After a bustling and joyful cocktail reception, attendees joined celebrity hosts Paul Scheer and Ike Barinholtz in Vidiots’ Eagle Theatre for a celebration of 40 years of Vidiots. During the comedy special, comedians, actors and directors alike, Tim Simons, Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon, Lake Bell, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Josh Rubin, Blakely Thorton, Ify Nwadiwe, Ben Rodgers, and Tai Leclaire performed sets throughout the night.
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Vidiots celebrated its 40th anniversary with a completely sold-out, laughter-filled evening honoring one of the last surviving video store institutions in America, a community space that has not only endured the streaming era but even outlived a global pandemic.
The night began with a lively mixer where guests ate, drank, reunited, and took photos in dazzling ’80s attire, instantly transforming the space into a nostalgic time warp. An event that felt equal parts birthday party, comedy show, and fan-driven rally for the preservation of physical media and an L.A. institution.
At around 8 pm, hosts Paul Scheer and Ike Barinholtz took the stage, launching a high-energy program that barely let the audience catch its breath between laughs. The entire evening was structured in segments, each featuring a different celebrity guest performing stand-up, reviewing movies, re-enacting scenes, roasting red carpet looks, or delivering heartfelt tributes to the film sanctuary that is Vidiots, all while encouraging attendees to donate.
The audience proved more than ready. Bidding wars erupted over everything:
- The now-legendary “sexual seats”, far-left and far-right theater seats known in the 1980s as the Eagle Theatre’s “make-out seats,” which went for $1,000 each, selling five in under two minutes.
- The organization’s free period products, a point of pride at Vidiots, became a running gag and a major donation driver.
- Even the urinals were auctioned off, ultimately selling out with help from Josh Ruben’s uncanny celebrity impressions.
Throughout the night, surprise moments kept the crowd roaring. Tim Simons whispered “unbelievable” Hollywood gossip into two audience members’ ears; Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon told their love story through movies that shaped their lives; Blakely Thornton delivered a comedic masterclass reviewing Scream fashion; Mary Elizabeth Ellis led a talk-along performance from Waiting for Guffman; Ify Nwadiwe stormed the stage as Vidiots’ self-appointed “bouncer”; and Tai Leclaire explained, convincingly, that Twister made him gay.
In between bits, Paul and Ike introduced 1-star Vidiots reviews read onscreen by stars who couldn’t attend, Jane Fonda, Adam Scott, Aubrey Plaza, and Kyle MacLachlan, sending the crowd into fits of giggles as beloved celebrities deadpanned hilariously negative reviews of their favorite video store.
The program closed with an emotional tribute. Executive Director Maggie Mackay, brought Founders Cathy Tauber and Patty Polinger, and the full Vidiots team onstage to be honored for sustaining a cultural institution that has raised generations of movie lovers. A birthday cake covered in candles appeared, and the entire theater sang “Happy Birthday” to Vidiots.
When the formal program ended, a dance party started, and guests left with goodie bags, full hearts, and a feeling of having participated in a communal celebration of cinema, comedy, physical media, and the beloved video store. It was a fantastic night celebrating Vidiots’ past, present, and future.
