Gilda's LaughFest

I love the Amateur Comedy Showcases, not because they're non-stop hilarity, but because you never know what you're going to get! Gilda's LaughFest hosts several amateur showcases every year during the festival, and I got check out a few and see some local and regional comics working hard on their sets.

On Saturday night, I got to help host the National Comedy Showcase at Dr. Grin's for Gilda's LaughFest. There were five touring comics and a great local comic who did a great job of keeping the laughter going.

GRD got to give away a bunch of tickets this week so people could get in to see the Big Jay Oakerson show with Ben Roy at The Orbit Room in Grand Rapids. It was all part of Gilda's LaughFest on Thursday night.

On Thursday, Gilda's Laughfest and Bud Light is prepared to bring smiles and laughs to The Orbit Room. Featured on Comedy Central's This is Not Happening, Big Jay Oakerson is headlining a night of laughs along with comedian Ben Roy as a special guest. The performance is 8 p.m.

On Sunday at The B.O.B., I got to help introduce the Amateur Stand-up Showcase with a bunch of great local and not-so-local comics hitting the stage for laughs. Fourteen up and coming comics each had five minutes to make people laugh, and that takes a lot of guts! It's a really cool thing for Gilda's LaughFest to have these amateur showcases, getting hard-working comics the chance to perform at a

Lavell Crawford has canceled his Gilda's LaughFest appearance for Wednesday night because of a movie he's currently filming, festival officials announced this morning. The cancellation of his appearance at Fountain Street Church is because of a change in the production schedule for the film "Meet the Blacks."

On "The Free Beer & Hot Wings Morning Show," we got a chance to talk to comedian Kathleen Madigan. She was the very first comedian Free Beer and Hot Wings ever interviewed nearly 15 years ago!

Gilda's Laughfest has so much to offer to make sure you are laughing this season! While there are some big names coming around this area for the event that can cost you a penny or two. We have a box full of tickets to a great Laughfest event at the Orbit Room!

A paper crown-capped world record was part of the agenda at the Gilda's LaughFest Community Kickoff. While the world mark set last July didn't tumble, the throngs at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids more than made up for it in spirit, energy, effusiveness and antics Thursday night.

Gilda’s LaughFest is relocating its LaughFest Community Kickoff for the 10-day festival on Thursday night to Fountain Street Church because of weather concerns, festival officials announced.

Actor-comedian Billy Gardell visited with us on "The Free Beer & Hot Wings Morning Show" today. Gardell is perhaps best known for his work on CBS' "Mike & Molly" and he appears next week at the Gilda's LaughFest comedy festival in Grand Rapids.

Pets can be seriously funny. Just go online. Every other video is cats squeezing into too tiny boxes, talking dogs, fainting goats, and birds with mad dance skills. We love our animals! That's why it's great that they can share in the fun of  Gilda's LaughFest at the People and Pets event.