Queer comedians take the stage at Greenwich Village Comedy Club in NYC

GREENWICH VILLAGE, Manhattan (PIX11) — Have you ever been to a queer comedy show? For the gay comedians performing, it’s not only a chance to be themselves in a safe space and try out new material, but also a healing catharsis and a path to queer liberation.

As part of PIX11’s continued focus on Pride Month, PIX11’s Magee Hickey visited a weekly queer comedy show in the heart of Greenwich Village.

“Where are my queer people? I’m queer,” Sheria Mattis, a queer comedian, told the audience. “I don’t say gay because that gives my mother false hope,” she added with a smile, and the audience laughed.

Eleven comedians, all queer, stand behind the microphones every Wednesday night at the Greenwich Village Comedy Club and give seven-minute shows. In the fall, the best of the best will compete at the New York Queer Comedy Festival, founded by Drew Tessier in 2017.

“The New York Queer Comedy Festival provides an opportunity for all these weirdos from all over who have moved to New York and share a common dream to perform, find each other and perform for our own community,” Tessier said.

The Queer Comedy Show is hosted by queer comedian Bobby Hankinson on the third Wednesday of the month. He said it provides a safe space for queer comedians to try new material, be themselves and not always try to fit into the world of straight stand-up comedy.

“They stopped trying to fit into the world of comedy and created a whole different niche that you can now see on SNL,” Hankinson said.

The crowd is often a mix of gay and straight people. Organizers say straight comedians often come along to support the band and catch up on new, risqué material. Occasionally, a comedian’s proud mother will even show up.

Tina Montana supported her son Marcus, who grew up in Moorestown in South Jersey.

“It was hard growing up there,” Montana told the audience. “You had to drive all the way to Philadelphia to find a gay bar.”

Afterwards, Montana and his mother told PIX11 how important this queer comedy show is to them.

“It helps me be an authentic person and connect with the queer community as someone who is sometimes a little distant,” said Marcus Montana.

His mother agreed.

“Marcus is a funny guy. He wants to perform for people and make them laugh,” said Tina Montana. “It doesn’t matter if it’s queer or not. Here today, everyone is who they are. Love is love. I’m all for it.”

The Queer Comedy Festival takes place in September.