The "Coexist? Comedy Tour" is getting some national attention after more than two years of performing at a number of California comedy venues. About 600 people filled The Crest Theatre on Saturday to view a one-night-only performance that was taped live by filmmaker Larry Brand, producer of HBO's Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl.

The Coexist Tour began with an everyday conversation between comedians Keith Lowell Jensen, an athiest, and Tapan Travedi, a Hindu. After speaking about religion, they realized that they were spiritual opposites -- Travedi believes everything is a god, while Jenson believes nothing is a god. They decided making jokes about their religious differences would make a good comedy tour.

Sid Heberger, manager of The Crest, started the night off by working the crowd with a few jokes of her own, introducing the comedians. More than two hours of religious (and not-so-religious) comedy ensued, beginning with Sammy Obeid (the Buddhist), who also acted as the group's host. Each comedian performed a 20-minute set.

Obeid recently won a number of Northern California comedy competitions, including the 2008 San Jose Improv Comedy Competition and the 2009 Vallejo Comedy Competition. He joked about everything from giving Buddhist presents to his girlfriend -- an empty box-- as well as his Buddhist belief in polygamy -- in moderation.

Tissa Hammi (the Muslim) took the stage next in a black hijab, or head covering, and large black coat, both of which she later discarded in a "strip tease" that still left her covered from neck to toes. Hammi ended her routine by performing an original song called "The Ramadan Song" and accompanying herself on keyboard.

With the same melody as Adam Sandler's "The Chanukah Song," it listed famous Muslims and the chorus ordered "put your turban on/it's time for Ramadan."

Mike Winfield, whose Comedy Central debut on Live at Gotham aired less than 24 hours before the show, left the audience in stitches. As the Christian, he told several jokes about his faith, but mostly poked fun at his love-hate relationship with his wife and made fun of himself, especially his trademark large teeth.

Moshe Kasher, the Jew, echoed Winfield's theme of self deprecation, describing his appearance as a "Gitler," a gay-looking Hitler. He pulled out an iPhone and read his five favorite negative comments about himself from a popular Youtube video of one of his stand-up routines.

Trivedi spent much of his routine explaining the differences between Hindus and Muslims. "(Muslims) are from Pakistan; we are from India," he said. "They don't eat pork; we don't eat beef. They are associated with 9/11, we are associated with 7-Eleven."

Jensen closed the night with "atheist comedy," which made fun of religion as a whole. By the end of the night, the diverse audience knew a little bit more about each other's religion.

"There are a lot of hopes riding on this recording," Trivedi said before the performance. "Let's hope people will like it a lot; my pie in the sky is that HBO will think it's cool and buy it."

Photo 1: Keith Lowell Jensen. Photo credit Kiny McCarrick.

Photo 2: Tapan Travedi, credit Tapan Travedi.