LAF Makes Comedy Paramount

Media Contact:

Kristen Gleason
Director for Community Relations & Education
The Paramount Theater
215 East Main Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902

For Immediate Release

November 30, 2005

For those looking for a dose of comedy this holiday season, The Paramount offers LAF -- the Laughter Arts Festival. Returning to the theater for a second season, this new line-up includes three of the nation's hottest stand-up comics -- John Heffron, Alex House, and Joe Starr -- who will share the bill and keep the audience in stitches. The show will take place on Friday, December 9 at 8 pm.

Winner of NBC's hit reality series Last Comic Standing, comedian John Heffron has become a comic to watch and love. The Detroit funnyman's other appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, and his own half-hour Comedy Central Presents special. Last year Heffron landed the lead role in the VH-1 sitcom Smash, created by one of Heffron's biggest music idols, Gene Simmons from Kiss. In addition, he has also performed at the prestigious Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal and the HBO Comedy Festival in Aspen.

Alex House was born and raised on Long Island, and counts the skits on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Carol Burnett Show, and Saturday Night Live among her early influences. Most recently, House appeared in NBC'S Last Comic Standing as one of the East Coast semifinalists chosen out of thousands of comedians. Her other appearances include ABC'S The View, Bud Light's Ladies of Laughter Comedy Contest, The Toyota Comedy Festival, The Boston Comedy Festival, Arizona Women's Comedy Extravaganza, and various NACA Conferences.

The grandson of a vaudevillian, Joe Starr has show business in his blood. Starr is featured in the new season of Comedy Central's Premium Blend, and has appeared in a 27-city tour sponsored by the prestigious Just For Laughs comedy festival, on the Metro Channel's New Joke City, and at venues ranging from comedy clubs to theaters to Caesar's in Atlantic City. Starr has worked with a host of luminaries including comedy legend Chris Rush (for whom he was the hand-picked opening act), Tim Allen, Kevin James, Wendy Liebman, Soupy Sales, and Robert Klein.

Tickets for the December 9 performance of LAF are still available. Cost is $32, $29, and $26. The Paramount offers half-price student rush seats and group discounts. Tickets are available through The Paramount's Box Office at 434.979.1333 or online. More about John Heffron and Alex House may be found on their websites at www.johnheffron.com and www.alexhouse.biz.