Jake Ciccone & Jack Scotti: The Minds Behind LA’s Hottest Driveway Comedy Show
By Natalie McCarty
It started with a driveway.
Not a theater, not a club, not even a basement, but the sloped stretch of concrete outside Jack Scotti’s old house in Los Angeles. That’s where he and Jake Ciccone, two friends and comedians with a shared dream, decided to launch what would soon become Driveway Comedy Show, LA’s best-kept comedy secret (though less secret by the day).
Image Credits: Driveway Comedy Show. Jake Ciccone (left), Jack Scotti (right).
“We just really wanted to run our own show, where we get to perform with our friends,” Jake says. After struggling to find the right venue, they realized: Why not just do it at home? “It was big enough to put a stage and 40-50 chairs.”
As for the name? “Jack decided to name the show ‘Driveway Comedy Show’ because he isn’t a very creative guy. Not very attractive either,” Jake jokes.
Jack fired back, “I think ‘Driveway Comedy Show’ is a very creative, cool, and sexy name. One that reflects all of the traits of the guy that came up with it. I also want to add that Jake couldn’t come up with anything better.”
The First Set
The first show kicked off in September 2023 and was an instant hit—thanks to a mix of hilarious comics and a loyal (if slightly buzzed) crowd made up mostly of friends and friends-of-friends. But word spread fast.
“Almost all of our shows sell out, which is crazy considering that the only real marketing we do is putting up flyers,” says Scotti. “I mean, I’ve never looked at a flyer on a street pole and been like ‘I should go to this.’”
And yet, people do go. And they come back. The show’s mix of grassroots charm, DIY ambition, and real comedic talent has turned it into something bigger than either of them expected.
Image Credits: Driveway Comedy Show & Marcello Frisina
What It’s Like to Go?
A night at Driveway Comedy Show is part comedy set, part house party. Think: secret lineups, folding chairs, BYOB, and the helicopter flyover or car alarm.
“We always aim for the show to feel more like a house party than a comedy club,” Ciccone explains. “We take the show seriously—but not too seriously. At the end of the day, it’s stand-up comedy in a driveway. It would be ridiculous to not mess around a little.”
Before and after the show, the vibe is casual and chaotic in the best way. “I drink anywhere from three to about two hundred beers,” Jake quips.
Image Credits: Driveway Comedy Show & Marcello Frisina. Jake Ciccone.
But don’t let the informality fool you. What makes the show special is that it works. The comics crush, the audience leans in, and even the occasional interruption (like a neighbor pulling their car through mid-set) just becomes part of the bit.
“I don’t know how many comics can say a car once drove through the audience while they were on stage,” Jake recalls. “So I guess that claim belongs to me.” Jack, however, is “gonna pay someone to drive a car through my set on the next show, just so he can’t claim that anymore.”
Image Credits: Driveway Comedy Show & Marcello Frisina
Building Something Real
Despite its unconventional setting, Driveway Comedy Show is serious about good comedy. Most lineups feature friends from LA’s wider scene, with Jake and Jack themselves having met back in their days at UC Santa Barbara’s comedy club.
“There’s a feeling of community permeating every show because everyone there actually knows and genuinely likes each other,” says Jack. “Even comics that aren’t on the show will come just to hang out. It’s awesome.”
That sense of friendship extends to the audience, too. With no public lineup and secret show locations shared day-of, every event feels like a spontaneous experiment in trust and fun. And it absolutely pays off.
Image Credits: Driveway Comedy Show & Marcello Frisina
Behind the Curtain (and Folding Chairs)
So, what does it actually take to pull off a Driveway Comedy Show?
According to Jake and Jack, it’s folding chairs, electrical cords, and a lot of nervous texting.
“It’s exactly what you’d imagine,” Jack says. “Setting up chairs, adjusting the lights, sound checks, beer runs, the works. The week before every show, I completely spiral about ticket sales—even when they’re fine. I’m always texting Jake something like, ‘What are we gonna do???’ And he replies, ‘It’ll be fine.’ Then I say, ‘You’re right,’ and it always is. It doesn’t take much to calm me down.”
Wildest guest?
Jake and Jack both agree that it’s “Definitely Colin Anderson. He’s not really a comic or even a very likeable guy but one time we gave him a 15-minute guest spot on a show and just drank beer silently on stage for the whole set. It was bizarre but I expect nothing less from a guy like that.”
And the harshest critic?
“Definitely my fellow comics,” Jake says. “Particularly one man: Patrick Bornhop. I won’t say much more in case he reads this, but he’s like if a Bud Light Platinum became a vindictive, greedy, unemployable halfwit.”
How about the neighbors?
“Honestly, they don’t really care—aside from the one time someone drove through the show. But a bunch have actually come to shows—even after we moved venues.”
Any other persistent hecklers?
Jack says, “There is one comic who just won’t leave me alone: Luke Barker. Luke, if you’re reading this, stop sending your demands to me. They need to go to the authorities. I can’t get you a Greyhound bus full of Miller High Life and enough gas to get to Hawaii. It’s an island, Luke. You can’t drive there. Just let the hostages go, and turn yourself in.”
Where It’s Going
The team is already planning to expand into other neighborhoods—and eventually other cities and states.
“We’d love to do shows all over LA,” Jake says. “But long-term, we’re dreaming bigger. Personally, I want to do a show on a pirate ship. I don’t really know what that means or how we’ll do it but I had a vision recently where Jack was wearing an eyepatch and telling jokes on the poop deck of a pirate ship, so I think I’m going to try and make that happen.”
Jack agrees. “Crazy. I had that same vision like a week ago and have been looking at tricorne hats on Amazon.”
Image Credits: Driveway Comedy Show & Marcello Frisina. Jack Scotti.
DIY Wisdom
If you’re thinking about launching your own underground show, Jack Scotti has two main pieces of advice:
Care about it. “Put the effort in. Don’t half-ass it. Anyone can throw a show, but you should want to throw the best one you possibly can.”
Ask for help. “There’s way more people working on every show than just Jake and me. The only way we can do this is because of our friends’ willingness to lend a hand.”
How to Join the Cult (Show)
Once you’ve been to Driveway Comedy, you’re hooked. It crackles with the electric energy of MacDougal Street’s underground comedy scene, fused with the chaotic nostalgia of a college frat party and the thrill of catching a set at The Comedy Shop.
Image Credits: Driveway Comedy Show & Marcello Frisina
To keep up with the show, follow @drivewaycomedyshow on Instagram for dates and info. Want to host a show in your driveway or business? They’re open to it.
You can also follow Jake (@jake_ciccone) and Jack (@thejackscotti), as well as their sketch group, Your Disposable Friends on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
And most importantly: come to the show. You’ll laugh. You’ll probably drink a beer. You might even see a car drive through the stage.
