BOCA RATON – Bruce Smirnoff thought he had retired from comedy.
When the COVID-19 pandemic effectively sent cruise ships to dry dock, the veteran comic no longer had a steady gig.
He had moved into a South Florida retirement community prepared to enjoy life without the pressures of performances.
But last month the pandemic threw Smirnoff a curve ball.
Lockdowns in New York and Los Angeles prompted many comics to relocate to South Florida, which was not only open but also actively promoting comedy.
Smirnoff found kindred comic spirits in Jimmy Shubert, Don Gavin and Richie Minervini – fellow comics also now living in South Florida.
When comic and promoter David Sadman approached the foursome about performing at the grand opening of the Sadman Comedy Speakeasy Lounge, Smirnoff decided it was time to come out of retirement.
The night before that Feb. 24 performance, Smirnoff wasn’t certain he made the right decision.
Nerves barely allowed him to sleep that night. He couldn’t eat the next day, concerned that the year away from performing would leave his act rusty and flat.
Those concerns vanished once Smirnoff took the stage. It was like hadn’t missed any time at all.
To put it simply, Smirnoff killed.
The above video was recorded during that show. In this clip Smirnoff draws from his experiences living in that Delray Beach retirement community.
That February performance went so well that Smirnoff is looking forward to doing it again. He’ll take the stage again Wednesday night for the Sadman Comedy Speakeasy Lounge’s second show.
“This is the perfect opportunity to stay in the game,” Smirnoff said.
