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Are you the king or queen of clever comebacks at work? Do you insist, night after night, that you’re funnier than David Letterman’s monologue?
The chance to show off your comedic chops is coming up in a talent search at South Philly’s newest comedy club.
The Comedy Star Search begins July 11 at Comedians at Popi’s, the new club being launched by South Philly native Dolly Garber.
The Star Search will run every Friday beginning at 9 p.m. and is being aimed at South Philly residents with a flair for the lighter side of life.
Each week, 10 wisecracking hopefuls will each be given five minutes to shine onstage, with one lucky winner receiving a full $250 scholarship to Comedy College.
Parents of class clowns can rest at ease, as the Comedy College is a weekly course — not to be confused with a four-year university.
Classes are held Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Spaghetti Warehouse, 10th and Spring Garden streets, and are taught by Garber and other local funny folks, like Fox 29’s Grover Silcox. Students will be taught the ropes of standup comedy.
Garber has high hopes for the Star Search. After searching the area for years, she and her husband chose the recently added 150-seat room at Popi’s, on 20th Street below Penrose Avenue, to host their club. The restaurant has its own private parking lot, Garber pointed out, and the club itself will be smoke-free.
Aside from showcasing local talent, the club also will feature comedians from New York and New Jersey. Comedy Central standouts Joseph Anthony and S. Anthony Thomas will headline opening night.
Garber, a standup comic herself, traveled an interesting road before arriving in a world that is hallmarked by one-liners and spinning bow-tie gags. She wrote for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Northeast Times and Philadelphia magazine, the latter of which named her a "Person to Watch" in 1979. The following year, she got a gig on WPEN 950-AM.
But ultimately, it was an unexpected event that pulled Garber onstage.
"I had emergency open-heart bypass surgery in 1996," she explained. "I was in my intensive-care unit watching Jay Leno while in the middle of a drug-induced euphoria. All of a sudden, I turned to my husband and said, ‘I can do that.’"
Nine months later, Garber went to her first open-mic night, dragging 27 friends and family members along with her.
Since then, she has found herself back on the air. Listeners can tune in to WBCB 1490-AM Fridays at 6:50 a.m. to hear "Dolly Talks Hollywood." Previous guests have included Don Rickles, David Cassidy and The View‘s Joy Behar.
With opening night nearly two weeks away, Garber said the South Philly Star Search still needs contestants.
"I hope the area residents take advantage of this opportunity, but South Philly needs to call me!"
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To take part in the Comedy Star Search, you must be at least 18. Call Dolly Garber, 215-639-4504.
