"It is kinda weird, but I don't think anyone's been late going from show to show yet," comedian Jamie Kaler said. "Brea seems to be a little mellower, maybe because it's earlier, but Irvine, those Irvine kids go ballistic."

Now in its seventh year, Comedy Juice is the brainchild of writer and producer Scot Richardson. Richardson, along with a few of his funny buddies, wanted a stage to showcase some of their writing skills and test out sketch comedy in front of a live audience. They brought the idea to the management at the Laugh Factory in Los Angeles and Comedy Juice was born.

Richardson kept his finger on the pulse of the local comedy scene, inviting only the best up-and-coming comedians to be part of his show. With help from friends, Richardson tirelessly promoted the shows on college campuses and began building a reputation for having some of the rowdiest comedy nights.

Three years after its inception, Comedy Juice moved to the Hollywood Improv and became a standing Wednesday-night gig.

Comedy Juice's reputation for wild crowds appealed to the celebrity comedians living in and around Los Angeles who used the weekly event to test out new material before a major television appearance or before heading out on tour.

"They just come in to be in front of a great crowd that is genuinely excited about comedy," Richardson said. "Whether it's Chris Rock coming in to prep before hosting the Academy Awards or Chappelle stopping by to blow of some steam after he came back from Africa, we get drop-ins all of the time from well-known comics that we have a great relationships with.

"You just never know who or what you're going to get at these shows, and that's part of the fun of it."

Richardson searches the Internet and attends other comedy nights to find fresh talent. He also receives more than 50 resumes and videos a week from up-and-coming comics wanting to be part of the show. He is rather picky, however; he wants his show to have five stellar headliners, not a couple of openers and one big star.

The Comedy Juice founder discovered comedian Whitney Cummings at a club in Los Angeles almost two years ago. She's not sure if it was her charm or one of her witty one-liners - maybe "I initially wanted to be a pina colada, so my mom would pay attention to me" - that landed her a spot.

"It's a fun gig because it's always the best comics and you have got to bring your A-game," Cummings said. "And it's crazy because sometimes we don't even know who is going to show up and you'll be sitting there and hear: 'Ladies and gentlemen, meet ... Dave Chappelle.'

"How cool of an experience is that? The audience always explodes in excitement and it's just a lot of fun."

Comedy Juice's web site (comedyjuice.com) launched on April 1 and features exclusive funny videos and comedian news - and allows you to sign up for a newsletter that offers ticket deals and a heads-up on some of the comedians expected at a particular show.

What's next? Possibly a Juice night at the Ontario Improv, as well as a national summer-long comedy festival tour, featuring a Juice "All-Star" lineup.