Gundo Comedy Festival returns to El Segundo
By Michael Hixon The Beach Reporter Original post: Click here
Featuring performances from an El Segundo native to a Canadian duo, the Gundo Comedy Festival takes place over six days in El Segundo beginning Tuesday, May 15.
Founder Dave Williamson has regular hosting gigs Tuesdays at Flights Beer Bar in Hawthorne and monthly at R6 Distillery in El Segundo, where the festival will close on Sunday, May 20. He said the festival has grown in its short four years.
“I see some of the same faces come back and they bring more friends every year; people know it's coming,” said Williamson, an El Segundo resident. “It’s fun to see people have some familiarity. The first year or two people were trying to figure out what is this about, but now it’s something people look forward to.”
Maddie Stocks, a 2009 El Segundo High School alum, performs at the Purple Orchid Tiki Lounge, as part of the Gundo Comedy Festival.
The festival opens May 15 with trivia, focusing on comedy and El Segundo, hosted by comedian Ryan Budds, beginning at 7 p.m., at Brewport Tap House in El Segundo.
Wednesday, May 16 features several events including a live podcast, “Bert Kreischer’s Bertcast,” beginning at noon at El Segundo Brewing Co.; another live podcast at 2 p.m., also at El Segundo Brewing Co.; and closing with “Stand Up: Kick Off Show,” at Orchid Tiki Lounge in El Segundo, beginning at 8:30 p.m. All Wednesday shows are free.
Home grown comic
Maddie Stocks, who will be performing at the Purple Orchid Tiki Lounge on Wednesday, was born and raised and still lives in El Segundo, graduating from El Segundo High School in 2009.
Stocks started stand-up about a year and a half ago, and her mother Mary was a “huge inspiration” growing up.
“She was a single mom so she was always really funny about situations that weren't super funny,” Stocks said. “She was the one who made me do theater and I did improv for El Segundo High School. I was captain of that team.”
Stocks said she was happy to join the festival in her home town after meeting Williamson, whom she called a “welcoming guy.” She called her comedy “relatable storytelling.”
“My main goal is to catch people with my stories and really make them think about the kind of things that have happened in their life that may not be so funny,” Stocks said. “I think I've had a lot of adversity growing up. I was one of the poorer kids in town, so I always make a joke that it's hard to be poor in a rich town because you basically see what you don't have. But I think when you can really make fun of that adversity, it's a total gem. It saved me personally from going insane.”
Festival continues
The Old Town Music Hall hosts the “Stand Up: Secret Show” Thursday, May 17, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.
The festival moves outside of El Segundo Friday, May 18, with “Stand Up: Crafts n’ Laughs” at Flights Beer Bar, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Events for all ages take place Saturday, May 19, starting with a free comic juggler youth show, beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the Teen Center. The Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach hosts two comedy shows at South Bay Customs beginning at 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets for those shows are $20. Comedy duo First Timers will host a live podcast at South Bay Customs beginning at 6:15 p.m. Free babysitting is available by registering with the city’s Parks and recreation department for the 7 p.m. show.
The festival closes Sunday, May 20 with the “Giggle Water” finale, beginning at 8 p.m., at R6 Distilling. Tickets are $20.
Festival passes are available for those interested attending events all weekend.
Williamson said he hopes one day to make the event a nonprofit.
“I'm not doing this to make a million bucks,” Williamson said. “I do this because it’s something that I love to do and I'm passionate about. I saw that it would be awesome for this community ... it's something I can do to put a stamp on the community and give back to this cool little area we live in.”