Ones to watch (and laugh at), compliments of Vulture

If you don’t want your relationship roasted on a spit for hundreds of strangers, don’t sit in the front row of a stand-up show. Unsuspecting couples learned that the hard way at last weekend’s Vulture Festival in Los Angeles when comedian Joel Kim Booster poked fun at heteronormativity (“Is your relationship open or closed?”) and many taboos during Comedians You Should and Will Know. Booster, a comedian you do know (and love), hosted the showcase of up-and-coming talent featured on Vulture’s annual list. The event was a reminder that a new comedy star could strike the scene at any moment at a fest that’s known for skyrocketing talent quickly. Past success stories include breakout comedians like SNL’s golden-child Bowen Yang, who hosted a live episode of his podcast, “Las Culturistas,” with co-host Matt Rogers in 2018, and Megan Stalter, whose characters have earned her an impressive Instagram following and even a role in Kasey Musgrave’s “Star-Crossed: The Film.”  After going virtual in 2020, this year’s fest, at the Roosevelt Hotel off Hollywood Boulevard, seemed to return to pre-pandemic attendance levels, albeit with each event at an outdoor stage and rigorous masking in place for all attendees. Vulture Festival is famous...