Arts & Entertainment
Going for the laughs
Lesbian comedian plays four shows this weekend at Riot Act


Lesbian comedian and actress Erin Foley plays Riot Act Comedy Theatre tonight and Saturday. (Photo by John Skalicky)
Even before 7 a.m., after dropping her girlfriend off at the train station, comedian Erin Foley can elicit a laugh.
“If I have a sentence that is not grammatically correct, if you could make it grammatically correct so I don’t sound like an idiot … if you could make me sound more literate, that would be fantastic,” Foley says, though the suggestion turned out to be unnecessary.
Foley has brought her act to the D.C. area and plays Riot Act Comedy Theatre (801 E St., N.W.) tonight (Friday) and Saturday at 8 and 10:30 p.m.
Foley got into comedy after moving to New York with every intention of going to graduate school to teach.
She did an improv show then stuck around to see the stand-up comics.
“I was in Manhattan and I did some improv at a New York comedy club and then right after the improv shows was all the stand up shows and I had never seen stand up before,” Foley says. “I tried it and it went OK … I could definitely see the potential … I started again and I just didn’t stop.”
Foley covers a little bit of everything in her act from politics to news and just ridiculous things. Nothing is safe.
“After you’ve been doing stand up for a while, you become trained,” she says. “I have a heightened sense of ridiculousness.”
Foley is constantly writing down things she thinks are funny, not always knowing it’ll work, but trying everything anyway.
Audiences are a major part of stand up, if they don’t think something is funny, the joke falls flat, she says. Traveling to different parts of the country is also part of the job and that could cause problems with some jokes.
“I’m a pretty liberal Democrat and I’m gay, so some of that material is not going to work all over our country … we have other things in common,” Foley says. “Coming to a city like D.C., its fantastic, because there’s no editing, I can talk about anything I want, it’s a like-minded crowd.”
She’d also like to travel to London and Australia at some point and spend some time performing over there.
Foley has also done some acting, including a role in “Almost Famous” and a couple short films. Acting is what made her move to Los Angeles.
“You have to be out here for a while. When you move here from Manhattan, you think, ‘Oh it’ll be great, it’ll be seamless,’” Foley says. “You kind of have to almost start over in a way … the last couple of years, there has been more and more opportunities.”
She has also done some TV pilots, commercials and was a semi-finalist on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.”
She definitely has some favorite shows, ranging from FOX’s “New Girl” with Zooey Deschnel to HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” some of which she would definitely like to be on, but really she just wants to work.
“I’d jump into any one of those shows that’s on air,” Foley says, laughing. “I think TV in the last five years has really taken off. I mean, there’s such amazing programs.”
Opening for Foley will be John Betz, Jr. and Will Hessler. Tickets are $20 and available online at riotactcomedy.com.
“I’ve never been at Riot Act … and I’ve heard nothing but good things,” Foley says. “I’m super excited and it’s been … a couple years since I’ve been [to D.C.]”
For more information, visit erinkfoley.com or follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/erinfoleycomic.

The Victory Fund held its National Champagne Brunch at the Ritz-Carlton on Sunday, April 27. Speakers included Tim Gunn, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Gov. Wes Moore (D-Md.), Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

















Music & Concerts
Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’
Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.

Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co.
Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.
For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.

Friday, May 2
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at P.F. Chang’s. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, May 3
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, May 4
“The Chateau Drag Brunch” will be at 12 p.m. at Chicatana. Enjoy fabulous Mexican food and cocktails while being entertained by a rotating cast of the DMV’s best drag performers. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
“The Bubble: Queer Brooklyn Comics in DC” will be at 5 p.m. at As You Are. Queer comedians Charlie Flynn, Evan Lazarus and Keara Sullivan are coming down from NYC for a night of fun as they split an hour of standup comedy. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Monday, May 5
“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Tuesday, May 6
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, May 7
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older queer women can meet and socialize with one another. We will have discussion, activities, and a chance for you to share what you want future events to include. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, May 8
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
South Asian Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The peer support group is an outlet for South Asian-identified LGBTQ individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgment-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. For more details, email [email protected].
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