By Natalka Karaman, Contributing Writer

Look, we know, this thing happened like a week ago – it’s old news. While PoliticsPA was busy covering Stu Bykofsky’s comedy night in Philly, out in Pittsburgh the Steelers were busy beating up on the Eagles, and western PA politicos were giving it their own go.

We had a protracted discussion about the right to embed this video, all right? Get off our case.

On Thursday August 18, candidates from around Pennsylvania performed stand-up comedy routines at the Pittsburgh Improv. The night of laughter helped raise over $37,500 for the Allegheny County Music Festival Fund.

According to Lizabeth Gray from the Upper St. Clair Patch, the candidates who participated included Allegheny County Executive candidates, Rich Fitzgerald and Raja; County Controller candidate Rep. Chelsa Wagner; candidates for Pennsylvania Superior Court Vic Stabile and Judge David Wecht; candidates for Commonwealth Court Kathryn Boockvar and Anne Covey; and candidate for Allegheny County Common Pleas Court judge Alex Bicket.

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato also took the microphone, reports Lizabeth Gray.

Emceeing the event was Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist, stand-up comedian, speaker, and playwright, Gene Collier. Over 350 people attended, the fourth so far.

All of the candidates came prepared with three to five minute bits filled with witty and entertaining jokes about each other, about themselves, and about the Pittsburgh area. But according to several (bipartisan) sources in the audience, Wagner and Raja turned in the best performances of the evening.

“It’s been a lot of fun. And some might say there were some cheap shots tonight. But thanks to Dan Onorato, there is no such thing as cheap shots,” Mr. Raja said.

Video courtesy of Patch.