Señor Fish — a Mexican restaurant on Eagle Rock Boulevard — has added weekly stand-up comedy to their Monday-night menu. According to Occidental student Ian Terell (junior), he and his friends attended “The Monday Show” regularly over the summer while they were on campus for research and internships.
“We saw the sign for Monday night comedy, and were like, ‘We should just try it out.’ So then we [went] the following Monday,” Terrell said.
Morgan Jackson (senior) said the group began to go every Monday and made a routine out of it, with different friends tagging along each week.
“It got to a point where we became regulars, so they wouldn’t start until we got there,” Jackson said. “They would always save the front row for us.”
“The Monday Show” began in 2023 when friends and comedians Lindsay Adams, Sam Wiles, Mike Joyce and Will Miles wanted to create a comedy show in Eagle Rock. Adams said the show would not be the same without the audience.
“Regulars and people who keep coming back to the show are so important and so valued,” Adams said. “We love having Oxy students come.”
Adams said an Eagle Rock comedy show is unique, as most of the bigger shows don’t happen in these smaller neighborhoods.
“Eagle Rock specifically — or Highland Park — doesn’t have regular comedy, you usually have to go into downtown LA,” Adams said. “I live on the east side. I don’t always want to [travel]. I want to go hang out somewhere close.”
Julia Brody, the producer, said she found out about the group when she met Adams at another comedy show. Brody said she was drawn to their vision and soon took on the task of finding a venue.
According to Brody, the group originally intended to do the show at Vidiots, a movie theater down the street from Señor Fish. Brody said that when the group first came to Eagle Rock, she struggled to find parking, until she stumbled upon Señor Fish.
“I was like, ‘Wait, this is perfect,’” Brody said. “Everyone here is just like a walking angel. I don’t know how I got so lucky.”
Brody said that during her search, she met the owner Enrique Ramirez. Ramirez said having “The Monday Show” not only boosts business on typically slow Monday nights, but also fosters a sense of a connection among his customers.
“When people come to the restaurant, they don’t really interact,” Ramirez said. “The comedy brings a different kind of element, because it does create a little bit more synergy as far as people interacting, getting to know each other.”
Jay Washington — a comedian who performed at Señor Fish for the first time Sept. 9 — said he had heard of the show over the past year and took the chance to be a part of it to get more performing time.
“I’ve known Lindsay, Mike, Sam and Julia for a while. That always helps when you know the people out [of] the gate. So you know what to expect,” Washington said. “If a show has been running in a certain place for a decent amount of time, you know that everybody believes in that show. They believe in who will come out to watch it, who comes regularly, who frequents it or how the word gets around.”
Brody said she was excited to find people who shared a common interest.
“I love comedy, it’s always just been a dream to feel like I was part of a community, and feeling like I’m helping create a community,” Brody said. “It just feels like hanging out.”
Adams said the main reason she wanted to start a comedy show was to bring people together.
“I want to make people feel less alone and like they are a part of something,” Adams said. “We have some really fantastic comics. And if you’re interested in comedy, you can come check it out, see what you like. Maybe you’ll find someone you really like.”
Contact Eliana Joftus and Kate Netzer at joftus@oxy.edu and netzer@oxy.edu
