The schedule and entrants for this year’s Seattle International Stand-Up Comedy Competition has been announced, and Bremertron’s Admiral Theatre will host the fourth of five Championship Finals events on Nov. 29.

That we already knew. What we didn’t know was who would by vying for sports in those finals.

Now that we do know, I have to ask: "What the … ?" Out of 32 comics who’ll go into the preliminaries, which start Nov. 5, only eight hail from the state of Washington. That’s 25 percent. Entrants are coming from as far away as Boston, Tampa and Washington D.C.

So, where are all of Washington’s funny people? Why doesn’t Seattle’s own stand-up competition have more representation from Seattle?

I know there are funny people in Seattle, and in Washington. I see you every time I go out in public. Granted, a lot of what you’re doing that falls into the category of "funny" is purely inintentional, but still …

Anyway, the field is full of really funny people, folks you might’ve seen on TV already. So you’re going to laugh.

There just won’t be as much local humor as you might expect.

More later … — MM

Janet Jackson was admitted to a hospital Monday night, causing the cancellation of her concert in Montreal, but released less than two hours later. What was wrong with Janet?

Snarky Mike knows: The concert wouldn’t get her a headline; the cancellation would.

More later … — MM

Most often, this little space in the Blogosphere will be used to expand on something that is or will be in the Kitsap Sun (the Flamethrower) and/or kitsapsun.com (the Cyber-Flamethrower), or air something that should’ve been, but was too late or too uncatagorizeable (?? is that a word? is that a misspelling? I’m told I can get away with misspellings in Cyberspace, because nobody cares …)

But once in a while, there’ll be something that wouldn’t go in the paper or on the Web site, little personal missives from yours truly that will be unique to this BlogSpace. These usually will fall into the categories of either Rants or Treasures .

Treasures will be little notes, reviews in review, of older CDs or movies that you might’ve missed when they were new, but still are recommended, either by me or somebody I trust to not steer us all toward swill.

Raves will be, well, complaints. Screeds. Bitches. Moans. Tirades. Tantrums. Probably long-winded, probably bad-tempered, perhaps ill-advised, but honest opinions that you can respond to, if you like, either in agreement or with some reactionary raving of your own.

It could be fun, and cathartic. It probably won’t be good journalism, but, hey … it’s Cyberspace, people, and anything goes (anything, that is, that won’t get Yours Truly kicked off of said Cyberspace … because once you’re kicked off of Cyberspace, I imagine, there’s no place else to go).

All that being said, here’s our inaugural Rave:

WHAT THE @#*%!! is with all these band that have the word @#*%!! in their names ??

I suppose it used to be provocative, or shocking, or cutting-edge, "anti-establishment." Now, it’s just boring. It’s a cry for help.

Nowadays, the word @#*%!! in a band name tells me you’ve got nothing else. "We can’t play, we can’t write, we don’t have much in the way of stage presence or charisma, or even good hair, but … @#*%!!

I’m against censorship. But I’m also sensitive to the folks who’d like to hear and see certain things only if they so choose.

Even so, if the word @#*%!! was in any way germaine to what you’re doing with your music, or relevent to the way you make your music, I’d be the first to tell you to go @#*%!! yourselves … namewise, that is.

But if it’s just a cheap, hackneyed, boring play for a few seconds of attention, then I’ve got to tell you it’s having the exact opposite effect. It’s telling me to ignore you. Remember the old commercial: "With a name like Smuckers, it’s got to be good?" Well, with a word like @#*%!! in your name, you’ve got to be bad.

First, get some game. Then get a name.