The stats are grim.  On a single night more than 550,000 are homeless throughout the United States, nearly 45,000 are homeless in Los Angeles, more than 3,000 are homeless in the San Gabriel Valley, and nearly 650 are homeless in Pasadena.  With numbers like these, it’s easy to see why homelessness is no laughing matter. But Union Station Homeless Services, the San Gabriel Valley’s largest provider of homeless services, is tackling the serious issue with humor during a night of comedy to help those in need.For sixteen years the organization has held it’s “An Evening for the Station” event featuring celebrity actors and musicians like Hector Elizondo and Jeff Goldblum, the Yellow Jackets and many others. This year, the evening will also feature celebrities, but this time they’ll take the stage and perform stand-up comedy, as way of demonstrating that Homeless is No Laughing Matter.

The event takes place Thursday, October 15th at 6:30pm in Pasadena at ArcLight Cinemas in the Paseo Colorado Shopping Center at 300 E. Colorado Blvd.  Organizers expect more than 400 community, business, and civic leaders.  The night of comedy will feature a line-up of comedians seen on HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, and more.  All funds raised will benefit Union Station to help homeless adults and families.

Here’s the list of featured comedians:

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Jonah and Jonah-The-Meltdown_Comedy-293x293Kumail  (Comedy Central’s The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail): Based on the popular live show, The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail features comedy icons and up-and-comers performing in the back of a comic book shop. Jonah Ray is an actor, writer and comedian also known for being one of the co-hosts of The Nerdist Podcast and television show. Kumail Nanjiani has guest-starred in various comedy shows like Portlandia, and more recently is a regular on HBO’s Silicon Valley.

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Matt Braunger (MADtv, Live at Gotham): Matt was recently a series regular on MADtv, his television credits also include The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman, and Live at Gotham. Matt has performed at a variety of prestigious comedy festivals and was recently featured in Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch.”
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Matt Peters
(Showtime’s WEEDS, Netflix’s Orange is the New Black): Matt has been seen on Showtime’s WEEDS, G4TV’s Attack of the Show, and most notably, he has a recurring role on the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated Netflix series, Orange is the New Black. Additionally, he hosts the popular bi-weekly comedy show, BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! that takes place at the infamous R Bar in Los Angeles.

 

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Ron Funches (TBS’s Conan, NBC’s Undateable): Ron has a recurring role on Disney’s Crash and Bernstein, Comedy Central’s Kroll Show and a starring role in NBC’s Undateable.  He performs stand up all over the United States impressing audiences everywhere. Most recently, Ron was named one of the “Best New Comedians” by Esquire Magazine.
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Nikki Glaser (Comedy Central’s @Midnight, MTV’s Nikki & Sara LIVE): Nikki is a comedian, writer, and host whose television appearances have included The Tonight Show, CONAN, and Last Comic Standing. She was the co-host of the MTV late night talk show, Nikki & Sara LIVE. Nikki can currently be seen as a regular contestant on Comedy Central’s @Midnight and will guest star on the upcoming season of Inside Amy Schumer.
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Cameron Esposito
(Put Your Hands Together, Chelsea Lately): Cameron is a fast rising Los Angeles-based standup comic, actor and writer who has been called “the future of comedy” by none other than Jay Leno.  Cameron hosts Put Your Hands Together, has a biweekly column on The AV Club, and has appeared on Late Late with Craig Ferguson, @Midnight, CONAN, and as a regular on Chelsea Lately and TakePartLive among others.

 

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Baron Vaughn (NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Netflix’s Grace and Frankie): Baron is a comedian who has performed on Conan, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson and has had numerous appearances on Comedy Central, most recently in the form of his own “Half Hour” comedy special. Baron has performed in comedy festivals nationwide, TV shows and films and was a series regular on USA’s Fairly Legal (2010-2012). Catch him on the upcoming Netflix Original Series Grace and Frankie starting in May 2015.

Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased at www.unionstationhs.org or (626) 250-4559.  Event sponsorship begins at $500. To become an event or publicity sponsor, call (626) 240-4558.