A laughing matter

Mike Sciacca

Bald can not only be beautiful, but quite funny, as well.

Eight follicle-challenged male performers -- and a female comic

who qualified to join her bald brethren by donning a skull cap --

proved that point Monday night when they took center stage and did

stand up, much of it self-depreciating, as the Orange County Comedy

Festival continued its run at Martini Blues in Huntington Beach.

The festival, which began Nov. 2, is 18 nights of comedy over a

21-day period, concluding with a Nov. 23 performance.

Each of the 18 nights is themed and Monday was dubbed, “Hairless

Humor Night.”

Tonight’s schedule offers “Misfits of Comedy Night,” a theme,

Martini Blues comedy producer Bill Word said that offers a “little

nerdy, different type of comedy -- whatever that encompasses.”

Word, 44, will be among 10 performers scheduled to take the stage

tonight.

The festival, Word said, will showcase nearly 200 comics over the

21 days. Of that number, 20%, he estimated, are from Orange County.

Some comics, however, have come from New York and Illinois, to

participate in the festival, he said.

“We have a wonderful, great mix of comedians and a little of

something for everybody,” Word said. “I wanted to bring different

types of comics together in one place, and this was a way to test my

imagination. There hasn’t been anything like this in Orange County,

let alone, Huntington Beach.”

The 18 shows, each running roughly two hours, offer different

comedic hosts each night.

Tonight’s master of ceremonies is comic Debbie Lockhart.

“Each of these comics, including each night’s host, is allowed to

display his or her own brand of comedy,” Word said. “I plan on making

fun of myself during my turn on stage. I’m upscale trailer trash from

Orange County, and I plan on working that angle. It’ll be fun.”

Vince Harper, who won the 2002 “Funniest Persons Night” at Martini

Blues, hosted Monday’s “Hairless Humor Night.”

The 46-year-old Harper, a resident of Orange, opened the show with

his own set.

“I think that Bill Word has come up with a great idea with this

comedy festival,” said Harper, who does stand-up comedy for a living.

“There’s nothing like it around here, and the only festival I’m aware

of is held in Canada.

“There are too many comics and not enough stages for us to perform

on. I think it’s neat that he’s bringing comedy of this caliber to

Orange County.”

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at [email protected].