Surf’s up at Jon Lovitz’s upcoming comedy club

Funnyman Jon Lovitz is adding one more credential to his comedy and acting resume: comedy club owner. His new venue, the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club, is scheduled to open in late May at the former B.B. King’s on Universal CityWalk.

But Lovitz doesn’t want his to be just one more club in Los Angeles; he wants to stand out. The solution? A Hawaiian theme.

“I love Hawaii!” he said. “This will be completely different from any other club -- you will hear the ocean.”

And the twists don’t end there. Lovitz promises that the 400-seat venue will feature three bars, pizza from Mulberry Street Pizzeria and desserts from Jerry’s Famous Deli. On stage, palm trees and blue drapes will set the tropical scene, with a massive 10-by-10-foot TV screen projecting performers to everyone in the club.

“The whole thing is to escape,” he said. “You walk in here and it’s like another world. You feel good before the show even starts.”

In addition to his unusual decorating talent, Lovitz hopes that his star power will draw famous comedians to occupy the stage. Former cast members from “Saturday Night Live” -- where he gained fame in the 1980s -- are among his targets.

“I think they’ll want to do it because it’s owned by a comedian they know and it’s more relaxed that way,” he said. “It’s a colleague’s place.”

Helping Lovitz run the new club is Frank Kelly, who was managing the Irvine Improv when Lovitz started doing stand-up five years ago. The pair will split ownership duties, with Lovitz handling the entertainment side and Kelly managing business responsibilities.

The comedian hopes to perform at his new venue at least once a month and said he might even continue his informal contract with the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, where he occasionally appears. The point is not to compete with other clubs in Los Angeles, he said, but rather to add something a little different.

To add variety, Lovitz will feature theme nights, such as “old-school night” with older comedians, live karaoke during the week and big-name headliners on the weekends. Lovitz will headline opening week and Carlos Mencia will perform the following week.

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alicia.lozano@latimes.com