On November 14, The Rich Experience brings clean gospel comedy to Comedy in Harlem and asks every guest to carry a can of food through the door. Founder Nicole McSwain says success “isn’t measured in pounds. It’s measured in tables.”
There is a kind of hunger a sandwich cannot reach, and a kind a joke cannot. On Saturday, November 14, a company of comedians and a room full of neighbors will try to answer both at once.
The Fill My Cup Gospel Comedy Show takes the stage at 1:30 p.m. at Comedy in Harlem, 750 A St. Nicholas Avenue. Admission is $25 plus one non-perishable food item. Everything collected at the door goes to NY Common Pantry here in Harlem and to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, to help families put food on the table for Thanksgiving.
The show is the work of The Rich Experience, a faith-driven creative collective founded in 2024 by its chief executive, Nicole McSwain. “We want people to leave feeling filled with joy, laughter, faith, and fellowship,” McSwain told The Harlem Times.
A path that wasn’t straight
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, even before I found myself working within the traditional corporate structure,” she said. “I’ve been blessed with so many creative gifts, and I reached a point where I wanted the freedom to explore them without limitations.”
She also kept meeting artists, creators and business owners whose gifts had nowhere to go. “I wanted to build something where we could come together, dream bigger, create freely, and use our God-given talents to make an impact,” she said. “Faith is the foundation because I truly believe our gifts are meant to serve a greater purpose.”
The collective, based in Linden, New Jersey, has staged gospel comedy shows, mixers and women’s retreats. Fill My Cup will be its third production in Harlem.
Why clean comedy
The afternoon opens with a Gospel House praise party before the first comic takes the microphone. “I believe laughter is good for the soul, and you can have an amazing time without compromising your values,” McSwain said. “Clean comedy creates a space where everyone can come together, let their guard down, laugh out loud, and just enjoy the moment.”
The host is BET’s Dr. Ms. Jones, billed as “The Beauty of Comedy.” Rashad Bashir and Marc Henderson follow, and the headliner is Imagine the Comedian. “His impressions alone are something to look forward to,” McSwain said. “Comedy in Harlem is already known for bringing great talent to the community.”
Measured in tables
“For me, success isn’t measured in pounds. It’s measured in tables,” she said. “If one family in Harlem has a fuller Thanksgiving table because someone came out for a good laugh and fellowship, that’s success to me.”
Groups of 10 or more can take $5 off each ticket by contacting McSwain directly. Neighbors who cannot attend can still give: The Rich Experience is accepting donations for NY Common Pantry and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey through therichexpbiz.com and its social media.
What comes next
The collective launched Global Vibes Thursdays After Dark at Flair Maison Bar & Lounge on November 5. After Fill My Cup, its next major production is the S.H.I.N.E. Women’s Retreat, April 9 to 11, 2027, in northwestern New Jersey. “There’s so much more to come,” McSwain said, “and I’m excited about what God has in store.”
Seneca wrote that wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. Fill My Cup takes him at his word: a theater seat becomes a pantry shelf, and a laugh becomes a fuller table two weeks before Thanksgiving. If you can be there, bring a friend and bring a can. If you can’t, give anyway.
Fill My Cup Gospel Comedy Show · Saturday, Nov. 14, 1:30 p.m. · Comedy in Harlem, 750 A St. Nicholas Ave. · $25 plus a non-perishable food item · Tickets: therichexpbiz.com or therichexp24@gmail.com
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