Nick Gossert on Lucha Libre & Laughs, and the connection between comics and wrestlers
The Lucha Libre & Laughs showcase is clearly a labor of love from producer Nick Gossert. Gossert, a filmmaker, comedian, and bumbling referee, is responsible for not only booking the funniest comics in Denver, but also juggling the schedules of all the wrestlers involved, renting the ring itself, and doing the lion’s share of promotion. Despite the challenge of putting it together, and a few minor setbacks, Lucha Libre & Laughs reaches it’s one-year anniversary this month with Laughmania! This month’s event features comedians Deacon Gray, Kevin O’Brien, Kristin Rand, and Chuck Roy, with wrestlers Delta Jr., El Tecolote, Matt Classing, and International Superstar Colt Cabana and running color commentary from Jordan Doll and Nate Balding. In honor of sunday’s special evening of gutbusters and backbreakers, Westword caught up with Gossert to look back on a year of shows, discuss his love of cheesy Lucha movies, and the similarities between comedy and wrestling.
The show is on sunday, May 11th at the Oriental Theater. Doors open at 6:00pm; tickets cost $10 and are available from the Oriental Theater’s website.