For those grappling with mounds of stress related to school, work or personal matters, unwinding can seem like a task far too daunting to pursue. Thankfully, one does not have to travel far to recharge with one of life’s most underestimated medicines: laughter. Local comedy club The Dangling Loafer has been providing Raleigh with infectiously funny shows since its start in 2011. Shows are held on the third Friday of every month at Kings Raleigh, with the next show being tomorrow night at 8 p.m.

Co-founders Adam Cohen and Shane Smith started the notable comedy club out of the upper level of downtown Raleigh’s The Morning Times. Their laughter-inducing shows were so popular that the audience spread onto the stairs of the coffee shop, leading to the duo’s adoption of a more spacious, permanent venue at Kings. Both comedians themselves, the two knew what to look for in a comedian, resulting in what proved to be impressive line-ups.

“A good comedian is flat-out funny,” Cohen said. “There’s no common theme among comedians […] you see every possible type of person get up there and do comedy. It’s about practicing the craft and finding your natural voice on the stage — and being funny, obviously.”

Six years ago, Cohen, who describes comedy as “more than just a hobby, but a passion,” did his first stand-up show in Clayton, North Carolina, at LOL Comedy Club, which was later renamed “Comedy Zone.” Cohen’s brave venture into the world of comedy was, although widely successful, fairly unexpected.

“I’ve been a fan of comedy my whole life, but I was never interested in doing stand-up comedy,” Cohen said. “I was pretty old to be a stand-up comedian, but we had watched a comedy session at the beach and I woke up dreaming of comedy bits.”

For Smith, the venture into comedy was not so unexpected. The comedian and Dangling Loafer co-founder said he has always wanted to be a comedian, and began doing stand-up in 2009. After creating the comedy club, though, Smith found he especially loves hosting the shows, with Cohen doing stand-up.

Smith said that local comedians bring in the best crowd, as people are more willing to come out and support them. This also helps the comic relate to the audience, which can make or break a performance.

“I think as a comedian you need to be able to relate to the crowd,” Smith said. “You can’t speak at them, you need to be in a conversation and that’s probably the hardest part of comedy, realizing that it’s not just a performance — it’s more of a conversation.”

Cohen adapts this idea by focusing on the brushed-over themes of marriage, kids and family life, setting him apart from the majority of local comics. This diversity is something The Dangling Loafer is known for, as the comedy club features a wide palette of uniquely funny bits.

“We have comedians as young as 18, and one guy that’s 79, who used to write for years and years in Hollywood,” Cohen said. “We’ve got every possible walk of life doing comedy up there, so there’s something for everybody. With six or seven comedians, you’re going to connect with at least a few of them.”

Smith said that, as a college student he was unaware of what was going on in the world, and that going to comedy shows would have been the perfect remedy to what is a common problem among many busy students. Comedy, although hilariously entertaining, offers the public a chance to view worldly topics in a raw, stripped-down way that portrays complex issues in an effortlessly relatable way.

“Comedy is the one true voice in this world and, although not all comics speak the truth, I think the heart of comedy is speaking the truth in a way that clarifies truths of the world in a humorous way,” Smith said. “Especially nowadays with all the stuff going on in the world, I think comedians are one of the last outlets for truth.”