Saturday, November 17, 2007

End of SC.n coverage of SICC28.

A decision has been made to end our independent coverage of the 28th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition. There are simply too many reports to try to catch up and post in any timely fashion and less time to accomplish that task than expected.

There continue to be concerns regarding the content included in our coverage and rather than try to walk through that minefield with every report, it seems safer and more productive to stay out of the minefield entirely.

We encourage you to continue following the progress of the competition at the OFFICIAL SICC WEBSITE and we will continue to post images from every step of the competition on the SEATTLECOMEDY.NET'S FLICKR page.

It is also likely that all of the blog entries below regarding the competition will be taken off the web within the week, so cut & paste your favorite parts while you can. :)

Thanks,
pg

SICC: Semi-Finals Week--Scoring Analysis

I know you haven't gotten much in the way of written reviews from our nightly coverage of the 28th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition here on SeattleComedy.net. The demands of my role in helping the production of this competition, the sheer Sisyphean task of physically getting to each of the venues and back, as well as some personal issues have kept me from publishing the reviews of each night's show, based on the notes I'm taking, for too long now.

I will get around to publishing all of those notes when I can--but I can appreciate how frustrating it might have been for those of you trying to follow the competition through our reports.

That said, there have been concerns raised by some about the kind of coverage that HAS been offered here--be it complaints about the thoroughness and editorial nature of the nightly reviews that have been posted, or discomfort with the statistical breakdowns that I personally think are valid and important pieces of information to share with a knowledgeable readership--such as you are and we have.

At some point, I don't think I would have posted anything unless I could stand beside it--but, at the same time, I am sensitive to the concerns being raised. It makes absolutely no sense for SeattleComedy.net to cover this event as and adversary of either the participants or the producers of the competition--and I hope that everyone knows that I have always tried to be as fair and as accurate as I could ever hope to be in generating these reports.

This mea culpa is important, because one of the most popular elements of our coverage of the competition is our scoring analysis going into the last night of the competition--and that is one of the elements that has generated some concern by some. Again, I feel justified in presenting the level of coverage that we have given and would like to continue to give--however, I am also sensitive to the concerns of those who feel that their concerns are as legitimate as my justifications.


So...

In this post, I'm going to try to give a scoring analysis for this Semi-Finals Week of the 28th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition without posting the actual scoring elements--so, unfortunately, you won't be able to follow my math at home...

Hopefully this will be enough of a compromise to please those with concerns and those who look forward to knowing how dramatic the final night of the week will be in advance...

Wish me luck in trying to make myself clear.

Going into the last night of the week, each of the ten performers has already earned five scores from the five shows that they've already done. Since the final rankings are based on taking the performers' five best scores, we can directly analyze what a performer's minimum score would be (which would mean their current five night score--as if they score below what is currently their drop score, they would then keep their current drop score and drop that new low score...thus, their current score is the MINIMUM score they could possibly achieve) AND we can directly analyze what a performer's maximum score would be (which would mean that they would take first place in the 6th show, thus replacing their current drop score with an 11.00 score.)

In order to determine a performer's highest possible placement AND their lowest possible placement, one simply has to compare a performer's highest possible score against the lowest possible scores of their competitors to get the performer's highest possible placement AND to compare the performer's lowest possible score against the highest possible scores of their competitors to get the lowest possible placement.

In between those two extremes are scores where improving upon one's current drop score is the most important factor. A performer with a low drop score might find it easier to improve their position than a performer with a higher drop score--even if that performer currently has more points after that drop score has been taken out of the picture.

That's the basis for the following analysis. I can only ask you to trust me that my math is accurate here--and, as a reminder, I should point out that this analysis is based on unofficial scores going into the last night of the competition...and nothing, especially the unsanctioned statistical analysis found on this website, is official until final determination by the Official Scorekeeper of the competition.

Going into Semi-Finals Week-Show Six at the Lucky Eagle in Rochester:

1) Marcus is locked into the finals. His minimum score is so high that no one can even bump him out of first place for the week.
2) Tony Boswell is locked into the finals. He could hold onto 2nd place for the week or he could drop as low as 4th place--but no lower, thus, he's in the finals.

NO ONE ELSE IS A LOCK TO MAKE THE FINALS.

That means three spots are up for grabs in the sixth and final show of this semi-finals week.

3) Key Lewis is currently in third place for the week. Key started out slowly, but he's gotten a better score than the last every show this week. Due to a very low drop score, his minimum score for the week is low enough that if everyone gets low scores, he'd be on the outside looking in. That also means he has great room to improve upon his score, if he scores above his low drop score. Key could displace Tony out of 2nd place or he could fall as low as 8th place for the week. Key could absolutely guarantee himself a spot in the finals by scoring a 10.08 in Rochester--and if he did that, then no one could bump him out of the top 5 for the week. Lower than that, and he may need some help to move on.

4) Andy Peters is currently in fourth place for the week. However, his drop score is pretty high, and that means he's actually in a stronger position for making the finals than any of the other performers scrambling for those three open slots. It does, of course, mean that he'd have to knock it out of the park to improve upon his current score. Andy could place as high as 2nd place for the week but he could find himself just missing the finals by placing as low as 6th. In order to absolutely guarantee himself a spot in the finals, Andy would need to score a 10.37--then he'd be completely safe. As it is, a night of low scores across the board would leave him in good standing.

5) Geoff Lott has parlayed his win in Show Five into the fifth place spot going into the final night of the semi-finals. Strangely, if neither Geoff nor Key would improve upon their current drop score, Geoff would go ahead of Key by one-hundredth of a point--which might mean the difference between moving on in the competition and going home. Geoff can score as high as 3rd place, but he could also stumble and finish as low as 8th. For Geoff to absolutely guarantee a spot in the finals, he'd need to pull a 10.80 in Rochester.

6) Currently on the outside and looking in is Leif Skyving. Leif could finish as high as 3rd place or as low as 8th--but there's no score that he could get for himself to automatically make the finals. He'll have to do well and those above and around him--at least one or two, anyway--must falter, a bit. Like Key Lewis, however, Leif's scores have improved every night of this week. It should also be pointed out that Leif's minimum score is higher than both Geoff Lott and Key Lewis--so, he may be hoping for a night of stingy judges.

7) Ruben Barron is currently listed in seventh place. If my calculations are correct, Ruben could end up in 3rd place for the week...or fall all the way down to 8th place, depending on how the scores on the last night go. He both needs to do well and have others not do so well.

8) Allyson Smith is also sticking around and in strong contention for moving on in this competition, but, stumbles in the two recent shows at The Skagit put her in a precarious position. A good score in the last night and stumbles by her peers could sneak her into the finals in either 4th or 5th place. Another major stumble and she could actually end up in dead last for the week.

Unfortunately, that's the end of the competitors in consideration for moving on to the finals.

9) By winning the last show of the week, Andy Haynes could jump up, only, to 7th place overall (so, sadly, no miracle finish for Andy this time.) He could also finish last--depending on where the scores fall.

10) And Kyle Harbert, the top finisher from Preliminary Week One, suffered through an illness all week and never regained his form in the Semi-Finals Week. Kyle could climb his way to 7th place, like Andy Haynes....and he could also stay in the cellar.

As always, this analysis is independent of the official competition output and is based on unofficial scores. Your mileage may vary.

If no one improves upon their current drop score, the Top 5 would be: Marcus, Tony Boswell, Andy Peters, Leif Skyving and Geoff Lott.

If everyone tied for first place, the Top 5 would be: Marcus, Tony Boswell, Key Lewis, Andy Peters and Geoff Lott.

Of course, rarely does it work out that everyone either scores well or poorly...so, expect a lot of movement and maybe even a few shocks when the numbers from Rochester are all added together and finalists are named.

Hopefully, you'll have found the above scoring analysis useful...and nonthreatening.

pg

SICC: Semi-Finals Week--Night Five

The 28th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition
Semi-Finals Week--Night Five
November 16, 2007
Laughs Comedy Spot, Kirkland



(THIS REPORT WILL BE POSTED IN SECTIONS. YOU COULD CONTINUE TO READ BELOW TO SEE WHO THE TOP FIVE PERFORMERS WERE FOR THIS NIGHT.)

And, the top five for the night are...???


Fifth place--Leif Skyving
.

Fourth place--Tony Boswell.

Third place--Key Lewis.

Second place--Marcus.

...and, the top performer for the night...

First place--Geoff Lott.


(L-R: Geoff Lott, John McClellan, Leif Skyving, Tony Boswell, Marcus, Key Lewis.)


NEXT
SHOW: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 17th, Semi-Finals Week-Show Six...the show that will determine who will move on to the finals and who goes home...takes place at the Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester at 8pm.

LINKS:
SEE PHOTOS FROM THE ACTION AT SEATTLECOMEDY.NET'S FLICKR
OR GO TO THE OFFICIAL SICC WEBSITE

Friday, November 16, 2007

SICC: Semi-Finals Week--Night Four

The 28th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition
Semi-Finals Week--Night Four
November 15, 2007 (9:30pm show)
Pacific Showroom @ The Skagit Valley Casino Resort, Bow



(THIS REPORT WILL BE POSTED IN SECTIONS. YOU COULD CONTINUE TO READ BELOW TO SEE WHO THE TOP FIVE PERFORMERS WERE FOR THIS NIGHT.)

And, the top five for the night are...???


Fifth place--Ruben Barron
.

Fourth place--Leif Skyving

Third place--Key Lewis.

Second place (tie)--Tony Boswell & Andy Peters.

...and, the top performer for the night...

First place--Marcus.



(L-R: John McClellan, Ruben Barron, Andy Peters, Key Lewis, Marcus, Leif Skyving, Tony Boswell.)


NEXT
SHOW: FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16th, Semi-Finals Week-Show Five takes place at Laughs Comedy Spot in Kirkland. Show time is 8pm.

LINKS:
SEE PHOTOS FROM THE ACTION AT SEATTLECOMEDY.NET'S FLICKR
OR GO TO THE OFFICIAL SICC WEBSITE

SICC: Semi-Finals Week--Night Three

The 28th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition
Semi-Finals Week--Night Three
November 15, 2007 (6:30pm show)
Pacific Showroom @ The Skagit Valley Casino Resort, Bow



(THIS REPORT WILL BE POSTED IN SECTIONS. YOU COULD CONTINUE TO READ BELOW TO SEE WHO THE TOP FIVE PERFORMERS WERE FOR THIS NIGHT.)

And, the top five for the night are...???


Fifth place--Leif Skyving
.

Fourth place (tie)--Key Lewis and Ruben Barron

Third place--Tony Boswell.

Second place--Marcus.

...and, the top performer for the night...

First place--Andy Peters.


(L-R: John McClellan, Ruben Barron, Andy Peters, Key Lewis, Marcus, Leif Skyving, Tony Boswell.)


LINKS:
SEE PHOTOS FROM THE ACTION AT SEATTLECOMEDY.NET'S FLICKR
OR GO TO THE OFFICIAL SICC WEBSITE


Thursday, November 15, 2007

SICC: Semi-Finals Week--Night Two

The 28th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition
Semi-Finals Week--Night Two
November 14, 2007
Liberty Theater, Puyallup



(THIS REPORT WILL BE POSTED IN SECTIONS. YOU COULD CONTINUE TO READ BELOW TO SEE WHO THE TOP FIVE PERFORMERS WERE FOR THIS NIGHT.)

And, the top five for the night are...???


Fifth place--Andy Peters
.

Fourth place--Key Lewis.

Third place--Geoff Lott.

Second place--Tony Boswell.

...and, the top performer for the night...

First place--Marcus.



(L-R: Andy Peters, Key Lewis, John McClellan, Marcus, Geoff Lott, Tony Boswell.)


NEXT
SHOWS: THURSDAY NOVEMBER 15th, Semi-Finals Week-Show Three takes place at the Skagit Valley Casino in Bow at 6pm. Show Four takes place at the same venue on the same night at 9:30pm.

LINKS:
SEE PHOTOS FROM THE ACTION AT SEATTLECOMEDY.NET'S FLICKR
OR GO TO THE OFFICIAL SICC WEBSITE

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

SICC: Semi-Finals Week--Night One

The 28th Annual Seattle International Comedy Competition
Semi-Finals Week--Night One
November 13, 2007
Reid Campus Center, Whitman College, Walla Walla



(THIS REPORT WILL BE POSTED IN SECTIONS. YOU COULD CONTINUE TO READ BELOW TO SEE WHO THE TOP FIVE PERFORMERS WERE FOR THIS NIGHT.)

And, the top five for the night are...???


Fifth place--Andy Peters
.

Fourth place--Ruben Barron.

Third place--Tony Boswell.

Second place--Allyson Smith.

...and, the top performer for the night...

First place--Marcus.


(L-R: John McClellan, Ruben Barron, Andy Peters, Marcus, Tony Boswell, Allyson Smith.)

Oooooooh, the top five for this first night of the semi-finals ended up being the five competitors who all survived Preliminary Week Two... What does THAT mean???

NEXT
SHOW: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 14th, Semi-Finals Week-Show Two takes place at the Liberty Theater in Puyallup. Showtime is 8pm.

LINKS:
SEE PHOTOS FROM THE ACTION AT SEATTLECOMEDY.NET'S FLICKR
OR GO TO THE OFFICIAL SICC WEBSITE