Regardless how good of a year we had as individuals, it's kinda hard to deny that 2016 sucked. Sucked bad. Like, out of toilet paper in a cemetery outhouse bad. We lost Bowie, Prince and Alan Rickman. Politics have us divided worse than four years ago (or eight years ago...or maybe just really any election ever). If Harambe the gorilla were still alive, he'd kill himself. "But what can we do?" we ask, clutching our pearls tightly to our collectively tear-stained cheeks. Why, we roast the hell out of it until it's triggered so hard no space on the planet is safe enough for its lame 52 weeks.
With their show at the Summit Saloon, creator and producer Katy Ipock and roastmaster Jake Woodmansee are going to nail 2016 to the wall. But how do you drop sweet burns on something so ethereal as a year?? You have comedian Chelsea Woodmansee stand in for 2016. "It is the first time I've been asked to represent time," says Chelsea. "However, it's not my first roast; I'm so excited to use this character perspective to do something fun, raunchy and unabashed. Really stoked for my turn to roast the ever loving life out of humans and our crew of comics."
Maybe I'm exaggerating. Did 2016 suck as badly as I think it did? "Because of much chaos in the way of human rights, politics...personal struggles were at an all time high (observation)," says Chelsea. "I mean between Syria, Brexit, Zika and DAPL and many other one-word references, it's hard not to feel completely hopeless, frightened and like the best you can do is hide in the covers with your dog and eat ice cream for all three meals a day until you just die and your dog eats your face. Don't look at me like that, it's a real thing."
Gosh. I guess it does sound pretty bad. So is there anything I can do to make 2017 better? "No one controls the universe," says Ipock. "But, we as individuals can do what we can to make our corner of the world a better place. That's what we can do to make 2017 better than 2016. Plus, it wouldn't hurt if we all got involved and really raised our voices in support of causes that we hold dear. We can put pressure on our government (since we have that luxury) to be inclusive, and work for all of us. As a comedy community, our goal (and job, really) is to bring the light and humor to shine through the darkness. To be the safe place to take a breath."
That sounds like a good idea. They can mock us for our safe places all they want, but at least we'll be surrounded by all the funny people. Who will "they" have? Jeff Dunham.
Roast of 2016
Thursday, Dec. 29, 7pm
Summit Saloon and Stage, 115 NW Oregon Ave., Bend
$10
