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A note from Joby Saad:<\/span><\/p>\n \u200b\u200bComedians from all over the U.S. traveled to\u00a0 Bryant Indiana. (Amish Country) to compete for the title of Clean Comedy Challenge Winner 2013. Bear Creek Farms, touting itself as a Country Resort hosted the event, which has been launched and developed, by comedy veteran Leslie Norris Townsend who knows too well the Triumph\u2019s and heartache of National Televised Comedy Competitions with her rise to fame as the runner up in the most popular television talent show \u201cStar Search\u201d in the mid 90\u2019s.\u00a0 This experience has been her driving force in understanding and creating what a National competition can become, and mean to her and others.<\/span><\/p>\n In the end, it came down to four finalists, each representing a particular style and strength. It was a difficult decision for me as a judge.<\/span><\/p>\n We were all in search of the perfect joke. Listening to a lot of comedians is not something I would prefer to do, as a stand up of 20 years working the circuit people are always telling me jokes and are disappointed that I don\u2019t laugh. My standard response has become \u201csorry, I haven\u2019t laughed since 97\u201d. Which can get me a laugh, a smile, and out of the awkwardness of having to explain, what most can not understand unless you\u2019re a comedian.<\/span><\/p>\n Our finalists for the contest came down to C.J. Harlow from Kentucky, John Floyd from North Carolina, Charlene Mae from Georgia and Andy Beningo from Michigan.<\/span><\/p>\n What I find most interesting is each comedian represented a different style and mastery. Any of the four could have won, it came down to who could continued to impress with each round.<\/span><\/p>\n There were many other stand out performances as well, I will post more about them in a later post.<\/span><\/p>\n C.J. Harlow had a set that was tough to beat, very confident onstage and smart, funny jokes with a mild southern drawl and consistent each night.<\/span><\/p>\n Andy Beningo was the newcomer to the contest with about as much likability as you can have onstage, very sincere, \u2026you could trust this guy. He looks like a young Mel Blanc and infectious smile, easily made the audience laugh. You knew instantly he was funny.<\/span><\/p>\n John Floyd I would say had a very strong set\u00a0 with his southern drawl that to me was reminiscent of Jeff Foxworthy with equally funny material.\u00a0 Much of what he did onstage connected with the audience strongly. Not surprising he won the audience vote on our second night of preliminaries.<\/span><\/p>\n Charlene Mae originally from GA and now living in Los Angeles reveals a deep vulnerability to her comedy in an endearing fashion that brings the audience to her,\u00a0 making us feel close, like we know her. She got some big laughs which in the end proved that her style was the one the Judges liked the best. She acts somewhat embarrassed, somewhat awkward but in a relatable charming fashion. Big laughs coming from her character of the scorned wife, and jokes of how people miss -label her as a cute kid but she\u2019s really not. H. She has a fresh-\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ness to her material that makes it seem spontanious and funny.Charlene mae is destined to get her own sit-com and Her style rose to the top to make her, The Clean Comedy Challenge Champion 2013! We congratulate her and wish her success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Waking up each day in Bryant Indiana I enjoyed\u00a0 \u00a0the sounds of horses and wagons clattering by in my comfy hotel bed.<\/span><\/p>\n I answered my hotel room door to be greeted by two young Amish girls who smiled and asked if I wanted my room cleaned? I asked them some questions about making there own clothes and would they want to make me a funny costume? Quickly I sensed the conversation had gone too long for them. Not for me, being smiled at by amish girls is eqivilent to being flashed.<\/span><\/p>\n Celebrity Judges included Justin Fennel, known from touring with the gospel legend Bill Gaithers tour and multi-album comedy song recording artist, Leslie Norris Townsend, Challenge Director, founder and Star search Grand Finalist\u00a0 and Star of the Christian comedy special \u2018Comedy Angels\u201d. The big non dairy cheese himself Eddie Brill from multiple Letterman appearances as well as the warm up comedian for the Letterman show, and all around comedy booker. Lastly myself, recognized by my many tv appearaces, stage shows and Jim Varney, if he was still with us.<\/span><\/p>\n The first night\u00a0 Clayburn Cox hosted the show, the 2011 Clean Comedy Challenge Winner and set the tone for creative one liners, almost a combination of Tommy Smothers and Steven Wright. Clayburn is a great comic and a genuine guy who teaches High School students by day, I think it molds his comedy into a youthful spirit. Many stand out performances, everyone was excited to get the first night behind them, it was Andy Beningo who walked away with the audience vote award.<\/span><\/p>\n The second night tensions were high with a older crowd and Letterman favorite, Talent booker, Eddie Brill in attendance.\u00a0 I did a set that night and quickly abandoned my brilliant Letterman set plan for a old routine where I make lots of cow puns to try to prevent the Bear Creek Farm audience from completely exiting the theater. It worked, however in my mind I forfeited my television deal.<\/span><\/p>\n It was John Floyd from North Carolina who\u00a0 took the audience award with his smooth confidence and solid style that has earned him a great living from many cruise ship lines including Carnival.<\/span><\/p>\n Eddie Brill closed out the show with clever material that easily connected with the audience as well as the comics. My favorite routine was his observations of T.V. Newscasters who offer an apology as to why the regular news anchor is not present and how it relates to other professions. Very funny routines and there are very few talent bookers in his position who have actually done and succeeded in stand up.<\/span><\/p>\n What I like about the Clean comedy audience is they have been told, and know it\u2019s suppose to be a clean show so they do not respond with uproarious laughter if a comic skirts close to sexual innuendo or blue material. You may do it but you won\u2019t gain points.<\/span><\/p>\n The Challenge puts\u00a0 clean\u00a0 Christian comics against edgier club comics and club comics out of their comfort zones to maintain the clean and funny.<\/span><\/p>\n Thursday during the day Eddie and myself offered critiques and lessons in developing material and approaching talent bookers that I found invaluable. One of my favorite moments of the challenge was during Eddie Brill\u2019s workshop demonstration of creating material he pointed to Justin Fennell, to challenge him to make his material more authentic by making it more of a conversation. Justin began one of his routines about \u201cbacksliders\u201d\u2026. church term that confused Eddie\u2026Justin had to explain it meant people who \u201csinned\u201d which elicited a slightly awkward response.<\/span><\/p>\n I thought it was unintentionally hilarious knowing Eddie, who is against organized religion and Justin who performs most of his gigs in churches, a devoted and most accomplished Christian comedian, (Gaither tour, Top selling Christian recording artist) the discussion created an interesting dynamic to see these two go at it.<\/span><\/p>\n I personally learned a lot through hearing Eddie\u2019s observations, such as coming from a place of knowing to set up your jokes.<\/span><\/p>\n The last night of the competition.<\/span><\/p>\n Everyone was feeling the pressure; I hosted the evening trying to squeeze in a few jabs while keeping the show moving. It was a much better, happier crowd on the night of the finals. I found them to be very easy and giving\u2026\u2026\u2026I had one joke miss-fire so I made the excuse that I was attempting to venture outside the boundries of clean and that saved me.<\/span><\/p>\n Jimmy McHugh from the \u201cChicago comedy All- Stars Tour\u201d Flew in and offered a comedy workshop on his life in stand up how to go about becoming a working comedian.\u00a0 Jimmy joined us Friday night and performed his set, winning over the crowd with his routine of taking up a collection and hitting people in the head with the church offering basket.<\/span><\/p>\n I inadvertently announced Charlene Mae to the stage instead of Dan Brown. Ironically the same thing had happened to Charlene the night before?<\/span><\/p>\n The finalist were announced and all did another 7 mins on stage.-<\/span><\/p>\n Charlene had been last years Audience vote favorite winner and has been doing the L.A.\u00a0 Contest circuit a lot and it shows. Her style is more Character driven exposing her vulnerabilities and leading me to assume many of her best laughs were absorbed<\/span><\/p>\n C.J Harlow had a very strong set, as well as the previous nights. Andy Beningo had almost as strong\u00a0 of a set I would say but Andy added a thank you to all the Judges which I thought was a nice touch.<\/span><\/p>\n John Floyd maintained his position in the finals\u00a0 with a great set who would have contended with another audience vote that night according to comments I overheard from others.<\/span><\/p>\n Personally I had four favorites that could have won, but now we had to decide.<\/span><\/p>\n Clayburn Cox took the stage and made everyone forget about the contest with great one liners like \u201c I got struck by lightning bug\u201d, while the Judges deliberated outside in the parking lot. I ran outside to meet with the judges Leslie, Eddie Brill, Justin Fennel anticipating a lengthy argument: as it had been the previous years.\u00a0 It was not. It was not difficult to my surprise; everyone was pretty much in agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n I was very proud to be a part of this year\u2019s competition because the talent and competition gets better and better each year.\u00a0 The Winners were Andy Beningo from Michigan, who took the best newcomer trophy and the overall winner was Charlene Mae Prunier from Georgia, now living and working in Los Angeles. It was her more revealing and organic style that prevailed and gave her the win.\u00a0 She is able to maintain her femininity while being very funny. Proving Jerry Lewis wrong<\/span><\/p>\n The Saturday night most of the comics had left but myself, Justin Fennell and ex FBI agent,comic book writer,\u00a0 Earl Music, Michelle Krajecki, Leslie Norris Townsend , and I went to see what a packed auditorium looks like with Comedy Legend Rich Little\u00a0 onstage.<\/span><\/p>\n We met with Rich Little\u2019s touring management team and asked if we could meet him which seemed doubtful but they did tell us that there were taking the show to NYC Broadway after this. The show began with a recap of Rich Little\u2019s career highlights reel with Dean Martin, Jimmy Stuart, Bob Hope, basically anybody who is anybody Rich Little came out onstage impersonating Jimmy Stuart. I was impressed with the physicality he added to his impressions.\u00a0 He took us through the Golden era of movies with Jimmy Stuart, Carry Grant, Cagney, Bogart, Kirk Douglas, and many more. It was his Ronald Regan impression and physicality that caught me off guard and made me laugh. He did a couple of penis jokes that prompted us comics to look at each other as if to say\u2019\u201d Hey, what the\u2026\u201d. He told us that all of his celebrity impersonations have died except for three.<\/span><\/p>\n At the end he took questions from the audience and for some reason the comics looked at me to ask him a question so I shouted as loud as I could\u00a0 \u201cWhat was it like to shoot the Love boat?\u201d \u2026\u2026No response.\u00a0 He quickly took someone else\u2019s question. I asked again\u2026.\u201d What was being on the LOVEBOAT like? Nothing. Was the Love boat\u2026.He would not answer me? So Leslie Joined in \u201c Mr. Little! She shouted in her squeaky high voice that everyone could hear.<\/span><\/p>\n Nothing. He responded to anyone else he could.<\/span><\/p>\n Leslie shouts- Mr. Little!\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 MR LITTLE!!!\u00a0 \u00a0 MR Little!!!\u00a0 \u00a0 Getting Louder\u2026. -Excuse me\u2026\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n At this point I lost it. I started laughing \u2026uncontrollably\u2026. like it was 1997.I have not laughed that hard since High School. Leslie is very funny and I don\u2019t think Rich wanted to tango with Leslie, myself or any of our group. Justin Fennel say\u2019s he couldn\u2019t hear us? He heard everyone else? Maybe so.<\/span><\/p>\n I never laugh like that anymore? I guess it was the culmination of combined camaraderie among friends, laughing with the comics at what the audiences would and would not laugh at? Why am I laughing?\u00a0 Is a feeling I had almost forgotten. It seemed like the perfect ending to all that had gone on. Funny is Funny!<\/span><\/p>\n See you next year.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A note from Joby Saad: \u200b\u200bComedians from all over the U.S. traveled to\u00a0 Bryant Indiana. (Amish Country) to compete for the title of Clean Comedy Challenge Winner 2013. Bear Creek Farms, touting itself as a Country Resort hosted the event, which has been launched and developed, by comedy veteran Leslie Norris Townsend who knows too […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":280,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-former-challenges"],"yoast_head":"\n