Naked comedy show in NYC 'a liberating thing'
STORY: Standup comedian Billy Procida has been hosting the monthly shows for over a year at Hacienda, a sex positive community space that hosts events.
Procida said the audience is normally filled with comedy fans, the curious or nudists looking for a space to disrobe socially. However, the main goal of the show is to entertain.
“The nudity only gets you so far because, like the audience, they forget you're naked after the first 30 to 90 seconds…. you can do all the naked riffs you want, but then they will want jokes and I like to think I book good comics who tell good jokes,” said Procida, who has been performing for over 10 years.
For standup comedian Tracy McClendon the shows have served as a self-help method for her esteem.
“Your clothes are kind of how you want people to see you. And the naked show is how you really are,” said McClendon who has performed 3 times.
While the show's concept may seem odd to many, some attendees use it as a chance to stretch their comfort levels personally.
“I remember one guy in the crowd, he said yeah, I just lost 90 pounds over the last year and a half wanted to try like, try showing that - that's powerful. For some people it's being around other bodies that are in various states of undress… Some people say, like, I was really appreciative, I saw so many different types of bodies, and other people were just like - yo, you guys are hilarious! And ultimately, that's what I want,” said Procida.
