From among 28 female stand-up comics — a mix of new and experienced — from all across B.C., one will emerge the "funniest new female comic" on Aug. 27.
Besides getting a resounding validation of their sense of humour, the winner will bag a certain amount of prize money and future show opportunities.
Stand-up comic Janice Bannister of Laughter Zone 101, the producer of the show, knows a thing or two about how challenging it can be at times as a female in the field.
The challenges of being a female stand-up comic
“As a stand-up comic myself, I found it hard to get stage time when I started 19 years ago. When I would try to get on a show, no matter how many times I called or showed up to talk to bookers, they would turn me down,” recalled Bannister, who has been producing the Funniest New Female Comic competition for nine years now.
“One club actually said, ‘We already have a woman booked this month.'"
It was through a former producer that she got her foot in the door. Besides doing shows in restaurants (and other locations) through the producer, she was also able to sign up for a “funny woman” competition.
“I was new to comedy, but in 2003 I won Laff Riot Girls Funniest New Female, and that gave me a real connection with other female comics, and it opened up a lot more opportunities for me,” said Bannister, who is a big Lucille Ball and Lily Tomlin fan.
Unfortunately, the producer who ran the contest fell ill, and the event was put on ice until Bannister herself decided to revive it under her Laughter Zone 101 brand, which she had founded in 2004.
Though she brought the contest back to life, there were more hurdles to pass.
“The club owner to whom I pitched the first contest was very reluctant to do a series of all-female shows, but I wore him down and said if it didn't work I wouldn't bother him again.”
The first year, the contest saw over 50 women apply; it ran for three nights and all the shows sold out. That was enough to convince the club owner.
The contest used to be held at what used to be Lafflines Comedy Club before it closed down in 2019 and House of Comedy came up in its place.
'More female comics are giving stand-up comedy a shot'
Even today, stats (as per job recruitment site Zippia, only 11.3 per cent of stand-up comedians in the U.S. are women) show that the ratio of women in stand-up comedy compared to men is quite low; but per Bannister, who teaches stand-up comedy at Laughter Zone 101, there has been progress over the years.
“My classes used to be all males, and now it is almost 50-50 male/female. So I think more female comics are giving stand-up comedy a shot.”
Also, “Luckily, now there are many more opportunities for female-identifying comics to perform in the Lower Mainland, and there are other female producers, and show runners, so stage time isn't as hard to get.”
But stand-up comic or not, a question that probably many have is: Can anyone learn to be funny?
Explained Bannister, “I think everyone has a quirky nature that makes them funny. Sometimes they are reluctant to let it out, and I think with encouragement and a few comedy tools, they can be funny.”
But to watch the funniest amongst us, head to House of Comedy (530 Columbia St.) for the preliminary rounds of Funniest Female Comic event on Aug. 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. and for the finale on Aug. 27, at 8 p.m. Tickets can be bought at House of Comedy website.
