Not OK? That’s OK. Mental Health Comedy Hour brings laughter and healing

On a recent Friday night at All Out Comedy Theater in Uptown, comedians Wonder Dave and Kristee Ono wandered about the stage telling stories of troubled minds. The stories — and minds — were their own, and involved things that people usually hide behind the curtain: confrontations with demonic, pre-sober selves, nomadic journeys into family trauma, the slow burn of relentless overwork. 

The mantra, repeated throughout the night: “We are not OK, and that’s OK.”

On the second Friday of each month, the Mental Health Comedy Hour gives comedians a chance to share their personal experiences with mental health, and use zest and jest to make conditions like depression and anxiety more relatable. Each month, the comedians turn the stage into a playful game of mental “Operation,” inviting the audience to explore their own minds with surgical care — and laughter — as they joke about the absurdity of human existence. 

Mental Health Comedy Hour
When: 8 p.m., second Friday of the month, next one on Dec. 13
Where: All Out Comedy Theater, 2550 Telegraph Ave.
Cost: $15 online or $18 at the door, $8 online for students or $10 at the door
More info: alloutcomedytheater.com

Comedian Wonder Dave, wearing a candy-striped shirt, described the Mental Health Comedy Hour as “a stand-up comedy show with the feel of a late-night talk show and a mental health theme.” In the show, comedians share their mental health experiences, interview professionals, and discuss mental health news. “It’s a lot of comedy and mental health is what it is,” he said.

Ono explained that the show was created to bring mental health issues to center stage and ensure they get the thoughtful attention they deserve, rather than being treated as a punchline.

“Conversations around mental health can be serious and heavy, so it’s important to show the full experience,” Ono said. “Some things I’ve experienced, like being in the depths of depression, are absurd. You have to laugh — it makes the topic easier to discuss and more humanizing.”

At last month’s show, self-deprecating jokes from the comedians mingled with the audience’s chuckles, all cocooned within the velvety folds of the stage curtain. After their sets, comedians would relax on the couch while the hosts interviewed them about their mental health journeys. Niki Khanna, a licensed marriage and family therapist and the night’s featured mental health professional, also took the stage to share insights, noting that, “there is a lot of laughter, even in the dark stuff.”

“Laughter helps people relax, find camaraderie, and normalizes talking about difficult or taboo topics. It also relieves anxiety and tension, making it easier to talk about serious issues,” Khanna said after the set. “It lets people create distance from what they’re going through, allowing them to process it at their own pace.”

Roman Rimer, a returning attendee, described comedy and storytelling as a way to disarm serious issues like mental health. That’s especially important in Oakland, he added, where “mental health care isn’t always accessible.”

Donning pink furry cat ears at the October show, Missy McCall has been a loyal attendee since the show’s inception in 2019. Despite moving from Oakland to Sacramento, she commutes two hours each way to attend monthly. McCall, who has complex PTSD, autism, and ADHD, says the Comedy Hour takes away the stigma and loneliness that can fester outside of the limelight.

“Comedy is tragedy plus time, and being able to make jokes helps us process deeply traumatic things. I always leave feeling a little lighter,” McCall said. “Seeing these comedians be so vulnerable is connective — it helps me feel more seen. Talking about mental health in this city and having that vulnerability celebrated is a really beautiful thing.”

(Top photo: Therapist Niki Khanna takes part in the show. All photos by Richard H. Grant)

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