Humor

Lyon up for comedy at the Aquarium

January 31st, 2018

Grant LyonFargo has its share of people who are passionate about stand-up comedy, even if the success of clubs devoted to it has been mixed. Despite the fact we have seen places like Courtney’s Comedy Club and Level 2 Comedy Club close their doors, our comedy scene keeps going. And that, among other reasons, is why people like LA-based comedian Grant Lyon keep returning to our frozen little corner of the U.S.

“I like Fargo,” said Lyon, who will be headlining a show at the Aquarium. “It’s…

Read more...


​Talking to strangers

April 12th, 2017

“I don’t have a tour, like, on the back of a sweatshirt,” comedian Paula Poundstone says. “I go out every weekend. This weekend I went out Friday, Saturday and Monday. Mostly it’s Friday/Saturday or Thursday through Friday and Saturday and it goes for a lifetime. It’s not just for a month. It’s an ongoing tour.”

The routine may be tedious for some but for Poundstone it’s well worth the hustle and bustle. “It’s healing, both for me and for the audience. I think you…

Read more...


What is acceptable comedy?

November 23rd, 2016

By Bill Lucas

You may wonder about the title. Whenever we hear someone’s opinion I think it is important to know a little about them. We all are offended by many things that are due to our experiences in life. We may be able to sympathize with others, but we cannot empathize with them if we have not walked in their shoes.

Comedy from one person or group towards another is found funny by some and not others. There was a time when Lenny Bruce was vilified because his comedy was filled…

Read more...


​The stranger the better

November 16th, 2016

By Ben Haugmo

benhaugmo@yahoo.com

The Spot Panini and Wine in Fergus Falls will be hosting Aimee Klein and her sketch comedy troupe for a night of outrageous laughs and zany fun this coming Saturday.

The driving force that made the show a reality are the characters Klein has invented. The personalities occupying her thoughts have over time become voices that demand to be heard on stage.

“As far as creating the sketch comedy show,” said Klein, “I guess you could say that the characters…

Read more...


​The LineBenders: 15th Anniversary Show

November 2nd, 2016

I’m going to admit something. I’m a transplant in Fargo, North Dakota, originally from Iowa. I didn’t really know what to expect when I moved here.

Something that continues to surprise me about this city that most people only know from Coen Brothers movies is how much of a burgeoning comedy scene we have here. And perhaps the oldest members of that comedic community are the improvisational comedy troupe LineBenders.

At the very least they are the longest-running professional…

Read more...


​Competing for Chuckles at Level 2

September 14th, 2016

It’s kind of funny how things can come full circle, especially when it involves a comedy club. Around this same time last year I covered Adam Quesnell’s going-away show at the grand opening of the Level 2 Comedy Club at the Radisson. Now I found myself interviewing Zachary Tooker, the manager of the club, about the very first North Dakota Comedy Contest to be held there.

“I’m honestly not sure North Dakota has another comedy contest,” said Tooker, so it may be a first for the…

Read more...


Tracker Pixel for Entry staveq1 Tracker Pixel for Entry Bismarck Tracker Pixel for Entry Empire Tracker Pixel for Entry 7Clans Tracker Pixel for Entry WurstWest Tracker Pixel for Entry Blackbird

Recently in:

By Bryce Vincent Haugen There are three Fargo Park Board seats up for election June 9. Park Board President Vicki Dawson and long-time member Dr. Joe Deutsch announced their reelection bids, but board member Aaron Hill is vacating…

By Michael M. Miller Rev. Salomon Joachim, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Beulah, North Dakota., delivered an address to the Western Conference of the Dakota District of the American Lutheran Church in 1939. His presentation was…

Thursday, April 23, 7 p.m.Fargodome, 1800 University Dr. N, FargoHeralded as "The Nicest Man in Stand-Up" by The Atlantic, Nate Bargatze is also one of the top-grossing comedians, breaking both streaming and attendance records. Now…

By Sabrina Hornung In the last week of March, we heard about an AI education droid visiting the White House as the first lady made a pitch to replace teachers with androids. In an interview with conservative commentator Benny…

By Ed RaymondWhy do women make up only 2% of humans on death row? In the 16th Century, when the Roman Catholic Pope refused to grant Henry VIII of England a divorce so he could marry the beautiful Anne Boleyn, he told the Pope and…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion A brand new food event called the "ONE BITE Challenge" will launch in downtown Fargo on May 23. Rocky Schneider, executive director of the Downtown Community Partnership told us more. HPR: Hi Rocky. Thank you for…

By John ShowalterAs hip-hop started to make its way into the national spotlight in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was largely split into two camps, “East Coast” and “West Coast”. Not content to be left out of a…

By Blaise Balas As many Fargoans will tell you, it is almost vanishingly rare that our town gets any kind of major recognition, let alone placement in a movie. Movies are reserved for New York, Chicago, Boston — you know, the big…

By Sabrina Hornung Something wicked (and wonderful) this way comes to this year’s Plains Art Gala. With the theme being “Nightmare at the Museum,” the Plains Art Museum is partnering up with Drekker and Brewhalla as…

Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Ellie Liverani In November 2025, the FDA initiated the removal of the “black box” warning from Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). The “black box” warning is a FAD safety warning for healthcare providers and patients…

January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…

By Chris M. StonerBryon Noem deserves to feel shame. Not for his bimbofication fetish. As a drag queen for nearly a quarter of a century, I whole-heartedly think people should do more exploration of their gender and sexual…