'It's Always Punny in Philadelphia' delivers laughs, one-liners and plenty of groans

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A new comedy scene is taking root in the Delaware Valley. The latest "It's Always Punny in Philadelphia" comedy tournament was held at Helium Comedy Club in Philadelphia.

It's a place where budding wordsmiths, pun aficionados and fans of dad humor converge, compete and commiserate on this unique form of comedy.

Cindy Hefron, of Ardmore, has been riffing puns since she was in high school.

"A lot of people think puns are like dad jokes but just because you become a dad doesn't mean your pun skills become...apparent," she said. "That's the kind of stuff a pun is. Groans are just as important as laughs. I've gotten quite a few of both. Makes you feel good that you're sharing."

Mylin Batipps, Jr., who is no stranger to the stage as a musician, still gets nervous dishing the one-liners.

"Puns are supposed to be bad. I'll tell a joke and people say that's so bad, they laugh. Well, really it was good then," he said.

Aaron Schwartzbaum has been working tirelessly to bring this niche comedy genre into the city after seeing it work in other cities across the country.

"Every bad joke I hear, every groan I hear, warms my heart. The improv round is a free-for-all, a blood sport," he said. "It's so rewarding to have people come out. It's been really nice to see people connect with this. People in the audience watch the show once and they come back to compete. They get it, they click, and they become part of the scene."

For more information on Always Punny, to check out an events schedule and to sign up to compete please visit the It's Always Punny in Philadelphia website.

To check out the latest acts to visit Helium Comedy Club, be sure to visit their website.