Safe Words is on a mission to create a safe space for queer audiences and comedians, while accelerating the careers of queer comedians in the bay and beyond
Safe Words was started in 2014 as a weekly sometimes open mic, sometimes showcase run at the SF Eagle in the Historic San Francisco Leather Cultural District.
After changing hands a few times, and going on hiatus in 2020, the show found its home with Team Wonder Dave in late 2022. Since then, the show has transformed into a Queer, Sex Positive, monthly safe-space for queer audiences and comedians to come together and experience the joy and humor of each other.
At Safe Words, we’re on a mission to create safe spaces for queer audiences, and accelerate the careers of queer comedians.
The show’s hard relaunch in January of 2023 headlined Marga Gomez, a local juggernaut who was once described by Robin Williams as “a Lesbian Lenny Bruce.” The show regularly filled the indoor space of the SF Eagle before spilling out into the bar’s larger back patio.
Names that have graced the Safe Words stage include Neil Thornton, Chelsea Bearce, Emily Van Dyke, Kate Willet, Baruch Porras-Hernandez, Natasha Muse, Micheal Foulk, and so many more. Our sights are set on someday welcoming household names such as Margaret Cho, Guy Branum, Joel Kim Booster, Cameron Esposito, and Mateo Lane.
How we accelerate The Careers of queer comedians
Fair Compensation
We believe in paying comedians based on the success of our shows. As our audience and reach grow, so does the financial support our comedians receive. In an industry plagued by underpayment and work-for-exposure practices, we strive to lead by example. On average, we pay two to three times more than many other shows in the Bay Area. By valuing their work and ensuring fair compensation, we empower queer comedians to focus on honing their craft and advancing their careers.
Celebrating and Spotlighting
From the moment a comedian is booked on our show, we make it our mission to celebrate their talent and amplify their presence. We showcase them on our website, social media platforms, and promotional materials. We go the extra mile by sharing their content, events, and personal experiences with our community. By providing this dedicated spotlight, we aim to boost their visibility and increase opportunities for future bookings.
Professional Video Production
We understand the importance of high-quality media in promoting comedians' careers. To support our performers, we offer professional media production services, including photography, videography, and social media content creation. Our photographers capture captivating moments on stage, providing comedians with valuable promotional material. We also produce video clips of their successful sets, enabling them to showcase their talent to industry professionals, bookers, and festival organizers. Additionally, we create engaging Instagram Reels and TikToks, alleviating the burden of video production and helping comedians navigate the digital landscape.
Continuous Growth
We are committed to evolving and expanding our platform as a queer comedian accelerator. We are always open to suggestions and feedback from our community. If you have ideas on how we can better support our comedians or ways we can enhance their career acceleration, please reach out to us at info@teamwonderdave.com. Your input is invaluable as we strive to provide the best opportunities and resources for queer comedians.
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Safe Words is at this moment two queers with a passion. As we grow, we intend to establish a relationship with an existing NPO as our fiscal sponsor. If that might be you or someone you know, you should get in touch.
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Occasionally, we will book the odd Token Straight Woman™ because, turns out, being a woman in comedy is fraught with very similar challenges to being a queer person in comedy.
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Not really. Kind of a strange one even, if you ask me.