By Sarah McCauley The night was about three things: Planned Parenthood, women and comedy. Old Main Theater was filled with laughter for two hours as female comedians, from as near as Western and as far as Seattle, took their turns getting on stage and making the audience laugh. Western’s stand-up comedy club, SUCK WWU, hosted their event “SUCK for PP” on May 20. The night featured all women comedians and all of the proceeds earned went to the local Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood. A table for Planned Parenthood was set up at the entrance to the theater. Senior Alana Hall sat behind the desk offering T-shirts and other Planned Parenthood gear, along with an opportunity to register to vote. Hall said she hoped people would walk away from the table either registered to vote or with more information about the services Planned Parenthood offers. On the other side of the entrance were the coveted raffle prizes for the evening, which included two decorative glass pipes, a glass figurine of a naked lady and gift certificates to Mallards Ice Cream. Entry was free, so the money to support Planned Parenthood came from the raffle, which most of the audience had participated in. During intermission and at the end when the prize winners were about to be announced, members of the audience could be seen squirming around, excitedly telling each other they hoped it was them. Those who couldn’t attend also had the opportunity to support by making a donation online. But the heart of the event was the comedy. And women. Jokes ranged from getting real about bowel movements to focusing on women’s rights issues like abortion or the glass ceiling. Carly Lant was one of the women who took the stage, which is something she was no stranger to, as she had won Western’s version of “Last Comic Standing.” She didn’t just stand up there and spout out jokes, she put her whole body into it. She acted out the way her cousin asked her irrelevant questions and paced back and forth as she built up to a punchline. The audience’s gaze followed her and only broke when their eyes were shut by laughter forcing its way out. “Women are the best,” Lant said. “We’re doing a great show for a great cause.” She said that she hoped the show would continue in the future. On top of a shared love of comedy, it was clear that the audience had another thing in common: appreciation for the organization being supported that night. Almost every comedian at some point during their set would bring up Planned Parenthood, which then got the audience slapping their hands together and hollering. Josh Curwen is a local comedian who was there to support his friend performing, as well as the overall cause. “I really enjoy comedy,” Curwen said. “I think it [Planned Parenthood] is a good thing and should be supported.”
