Doug Ouimette is passionate about two things: delivering top-notch comedy to the Rhode Island area and raising funds and awareness for chronic fatigue syndrome, or myalgic encephalomyelitis.
After his wife Christina was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome soon after they were married, a condition marked by extreme fatigue and inability to perform previously simple activities, Doug decided to ‘take his show on the road,’ teaming up with Rhode Island’s hottest comics to raise funds for Open Medicine, an organization that conducts extensive research into the condition.
ME/CFS often takes freedom from its sufferers, and in his wife Christina’s case, took her ability to walk, work, and think without difficulty or exhaustion. Now wheelchair-bound, Christina is raising their one-year-old son, Hayden, while Doug works at URI as a Career Education Specialist and local standup comic.
Ouimette, originally of Richmond and currently of Coventry, has been touring the local area with some of Rhode Island’s most well-known comics including Tyler Hittner, who draws crowds all over the state.
“I think he’s possibly the best up-and-coming comedian in New England,” Ouimette said.
Hittner, who was voted MOTIF Magazine’s Favorite Live Performer for 2023, was disabled by viral meningitis as a child and has used a walker for most of his life. Hittner has been performing standup comedy in Rhode Island since 2018.
Doug has performed this show at several venues and rotates local comics in and out with the help of John Perrotta, who was inducted into the Rhode Island Comedy Hall of Fame in 2012. John Perrotta connects comics with businesses and fundraisers through John Perrotta’s Comedy Factory. Ouimette is grateful for both the friendship and working relationship the two have forged.
Ouimette himself hopes to release his first comedy special in 2024. He regularly performs at The Comedy Connection, The Comedy Park, The East Greenwich Odeum, and Comix Roadhouse at Mohegan Sun, and his act draws heavily on his family and home life.
He has worked hard to curate and choose venues that are family-friendly so guests of all ages may attend and enjoy.
“We have a show that’s appropriate for PG-13,” he said. “I’m trying to find unique, nicer venues that would allow a younger audience.”
After a successful relationship and well-attended recent shows at Mystic Luxury Cinemas, the owners, who also own All South County Luxury Cinemas, decided to extend the stage to Ouimette in South Kingstown. Pending the success of shows in South Kingstown, Doug said, he might also begin performing at their third location, Madison Cinemas, in Madison Connecticut.
Ouimette has decided that for this show at All South County Cinemas he would also donate a portion of the show’s proceeds to Broad Rock Middle School’s PTO.
“I partnered with Broad Rock Middle School PTO of this show to also try and raise some money for them and help benefit the local community,” he explained.
“We’re trying to bring comedy to South Kingstown and make this more of a regular thing out there,” he said.
Ouimette’s comedy show will be making a stop at the All South County Luxury Cinemas in the Village at South County Commons on Friday at 8:30 p.m. Ouimette will host and perform alongside Tyler Hittner and the Prince of Mystery, Skip Daniels, who, according to his website, “combines aspects of comedy, music, dancing, spoken word, and magic to create a very novel show.”
The show is family-friendly and tickets are available for $20 each, either via the All South County Luxury Cinemas website (allsouthcountycinemas.com) or on Doug’s website (dougouimette.com/shows).