Virginia Anzengruber Comedy

12/27/2025

At the end of last year, I set the intention that in 2025 I wanted to perform at least three shows outside of the state of Michigan. As a single mom it felt like a mountain to climb, coming back to standup. After nine years away from the stage working in tv and starting my family, I was nervous to dive headfirst into something again. Nervous I wouldn’t have anything to say. Nervous that I wouldn’t make crowds laugh.

As the year comes to a close (with my 37th birthday just a few days away), I’ve performed over 75 shows, with at least a dozen of those being in Louisiana, California, Indiana, and Ohio. I HEADLINED MY FIRST TOUR WITH sponsoring; I hosted a handful of times and even partnered with for a show; and I brought music and comedy together for our show (something we’re bringing back in 2026!); I did my first improv and co-hosting of Newsflash with for ; I’ve been writing regularly about comedy for (and got to interview and among so many others); I performed at featuring for .elshieky and and and opening for ; I hosted my first child-friendly comedy show at and got to give a 10 year old his first stage time; I told jokes at 8:30AM for the folks at ; I got rejected from comedy festivals, lost in the first rounds of competitions, and headlined with and ; and will spend the second year in a row performing on my birthday.

I really love standup comedy. I want to do it forever. If you want me to tell jokes near you or for you, DM me, or email me, or call me beep me if you wanna reach me. Thank you to everyone that has booked me or performed with me or cheered me on. Love you, miss you, can’t wait to do more.

#2025

12/05/2025

Comedy has been fun again lately. Thanks so much to my hometown club for my first Local Showcase feature and to for capturing all of my dopey-ness in high definition. I’m finishing up 2025 strong with a few shows left in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Toledo — and 2026 is gonna be EVEN MORE COMEDY!

11/04/2025

Ended a recent set to a speakeasy crowd of 20 fine folks the way my heart told me to. Special thanks to for curating such a fun room at and all around Grand Rapids!

10/30/2025

The way the Cars films tell stories has always confused me.

10/27/2025

If the internet is for anything, it’s for fun stuff. I submitted this a while back to the casting folks at for and am hoping maybe some traction on it here will get their attention?

This is a very serious very silly thing I did and honestly, regardless of what happens, it was so fun to try. You never win if you never try. The answer is always “no” if you don’t ask it. Here’s some spaghetti I’m throwing at a wall.

BUT SERIOUSLY I WOULD BE SO GOOD ON GGG LFGGGGG! Tag Food Network in the comments!

10/09/2025

Parent comedy fans rejoice! Enjoy some of the best stand-up comedy in Michigan at a time that doesn’t require a babysitter! “You’re Kidding Me” is a child-friendly stand-up comedy show at Books & Mortar in Grand Rapids! Adult tickets are $10 and child tickets are $5. Available now at https://www.booksandmortar.com/ (or the link in my bio!)

This event will feature an all-star all-parent lineup of West Michigan’s funniest comedians including Nardos Osterhart, Alastair Watt, Skippy Rose, and Lucky Lee!

There will be a kid’s activity corner, and we encourage you to bring snacks and lidded drinks for your kiddos (we’ll have goldfish crackers and apple juice for those who would like some)!

This will be a noisy, fun, and wild afternoon of hilarious comedy in a relaxed setting. If you’re looking for something fun to do with your parent friends that’s not your typical play date — THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU! The comedy will be PG-13, the atmosphere will be chill and fun (we’re okay with baby hecklers), the fine folks at Sidecar Studios, Fat Baby Hot Sauce, and Local Spins will be sponsoring — and the show will be done by 6:00 p.m. SHARP.

You’ll be home in time for dinner.

Let’s start creating third spaces, and become the communities we envisioned when we were younger. Comedy is for everyone. Parenthood doesn’t have to be done alone. And those kids can go entertain themselves for an hour and a half so you can giggle with your besties!

09/30/2025

About a week and a half ago, I hosted the edition of my quarterly stand-up comedy showcase at in the Eastown neighborhood of Grand Rapids. (I then immediately went into mom mode for my kiddo’s 6th birthday party so this post is belated but no less cherished!)

A huge thanks to everyone who made this a SOLD OUT show (we had to find extra chairs for folks!) and to the hilarious comedians who showed up and showed out for this fun and engaged crowd of tech enthusiasts!

Come check out the next edition of Scorpion Farts Club, a sober comedy showcase, in December! Tickets are always just $5! And learn all about comedy in West Michigan by reading my monthly column, on !

Comedians: .is.alright .e.melvin

Photos by 🙌🏻❤️🙏🏻

09/26/2025

Hey pals — our guy is booked and busy! Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, unfortunately our Evening with Jim O’Heir is POSTPONED until Winter 2026! Current ticket holders have been notified via email, and a new date will be sent out as soon as it’s confirmed!

So grateful to and everyone on the team who’s worked hard to make sure this event reschedule is as seamless as it can be!

The good news is: all the folks who weren’t able to come on the original date — now you have a chance!! Once we’ve confirmed a new date, you’ll be able to buy tickets. And don’t worry — the whole gang will still be here too 😎

Thanks for supporting live comedy. Can’t wait to see y’all very soon.

08/26/2025

Reminiscing back over my last live conversation with — 2016 at at with a sold out crowd of over 300 of the best college students in the country (I might be biased as an alumna — GO NOLES!).

These photos were taken by my friend and mentor and the video was shot by my awesome ex-husband and it was produced by the luminary . One of the top 10 evenings of my life so far, hands down. And to think we did all of this — self-produced — when I was 27 just blows my mind.

Forever grateful to the people who have believed in this specific dream from the beginning — can’t WAIT to show y’all what we’ve got cooked up for the event on October 1 at with (and maybe a surprise or two)!

Presented by . Sponsored by .

08/25/2025

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: An Evening with Jim O’Heir at Wealthy Theatre!

Comedy icon and star of Parks and Recreation, Jim O’Heir, will be live at the Wealthy Theatre for a conversation with comedian and Local Grins author Virginia Anzengruber! O’Heir, who recently released the memoir “Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation,” will join Anzengruber for a follow-up to 2016’s sold out Super Hungry the Podcast LIVE! conversation at Florida State University. O’Heir will chat with Anzengruber about his comedy beginnings in Chicago, his journey to Hollywood stardom, and what he’s been working on since leaving Pawnee (spoiler alert: Virginia taught him how to use social media).

After the conversation and audience Q&A portion, the evening will conclude with a SPECIAL PERFORMANCE of a super group of Grand Rapids improvisers (including Rapid Fire Improv), featuring Jim O’Heir as guest monologist!

PRESENTED BY: Local Grins on LocalSpins.com. Sponsored by Sidecar Studios.

Tickets are $45 and are AVAILABLE NOW via the website.

Times:
6pm Doors open | 7pm Show start

08/10/2025

Y’all… I am REALLY excited about this one.

As a single momma, I’m always looking for fun ways to incorporate my kids into my adult life.

Whether it’s introducing them to songs through music videos (making sure they know the Minions didn’t originate “Seven Nation Army”), bringing them along to complimentary events I’m covering for outlets I write for (I’m looking at you, ), or simply asking them to participate with me in things I love (cooking, gardening, watching on ), I’m always wanting my little dudes to be more involved with things that are in my grown-up life.

When I reached out to and the beautiful land mermaids at , whom I’ve known and loved for years, about a kooky little idea I had to make a comedy show for parents to bring their kids to — they immediately said “yes, and” to my latest comedy showcase: “You’re Kidding Me: a Child-Friendly Stand-Up Comedy Show” — featuring

This event will feature a kid’s activity corner, complimentary snacks and beverages for the kiddos, and a lineup of some of the funniest comedians in West Michigan — all of whom happen to be parents too!

If you’re looking for something fun to do with your parent friends that’s not your typical play date — THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU! The comedy will be PG-13, the atmosphere will be chill and fun (we’re okay with baby hecklers), the fine folks at and will be sponsoring — and the show will be done by 6:00 p.m. SHARP.

You’ll be home in time for dinner.

Let’s start creating third spaces, and become the communities we envisioned when we were younger. Comedy is for everyone. Parenthood doesn’t have to be done alone. And those kids can go entertain themselves for an hour and a half so you can giggle with your besties!

Save the date — ticket link is coming soon!

08/01/2025

This Sunday at The Pyramid Scheme with Mohanad Elshieky and Devarron Thomas!!

The August Local Grins boasts an interview with touring comedian Mohanad Elshieky and the lowdown on Laughter on the Lakeshore and more.