
For Armani Alexander, junior, wrestling feels like a second home.
“Everyone on my team has each other’s backs, and the sport is a stress reliever for me,” Alexander said.
But, Alexander said the wrestling program needs more funding.
“Especially because sometimes, our parents and coaches have to pitch in to provide for different wrestlers on the team,” Alexander said.
The wrestling program is hosting a comedy fundraiser starring Greg Warren on Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the theater.
Kelsey Starr, assistant wrestling coach, said they got the idea for a comedy fundraiser during a coaches bonding night at the Funny Bone comedy club where they saw Greg Warren perform on Nov. 7.
“He puts on shows at the Funny Bone, but he also has a Hulu special and he’s on YouTube, so he’s actually a pretty famous comedian,” Starr said.
Greg Warren has one hundred-seventeen thousand Instagram followers, and it costs around twenty to thirty thousand dollars to book him, according to the All American Speakers Bureau.
Starr said Chip Allison, wrestling coach, is good friends with Warren and made the event possible.
Through advertising on ParentSquare, social media, fliers and word of mouth, Starr said 100 tickets have been sold so far. She hopes they sell 100 more before the event.
Starr said the purchase of new singlets and warm-up uniforms has caused this year’s wrestling budget to be low, and the program is trying to gain some money back. Funds from the event will go toward new uniforms, mats or anything else the program may need in the future.
“We don’t currently have a plan for what we need, but it is super duper important that we have that surplus,” Starr said.
The event is estimated to run for an hour and a half, with regular tickets priced at $20 and VIP front row seat tickets priced at $30. The Marquette Parent Organization and local businesses will also be holding raffles during the event.
Starr said along with Greg Warren, Rob Durham, language arts teacher, will be headlining.
Durham has been in the comedy business for 25 years, starting from his days as a doorman at the Columbus Funny Bone club in his college years when he attended their open mic night.
“I felt like I was good at it, and I liked the creativity in it,” Durham said.
Durham said he has interacted with Warren since his college years as Warren had performed at the Columbus Funny Bone club.
Since moving to St. Louis in 2005, Durham said he has worked with Warren more during the St. Louis Funny Bone’s Tuesday open mic night. Warren has mentored him in how to alter jokes, business and the writing process.
Durham said he wants to help the wrestling program and he wants to support his students who are on the team, many of whom are excited to see him in his other career. He said his jokes are all prepared, and he will choose from his “squeaky clean” jokes since students will be attending.
“Anytime I can do comedy for charity, it feels good,” Durham said.
Aref Azizi, sophomore, is on the varsity boys team and said the additional funds would be useful in potentially buying more mats to expand their training ground so the team isn’t limited on space.
“I feel like it has not very negatively affected us, but it would definitely be an advantage,” Azizi said.
Azizi said he has never seen Greg Warren’s performances or attended a comedy show, so he is excited for their performances and to fundraise for his team.
“I believe it’s a good way to help the wrestling program and get it started and just support it in general,” Azizi said.