San Francisco Comedy Competition

The annual San Francisco Bay Area Comedy Competition returns to the Orinda once again for a matinee show on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. And just so locals will have a chance to see all this year's contestants, the event will be back for another afternoon show the following Saturday as well.

Sixteen different contestants, chosen from hundreds of applicants, will present their very best six-minute sets at each happening. This year actually marks the 50th rendition of this storied contest which has been credited with debuting many a star of tomorrow while at the same time providing a useful trial by fire for all involved. Trial and fire aside, it will be hilarious.

Host Samson Koletkar, aka Mahatma Moses, is the world's only Indian Jewish stand-up comedian. A techie-turned-comic, he blends Indian heritage, Jewish roots, and American life into sharp, witty comedy that resonates with audiences across cultures. Named one of Silicon India's "10 Indian Comedians Who Found Success in the U.S.", Samson has performed internationally, with appearances at major festivals including SF Sketchfest, Just for Laughs Vancouver, Twin Cities Jewish Humor Festival, and SF Comedy Day. His work has been featured on NPR, NBC, NDTV, The Times of India, and jWeekly. He was a semi-finalist in the Seattle International Comedy Competition, and a quarter-finalist in both the San Francisco Comedy Competition and the Great Canadian Laugh Off.

Video samples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x3wms-F1u8 (Being a Mother is not the hardest job in the world, 10 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vx3askwE4s (Set at Novato Theater, 10 min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRDFJ0196Ss (I met a considerate racist, 3 mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8iPSsUB2NE (Bombay To The Bay, 1 hour)