Funny Business

Funny Business Agency is described as a national comedy booking agency that produces a monthly stand-up series at Asheville's Grey Eagle Music Hall and Pub. [www.bpr.org] The agency also produces a 'Best of Asheville' comedy showcase once a year. [www.bpr.org] Agency owner John Yoder's company put together Funny Business Comedy Club, which opened in 2009 at the bottom of the S&W Building in Asheville and held shows every Friday and Saturday. [www.bpr.org] Funny Business Comedy Club closed a year after it opened, according to Yoder, after which the agency moved Asheville's major comedy nights from Asheville Brewing's Millroom to The Grey Eagle. [www.bpr.org] Yoder said finding a suitably sized venue in Asheville has been a persistent challenge. [www.bpr.org] Yoder said the market's size has limited Funny Business's ability to run a full-time comedy club. [www.bpr.org] Over the years, according to Yoder, Funny Business has brought comics including AJ Finney, Bobcat Goldthwait, Jarrod Harris, Sara Schaefer, Steve O, Tom Green, Tom Simmons, and Wyatt Cenac. [www.bpr.org] The agency books around 40 major stand-up acts nationally each week, according to Yoder. [www.bpr.org] Funny Business and The Grey Eagle jointly presented Bengt Washburn at the Asheville venue on Saturday 11 February 2017, an early show with doors at 6pm and the show at 7pm, tickets $15 to $18. Wendy Wroblewski was on the bill. [thegreyeagle.com] The booking was billed as eighteen and over and as a seated show. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business ran a second Bengt Washburn show the same night, 11 February 2017, with doors at 9pm and the show at 9:30pm, tickets $15 to $18, again with Wendy Wroblewski and again eighteen and over. [thegreyeagle.com] Booking a headliner into an early and a late show on one evening was the promoter's pattern at the venue: the venue's own upcoming-shows list for that week carries both Washburn shows on Saturday 11 February. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business also produced its own local showcases. The Best of Asheville Comedy Showcase ran at The Grey Eagle on 25 March 2017, doors at 9pm and show at 9:30pm, tickets $10 to $12, eighteen and over and seated. [thegreyeagle.com] The bill was ten local comics: Minori Hinds, Grayson Morris, Cary Goff, Macon Clark, Blaine Perry, Hillary Begley, Ryan Cox, James Harrod, Tom Peters, with Tom Scheve as emcee. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business presented Jarrod Harris at The Grey Eagle on 13 May 2017, doors at 6pm and show at 7pm, tickets $12 to $14, eighteen and over and seated, with Lace Larrabee on the bill. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business presented Dave Waite at The Grey Eagle on 3 June 2017, doors at 7pm and show at 8pm, tickets $15 to $18, eighteen and over and seated, with Grant Lyon on the bill. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business ran a local showcase billed as Locally Brewed Comedy at The Grey Eagle on 28 July 2017, doors at 7pm and show at 8pm, tickets $10 to $12, eighteen and over and seated. The bill was Minori Hinds, Blaine Perry, Moira Gorey, Chesney Goodson, Kelly Morgan, Hilliary Begley, Macon Clark and Tom Peters, hosted by Peter Smith McDowell. [thegreyeagle.com] The listing describes these showcases as a recurring series that sold out. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business presented Fortune Feimster at The Grey Eagle on Friday 22 September 2017, doors at 6pm and show at 7pm, tickets $16 to $18, eighteen and over and seated. [thegreyeagle.com] A second Fortune Feimster show ran the same night, 22 September 2017, doors at 9pm and show at 9:30pm, tickets $16 to $18, eighteen and over and seated. [thegreyeagle.com] The Feimster booking ran a second night, Saturday 23 September 2017, with an early show at 7pm, doors at 6pm, tickets $16 to $18. Unlike the Friday shows this one was billed as all ages. [thegreyeagle.com] The fourth show of the Feimster run was on Saturday 23 September 2017 at 9:30pm, doors at 9pm, tickets $16 to $18, all ages and seated. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business presented Emo Philips at The Grey Eagle on 7 October 2017, doors at 6pm and show at 7pm, tickets $18 to $21, eighteen and over and seated. [thegreyeagle.com] A second Emo Philips show ran the same night, 7 October 2017, doors at 9pm and show at 9:30pm, tickets $18 to $21, eighteen and over and seated. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business and The Grey Eagle presented Michael Palascak on 11 November 2017, doors at 6:30pm and show at 7:30pm, tickets $14 to $17, eighteen and over and seated. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business presented Stewart Huff at The Grey Eagle on 9 June 2018, doors at 7pm and show at 8pm, tickets $12 to $15, eighteen and over and seated. [thegreyeagle.com] Funny Business presented Carmen Lynch at The Grey Eagle on 17 November 2018, doors at 6:30pm and show at 7pm, $16 advance and $19 on the day, eighteen and over and seated. [thegreyeagle.com]

“Finding a venue with seating of 150 to 250 isn’t easy here. There are many smaller spaces, but Funny Business wanted to do shows with professional comedy with TV credits.” [www.bpr.org]

“Funny Business has always kept an eye to partner with a venue for full time comedy club. The size of the market could only support a Friday to Saturday club, in my opinion.” [www.bpr.org]

“10 Comics, $10, tons of laughs!” [thegreyeagle.com]

“These Funny Business Asheville Comedy Showcases sell-out quickly, so buying tickets in advance is highly recommended.” [thegreyeagle.com]