Comedians are getting dressed up as heroes and villains to get donations to fight COVID-19.
Like many businesses in North America, comedians are having a hard time finding work. With bars, clubs, and many production studios shut down, there's not a lot for comics to do but sit around at home and make silly YouTube videos.
Which is something, but it doesn't really help the millions of other Americans who are completely out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic. So these comedians are going to help in the best way they can: by dressing up in cosplay and live-streaming a comedy show.
Called Cosplay Comedy Assembles, this livestream event will take place April 25 at 7 PM PST. Starring over 30 comedians from across America, the show will have each of them put on a costume and then perform a routine as that character. As you can see in the promo images, characters can range from classic Marvel heroes and villains to Ash Ketchum from Pokémon.
The show will be livestreamed on Facebook, Zoom, YouTube, and Twitch, but you don't have to wait for the show to start to make a donation. A GoFundMe has already been set up with the goal of making $1,000 for business relief efforts. Proceeds go to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC), which will help comic book retailers make it through these tough times when people are only buying comics online and not in-store.
A portion of the charity funds will also go to the small businesses that host comedy shows, including Black Cat Comics in Burbank and The Museum of Art & Digital Entertainment in Oakland, California.
“These small businesses have always been there for us to support our passions, hobbies, and obsessions,” said Kyle Chrise, creator of Cosplay Comedy. “Not only are they connected to our communities, they play an essential role in our lives. Now, many of their doors have closed. Even though we're in isolation, we can't sit idly by while our friends in these businesses are in need. Not all heroes (or comedians) wear capes, but they will on April 25th.”
So far, Cosplay Comedy has raised $607 towards their goal. With less than a week to go, you can help push them over the top and help pay the rent of a local comic book shop.
Source: Cosplay Comedy