest and the Red Door Gala to the West Michigan community. These two events increase awareness and help generate much needed funds for our free support programs.”
From the official LaughFest press release: “More details about the festival and the Red Door Gala, plus information regarding volunteer recruitment will be available in January at laughfestgr.org.”
More Comedy Shows You Should Know
Adding on to the working, non-definitive list of area shows we debuted in the first issue of Local Grins, find out about more comedy shows happening in West Michigan and beyond. Have a show or comedy event we should know about? Email Virginia at virginia.anzengruber@gmail.com.
• Cesar’s Pub Comedy Night (monthly, Grand Rapids) – Comedian James River hosts this new monthly show at Cesar’s Pub in Standale. Folks can enjoy good drinks and a fun atmosphere in this lively sports bar that’s home to karaoke and bingo. Shows are free and start at 8 p.m. on the first Monday of every month.
• Shakespeare’s Lower Level Comedy (recurring, Kalamazoo) – Kalamazoo comedian and producer Bob Fredericks hosts this recurring show in the basement of Shakespeare’s Pub – a Kalamazoo staple bar and pub. The next show is November 23 at 9 p.m. with headliner Dave Stone. Purchase tickets and find more information at facebook.com/BobComedyEvents.
• Community House Clean Comedy Showcase (recurring, Norton Shores) – Comedian and professional psychotherapist Matt Sharpe hosts this recurring showcase in the greater Muskegon area at Community House Coffee Shop that features comedians with family-friendly, clean material. Tickets are $7 each, and the show starts at 7 p.m.
View full listings in the Local Grins Comedy Roundup.
Do you have a comedy show we should know about? Email Virginia at virginia.anzengruber@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram @virginiaanzengruber.
Do you have a joke you want to share with our readers? Email us with your best joke to be considered for the next “Joke of the Month.” But please, keep it clean — or at least sorta clean.
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