Semi-Finalists: L-R: Rodger Lizaola (2nd), Andy Haynes (5th), Paul Myrehaug (host),Steve Monroe (3rd), Jose Sarduy (1st) and Matt Billon (4th)
Night 6 Top 5: L-R: Jose Sarduy (1st), Paul Myrehaug (host), Andy Haynes (2nd), Rodger Lizaola (4th), Ron Funches (3rd) and Josh Gondelman (5th)
Photo by Peter Greyy
There wasn't a lot of mystery going into the sixth and final night of Preliminary Week One of the 30th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition.
Based on the consistency of their performances, it was a lock that Jose Sarduy, Matt Billon and Rodger Lizaola were moving on to the semi-finals...and it would take a miracle to dislodge Steve Monroe from advancing, himself.
There was, however, one question that needed answering. Who would join them? Who would lay claim to the 5th and final Golden Ticket to get to tour Wonka's Chocolate Factory? It was certainly up for grabs and there were a number of hands scratching and clawing at it.
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Thanks to a strong showing in Bellingham, Cy Amundson from Minneapolis was one of those scrambling for it...but he drew first position tonight, and this was a devilishly difficult audience to warm up. It wasn't going to be Cy.
Would it be Seattle's Kevin Richards, who was quietly stock-piling decent but not showy scores. Could he repeat the "Andy Haynes 2007" miracle...and leap frog everyone else with a win on the last night of the week to make the semi-finals? Well, Kevin drew last position tonight...and while Kevin did his normal solid job, there would be no miracle on this night. It wasn't going to be Kevin.
Would it be Seattle's Tony Daniel, who was trying to shake-off a rough night in Bellingham to build on the strong scores he'd managed earlier in the week? He would need those above him to stumble on this night like he had the previous night...and they didn't. It wasn't going to be Tony.
Would it be Vancouver's Jane Stanton--the only woman in this week, who delivered powerful and unique comedy that made the fact that she was the only woman in this week totally irrelevant? She had been in that 5th position only 30 hours earlier...it wouldn't take very much to get her back in that position at the end. But, there were a couple of people who managed very strong sets on this night--the kind of sets that change standings and separate them from all the others...and Jane wasn't one of those on this night who had that kind of set. It wasn't going to be Jane.
Who DID have "that kind of set?" Josh Gondelman from Boston for one. His almost-absurdly friendly and kind persona stood out through this event all week...and he's been getting good scores without ever having made at Top 5...until tonight. Tonight, he earned the right to walk on stage and get his picture taken as someone who was tops in the minds and scores of the judges for the night. But despite a week's worth of great work, it wasn't enough to propel him into the semi-finals. It wasn't going to be Josh.
Another comedian making his first appearance in the Top 5 this week was Portland's Ron Funches. Would it be Ron? Ron has definitely been the favorite of the comics in the back of the room this entire week, but, after taking 3rd place on opening night, he kept getting scores that kept him just off the podium and in the middle of the pack for most of the week. This night, in this club, for these industry-based judges...it all came together for Ron...and he made the Top 5...in addition to being crowd favorite, he earned a score that might have given him his OWN "Andy Haynes 2007"-style miracle.
But, for one thing... Andy Haynes, the miracle boy from 2007 himself, was the comic who was in 5th place in this year's event when the night began...and he was the third comic who had "that kind of set" on this night. He didn't need a miracle this time...he earned his way into the semi-finals with another Top 5 finish, just when he needed it most. It would be Andy Haynes joining Steve, Matt, Rodger and Jose in the semi-finals.
Oh, yes...Jose Sarduy. He had already locked-up first place for the week going into this sixth show...he didn't have anything to prove, he didn't have to do anything to maintain his chances of moving forward. All he did do was win his fourth nightly win of the week with yet another undeniable performance. As ESPN's Stuart Scott might say, put some butter on him...he is definitely on a roll.
Top Five For the Night:
5) Josh Gondelman
4) Rodger Lizaola
3) Ron Funches
2) Andy Haynes
1) Jose Sarduy
...and...
Top Five For Preliminary Week One
5) Andy Haynes
4) Matt Billon
3) Steve Monroe
2) Rodger Lizaola
1) Jose Sarduy
...and now, we start over from scratch with sixteen other talented performers who we will be sending off on their own comedy adventures in Preliminary Week Two... That adventure begins with a single step--tonight, at the Comedy Underground for Night One of Preliminary Week Two.