Getting up to Funny Business

Members of the business community are swapping the meetings for the microphone at the first ever Comedy Souper Bowl.

Part of Hull Comedy Festival, brave individuals will each have a five-minute set in which to make their peers laugh, guffaw and chuckle. Funds raised will go to the Smile Foundation, supporting the Hull Memory Clinic, Hornsea Inshore Rescue and Sunshine House in 2011.

The full line-up includes some of Hull and East Yorkshire’s well-known business figures:

• Graham Jenkinson, Managing Director of Jenko Designs
• Graham Boanas, Managing Director of West 1
• Sam Whitaker, General Manager of Hull Esteem Consortium
• Gary Major, New Media Manager at H&H Agency
• Paul Hazel, Director of the Hypnotherapy Clinic
• Rob Penrose, Managing Partner of Andrew Jackson
• Steve Marsden, Managing Director of the Gargleblasters
• Rich Quelch, Marketing Manager of eskimosoup
• Colin Hart, Financial Controller of KMS Facilities Group

Rob Penrose, managing partner at Hull law firm Andrew Jackson, said:

"I am very keen to help the Smile Foundation in its work in supporting local Hull and East Riding charities. I am absolutely hopeless at telling jokes,and always forget the punch line. Doing something like this is completely outside my comfort zone, but it gives me a great opportunity to share my hopeless joke-telling abilities with many others. Why should I suffer in silence?"

Organiser John Gilbert, Marketing Director of eskimosoup, added:

“I think that the frightening reality is starting to set in now for some of the contestants. The thing is that they can only succeed; we are all going to raise money for a great cause and everyone wants to see these guys do well. Hopefully this will become an annual event and maybe next year we’ll get some ladies entering!”

The live final takes place from 7.30pm until 11pm on Friday 11^th November at Brantingham Park, Elloughton. Anyone is welcome to attend and show their support. Entry is free, though the Smile Foundation will be collecting donations on the night.