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Comedy gives Prime Cut edge

The Bakersfield Californian | Wednesday, Feb 03 2010 04:23 PM

Last Updated Wednesday, Feb 03 2010 04:23 PM

The Prime Cut, known for its tasty Cajun fare and home of the Pete Tittl-beloved Merv Burger, is wading into the waters of live entertainment, offering up its venue for comedy shows (the first one was last month).

We caught up with co-owner Michelle Crist via e-mail to find out what comedy-hungry folks can expect and whether she and husband Merv have any other entertainment plans up their sleeve.

Why are you getting into entertainment at the restaurant?

We had requests from our customers to bring something to this side of town (the northwest).

What are some plans for shows that you'd like to do?

We plan on having Comedy Night the first Saturday of every month, with different comedians. The one this Saturday features Mike Muratore from Showtime, David Burger who has his own show at the Comedy Store, Phillip Medina from the Ice House, and female Ro Delle Grazie, who has traveled to perform for the troops. Live music is something we would like to do at least twice a month. We are bringing back The Voodoo Dogs Feb. 27 and hope to secure other great performers in the near future.

How are you finding talent for your music and comedy nights? Do you have a booking agent?

Eric Siefert, a local comedian, finds the talent for comedy night and books it for us. He has connections all over. As far as music, we got lucky when the guitarist from the Voodoo Dogs came in to eat one day. They play classic rock, funk and blues. They are from Ventura and played here on January 23. We were pleasantly surprised at how talented they are and our customers had a blast singing and dancing to their vast array of songs. Plus, we have a lot of local talent here in Bakersfield that we can choose from.

What are some things you're learning about offering entertainment as well as food?

It is a whole new ball game. Tables are moved to accommodate more guests and people get territorial because they want certain seats. The main thing we learned was to make sure your amp doesn't blow out.

How many people attended your first comedy night?

We packed the house.

Is the humor going to be pretty adult in nature?

It depends on the comic, but for the most part, yes, adult in nature.

Is this in the bar or can families come?

The entertainment is in the larger area of the restaurant. After 10 p.m., 21 and over with I.D.

It's a pretty tough environment right now for restaurants. Is this a case of trying to diversify so that you get more people through the door?

Having great food just doesn't pay the bills any more. Everywhere you look, all the major chains are cutting back their prices and the portion of food you are getting, many of which posted huge loses this past year. We have lowered our prices without compromising the quality or quantity. We have also added new items and a new value menu during lunch and happy hour. You have to constantly reinvent ways to give people a reason to come in. We have noticed that adding live entertainment helps.

Why should folks spend their entertainment dollars at Prime Cut instead of anywhere else?

It's fun and inexpensive. We offer great food, service and we have a secure environment. A woman can come here by herself and feel safe and comfortable. We are proud of that family type atmosphere. Once people come to one of our events, they will want to return. That is why our Crawfish Festival (coming May 8) has been so successful for the past 11 years. We have had fathers change their daughters' wedding dates to make sure they can attend. If that is not loyalty, we don't know what is.