YOUR AD HERE »

Lake Tahoe comedy scene with Howie Nave: Yaffee at Carson club, Riffs; Rocha at The Improv

Howie Nave
Special to Lake Tahoe Action
Howie Nave (left) with comedian Marc Yaffee.
Provided

Marc Yaffee headlines Riffs Comedy Club inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe.

A founding member of the Pow Wow Comedy Jam, which began in 2004, Yaffee has toured with fellow Native American comedians Vaughn Eaglebear and Howie Miller, who are frequent attractions at casino shows, tribal events and VIP player parties.

Yaffee is a proponent of Native American gaming institutions and tribal tourism.



Yaffee has performed in 43 states and 11 countries and one of his tours found him in Mazatlán, Mexico where he went over very well. Okay, the audience was comprised of American tourists but he still went over very well.

Born in East L.A., Yaffee was adopted at birth by a Mexican mother and a Jewish father and as a young adult was contacted by his birth mother only to find out that he was of Mexican-Irish-Navajo heritage (“I’m a Mexi-jo”) that would inspire much of his standup.



I didn’t know until recently but he used to be a writer for comedic legend George Carlin. His national radio credits include NPR’s Weekend America, Sirius XM Radio, multiple appearances on the Bob & Tom Show and heard on Howie’s Morning Rush radio show here in South Lake Tahoe.

Club credits include Catch A Rising Star, The Ice House, The Laugh Factory and The Improv. Yaffee has performed at both the Boston and Las Vegas Comedy Festivals and has appeared on PBS and on numerous TV shows including The Latino Laugh Festival, Showtime’s “Goin’ Native,” Marc’s comedy special (“Marc My Words”), The American Indian Comedy Slam, Que Locos and Comics Unleashed.

Yaffee has toured five times overseas to entertain military personnel and in general is a pretty good guy. I’ve known him way longer than I’d ever admit and have even seen him online his latest, “Dry Bar Comedy Special.”

Yaffee is founder and co-star of the Boomerang Baby Boomer Comedy Bash with Kat Simmons and David Gee where he shares stories, jokes and observations on growing up as a part of the Baby Boomer generation (Okay, Boomer lol).

And to think, Yaffee, got the comedy spark from attending a comedy workshop at Laughs Unlimited in Sacramento and here he performing at Riffs in South Lake Tahoe after doing a night at the Carson Comedy Club inside the Carson Nugget the night before.

Riffs Comedy Club hosts shows at 8 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information, visit harveystahoe.com.

Shows at the Carson Comedy Club in the Carson Nugget start at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Rocha headlines at The Improv

Comedian Jerry Rocha hails from the Lone Star state and seems to find humor in just about everything. Rocha doesn’t hold back with that humor either and can pack a punch too when he wants. What, a comedian who holds back?

He was a semifinalist on the seventh season of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” and appeared on “Conan” and “Stand-Up Revolution” on Comedy Central.

I’d have to say Rocha can be subtle with his delivery and surprise you when you least expect it. I wouldn’t wanna play poker with him, you don’t know what cards this guy is holding much like his comedy.

His delivery just pulls you in. Don’t get me wrong, Rocha has great timing and material that always hits the mark. Just last week he was playing his album on iTunes called, “Take That, Real Dad.” His first album was “Pickle Dick” and it’s hilarious.

He also stars in a documentary that was on the Travel Channel where one wouldn’t normally expect to hear comedy. I watched him on Netflix where his first one-hour special aired. Rocha was also on Gabriel Iglesias’ third season of his “Stand Up Revolution” television show who helped Jerry produce his first one hour special “The Gentleman Jerry Rocha,” also on Netflix.

Check out Rocha this week at The Improv inside Harveys.

The Improv at Harveys takes place at 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. For more information, visit http://www.harveystahoe.com.


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.