Sacrilegious Dave was gracing the stage this night with his ineffable presence; his dominating aura packed into a quasi-dominating stature. He entered the comedic fray in front of a capacity crowd at the third anniversary show of Ocean Beach Comedy (OBC) on Friday, Jan. 30 at Winston’s in Ocean Beach. Shenanigans ensued. The 75-year-old comedian, poet and community watchdog told some funny jokes. Some in the seated audience laughed. Some didn’t. However, it wasn’t “Sacrilegious Dave’s” fault that not everybody fell over in laughter at the turn of every punch line. As it turns out, the generations who have come after him just don’t get it. “No offense to you,” Dave said to a reporter outside Winston’s, “but your generation is [not that smart].” The end of Sac Dave’s statement trailed off, almost inaudibly, as he walked back into the club to sip on a can of Blue Ribbon, but the message came across. Sac Dave’s musings added an air of validity to the only comedy show in San Diego that has it’s own gang sign in the form of twisted fingers shaped into an OBC. The beginnings of the comedy troupe came just three years ago as the brainchild of co-conspirators Steven Kendrick, Jesse Egan, Bob Hansen and Andrew Deans. With the help of popular comedians and funny amateurs alike, the show’s slow rise to legendary status has gained local recognition and a bit of a cult following. It’s comparable to the Drunk Poet’s Society at the height of the show’s local popularity. The society erupts with a dash of apathy every Monday evening at Winston’s. But while the Drunk Poet’s Society may be in need of poetic resuscitation, the OBC is alive and well. Before discovering the Drunk Poets and co-creating the OBC, Kendrick spent about six years doing comedy in Austin, Texas. He came to Ocean Beach about five years ago, playing shows at the Comedy Store in La Jolla and other local venues. He was banned from several places and refused from others because some audiences might find his material offensive. “At first [being banned] was a badge of honor,” Kendrick said. “Now it’s … ‘Oh yeah, that’s why I don’t make that much money.” But Kendrick and the OBC troupe fit like round pegs in deep round holes in Ocean Beach. Even if those pegs are a bit rough around the edges. So together, Kendrick, Deans, Egan and Hansen birthed the first uncensored comedy show in Ocean Beach. Kendrick laments his early battles over freedom of expression. “There’s still censorship in a lot of comedy clubs. Our only censorship is to be funny,” he said. The only material an Ocean Beach audience doesn’t seem to appreciate is overtly racist material, he said. And if the third anniversary show is any indication, anything and every institution, political persuasion and mixed martial arts style is fair game. Readers can check it out for themselves though. The acts are posted online at www.oceanbeachcomedy.com. But having fun and making people laugh isn’t the only drive for Kendrick, Egan and friends at Winston’s. As everyone knows, the hand-in-helping-hand spirit of the community comes out whenever someone is in need. The OBC is no exception. The OBC has hosted several benefit shows over the years, including a benefit show for victims of the 2007 October wildfires that ravaged the region’s canyons and brush, displacing thousands and killing 10. During the tragedy, local businesses donated gift prizes to raffle. The act resulted in several hundred dollars donated to victims. OBC hosts benefits throughout the year for various other causes, including the Ocean Beach Christmas parade, Kendrick said. And while OBC may not raise millions, every little bit toward helping those in need counts, he said. What else would you expect from a bunch of sacrilegious, offensive comedians who would trade a barrel of laughs for a few bucks? They may not recognize what they have.