Comedy is always one of the most popular parts of programming. In fact, comedy ranks third after live music and the Shiskaberry’s booth. Experts in the field are saying that this is not one of the strongest years of comedy programming for Bumbershoot because there’s no big name comedians, like Patton Oswalt or the guy who does all the voices in the Police Academy movies (September 24-26 at the Parlor in Bellevue).
But I do think there are some great laughs to be had all weekend. Here are a few of the things that I recommend and hope to catch while I’m on Seattle Center grounds this weekend:
Lady Parts Justice (Comedy at the Bagley, 2PM on Saturday and Monday, 6:30 on Sunday)
I suppose it’s not for me to recoil at the term “lady parts,” but I do stand firmly behind the mission of Lady Parts Justice, a new comedy project from Lizz Winstead (creator of “The Daily Show”). The project (which is made up of comedians, filmmakers, activists, and writers) uses humor to highlight the erosion of reproductive freedom that has steadily been occurring since at least 2010. This weekend, they are set to unveil a new app called “Hinder” that is said to be “an amazing new app that allows you to share profiles of America’s unsung, anti-choice d-bags.”
Annie Lederman (Comedy at the Playhouse at 3:30PM and Comedy at the Bagley at 8:30PM on Saturday)
When I was told over lunch that most of the women in my family have read the 50 Shades of Grey books, I took comfort in a photo Annie Lederman posted on Facebook where she’s holding the book from a corner while wearing rubber gloves, like you might hold a dead rat you found. Since then, I’ve tried to catch her on MTV’s “Girl Code” and Comedy Central’s “@midnight” whenever I can. She’s very funny and I can’t wait to see her standup live.
Bridgett Everett (Comedy at the Playhouse, 5PM and Comedy at the Bagley at 8:30PM on Saturday, Comedy at the Playhouse at 6:30PM on Sunday, and Comedy at the Bagley at the Playhouse at 5PM on Monday)
Bridgett Everett has been appearing on “Inside Amy Schumer” each season, and she’s quite funny there, but after having seen her live at a show at Largo in LA, I don’t think any TV appearances can compare to the live experience. She has a personality that takes over a room and her bawdy show is unforgettable (my girlfriend says she’s still traumatized by it). I don’t want to reveal too much, but I’ll say that if she asks for a volunteer from the crowd, raise your hand. Everyone else in the auditorium will be glad you did.
Brett Hamil’s Bundt Cake (Words and Ideas Stage, 8:30PM on Saturday)
Local funnyman Brett Hamil brings his monthly comedy showcase from the Comedy Underground to Bumbershoot on Saturday evening. From our interactions (I attend his shows when I can and we are both local arts writers, he has a monthly column in City Arts magazine), I’ve found him to be a nice, smart and funny guy with discerning taste. He has a joke about kombucha being “carbonated fart water” that is a big hit in my household. His show here features Heather Thompson, Kevin Vogt, and Kevin Clarke. Plus there’s promise of a “surprise guest” or two. It could literally be anyone, show up and find out for yourself.
Emmett Montgomery (Black Box Stage, 8PM on Monday)
Blink and you might have missed Emmett Montgomery’s turn on this season on “Last Comic Standing” a few weeks back. It’s unfortunate considering he’s funnier than about 90% of the people who moved on to the second round. I’ve found him to be funny, likeable, and self-effacing guy. Late last year, I caught two of Montgomery’s shows in as many weeks, and I don’t think he repeated any jokes, but the ones he told were all funny. Oh, and Norm MacDonald liked him:
@Jerm138 Emmet was really, really funny. The curse of originality took him down.
— Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) August 13, 2015
Talk Salad and Scrambled Eggs with Matt Mira and Kevin Smith (Comedy at the Bagley, 6PM on Sunday)
Did you know that Kevin Smith has a podcast dedicated to talking about episodes of “Frasier”? I sure as hell didn’t. I suppose the question should be “Why wouldn’t Kevin Smith have a podcast dedicated to ‘Frasier’?” But that doesn’t mean I’m not intrigued. I consider myself a (fair-weather) fan of Smith’s movies and think he’s pretty funny (Clerks is still one of my favorite comedies). Here, Mira and Smith will provide commentary over two episodes of “Frasier.” I hope they cover about the impossibility of the skyline.
Super Secret Comedy Show (Comedy at the Playhouse, 2PM on Sunday)
One podcast I do know about is Mike Coletta and Monica Nevi’s HugLife. I listen when time allows (and have seen each live a handful of time) and find they’re two likeable and funny local comedians. They also host a month show called Super Secret Comedy Show on the first Friday of each month at Fremont’s Atlas Theatre. I’ve wanted to catch it at least once, but it starts at midnight and I’m basically a shut-in who hasn’t seen a midnight since New Year’s. 2PM on a Sunday afternoon is more amenable for me. I’ll be there.
