The weird entertaining the weird

If Portland seems a little funnier this weekend, that’s because today marks the beginning of the second annual Bridgetown Comedy Festival and comedians are coming out of the woodwork. According to organizer Andy Wood, over 150 comics should be converging on us any minute.

Among those performing this year are Tig Notaro and Steve Agee (The Sarah Silverman Program), Todd Glass (Last Comic Standing), Natasha Leggero (Reno 911), Leo Allen (writer for SNL), Matt Braunger (Mad TV) and David Koechner (The Office). Although everyone, including the other performers, is looking forward to seeing headliner Janeane Garofalo.

However, the performances aren’t limited to nationally known acts. The fest will also feature Portland locals The Famous Mysterious Actor Show, as well as Seattle’s People’s Republic of Komedy. If you are a podcast fanatic, you’ll be happy to know that Comedy and Everything Else and Guys with Feelings will be taping live versions of their shows during the festival.

During interviews for promotion of the fest, many comedians were able to give some insight into how people from the outside view Portland. And apparently, we’re weird. We always knew that, of course. We pride ourselves on our weirdness. But this weirdness also makes for a somewhat curious environment in which to practice comedy.

Of Portland audiences, Natasha Leggero says, “Smart people heckle differently. It’s a kind of people-who-went-to-art-school heckling.” So comedians can’t get away with recycling tired material. Portlanders have a tendency to call them on it.

When asked if she planned to do anything unique in Portland while she was here, Leggero replied, “We’re going to hit some strip clubs. In a city where everyone is smart, I have a feeling the strippers are smart too.” She failed to say how one could tell if strippers are smart just by watching them. Maybe they recite Shakespeare or Longfellow in sync with their gyrations.

For Braunger and Glass what makes Portland different is not just the vibe but the food. Braunger, who grew up here, is a foodie, like most natives of Portland. So it should surprise no one to learn that one of his favorite haunts is Voodoo Doughnut.

“I remember when they had a NyQuil doughnut,” he said. “I never bought one but I loved that it was there. It was strange that someone thought you could eat a doughnut, then go to sleep and your cold would be gone.”

Glass, in true Portland fashion, is trying to stop eating meat and is looking forward to sampling some of the vegetarian offerings here, although he will probably do little else outside of the festival.

“I’m the worst,” he says. “I went to Paris and didn’t even see the Eiffel Tower. That’s my life. But I love Portland. It smells good here.”

Fragrance aside, the nature of Portland is evident in the reason these comedians do this festival. Since many of the comedians don’t get paid for their shows during the festival, it can only be called a labor of love. Along with providing entertainment, they are doing their part to feed the hungry. Organizers are reporting that this year a portion of the proceeds will go to the Oregon Food Bank. Comedians who know people here will even go so far as to stay with friends to keep festival costs down. It’s that important of a cause.

Last year, Bridgetown netted over $1,000 for the Oregon chapter of the Red Cross and hopes to do as well this year. Tickets are $20 for the entire weekend of shows. For this, you get a weekend wristband and the freedom to choose how many shows you want to see. There will also be food donation sites at every venue. Anyone donating two nonperishable food items will receive a $2 discount on their wristbands.

There are five venues for this event: the Baghdad Theater, Mt. Tabor Theater, Hawthorne Theatre, Eagles Lodge and Bar of the Gods, all in the Hawthorne District. So get out this weekend and enjoy the best the comedy world has to offer while you benefit the Oregon Food Bank.

And if anyone sees a local stripper with her SAT scores tattooed on her butt, call me immediately.