The founder and proprietress of Goldie's comedy club is a living legend. Goldie's is the place to be for every up-and-coming comic in LA -- the next stop for the lucky ones is Johnny Carson's stage. She knows it and they know it, and that's why she can be tough as nails and run things the way she pleases. However, she also has a true soft spot for her inner circle of comics. More like a den mother than a boss, she's their confidante, coach, banker, landlady and even seamstress when necessary. A product of the Borscht Belt and Catskills comedy scene, Goldie has finely-tuned instincts when it comes to comedy. But it's lonely at the top, and all that power she has amassed makes it hard for her to have real connections, especially with her estranged teenaged daughter.
A struggling comedienne from small town Texas, Cassie has an uphill battle to make it in a decidedly man's world. Even Goldie isn't much help. But Cassie is determined to break through, and to do it in her own, edgy style. The feminist movement is underway and Cassie is not shy about playing the female empowerment card, but that doesn't stop her from seeking real relationships and wrestling with her feminine side.
A very green young comedian fresh from Boston, Eddie arrives in LA with his friend and fellow comic Ron Shack with empty pockets and big dreams. The somewhat nebbishy Eddie is nonetheless sharply funny, and although he doesn't know much about how to make it, he does know enough to head straight to Goldie's.
Ron and his pal Eddie Zeidel arrive in LA from Boston determined to make it big as comics. But while Eddie is outwardly funny, Ron is more the loyal sidekick, and subsequently remains in Eddie's shadow much of the time.
A hungry young comic who's idol is Richard Pryor, Adam is trying everything he can think of to move up from the bottom rungs of the comedy ladder. Flat broke, determined and desperate for money, Adam is forced to regularly demean himself to survive.
One of the brighter stars on Goldie's roster, Bill is his own worst enemy. Acid-tongued and bitter, Bill's perpetual anger at the unfairness of the comedy world, and jealousy of those higher up on the food chain, make him do rash and foolish things. He's got the looks and the raw talent, and he is not completely without charm, but he repeatedly sabotages himself through his incessant negativity.
Handsome and funny, Nick seems to have a lot going for him. He gets all the women he wants, and he's not above helping out younger comics who need a leg up. But Nick has a dark history and the propensity to self-destruct. When he goes down, he goes down hard.
A genuinely nice, genuinely funny guy, Ralph is a favorite at Goldie's. He's a successful TV writer and a regular on Goldie's main stage. And despite a weight problem and some dark skeletons in his closet from his time in Vietnam, he's basically got his act together.
A Goldie's main-stage comic of Mexican descent, Edgar moves through life with lots of pot and a good sense of humor. That said, he's competitive with the other comics and isn't without a real vindictive streak.