Itâs a well-known fact that things get worse before they get better: break-ups, acne, and (hopefully) the United States of America. Sometimes you have to weather a storm before skipping off into the sunsetâand thatâs the prospect currently facing Minority Retort, Portlandâs only comedy showcase highlighting people of color and minorities.
After receiving backlash following public allegations of sexual assault against a now-ousted former host, a new and improved Minority Retort returns this month. Moving forward, Minority Retort will be hosted by Jason Lamb and fellow comedians Julia Ramos and Neeraj Srinivasan at its new venue, the Siren Theater.
This monthâs show will feature stand-up from Pedro Andrade, Chris Johnson, and Marcus Coleman, who last year was selected by the Mercury as one of Portlandâs Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy. The headliner is none other than the fabulous Debbie Wooten, a 61-year-old comedian and motivational speaker with a knack for storytelling. I saw Wooten perform at Minority Retort a few months ago, and remember her comedy feeling like listening to your auntie spit truth to the kidsâ table at Thanksgiving. Wooten has a beautiful way of pulling laughter from her own experiences of overcoming adversity (like being born with spina bifida, or contracting polio when she was five months old) and poking fun at things that she doesnât understandâlike Portlanders who consider themselves âparentsâ to their dog âchildren.â
In an industry dominated by white menâand in a city known as Americaâs whitestâMinority Retort has been a haven for women, queer, and POC comedians. And with the recent changes in place, it looks like it will only continue to get better.