LOL WITH IT: Philly's Phunniest @ Helium Comedy Club

Every year, Helium Comedy Club hosts the Philly's Phunniest comedy competition. Hundreds of hungry young comics come from all over the metropolitan region to tell jokes for glory and cash.

options

LOL WITH IT: Philly's Phunniest @ Helium Comedy Club

POSTED: Friday, May 27, 2011, 3:00 PM

Every Friday, Ryan Carey takes a look at who and what’s giving Philly the giggles.

Every year, Helium Comedy Club hosts the Philly's Phunniest comedy competition. Hundreds of hungry young comics come from all over the metropolitan region to tell jokes for glory and cash.

And one of the best parts is that you can help judge; the preliminary rounds are voted on by audience members via secret ballot. The top four from each preliminary round, held every Sunday after June 2, advance to the next round. The semi-finals are Aug 28 and Aug 29. The Finals are Aug 30. The final rounds are judged by local radio and TV personalities, and sometimes-headlining comedians or associates from Comedy Central.

The contest, which has grown every year, is up to 153 comics. Helium reports a lot more brand new names and faces this year than ever before."We try to keep the contestants to Philadelphia, South Jersey and the Philly suburbs, and we don't go near another major comedy scene," says Helium manager Jeff Lewandowski. "We don't want guys coming down from New York."

I asked Jeff whether he thinks this is the year Chip Chantry (pictured) will finally take the win. "I hope so, I feel like it's his time. There's a lot of good talent out there, but Chip Chantry has to be the lead. I'm probably a little biased towards Chip just from seeing him for so many years. There are a lot of new names and new faces, so there could be someone that comes out of nowhere. Kent Haines did that. He was only on the Philly scene for about a year, and he took the contest by storm and won it."

The preliminary rounds will be hosted by last year's winner, Doogie Horner.

Posted by Ryan Carey @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Comments (0)

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
What we're trying to do this weekend
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Indian fare rules, Dunder Mifflin lives on, Tom Jones is a god
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.
Bradley Cooper promises he's not an asshole
Q&A with Goon’s Seann William Scott

About this blog

Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

Search this blog:

Topics:

Blog archives:

May
April
March

February
January

Past Archives: