Every year, Splitsider rounds up comedy's rising stars in a feature called "The Next Wave," and this year, they've deigned to look beyond New York and LA in their search. This is a smart move, in a series of smart movies the comedy site's made recently (case in point: acknowledging that mid-sized cities' comedy scenes have a purpose), but here's what matters most: Portland is included in this roundup, and there are some FAMILIAR FACES throughout, including Bri Pruett's, which graces the header photo. Other local stand-ups who get nods include Sean Jordan, Nariko Ott, Amy Miller, and Steven Wilbur.

The piece does do that irritating "keepin' it weird" thing, but still—look!

Another city known for Keeping it Weird, Portland’s also got a rep for its impressive comedy community. Despite the recent departures of powerhouses like Ian Karmel, Ron Funches, and Shane Torres, Portland’s got a strong local audience and a supportive scene, and the annual Bridgetown Comedy Festival continues to promote a large number of local performers to crowds that are typically an equal mix of industry insiders and comedy superfans.

This isn't news if you see comedy in Portland with any regularity, but still, it's nice to see the scene getting some national attention. The "Next Wave" list was decided by a panel of comedy-loving journalists, bookers, festival runners, and the ever-popular nothing-term "industry insiders." Among the festival producers who weighed in? Bridgetown Comedy Festival's Charlene Conley, because OF COURSE.

Go read the whole thing!