BamBOOZEled Again!

Around this time every year, the cold weather starts to get old, Valentine’s Day disappoints, and New Year’s resolutions have faded away. Most days, what you need is a good laugh. If not a laugh, then you need a good drink. At the second annual BamBOOZEled!, you can have both. And you don’t even have to feel guilty — it’s for a good cause. Held this Saturday Feb. 21, proceeds from the $5 cover charge will go to Camp Happy Days, a West Ashley-based non-profit benefitting children with cancer.
According to local funnywoman and event organizer Jessica Mickey, BamBOOZEled! was born out of one of many late-night, alcohol-fueled brainstorming sessions with her boyfriend and local musician Ballard Lesemann. “I figured since there were so many musical tribute shows, it may be fun to do the same kind of idea with local comedians,” she recalls. “I proposed the idea on Facebook and a ton of my comic friends were all about it.”
Mickey and Lesemann decided to make BamBOOZEled! a charity show for Camp Happy Days. “I had the chance to perform some improv at their camp last year and fell in love with the kids and the organization,” says Mickey. A portion of the proceeds will also help fund Metronome Charleston, an independent online website focused on local music and comedy, founded by Lesemann and Mickey.
“BamBOOZEled! was insanely fun, and Erin (Tyler) from Tin Roof wanted to do another one. We figured it would be best to do it annually.” BamBOOZEled!, which is again hosted by Tin Roof, simultaneously nods to famous and local comedians. Charleston-area stand-ups, enthusiasts, and simply funny guys will be dressed as their favorite comedy acts. This gives them a chance to try their hand at famous comedic material, or try and come up with their own.
This year’s BamBOOZEled! promises around 20 acts. In addition to local stand-up, the evening will begin with a comedy-themed trivia game, hosted by Lesemann, with prizes, including Tin Roof house cash. Attendees can expect seeing some popular local comics, like Jason Groce, Jeremy McClellan, Tim Höeckel, and other funny people in town’s take on a famous comic’s persona and perform their material (or material inspired by them) for 5-10 minutes.
Best-case scenario — They’re imitation is impeccable, they’re the spitting image, everyone gets to laugh.
Worst case scenario — they’re horrible, but they’re dressed like Eddie Murphy in Delirious, so everyone still gets to laugh. It’s a win-win.
“It’s not that they’re necessarily doing their favorite comics,” explains, Mickey. “Last year, Tim (Höeckel) performed his own special slant on Carrot Top. He wore a curly red wig, stuffed his shirt full of newspapers so he looked buff, and basically roid-raged on the audience when they didn’t laugh at his props. It was spectacular.”
Mickey says last year a supportive comedy-loving crowd showed up to support the cause. “We have 20 comics on the roster so far, and the famous comics they signed up for are all over the board,” she says.
The second annual BamBOOZEled! will be held Saturday, Feb. 21, 7 p.m. at Tin Roof, located at 1115 Magnolia Road. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/events/690941577689715.