Been a while since you’ve had a good laugh? Need to take your mind off the daily horror show of 2020? Can’t get to your favorite entertainment venue because said horror show closed it? There’s a Zoom for that. Get ready to laugh your anxiety off at On the Spot Comedy’s Fundraiser, Match Game: Zoom Edition! on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

You’ve seen these jokers, On the Spot Comedy, at their usual monthly gig in pre-Covid times at the Arcata Theatre Lounge. (No? Well, one day, when this all goes away, “like a miracle,” treat yourself.) It’s good, clean (rated ages 10+) improvisational comedy. As their slogan goes, “You say it, we play it.” And they do a bang-up job of it.

What’s the fundraiser?

The good folks at On the Spot Comedy want to lend a helping hand to their pals at Savage Henry Comedy Club. While the comedians at On the Spot are unaffiliated with Savage Henry, they sympathize with what Humboldt County’s comedy headquarters is going through during the pandemic. The club is doing weekly drive-thru comedy shows where patrons pull around back, tune to a radio station and listen to a live performance from within the club for Venmo donations, but it’s not the same. Times are tight.

“We all want to pitch in to hold the line for the comedy community in Humboldt,” OTS member and event organizer Steve Nystrom said. “We are all friends and fellows of the local comedy scene, and want to help them hold onto the North Coast's only clubhouse for comedy.”

What can Zoom attendees expect?

“The centerpiece of the show is going to be our version of the classic TV game show, The Match Game, bounded by two or three improv games that are tailored to work in a Zoom format,” Nystrom says. “All of the above will include audience participation, including the game show contestants.”

Sounds cool. And that’s not just six months of lockdown talking.

Who’s on the docket? Most of the OTS regulars will be there (plus some veteran faces you haven’t seen in a while). Daniel Amaral, Clint Florka, James Schaeffer, Matt Redbeard, Hadi Adina and Steve Nystrom. The evening’s host is local theater teacher and actor David Hamilton.

How much? A mere $5 (or more if you’re feeling it). Get the Zoom link at www.facebook.com/events/1298786027119672.

Here are the latest instructions from On The Spot’s Facebook event page:

“The show starts at 7 pm Pacific, sharp! However, because of Zoom security measures, we have to admit everyone manually once you click the link, and this can take some time. Please be patient and don't exit the link prior to being admitted.
We will begin admitting people at 6:15 pm Pacific. Please click the link as soon after this as possible to avoid logjams and lengthy wait times. Once you're in you can just leave it up on your screen and go do something else until showtime.”