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Veterans of NBC reality show "Last Comic
Standing, " including Jewish comedian
Gary Gulman, perform benefit for JVS.

.

BILL CARROLL

Special to the Jewish News

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, acing depressed economic conditions and reduced rev-
enues, JVS, the Southfield-based organization that helps
people strive for success, fulfillment and a decent quality of
life, is in bad need of a laugh. And JVS officials are hoping that
Detroit-area residents are ready to laugh with them.
Abiding by the old adage that "laughter is the best medicine,"
JVS will sponsor the Last Comic Standing Reunion at downtown
Detroit's Fox Theatre Saturday, March 5, featuring three comedi-
ans who recently appeared on the hit NBC-TV reality show Last

Gary Gutman: "It has cbang-cel my n whole
o NBC's
career," he says of his experiences
"Last Comic StandiK. ''

Comic Standing.
They are Jewish comic Gary Gulman, Rob Cantrell and
Alonzo Bodden, who won the $250,000 grand prize in the most
recent Last Comic Standing competition.
The organization is counting on the same financial success it
achieved at its 60th anniversary celebration in 2002, when TV's
Tonight Show host Jay Leno came to the Fox and helped add
about $200,000 to the agency's coffers.
"Conditions are a bit grim right now in the state and around
the world," said Barbara Nurenberg, JVS president and CEO,
"and we feel that people want relief in the form of laughter, so
we've turned to comedy as our main benefit event of the year.
"Standup comedy is big again around the country,- and this
is the first time [these] three young comedians have been
brought in by any organization for a fundraiser."
The three comedians in the JVS show each had different
careers before switching to standup.
Gulman, a 6-foot-6-inch Bostonian, earned a degree in
accounting from Boston College. Cantrell was an assistant
teacher in San Francisco and Bodden worked as a jet plane
mechanic for Lockheed and McDonnell Douglas.
"They've appeared on the top TV comedy shows and
have a great reputation among the 18-35 age group,"
Nurenberg pointed out, "but audiences of all ages will love
them. The Fox has a 4,000-seat capacity, and we'll sell only

SPARE A LAUGH on page 43

2/24
2005

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