Local comic to target online dating, women's issues in Lakewood Ranch

Considering comedians draw from the weirder and tragic elements of their own lives, East County's Heather Campese said it should be no surprise she has prime-time material.

Consider one of her recent forays into the online dating world.

Campese, who will be appearing June 6 at Gold Coast Eagle Distributing for a benefit show to help Gimme Shelter Pet Adoption, thought she had found a potential keeper. As she said, "He had all the right answers."

But while Campese couldn't quite identify it, she felt something was out of whack.

"Sadly enough, you have to research the (heck) out of everyone," Campese said. "I'm obviously better now at weeding out the bad ones."

Going through public records, Campese found her next date. The month before, he had been arrested and charged with being a pedophile.

"He had gotten caught in an undercover sting," she said. "This one was getting ready to go away to jail. Nothing is going to top this one, not the ones who are 100 pounds heavier or 21 years older."

Campese gave a little laugh, and a sigh. She knows more material might be right around the corner.

The fact she is not alone grows her audience. Campese said she has a strong following of women who say, "I can identify with everything you've said."

"It's just my particular brand," she said. "A lot of my stuff is about middle-aged women's issues, and being single is a total different ballgame."

Campese said those who attend the show will be treated to three very different brands of comedy. Also appearing will be Michael Murillo and Dean Napolitano. Murillo concentrates on his unique outlook on religion and relationships. Napolitano has made over 50 television and movie appearances and brings his take on family life and humor in everyday situations.

It's all to benefit Gimme Shelter Pet Adoption, a nonprofit founded in 2005 by Michelle Sampson and dedicated to rescuing dogs in public shelters that have a high risk of euthanasia.

"I've always been very attached to causes with animals," said Campese, who currently has a rescued dog and cat. "And I know Michelle. She has used thousands of dollars of her own money for the cause."

Campese began her career as a stand-up comedian just over four years ago. But it was like her new profession chose her.

"Like many comedians, my material (at the time) came from tragedy," she said. "I was stood up at my own wedding, only 48 hours earlier. He called it off. He was wooing a lot of women and he got in over his head."

Campese was crushed and she wanted to withdraw. Her girlfriends suggested she write a journal to get the pain out, and then they signed her up for the open mike night at McCurdy's Comedy Theatre in Sarasota. She could really get the pain out.

She had to do a five-minute performance and she had three weeks to prepare It must have went well because from that night, she was signed to do a show at the Regent in Riverview. Her budding career has begun.

"It was like an angry Vagina Monologues," she said of her act. "That first show, I opened for Tim Wilkins and I was scared to death. I thought that would be the end of it. And, oh gosh, I was angry. I was the Lenny Bruce of women. When I look back at it, I cringe."

She said she no longer plays on the angry, spurned lover theme.

"I've long since put that away," she said. "I don't want to go back to that place."

Although she doesn't do a lot of man bashing, she now explores the way men approach women on online dating and about the way social media affects the way people date.

She still draws on tragic elements of her life, such as having her lung removed when she was 23 at a time she was told she had six months to live.

"A lot has happened in my life and you need to find humor in everything," she said. "You can wallow and give up, or you can find humor in it."

She also talks about the aging process and how women need to wear a kevlar suit like Batman when they go on a date.

At 53, Campese said she isn't waiting for the phone to ring with a Netflix special, but she does appreciate that she has a regular booking schedule around Florida. She said booking is a privilege.

She now hopes to branch into a production company that will assist nonprofits in putting together fundraisers, and she would like to write humorous books.

Ringling has hired her to teach an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute class beginning Oct. 1 on humor and adversity.