L.A.s comedy mentors teach kids more than how to write a punchline

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Set us as preferred Growing up in L.A., Samantha Linderman’s middle school was three blocks away from the Los Angeles School of Comedy, but she was always too intimidated to step inside.Linderman was 19 when she finally worked up the courage to try her hand at stand-up.Calling the L.A.

School of Comedy led to a direct line with founder Sunda Croonquist.Linderman took her first class four days later and was already onstage the next day.

Four years later, she’s pursuing stand-up professionally and working at the very same comedy club as a “concierge of comedy,” handling bookings and leading youth classes.Though she dreams of a career like Adam Sandler’s, she knows she’s coming up in an industry that’s drastically different from the one that shaped the stars before her.The classic paths to Hollywood are dissolving in real time, driven by media consolidation, advancements in AI and a fundamental shift in the younger generation’s attention toward vertical, creator-led, short-form content.Many mid- and late-career working-class comics who would normally build the bridge to younger generations are struggling to make a living.

And those who remain frequently question how much guidance they can offer in a landscape where the rules have become unrecognizable and technology is moving faster than they can keep up.Yet, Linderman, who spent her late teenage years navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, said “mentors now are more important than ever.” Young people crave in-person connections and experiences, she said.Seasoned female comics like Croonquist, who have navigated the industry’s ups and downs firsthand, are among those steering comedy mentorship programs.Comedy Playground, founded by Susanna Spies in 2002, began with showcases at the Hollywood Improv and currently offers classes in North Hollywood, and the Crow,...