They crack wise, they spend the taxpayers’ money and this September they’ll compete again for the title of Funniest Fed.
The five-week contest among federal employees who fancy themselves funny will return to the Arlington Cinema n’ Drafthouse this fall, after a successful debut in 2007.
Founder Naomi Johnson says 34 applicants already have signed on, and she said she hoped this year’s contest would be even more popular than the first.
In 2007, comedy veteran and Federal Aviation Administration engineer Freddi Vernell took first prize. Her success led to numerous local media appearances, a holiday segment for BET and a finals appearance in the Black Bay Area Comedy Competition in Oakland, Calif.
As the reigning champ, Vernell is ineligible, but some of her rivals will be back again this year trying to take it to the next level, including finalist Joey Maranto from the Treasury Department and semifinalist Shahryar Rizvi of the Census Bureau.
