San Francisco comedy competition returns to MontBleu Resort at Lake Tahoe

STATELINE, LAKE TAHOE — If you find the man's got you down, no worries. You can handle it. You always do.

But if the man's got your brother's wife's sister's cousin down, well, you're a special case. You're definitely in need of a few beers and some whack-a-doodle pearls.

Well prepare yourself because MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa at Lake Tahoe has the non-sensical, sensical prescription that allows you to lose your senses, let it go and laugh at the absurdity. And it all happens this Saturday with the 35th annual San Francisco International Comedy Festival.

Prepare yourself for some side-splitting laughter, vein-popping hilarity, and oxygen deprivation during the preliminary round of this favorite International Comedy Festival that has a leg-stop at Lake Tahoe and is hosted by MontBleu Resort.

Tahoe’s elimination competition on Saturday will feature a dozen finalists who make it through qualifying rounds of hundreds this week at various Northern California venues. Comics have 5-7 minute to woo the audience and judges. The final round of competition is Oct. 3-9.

Contestants from past years include Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, Dane Cook, Dana Carvey, Roseanne Barr, Mark Curry and represent the pedigree of hot, national comedy club talent.

Karen Rontowski, an upbeat, granola-esque comedian is the evening’s host. Described as a “New Age Hippie,” her experience has earned headliner billing worldwide opening for legends such as Bob Hope and Ray Charles. Rontowski has toured throughout the US, Canada, Japan, Greenland and Europe in addition to entertaining troops overseas. She was on David Brenner’s “What’s so Funny,” the TBS Comedy Festival and is working on a feature television show, Karen’s Supernatural Junkyard.

Tickets are $25 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com or the MontBleu box office at (800) 648-3353.

In addition to the 1,400-seat MontBleu Theatre, the property has two other entertainment venues: “blu nightclub” bringing cool party action to the hottest night with state of the art lighting and sound systems. Live grooves and unique cocktails are mixed nightly at Opal Ultra Lounge; offering a chic, swanky ambiance.

Options for a pre or post show meal at MontBleu include Ciera Steak + Chop House, Café del Soul, the buffet, MontBleu Café or the Zone with fine cuisine at Tahoe’s only four-diamond restaurant, Mediterranean fare, coffee, deli sandwich, a late night buffet extravaganza, or a quick bite in the Zone Sports Book.

For real time updates on lodging packages, events, activities, accommodations, showroom entertainment and what’s happening at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa is on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MontBleuResort and on Facebook. For information about MontBleu Resort call (800) 829-7630, or visit www.montbleuresort.com.

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About MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa
MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa appeals to both the traditional gamer and the late-night club-hopper with its stylish sophistication and attractive, metro-cool atmosphere to create a complete casino-resort experience. The 440-room MontBleu features distinct restaurants and chic nightlife venues, in addition to a newly-remodeled, 40,000 square-foot casino, spa and a new poker room. MontBleu is owned by Tropicana Casino & Resorts. For more information, visit www.montbleuresort.com.