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--TfiE-neue guteaq a seasonedco- COMEDY:Five medianwith Jamaicanroots who competedlast season on "Last women tLlrn ComicStanding" and has been on VH1's"Best Week Everr" will on the funnlt closeout the show-'' Bethany Michelle "There'sa goodrangeof come- VanDelft Buteau dianson theprogram," saYs business Alexander,who is now basedin NewYork. "You dont want them to all be the same.Ifs like a reciPe f Cantirutedf,rwtt Poge I

maleand femaleaomedians, in- is promotingthe show,aP- cludingGeorge Carhn" Richard proachedthe YWCAof Greater hyor andRodney Dangerfield as Newburyportwith the ideafor well asRose"anne Barr, Phyllis the benefit.Barbara Banks of the Diller,Margaret Cho, Paula YWCAsaidit seemedlike aPer- Susan Courtesyphotos Poundstoneand Tina Fey- fectmatch. "We lovedthe ideaof Alexander ErinJudge brokeinto stand-upa few years it beingwomen comedians," agoin SanFrancisco after a ca- Bankssaid. '5 reerin salesand entertainment Alexandersays "5 FunnYFe- Females'' marketingand advertising. males"tends to attractboth Funny Shelaunched the conceptofa womenand men, and the rosterof comedianshowcase in 2004and comedianstries to giveboth sexes pushes begantouring it aroundthe coun- somethingto laughabout. boundariestry thefollowing year.Now, she "It's exciting,but it hasits chal- hasbetween 30 and 40 women - lenges,"Alexander saYs of stand- bothup-and-coming comedians up comedy."You haveto work ofcomed andseasoned pedormers ftom througha lot of badjobs to getto By Sor.+yaVenreseorAN "LastComic Standing" and Come- the goodo4es." STAFFWRJTER dy Central- who sherotates in andoirt of the lineup. Goneare the dayswhen a comedian'smaterial Therewas a time,Alexander was.limitedto PMS,menopause and the shortcom- says,when a showcaseof 15co- ingsof the menin their mediansthat featuredmore than (HJUONI lives. two or threewomen would be u-l IFYOU GO Today,nothing's off tim- dubbed"a women'sshow." Peo- its formoc$ngand spoof- ple,she says, are more interested ?= - -"J.I[d;'l5funny Fe_---_* ing --from popclftre to now in what comedianshave to dP males,"an evening of politics offer.And shebelieves there are I t l'C/') to wlatever's go- rYO stand-upcomedy ing on in their lives,says moreopportunities for womenin -iO r When: comedy arefewer Tomorrowat stand-upcomedian Susan becausethere C/, lr- . 7 p.m. Alexander. of them, EO r Wfiere:Phoenix Room. "It's a differentcome "I don'tnecessarily think it's -lT 19InnSt., Newburyport dy," Alexandersays. "It's easieror harderfor femalecome- >F -t,M r How:Tickets S25 in not all attackingmen. dians,"she says. "If you'refunny, you're advance,S30 at the door. Theyle not the subjectof funny." Aportion of proceeds all thejokes. It almost Alexander, who also created Ee 'You're Singles Who Min$e, which patus anda vacationraffle shows(men), not. a mix of stand-up comedy and giveawaywill benefit that important.We havea life."' match-making services in one EF theYWCA ofGreater Alexanderpokesfun evening, focusesher routine on F Newburyport.Visit at that lib whenshe her life experiences,including www.drinkwaterproduc- brings her "5 FunnyFemales family and relationships, mixed tions.comorcall ComedyTour" to New- with a little bit of pop culture. 978-375-2252 buryporttomorrow night. Joining her on the lineup are She'lljoin four other co- Erin Judge, whose focu*is politi- Twomore benefit mediansinthe show, cal humor and current events, whichdoubles as abenefit which she'll showcaseon Comedy comedyshows are j'Live planned forthe GreaterNewbury- Central's at Gotham"; forthe Van Delft, a former mod- weekend.See Page 14. port YWCA. Betlany Therewill be plentyof el who Alexander says has a offbeatstories and opin- "wacky" side; and Vicki Ferenti- ionsto go around. nos,a New York comicwith a "To me,stand-up comedy is oneof the last free- sweetvoice but shockingdelivery domsof expression,"Alexander says. who has appearedon Comedy Alexander- who drawsinspiration from both Central.