Comedy Relief in O.C. fizzles out

It was billed as a new event for the area, perhaps the first of its kind in Orange County.

“Comedy Relief Orange County” was to be a six-week benefit showcasing top stand-up comics with impressive credits, like Judy Gold.

But it wasn’t meant to be. At least for now.

“Comedy Relief,” set to kick off March 23 at the Strawberry Bowl Amphitheater in Garden Grove, was canceled before it had a chance to open, co-organizer Stephen Terry said. Ticket sales had been insufficient for the shows, which boasted headliners such as Emmy-winner Gold and the Funniest Housewives of Orange County comedy troupe.

The problem, Terry said, stemmed partly from lack of marketing, which he believed left many potential ticket buyers unaware of the event.

“If we could get some sponsors to get on board, that would certainly help,” Terry said. “There’s only so much you can do through word of mouth.”

As its name implied, “Comedy Relief Orange County” aimed to raise funds for local causes and charities. Ticket buyers were invited to earmark $9 of their purchase for one of five groups: Children’s Hospital of Orange County, the Orange County Fire Service Assn., Barks of Love, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or Reaching Youth Through Music Opportunities.

Terry said he opted to pull the plug on the event after waiting two months for ticket sales to increase. The organizers of “Comedy Relief” — including Strawberry Productions, which oversees many events at the Garden Grove venue — may try a similar event in the future, he noted.

For now, performers and prospective recipients expressed disappointment about the series’ cancellation. Patty Liu, the marketing and special-events coordinator for Barks of Love, said recognition for her group, which finds homes for rescue dogs, is as important as money.

“We were not counting on a large donation,” she wrote in an email. “We had no expectations, really. Just to network our cause and help the rescue dogs in our care would’ve been fine with us.”

Cindy Burns, the producer and creator of the Funniest Housewives of Orange County, said the “Comedy Relief” series might have succeeded had ticket sales started earlier and the focus been on a single charity instead of several. Ultimately, she said, the organizers made the right call in canceling the performances.

“You have to have a great show,” Burns said. “But the fact of the matter is that if nobody shows up, not only does the person who hired you lose. The venue loses. The comedians have no fun performing for 10 people in a 700-person theater. And the audience, it’s awkward for them. So, really, everybody loses.”

Burns, who has done charity shows with her group in the past, added that she would be game if Terry’s team made another go at the series.

“I wouldn’t want them not to succeed,” she said.