Table Of Content
- Top of the News
- Art Deco and dignity inspire multi-hyphenate comedian Katie Cazorla’s new club, the Kookaburra Lounge
- After a $4 million renovation, the legendary comedy venue has a new owner and a schedule packed with big-name talent.
- Old Pasadena
- Star Wars: Where all the new shows fit in the fictional timeline

Before its pandemic closure, it hosted dozens of comedy icons through the years, including George Carlin, Robin Williams, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Martin and Rosie O’Donnell. Ample parking options are available nearby, ensuring a hassle-free experience for visitors. Whether you prefer street parking or parking in a nearby lot, you’ll find accessible and convenient options just a short distance from the venue.
Top of the News
Online ticketing options are also available for your convenience. Due to the popularity of shows, it is recommended to book your tickets early to guarantee your spot. Though it’s always served its purpose as a training ground, the Ice House is also going to be a place where stars can mingle while they watch famous funny people perform. That’s where the club’s secret crown jewel, the newly built VIP lounge, comes into play.
Art Deco and dignity inspire multi-hyphenate comedian Katie Cazorla’s new club, the Kookaburra Lounge
“I got an architect and designer and I told him my vision, and a lot of my dad’s vision, and we pushed go,” he said. Pasadena Now has been published daily since April, 2004 and is among the very oldest continuously operated community news websites in the U.S. Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m. Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
After a $4 million renovation, the legendary comedy venue has a new owner and a schedule packed with big-name talent.
By the time Johnny stepped down as president of the L.A. Sparks in 2006 — a team he’d helped build into a winning franchise in the WNBA — Jerry’s health had already started declining. After his father’s death, Buss said he didn’t want to think about opening a club anymore. “There’s no way I was going to do that without him,” he said.
Old Pasadena
This legendary comedy club has been a go-to destination for comedy enthusiasts and performers alike for decades. The club, which has been around for over 60 years, has undergone a transformation under the new ownership of Johnny Buss, son of the late Lakers owner, Jerry Buss. Buss has plans to host live music and other events in addition to comedy shows.
Since opening in 1960, many well known comedians have graced the Ice House Comedy Club stage. The Ice House Pasadena offers a delightful menu featuring a range of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Indulge in a culinary journey while enjoying the comedy performances. The venue also boasts a variety of refreshing beverages, including handcrafted cocktails, fine wines, and specialty brews, to complement your dining experience. Throughout the brick building in downtown Pasadena, vintage and modern flourishes demand attention like stylistic punchlines.
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He shifted away from sports, bought race cars and trucks and started getting into the business of off-road racing. Also greeting guests is a neon sign of the smiling bear spotting a red hat and holding a mic. Other improvements include the addition of more seats in both comedy rooms, upgrades and an expansion of the restrooms, as well as a new VIP area designed to attract big names to the club. The new VIP room is located where the old dining room used to be and it now has a glass enclosure, so people can sit within that space and watch the show through glass and still talk and not disturb the comics, he said. The pandemic shut things down just a few months after the purchase, so he took the opportunity to renovate the venue with a design that he said still pays homage to the club’s past, while upgrading it for a new era. The walls of The Ice House are adorned with photos of comedians who have graced its stage, and the venue boasts a new menu and updated bar offerings.
Since 1960, it has been a premier destination for comedy lovers, hosting renowned comedians and emerging talents alike. The Ice House in Pasadena, one of the oldest comedy clubs in the country, is back and better than ever! Celebrating over 60 years, the club has been a staple of the comedy scene since its inception in 1960. However, the pandemic forced the club to close its doors for almost three years. Fortunately, the club has undergone a transformation under the new ownership of Johnny Buss, the oldest son of the late Lakers owner, Jerry Buss.

With the club’s revival, Buss says live music and other events will play a role in the monthly bookings including jazz, reggae and country nights. The Ice House Pasadena is a legendary comedy club that has been serving up laughter for over six decades. Established in 1960 by the dynamic duo of Willard Chilcott and Bob Stane, The Ice House began as a folk music venue but quickly evolved into a hotbed of comedic talent. Today, it stands as a historic gem, having launched the careers of some of the biggest names in the industry. From the legendary Bob Newhart to the incomparable Robin Williams, this iconic venue has witnessed the magic of comedy unfold time and time again.
Ice House Comedy presents CINCO FIESTA WKD w/Paul Rodriguez y amigos! To help celebrate the grand re-opening, a ribbon cutting ceremony organized by the Pasadena Chamber will take place on Friday, March 24th, followed by a weekend of sold-out shows featuring headliner Gabriel Iglesias. With a commitment to fostering new talent in the booming $300 million comedy industry, the iconic venue has enlisted former Los Angeles Sparks point guard Penny Toler to manage the club. Since she became the club’s general manager, Toler’s been regaled by every comic she meets about stories of the club from back in the day. These tales keep motivating her to ensure that the club spends the necessary seven figures to upgrade itself without selling its soul in the process.
“When you’re almost the pinnacle of sports ownership, what do you do? And my dad and I used to sit around and say, what we need to do is buy a variety club and have comics and magicians and maybe a singer, come out and just really have a really great evening. And we used to talk about that literally for the last 40 years,” he recounted. The upgrades include new glass doors and relocating the club’s main entrance from the alley to the front of the building. It also features what’s sure to be a popular photo opportunity for fans as a huge polar bear statue is situated just inside the club.
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Additionally, The Ice House Pasadena is committed to providing accessibility for all. The venue is wheelchair-friendly, with ramps and accessible seating available to accommodate individuals with mobility needs. The Ice House has hosted an array of comedy royalty, from the quick wit of George Carlin to the eccentric genius of Robin Williams, the stage has seen it all. Comedy legends like David Letterman, Jim Carrey, and Jay Leno have left their mark, while the likes of Dennis Miller, Howie Mandel, and Jerry Seinfeld have brought tears of laughter to the eyes of eager spectators. Sitting in his designated booth at the back of the Legendary Room, Buss says he can’t wait to enjoy a show with the spirit of his favorite comedy fan right beside him. Among performers who have recorded some of the more than 75 live albums at the club are the Smothers Brothers, Gallagher, Lily Tomlin, Pat Paulsen, Richard Jeni and George Lopez.
Buss is a lifelong fan of comedy, and he has said that he plans to keep the Ice House as a premier comedy venue. “I’m really excited about what this club’s gonna be,” he said. Since being hired as general manager of the Ice House, Toler sees the world of comedy clubs and sports franchises as synonymous when it comes to bringing in sponsorships, succeeding at marketing and acquiring talent. Holding himself to a higher standard because of his father is nothing new to Buss, who grew up in the midst of one of the world’s greatest sports dynasties. His father’s notoriously outside-the-box methods of running a team made him a genius and impossible to predict. A regular at the Comedy Store, the Improv and the Laugh Factory, Johnny said he and his dad always talked about opening their own club together before Jerry’s death in 2013 at 80.
Although his dad didn’t get see their comedy dreams come to fruition, Buss still plans on turning The Ice House into a family business. Pasadena Now strives to publish a full spectrum of news and information articles in service to the entire community. The publication will remain free to readers and will not erect paywalls. Pasadena Now strives to provide factual, unbiased reporting. The Ice House offers dinner, drinks and snacks ranging from monster nachos and a margarita to rib eye steak and a martini, their menu has an eclectic array of options.
The glowing stalactite chandeliers, electric neon art of cacti, waves and sun punctuate the walls of the California Room, the venue’s second stage. Guests pass through the red-brick walls of the revamped bar and patio area into the revived main room. Despite the club’s new mainstage set up, dubbed the Legendary Room, it still retains an intimate vibe where stand-up idols and up-and-comers have thrived on the raw energy and laughter of a working class clientele. Once again the building is outfitted with mics in the ceiling to capture the roar of one of L.A.’s loudest laughing crowds. It’s a sound new owner Johnny Buss — the oldest son of the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss — has been waiting to hear since he bought the place in 2019.