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Date: 3/2/2022
NORTHAMPTON – After being cancelled for two years due to the pandemic, Comedy Cause, an annual stand-up comedy fundraiser, is set to return for its fourth year on Sept. 10 at the Academy of Music.
Timothy Lovett, the show’s host and a mixed media expert, told Reminder Publishing that this year’s money will go toward helping the city’s homeless population.
“I was homeless, and so all of these entities and things around town that helped me get back on my feet … when I was back on my feet, I wanted to give back to them,” said Lovett, when speaking on the creation of this program. The last few events have included donating to the Northampton Recovery Center and the local food bank.
As someone who now works for ServiceNet Shelter & Housing Services and the Grove Street Inn as a case manager in Northampton, Lovett said that he wants this year’s fundraiser to focus on assisting that specific population.
The event series began in 2017, and past acts have included Donnell Rawlins from the Chapelle Show and Jessica Kirson-who was featured in movies “The King of Staten Island” and “The Comedian.” The full lineup for this year’s event is not prepared yet, but according to Lovett, the headlining performer is Atlanta-based comedian Hank Denson. According to Kim DeShields, who is a comedic performer and Lovett’s partner in this endeavor, Denson grew up in Springfield before being based out in Atlanta and is big on campaigning for teachers around the country to get paid more. Typically, what happens is Lovett and DeShields will perform on the night of Comedy Cause, as well.
“We always have a blend of local talent and big-name talent,” said Lovett. “We make it so people feel good about helping the cause. It doesn’t feel like a benefit or fundraiser … it feels like a night out.”
Lovett noted that the past shows he has hosted have garnered a healthy following, which he expects to be represented once again at the September event. “They know that we’re very community-involved, and we like helping the community,” said Lovett. “So, they support us.”
Both Lovett and DeShields work within an entertainment and promotion company that Lovett founded in 2015 called “Comedy as a Weapon.” “Comedy as a Weapon is dedicated to helping and healing people through the power of laughter, expanding our outreach to supporting organizations treating addictions, breast cancer research, and more,” reads their mission statement. According to Lovett, past Comedy Cause shows have raised anywhere from $7,000 to $9,000, with amounts increasing each year.
As part of the preparation process, Lovett announced on Facebook that his team is looking for volunteers to help organize and promote the event. They are looking for more sponsorship from the local community and businesses. People who have information on this can email Lovett at Comedyasaweapon@gmail.com. According to Lovett, the more help the better since they are currently a small band of three to four people.
“We’re just looking for people to help because it’s a lot to get the word out … there’s a lot of groundwork and organization,” said Lovett. “We want to affect change somehow, so we need volunteers to make it happen.”