The idea for Snubfest originated like so many others: over cocktails. Comedian Angie McMahon, her husband, Tom, and Robert Bouwman, the cofounder of improv theater the Cornservatory, were a few drinks deep at a Christmas party in 2005 when they drunkenly joked about starting a “fuck you for not picking me” event for comics who’d been rejected by stand-up, improv, or sketch festivals. But unlike most booze-fueled notions, this concept hit the ground running. Three weeks later performers from across the country took the Cornservatory’s stage at the first annual Snubfest.
Hass has acted as a judge ever since, awarding spots on Zanies lineups to the best stand-ups each year. Each night of the festival is a competition judged by prominent figures from the worlds of stand-up, improv, sketch, and storytelling who can provide the best of the snubbed with more opportunities, some of which are bigger than the festivals that originally issued a rejection. This year’s panels include Tim Kazurinsky (Saturday Night Live), Matt Barbera (Just for Laughs), and Lily Be (The Moth).
Wed 6/22-Sat 6/26
various locations
snubfest.com $15-$20
