Check Out the Comedy Show “2 Girls 1 Pup,” Live From a Pet Store

2 Girls 1 Pup is a stand-up comedy show and podcast created and hosted by comedian Monique Madrid in Los Angeles, California. I attended the show’s 2nd birthday party, and it was a blast.

Every first Sunday of every month, 2 Girls 1 Pup happens at Tailwaggers, a pet store below the Hollywood sign. It’s a dog-friendly location, of course, which means YOU CAN BRING YOUR DOG! Within a few minutes of my arrival, I was crawling on the ground, cuddling with adorable pups and laughing at the comedian and host, who was onstage.

Monique and Comet. (Photo by Rebecca Aranda Photography)

The lineup of comedians — each performance is different — on the show’s celebratory night was impressive. Each one had me laughing out loud, and there was even a magician who not only had one of the cutest pups there, but who also managed to awe the crowd. I’ve been to countless nights at big-name comedy clubs, and 2 Girls 1 Pup‘s crew could easily go toe to toe with them. Only at this show, you sometimes forget that performers are stepping up to a mic at the edge of a kibble aisle.

Dolce Vita would prefer to watch the audience watching comedian Kate Willett, onstage. (Photo by Wendy Newell)

I had a ton of questions for Madrid after the show, and she was sweet enough to give me the answers. First of all, let’s address the elephant in the room. Where is the second girl in the title? Turns out she doesn’t exist. Or, more specifically, she exists but isn’t a specific person. Madrid is one girl, her adorable dog Comet is the pup, and the second girl refers to whichever performer is on stage at that moment.

Madrid has a rich comedy history, including performing at the Comedy Sportz theater in her hometown of Kansas City (she actually grew up in a suburb of the city) and with Second City on Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Humans and dogs laugh together at the 2 Girls 1 Pup live show. (Photo by Rebecca Aranda Photography)

Stella proudly waits for her dad, magician Justin Williams, to take the stage. (Photo by Wendy Newell)

Madrid and her husband adopted Comet as a foster fail. One look at the cute little Dachshund mix and you can see why that happened. Becoming a dog mommy and moving to a dog-friendly area in Los Angeles forced Madrid to make a connection. She explains, “Dogs and comedy are such a national combination. … It’s literally the most fun I’ve ever had and truly, as cheesy as this sounds, makes me feel great that people leave the show so happy and the dogs have such a great time. The fact that on top of this I can help raise money for such a great cause as The Tailwaggers Foundation — that’s even more wonderful!”

All proceeds of 2 Girls 1 Pup‘s live shows goes to charity. Every single cent. That means Madrid, the comedians, her crew, and even Comet do all of this for the love of dogs. The Tailwaggers Foundation provides funding for nonprofits that give life-saving treatments to sick and injured animals.

Olivia prefers not to be recognized, so she wears her sunglasses when she watches the show. (Photo by Wendy Newell)

Madrid and Comet aren’t the kind of team who dream small. Last year, they started a weekly podcast (or “pupcast”) to help expand their show and bring it to an audience outside of their Hollywood neighborhood. Madrid describes the podcast as “a more intimate version of the live show. It’s still comedy and dogs. I write fun games and segments with my guest, like for the live show, but it’s more about me talking one on one with people about their dogs and the hilarious experiences we all share.” One of those guests was Bob Weatherwax, Lassie’s original owner, who shared behind-the-scenes stories of his four-legged star.

I sit on the floor and snuggle close to a pup during Ian Karmel’s set. (Photo by Wendy Newell)

The duo does not plan to stop there. When asked about the future, Madrid explains, “I would absolutely love to have the Dog Collar Comedy Tour,” which would involve touring dog-friendly cities and raising money for animal rescue groups. Then there are dreams of a travel TV show. In Madrid’s words, “It would be like Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, only Bones, Barks, and Bowls!” When thinking really big, Madrid admits that she would love to have the first dog late-night comedy show.

Quincy waits for the punchline. (Photo by Wendy Newell)

I think all of it is brilliant. The 2 Girls 1 Pup‘s podcast can be found on iTunes and Stitcher, and you can get more info on the live shows on the website and Facebook page.

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