At the Improv, Comedy to Help Tragedy Victims

Precisely one week after the Northern California earthquake struck, the first quake joke at the Improvisation here was told. Whether mixing the tragedy of the earthquake with the comedy of stand-up was inappropriate or premature then is not ours to decide. But it’s certainly ideal that those two elements will come together Monday at the Improv, where there will be a benefit to raise money for the quake victims.

Proceeds from the the show will go directly to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, and the comedians scheduled to perform include Ritch Shydner, Paul Rodriguez, Chuck Martin, Stephen Dale and Tom Martin.

Shydner’s acting credits include “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Roxanne” and a stint as a semi-regular on the snitcom “Married . . . With Children. Shydner also is an aspiring screenwriter and, as a comic, he’s a frequent visitor to both “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night With David Letterman.” He recently landed his own HBO special (which he’ll tape next month in Chicago), and has one of the most forceful acts in stand-up.

He specializes in commenting on the battle of the sexes (and these are hardly second-hand reports--he has clearly spent a lot of time on the front lines), keeping the analysis, and the jokes, evenhanded. No misogynistic stuff for him. Indeed, in dissecting the differences between men and women, he often portrays males--himself included--as the dolts they can be. Regardless, his material is so perceptive and universal that he often gets laughs of recognition before the punch line, then a bigger laugh when he does hit the punch line.

Like Shydner, Paul Rodriguez is a multimedia kinda guy. He has appeared in films (“Quicksilver,” “D.C. Cab.” “Born in East L.A.,” etc.), starred in sitcoms (“a.k.a. Pablo,” “Trial and Error”), racked up all the important stand-up credits (including shots on the key talk shows, putting out a comedy album, “You’re in America Now, Speak Spanish”--released in both English and Spanish--and some cable specials), and now has jumped into the world of radio.

As the morning drive-time disc jockey on FM-92 KKBT, Rodriguez is one of the key personalities on the new Los Angeles rock outlet that emerged when classical station KFAC folded. His recent foray into broadcasting doesn’t mean he has backed away from the other media: He still performs stand-up on television and in clubs (Monday’s show is at least the second earthquake benefit he’s done), and is working on another sitcom that may be added to the TV schedule as a mid-season replacement.

Stephen Dale is a rather unknown quantity, but apparently has appeared on “Comedy Express.” But Orange County residents Chuck Martin (who has appeared on “Evening at the Improv,” “Showtime Comedy Club Network” and “Comedy Express”) and Tom Martin (no relation) are sharp, gifted local comics.

The earthquake benefit will be Monday at the Improvisation, 4255 Campus Drive, Irvine. Show time: 8:30 p.m. Tickets: $15. Information: (714) 854-5455.