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Every year, we worry about our Funniest Five poll.
This is the fifth installment of our annual survey, in which we ask local comedians and industry insiders to pick the city's five funniest people. This year, more than 100 people voted, everyone from barbacks at comedy clubs to former winners who are now on TV.
We used to fret we'd run out of talent. But now, we're done worrying. As Funniest Five V proves, Portland has established itself as one of the nation's great comedy scenes.
The results of this year's poll show a wide range of talent; they also show that our past concern about the frequency with which Portland comedians leave town for New York or LA isn't something to worry about. It's now clear that this outflux of comedians isn't a liability, it's one of our assets—Portland is where people can get their feet wet before going to bigger markets.
If there's a downside to Portland comedy, it's the vastness. To guide you through the sprawl, we've put together a list of the best new showcases run by Portland comedians. Almost every night of the week, you can see great performers working in the corner of a bar, at a comedy club or at a downtown men's boutique.
When we first started Funniest Five in 2013, Portland comedy was growing into what it is today. Now, some of our previous winners have gone on to release comedy albums, found their own showcases and even perform on Conan. So we decided to check in with all 20 of our former winners.
The comedians now coming into their own have little relationship to those who won our poll a half-decade ago. We don't know if they can match the success of people like Amy Miller and Shane Torres, but they certainly have the talent. Let's meet them.
GO: WW's Funniest Five showcase, hosted by Adam Pasi, is at the Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta St. 7 pm Tuesday, Nov. 28. $10.
No. 1: JoAnn Schinderle | No. 2: Milan Patel | No. 3: Tim Ledwith | No. 4: Becky Braunstein | No. 5: Marcus Coleman
Where Are They Now?: We Checked In With All Of Our Past Funniest Five Winners
