ComedySportz
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ComedySportz is an improvisational comedy franchise started in 1984 by Dick Chudnow. The traditional format of a ComedySportz show features two teams of improvisational performers (known in CSz parlance as "actletes"), competing in a realistic sports-based competition whereby various improv games and scenes are performed, often with audience members judging the results as in Olympic events. In every show, a CSz referee monitors the action, awarding points and administering fouls as necessary.
ComedySportz rules (put in place for the audience's benefit) include the "Waffling Foul" (or "Delay of Game Foul"), called whenever the actletes are moving the scene along too slowly, and the "Brown Bag Foul," called when an actlete uses explicit language for the purposes of comedy. The Brown Bag Foul is famously punished by making the offender wear a brown paper bag over their head for the remainder of the scene- even if the offender is an audience member. (In some ComedySportz venues, this has been replaced with the "Potty Mouth" foul, and the brown paper bag has been replaced with a toilet seat.)
Also well-known to ComedySportz regulars is the "Groaner Foul," whereby an actlete who speaks a pun bad enough to make the audience groan loses at least one point for their team, unless their apology to the audience is heartfelt enough.
Although the image of competition is maintained, the points assigned are largely arbitrary, and teams are often dynamic, with rosters depending on which athletes (almost all of whom have "day jobs") are available for a match.
ComedySportz is part of the World Comedy League, and there are over 20 cities with ComedySportz franchises. Most are in the United States, but recently the cities of Dublin, Ireland, and Chorley, Lancashire, UK, have also joined.
Related Topics
External links
- Home page (http://www.comedysportz.com/)
- Comedysportz in Chudnow's hometown (http://www.comedysportzmilwaukee.com/)