Atlanta comics take home top prizes at Skull Fest

?The 6th Annual Laughing Skull Festival wrapped up this past weekend. From the 400-plus comedians who submitted, 72 were invited to Atlanta for the five-day competition. While the last show of the fest was Sunday, Saturday was the big night. The panel of judges which included, Paul Provenza, Michael Cox, Dan Pasternack, Jeff Singer, Reg Tigerman, Peter Rosegarten, and Lizz Winstead, narrowed down the field to just eight finalists who would go on to compete at the finale at the Improv.
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?Before the finale, ten comics advanced to the semis while another ten advanced to a wild-card round, including local comedians Greg Behrens and Dulce Sloan. Sloan ended up winning the wild-card round to advance to the finals alongside New York’s Robby Slowik, Matt McClowry, former ATLien Gilbert Lawand, L.A.'s Trenton Davis, San Francisco’s Trevor Hill, Chicagoan Jeff Scheen, and fellow Atlanta comic Rob Haze.
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?Every comic performed a set to be proud of, particularly Sloan, Haze, Scheen, McClowry, and Lawand. While the judges went away to make their final decisions the audience got to enjoy another set by the great Jarrod Harris who closed out a number of Skull Fest shows that week. Nearing 1 a.m., the judges returned to their seats and festival director Marshall Chiles took the stage to announce the four winners, all of whom would take home a monetary prize with fourth place being awarded $200, third place with $300, second place with $500, and the first place winner taking home $1000.
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?Fourth Place went to McClowry. Davis’s name was called next, winning third place. Then in second place, Sloan. The room erupted particularly loudly in cheers as the Atlanta comic took the stage. This was the second year in a row that an Atlanta comic came in second. Last year, Caleb Synan finished second which, at the time, was the furthest a local had gone in Skull Fest … until now. The room quieted down only to erupt into booming applause and cheers again Haze was named the first place winner. Haze was my pick from the start to win the whole thing, and he so rightly deserved it. Haze and Sloan were clearly the crowd favorites that night.
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?Both winners shared their reactions with CL:
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?? “Winning feels bugged out. I am still in disbelief. Comedy is subjective and there were so many funny people this weekend. There have been so many funny people from Atlanta to do Skull Fest. It's just timing. I just got in it at the right time. The judges were all from out of town, so my only real advantage was comfort. It was a great experience and I met some funny people from all over. I am so happy that I got to do it again, and the contacts I received were invaluable. I would suggest it to comics in the future." — Rob Haze??
??? “It's hard to find the words to explain how I feel. Skull Fest was my first competition festival and to come in second place is amazing. Over 400 comics applied, 72 were chosen to compete and I am a finalist?! I am still wrapping my head around that. I had the opportunity to spend four days with some of the best comics in the country and we all rooted for each other. The amount of support I got from the Atlanta comedy community is what helped me the most. Comics offered me spots so I could work my festival material, helped me decide which jokes to tell, and on the days of the competition, they came out to support all the Atlanta comics in the festival. So to win as a local means that I was able to show my comedy family that all the love and support they gave me has paid off. The work that has gone into developing the Atlanta comedy scene and Skull Fest is best represented by hometown comics winning the top spots. The people of this city and my fellow local comedians made me the comic I am today." — Dulce Sloan
? ??Let's hope the streak of local success carries over to next year, at the 7th Annual Laughing Skull Comedy Festival.