Photos By Lawrence Tabudlo<\/p>\n
Comedy in Hawaii tends to be a guy’s game, but the Female Comics of Hawaii, founded by Erika Swartzkopf (blonde, front and center), is changing that – and getting big laughs. Others include (clockwise from top left): Michelle Mak, Cameo Lawrence, Aimee-Jane Baxa and Patrice Scott. They’ll appear April 27 at Adega Portuguesa Restaurant<\/p>\n
The Female Comics of Hawaii – each with a distinct voice and style – are changing attitudes about comedy in Hawaii, and getting laughs. They next take the stage April 27<\/B><\/p>\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n
Enter laughing.<\/p>\n
If laughter is the best medicine, the Female Comics of Hawaii have a prescription for competing for stage time and money in the male-dominated realm of stand-up comedy.<\/p>\n
But we warn you. Once you catch their act, it could become contagious.<\/p>\n
Female Comics of Hawaii is a sisterhood of performers who have banded together to bring their talents and voices to the local comedy circuit. Founded by Erika Swartzkopf in 2011, the six-member group is building a following of fans at sold-out shows around town.<\/p>\n
When Swartzkopf went looking for local women comedians two years ago, she found that they were underrepresented and playing second fiddle to men headliners.<\/p>\n
This is not surprising, given the myths that women are not as funny as men, can’t cut it as a solo act on stage and are unladylike telling bold stories in public.<\/p>\n
It seems that comedians, adept at slinging stereotypes, are a clich\u00e9 themselves.<\/p>\n
“Since comedy in Hawaii is so male-dominated, not a lot of people know that women perform comedy regularly and produce their own shows,” Swartzkopf says.<\/p>\n
Looking for female comics, she scoured the Internet, and within a few months her community grew from two comediennes to eight. A sold-out debut show was held at the Dragon Upstairs last April, followed by an encore performance a month later.<\/p>\n
Now the Female Comics of Hawaii appear monthly in large venues such as Hawaiian Brian’s, and intimate dinner-show settings such as Adega Portuguesa Restaurant in Chinatown.<\/p>\n
We huddle with the comic divas at Adega on a Saturday morning to examine once and for all whether women are as funny as men.<\/p>\n
While the interview was punctuated by some quick-witted punch lines, for the most part we got straight answers and honest insight. That’s because when these stand-ups in stilettos talk about their art, it is serious business.<\/p>\n
Meet the ladies of laughter:<\/B><\/p>\n
Erika Swartzkopf<\/B>, 46, married, founder of Female Comics of Hawaii
\nDay job: <\/B>Art business
\nComedic style:<\/B>“Observational, loud haole who talks about getting older, annoying Jesus freaks who stalk me, liberal feminism, current events and marriage.”<\/p>\n
Aimee-Jane Baxa<\/B>, 39, married, one son
\nDay job: <\/B>Registered nurse aka Rescue Ninja
\nComedic style: <\/B>“Dry, sarcastic, at times self-deprecating. Use medical anatomy terminology for added ‘visual’ special effects.”<\/p>\n
Kanoe Laa<\/B>, 27, single
\nDay job: <\/B>Cashier at Sams Club
\nComedic style: <\/B>“Alternative humor. Raunchy with a touch of class.”<\/p>\n
Cameo Lawrence<\/B>, 51, cougar
\nDay job: <\/B>Retired Army
\nComedic style: <\/B>“Carol Burnett meets Flip Wilson meets Richard Pryor meets Moms Mabley. ”<\/p>\n
Michelle Mak<\/B>, 25, single
\nDay job: <\/B>Accounting student
\nComedic style: <\/B>“Slanty observations with a shot of whiskey.”<\/p>\n
Patrice Scott<\/B>. Age: “older than Bruno Mars, younger than Methuselah.”
\nComedic style: <\/B>“Naughty, but I can show the Girl Scouts a good time. Or the Rotary Club. OK, Pohai Nani. Whatever.”<\/p>\n
How did you get started in comedy?<\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Swartzkopf: <\/B>“Andy Bumatai gave me my start. I entered a joke contest at his comedy showcase at Dragon Upstairs, and I’d come back every week. The prizes were steak knives and Pop Tarts. Can you imagine giving away knives at a bar? Anyway, I did this for 10 weeks and soon got three minutes to do my jokes for the audience. I thought, ‘Andy Bumatai is giving me three minutes. I’m never going to get this chance again.’ Turned out I bombed, but they didn’t tell me until two months later. By that time, I figured out how to do it anyway.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Scott<\/B>: “My first gig was at a funeral at age 5. I made faces and exchanged jokes with a family friend, who referred to me as ‘the little comedian.’ Today, I’m an actor too, and I’ve done a lot of local theater. (The Twits<\/I>, August: Osage County<\/I>, The Graduate <\/I>and Three Tall Women<\/I>, among others) In the second grade, I wrote an essay about wanting to be a comedian. The paper came back with a big red X on the page with the teacher comment, ‘This is not a joke. Write about something that’s actually possible.’ I cried.”<\/p>\n
Baxa<\/B>: “Being the youngest child, I always wanted attention and liked performing at school. I always knew I could make people laugh. I’ve worked professionally with emcee-entertainment producer Kaleo Pilanca and opened for Mel Cabang and others.”<\/p>\nngg_shortcode_1_placeholder\n
Mak<\/B>: “I got started on a dare. A friend coaxed me into doing an open mic appearance, and although he didn’t show up, 20 other friends did and genuinely laughed at my stuff. I was hooked.”<\/p>\n
Lawrence<\/B>: “My interest in comedy began as a young girl being raised in Queens, N.Y. I entered comedy competitions to showcase my talents and did fairly well. I’ve appeared the last several years in Laugh Track theatre productions as well as at many local clubs.”<\/p>\n
Laa<\/B>: (On Twitter) “I’m so happy watch(ing) the guy who inspired me to start being a comedian. Thank you, Gabriel Iglesias.”<\/p>\n
Do you do any open mics (live shows where audience members may perform)?<\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Swartzkopf<\/B>: “I go two or three times a week. Open mics – at places like Edge Bar, Station Bar, Indigo Comedy Club – give you an opportunity to work new material and hear audience reaction.”<\/p>\n
Scott<\/B>: “Some open mics are not chick-friendly, but it’s a place where comics can work out. It’s our weight room.”<\/p>\n
You each write your own material. Where does the inspiration come from?<\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Swartzkopf<\/B>: “Everyday life, such as identifying ways to tell if you are local.<\/p>\n
If you come home from a party with mismatched slippers that are not yours, you could be a local. If you have more guitars and surf-boards than people in your house, you could be a local.”<\/p>\n
Mak<\/B>: “One of my recurring themes is, ‘Why white guys love Asian chicks.’ It’s something I’ve experienced a lot and to which a local audience can relate. A flirtatious guy once offered me a lychee martini. Lychee martini? How original, sir. For the record, I may be Asian, but I hate lychee.”<\/p>\n
Do female comics take a backseat to men?<\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Swartzkopf<\/B>: “No, but there are many more men in comedy than women. We don’t always get the stage time that we want. I named the group ‘Comics’ on purpose, because we don’t want to be set apart from men. Having our own show gives us more power to make decisions. And, no, men are not funnier than women. They’d just like to think so. Funny is funny.”<\/p>\n
Baxa<\/B>: “At open mics, you can get lost in the testosterone.”<\/p>\n
Scott<\/B>: “Because there are so few women who actually pursue stand-up comedy, there are more opportunities for funny women than men, provided they can deliver the goods on stage.”<\/p>\n
How do you read an audience?<\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Lawrence <\/B>: “By how much they drink.” (Laughs).<\/p>\n
Scott<\/B>: “Don’t you read a crowd from right to left if it’s Asian?”<\/p>\n
Swartzkopf<\/B>: “Our shows tend to be for an older crowd and not for kids. Except for Michelle’s fans.”<\/p>\n
Mak<\/B>: “I seem to draw the under-30s, most of whom are boys.”<\/p>\n
Lawrence<\/B>: “Mine seem to be the Viagra bunch.”<\/p>\n
What about profanity in the act?<\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Scott<\/B>: “I was born without a censor. If one could gain weight by words, I would weigh a ton because I just say what I want.”<\/p>\n
Swartzkopf<\/B>: “In our shows, there is no censor. We have an understanding of how far you can go. The line between good and bad taste moves so quickly these days that one must be nimble, constantly looking to raise the ante.”<\/p>\n
How important is delivery?<\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Scott<\/B>: “It’s everything. The best delivery comes from a sense of confidence. People come because they want to laugh. It’s set up already. The comic just has to deliver.”<\/p>\n
Swartzkopf<\/B>: “For me, it’s half and half – 50 percent material, 50 percent delivery. Can’t have one without the other. You don’t want to be tripping over laughs.”<\/p>\n
What are your hopes for the group?<\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Swartzkopf<\/B>: “We’d love to do an interisland tour. Then, the Mainland. To be able to play L.A. would be the ultimate. We like to think big. As Roseanne Barr says, ‘The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.'”<\/p>\n
What’s your advice to aspiring comediennes? <\/B><\/I><\/p>\n
Laa<\/B>: “Don’t be discouraged if you’re not funny the first time on stage. You’re always your own worst critic. Don’t be afraid to ask other comics for help. They will help you as long as you’re willing to listen and take their advice.”<\/p>\n
Or, in the words of Phyllis Diller, “Aim high, and you won’t shoot your foot off.”<\/p>\n
Female Comics of Hawaii appear Saturday, April 27, 6:30 p.m., at Adega Portuguesa Restaurant, 1138 Smith St. $40 dinner-show presale tickets only by emailing swartzkopf@yahoo.com or calling 542-8345. <\/I><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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