With another presidential election on the way, “Laughing Liberally” comedy returns to Tucson this month. It’s not a moment too soon.
Said Tucson’s favorite political joker, Alex Kack, known all over the socials as “Green Shirt Guy,” “Jokes can help people identify with experiences that aren’t their own and process their own feelings. It’s a lot easier to get someone to listen to a 30-second joke than a news analysis.”
Kack, a career campaign professional, has held down a production role in past seasons of “Laughing Liberally,” but is taking a step back this year owing to his current involvement with a PAC. Fellow organizers Phil Gordon and Dave Margolis promise Kack will be channeling willing politicos their way for standup bits and roles in sketches. They agree former mayor John Rothschild helped create one of their most-memorable-ever shows, courtesy of Kack.
Gordon effectively launched Tucson’s “Laughing Liberally” when he began doing standup sets in our town’s then-thriving “Drinking Liberally” social club. Both groups are loosely affiliated with the nationwide “Living Liberally” (livingliberally.org) that connects hundreds of social clubs nationwide. Tucson’s “Laughing Liberally” officially launched in 2012 and runs only in presidential election years. Regrettably, they missed the 2020 campaign because of COVID-19.
The reboot, Gordon said, will branch out from the traditional standup format to include sketches in a format similar to that of John Oliver or Bill Maher. “We can open at a desk, giving the news with slides,” Gordon said. “We can have characters come on the show like sketch comedy. We can improvise.”
Gordon and Margolis have trained in improv, and Gordon is a talented impersonator, especially in mimicking Rudy Giuliani, Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The duo has honed the desk interview format on their “Is This On” comedy and interview show, broadcast every Wednesday night on KMKR (99.9 FM) and podcast via Apple podcast.
Gordon said he and Margolis are adamant about not wanting to be just another standup comedy show. As an example, they recalled a show when Ben Dietzel, a TIM improviser, did a prop-comedy set as Ted Cruz. Acts in which people impersonate political characters will be the gold standard, Gordon said.
He listed an impressive roster of comedians that already have committed to the show, including some local greats like Charles Ludwig, Mike Sterner and Stacy Sheff who are rarely seen recently on comedy stages. Gordon said David Fitzsimmons all but jumped on board. “David loves political comedy,” he said. “He did lots of ‘Laughing Liberally’ shows in 2016.
“We are looking for people who like to do political comedy,” he said. Now’s the time to step up and joke for your county.
“Laughing Liberally,” Tucson Improv Movement/TIM Comedy Theatre, 414 E. Ninth Street,
tucsonimprov.com, Saturday, Sept. 16, $7 each show, $10 for both shows, same night
Hannah Berner steps on stage
Only six cities in the world have a population greater than 20 million. Hannah Berner’s hometown New York City isn’t even one of them. But there are 25 million citizens of Hannah Berner nation following her podcasts alone: “Giggly Squad” and “Berning in Hell.”
Interviews are her game. Her person-on-the street Q & As are hiliarious, based on impertinent questions and game human beings of all kinds. In her podcasts, she’s also interviewed the likes of the Jonas Brothers, Kesha and Jennifer Lawrence.
That skill set translates to some first-class crowd work in her stand-up shows.
Her energy is unstoppable, and her offhand glamour might be making millions of 20-somethings insecure. Luckily, she has empathy to burn; she advocates for mental health and self-care.
How did she arrive in the ranks of Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch For in 2023?” Credit talent, drive and relentless hard work. A native of Brooklyn, she got her start directing, editing and acting in videos on Instagram and writing viral tweets.
She also has a following on terra firma and she’s stepping out to meet them IRL. Tucson is a stop on her first standup comedy tour.
She’s appeared in all the real-world media that matter, including the New York Times, Forbes, Elle Magazine and Good Morning America.
Hannah Berner, Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, rialtotheatre.com, 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, tickets start at $29,
OTHER SHOWS THIS WEEK
Bumsted’s, 1003 N. Stone Avenue, eventbrite.com, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, $22, Billy Wayne Davis, Andy Andrist, Kristine Levine
Coyote Trail Stage, 8000 N. Silverbell Road, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8,
maranalaughs.com/shop, Marana Laughs Clean Comedy, tickets start at $10, Marana Laughs with El Omar
Dillinger Brewing Company, 401 E. Ninth Street, 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, free, comedy showcase with Dom DiTolla, Roy Lee Reynolds and Clint Lapsansky featuring Tony Bruhn, Sylvia Remington, Chris Quinn, Connor Hanna and Roxy Merari
Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, hotelcongress.com, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, by donation, Lady Ha Ha’s regular Tuesday open mic tonight benefits Owl & Panther, an organization helping refugee children.
Laff’s Comedy Caffe, 2900 E. Broadway Boulevard, 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, and 7 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, laffstucson.com, $15, $20 preferred seating, Luz Pasos, Peruvian comic known from “Comedy Chingonas” and Standup NBC
The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress Street, eventbrite.com, 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, tickets start at $25, Jon “Polar Bear” Gonzalez, Texas-based comedian and podcaster.
Tucson Improv Movement/TIM
Comedy Theatre, 414 E. Ninth Street,
tucsonimprov.com, $7 each show, $10 for both shows, same night, free jam. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, Improv 101 and Soapbox Harold;” 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, Improv Jam; 7:30 p.m. “The Soapbox” with Amber Folkman; 9 p.m. Improv vs. Standup; 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, “Pretendy Time” for kids; 7:30 p.m. “Finding the Words” and “Your Favorite Movie Improvised”; 9 p.m. 3 V 3 Improv Tournament
Unscrewed Theater, 4500 E. Speedway Boulevard, unscrewedtheatre.org, $8, live or remote, $5 kids. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, Family-Friendly Improv; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, Family Friendly Improv; 9 p.m. Uncensored Improv Comedy with house teams NBOJU (Not Burnt Out Just Unscrewed) and The Big Daddies
Vail Theatre of the Arts, 10701 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, vaillaughs.com, Vail Laughs, 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept 9, tickets start at $10; El Omar featuring Adam Jay, Xazmin Garza and Lavetti.
