Laughter at the Falls, being No. 4, Depot love

Tampa columnist HOOPER E-mail: Click here Archive

Keith Harris and partner Grady Morrell saw the success a comedy promoter was having in central Ohio and decided to make the same attempt in Tampa.

Now their company, Kayla Productions, brings comedy acts to the Falls in New Tampa every Saturday night at 9:30. Harris says everyone who comes has a good time, but getting everyone to come has been a little more difficult than what the folks in Columbus and Cleveland experienced.

"The competition for entertainment is a lot less in Ohio because in Florida there are more casual alternatives," said Harris, a Tampa native. "In Tampa, people like to club hop. They might go to Ybor and go to 12 different clubs.

"Generally speaking, people in Ohio make going to a comedy show an event. It's too cold to go to 12 different clubs."

Harris remains undaunted. Last week, Tampa native Happy Cole was the headliner at The Falls. This week it's up-and-comer Spanky Brown.

Although the Improv and Sidesplitters top the list of comedy venues, Harris says comedy remains relatively new to the market when compared to all the places encouraging people to dance the night away.

"No one is going to come to a comedy show every single weekend, but if we can get the word out and get the buzz going, we think we can get enough people to come once a month and make it work," Harris said.

Former Philadelphia mayor Wilson Goode called Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Tampa Bay Monday to confirm his appearance at the group's annual volunteer appreciation banquet on Sept. 25 at the A La Carte Pavilion.

And I'm glad he called before Monday night. There's no telling how he would have felt about coming to Tampa after the Bucs drubbed the Eagles, 17-0.

Goode will detail a new program he has started to help children whose parents are in jail. For information about tickets to the banquet, call 287-2210.

Abe Brown Prison Ministries has been doing its part to help children whose mothers have been imprisoned. The ministry uses technology that allows mothers to video conference with their children.

The USF Office of Community Relations presented the 2003 Award for Non-Profit Innovation and a $1,000 grant to Brown this week for his work with the mothers.

I guess University of Florida fans should be happy about Gainesville being ranked No. 4 among the nation's best college sports towns by Sports Illustrated On Campus. But the tag line on the entry about the home of the Gators appears to have been written by a Seminole.

If Gainesville were a celebrity it would be Brittany Murphy - pretty and a little debauched, but smarter than you think.

Is that a compliment?

Comedian Guy Torry says single women have gone from looking for men in bars to looking for men at Home Depot. I guess bachelorettes are putting a premium on being handy around the house, thus reaffirming how lucky I am to already have a wife.

In my world, the International House of Pancakes has it all over Home Depot, and the next time I fix something other than my belt, it will be the first time.

I would sign up for one of those classes designed to teach women home improvement techniques, but I haven't seen a course called "This Is A Hammer."

So where does this leave my wife? Well, we can't all be lucky, now can we?

Don't worry, she has long since recognized her husband's ineptitude and proudly wears the title of Mrs. Fix-It in the Hooper household. I have no shame.

That's all I'm saying.

- Ernest Hooper can be reached at 813 226-3406 or Hooper@sptimes.com

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