Milwaukee Comedy Festival Starts Sunday

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Photo: Jason Hillman - mkecomedyfest.com

AJ Grill at the 2021 Milwaukee Comedy Festival

AJ Grill at the 2021 Milwaukee Comedy Festival

Kaitlin McCarthy is committed to comedy,

“Oh, I plan to be involved in comedy in one way or another until the day I die,” McCarthy vows. As a principal—with Matt Kemple and Greg Bach—in Milwaukee Comedy, which also operates comedy venue The Laughing Tap (706 B S. Fifth St.) and organizes the Milwaukee Comedy Festival (running Sunday Oct. 2 through Sunday Oct. 9), McCarthy is already plenty involved in making her city an environment rich with organized opportunities for communal laughter. 

“I’ve always loved silly things, and I’ve always loved laughing … which is a weird thing to say, because who doesn’t love laughing?” McCarthy recalls and ponders, sparking memories of a childhood giggle fit during a serious scene in an episode of “Star Trek the Next Generation” her mom was watching—and how her dad was “the funniest man I've ever known.” Apart from her father, she says of humor that nurtured her, “I grew up watching the movies of Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Harold Ramis, Chevy Chase, John Candy… probably not kid-appropriate movies, but most of the jokes when over my head. But, just seeing grown men act silly was comedy enough.” 

Higher Ed

Higher education, however, cinched McCarthy’s dedication to the comedic arts. “My freshman year of college, I join the committee that brought entertainment to campus, including stand-up comedians. That’s honestly, what hooked me for life.” But, then, she adds, “My dad passed away during my junior year of college, after a four-year bought with cancer. After that, comedy became even more important. Life blood. I needed to laugh, to forget how sad I was.” 

As she is able to practice it, which isn't often lately because she still has an office job apart from her Milwaukee Comedy duties, McCarthy’s own comedy brings levity to her life’s more trying seasons, among autobiographical topics. “My first five minutes (on stage) were about my dad’s death and his fight with cancer. I find bits of humor in my past relationships, my major weight losses and gains, my late-20s partying phase, self-love in its many forms. I find it easier to talk about difficult subject matter as a way of relating to audiences, who’ve more than likely gone through similar situations, and as a way of personally coping. It endears you to most audiences.” 

She’s fine with not being to everyone's liking, though. “You never want to hear ‘awws’ when onstage. I’d rather hear silence after a punchline. I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I want you to laugh with me. That’s what we’re all here to do.” Until McCarthy can get back behind the mic, she, Bach and Kemple’s next venture in providing levity to the public is the 17th Milwaukee Comedy Festival. 

“This is our first post-pandemic festival. So, we’re excited to be at full capacity, no restrictions,” McCarthy enthuses. Apart from its longevity, the Milwaukee Comedy Festival runs has other facets making it unique. “This year’s fest is international. One of the performers, Sean Conway, is coming from Perth, Australia. We also have comics originally from Germany and England, who call the U.S. home, Luise Noe and Piers Moreton, respectively.

“We’re not as big as other fests,” McCathy says. “We don’t have corporate sponsorship, but we put on damn good shows with talented people.” And what Milwaukee Comedy Festival may lack in big money patrons, it makes up for in variety. “We feature stand up, sketch and improv. A lot of fests are solely stand-up, or just sketch and improv.” Attendees from out of town can end up getting a kind of tour of the city, too. We utilize awesome local venues, so people get a nice little tour of Milwaukee while also getting a great week of comedy.”

For more information, visit mkecomedyfest.com.