Lewis Alum Comedy Showcase Raises Awareness of Mental Health Issues

CHICAGO — Four bright Chicago comics will be generating laughter to create awareness for mental health this Saturday, Feb. 25. “Laugh To Create Awareness” starts at 7 p.m. at the Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St., Chicago.

The comedy showcase is being organized by Lewis University alumni. Since the benefit’s inception in 2019, alum have awarded three scholarships to graduate students pursuing counseling degrees who have personally been affected by mental health illness. An endowment has been created at Lewis, and the alumni are looking to increase the annual award.

“The purpose of the show is to raise awareness for depression and mental health, that it’s okay to talk about it,” said Ken Houbolt, one of the benefit’s organizers and a Lewis alumni. “When you think about mental health, it impacts friends, family, the workplace, the economy. Everyone should be talking about this.”

“Laugh to Create Awareness” has created hundreds of thousands of impressions relating to mental health issues through direct contact, social media, comedy nights, radio, television and much more. The showcase has also aided the Lewis University Counseling Center in education 6,500-plus students that it is okay to talk about mental health issues and not be afraid to seek out help.

Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. In 2020, 45,979 Americans took their own lives, with an estimate 1.20 million suicide attempts. Last year, the neighborhood where the Beverly Arts Center is located and many of the city’s first responders live, were rocked by the deaths of eight Chicago police officers who took their own lives.

So why do a comedy show to raise awareness for depression and mental health?

“We decided to host a comedy night, as laughter is the opposite of depression,” Houbolt said. “Laughter is an outward sign of joy and happiness, while depression is an inward sign of despair and loneliness.”

Tickets to “Laugh To Create Awareness” are $50 and can be purchased online or at the door; $20 for Lewis students. For more information about the showcase, contact Krysten McGee at kmcgee2@lewisu.edu or 815-836-5882.

“Laugh To Create Awareness” features four nationally known and rising comedians with roots in Chicago’s vibrant comedy scene, including:

Joe Kilgallon was born and raised in Chicago, but currently lives in Los Angeles. He is described by the Chicago Tribune as having "a straight shooting, pull-no-punches style,” according to his bio. Kilgallon has performed at clubs and colleges all over the country, He’s also been a personal opener for such stars as Hannibal Buress, Roy Wood Jr. and Steve Byrne. With material ranging from alcohol to sex, Kilgallon is sure to rant about something the whole family can enjoy (at least the older family members). His debut album, Pay Attention, opened as No. 1 on the iTunes Comedy Charts and Top 10 on the Billboard Comedy Charts. He also produces a local comedy showcase in L.A., and hosts a podcast.

Anthony Fuentes is a self-described funny fat guy from New York. He emerged from the Army with PTSD after two tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, where his sergeant put him in charge of boosting morale by making his fellow soldiers laugh, Fuentes said in a 2021 interview with WGN’s Ana Beleval. He got into comedy with the encouragement of his therapist as a way to cope with his PTSD. Fuentes is now a full time comedian, working stages all over Chicago. When he heard what the Laugh To Raise Awareness showcase was about, he immediately wanted to be part of it.

Jeanie Doogan started her career at the tender age of five when she quickly learned that as the youngest of eight children she needed a hook if she ever wanted to be fed, bathed, or have her existence acknowledged in any way. The South Side native has entertained audiences at colleges, casinos, and corporate events, and is a regular at venues such as Zanies Comedy Clubs, The Laugh Factory, and The Comedy Bar. She was highlighted in Chicago Parents Magazine’s Four of Chicago’s Funniest: Stand Up Parents, and was featured on Team CoCo’s House All Star Showcase, and Nick Jr.’s Moms’ Night Out debut stand up special.

She has set herself apart with her quick observations and no-apology take on teaching, parenthood, and American culture. Her sharp wit draws on her experiences growing up on the South side of Chicago and 20 years as a public school teacher to deliver comedy that reaches audiences of all walks of life.

Sean Bair-Flannery has attended the wrong wedding (twice). Flannery is the host and creator of The Blackout Diaries. He’s appeared on Comedy Central, NPR and Sirius Radio. He’s been lauded by The Chicago Reader as “a master storyteller.” Flannery’s first book, “Places I Can’t Return To” debuted this spring, a compilation of true stories from his podcasts of places he cannot return to, like the McDonald’s Play Center in Berwyn, Comp USA in his native Ohio, and the Social Security Office in Chicago.