Laff Off will crown the area's funniest person.

Byline: The Register-Guard

For the eighth year in a row, the Eugene Comedy Workout will crown Eugene's Funniest Person.

The competition takes place at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Actors Cabaret of Eugene, 996 Willamette St. The event is a fund-raiser for the Greenhill Humane Society.

"Our focus is really not to try to make this appear to be a huge competitive thing, as opposed to a fun way to raise money for Greenhill," said Leigh Anne Jasheway, director of the Comedy Workout troupe.

This year's competition will feature 20 local performers. Each will be given five minutes to impress a panel of celebrity judges that includes county commissioner Peter Sorenson, KMTR-TV's Kelli Warner, KLCC-FM's Jenny Newtson and Don Kahle from the Comic News.

Previous winners have included Randy Mendez (2001), Jennifer Self (2000) and Jason Kronholm (1999). Last year's winner, Josh Krecklow, will emcee on Tuesday.

"You win whatever I can scrape up from our corporate donors," Jasheway said. "It used to be that you won $100, but the $100 came out of my pocket, and right now I don't have that kind of money. I'm in the same economic straits as everyone else."

New to this year's competition is a dare-the-judges segment in which audience members will be invited to pay for the privilege of humiliating local celebrities.

"I asked Kelli (Warner), `Would you be willing to kiss a dog on the mouth?' and she just gave me a look," Jasheway said. "We won't eat bugs."

Tickets for Tuesday's competition are $12.50. Reservations are recommended; call 683-4368.

CAPTION(S):

Josh Krecklow, last year's `funniest person,' will emcee Laff Off 2003 - and he will do so entirely without canine accompaniment.