The hottest spot in Manteca for 20 Somethings is no laughing matter even though it is a comedy club.

It’s open mic night, karaoke night, and trivia night at the Deaf Puppy Comedy Club.

And it’s not that the comedy club doesn’t pack them in — it does — it’s just that it’s a somewhat older age group.
“Our current 21-29 year old age group really has no desire to ‘bar hop’, but put karaoke, trivia, or other semi-group interactive nights into play, and they show up in droves,” said Chris Teicheira, owner of the Deaf Puppy Comedy Club.

Case in point.

A while back, the comedy club didn’t have a second show on a Friday night.

Teicheira, just an hour or so before the 9 p.m. slot for the second show, decided to take to social media and let it be known that the club would have an impromptu karaoke night.

It helped that a dedicated group of karaoke regulars had a social media account dubbed “Karaoke Kids.” By the time 9 p.m. rolled around, more than 40 people showed up.

Karaoke Night takes place Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Deaf Puppy Comedy Club in the 100 block of North Main Street.

The evening is typically a packed house.

Between that and the instantaneous crowd that gathered on short notice, it led to the decision to drop the 9 p.m. comedy show  going forward on Friday nights and replace it with karaoke. The 7 p.m. Friday comedy show is still in place. But once that ends at 8:30 p.m., Deaf Puppy pivots to karaoke.

“The karaoke crowd is insanely committed,” Teicheira said. “They come in costume, and will perform as that character. Imagine a 24 year old kid in full Prince regalia, staying in character, and doing Prince songs all night.”

During the Manteca Street Fair & Watermelon Festival June 7-8, there will be no comedy shows.

Teicheira said that’s so those going downtown that weekend will be able to see they are a family friendly bar and grill with programmed nights during the week that reflect that.

Deaf Puppy will host a karaoke event that weekend modeled after America Idol — and what was the wildly popular Manteca Idol that ended a seven year run in 2015.

The watermelon festival weekend event will have prizes. It will be open to all ages.

Matching karaoke in intensity in terms of crowds and repeat attendees are Trivia Night and Open Mic Night.

Just like with karaoke, there is no cover charge.

Teicheira’s fellow Northern California comics have made the Deaf Puppy the go to place on Wednesdays.

They are attracted by the crowd and the positive vibe.

The audience not only gets a chance to see amateur comics show their chops but the professional comedians will use it to try out new material.

Trivia Night at 6 p.m. is hosted by former comic Jacob Goss.

It’s a trivia and skills competition based on shooting hoops, balancing books while reciting scripted words, and basic hand to hand idiocy.

“We’ve even developed a rivalry between a group of Manteca/Modesto teachers and professors, against a group of rowdy Twentysomethings that go by ‘E for Idiots’,” Teicheira noted.

“It’s extremely entertaining to watch the very educated compete with kids that rely on points gained by being able to shoot ping pong balls into a bucket.”

Comedy shows are still the mainstay on Saturdays at 7 and 9:30 p.m. and Fridays at 7 p.m.

Steph Sanders is on stage May 30-31.

He’s definitely a clean act as those who’ve seen the former school principal turned comedian can attest to.

Expansion on the way

plus there’s a new dog

The showroom at the Deaf Puppy Comedy Club as well as outdoor patio have taken on more of a family vibe than that of a bar.

 The grill-style dining experience available daily also falls into a somewhat wholesome genre.

Still wishing to have something that would appeal to people who  may  not want a total bar experience, when the chance came up to secure the use of 1,100 square foot next door Teicheira and his partners jumped at the opportunity.

The expansion will be along the lines of a wine bar with the prerequisite Teicheira twist.

The space is currently being remodeled.

The biggest news, as far as Teicheira is concerned, is he has another deaf puppy.

He lost his beloved deaf Australian cattle dog Banshee last year shortly before opening the comedy that sports the dog’s image in a mural.

It’s a Corgi mix with a hint of Australian cattle dog.

What does he call it?

“It doesn’t matter, it’s deaf,” Teicheira said.

That said, he named it Fonzie.

For more information, go to deafpuppyclub.com or call (209) 622-5745.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com