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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Comedian Rebecca Corry continues fighting for her beloved pit bulls

Rebecca Corry left her home of Kent, in the Seattle suburbs, at age 19, bound for Chicago. She lived for nine years in the Windy City, study writing, acting and improvisation with the famed Second City and other theater companies. She spent 11 months pregnant as the maid of honor in the Chicago production of “Tony and Tina’s Wedding” before returning to the West Coast to pursue a career in Los Angeles.

Since then she’s appeared in movies (“Big Fat Liar”) and on television (“One Big Happy”), been a finalist on “Last Comic Standing” and had her own half-hour special on Comedy Central.

She’s also gained attention in recent days for being one of the comedians quoted in a New York Times article detailing sexual misconduct allegations against Louis C.K. – allegations C.K. later admitted were true. Corry is done answering questions about her interaction with C.K. She’d rather talk about her life as a touring stand-up, and her passion project, Stand Up for Pits, a foundation she formed to end abuse of and discrimination against pit bulls.

Which is what is bringing her back to her home state this weekend. She kicks off a three-night run on Thursday at the Spokane Comedy Club. On Sunday, she’ll host a Stand Up for Pits event at the club, featuring adoptable pit bull “type” dogs – or land hippos, as Corry calls them – a donation drive to benefit the Spokane Humane Society and a silent auction and merchandise sales to benefit the Spokane organizations Rescue4All and Higher Ground Animal Sanctuary. (For a list of suggested donations, visit the Stand Up for Pits Spokane event page on Facebook.)

And there will be comedy, too. Corry took a break from battling sexist trolls on Twitter to answer some questions via email about more pleasant subjects: dogs and jokes.

Q. Let’s talk about your comedy. What I’ve seen of your work is quite brash and seemingly rooted in real life. Has your comedy changed in recent years?

A. My comedy changes daily.

Q. If I’m reading things correctly, you have a new (newish?) act you’ll be doing here in Spokane. What topics do you touch on?

A. I do have a new act. It’s very personal and story driven. Dogs, kids and you’ll need to come see me to know the rest.

Q. You grew up in Kent, outside Seattle. Is that where you first honed your comedy skills?

A. I studied comedy and started in Chicago.

Q. What do you find funny these days? Or who?

A. Not much.

Q. You’ve done a lot of television in your career. Do you prefer acting, writing or stand up?

A. I love it all. All very different but love it all.

Q. Your Sunday show is a “Stand Up for Pits” benefit show. How will that show be different than a regular Rebecca Corry set?

A. Usually is. Every show in every city is never the same. Just depends on what I’m feeling at the time.

Q. You were inspired to help pit bulls after adopting Angel, who had been horribly abused early in her life. What is it about her, and pit bulls in general, do you think people should know?

A. That they are born inherently good and are the most loving, kind and hilarious beings on Earth and we should do everything we can to respect and protect them from our species.

Q. You’re teaming up with three local rescues, the Spokane Humane Society, Rescue 4 All and Higher Ground Animal Sanctuary, as part of the Stand Up for Pits program Sunday. There will be dogs available for adoption, as well as a donation drive and silent auction. Is this something you try to do in most of the cities you visit?

A. I do it this way in every city. It helps the local groups and shelter animals. It’s not always easy but when they follow the format of how things need to be, it is extremely successful and saves lives.

Q. Other celebrities have joined the fight against pit bull discrimination, including Kaley Cuoco and Patrick Stewart. Do you feel like you’re making progress?

A. I believe every life saved and every human mind educated is progress, however there is an enormous amount of work that needs to be done.

Q. It doesn’t look like you’ve performed here before, at least not in recent years. Are you looking forward to exploring the east side of your home state?

A. There is nowhere I’d rather be than Spokane on Nov. 19 saving the most precious dogs on the planet.