The Funniest Person in OKC

7 p.m. Wednesday, June 10 (Through July 11)

ACM@UCO Performance Lab | Oklahoma City

Everyone thinks they’re funny, but the likelihood of coming across a Steve Martin protégée over a run-of-the-mill dad-joke-teller is pretty slim. If there’s any place, though, where you’re bound to discover your new favorite comic extraordinaire, it’s clearly at OKC Comedy’s first ever Funniest Person in OKC competition.

Spawned from a desire to get local comics in front of industry professionals, the contest spans six nights — beginning tonight and ending July 1 — and culminates in a bloody, to-the-death (I mean, you never know what could happen) final round on July 11. Local comics will have the pleasure of being judged by Samantha Pitchel (SXSW Comedy, Bonnaroo, Splitsider), Abigail Londer (RiOT LA Comedy Festival), and Samm Varela (Funny or Die, WTF with Marc Maron, Naked Comedy).

And this is no kindergarten soccer game, people. There will be no Participation Ribbons of Excellence or that kind of bullshit. Seventy people will lose, and only one person will go home with a trophy. Well, actually, one person will get $1,000, one person will get $500, and one will get $250. Ugh, logistics.

And, lucky for you, we vetted a few of the comics — plus an OKC Comedy co-founder — beforehand. Check out their witticisms below, and be sure to see them in person throughout the next couple of weeks.

Oxford Karma: So Oklahoma City is funny, huh? Tell me more.

Brad Porter, OKC Comedy Co-Founder: Over the last eight years, we’ve already seen an explosion of talent and opportunity in the comedy community. OKC is going to be a world-class comedy city because we are focused on bringing the best comedians in the world to OKC and creating opportunities for local comics to get good and get work. [In the competition], people are going to see everything from first-time comics to seasoned performers, some who’ve been doing comedy for a decade or more.

OK: When did you first realize you were funny?

Melissa McGinnis, Night Three – June 17: I first realized I was funny when I was a kid. When I actually talked to people, I would always make them laugh, and sometimes even intentionally. And people would tell me I was funny. Sometimes it’s hard to tell why people are laughing at you, so it’s good when they clarify.

OK: Which comedian has most influenced or inspired you?

James Nghiem, Night One – June 10: When I first started, I loved Mitch Hedberg. All his jokes seemed pretty light and clever. Lately, I’ve been more into comics who are talking about things that I think the world should be talking about. If I could somehow do that, but in a way that’s light and silly, where people’s brains don’t shut off when I broach a topic, I think I will have accomplished something.

OK: Why should you be crowned The Funniest Person in OKC?

Ryan Drake, Night Three – June 17: If you ask any comic in the contest, they’ll tell you that it’s Zach Smith’s to lose. And it is, because he’s the best comic in OKC. But I guess if you really hated him for personal reasons, you could make a case for me.

OK: Tell me a joke.

Zach Smith, Night Four – June 24: I think it would be cool if two Star Wars nerds got addicted to steroids. Then, when they went to buy them, they might be the wrong kind and they could say, “These aren’t the roids we are looking for.”