Preview: Ministry of Secret Jokes

Little is known about the freemasons. There's quite a bit of speculation and conspiracy theories, but the sect has always been shrouded in mystery. The folks at Ministry of Secret Jokes operate the same way, except that they incorporate stand-up comedy into their ceremonies. Hosted by comedian Doogie Horner, Ministry of Secret Jokes is held upstairs at Fergie's Pub, every last Wednesday of the month. There's no cover, but you must take a solemn oath not to repeat what you have seen.

Anton Shuford, Derek Gaines, and Luke Giordano were among the comedians featured at the last Ministry show. These fellows have all graced the stage at Helium, the Laff House, and just about anywhere else you can perform comedy in the city. But Ministry of Secret jokes is all about blurring the lines between stand-up, sketch comedy, and game shows, and they actually encourage audience participation. The January show featured a special heckling contest called You Suck, where three comedians where intentionally disrupted during their sets by "heckling moles". All the classic heckling styles were represented from the man who asks the comedians questions, to the drunk girl who yells at the stage, and of course, the guy who laughs way too loud at inappropriate points. They also held an Omniana battle, which is a fantasy role-playing card game, where comedian Brendan Kennedy and fictional Fastball Pitcher Bob Guitierrez entered a battle of wits.

The next Ministry of Secret Jokes is happening this Wednesday, and will feature Pat Barker, Steve Odabashian, Amir Golan, and Steve Balbier. If you're looking for a cheap night out and want to catch some of Philly's premier alternative comedians at play, check out next month's show.

Ministry of Secret Jokes
Wednesday, February 25th at 8:00pm
Upstairs at Fergie's Pub, 1214 Sansom Street
Admission is free

Visit Ministryofsecretjokes.com for more info. Photo by Mike Reali.