I-90 Comedy Battle League launches Friday at Comedy @ the Carlson 

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The words “Comedy Battle League” sound more like a bare knuckle brawl than a stand-up comedy show.

But the February 23 showdown at Comedy @ the Carlson, officially billed as “I-90 Comedy Battle League,” is probably more like the rap battles featured in the Eminem movie “8 Mile,” said league cofounder Sharrod Davidson, who goes by Izzy the Comedian.

Unlike a comedy tournament, there are no judges in the Battle League event. The audience determines who reigns victorious in the head-to-head, three-round battle.

Each comedian in the undercard battles will have three minutes per round to perform, and the two stand-ups in the main event will have five minutes per round.

And Izzy, a past winner of the Carlson’s “Funniest Person in Rochester Contest,” knows bragging rights are important.

“It can be very competitive,” he said. “Everybody wants to be the best, especially me. I won 'Rochester’s Funniest,' and so there’s always been a target on me that people want to prove that they can probably be funnier than me in the set.”

Despite the battle premise, the event’s emcee Christopher Cardwell, who goes by the name Goodknews, said it’s ultimately about having a good time.

“It's not like a roast or anything like that,” said Cardwell. “They're really just going joke for joke and seeing who has the best jokes. But it's all in fun and to make everybody laugh, and just have a very great show.”

For Davidson, the purpose of the battles is to promote good vibes in the local community while showcasing talented comedians for the next step.

“I would like to see the Battle League grow to the point where it becomes almost a stepping stone, or ‘American Idol’ type thing, with new comics to get themselves out there nationally,” he said. “I want it to be big enough where people are paying attention.”

"I-90 Comedy Battle League" will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, February 23 at Comedy @ the Carlson. carlsoncomedy.com

Daniel J. Kushner is an arts writer at CITY. He can be reached at [email protected].