Sacramento comedy lovers had a lot of reason to laugh on Aug. 8when comedian Lisa Lampanelli and a variety of crowd-pleasingentertainers gathered at the Punchline Comedy Club located in theHowe Bout Arden shopping center on Arden Way.

Vulgar language, wise-ass remarks, and insults flowed out of themouths of opening acts, Brian Malow and Rob F. Martinez, followedby the main attraction, Lisa Lampanelli.

San Francisco comedian, Martinez, started off the show with hiswell delivered, though amateur, bit. Cracking jokes about homelesspeople, college scholarships, and alcoholics made him reminiscentof the “funny guy” in any typical group of friends.Martinez shared some rules to live by for alcoholics, such asmaking breakfast with whiskey and other clever tips.

Malow was clearly a more experienced comedian than Martinez, andfollowed Martinez’s with witty remarks and sarcasm that onlya cynical outcast could’ve thought of. Malow, with hisunkempt, curly hair and glasses, resembles the dorky kid in highschool that never said much…and now you know what he wasthinking.

“When I think of President Bush I associate him with,maybe, employee of the month if he’s lucky, but never would Iever associate him with being the President of The United States ofAmerica!” shouted comedian Brian Malow.

He bashed Bush and joked about Black Angus’ restaurantsign with the letter “g” burned out, reading somethingquite a bit more funny. An obvious liberal, not only did Malowtackle politics, he unabashedly spoke about his view on drugs aswell, joking that he’d rather have a loaded bong than aloaded pistol headed his way.

Lisa Lampanelli, also known as “comedy’s lovablequeen of mean,” was the venue’s main attraction, alsohaving appeared on BET, Comedy Central, and VH1. Aclean cut blondewoman, wearing a pink sweater and blue jeans, took the audience bysurprise the moment she opened her mouth, announcing,”that’s how I roll bitches!”

Full of cutting edge issues such as racism and the language ofEbonics, Lampanelli had people laughing, tears rolling, and holdingtheir stomachs. To illustrate how she got her nickname, she offeredadvice on the safest crowd to make fun of. “Make fun of thecrippled people,” she said, “they can’t run afteryou.”

Not only are the comedians top notch, but the crowd is as well.Whether it’s the college students or the middle-aged adults,everyone in the audience is ready for a good time.

On Thursday night, the crowd knew how to take a joke and nottake comedians’ quips personally. When insults were made andsensitive subjects addressed, they responded with open minds andhearty laughter. Spirits were high, especially of the alcoholicvariety, which only added to the atmosphere.

Along with the crowd, the atmosphere of the club is also veryattractive. The lights are dimmed and shine red, the tables are setup around the stage, and a full bar lines the back wall. Candleslight each table and framed sketched pictures and still photographsof comedians decorate the walls. The most eye-catching area of theclub is the backdrop of the stage; a lighted, vibrant picture ofthe city of Sacramento._An enjoyable dinner and casual funatmosphere, proves that Punchline has it all. Although Lampanellihas left the venue, various shows continue weekly. It’s awonderful place to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or to cometogether with friends and first dates. For more information aboutthe Punchline, visit ______________.