Worldwide Puns is the producer of the San Francisco comedy staple,
Worldwide Puns is the producer of the San Francisco comedy staple, the Bay Area Pun-Off and the up and coming wordplay phenom, the Los Angeles Pun-Off. A celebration of wordplay, the pun-off brings together a warm and diverse community of pun enthusiasts to celebration what some call the lowest form of humor and the highest form of intelligence. Punslingers battle in lightening fast round-robin heats with iron fisted judging and the first-in-class criteria for what actually passes as a pun. This ain’t your grandma’s pun-show. Or, actually, maybe it’s your grandma’s favorite pun-show.
Interview Q&A
How long have you been in business?
Almost five years!
What is your primary product or service?
The tension is palpable and the groans audible as performers compete for a bespoke trophy and beleaguered bragging rights at the Bay Area Pun-Off. Launched in an Oakland living room in 2016, BAPO, as it’s come to be called by its committed community of die-hard punsters, attracts a diverse and enthusiastic crowd to a virtual miracle of an event: a comedy show made nearly entirely out of improvised puns… and it’s actually good. Helmed by co-producer/emcees Jonah Spear and Carmen Olson, BAPO prides itself on being the warmest crowd in comedy. Its fast-paced, non-stop competitive format is balanced by a friendly audience warm-up and thoughtful prepared 'puntificator' pieces. The judging is iron-fisted and purely objective (Spear and Olson are the objects doing the judging) and the jokes are anything but predictable. Punslingers range from raunchy professional comics to giddy elementary school teachers, nerdy engineers to norm-core dads. The show opens with a call to puns: “How many of you have been punished for wordplay? Who among us have suffered the groans and eye-rolls of their friends and family? Which of you has said, ’no pun intended,’ when, actually… Tonight is for you. We are proud to be the Bay Area’s safe space for wordplay."
How did you first become interested in your line of business? (if owner) - What is your background? (If owner or store manager)
The Bay Area Pun-Off started as a gathering in a living room in Oakland in January, 2016. Over 40 people crammed in for the The First Ever Bay Area Pun-Off (Get Thee to a Punnery)! It went so well that we immediately scheduled a second one, this time at a popular tea spot in San Francisco.
The Bay Area Pun-Off part deux: Get Thee Back to a Punnery! doubled in size from the first!
The Bay Area Pun-Off numero tres: Third Time's a Charm... drew nearly 100 people out to play and the structure of the show, along with some pre-show rituals began to take form.
The Bay Area Pun-Off: 4 the Love of Wordplay! sold out (150 tickets) 8 weeks ahead of time and, as the waitlist grew, we added the Fifth (All Pent Up) - which sold out in just two days!
Now we are proud to call the Haight Street Art Center our home - fully accessible, conveniently located, and big enough for the 200 large that now take part in our show, HSAC also offers rotating exhibits of vintage posters and artworks.
How do you differentiate yourself from other businesses in your category and area?
The main feedback we get, other than, “This was the best night of my entire life…” is that people are surprised by the feeling of camaraderie, community, and joy at this event. We're pretty proud of that and will keep working to make it so.
How many locations do you have and do you have plans to expand?
We're in San Francisco and Los Angeles right now - and once we're up and running in person again, we're aiming at more of the west coast including Seattle, Portland, and San Diego.
Provide detailed directions to your location
The Haight Street Art Center is on Haight Street just up the hill from Market.
What type of payments do you accept?
We accept all forms of payment.
Which areas do you service?
Bay Area and beyond
Who owns your company or runs daily operations?
Worldwide Puns LLC is responsible for the events
What are your hours of operation?
Live events every other month
What is the best compliment anyone can give you?
This is what I've always been looking for.
What is your favorite quote or Bible verse?
Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly.
Edward Albee's "The Zoo Story"