For one night on one stage, five women will be revealing their best assets with the sole intention of pleasing the audience. The dream comes true at Dayton’s Funny Bone on January 23rd as a line up of female comedians will have their best material on display and bring the crowd to their knees with laughter. Though their backgrounds and styles vary, Linda Gambino, Yvette Weems, Joanne Viskup, Joanne Augenstein and Angie Montgomery all share in the mission of solidifying the position of women in comedy.

Before getting involved in stand-up last year Gambino hadn’t stepped foot into a comedy club since 1989. While it is a male dominated industry she is more than willing to be part of the movement for more of an equal playing field. “It is harder for women in some respects, such as, ‘Oh you’re a chick…here comes the childbirth and poopie diaper jokes.’ So, if you want to compete ‘with the boys’ and actually earn a living in comedy clubs, you better have smart humor that doesn’t just talk about reproducing. Or how good you are in bed,” Gambino said.

For her material Gambino digs into her own personal life and the odd situations she has found herself in. Rather than crying over the hard knocks endured in her life, such as being diagnosed with cancer at 34, divorcing and remarrying her ex-husband twice and having three obnoxious daughters, Gambino finds solace in laughter.

Gambino’s first time on stage was in March of 2006 after completing a six week stand-up comedy class at the Newport Funny Bone. Success came early as in June she was voted the Funniest Person in Cincinnati winning a three month competition at the Go Bananas Comedy Club. Once she steps on stage the apparent gentle nature of Gambino is deceiving as her routine has a heavy edge. “It’s in your face and definitely not for sissies or the politically correct. I have a look about me that says, prim, prissy and a bit uptight, but my act completely contradicts my outwards appearance.”

Gambino’s life has become fully consumed with comedy as she is always working on some aspect of her act; it’s a healthy drug that keeps her energized. And the pleasure received from the audience provides the greatest of highs. “I love making people laugh. I’m an attention whore and a narcissist. That statement also means I’m honest. So I guess I’m an honest narcissist,” Gambino said.

It’s the pleasing sound of laughter that Joanne Viskup also enjoys most about her journey into stand-up. Though alone on stage, a favorable response from the crowd gives an overwhelming amount of comforting support. “To think that something that came from my head, on to paper and through my mouth can make someone laugh is great,” Viskup said.

Always a story teller, the audience of Viskup’s humorous tales has expanded from the dinner table to a room full of attendants at comedy clubs. After seeing comedian Kathy Griffin perform at the Schuster Center followed by the encouragement of her Bunko (a dice game) friends to put her laugh inducing talents to work, Viskup stepped up for an open mic night at Jokers in August of 2006, which has since become the Funny Bone.

“I’m Italian and from Brooklyn; I have to be funny,” Viskup said. The material for Viskup’s act comes from her own life experiences and views, such as coming from Brooklyn to Tipp City. A devoted wife of 17 years and a mother of two children, Viskup is thankful for the endless support of her family. If not for her husband, Frank, taking care of things at home on the nights she performs she wouldn’t be able to do what she does.

Viskup’s routine is rated PG and doesn’t see the need for four letter words to be funny. Anyone associated with Viskup is likely to have her latest joke tried on them, but used most often are her Bunko friends and members of the PTA. “If you have ears I’ll test it on you,” she said. In only one year, Viskup has gone from a weekly performer on open-mic nights to be emcee and opener for some headliners. The future is uncertain, all that’s known is Viskup’s delight comes from pleasing the audience. I’m just on a ride, I don’t know where it’s going but I will keep at it as long as its fun,” she said.

A doctor in comedy, Yvette Weems deals out many doses of laughter as a cure to any ailment. “When you are coming to a comedy show your doctor will love you for it because it’s a healthy thing to laugh.” Weems has treated many patients through her career in stand-up, as in October of 2007 she won the Funniest Person Contest at Dayton’s Funny Bone and was named the Funniest Female in Cleveland, 2004.

A class clown in school, Weems first time on stage in front of a large crowd was during a school talent show where she imitated all her teachers much to the delight of the other students. “I love comedy in all aspects from shows, movies, stand ups, all aspects,” Weems said. More than just words, Weems also gets physical to produce laughs, including imitations and facial expressions. “I am an action comedienne, I don’t stay in one place but I act out most of my jokes and stories.”

For four years, Weems has been doing stand–up, consistently for the last two years and there is nothing else she would rather be doing. She relishes the chance to speak on topics relative to the audience and say what they want to for them. Credit for Weems material goes to a higher power. “God gives me material, sometimes it just comes out of nowhere and I can’t explain it so that is how I know it is a higher power because I get the material from life experiences, friends, family, all of God’s creation gives me material,” she said. Weems would like to further her career by getting into acting with television or movies. “The sky’s the limit with what I want for the future, I’m just following the funny comedy path to success.” The path is already rising as Weems recently finished filming the movie ‘Never going to give him up’ which will be released in February.

For more on Gambino, check out: www.lindagambino.com or www.myspace.com/lindagambino, Joanne Viskup at: www.thegirloutofbrooklyn.blogspot.com, Yvette Weems at: www.myspace.com/yvette2funny. See these comics, plus Angie Montgomery and Joanne Augenstein at the Funny Bone, located at The Greene in Dayton on January 23rd. Call 429-LAFF for reservations. Tickets are $10 or $5 with a canned good for the Artemis Center’s food pantry. The proceeds will go towards helping the Center provide free services to victims of domestic abuse. The Funny Bone and the performers feel it’s important to give more to the community than just an evening of laughs.