SF Sketchfest is back with the keyed-up fanaticism of a major comic book convention, only beefed up to last half a month and dedicated to comedy instead.
The celebration spans 17 days in January, with a seemingly unending bill of performances, film screenings, podcast recordings, game shows, tributes and even debates to attend.
Returning Jan. 12-29 in venues throughout San Francisco, the 2017 festival lineup promises more than 200 events featuring some of comedys most distinguished performers, including a live stage reading with sketch comedy troupe the Kids in the Hall, a 20th anniversary reunion of the cast and creators of the hit animated television show King of the Hill, and a tribute to black comedy vanguards Robert Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans.
This years Sketchfest will be the first held under Californias new legal marijuana laws, allowing San Francisco to finally embrace two core parts of the citys identity comedy and cannabis.
Pot has played a major role in modern comedy, even defining its own culture through acts like Cheech & Chong and Dave Chappelle, and with cult classic movies like Half Baked, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and Kentucky Fried Movie.
With marijuana law reform slowly spreading throughout the U.S., the stigma of marijuana has gradually diminished, and pot is now a common theme not just in niche comedies but also in mainstream sitcoms like ABCs Modern Family.
The proliferation of pot means that its not just for the hard-core stoner anymore. Pete Davidson of Saturday Night Live recently told High Times magazine that he physically wouldnt be able to perform without weed, while comedian Louis C.K. professed in Jerry Seinfelds Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Web series that he only smokes weed before going to watch movies presented in Imax.
Patton Oswalt, who is scheduled to appear at a Sketchfest event for children called Story Pirates, is a comedian who used to bring up the topic of pot in his stand-up comedy, although he hasnt smoked for about 20 years now. But even when he did, Oswalt never performed or wrote material while intoxicated on THC.
It was always something I would do after a show, like having a drink, Oswalt told us.
On the other end of the spectrum is Ngaio Bealum, a Bay Area comedian and cannabis journalist who not only prefers performing stoned, but also enjoys writing his jokes while high.
My jokes come to me fairly organically, so it doesnt really matter whether I am high or not, says Bealum. Funny is funny.
As use may vary for performers, the same goes for audiences. A standard drunken comedy audience might be more engaging if not somewhat menacing, whereas a high crowd may end up too passive.
I did a show where a kid was just openly packing a bowl on the side of the stage and I was like, Hey, look at this little dude over here, thinking hed want to clown around with me, says Tim Kalpakis, staff writer from the IFC talk show Comedy Bang! Bang! and member of the sketch comedy group the Birthday Boys.
But he just immediately clammed up and cowered. It was like I had interrupted his important bowl-packing project. Ooh, sorry there, little buddy. Ill let you get back to it.
Cannabis can loosen inhibitions and make comedy funnier in moderation, so enjoy Californias legal weed responsibly while taking in any of SF Sketchfests multitude of events.
It doesnt matter if its a high crowd or a drunk crowd. All I care about is that its a good crowd, says Oswalt.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Pot Legalization Baked Into This Year’s Sketchfest Comedy
Author: Oscar Pascual
Contact: San Francisco Chronicle
Photo Credit: Daymond Gascon
Website: San Francisco Chronicle
