Weekend spotlight: Big Laugh comedy show

August 4, 2011

By KARLEE PRAZAK

Lizette Mizelle’s Big Laugh will fill the Atascadero Lake Pavilion with laughter this weekend when it hosts four comedians who have more in common than just jokes— each one knows what it’s like to live with cancer. It is through their jokes that the comedians are able to share their struggles with cancer, and life, to help raise money with “‘Stand-Up’ to Cancer Comedy Night.”

Mizelle will host the show of comedic cancer survivors at 7 p.m. Saturday. And, as an addition to the more than $2,500 donated since June , The Big Laugh will donate proceeds from “Stand-Up” ticket sales to the “Relay for Life” organization.

First on the line up will be Suzanne Whang from HGTV’s “House Hunters,” followed by Comedy Central’s stand-up comedy show “Premium Blend;” the Central Coast’s own Jill Turnbow from the one-woman show “Between Iraq and a Hard Place;”  Academy Award nominee Steve Mazan of “Dying to Do Letterman” — a documentary inspired by his numbered days after being diagnosed with inoperable cancer — and Larry “Bubbles” Brown, both of whom have appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman.”

Following on Sunday, San Luis Obispo will have its own cancer benefit hosted by the Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center. From 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Laguna Lake, Sierra Vista challenges community members to pick their sports and get involved with a good cause with the 2nd Annual Central Coast Cancer Challenge.

Event competitions include 22 to 100K bike rides, 5 to 10K walk/runs or, for the kids, a 1-mile fun run. Proceeds, which reached $12,000 last year, will go to the Jack’s Helping Hand organization and The Cancer WellFit Program.

On a more festive note, to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Santa Barbara Mission, the city will be alive with Spanish mariachi bands, flamenco dancers, authentic cuisine and El Mercado de la Guerra, the daily market.

The 87th Annual Old Spanish Days begins Aug. 3 and goes until Sunday, Aug. 7. Various fiesta events include El Desfile Histórico (a parade), the Las Noches de Ronda variety shows and nightly stock horse shows and rodeos.

The final gem found on the Central Coast this weekend comes in the form of just that — a gem. Starting Friday, Aug. 5, the 44th Annual “Rainbow of Gems Show” will wow attendees with the earth’s treasures.

Running until Aug. 7, the OMS Gem Show will feature dealers and their finest jewelry, gems, minerals and mineral equipment. The event guarantees to be not only fun but educational with its indoor showroom and outdoor tailgate party. The show is free to the public and will offer free overnight parking in the event lot to RV’s.

If none of these events have a fighting chance to get you out to attend, the Chumash Casino Resort is going to take one last jab with “Clash at the Chumash” Friday night.

“Clash at the Chumash” will feature some of the country’s top ranked boxers in person fighting live in front of the 1,400-auditorium style seats of the Samala Showroom. As a branch of the ESPN Friday Night Fights series, the event will be televised nationally via ESPN.