Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, Dana Carvey and Dane Cook have all competed in the annual SF Comedy Competition. Don’t miss your chance to see the next generation of comedians compete head-to-head in a laugh off! Tickets are $5 general and FREE for HSU students. Tickets are available at the University Ticket Office, and at humboldt.edu/aspresents.
Hundreds of comedians audition each year to compete in the San Francisco International Stand Up Comedy Competition. Only thirty are chosen.
In its first year, Robin Williams came in 2nd.
Many talented comedians have since emerged from this annual event to become major stars. It could be argued that The Comedy Competition helps turn them into diamonds as it is a true contest that develops its contestants by forcing them to adjust to a variety of audiences – in comedy clubs, colleges, casinos and theaters – while enduring the strain of an extended road trip.
Which begs the question: how many stars have come out of Last Comic Standing?
1977 Comedy Competition champ, Dana Carvey went on to Saturday Night Live. 1979 champ, Marsha Warfield went on to Night Court to star as Roz the bailiff. 1982 finalist Kevin Pollak has achieved a major film career as has 1987 finalist Rob Schneider.
Two first runners up—Ellen DeGeneres in 1985 and Mark Curry in 1989—landed their own TV series. Fame has not always come quickly but eventually as in the case of 1991 finalist Louis C.K. who now claims the ultimate credit: a TV series named after himself.
All of which has resulted in the San Francisco event earning a reputation as an important showcase of young entertainers who will make it.
1993 Finalist Patton Oswalt landed a role on King of Queens and became the voice of Ratatouille. In reverse order, that year’s winner, Carlos Alazraqui, became the voice of a chihuahua in a famous serious of Taco Bell commercials before joining the cast of Reno 911.
And 1995 saw the debut of Dane Cook.
2004 finalist Tommy Savitt is one of the most popular acts currently heard on Sirius Radio. 2006 finalists Mo Mandel and Mike E. Winfield stood in the wings as “Ed Sullivan” veteran Jay Wendell Walker received the grand prize. But now Mo is being seen in a variety of roles on NBC, while Winfield has performed on “David Letterman”.
All in all, though, audience’s favorite act of the lot may be 2010 champ, Auggie Smith, a stand-up in the tradition of Mort Sahl and George Carlin who has the ability to deflate accepted social mores with hilarious insights that convert audiences to his way of thinking. And isn’t that really what it’s all about?
Don’t miss your chance to say “I saw them when”.
For more information and credit card orders call CenterArts at 826-3928 or at humboldt.edu/aspresents.