H.V.Funny Takes Off!

Welcome to H.V.Funny!

 

 

 

This past weekend was the final weekend of The Bardavon/UPAC's first annual Serious Laughs Arts and Comedy Festival in Kingston. For the first time that I can remember, the Hudson Valley was host to a legitimate comedy festival. Actual NYS grant money was used to fund this event and I think we are all pleased that stand-up comedy has been recognized as a real art form.

 

The shows, held at various venues throughout the Kingston area, were largely very successful. The crowds were energetic and attentive, the comics were witty and wild, and the drinks were cold and refreshing. Who could ask for more?

 

As a comic who performed at 3 of these shows, I felt privileged to be amongst so many fun and talented people. I was PARTICULARLY impressed with several young men and women who were also competitors in the recent WPDH Funniest Person in the Hudson Valley Contest. They had all reached the final stages in their respective regions and showed why they belonged in a serious comedy festival like this one.

 

After a few of the shows, I found myself talking to some of my fellow comics and found that we were all struck by the amount of talented people living right here under our noses. We realized that we could be of great help to one another through mutual respect and support. We are all now friends on Facebook and stay in touch, informing one another of upcoming shows and opportunities.

 

If I accomplish nothing else, I want to let anyone who reads this blog know just how many talented and genuinely funny people we have living right here in the Hudson Valley. I hope that through this blog, you get to learn a thing or two about these comics and hopefully you will be lucky enough to get out there and see them in person.

 

I'm hoping they will all start out something like this...

 

 

NAME: Steve Rifenburg

HOMETOWN: Hyde Park, NY

BIRTHPLACE: Poughkeepsie, NY

YEARS IN COMEDY: 6

COMEDY HEROES: Steven Wright, Mitch Hedberg, Bernie Mac



In addition to fun comedy profiles, I hope to do a little Q&A with each comic to get to know a bit of how their twisted little minds work. Expect the first very soon!- STEVE