"My Spirit Animal Is A Butch Lesbian: A Stand Up Comedy Show Featuring Sampson"

SF comedy show at the legendary Punch Line Comedy Club will focus Show on Social Justice Issues that Exist On & Off The Comedy Stage!

San Francisco, CA- August 10, 2015 On Tuesday September 8th, 2015, three LGBT comics come together on stage to tackle the issue of diversity in comedy. As more of us observe story lines in television and film (as with shows like Empire, How To Get Away With Murder, Scandal and Orange is The New Black), we see more characters who are LGBT and people of color, however, as we celebrate the visibility of diversity in what we see on television, diversity in mainstream is still grossly misrepresented. One of the areas where the lack of representation exists, especially in many mainstream arenas is stand up comedy.

Think about late night, Comedy Central, even the list of comics that we have to choose from to see on stage, and its safe to say that the inclusion of people of color, and especially LGBT performers is almost non apparent. For this reason, these three queer comics come together, using comedy to not only hold up the mirrors that we use to laugh and the craziness that exists around us, but to also use it as a platform of visibility and to give the public the option of supporting more exposure of queer performers in comedy.

The show, entitled "My Spirit Animal is A Butch Lesbian" was organized by Sampson McCormick, an internationally touring LGBT comic who will also be a part of the line up. It's a part of somewhat of an initiative aimed at creating the conversation around and more opportunities for queer comics to be seen, as well as a new documentary film that is currently in production, entitled "A Tough Act To Follow". "It kind of sucks that there are so few opportunities for LGBT comics to have just as many opportunities as everyone else." he says. "I've been doing this for close to 15 years, and socially, gay may seem to be in, but you'd still never believe how many doors still get slammed in our faces. It's time to change that. We're funny too--in fact, sometimes, funnier, because you have to show up and prove yourself over and over again."

The show takes place on Tuesday September 8th, 2015 at 730PM at the Punch Line Comedy Club 444 Battery Street San Francisco, CA Tickets: $15
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About the Performers:
Headliner: Sampson McCormick (Sampson)
Sampson is an internationally touring, award winning entertainer, and one of the most celebrated LGBT stand up comics on the circuit today, and been named as "One of the 12 LGBT Comics to Know" by OUT.com. For over a decade, he's been a favorite at LGBT and mainstream venues alike, headlining the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Broadway in NYC, The Historic Howard Theatre and the Famous Comedy Store in Hollywood, CA and LGBT events all over the country.
His comedy offers riveting, refreshing and original takes on religion, sexuality, life and politics--you know, all those things you weren't suppose to talk about in polite company.
website: http://www.sampsoncomedy.com

Feature: Karen Ripley
Karen Ripley has been performing for over 35 years as a comic and improviser. She came on to the gay comedy scene in 1977 in San Francisco. From the cover of the East Bay Express (Berkeley, Ca) with Whoopi Goldberg to Ms. Magazines top 100 Lesbian Comic 2009. 2005 SF Fringe Best Musical Comedy with Annie Larson in the original play “Show Me where it Hurts,” and 2006 Diva Fest. with “waiting for FEMA.” Ripley has traveled all over the USA and the Caribbean. Featured in Logo's Wisecracks episode 2. And from coast to coast making the LGBT community laugh.
Website: http://www.karenripley.com/

Feature: Ash Fisher
Ash Fisher is a comedian, actor and writer. She is not a comedienne, an actress or a writeress. Switched at birth and raised on the East Coast, she has since found her home in Oakland, California. Ash was the 2012 Newcomer Runner-Up in the Ladies of Laughter Contest at Gotham Comedy Club in NYC. She has performed at San Mateo Pride; Win River Casino in Redding, CA; The Punch Line SF; and is a regular at Gladys's Early Show at The Comic Strip in NYC. She co-produced the 2014 Hella Gay Comedy Festival in Oakland; does voiceovers whenever someone lets her; and has written for The Advocate, Wear Your Voice Mag and GuyTalk. She is a self-proclaimed selfie expert. Ash holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, and Sallie Mae will never let her forget it.
Website: http://www.ashfisherhaha.com/