Jeff Gerbino: Loons on the Lake Comedy Festival

Comedian Jeff Gerbino

JEFF GERBINO moved from New York to Minneapolis, MN. in the 1970’s. The reason for the move was common among young men of the ’70’s: love of a woman. He also had a love for comedy. The love of a woman provided a 29 year marriage and two children. The love of comedy provided the spark to a new, national comedy industry that was still a laugh embryo.

When a small bar in Nordeast Minneapolis advertised a comedy contest, Jeff was the first to sign up for the event. When the event was over he convinced the bar owner to let him do weekly shows in the blue collar room. Comedian Scott Hansen helped Jeff build a show.After a few months comedians starting burrowing their way out of the paneled walls of the dingy nightclub. The St. Paul Pioneer Press called Jeff the “founding father” of the Twin Cities comedy scene as Mickey Finn’s quickly became “the place to be” on Friday and Saturday nights.Jeff moved to L.A. and won the L.A. Professional Comedians Contest, appeared on HBO, Showtime, NBC.CBS and was a featured performer on Air America.