This Sunday afternoon, July 28, a special Ahern’s A-Star Comedy Show promises to be the Cat’s meow as eight up-and-coming young male comedians give an all-female Cougar-licious audience an opportunity to roar with laughter in “Tom Cats.”
While it is open to females of all ages, the comedy event is the brainchild of comedienne Donna Joy and will signify the launch of her own comedy brand called Cougar-licious. Her goal is to get Cougar-licious trademarked as her unique comedy that women can identify with as a sign of their empowerment.
“Cougar-licious is for a woman who stands in her own power, celebrates her divine diva, and enjoys a little eye-candy fun, It’s that little quirky thing that resonates with women. These eight comedians are eye-candy and were all handpicked. They are all clean comics and are really nice guys. We’ve all worked together at a club called Wise Guys, which has two locations, one on Main St. and one in the Arts District, both in downtown Las Vegas. I’m planning on taping this show for You Tube.”
The comedians are Josh Giordano, Evan Connelly, Chris Spring, Jorge Luis, Bill T.C., Matt Andrew, Anwar Green, and Mark Saferin. They vary in age but most are young.
Having moved to Las Vegas from San Diego, like a cat with nine lives, Donna Joy has had many different lives herself. She has a B.A. in Advertising, a Masters in Business, and A Doctorate in Education and worked in all those fields before getting into the comedy realm upon her retirement.
“I always loved stand-up comedy,” Donna Joy enthuses. “I used to go the La Jolla Comedy Club – it was like community theater. I wanted to learn to write comedy and when I moved to Las Vegas in 2018, I was taught by Don Barnhart. I started classes with him and for two years, I trained in all the comedy skill sets. Don told me to write about what I know. Women comics are pretty much an anomaly.”
“I am 71 and was married twice but I’m not good at it,” she continues. “Both marriages totaled 11 years so I’ve been single most of my life. I’m independent and that lends itself to a different type of comedy. Most of the women comediennes in my age group talk about marriage and family. My comedy breaks through the clutter.”
Donna Joy reveals that Joan Rivers was her muse. She admits that comedy is male-dominated and that men have always taken the lead in the profession. She notes that women who have gone against the norm and pushed the envelope used to be frowned upon. But she says that is changing.
“Young female comics put it out there,” she states. “Vulgar stuff comes out of their mouths that I would never think of. They are aggressive, assertive, and not repressed like women were in the past. They are stepping into their own power.”
As for Donna Joy, she doesn’t want to be a road comic, she wants to be an influencer. So watch for her and more Cougar-licious events in Las Vegas to bring more chances for a sweet treat – including eye candy – and a “paws” for fun and laughter.
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