MaxFunCon

I just got this email, and with permission of the author, I'd like to share it with you.

Jesse,

I know what you're thinking - why is a Canadian writing me at 4 am? And why is she so baked? The real answer to these questions of yours, is that I just want to say thank you. And I'm sorry this email is so long (and baked). But I promise it is sincere.

I went to the first MaxFunCon, and it sounds ridiculous to say it, but that shit changed my life.

As  someone who was just dipping my toes into comedy it was so amazing to meet you and do the Judge John Hodgman segment with my buddy Joe and to hang out in the mountains with the funniest and nicest people alive. Those workshops! Those shows! Everything. To this day I have comedy nerds come up and tell me how jealous they are that I was there. It's like my Woodstock.

After MaxFunCon, I got my act together and started performing shows like crazy. Something about that weekend just put a spark in me, gave me the drive to push myself farther than I had imagined. I had to that point essentially been taking improv classes and watching a lot of shows here in Toronto. And of course, listing to comedy podcasts more than actually doing comedy.

I am now performing improv several times a week, coaching improv student teams and doing sketch and stand up. My all-female improv group Bea Arthur just won the Toronto Cagematch competition - I literally just deposited a thousand dollars in prize money into an ATM while accompanied by a group of hilarious babes dressed up like 1950s greasers.

I'm really looking forward to MaxFunCon next year, and I just want to say thank you.
Thank you.

Catherine

Mark your calendar.

MaxFunCon 2011: June 10th through 12th.

"Burger Baroness" has written a charming recap of her MaxFunCon activities over on FriesWithThatShake.net.

If you wrote something on your blog, or talked about the Con on your podcast, or have a sweet project, email me - jesse at maximumfun.org so we can share it here.

Cartoonist Steve Wolfhard created this lovely piece to celebrate MaxFunCon 2010.  You can get a museum-grade giclee print from the MaxFunStore for only $12.  Proceeds benefit MaximumFun.org.

How wonderful is this??

By Steve Wolfhard

The brilliant gentlemen of You Look Nice Today have released their MaxFunCon show, The Magic Number.

If you subscribe to the Never Not Funny Primo edition (only $20!), you not only get the next six months of full-length Pardcasts, you also get (bonus) the NNF episode taped at MaxFunCon.

Meanwhile, Jordan and I have just released the video version of our Jordan, Jesse, Go! show, featuring Maria Bamford, John Hodgman and Spiderman.

JJGo! At MaxFunCon from Jesse Thorn on Vimeo.

MaxFunCon is a weekend of entertainment and learning in Lake Arrowhead, California.  Performers and presenters in 2010 include Andrew W.K., Jad Abumrad, Marc Maron, Maria Bamford, Al Madrigal, The Monsters of Podcasting, Rifftrax, Jimmy Pardo, Kasper Hauser, Jonathan Coulton, John Hodgman and many more.  What happens there?  Click here for more information.

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Due to a logistical problem, we don't have access to a building we thought we'd have access to. The folks at Lake Arrowhead are being really awesome about it, and have helped us secure some overflow sleeping quarters at another, very similar center 5 miles away.

I need a few people (about 10% of the total) to volunteer to sleep there. Nothing else would change, other than where you slept, and you'd get a private room rather than a mostly-private condolet.

If you're willing to do this, I'll also throw in a Sound of Young America rocket shirt.

If you'd like to volunteer, email me at jesse@maximumfun.org ASAP.

Weather in the Spring in Lake Arrowhead can vary widely. Please pay attention to the weather when packing - and remember that there are outdoor activities in the evening, so bring something cozy so you can focus on laughing and not on frozen extremities!

You can find current weather forecasts at http://bit.ly/maxfunconweather.