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CAP CITY’S “FUNNIEST PERSON IN AUSTIN”
CONTEST PRESENTS LARGER PRIZE MONEY, MORE PRESTIGIOUS JUDGES--AND
A FULL MONTH OF FUNNY PERSONS....
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 10, 2003
The “Funniest Person In Austin,” the
month-long competition held annually at Capitol City Comedy Club--and
already long revered for spotlighting the rich, vibrant and varied
Austin comedy scene--has further elevated the contest’s caliber
this year with a boost in prize money and top-notch TV executives
flying in from Montreal, New York and Los Angeles to judge the final
rounds.
Clearly, these out of town judges traveling to
Austin for The “Funniest Person In Austin” (FPIA) are
doing so because they’re respectful of the reputation the
contest has developed as one of the country’s oldest, most
venerable comedy competitions--this is the 17th year--and because
of the truly talented comedians who’ve emerged over the years
as winners and top finalists, including Johnny Hardwick, Martha
Kelly, Howard Kremer, Megan Mooney, Brad “Chip” Pope,
Mario DiGiorgio, Tom Hester, Chris Bonno, Matt Bearden, J.R. Brow
and dozens of others.
Austin radio personalities and other local celebrities/comedy
experts will serve as judges for the preliminary rounds. Those on
the judging panel for one or both of the last two nights of FPIA,
include:
JIMMY MILLER:
Partner in Mosaic Media Group, managing JIm
Carrey, Garry Shandling, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, top TV writer
Judd Apatow and “Austin Powers”/“Meet The Parents”
director Jay Roach,
among others, as well as producing CBS series “The Guardian”
and other
projects. L.A.-based.
BRUCE HILLS: TV producer/CEO
of Just For Laughs International Comedy Festival in Montreal,
considered the biggest, most prestigious comedy event in the world.
Montreal-based.
ANN MANEY: Vice-President of
Casting for Twentieth Century Fox Television, the largest producer
of television programming, including such series as “King
Of The Hill,” “24,” Bernie Mac,” and “The
Simpsons.”
DAVE RATH: segment producer
for ABC-TV’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” responsible
for booking comedians on the show. Rath is also a talent manager,
representing comedian-actors Janeane Garafalo, Patton Oswalt,
and others. L.A.-based.
JOANNE GRIGIONI: Manager, East
Coast Talent for Comedy Central. Oversees the half-hour specials
(“Comedy Central Presents...”) “Premium Blend”
and other programing and events for the network. New York-based.
RICH MILLER: Talent buyer for
several top comedy clubs including Cap City, The Laff Stop in
Houston, the River Center Comedy Club in San Antonio, Knuckleheads
in Minneapolis and The Tulsa Comedy Club. Additionally, Miller
represents comedians as an agent and manager, and is also one
of the new owners of Cap City. Minneapolis-based.
COLLEEN MCGARR & DUNCAN STRAUSS:
Longtime partners in Strauss-McGarr Entertainment, a talent management
firm that also serves as talent consultants and bookers. They
are also two of the new owners of Cap City. Southern California-based.
In addition to these out-of-towners--and additional
ones may be announced shortly--the local judges slated for those
nights include DALE DUDLEY, BOB FONSECA,
CHARLIE HODGE and ANGELA DAVIS
of KLBJ-FM; ROBERT FAIRES, editor, Austin Chronicle;
CASEY MONAHAN, director Texas Music Office, Office
Of The Governor; BAMA BROWN, from KASE 101-FM’s
morning show.
The “Funniest Person In Austin” (FPIA) typically draws
between 50-60 contestants, which will be divided into four evenings
of preliminary rounds on Monday nights, starting on April 7. The
subsequent preliminary rounds will be held April 14, 21 and 28.
Martha Kelly
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From each
of the four preliminary rounds, three contestants will be
selected to advance to the semi-finals on April 29, and on
that night those 12 comics will be vying for eight slots.
The contestants occupying those eight slots will compete April
30 in the finals that will determine the new “Funniest
Person In Austin,” who this year will win a walloping
$1000 in prize money. That’s right, you heard us: A
thousand bucks! Second place hardly leaves with mere lunch
money--$500, in fact--while third place pockets a healthy
$200.
Each night of the competition will be hosted
by a past FPIA winner. For example, NANCY REED, TOM HESTER,
J.R. BROW, MEGAN MOONEY and MARTHA KELLY are all slated for
host duties. MATT BEARDEN will host the finals on April 30.
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All shows begin
at 8 p.m. Tickets for all nights of the competition, except the
finals, are $5.00--probably the best entertainment value in town
on those nights! Tickets for the finals on April 30 will be $10,
which we also think is a darn good deal.
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