It's often been said that laughter is the best medicine -- and on Friday, several of Penn's comedy groups put this saying to the test.
Featuring performances from four comedy groups, the first ever "Charitable Laughter: Comedy Benefit" was held in the Iron Gate Theatre. Proceeds from the event were donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Simply Chaos, a new stand-up comedy troupe, joined forces with Mask and Wig, Bloomers and Without a Net for an evening of laughter and fundraising efforts.
Founder and director of Simply Chaos Avi Gilbert, who coordinated the benefit, said he was "really excited that all the comedy groups at Penn can come together," adding that he hoped it would become an annual event.
Gilbert, an Engineering senior, said the cause also held personal significance for him since he is a diabetic himself.
In organizing the event, Gilbert said he thought it would be "cool if we could all come together, put on a big show, promote comedy and raise money for diabetes."
He went on to liken the experience of doing stand-up comedy to playing an individual sport, explaining that having the added support of a troupe of comedians can help it feel more like a team sport.
During Friday's show, Gilbert, acting as the emcee, was able to make light of living with diabetes, joking that, "Diabetes is very attractive to the ladies."
During the nearly two-hour show, each of the comedy groups performed two sets and quickly transitioned from one bit to the next, as the packed theater offered support in the form of laughter and applause.
With a variety of different groups represented -- including the musical and sketch comedy of Mask and Wig and Bloomers and the improv antics of Without a Net, the comedy ranged from raunchy sex topics to racial and political jokes. Skits also addressed Penn-centered topics, such as Judith Rodin's usage -- or possible misusage -- of Penn's endowment.
"Mask and Wig is one of my favorite performing groups," College sophomore Rachel Kohn said. "I would have come either way, but the charity aspect is an added bonus."
Other attendees also said they came to watch specific groups perform.
College freshman Ben Winter, another Mask and Wig fan, described his favorite skit of the evening -- which depicted Dr. Seuss in World War II -- saying, "If Steven Spielberg were on crack, that's what Saving Private Ryan would have looked like."
College sophomore and Bloomers' business staff member Jasmine Landry said that the night was about "combining comedy with social responsibility."
