By any measure, Comedy Plex Comedy Club’s maiden voyage this year has been a success, but that will be enhanced Nov. 14 with the appearance of Stormy Daniels.
Comedy Plex, at 1128 Lake Street Lower Level, Oak Park, will host Daniels at 7:30 p.m., with Greg Studley as her opening act. Daniels, an adult entertainment star whose involvement with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been well chronicled, will perform for about 40 minutes with a question-and-answer period afterward.
Studley, who has performed at big venues such as The Comedy Store and The Improv Hollywood, both in the Los Angeles area, opened for her in 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic waylaid further plans, but they stayed in touch. They started working together again in 2024 and even launched a Roku TV series called Woke Up Late.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, wasn’t available for comment for this story, but Studley was.
“It’s not traditional standup,” he said of Daniels’ style. “It’s like funny storytelling. And she’s got a message with a little dash of politicism.
“She makes a great connection. She’s got that something. She’s really smart. You’re going to be pleasantly surprised.”
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Marz Timms | Provided
Studley is friends with Comedy Plex co-owner Marz Timms, and about five years ago, the two were in Colorado, talking comedy, when the conversation took a turn to the future.
“He told me Stormy Daniels was doing standup,” Timms said. “He talked about how funny she was.”
Fast-forward to three weeks ago, and Timms saw a social media post that mentioned Studley and Daniels were doing standup together. He made a congratulatory comment on that post, and a little while later, Studley direct-messaged him. They started talking, and Timms seized the opportunity, noting that the pair could come do a show in Oak Park.
Comedy Plex, which has hosted renowned comics like Hannibal Buress and Seinfeld alum Steve Hytner, added Daniels for Nov. 14. It was a process that moved fast, he said.
“It took maybe a week to get it set up,” he said. “It was maybe three or four in the morning, Greg and I were talking, and the next day, he’s like, ‘She’s interested.’ We started working out contract details and dates.”
Daniels’ reputation through the media precedes herself, but what did Timms know about her through a comedy lens? Not much, frankly. He hadn’t seen her perform, except for some clips posted on Instagram.
The reaction to booking Daniels for a club that’s been in business since January has been nothing short of phenomenal.
“Everyone is surprised … ‘I can’t believe you got Stormy Daniels,’” he said. “Things like this help establish us and will help get our name out there.”
Of course, Timms is aware of the irony that Daniels will be performing at his club so close to the presidential election. Earlier this year, Trump was found guilty by a New York jury of 34 charges related to a plan to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election through a hush money payment to Daniels, who said the two had sex.
“There is some of that,” he said. “We are going to be doing our best to make sure it’s a great environment for everybody involved. That’s what we’re looking at. Everyone coming out and having a good time and listening to Stormy’s stories.”
While Daniels is a funny gal by all accounts, getting on stage and telling humorous stories isn’t as easy as it looks. Just ask Timms and Studley.
“I tell a lot of young comedians, it’s reading the room,” Timms said. “That’s a big part of it, making sure your timing is correct and hitting your punch lines. You have to make a connection with the audience. If they see you’re comfortable on stage, they’ll be comfortable as well.”
Daniels has what it takes, Studley added.
“She knows how to perform and get on stage,” he said. “There are a lot of things that go into a live performance, how you look and carry yourself. She knows how to perform.”
General admission tickets are $50 with VIP seating in the first two rows for $65. A front-row platinum package is available for $150, that includes a meet-and-greet, gift bag and pictures prior to the show. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.comedyplex.com/.
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