Comedy Club Owner Vows to Jump In Ocean Everyday Until Clubs Re-Open
300 days in, the cold isn't stopping him from raising money for out-of-work comedians, performers, and artists.
BOSTON, Feb. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 1st of last year Norm Laviolette, a Massachusetts-based comedy club owner, vowed to jump into the ocean every day until his venues re-open. February 25th marks 300 days in a row Norm has jumped into the ocean or some other outdoor body of water. "I've made terrible choices in my life, and this is one of them," Laviolette says, only half-joking.
"My daughter challenged me to jump in the ocean by our house on May 1st. It was cold but I thought, "Hey, why not do this every day, raise awareness for my clubs, Improv Asylum and Laugh Boston, and give me a little routine. I then made the pronouncement that I would do it every day until the clubs re-open and make it a fundraiser for out-of-work actors and artists through our non-profit, never imagining it would go past 100 days, at best. I am an idiot".
"People can donate money and suggest a costume or theme or shout-out. So far I have dunked dressed as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a giant Tampon, Indiana Jones, and Superman Jumping off a bridge.
While people thought he would stop, and even encouraged him to do so, once the winter months hit, Norm just keeps plunging. "I take it one day at a time. It's like my own weird self-help program. In December I didn't worry about January, I just think about dunking today."
While Norm readily admits that dunking in the ocean when there are ice flows nearby is unpleasant, he is somewhat philosophical about it all. "I figure, If you make a point of doing something on the hardest days, then it makes all the other days feel a little bit easier".
Norm has raised over $5000 for artists so far. "For a lot of people, the only thing getting them through the pandemic are tv shows, music, and movies -- all created by artists. Art and music and comedy and drama… they're literally getting us through this nightmare. And so many creative people are out of work and will be for the foreseeable future, I just figured I do a little something to help out."
With no timeline for when his clubs can re-open, Norm plans on continuing the dunking. "I'll just keep dunking. It's not really that big of a deal. And it should start to warm back up a bit in March so there's that to look forward to… I'm just lying to myself at this point. It's still freezing and just like everyone else, I can't wait for things to reopen."
For more information or to make a donation, visit www.improvasylum.com/norest.
Follow Norm's dunk's online on Instagram, @beyond_the_norm_and.
ABOUT NO REST
No Rest For The Wicked Funny Foundation, Inc is the incorporated 501(c)3 public charity branch of Improv Asylum. The organization's mission is to improve the community by using the art of comedy, partnering with other non-profit organizations to raise money for those who need it most. As of March 15, 2020, donations to NRWF, Inc. will go towards providing relief to comedians and actors that have lost wages due to state-wide Coronavirus-related shutdowns. Find out more information at norestfoundation.org or make a donation here.
SOURCE Improv Asylum
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