Meet Michael Hudson, comedian and host of the Fried Rice Comedy Show, which will benefit Shoes for the Homeless.
Michael retired just over 10 years ago and had this bucket list of all these things he wanted to do. Stand Up Comedy was on that list. He learned that West Los Angeles College had a stand-up comedy class that was taught by comedian Barry Weisenberg. Michael signed up and met Barry and a community of kind and supportive comedians. The class concluded with a performance at The Improv in Hollywood, California. And from there, Michael’s comedy journey unfolded.
As a retiree, Michael admits that he’s not really in it for the money. He didn't want another job, but he did want to have fun. He created Fried Rice Comedy, a group of comedians who perform for fun and often to raise money and awareness for their favorite nonprofit organizations.
Michael’s favorite dish is fried rice, especially hoisin rice, but that’s not the entire reason he named the group after it. Michael chose the name Fried Rice Comedy in honor of George Li, a family friend who owns 5i Indochine Cuisine restaurant in Culver City, California (located where Sepulveda meets Sawtell). Michael approached George about using the restaurant as a home for the new show. George immediately offered the group Saturday afternoons between the lunch and dinner rush. It proved to be a win-win. Michael’s group had a regular performance venue and the extra business made George happy.
A popular venue and an excellent cause give opportunities to comedians to perform (who might otherwise have to pay, barter, or sell x number of tickets in exchange for their stage time).
Michael shared that New York and Los Angeles are the two cities most known for their homeless population. It’s not entirely surprising since New York is the most populated city in the country. So one would expect them to have the greatest number of homeless persons. But the Los Angeles area estimates around 65,000 homeless people which comes as a close second to New York. However, from a per capita standpoint, Los Angeles is the highest.
The founder of Shoes for the Homeless, Dr. Ira Diamond, a retired podiatrist, believes the homeless population needs shoes more so than podiatrists. He noted that if more of our underserved communities had shoes, they wouldn’t need a podiatrist. So he founded Shoes for the Homeless, to help people get a pair of shoes. The organization has implemented a Student Ambassador Program which has enabled them to expand beyond the Los Angeles area. The program allows high school students to start shoe drives in their area. They not only assist unhoused populations but also serve other programs to provide shoes to students who are going to prom and job interviews. West Los Angeles College has been generous and provides a location for shoe processing and storage. Shoes for the Homeless also partners with the college’s program called the Community Closet. The Community Closet is a boutique that provides students a place to shop for work and interview clothes at no charge. The patrons are treated as though they are in a high-end shop on Melrose, where they are treated with respect and given their dignity.
These are the many reasons that Shoes for the Homeless is near to Michael’s heart. Just like the nonprofit makes people feel better, Michael wants to do the same with his comedy show.
Michael wants to warm your senses with the sound of laughter. He describes his lineup as he would a full-course meal. He says it’s the most delicious comedy you've ever tasted.
Including Michael, eight comedians are volunteering their time and talents to help Shoes for the Homeless. Comedians include: Barry Weisenberg, Danny Livingston, Steve Guentner, Shirlee Smith, Howard Flaer, Marlene Cooper, and Shoes for the Homeless President Dr. Ira Diamond.
It will be a fairly clean comedy show. No, no four-letter words, however, some jokes will discuss adult situations. Recommended audience of 18 years and older.
Tickets are $10 charge, and Fried Rice Comedy proceeds benefit Shoes for the Homeless.
To view show details and purchase tickets, visit https://plauzzable.com/live-show-details/4bed9017-5136-45dc-8de7-5ca1fb5f9123
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Plauzzable