So, the other day ...

As the clock ticks down on the end of summer and Huntington Beach sheds a collective tear of goodbye, Bill Word is getting ready to make the city laugh until it, well, excuse the term, pees.

Word is the founder and producer of the Orange County’s Funniest Person Contest, which features local stand-up comedians competing for laughs. Now in it’s sixth year, there are about 80 Orange County comics who will try to outshine one another and don the title of the county’s top jester.

The competition, whose first preliminary heat will start splitting sides Friday, allows up-and-coming comics the opportunity to get their name out in the comedy world, which is important in a business that thrives on reputation.

“The thing about comedy is there are no overnight successes,” Word said.

According to Word, he and the comics are always happy to receive the attention the contest brings.

“You don’t go into comedy if you don’t love exposure,” Word said.

Unlike some comedy competitions, this one searches specifically for Orange County talent.

The jokesters have to either live in or have been born in Orange County. Word said his idea was to give local talent a venue where they can be seen above the usual crop of Los Angeles comics.

“I wanted to do something that would highlight O.C. comedians,” Word said.

But some comics get much more than exposure. For a comic who wins, the title may help launch a budding comedy career.

Geoff Keith grew up in El Toro and won the 2005 contest.

Keith said winning the title was a jump-start for his career. Keith has toured with one of the masters of comic voices, Pablo Francisco, as well as appeared on Francisco’s one-hour Comedy Central special, “Ouch!” Keith also appeared on Comedy Central’s “Live from Gotham,” a program that showcases up and coming joke artists.

“Winning the title had everything to do with it,” Keith said.

When Keith began working in Los Angeles clubs, Orange County’s Funniest Person was the entirety of his resume.

Keith said he would be introduced in Los Angeles venues as Orange County’s Funniest Comic and get jabs for coming from behind the Orange Curtain. Keith would gently remind them that few people in show biz are actually from Los Angeles.

“It’s like, ‘Well where are you from, Kansas?’” Keith said.

Word said the depth of talent in the competition runs from old-timers who have been in the comedy game for 10 years or more to veterans of fewer than a couple months on stage.

“Every once in a while a comedian is new and good off the bat,” Word said.

Since the contest has a panel of judges, it gives those new comics a chance against old crowd favorites who might win by default if the decision is left to the audience.

Keith said he thinks the contest has a great system because, like a vote for a high school student council, the comic with the most friends in the audience usually wins when winners are decided by the crowd.

Word said he considers the show to be fairly clean in comparison with other venues, but then again he spends a good deal of his time hanging around stand-up comics. Taking that into consideration, heed Word’s warning:

“If you’re easily offended, you shouldn’t come to comedy shows.”

For those who have the comedic stomach and enjoy a good swear or seven, reservations are suggested for the opening rounds of the contest and according to Word, absolutely a must for semifinal and final rounds when the competition really heats up.

“The crowds are just crazy,” Word said.

The preliminary rounds are every Friday and Saturday night through Sept. 22. The quarter finals are Fridays and Saturdays from Sept. 28 through Oct. 6 and semifinals are Oct. 12 and 13. The winner will be crowned at the finals on Oct. 20.

For a list of comic lineups and show dates or for more information, visit www.ocfunniest.com. To make reservations, call Martini Blues at (714) 840-2129.