Tourettes Without Regrets

Tourettes Without Regrets is an underground performance art show in Oakland, CA. Founded in 1999, Tourettes Without Regrets is hosted by comedian/filmmaker Jamie DeWolf and occurs every first Thursday of the month at the Oakland Metro Opera House. Part poetry slam, part circus and part rap battle, the event incorporates audience participation and an open mic, billing itself as "the Fight Club of underground art."

After being banned from local open mics in his hometowns of Benicia and Vallejo for his raw subject matter, poet DeWolf created Tourettes Without Regrets in 1999 to showcase unfiltered slam poetry performances. In an interview with Oakland Magazine, DeWolf comments, "I actually did it as a double form of revenge. I couldn’t read anywhere in my hometown. They would kick me out, because of pieces about self-mutilation. I didn’t really like the vibe of poetry and open mics then. I just couldn’t believe how stale they were. It’s supposed to be hot expression, people taking the straightjacket off and busting their skills, and that didn’t exist. I vowed—swore revenge—I would make a show that would be a thwart-them-all kind of thing."

Andrew Bancroft, also known as MC Jelly Donut, has taken on battle-rap opponents at Tourettes many times. Bancroft performs dressed in a jelly donut costume and personifies a donut in his rap battles. When asked what kind of jelly donut he is, Bancroft says in an interview by Gelf Magazine, "That's the eternal question, really. I usually got some pink coming out the side. It's like mood changes for me—my insides can change. But there's definitely a hint of raspberry in there most of the time. But sometimes on particularly bright days I'll be lemon, other days, I don't know, I could be peanut butter fluffernut sandwich or something." Bancroft was a performer with San Francisco sketch-comedy troupe Killing My Lobster, also performed regularly with Kenny Taylor as the comedy collective, Illbilly Productions.

The Saurus maintained a nine-month winning streak at Tourettes Without Regrets before returning to the 2007 World Rap Championships with Illmaculate and winning first place. He has a reputation for multi-syllabic rhymes and witty comparisons and is rumored to have a photographic memory. The Saurus won first place at Scribble Jam, becoming the first champion from California in Scribble’s 11-year history.

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