Comedians rally in support of mental health programs for fellow comedians

RESEDA, Calif. -- The Brody Stevens Festival of Friendship, or Brodyfest, began as an annual tribute to comedian Brody Stevens who lost his life by suicide. The festival has grown to include a walk, comedy show at the Comedy Store, and a comedian versus comedian softball game in support of Comedy Gives Back.

"Comedy Gives Back started as a non-profit in 2019. When we lost Brody, we said we can't lose another comedian. We came together and said we're going to support stand-up comedians," said Zoe Friedman, co-founder of Comedy Gives Back which provides a safety net for the comedy community by providing financial crisis relief, mental health and chemical dependency treatment.

"This is a very dark career to get into," said comedian Felipe Esparza. "A lot of us need someone to talk to. Some of us need a hug."

"Brody was just a true one-of-a-kind," said comedian and TV host Ben Gleib, who was a close friend of Brody Stevens. "He would be touched. He would be so happy to know that we will never let his memory be forgotten."

For more information, go to: https://www.comedygivesback.com/