Best of the Boston Comedy Festival

A mixture of witty “A-list material” and his ability to work off-script has earned Jim McCue the title “Boston’s King of Crowd Work!” It’s not only his height of six foot six that makes Jim stand head and shoulders above club comedians of the “stick-to-the-script” variety. Jim blends thought-provoking material and uncanny improv skills with a style that encourages audience participation. No two shows are ever the same!

Jim McCue went viral this year with his DryBar special “nothing personal” which has had over 3 million views.  He has been featured on Comedy Central, Comcast Comedy Spotlight, NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” RedEye on Fox news, Live at Gotham AXS TV and “Roughing It”on NESN in his native New England. Jim also founded and currently runs The Boston Comedy Festival. He works in top comedy clubs in Boston, Las Vegas, New York, Dublin, Montreal and Edinburgh.

Since 2000 Jim has also entertained U.S. troops at more than 100 bases around the world. An account of his experiences performing for the troops has recently been published in Embedded Comedian which Jim describes as a “field manual for comedians in a war zone.”

With his unique act, Jim keeps the audience on its toes. Volleying between set material and working the crowd, Jim cracks jokes with amazing timing and whip-like precision. A unique blend that is sure to leave the audience roaring with laughter!

Tony V started his stand-up comedy career in 1982 after attending several shows at Boston’s prestigious Comedy Connection. He wandered in one night, quite by accident, looking for a little stress relief from a high pressure job as a case worker at the Somerville Mental Health Center. Tony was working his way toward a Master’s degree in social work having graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a B. S. in Psychology. It was not long after that he took to the stage himself. Tony’s street wise humor tempered with a genuine feel for the human condition quickly propelled him to headliner status on the national comedy club circuit.

In 1986 Tony V was named “Funniest Person in Massachusetts” by Showtime television. He followed this achievement with several performances on HBO, the Arts and Entertainment Network, Comedy Central and MTV. From 1987 through 1992 Tony V became the “spokesperson” for American Tourister Luggage. Remember the suit case smashing gorilla? It was Tony that gave the ape it’s distinct voice and temperament. Touring extensively in and out of his high tech forty-five thousand dollar yak hair gorilla suit, both Tony and his alter ego had many interesting adventures. If you get a chance ask Tony about a meeting between The Gorilla, Spuds MacKenzie and Ronald McDonald. You won’t believe your mind.

Network television was next on the list for this Boston native. Spending time in New York and L. A. paid off with multiple highly acclaimed appearances on Late Night w/ Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central’s Tough Crowd w/ Colin Quinn and several sit-coms including Seinfeld, Boston Common, The Single Guy and Dr. Katz Professional Therapist. Having proven himself a solid comic actor Tony then tackled dramatic roles on television working with such notable actors as Eric Roberts, Ice T and James McDaniels from NYPD Blue.

Tony’s big screen outings include State and Main, Celtic Pride, Housesitter, One Crazy Summer and Shakes the Clown as well as the independently produced By the Sea and Abracadabra. Tony has also produced and written on several shows for network and production companies.

He is no stranger to benefits and fund raisers performing at functions for The American Cancer Society, Children's Hospital, The Boston Food Bank and many other charitable organizations. His corporate shows include Citizens Bank, The North East Lumber Association, Stop & Shop, American Express Corp. and Staples.

Along with being a popular headliner at clubs and colleges all over the free world, Tony V has worked with Jay Leno, Dennis Miller, Bobcat Goldthwait, Steven Wright, Adam Sandler and countless other friends and nationally known acts. Tony has opened for Kenny Rogers, The Temptations, Billy Ray Cyrus, The Beach Boys and Joan Jett.

Tony also really believes that this is enough of a Bio and if you’re not convinced or impressed by now nothing is going to change your mind. So thanks for reading this far and good luck in all you endeavors.

Erin Maguire is a New York City based stand-up comic, actor, writer, podcast host, and all-around good time gal. She's been seen on Gotham Live, ESPN, and the Game Show Network. Erin has written for the Comedy Central Roast, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and created The Seinfeld Board Game and content for the Netflix board game with Spinmaster Games. Her comedy advice podcast, Dear Pod, has been featured on Apple's Top100 Comedy Pods and she has been featured at the Woodstock Comedy Festival, Women in Comedy, Laugh Your Asheville Off, and the prestigious Lucille Ball Comedy Festival for the grand opening of the National Comedy Center.

Bronx-born Bethany Van Delft moved to Boston with her Marxist Dutch dad, black Puerto Rican mother and siblings, where she learned being called “zebra” did NOT mean she was weird but cool. At “19” she went to Paris to model, got kicked out, and ended up in Milan where she spent Sundays sitting on the ground in front of Duomo, eating gelato and speaking Spanglish with an Italian accent.

Bethany Van Delft’s “hip & grounded, laid back delivery” has earned her the honor of performing at the prestigious Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal, SF Sketchfest, All Jane Festival, Boston Calling, and made her a go to opener for some of her faves such as Phoebe Robinson, Michelle Buteau, Michael Che, Rob Delaney and Alonzo Bodden. She produces award winning comedy and storytelling shows in her home base of Boston; her series "38/7%" at the Women in Comedy Festival earned sponsorship from HBO; her monthly show “Artisanal Comedy” was named “one of the top indie nights to check out”; the hilariously cringeworthy live storytelling show/podcast she co-produced with Nick Chambers “Starstruck: Close Encounters of the Awkward Kind” was awarded Boston’s Best Comedy Show. In 2019 she was named Boston Magazine “Best Comic”, and her debut comedy album “Im Not a Llama” dropped Dec 2019 to good reviews and an impressive number of minutes at #2 on the iTunes charts.

She is a regular host for The Moth StorySlams & GrandSlams, her own Moth mainstage story, "Light & Hope", sharing her post partem experience after her oldest child garnered 15 million views. She is thrilled to have the story included in The MOTH's 2nd book "All These Wonders" and possibly just as thrilled to have had it re-posted by SULU! (aka George Takei) #ogtrekkie

Bethany is a fierce advocate for her daughter who was born with down syndrome. She's completed leadership and advocacy trainings through Mass Families Organizing for Change; Interaction Institute for Social Change; Federation for Children with Special Needs Parent Consultant Institute, which also honored her with the 2017 Patricia Blake Parent Advocacy Award, given to an individual who exemplifies the belief in the potential of all children with disabilities to achieve. She delivers keynotes emphasizing the importance of storytelling in family engagement and advocacy at conferences across the country. She really enjoys emceeing for Best Buddies International gala and other prestigious fundraising events, where she merrily coerces the rich to give their money to much deserving socially conscious organizations and non-profits.

Her latest projects include hosting iHeart Radio's kids news podcast, The Ten News, and co-hosting the digital series by NOVA/PBS "PARENTALOGIC" along side Dr. Alok Patel.

She manages to do these things while somehow keeping her kids and husband alive, and not very unhappy. She also bakes pretty good.