Seattle International Comedy Competition

The Seattle International Comedy Competition is a month-long stand-up comedy competition held at various venues throughout Washington State. It has been held every year since 1980[1] until 2020, when the competition was not run due to pandemic restrictions.

Seattle International Comedy Competition
GenreStand-up comedy
Date of premiere1980
LocationSeattle, WA, U.S.
Official website

Format

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Contestants are scored by a panel of judges, not by audience vote. 32 contestants are divided into two week-long heats. The 5 top-rated performers from each heat meet for a week of semi-final performances, and the top five of those compete in the finals week.[2]

Competitors

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Many well-known comedians and actors have competed, including 1997 winner Mitch Hedberg, Aisha Tyler, Christopher Titus, Ron Funches, Arj Barker, Sean Kent, radio host Bill Radke, Dwight Slade, Dax Jordan, Auggie Smith, Tom Cotter, Joe Klocek, Jeff Dye, Josh Gondelman, Anne Edmonds, Ria Lina, and Rory Scovel.

The winner of the 2016 Seattle International Comedy Competition was Preacher Lawson.

The winner of the 2019 Seattle International Comedy Competition was Nancy Norton, who became the second of only two (2) women to ever win the Seattle International Comedy Competition, following the late Peggy Platt, who won in 1985. The 2021 Champion, Danny Martinello, also becomes the second of only two (2) Canadian citizens to ever win the competition, following Damonde Tschritter in 2006.

The 2022 champion, Ari Matti from Estonia, became the first performer hailing from outside of North America to ever win the Seattle International Comedy Competition.

Previous winners

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Year Winner Runners-Up
2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1980 David Silverman Dave Parsons Peter Anderson Colin Campbell Gary Larson
1981 Evan Davis Peggy Platt Rick Ducommun Arnold Mukai Jan Barrett
1982 Gary Larson Chris Alpine Arnold Mukai W.D. Hall Ross Shafer
1983 Ross Shafer Peggy Platt Arnold Mukai Steve Smith Dale Irvin
1984 Billy Jaye Peggy Platt Rod Long Robert Jenkins Earl Burks
1985 Peggy Platt Mike "Boats" Johnson Tom McTigue John Johnson James Stephens III
1986 Chris Alpine Jebb Fink Monty Hoffman Robert Jenkins James Stephens III
1987 Rod Long Christopher Titus James Stephens III Brad Upton Jebb Fink
1988 Steve Stajich Brad Upton Mike Ferrucci Dean Oleson Mike Wally Walter
1989 Matt Weinhold Dave Wehner Dwight Slade Louis Johnson Jr. Alpha Trivette
1990 Elliot Maxx Greg Wingo Rodney Sherwood Andre Covington Johnny Ray
1991 Kermet Apio Dean Oleson Stephen B Ngaio Bealum Rushion McDonald
1992 Bill Radke Darryl Lenox Dan Almont Earl Burks Tracy Tuffs
1993 Todd Sawyer Derrick Coleman Mike Wally Walter Earl Burks Paul Lyons
1994 Tom Cotter Kenny C David Crowe Arj Barker Steven Allen Green
1995 David Crowe Floyd J Phillips James Inman Randy Thompson Aisha Tyler
1996 John McClellan Floyd J Phillips Don Friesen Dave Fulton Kerry Talmage
1997 Mitch Hedberg Auggie Smith Duane Goad Costaki Economopoulos Heneghen
1998 Ron Osborne & Joe Vespaziani (tied) n/a Tracy Tuffs Bengt Washburn Arlo Stone
1999 Darryl Lenox Tanyalee Davis Damonde Tschritter Rick Kunkler Heneghen
2000 Floyd J Phillips Bryan Kellen Heneghen John Beuhler Megan Mooney
2001 Dwight Slade Dan Cummins Ron Vaudry Rob Little Bradley Lewis
2002 Harrold Gomez Rob Pue Horace HB Sanders David Testroet PJ Walsh
2003 Drake Witham Kevin Williams Patrick Maliha Paul Bae Tommy Savitt
2004 Gabriel Rutledge Jen Kober Tony Boswell Joe Klocek Vic Lippucci
2005 Lamont Ferguson Heneghen Graham Clark Sadiki Fuller Andy Peters
2006 Damonde Tschritter Paul Myrehaug Rory Scovel Tyler Boeh Dylan Mandlsohn
2007 Marcus Tony Boswell Leif Skyving Key Lewis Geoff Lott
2008 Tommy Savitt Nate Jackson Todd Johnson Justin Rupple Lars Callieou
2009 Sean Kent Paul Hooper Travis Simmons Jose Sarduy Rodger Lizaola
2010 Auggie Smith Billy Wayne Davis Dax Jordan Drew Barth Eddie Pence
2011 Mike Baldwin Rodney Sherwood Rick Kunkler Patrick Keane Mrs. Hughes
2012 Michael Malone Joe Klocek Tyrone Hawkins Landry Elliot Maxx
2013 Zoltan Kaszas Graham Kay Trenton Davis Dave Merheje Rodger Lizaola
2014 Nathan Brannon Kyle Bottom Sterling Scott Matt Donaher Cory Michaelis
2015 Dino Archie Mitch Burrow Kortney Shane Williams Al Park Hans Kim
2016 Preacher Lawson Mayce Galoni Pat Burtscher Ricarlo Flanagan Billy Anderson
2017 Matt Donaher Alex Falcone Nick Hart Myles Anderson Taylor Clark
2018 Drew Dunn Phillip Kopczynski Landry Bo Johnson Harry J Riley
2019 Nancy Norton James Hancock III Adam Pasi Andrew Rivers Andrew Packer
2021 Danny Martinello Sam Miller Tre Tutson Matty Litwack Wyatt Cote
2022 Ari Matti Chase DuRousseau Timmy Booth Rodger Lizaola Mike Eshaq
2023 Brent Lowrey Benny Nwokeabia Mary Lou Gamba Birungi Birungi Jaci Terjeson

References

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  1. ^ Jeff Albertson. "The 35th Seattle International Comedy Competition starts Nov. 5". Seattle Times.
  2. ^ "There's something funny going on around here". Seattle Times. November 21, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2015.


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