On the same day that the Eureka Police Department released data stating that crime is up, the Savage Henry Comedy Club on Fifth Street in Eureka was broken into. The club has been closed since the first shelter-in-place orders came down back in March. Owner Chris Durant thought about checking in on the club last night but decided not to. When he arrived at the club this morning, he saw the backdoor ajar. 

He initially thought one of his comics was inside and had just left it open, but when he got inside he was greeted with scattered documents, half drank cans of sodas and randomly placed action figures.

“It looks more like a Watergate situation,” Durant told the Outpost in regard to the crime scene adding that the burglars seemed a bit random in their actions. “The keyboard is set up and plugged into the PA. They had like piano practice or something.”

Durant said someone usually sleeps at the club in the spare room, but no one was there last night during the break in. No cash was onsite and the main thing stolen was a Playstation 4. Some sound equipment was placed into a crate and stashed by the back door, but for some reason it wasn’t taken.

“They went through it all, but I guess it meant nothing to them,” Durant said. 

Savage Henry got its start about 10 years ago and Durant said he and fellow comics were just starting to come up with new content after adjusting to life with COVID-19. Durant formerly worked as a crime and courts reporter for the Times-Standard and covered the entertainment scene as well.

“I got more threatening phone calls from grandmas than I did from anyone in the courts,” Durant said with a laugh. 

Durant previously had a comedy magazine called Short Bus when he lived in Sacramento and referred to that as Savage Henry Magazine’s “older brother.” No permanent damage was done to the club and Durant said it felt a little selfish even reporting it to the police.

“With the whole COVID thing, you almost feel selfish reporting it,” Durant said. “ I knew there was nothing much [EPD] could do, but I wanted to put it on the record somewhere.”