Crowdsourced Comedy: The Queer Community Teaches Good Laughs

In 2015, Salt Lake City was introduced to Crowdsourced Comedy, a diverse comedy troupe birthed from within the queer community. In a broad overview, Crowdsourced Comedy is composed of a 30-to-40-member cast who provide stand-up comedy for hire, weekly shows, stand-up workshops and improv workshops. Executive Producer and Co-owner Craig Sorensen puts the company goal simply: “We wanted to find a place to promote women, people of color and, of course, the queer community … [people] that don’t get opportunities other places.” Sorenson has extensive, nationwide experience in comedy performance and chose Salt Lake City as Crowdsourced Comedy’s headquarters.   

Two components speak to the success of Crowdsourced Comedy. First, they operate under an ethos of “no punching down.” As Sorenson puts it, “people should avoid going after a group or type of person that is disenfranchised and shouldn’t take cheap shots at what they represent or who they are.” Second, there has been growth among their comics, both cast and students alike, on account of their diversity. Students and crowds are provided with a wide range of cultural, sexual, religious and queer topics from people within those communities. Crowds simply won’t  hear jokes on topics the comedians aren’t personally experienced with.

“We’re pulling from reality, and having a diverse group of people on stage gives you a diverse set of stories,” Cactus explains.

Crowdsourced Comedy offers a variety of classes, including one that focuses on overcoming social anxiety, curated by licensed therapist John Robbins and Sorenson himself. It is offered on Tuesday nights from 6pm – 7:30pm and runs four weeks at a time. Sorenson states that it has turned into a life skills class promoted by students from Improv 101. The students’ most common reflection was overcoming social anxiety and building confidence. “I call it the awkward class… we teach improv principles to apply to moments of social awkwardness,” states Sorenson. It is not unheard of for students to work their way through classes and end up with the skillset to become cast members. Roughly 80% of the current cast followed this route!

OG cast member Kit Cactus, with Sorenson’s guidance, has taken advantage of the resources provided by Crowdsourced Comedy from the very beginning. Cactus sights the wisdom of Marshall McLuhan—“Art is anything you can get away with.” Cactushas learned the art of comedy without being offensive, learning what will get good laughs and what will keep giggling butts in seats. “Comedy can be compassionate, and I think that some people don’t get that,” says Cactus. They also comment often on the diversity component mentioned above. “We’re pulling from reality, and having a diverse group of people on stage gives you a diverse set of stories,” Cactus explains. This is a primary component that allows comedians to get away with art.

“People should avoid going after a group or type of person that is disenfranchised and shouldn’t take cheap shots at what they represent or who they are,” says Sorenson.

The oddities that someone might think would coincide with a SLC comedy fan base are minimal. It is largely non-LDS or even formerly LDS. Though “the elephant in the room,” as Cactus puts it, does show its face through the experiences of cast and students when they have something personal to add to a story, the overall feeling is of healthy conversation, growth, confidence and a lot of laughing. “Any time you put an ultimate voice up… someone who is female identifying, gay, a person of color, etc., you’re already one step ahead in comedy. [The] straight white males’ game,” Sorenson says.

The current growth focus for Crowdsourced Comedy is to acquire a permanent venue of their own. The easiest way to give support is to come see a show. Tickets range from $5-$15 when purchased online making for an inexpensive and entertaining Friday night. For further information on scheduling, classes, and shows visit crowdsourcedlive.com, @crowdsourcedcomedy on Instagram or head to a live show at Why Kiki at 69 W 100 S. 

Read more about the SLC comedy community here:
Wise Gays: Scott Fillmore and Queer Comedy in SLC
Abi Harrison: Standup Comedy and Fresh Pineapple