The Ding Dong Show

What it is

Don's own description is "somewhere between a classic variety show and complete mayhem." It's set up like a late-night panel. Don sits in as moderator, and in place of jokes the cast talks about their lives and worldviews, which tend to be deeply, gloriously strange. Many of them came up through the Store's Monday potluck open mic down the hall. Don prefers to call his Ding Dongers "colorful."

How it started

Don created the show in the Belly Room in 1992, and Comedy Store owner Mitzi Shore gave it its name. Its first star was Perry Caravello, the open-mic dreamer who went on to Windy City Heat. Over the years the cast has included Don's longtime producing partner Mary Jane Green, the Schizophrenic Surfer, Sam the Armenian Comedian, Tennessee Ernie Tuxedo and plenty more who'd never have found a stage anywhere else.

The show was featured in Showtime's 2020 docuseries The Comedy Store. Ari Shaffir gave it a whole episode of Skeptic Tank (#39) and called it one of the wildest things in Hollywood.

Is it still on?

Yes. It's every Monday night in the Belly Room, and The Comedy Store's calendar lists it week after week. It's 21 and over. Reserve through the Store's Belly Room calendar.