Page 42 - July 2017 Newsletter

Cops of Comedy
Here’s your chance to join the Laugh Patrol
Funny thing about cops: Most people don’t think of them as comics or comical, especially in this day and age.
But if you heard Tom McKenna at the 100 Club of Chica- go’s Laugh Patrol show in June of 2016, you would know that Chicago Police Officers can capture the joking around you might see from Ice Cube and Kevin Hart when they play cops on the big screen.
“If police officers have ride-alongs, do firefighters have sleepovers?” McKenna joked in his routine that made him Chicago’s Funniest Cop for 2016. In 2017, the show is coming back to prove that these cops can come up with the perfect punchline.
This year’s event will be the fifth annual and will take place on Aug. 1 at the Laugh Factory in Chicago. Police officers from all 23 districts are encouraged to stand up on that stage and give it all they’ve got.
If you’re skeptical about getting up to perform, take it from Ron Gaines, the 2015 winner and seasoned funny man. He admits that comedy isn’t easy, but the best part of the event is watching fellow officers get up and try their best.
In addition, the show allows people to view officers in a different light than they would see on the beat.
“Police officers love to tell stories,” Gains admits. “A lot of the time, people don’t believe some of the things that happen to us because they’re so crazy.”
Maybe it’s the sense of confidence that these officers feel after performing in front of an audience or the fact that they get to laugh at themselves for a night that makes them long for an audience.
“It’s an opportunity to get them out of their element,” de- clared Chelsea Barras, the 100 Club marketing and commu- nications manager. “They become a different person and that’s always fun to see.”
At the end of the day, being part of the Laugh Patrol is a good way for the officers to have fun and laugh with their brothers and sisters.
“I think it’s all about fun,” Barras added. “It’s designed for everyone to relax. It’s great to see everyone come out and see their friends thrive.”
And though the job might not be fun and games, this night
Gaines calls performing comedy “a form of therapy” in a at the Laugh Factory will show that cops keep a good sense of job that can often be unpredictable and scary. humor about it all. d
42 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JULY 2017