And the Funniest Sports Celebrity Is...

WASHINGTON - Competition moved from local playing fields and arenas to the stage of the D.C. Improv Comedy Club for Wednesday night's third annual Funniest Sports Celebrity in Washington Contest.

Athletes and media personalities willing to subject themselves to a short stand-up routine had to impress guest judges, including former Redskins star Dexter Manley.

"If I fall out of my chair, they'll get a good score," said Manley, before the competition.

"I don't like a lot of profanity," says Manley, "I don't think that's funny, and I don't think that takes a lot of talent."

Last year's winner, NBC 4 sportscaster Lindsay Czarniak was back -- this time as a judge.

"I wouldn't say it's been as prestigious as, say, a Miss America reign, or anything like that," Czarniak joked, "but it's certainly been a lot of fun."

Czarniak acknowledged her win last year was controversial.

"Some people had said maybe I wasn't as funny as Marc Sterne, (last year's runner-up) who I know is a really talented comedian, so we'll see what Marc brings tonight."

Sterne, better known to local radio listeners for his persona as "Nigel" on The Tony Kornheiser show on Talk Radio 3WT, flowed effortlessly between his normal speaking voice and his British-accented alter-ego.

"I play this cat named Nigel. He's from England. People don't know me as Marc Sterne, they just know me as Nigel. So you get whole routine going on, right luv? So you talk as a British guy, and people instantly respect you, they think 'Oh, he must be smarter.'"

The judges didn't declare whether they thought Sterne/Nigel was actually smarter, but they did find him the funniest, giving him this year's title.

The Improv says the evening's net proceeds will benefit Funniest Celebrity Charities.

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