Don Barnhart Set for Final of UP YOURS Comedy Contest April 1st
By: James T Harding Mar. 01, 2012
Comedian Don Barnhart today took second place in the Improv Comedy Club’s "Up Yours" online contest. Alongside the other top three vote leaders, he has secured a spot in the final live contest which will be held April 1st, 2012 at The Improv at Harrah’s in Las Vegas, NV.
The overall winner of the final - which features three finalists chosen by the judges as well as the competition winners - will receive 25k in paid gigs at The Improv Comedy Club Franchise and will get to meet with an agent from the APA Talent Agency.
“Winning the contest would be a great asset in building the name recognition to get my other projects off the ground”, said Barnhart. “My goal would be to win the contest and get my sitcom and film into production and continue to perform my stand up both world wide and for the troops”.
Barnhart currently stars in new film, Finding The Funny. The film follows Barnhart as he teaches both the art and business of stand up comedy at his studios in Las Vegas, exploring whether or not you can actually teach someone to be funny.
Finding The Funny stars Barnhart and is directed by fellow comedian John Bizarre and features interviews with famous and not so famous comedians including Brad Garrett, Louie Anderson, Rondell Sheridan, Marty Allen, Andy Kindler and Wendy Leibman.
Barnhart continues to teach both stand up comedy and improv at the Don Barnhart Studios in Las Vegas and just finished the final draft of a new comedy film, Freeloader. It’s the story of a returning Vet who ends up living on the streets and becomes the Robin Hood of the homeless.
“I love bringing light to social issues through comedy”, claimed Barnhart in a recent interview. “With Freeloader, we deal with returning veterans, broken hearts, foreclosures and the homeless. Ok, it may not sound like a comedy but pain, plus time equals funny. Winning the contest could be the catalyst to get the movie into production”.
Barnhart says the movie was inspired by his numerous trips performing comedy shows for the troops overseas and is based on his book by the same name. In 2010, Don received the Bob Hope Award for his dedication to entertaining our military around the world. Barnhart’s wife and producing partner, Asian Fitness Sensation Linda Vu continue to produce shows and fundraisers for the troops and just finished a Wounded Warrior Benefit Show with plans to take the show to every base in the states as our troops come home.
Barnhart is set to headline in Las Vegas at Sin City Comedy Club and The Riviera Comedy as well as headlining on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.
Barnhart is also a certified hypnotist who performs a separate hypnosis show and has a new book, Creating The Life You Desire and a series of self-improvement audio CDs available on his website, Amazon and Borders.
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