Dry Bar Comedy has establish itself as a significant player in the stand-up comedy industry. Since its launch a decade ago, the company has clearly signaled its intention to reshape the comedic market, profession and art form around specific norms of propriety and audience participation. As such, it specifically seeks to expand the circuit of family-friendly clean comedy. Although Dry Bar Comedy does not explicitly promote a religious framework, it is strongly associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I argue that its mission closely aligns with that of its parent company, Angel Studios, which aims to provide stories that “amplify light”.
This paper considers both the successes and stakes of Dry Bar Comedy in the comedy industry, examining the growing popularity of clean and faith-based comedy in the US alongside the evolving relationship between humor, religion and the LDS Church in contemporary entertainment.