MICHELLE SLONIM Living Room Laughs
Bringing the funny straight to your door!
The weekend has finally arrived and all you can do is breathe an exhausted sigh of relief. Between your job; ferrying the kids around to school and soccer practice as well as running countless errands, it's a real effort to just pick up your cell phone and dial-up delivery for Friday pizza night.
Yet, despite all that, you still would like to find something different to do on Saturday night; something that, for once, doesn't involve Netflix or board games with the neighbors down the hall.
You're feeling a night out with your significant other and friends at a jazz or comedy club. But, you totally can't face yet another trip on the subway or Uber ride into Manhattan. Been there and done that!
So, what's a person to do? Fear not! What if the show could come to you and your family and friends could be entertained by some of the Big Apple's top comedians right in the comfort of your home?
No, you're NOT dreaming! The magic happens courtesy of comedian extraordinaire Michelle Slonim and her brand Living Room Laughs.
With the super talented and professional Michelle handling things, bringing a top-notch comedy show to your door is about as easy as ordering that pizza we talked about earlier in the article. And it's way more fun!
All you have to do is check out Michelle's website www.livingroomlaughs.com and set up a phone or Zoom conversation. Rest assured that Michelle will put together a show that you and your guests will not soon forget.
No abode is too big or too small. Living Room Laughs works in everything from a Long Island City waterfront condo and a typically size-challenged NYC apartment to a backyard or driveway.
Michelle and her team of comics can add that extra touch of showbiz pizzazz to your next birthday party, anniversary celebration, or bachelor/bachelorette gathering. Come to think of it, why not reward your team for a job well done by transforming the office conference room into a comedy club?
The possibilities are as endless as the laughs.
One could say that Michelle Slonim was born to make people laugh. It just makes her feel good. As Michelle once put it; " I've been playing a whacky Jewish mother since I was twelve."
Ms. Slonim has graced the stage of the city's leading comedy clubs and has appeared on web shows for Comedy Central, HBO as well as on Sirius / XM Radio. A proud member of the prestigious Friars Club, Michelle has also entertained viewers of Late Night With Seth Meyers, and The Nick Cannon Show and has been featured in the pages of the Wall Street Journal and New York Post.
When conversing with Michelle, Aplez.com was curious as to how this native New Yorker got into comedy.
"I've been acting since I was a little kid. An eight-year-old Scarlett Johansson was in one of my classes. After one of our performances, my mom said " Who is that girl? She is sexy !" And, ever since, I've been jealous of Scarlett. But, seriously, I used to be pretty good at throwing mixers and parties for Jewish singles. But I also had to MC these events which kind of made me a little nervous. So, I asked someone I knew "how do I get good at hosting for a bunch of drunk people? " The answer: take a stand-up comedy class. I did and the rest is history."
As far as her style of comedy, Michelle's routines touch the human in us all. She is hilarious without being over the top and edgy without the mean-spiritedness that too many comics rely on as a crutch to shock their audience. It's humor that you can relate to.
"When I do stand-up, I like to talk about my life which has a LOT to do with my family, I have a ton of jokes about my parents because they are the source for my therapy; excuse me, I mean comedy. "
The seed for Living Room Laughs was planted many moons ago when Michelle was attending a music jam at a friend's brownstone in Hoboken New Jersey.
"When the band took a break, we transformed his stairwell into a stage at the spur of the moment and the show began. Despite the fact that it was kind of chaotic and a surprise to the guests, the stand-up comedy was a HUGE success. A few months later, that same friend asked me to put together a comedy show separate from the music jam and offered some money. A few of the guests came up to me at THAT show and asked if I could do something similar in their homes. The business has been growing ever since. "
Right about now, you're probably wondering what's the process for booking a Living Room Laughs night of comedy. Michelle is so glad that you asked.
"It's not rocket science. I get you on the phone and ask you a lot of questions. you ask me some questions. I choose the comedians who will appear at your event based on several chats with the host. I want to find out if there are any topic or language restrictions and what kind of comedic style the host thinks the guests will enjoy. "
Michelle pointed out that when it comes to curating the perfect line-up of comics, it's helpful to know what most of the evening's guests have in common.
"For example, are they all parents from the same school? Maybe they attend the same church, synagogue, or CrossFit gym? Are the group co-workers? If it's a bunch of 25-year-old finance bros I'm gonna pick different comics than if we are talking about a family gathering with kids around. A while back I did a show for the McMahons and World Wrestling Entertainment which was no holds barred, pun absolutely intended. You have got to know your audience."
At a Living Room laughs show you'll probably meet Michelle's husband, a comedian (what else did you expect?) Ben Rosenfeld.
"I typically MC and Ben do a spot; then we bring in one to three comedians to do their thing. Most shows are around an hour to ninety minutes. Ben also helps behind the scenes, technically, logistically and emotionally."
Ben and Michelle got to know each other when they were booked at the same clubs during the week. Originally from Russia, Ben loves New York and is more on the quiet side. He is the perfect complement to his wife's rather out-there persona. Ben's comedy has been described as " playfully dark and seriously smart."
You could say that ben Rosenfeld is "slightly Tik Tok famous" with over a quarter of a million followers and ten million likes. he has four comedy albums streaming on Apple Music and Spotify. Ben's latest video special is now available on Amazon prime.
Laugh along with Ben at www.bigbencomedy.com. You'll love every minute of it.
Together for eight years, Michelle and Ben are the proud parents of a little girl. This leads us to the Late Night With Seth Meyers appearance that almost didn't happen.
Only two days after giving birth to a baby girl, Michelle received an email saying that she was cast in a sketch for Seth Meyers' highly-rated show. She could not believe the timing. But, ever the trooper, Michelle was determined to make things work.
"At first, I didn't want to do the show, I was not camera ready. My feet looked like swollen wooly mammoth paws. but Ben pushed me and the production crew was very accommodating. They let me go first; they had a special van to take me to and from the set AND they made sure that I got back within the two-hour breastfeeding window. I have to say that it's my best credit to date."
When Michelle is not bringing some sunshine into people's lives at comedy clubs or their living rooms, she likes to dance Zumba and explore various restaurants with Ben. A couple of their favorite spots are Astoria Bier and Cheese collective on Ditmars Blvd. and Blend, which is located in the heart of 30th Avenue.
Michelle also enjoys the outdoors, something that goes back to her childhood. Growing up on the Upper East Side, the Slonim family's apartment was close to Central Park.
"I have memories of my dad on weekend mornings waking me up shouting "The park is swinging Michelle, get out there! Though I didn't appreciate being woken up so abruptly, he did have a point. The park was a great place to relax, just wander around and take it all in or do some jogging."
In wrapping up our chat, we asked Michelle what advice she would give to someone who wants to embark on a career in comedy but is somewhat insecure about achieving their goals.
Michelle's advice was on point. "Just get out there and do it. There is nothing better than experience. I also highly recommend taking some classes. It will give you support, and guidance and you'll make new friends; people who share your interests.."
To book a show in your home or office or to find out where Michelle Slonim will be performing next, email her at
She would love to hear from you.
Michelle's social media :
Facebook: https//www.facebook.com/livingroomlaughs
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