Who has the sharpest, undiscovered funny bone in Bermuda? That is the question the international judges of Fresh Faces of Comedy' will decide this evening when the brand new competition gets underway at Bootsie's Comedy Club at 8.30 p.m.

Ten contestants will be competing for the winner's prize of $1,075, and an opportunity to repeat their routine in front of the opening night audience at 'Just For Laughs', which begins its three-night run at the Fairmont Southampton Resort tomorrow (Thursday) evening.

The nine Bermuda competitors are: Frank Sonnenfeld, Michael Keats, Stuart Doyle, LaToya Brangman, Jonathan Young, Daniel Tucker, Glen Wilks, Gina Davis, and Jennifer Collins. Joining them from Washington, DC is Tom Pham.

Each contestant will have three minutes to perform his or her stand-up routine, at the end of which judges Alonzo Bodden, a past winner of NBC's 'Last Comic Standing'competition, and Bruce Hills, CEO of 'Just for Laughs', will decide the winner.

According to Robert Draw, producer of the 'Just for Laughs' Bermuda show, the new competition is designed to encourage aspiring comedians in Bermuda.

"We are bringing in international talent from around the world for 'Just For Laughs', and while we are here we want to see what we can find right in our midst," he said. "Also, we would like to have some young talent come up and perform in our show, and possibly help them to perform outside Bermuda."

Contestant Stuart Doyle, no stranger to comedy, sees the competition as a great way to start off the main event itself, and while he admits he is "sailing in uncharted waters", he said he is "certainly looking forward to the experience."

"Comedy is a wonderful medium, and to go up in front of an audience and compete for a nice prize like that is a wonderful New Year's gift. It is a little incentive for people to come out and see what they've got."

Referring to the international judges, Mr. Doyle said "It is a great opportunity to be judged by one's peers."

Tickets ($5) are available from All Wrapped Up in the Washington Mall, but due to space limitations their number is limited, and at press time they were almost sold out. No tickets will be sold at the door.