Comic among those shot in Tacoma Mall

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on November 28th, 2005

Brendan “Dan” McKown was among those shot by the jackass who shot up the Tacoma Mall a few days ago. Turns out that McKown has done standup and that some of his standup buddies from the area and beyond will gather tonight (Monday) for a benefit to pay some of his medical bills.

At least 29 comedians are expected to perform at the comedy benefit Monday at the Area 151 club in Tacoma. McKown has done stand-up comedy, and his friends in the comedy community are pitching in to help him.

They will be asking for a $10 donation at the door, or whatever can be given. All the door money goes to help McKown, who has himself done fundraising for a local food bank. Thirty percent of bar sales are going to McKown, too. The comics are not being paid.

The headliner is a friend of McKown, Ty Barnett, who performed recently on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and who is taping a half-hour show for Comedy Central in December.

Barnett lives in Tacoma, but is flying back from Los Angeles, where he currently works.

McKown “is a really, really nice guy,” Barnett said. “He thinks of other people before he thinks of himself. You can’t say one bad thing about him.”

“When comedians need help, comedians come out to help,” said the host of the show, Seattle comic Travis Simmons, another friend of McKown.

Read this for details on the benefit show. Read this for details on the shooting.