Grand Rapids smashed the former world record for rubber chicken chucking set last April in a town near Boston. They got 265 people to toss rubber chickens at once. Last night Grand Rapids tossed an impressive 925.
The world record title marked the beginning of LaughFest. An event that'll take over much of Grand Rapids over the next 9 days. Those little yellow smiley faces representing the festival dot billboards, bar windows, churches; people even wear them as lapel pins.
The festival brings several dozen touring comedians into town. The big names are Betty White and Bill Cosby. Their shows, along with at least a dozen others are already sold out. There are at least eight free shows a night and several that are less than $20.
There's another good reason to laugh. This post from the event's webpage sums it up better than I could.
Why Have It? Everyone needs to laugh, especially at the end of winter. There’s more to Gilda’s LaughFest than comedy. It’s a festival with a heart and soul and possibly bad dancing. Proceeds from the event benefit the cancer, grief, and support programs offered through Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids. If there’s one thing Gilda’s Club knows, it’s that life is complicated and sometimes you need to laugh – just for the health of it.
