Comedy Fest: Get A Look At Stand Up's New Funny Faces
By Tom Phalen
Concert preview The 14th Annual Seattle International Stand Up Comedy Competition Finals, 8 p.m. tomorrow night, Seattle Opera House; finalists Mike Wally Walker, Earl Burks, Paul Lyons, Todd Sawyer and Derrick Cameron; hosted by Ross Shafer, special guest Bill Radke; $12.50, $15; 628-0888. -------------------------------------------------------------------
Seattle's Stand Up Comedy Competition, at 14 years, is obviously a well-established ongoing tradition. It's been happening now almost longer than its name. Some of the winners over the years who've gone on to the national stage include Chris Alpine, Matt Weinhold, Billy Jay and Ross Shafer.
Shafer, back in Seattle as co-host of KIRO-TV's "Hour Northwest," will be the master of ceremonies for the final installment of this year's competition.
"I've been gone a while," Shafer said this week, "I hardly know any of the people in the contest here. There's a lot of new faces."
For Shafer, the Seattle comedy competition was a definite turning point in his career. "It didn't put me on national television the next week, but it opened a lot of doors, it got me out of Puyallup." Shafer was the original host of KING-TV's "Almost Live," which is not only still running, but in national syndication. He went on the national club circuit, eventually got work on a Canadian game show and then took over Joan Rivers' spot on the Fox Network late show. He landed up hosting "The New Match Game."
"I had a great time with that show," Shafer said.
Along with the new "Hour Northwest," Shafer goes out and does clubs and corporate shows on weekends. He's also developing a show for the A&E network and another game show.
Shafer said now is a more difficult time for comics - fewer clubs, live performances being co-opted by television and audiences that will settle for the cheap shot.
"If all you're getting is that Arsenio Hall `Whoop-whoop' reaction, well that's not really a laugh, is it? A good comedian comes in and sometimes people don't know how to react to a real joke."
Shafer added that he's seen some of the semifinals of this year's competition to get a feel for the talent and get ready for tomorrow's show.
"The audience is going to have a good time. These are some very talented performers."
Special guest will be last year's winner, Bill Radke of KUOW-FM. The finalists will share a $10,000 prize.