Fall off your seat at Stand Up for MORE fundraiser

Andrew Vonderschmitt

Mountain Democrat correspondent

The El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce and Mother Lode Rehabilitation join forces for a night of laughs, good food and community at the sixth annual Stand Up for MORE comedy show April 28.

Laurel Brent-Bumb, CEO of El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce, and Susie Davies, executive director of Mother Lode Rehabilitation Enterprises, said the partnership between the two organizations has been the best experience. The muchanticipated comedy night started in 2016 when the partnership was proposed as a project of Leadership El Dorado Class Nine.

The annual affair took one year off due to the pandemic but it hasn’t lost its stride, packing the house each year.

Returning for his sixth year is comedian and producer Scott Edwards, who owned a chain of comedy clubs, 1980-2001, including Laughs Unlimited in Old Sacramento.

“With all those connections I book the shows,” said Edwards. “But Susie is really the powerhouse behind it all; she is what makes it all happen and the reason I really enjoy doing this work for MORE.”

Edwards personally knows most of the comedians he books and makes sure they have clean acts and can fill the time, adding, “I work with professionals. I don’t work with amateurs.” several acts.

Steve Bruner and Edwards go way back. Bruner has been at the game for more than 30 years and said working at Edwards’ clubs helped him grow as a comic. He had been working onenight gigs living in San Francisco while holding down a day job. He participated in a comedy contest at Laughs Unlimited around 1990 where he got into the finals but doesn’t quite remember his final standing.

“I built up my time to a half hour and within five or six years I was headlining,” he said.

Having saved up some money Bruner gave up his day job and proceeded to make comedy his full-time vocation. He relocated to the Los Angeles area and spent the next 30 years working in the comedy scene, touring the country, working cruises and other comedy endeavors.

“I did write for TV for a while,” he added.

Bruner recently returned to Northern California with his wife and travels to appearances from there. He has remained in contact with Edwards over the years and this is his second appearance at Stand Up for MORE.

“I always love gigs I can drive to,” he said. “Especially when they’re for a good reason. And this is one of the best reasons.

“What MORE does, to be a part of it, I just love being associated with events that do good,” he concluded.

SCoTT EDwArDS

“In fact, I still have a couple of friends from the finals. We argue over who got eighth place and who got seventh,” he recalled. “But what you won, besides the accolades, was a week of opening at one of his (Edwards’) clubs.” Getting to do comedy for six days in a row helped Bruner build his act and he went on to open at other clubs and emcee

Eddie Brill, an East Coast player, is relatively new to Edwards.

“We haven’t actually worked together, but I’m very familiar with his material and his reputation,” said Edwards. “This will be a real thrill, for me, to actually work with him.”

Brill has been in the business for nearly 40 years. He got his start in a comedy group in college. After graduation he got out of the laughs business but said he missed it so much, he opened his own club.

“I started a comedy club in The Village called The Paper Moon,” Brill shared. “It’s just been terrific since then.”

He has traveled the world doing comedy and went on to become the warm-up comic at Late Night with David Letterman. A post he held for an impressive 17 years. For 11 of those years, he also coordinated comic talent for the show.

Brill recently returned to doing stand-up and said he always loves to perform for a good cause. Having experienced many hardships at a young age, he explained he always noticed those people who helped.

“There were always wonderful people around us that helped us survive,” Brill said. “We vowed that when we had the chance we would do the same for others.

“And it feels great,” he added. “I’m excited about raising money n See Stand Up, page B5