Local Entrepreneur Brings Laughs to Seniors

Several years ago, Fountain Valley resident Bonnie Barchichat took her then 88-year-old mother out to a comedy club for a few laughs. There was only one problem: Her mother didn't laugh.

"It was pretty sad because you want your mother to laugh when she's out on the town with you," Barchichat said. "It stuck with me."

The experience stuck with Barchichat for a long time, until one day, during a three-hour car ride into the desert, she decided that 25 years in publishing was long enough and set out to produce and promote comedy shows for seniors.

"Everybody forgets about seniors," Barchichat said. "They need to laugh too. They just need age-appropriate humor that will make them laugh. A lot of people are living longer, and they need a lot more things to laugh about."

Senior Comedy Afternoons have been in full swing for about a year now, and Barchichat is in the process of putting together her 12th show, which will be on Mother's Day at Tapas in Newport Beach. Each show has a theme and includes lunch and the comedy show for one price.

The comedians for Barchichat's shows are all over 50, and are often discovered through open auditions. Among her stable of comics is a senior dating specialist, and other topics include grandparenting and the ever-changing health care system. Barchichat does her share of work in front of the curtain as well, opening and closing each show with a musical number, and handing out props and prizes to the crowd.

"I'm using all my skills as a promoter to reach out to seniors, and I'm using my skills as a singer and performer to have fun with this and to challenge myself every time to go out on stage and open the show and close the show," she said. "So I'm pushing myself to be a performer and a producer."