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The aphorism “laughter is the best medicine” has been attributed to the Book of Proverbs in the Old Testament: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
And according to health professionals, laughter is also a great form of stress relief. No joke. The Mayo Clinic suggests that a good sense of humor may not cure all ailments, but data shows the positive things laughter can do both short term and long term – from lightening your mental status to the stimulation of organs and endorphins.
Dating back to the 1600s, stand-up comedy has grown into a genre of its own. Comedians have gone from performing inside small rooms to massive arenas.
Beaumont has been a hot bed for comedians for years. Popular comedians such as Aries Spears, Joey Diaz and the late Ralphie May could be found weekly on the stages at GK’s Comedy Club, The Comedy Zone and Comedy TX, all of which are now closed.
With streaming services airing massive specials and fresh off the heels of “The Roast of Tom Brady,” 2024 is being dubbed “the summer of stand-up” and it begins this weekend as two nationally touring jokesters are scheduled to perform in Beaumont.
The Jefferson Theatre will host comedians Chad Prather and Zach Rushing on Saturday, May 18, at 8 p.m.
Most of us are born into this world kicking and screaming, but Prather most certainly came out laughing. The comedian, musician and armchair philosopher is an unapologetic champion for anyone looking for a reason to smile.
“For me,” Prather admits, “comedy really isn’t all that complex. More often than not, nothing makes me laugh harder than when common sense sneaks up and wins the day.”
From acting and comedy to music and motivational speaking, there doesn’t seem to be a field in entertainment that Prather can’t conquer. Prather has made numerous appearances on talk shows and his talents have been praised by the l i k e s of “Southern Living,” “People,” “Nash Country Weekly” and “Newsweek.”
Rushing was born and raised in Southern Mississippi. His uncensored, no holds barred personality and style have gained him over 6 million followers across his social media platforms.
Tickets start at $37.50 and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com.
Later this summer, “The Bored Teachers” are bringing their all new “The Struggle is Real! Comedy Tour” to the Julie Rogers Theatre in Beaumont on Friday, Aug. 2, at 7:30 p.m.
For years, Bored Teachers Studios has brought a sense of humor to teachers around the world to ease their daily struggle in the classroom. They’ve amassed over 1 billion views on their viral videos on social media, over 10 million followers, and the No. 1 ranked teacher-comedy podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Ticket prices start at $35 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, who has been included in The Hollywood Reporter’s “Top 40 Comedy Players” issue alongside comedy giants Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock, returns to Beaumont at Doggett Ford Arena on Saturday, Oct. 12, for the “Don’t Worry Be Fluffy” Tour. Iglesias is one of the world’s most successful comedians. He recently became the second highest grossing touring comedian and is one of the most watched comedians on YouTube with over 1.1 billion views and over 25 million fans on social media.
The 47-year-old Iglesias last performed in Beaumont to a sold-out Ford Park crowd in January of 2022.
Tickets are $49.50-$125 and can be purchased online at doggettfordpark. com.
The Golden Nugget in nearby Lake Charles, Louisiana continues to bring in national acts such as Matt Mathews and Steve Trevino.
Mathews, from Birmingham Alabama, will perform at the Nugget on Friday, May 24, at 8:30 p.m. During the pandemic, Mathews skyrocketed into the social media stratosphere through his hilariously raw social posts and side-splitting short-form videos–earning him over 4 million followers on TikTok and over 1.5 million followers on Instagram.
Mathews’ show is currently sold out.
Trevino returns to Lake Charles on Saturday, June 8. His first appearance at the Golden Nugget came in 2023 when he sold out the Grand Event Center. Known as “America’s Favorite Husband,” Trevino, can “speak wife fluently,” he never calls “the guys” for help on a home project, and he knows better than to “make his own decisions,” since decision-making is a privilege reserved solely for his wife, Renae. His related approach affirms his status as one of the country’s fastest rising comics, viewed over 223 million times, selling out shows coast-to-coast, amassing over 2 million total social media followers, and headlining special for Amazon, Netflix, Showtime and more.
Tickets prices are $20-$35 and can be purchased at goldennugget.com.