JUST FOR LAUGHS! (continued) ���������������� ���������������������� TUES., JAN. 27 - WED., JAN. 28 Finding the Funniest College Kid Robert Klein The DC Improv’s search for the District’s See the comedian who has entertained Funniest College begins its sixth season and thrilled audiences for more than 40 later this month. The Improv will host free years and has been nominated twice for comedy showcases at most of the major Best Comedy Album of the Year at the universities in the area from January Grammys for “Child of the Fifties” and to March featuring college comedians “Mind over Matter.” Currently preparing entertaining the audiences with five his eighth HBO one-man show, Klein can minutes of original material. Judges will be seen regularly on television thanks choose two students from each college to his more than 100 appearances on to compete in the finals at the DC Improv “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night on March 25. The winner gets a paid with David Letterman.” Don’t miss this hosting gig at the DC Improv, among other New Yorker as he comes to DC Improv accolades. American University kicks off for just two nights. Shows on both days the competition on Jan. 21. Georgetown start at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $20. University, University of Maryland, George DC Improv: 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW, Mason University and George Washington Washington, D.C. 202-296-7008. www. University also are participating. See the dcimprov.com full schedule here at www.dcimprov.com. — Kristina Hernandez THURS., JAN. 29 - SAT., JAN. 31 The DC Improv Comedy Club: 1140 Dennis Regan Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; You’ve seen this L.A. comedian on 202-296-7008; www.dcimprov.com everything from HBO to Comedy Central SATURDAY, JANUARY 24 to Showtime to “The Tonight Show” to Lisa Lampanelli at Warner Theater “Comic Strip Live.” The writer for “King Having taken down the likes of Flavor 1/2 pound burgers, center cut steaks, of Queens” is coming to the DC Improv Flav, Pam Anderson, Jeff Foxworthy for three nights. Showtimes are Jan. 29 awesome wings and BBQ ribs! and William Shatner, Lisa Lampanelli at 8:30 p.m., and Jan. 30 and 31 at 8 p.m. has found her calling as premier insult �������������������������������������� and 10:30 p.m. Tickets start at $15. DC comic in the industry, trading barbs at Improv: 1140 Connecticut Ave. NW,, D.C. ��������������� Comedy Central roasts and earning the ���������������������� ������������������� ;202-296-7008; www.dcimprov.com nickname “Comedy’s Lovable Queen FRIDAY, JAN. 30 of Mean” (she does, after all, have slight John Betz Jr. compassion for her victims). Once a He was a math teacher who happened Connecticut Catholic-school-girl-turned- to enjoy improv, and now he’s making journalist, and then a reporter and editor a name for himself and is a full-time for newspapers and magazines including stand up comedian. John Betz Jr. honed Rolling Stone hoping to meet rock stars, his comedy skills in the D.C. area and is she decided to turn to comedy at age 30. After a decade in the business Lampanelli ���������� back to perform for two nights at the Wiseacres Comedy Club. Check him out caught her big break in 2002 when she, on Friday and Saturday night starting at as the only female comedian invited, 9 p.m. Tickets are $15. Wiseacres Comedy absolutely floored the audience with her ��������� Club & Pub: 8401 Westpark Drive (in the performance at Chevy Chase’s roast, and ���������� Best Western Tysons Westpark Hotel), she hasn’t looked back since. ���������������������� ������������������� McLean, VA; 703-734-2800; Warner Theatre: 513 13th St. NW, D.C.; 202- www.wiseacrescomedyclub.com 783-4000.; www.warnertheatre.com ��������� SATURDAY, JAN. 31 SATURDAY, JANUARY 24 Suzanne Westenhoefer Bill Cosby at Kennedy Center Opera ������������������ Suzanne Westenhoefer, the first openly House gay comedian in the U.S., has made a It’s hard to fathom that Bill Cosby, one of ������������������������ career of telling the truth. She’s been America’s most beloved and respected �������������������� comedians, was once a high school ����������������������������� delivering gay comedy to a straight ����������������� dropout in Philadelphia working as ������������������������ audience since the ‘90s when she ���������������� an apprentice at a shoe repair shop. responded to a dare and eventually ��������������������� had her own HBO Comedy special. He served in the Navy, once stationed at Bethesda’s Naval Hospital, and after Westenhoefer makes audiences laugh ������������������ helping injured Korean War casualties with more than 100 performances per with physical therapy, he realized the ���������������������� year, and she’s hitting The Birchmere important of education. He finished his in Arlington on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. degree, and went on to Temple University. Tickets are $45. To learn more about Now his good-natured, fatherly image Westenhoefer, go to www.suzannew. — especially during the hit NBC 1980s com. Birchmere: 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., decade-defining series “The Cosby Alexandria, VA; 703-549-7500; www. Show”— has given him the nickname birchmere.com OT “America’s Dad,” with his humor often centering on parenting, children, and family members. — Alfredo Flores ON TAP | JANUARY 2009 | www.ontaponline.com www.ontaponline.com | JANUARY 2009 | ON TAP 29