Page 35 - JULY 2016 Newsletter

Past “Funniest Cop” champion
enjoys the show
n BY NICK SWEDBERG
Pat McGrath knows which group of people in Chicago like police officers the best. During his stand-up come- dy routine at the Fourth Annual Laugh Patrol comedy event, McGrath explained how the gay community usu- ally gives the most thorough descriptions of suspects, from what type of boots they’re wearing when they ran away to where they got their eyebrows styled.
McGrath, a veteran officer and two-time winner as Chicago’s Funniest Police Officer, finished in third place at the charity event which supports the 100 Club of Chi- cago. Despite dropping a couple spots this year, Mc- Grath said the contest’s results didn’t matter as much as laughing along with his fellow officers, having fun and helping out a good cause.
As he did to win previous competitions, McGrath re- lied heavily on impressions and drew his material from what he called the “norm of his regular life.”
“I laugh and talk about things that make me laugh,” McGrath said of his inspiration. “A lot of it came from social issues.”
Following June’s mass
shooting at a gay nightclub
in Orlando, Florida, Mc-
Grath pointed out the uptick in police presence at Chi- cago events during Pride Month, including an increase in officers assigned to the annual Pride Parade.
McGrath touched briefly on the fact that it was Pride Month, before launching into his stand-up routine. The material comes firsthand from working with and pro- tecting the gay community, he said.
“The gay community is targeted for being them- selves,” he said. “I’m a tough guy in the sense of work. I’ll most certainly stick up for communities when they’re not being taken care of. It’s important for me.” d
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JULY 2016 35