Comedy Caravan celebrates 27th anniversary

In the back room of Bear’s Place, Comedy Caravan has made Bloomington residents and IU students laugh for 27 years.

This weekend the series will celebrate its 27th anniversary.

Tom Sobel, the president of TSM Artists Incorporated, said TSM originally started out as a booking agent for artists but in the late 1980s it shifted to focus on comedy.

Sobel decided to start doing shows at Bear’s Place primarily because of the location. Bloomington is located between bigger cities such as Indianapolis and Louisville, he said. The venue itself provided an intimate experience between the comedians and the audience.

“There is not a bad seat in the house,” he said.

Comedy Caravan has seen a variety of comedians including Ellen Degeneres, Roseanne Barr, Sinbad and Steve Harvey.

While Sobel thinks the location is what makes the show stand out, others attribute different factors.

Susan Seizer, an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Culture, is researching stand-up comics for a documentary.

Comedy Caravan is one of the places where she has conducted her research.

She said the comedians provide a voice for the working class, which is not often heard in comedy. Many of them are local comedians who grew up and live in the Midwest.

“They aren’t about making it in Hollywood,” she said.

Mark Klein was one of the first comedians to perform with Comedy Caravan at Bear’s Place. He is also performing this weekend for their 27th anniversary.

Klein said he has performed at Bear’s Place at least 50 to 60 times over the past couple of years.

 He said his show has changed since he first was at Bear’s Place.
When he started performing he talked about sex and drinking. Now, he uses a lot of conservative humor.

Although the material in Klein’s show has changed, the atmosphere hasn’t.

“The faces have changed, but the audience is the same,” he said.

Sobel said the stand-up comedy format is one of the best methods of comedy because it is more intimate than when watching it on the television.

Laura Brikmanais, an employee at Bear’s Place, said the audience must agree.

Over the years, the Comedy Caravan has been one of the biggest long-running series the bar has. Brikmanais said the back room, where Comedy Caravan itakes place, was renovated especially for stand-up comedians.

Still, many think the secret is in the room at Bear’s Place.

“It’s a great room for laughs,” Klein said.