Houston’s Funniest Person Competition 2008

Rules and Regulations
 

The Houston’s Funniest Person Contest is open to any and all persons above the age of 18 who currently or within the last year have lived in Harris, or one of its adjacent counties.  Management has ultimate discretion over issues of eligibility.  The contest is open to all amateur and semi-professional comedians. *

PERSONS NOT ELIGIBLE: 

  1. Those individuals who have won the contest in one of its previous years.
  2. Those individuals who have competed in another regional contest (i.e. Austin’s Funniest Person Contest) within the last 3 years.  All winners of other regional contests are not eligible.

 

GENERAL RULES AND INFORMATION:

  1. All interested parties must submit their application and $15.00 entry fee to the Laff Stop general offices no later than April 12, 2008.
  2. After the total number of entries is known, the show dates and performers will be posted.  Based on previous contests, we expect 5 preliminary shows with a maximum number of 16 participants performing each night.  There will be two semi-final rounds with 13 contestants in each round.  The finals are tentatively scheduled for June 3, 2008.
  3. Each show will begin at 8:00pm Tuesday nights beginning April 15, 2007. Performers must arrive no later than 7pm or risk disqualification.  There are NO EXCEPTIONS. For the finals, performers must arrive no later than 6:30pm.
  4. Four finalists will be selected by a panel of judges each night and automatically move on to the semi-finals.  After all preliminaries are complete, the six individuals with the highest scores who did not advance will also move on to the semi-finals.
  5. After the performers are set for a particular night, any schedule conflict performers might have must be resolved the FRIDAY before their TUESDAY appearance so that changes can be made in a timely manner.  You must contact Rachael (rcarr@laffstop.com) about any conflicts.  All performance schedules will be available at the Laff Stop website www.laffstop.com and on the bulletin board at the Laff Stop.  DO NOT call the club for your show date, only if there is a conflict.  You also so not need to RSVP; it is assumed you will be there for your date.
  6. The performance order for each night’s show will be done by random drawing at 7:30pm the night of.  The performance order for the finals will be determined by performer’s score in the semi-finals.  The performer with the highest score will pick his or her spot first, then the second highest, and so forth until all performers have picked.
  7. Performer times during the preliminaries will depend on total number of entries, but it will not exceed 7 minutes to perform (with a warning light given after 6 minutes). Performers will have 8 minutes (warning after 6 minutes) during the semi-finals, and 10 minutes (with a warning light given after 8 minutes) during the finals. Any performer who exceeds his or her time will be penalized 1 point off for every second they go over. The penalties will begin at the 7:30 / 8:30 / 10:30 mark. This provides a 30-second grace period. A double flash warning light will begin at 7:01 / 8:01 / 10:01 and end at 7:30 / 8:30 / 10:30. If you no longer see the light it means your penalty has begun. Time begins when the first word out of your mouth is heard or fifteen seconds after your name is called. It ends when you say, “Thank you, goodnight” and/or make a direct effort to leave the stage.
  8. Performers will be judged on four categories: Humor, Stage Presence, Originality and Overall Audience Appeal. Each category will have a 1-10 scale with ten being the highest. Five judges each night will vote subjectively on each category and the final say is theirs to make. Judges will include comedians, club bookers, employees, and local radio and newspaper personalities. After the total score is tabulated, the highest and lowest total scores will be thrown out. The total of the other three scores is the contestant’s final score. In the Prelim rounds, the four with the highest final scores will advance; three will advance in the semi’s.
  9. Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners. First prize will include 65% of the total entry fees (with a $800.00 minimum) and One week worth of comedy work from Rich Millers’ clubs in Austin, Minneapolis, etc. Plus one week of work at the Laff Stop Houston. First place winner will also be awarded a professionally produced and packaged copy of their CD, a DVD recording of their HFP performances, and a head shot package.
  10. Second place receives one week of work at the Laff Stop Houston and 25% of the total entry fees (with a $100.00 minimum).
  11. Third place receives 10% of the total entry fees (With a $50.00 minimum).
  12. Laff Stop and it’s management retain the right disqualify any contestant and to modify or expand qualifications as necessary. Laff Stop management is also the final arbitrator of rule clarification, as well as all disputes arising between contestants or judges. Management’s word is final.

*Semi-Professional Comedian – A person whose total income from performing stand-up comedy is less than $15,000.00 a year and/or have never headlined at the Laff Stop. It is considered that those performers who are an “opener” or a “middle” act fall into this category. It is also open to the discretion of the Laff Stop Management.