Comedians will be cracking jokes in Nanaimo this weekend and it is all for a good cause.
Thirteen comedians from around Vancouver Island will be performing at charity comedy show at the Windward Pub on Saturday (July 29). Proceeds from the event will be donated to the Red Cross, which will use the funds to help victims of wildfires in B.C.’s Interior.
Corrine Neale, Windward Pub manager, said the pub is pleased to be hosting the event, adding that there will be half-priced wings and local draft beer on special.
“All the comedians have donated their time for free to come,” she said. “It’s great.”
Organized by local comedian Malcolm Wright, the event includes standup performances from John Tait, Darryl Shaw, Cheryl Hall, Lisa Graston, Brian Pankratz, Nick Schols and others.
“We are all amateurs and we’ve all got our unique way of being funny,” Wright said.
He said that after learning about the devastation from the forest fires across the province, he wanted to help and figured a comedy show was the best way for him to do so.
“A lot of people have nothing left,” he said. “It’s terrible. One guy lost his ranch that he had been on for 30 years and he lost everything. Some people don’t even have insurance.”
Wright said he doesn’t personally know anyone who has been directly impacted by the forest fires
“I’ve just been watching the news every night and it is crazy,” he said.
The event begins at 8 p.m. Admission is by donation with $10 being the suggested amount for entry. For more information, call (250) 754-7111 or visit www.windwardpub.com.