Comedy crosses party lines to support veteran entrepreneurs
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Sen. Scott Baldwin, Westfield Mayor Scott Willis and Sen. Kyle Walker present "Between Two Corns" at Helium Comedy Club. Photo: Courtesy of Sean Molin
Three local GOP political leaders, two Marine Corps veterans and an Indianapolis mayoral candidate walk into a downtown comedy club.
Why it matters: The punchline to that setup is a unique night out at Helium that allowed Indiana elected officials to show their sillier side in support of the state's veteran and military-connected entrepreneurs.
Driving the news: Axios Indianapolis was in the house Tuesday night for "The Briefing Room," a benefit show hosted by VentureVets in partnership with creative nonprofit Pattern.
- Formally launched in 2022 by Courtney and Nathan Zaugg, VentureVets is an accelerator and early-stage investment fund focused on supporting startups in the construction, property and industrial tech industries.
- Since launching, the organization has supported more than 75 founders who have collectively raised over $18 million in capital.
What they're saying: Courtney Zaugg told the Helium crowd that she and her husband, a USMC veteran, felt compelled to start VentureVets as a grassroots effort in 2017 after facing the difficult realities of his reentry into civilian life.
- "Veterans have always known how to walk into a room and own it, whether that room is a forward operating base, a job site, or a comedy club," she said in a written statement. "The Briefing Room puts our community center stage and invites the people who represent us to sit down, drop the talking points and connect.
- "That is how you build trust, and frankly, it is a lot more fun than another rubber-chicken banquet."
Zoom in: Serving as host for "The Briefing Room" was Indy mayoral candidate Sen. Andrea Hunley (D-Indianapolis), who kicked things off by joking that she was thankful for not being asked to do stand-up during the show.
- "I've been called a lot of things in my life. Funny is not one of them," she said before rolling into a quick welcome that drew repeated bursts of laughter from the crowd.
There were two acts. First, "The Comedy Platoon" saw USMC veterans-turned-stand-up-comics John McCombs and Chris Cline scorch the stage with proper 18+ sets that felt right at home in Helium.
- "Between Two Corns" closed the night. Inspired by "Between Two Ferns," the bit saw Sen. Kyle Walker (R-Lawrence) step into the Zach Galifianakis role while firing deadpan, awkward questions at Sen. Scott Baldwin (R-Noblesville) and Westfield Mayor Scott Willis.
- Baldwin and Willis both served in the Marines.
💠Justin's thought bubble: "The Briefing Room" was a photo- and video-free affair that required everyone to lock their phones away in pouches and live in the moment.
- And as someone who respects the "what happens in the comedy club stays in the comedy club" energy, I won't spill every playful jab thrown among the politicians.
Yes, but: Here are a few takeaways from the show that need to be mentioned:
- Walker stole the show while embracing his inner Galifianakis. He must have been watching game tape, because he nailed the furrowed brow and general look of confusion while never breaking character.
- Willis, meanwhile, was much quicker to giggle. Not quite Jimmy Fallon breaking in every "SNL" skit level, but the fun he was having on stage was evident and palpable.
- Baldwin was game and ready for anything Walker served up, and he even had a few jokes of his own for his fellow Scott. I wouldn't be shocked if he secretly had a whole stand-up set stuffed in his back pocket.
The bottom line: Pattern executive director Polina Osherov summed up the night and its impact best in her pre-show remarks when she said, "At the end of the day, we all need a little bit of a laugh. So let's laugh together."
