Year 2002 News Archive
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Archive of Year 2002 news.
To go to current news items, see here.
For archive of Year 2006 news, see here.
For archive of Year 2005 news, see here.
For archive of Year 2004 news, see here.
For archive of Year 2003 news, see here.
For archive of Year 2001 news, see here.
For archive of Year 2000 news, see here.
For links to queer comedian websites in alphabetic order, see here.
12/22/2002:
Don't Tell Mama's in New York is having a Gay & Lesbian Comedy Fest on Saturdays in January at 8:30pm, starring Chuck Sweeney as Peggy Lee, critically acclaimed celebrity impersonator, Sidney Myer, MAC & Bistro Award-Winning Musical Comedian, Alana Devich, from Chicago's Funny Women Fest, Paul J. Williams, 3-Time MAC Award Nominee, Kristine Zbornik, from Forbidden Broadway, Seth Rudetsky, from The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and David Maiocco, 2002 MAC Award Winning Musical Director. Hosted by Michael Conley, 2002 MAC Award Nominated Songwriter! Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th St., $10 cover, 2 drink minimum. Reservations at (212)757-0788.
12/19/2002:
Olivia Cruises is having a cruise to Alaska in May of 2003 with Kate Clinton, Betty DeGeneres, Meg Christian, Georgia Ragsdale, Elvira Kurt, and Lucie Blue Tremblay.
12/12/2002:
QComedy's show got a mention in Beth Lisick's Buzz Town column on the SF Chronicle's website.
12/10/2002:
QComedy shows are taking a little break and returning on Monday, January 13th. There's plenty of other comedy happening in the meantime -- check out Viva Variety, Stood Up, Kung Pao and the New Years Eve shows.
12/9/2002:
In New York City, comics Courtney Knowles and Mark Dower are paying tribute to the divas that put the "fun" in dysfunction with stand-up, sketch comedy and impersonations of Mommie Dearest, the Ab Fab Girls, Madonna, Jackee, Sandra Bernhard, Judy Tenuta, Cher, Designing Women, Bette Midler and more. Courtney Loves Christmas, Wednesday, December 11th at 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 18th at 9:00 p.m., and Friday, December 20th at 7:00 p.m. At The Duplex, 61 Christopher Street, New York, NY. Reservations at 255-5438 or courtneyknowles.com. $12 cover, 2 drink minimum.
11/29/2002:
San Francisco standup and improv comedian Dana Cory has a brand spanking new website.
11/20/2002:
Greg Walloch will be appearing on the show "The Moth" on the Trio station. Here's the information:
The Moth on Trio: Popular Arts Television. Carpe Diem: Seize the Day Host: Michaela Murphy Storytellers: Griffin Dunne, Keith Young, Reno, Mark Katz, and Greg Walloch. Schedule: # Thursday November 21 - 9pm, 12am ET # Friday November 22 - 10pm, 1am ET # Saturday November 23 - 3pm ET # Sunday November 24 - 12am ET # Monday November 25 - 10pm ET # Tuesday November 26 - 11pm ET # Wednesday November 27 - 11pm ET Check your local listings http://www.triotv.com
11/11/2002:
Karen Williams will be performing at Sparks Fly, the International Day of Solidarity with Women Political Prisoners on Sunday Nov 17th at 4 pm at the Montclair Women's Cultural Arts Club in Oakland.
11/10/2002:
Don't Tell Mama in New York is having a Gay & Lesbian Comedy Fest on Saturday November 23rd. Appearing are Seth Rudetsky - Bistro Award Winning Comic, Rick Skye as Liza Minnelli, Ted McElroyfrom Rainbow Mountain Resort, Susan Unger from The Duplex & Stand-Up NY, Sidney Myer Award-Winning Musical Comedian, Shecky Beagleman from CBS & USA Network, and Courtney Knowles from The Comedy Garden. It's hosted by Michael Conley. It's at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street. $10 cover, 2 drink min., Reservations at (212)757-0788
10/30/2002:
Added a link to the website of Shann Carr, comedian and the producer of the original 90's version, and the new upcoming Docu-Comedy "Out For Laughs."
The OC Blade published an article about gay comedy focusing on Southern California performers. It included Robin Tyler, Kat Howard, Mary Kennedy, Marti MacGibbon, Poppy Champlin, Sabrina Matthews, Lynda Montgomery, Georgia Ragsdale, Kate Clinton, and Jason Stuart.
Also, here's an undated review of a Fruit Salad show at Comedy Garden in New York, apparently a different one than that mentioned below -- the review seems to be of the August show. This one featured host Jim David, Danny Cohen, Courtney Knowles, Larry Amoros, Seth Rudetsky, Marga Gomez, and straight comic Colette Hawley.
10/26/2002:
Laugh Out Loud produces comedy events in Washington, DC, including one coming up November 23rd with Marga Gomez, Paul J. Williams, and Julie Goldman.
Speaking of Paul J. Williams, who also performed at the Fruit Salad event in New York listed below, there's a biography available of him.
California's Funniest Female Contest is going to be happing in March and April of 2003. You don't have to be a Californian to enter, but you do have to be female.
10/17/2002:
7 Sins: The Holiday Edition runs Sundays October 27 through December 15th, with two shows nightly at 5 pm and 8 pm. Visit their website for more information.
10/13/2002:
There is an article on Bay Area comedians in the current issue of entertainment magazine "The Wave." You can read it on the web. Comedians who get a mention, a sample of the humor, and a line about where to see them are: John Hoogasian, Joe Klocek, Robert Mac, Andrew Norelli, Gretchen Rootes, Bridget Schwartz, and Mike Uryga.
10/11/2002:
New York City venue Comedy Garden is having an event October 17th called "Fruit Salad" with comedians Jim David, Becky Donohue, Paul J. Williams, Cory Kahaney, Larry Amoroso, and Susie Essman. I'm not familiar with most of these names, though they seem to have TV credits, so I'm not sure if they're all queer comics or just "friendly."
10/3/2002:
Bay Area Lesbian sketch comedy troupe I Love Lezzie is previewing their show Oct 12 in San Francisco before traveling to the Sydney Gay Games VI Cultural Festival. Also added a link for them on the links page.
10/2/2002:
QComedy regular Adam Sandel has a premier of the play he wrote, Falling Off The Edge, this weekend at the Studio at Theatre Rhino. Then the play is traveling to Sydney, Australia in November.
10/1/2002:
The Gay Mafia do improv shows in Los Angeles on Friday nights. Check out the links page for more information.
9/29/2002:
Bryan Lee Emler has a new website.
Added a link for Chicago comedian Tara DeFrancisco.
9/27/2002:
Comedian and writer Mo Brownsey has been getting great reviews for her book "Is it a date, or just coffee" and she's reading from it at A Different Light on Castro on Wednesday Oct 2nd.
OUTprov is a queer comedy improv troupe based in St. Louis.
9/23/2002:
Added a link to the webpage of Tig, who lives in L.A. and performed at our showcase tonight.
9/22/2002:
Added a link to British Lesbian Comedian and musician Clare Summerskill.
9/8/2002:
Funny Women Fest, Inc. celebrates the success of the annual festival by staging a special East Coast event in New York City for four nights and three days, on October 24-27, 2002. Nationally-acclaimed instructors offer many of the workshops that sold out in Chicago, and we^Òve added workshops of particular interest to New York comedians, actors and writers.
The Fest begins on Thursday, October 24 with registration, a welcome party for Fest attendees, and an opening night show at Don^Òt Tell Mama. Workshops will be held on Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26 from 10-1, and on Sunday, October 27 from 11-2. Two shows per night are planned on Friday and Saturday, at 8 and 10 pm, with funny women of all kinds -- standup comics, improv artists, sketch artists, women with solo shows, and short films will also be shown. Each venue will feature an eclectic mix of performers. The Fest will culminate on Sunday, October 27 with an all-student showcase from 3-5 p.m., followed by a going-away party.
For more information, contact SusanS@funnywomenfest.com
9/4/2002:
Added a link for Dusty Floors and handler Timothy Mark Reilly.
Pippi Lovestocking has a newly designed web page.
8/4/2002:
Madison, Wisconsin improv troupe Flaming Dykasaurus has a new website.
7/9/2002:
QComedy will be presenting a comedy show at Club Fab at the Russian River on Friday July 26, hosted by Blake and Pippi Lovestocking, with Amy Boyd, Nick Leonard, Janis Lipton, and Bridget Schwartz.
7/8/2002:
Laughing Cows is a women's comedy night at the lesbian bar The Vespa Lounge in London, England.
6/27/2002:
Article in Now Toronto about gay and lesbian comedians, including Dawn Whitwell, Dave Tomlinson, Maggie Cassella, and Richard Ryder.
Kate Clinton wrote this article in the Village Voice about lesbian comedians.
6/20/2002:
This year the Just For Laughs fest in Montreal has a Queer Comics night with Lea Delaria, Bob Smith, Elvira Kurt, Judy Tenuta and the Kinsey Sicks.
6/13/2002:
Added a link for The Oops Guys comedy troupe.
6/5/2002:
QComedy is going to be presenting two nights of solo comedy shows by Scott Capurro July 5th and 6th at the Eureka Theater. Call 415-345-7575 for tickets. Scott is spending June in Chicago appearing in his play "Fucking Our Fathers" at the Bailiwick Theatre.
5/30/2002:
Mary C. Matthews is performing in the Chicago Comedy Festival tonight and tomorrow, and at the Vancouver Comedy Festival in August.
5/28/2002:
Lorne Newman will be headlinging the gay comedy show at the Calgary Comedy Festival June 7-9. Also appearing are Mike Singer, Susan Stewart from Toronto, and Julia Stretch from Calgary.
5/27/2002:
There is a queer comedy night on the fourth Saturday of each month at Hamburger Mary's in Long Beach, California.
5/12/2002:
You can get information about our June shows in the Queer Arts Festival Catalog or at their website. We're doing shows every Monday in June.
5/5/2002:
Marga Gomez and Carmelita Tropicana are performing in Single Wet Female June 7-9 at SomArts, 934 Brannan @ 8th St.
5/2/2002:
The Laugh Across America contest and festival will be in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, and Las Vegas in the summer of 2002.
4/14/2002:
There is an article in the new [May 2002] issue of QSF magazine about gay comedy. It has brief interviews with Hank Donat, Suzy Berger, Ant, Mary C. Matthews, David Maclean, Marga Gomez, Suzanne Westenhoefer, Regina Stoops, Paul Hallasy, and Lisa Geduldig. Their website is at http://qsfmagazine.com/ but hasn't been updated for this issue yet.
3/28/2002:
We are producing a benefit for the East Bay Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club. Comedians Diane Amos, Aundre the Wonderwoman, Julia Jackson, Darrick Richardson, and Nick Leonard will be performing. The show will be Friday April 12 at 8 pm.
3/27/2002:
The 4th Annual Funny Girlz will be Saturday, May 11th at the Herbst Theater. Appearing will be Luenell, Karen Ripley, Vijai Nathan, María Elena Gaitán, Juanita MORE, hostess Lisa Geduldig and special guests. For more information visit koshercomedy.com
3/26/2002:
The 8th Annual Pride Comedy Night in Santa Rosa will feature comedians Karen Williams, Jason Stuart, and emcee Regina Stoops. For more information, visit www.wemeanit.net.
3/21/2002:
We're producing on a solo show called "Scott Capurro, Erect in Berkeley" -- it's Friday April 19th at the Julia Morgan Theater.
Ellen Degeneres is performing April 23 & 24 in Santa Rosa.
2/26/2002:
For those in Michigan, the Triangle Foundation is having a Comedy Fest with Karen Ripley, Nick Tarr, Marlene Moore, Scott Capurro, and Sabrina Matthews on Saturday March 16th.
If I lived in Canada I could watch The Gavin Crawford Show. Comparisons seem to be to Kids in the Hall and Tracy Ullman, but I still haven't seen Gavin live or on TV.
2/25/2002:
You should know that QComedy Present: Monday Night Gay Comedy Showcase is moving from presenting our regular shows at 848 Community Space to the new LGBT Community Center at 1800 Market St. in San Francisco.
2/24/2002:
Hyena Comedy Institute offers an 8-week comedy class that crescendos in a performance and a chance to join the Hyena Comedy All-Stars troupe. Students learn a successful 20-step method. Classes are Mondays 7-9:30pm starting March 11. Cost $200-$250. contact 415-643-8118 or info@hyenacomedy.org
2/15/2002:
Karen Ripley will be teaching a comedy and improv class for the Harvey Milk Institute starting Wednesday March 6th.
2/12/2002:
Hey! Janis Lipton has a website!
2/8/2002:
Check out the current issue of the Bay Area Reporter for a feature article on QComedy, noting our 2nd anniversary.
1/25/2002:
Butter & Pinches Return is a comedy film written and directed by comedian Mary C. Matthews. It's premiering February 16th at the Victoria Theatre in San Francisco.
1/18/2002: Interview with Scott Capurro, whose solo comedy show we're producing this weekend, from the San Francisco Chronicle.
1/12/2002: Funny Women Fest 2002 will by July 25-29 in Chicago.
1/9/2002:
Added a link to Cantu's website HumorMall, which draws on his 20 years of experience producing comedy shows in San Francisco.
1/8/2002:
There's a new monthly comedy showcase: Stood Up at the Stud, hosted by Pippi Lovestocking. It's the third Wednesday of every month at 8 pm, premiering January 23rd.
For information, email larrybob@gmail.com