Lasting all summer long, the 2011 Mardi Gras Comedy Challenge turned out to be the event of the seaon! Hosted by the Dawg House Sports Bar at Mardi Gras Casino Racetrack and Gaming Center, comedians have come from far and wide to compete for a chance to win a grand prize of $5000 and to be the opening act for comedy legend Paula Poundstone at the culmination of the comedy challenge on October 22nd!
Out of the 25 comedians that advanced from the Comedy Showcase Round, 5 demonstrated their comic talents in Round 1 on Aug 25th in the Dawg House Sports Bar with headliner Marion Grodin.
Contestants throughout the comedy challenge will be disqualified if they go over their time limit, and will be judged on originality, stage presence and audience response so be sure to bring your friends to help cheer on your favorite comedian! They can also help you enjoy a basket of Buffalo Wings and fries, or with any of our refreshing adult concoctions created behind the bar!
Perry Saks, Dougie Almeida, Juanita Lolita, Tomahawk, and Gil T. each delivered their best 10 minutes of stand up, and all of them were very funny! Juanita Lolita, who speaks no Spanish claimed that she is half “Hillbilly” and half “New Yorican” and says that makes her a “Hillbillarican”! She also talked about “Bakery Britches”, you know the kind, they give you a “muffin-top” as soon as you get them buttoned up! Tomahawk related that he is a standup comedian by night, but by day he is an “Asset Relocation Specialist”, or, more commonly referred to as a Burglar! Gil T. talked about bets that he won… he once bet a bartender a hundred bucks that he could bite his own eye! The bartender anteed up and Gil took out his glass eye, bit it, and put it back in. He then bet the bartender another hundred bucks that he could bite his other eye. Of course the bartender laid his money down, and Gil took out his false teeth and bit his other eye! Gil just keep serving up the jokes!
Fort Lauderdale Comedy Event Round 1 Winner Was Gil T.
The judges must have thought so too, because by the end of the evening, it was announced that Gil T. had won Round 1 and will advance to compete in the finals on October 6 with guest judge and headliner, the hilarious Bobby Collins!
Marion Grodin was a guest judge and also a hysterical headliner! She had the entire room falling out of their chairs with laughter for a full 45 minutes! Her specialty was to involve members of the audience in her act, and improvise, which she did with her seemingly seasoned skills!
She adored “Nana” and “Donny Osmond” who had been married for 70 years, and still have marital relations at their age! Yes, it’s true! On the first Saturday of every month!
She also poked fun at the group of good looking, well-built guys with product in their hair sitting together at one table that denied being gay. They left the show early with another Hispanic man that joined them later, but they’re not gay! The Yachtsman and his bleached blonde girlfriend 16 years his junior sporting a sleeveless “Muscle Milk” T-shirt were also targeted by Marion. She wondered what the attraction was, asked him if he had a lot of money (he did) and also asked if the girlfriend lactated “Muscle Milk”!
Lady Roz G will be the headliner for Round 2 of competition on September 1st at 8pm
A very big act, she’s one of the funniest up & coming female comedians in the country, and you find that out right away as she takes the stage, with her commanding stage presence and booming voice. This lady at large and in charge has a large heart too, since she has 10 years’ experience traveling the country as a motivational speaker on 12-Step programs and Women's Issues. Her brand of comedy pokes fun at her weight, men and dating, eating, and a whole lot more laughter-provoking material. Be sure to catch Roz G right here this Thursday night, you won’t be laughing if you don’t!
5 Stand Up Comics Compete at Hollywood, Florida Casino for Chance at $5K
Preceding her on stage, each of the evening’s 5 contestants will deliver their best 10 minutes in hopes of winning Round 2 to advance to the finals. They are Jamal Hattar, Amy Dingler, David Miller, Chris Flanagan and Richard Leis. Best of luck to all 5 contestants!
There are a total of 5 rounds of competition, taking place on Thursday nights at 8 pm in the Dawg House Sports Bar. Round 1 was August 25th with Marion Grodin, Round 2 is September 1st with Lady Roz G, Round 3 is September 8th with “Sarge”, Round 4 is September 15th with Eddie Brill, and Round 5 is September 22 with Michele Balan, but there is also a wild card round which is voted on by the public from video auditions posted on Facebook. All 6 finalists will compete on October 6 with the hilarity of headliner and guest judge Bobby Collins! The winner will appear on October 22 to open for the one and only Paula Poundstone, and win $5000.00!
If you’ve got a big hunger or thirst, BRING IT! The Dawg House Sports Bar has a special menu created just for the comedy event with a few simple and tasty food items, but there are also the drink specials… $1 twelve oz domestic drafts, $2 seven oz house wines, $3 well brand cocktails and twelve oz premium draft beers, $5 Mardi Gras Caribbean Breezes! These drink specials are also available throughout the entire casino so after the show go on downstairs and enjoy yourself on the gaming floor!
See the lineup of comedians as well as the dates and times for the Comedy Challenge Rounds at http://mardigrascasinofl.com/events-casino-florida/ft-lauderdale-live-comedy-challenge.html
Tickets can be purchased in our Gift Shop or our Coffee Cart, both by the main casino entrance. Tickets are also available online at https://secure.boxofficeavenue.com/MardiGrasCasino/Attractions.ashx
