Steve Lubetkin was a stand-up comedian in the 1970s at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles—best known for his involvement in the pivotal 1979 comedian strike.
- Lubetkin joined the Comedians for Compensation movement during the 1979 strike at The Comedy Store. The dispute was over club owner Mitzi Shore’s policy of not paying performers, even as she profited heavily [lamorguefiles.blogspot.com] [ranker.com] [cracked.com]
- Post-strike blacklisting: After the strike ended, he was reportedly denied stage opportunities at the club, which severely impacted his income and career prospects [unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com.]
- Facing failure and feeling blackballed, Lubetkin leapt from the roof of the Continental Hyatt House (a 14‑story hotel next to The Comedy Store) and died in the club’s parking lot. His body was found with a note stating: “My name is Steve Lubetkin. I used to work at The Comedy Store.”
His death occurred around 6:40 p.m. on June 1, 1979 [comedyhistory101.com]
- Lubetkin’s death starkly highlighted the consequences of the pay dispute—he “hoped that his suicide would resolve the labor dispute”
- The strike ultimately resulted in comedians at The Comedy Store and similar venues being compensated, but Lubetkin tragically did not live to see those changes .
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Born | July 23, 1948, New York |
| Comedy Store Role | Active performer, striker |
| Death | June 1, 1979, Los Angeles |
| Cause | Suicide (jump from hotel) |
Steve Lubetkin was an embattled comedian whose participation in the strike cost him opportunities and, his life—which in turn became a powerful catalyst for the comedians’ movement toward fair pay.