As seen on Comedy Central!

Daniel Tosh In the late 90’s a new generation of Bonkerz bred comedians was emerging in Central Florida.  We were simultaneously running Zuma Beach which was the hottest club in the region and growing the Bonkerz brand at the same time.  One of the Zuma employees told us that her boyfriend was really funny and [...]

Darrell Hammond Darrel Hammond has been a regular on Saturday Night Live for the past 20 years, but his first time ever on stage was at Bonkerz.  He would hang out on open mic night, but had trouble getting the courage to go up on stage.  Bonkerz co-owner, George Maltezos, [...]

Carrot Top A.K.A. Scott Thompson Bonkerz Comedy Club owner, Joe Sanfelippo, was one of the first in the business who recognized the potential of the young, red-haired son of a NASA rocket scientist.  Joe ignored the comments of many of the local comics who hated prop acts and didn’t think they were legitimate comics. He [...]

Billy Gardell Most of today’s TV audience knows Billy Gardell as the star of Mike and Molly and Monopoly Millionaire’s Club.  Our story runs a little deeper.  In 1987, Joe Sanfelippo was standing in the parking lot of the original Orlando Bonkerz talking to his brothers, John and George, when this big kid who [...]