For Your Amusement
Comedy Day was conceived in 1975 when comedian Jose Simon, inspired by the free outdoor music concerts Barbra Streisand and others were giving, decided that such a performance should exist in the comedy world. The first Comedy Day, in 1981, featured Simon, Will Durst, A. Whitney Brown, Dr. Gonzo, Marty Cohen, Kevin Meaney, Pat Morita, Steven Pearl, Bob Sarlatte, Bobby Slayton, and Robin Williams, among others. Since then, more than 750 comics have performed at the event, with the number of women increasing significantly over the decades. Besting Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival by two years, Comedy Day is the longest-running standup-comedy festival anywhere. This year’s Comedy Day festival showcases the diverse vitality of the local comedy community. Local gem Brian Copeland will receive the Standup Comedy Legend Award and at least 40 other comics take the stage in Golden Gate Park over five hours of laughter and fun. The 35th annual lineup includes Diane Amos, Alicia Dattner, Durst, Marga Gomez, and Paco Romaine, to name a few.
— Anita Katz
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