Jennifer Belzer, Tanya Lee Davis, Dena Blizzard, Jane Condon, Peggy Boyce
By Tasha Harris
Twelve talented women competed for cash prizes and bookings worth $10,000 in the Ladies of Laughter 2004 Finals at The New York Improv. 2002 Pro Winner Stephanie Blum hosted the sold-out show that featured new and professional comics such as Jennifer Belzer, Carol Ann Domer, Jane Condon and Tanya Lee Davis, who electrified the audience with their unique brand of humor.
The competition showcased the new comics first, in which Belzer and Domer delivered noteworthy performances. Belzer resuscitated the reserved crowd with her hilarious routine on weight loss and testified, “every time I try to go on a diet, Burger King always comes up with a new sandwich.” Domer added her funny two cents on the weight issue: Men look at me like a bowl of cereal. ‘Mikey, are you going to try it?’ The laughs thundered throughout the room when she revealed there are support groups for stuttering. “How long do these meetings last?”
New Jersey finalist Dena Blizzard gave a solid performance that included a hilarious lullaby that she sings to her daughter. Val Kappa kicked off the second half of show in the Pro category and produced long-winded laughs with a bit about her Starbucks job interview. MTV comic Melissa Rauch mesmerized the crowd with her dead-on impression of Jodie Foster.
Jane Condon annihilated with her rib-tickling set, diverting the crowd’s attention away from their checks, and Tanya Lee Davis, best known for her Los Angeles audition on Last Comic Standing, closed the show with an animated performance that garnered applause during her set. She made some wheeze with laughter when she said, “My husband’s idea of kinky is dressing me up as an M&M and putting me on a pillow.”
The winners in the Pro category were Jane Condon (Winner) and Tanya Lee Davis (Runner-up). The winners in the New category were Dena Blizzard (Winner) and Jennifer Belzer (Runner-up). Ladies of Laughter 2004 proved to be a success despite that it did not have a corporate sponsor as it did in previous years. Its driving force, Executive Producer, Peggy Boyce achieved her goal: To provide talented funny women opportunities for exposure and help advance their careers.
This review was originally posted on TwoDrinkMin.com, August 2004.