Helium Comedy Club Is Streaming Original Standup Sets via Zoom

For just $7, you can get fresh entertainment from local and nationally touring comics.

(Abby Gordon)
By Andi Prewitt

You're probably only days away from working your way through every original comedy special in Netflix's library, which means fresh content would be welcome right about now.

Fortunately, Helium Comedy Club has found a way to bring new performances to your devices. Starting this weekend, you can watch everything from roasts to comics playing games via Zoom, with the venue's website offering links and directions on how to use the platform.

"By giving people some form of entertainment," says Nick Harris, a manager at the Southeast Portland club, "hopefully they will stay indoors and enjoy it a little more than they would without some entertainment."

Some of the shows are locally based, like a Todd Armstrong-hosted session of Jury Duty, where comedians debate topics and the audience votes for the most convincing, and others will stream from Helium's network of clubs across the country.

Tonight at 5:30 pm, you can watch a Q&A with Ryan Niemiller, the comic who finished third on NBC's America's Got Talent last year. Shows are $7, and Helium aims to start ramping up production and offering six to 10 events a week.

Related: From Beer-by-Bike to Stripper Food Delivery, Portland Businesses Are Adapting on the Fly to the Coronavirus Shutdown.

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