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STAND-UP FOR COMEDY: Best Date Night Ever

For information about upcoming shows: 
www.licomedy.com
by Jude Treder-Wolff, LCSW, RMT, CGP
     Romance and dating have been transformed by our brave, new technology-rich world, the wonders of which make it possible to meet, get to know, fall in love, shop for a ring and get some counseling without ever meeting in person. Lonely after a break-up? There is now help available 24/7, something unprecedented in human history. And until the credit cards are maxed out it feels like those people at Home Shopping really care about our problems. But love for actual, irreplaceable, humans will forever fill our hearts and empty our bank accounts. Care and feeding of relationships remains an important priority and this requires more face time and less facebook. We seek the bonding experience but in the Iphone Age we need it quickly. As it turns out, one of the most immediate and irresistible bonding experiences we can share is laughter, what comic and classical pianist Victor Borge called “the shortest distance between two people.”

     Comic Paul Anthony, host of the Long Island Comedy Festival, offers a “top five” out of many reasons comedy shows are perfect for dates at any point on the romance-o-meter:
1. Most comedy shows are about 90 minutes in length - perfect for allowing a couple time to have a drink or bite to eat before or after a performance. And if the date is not going well, 90 minutes is a minimal commitment.
2. Sharing of laughter is a great way to relax and get to know someone. A comedy show is an unscripted, spontaneous way to discover whether two people laugh at or "get" the same things.
3. A good sense of humor is still listed as a very desirable trait in a partner. What better way to test your new friend's sense of humor than at a great comedy show?
4. Comedy show audiences tend to be noisy, which allows for a great low-pressure atmosphere where you can speak freely without worrying that everyone is listening to your conversation.
5. Most comedy shows will feature a diverse line-up of comedians. It's a sure bet that the topic of relationships will be talked and joked about.
    The Long Island Comedy Festival has a full and expanding calendar of upcoming shows in a variety of venues in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties, featuring a roster of talent active in the New York comedy scene as well as national headliners. 
     Local, live events like this that support the creative community are opportunities for real- (and quality)-time, pressure-free for couples that can be a source of privately-shared, special memories. Then you can both go home and post about it on facebook.

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