Comedian Brody Stevens was known for loudly and proudly representing the San Fernando Valley to the point that “818 ’til I die!” became a catchphrase of his.

But Stevens, who died by suicide in 2019 after nearly a decade of publicly dealing with bipolar disorder and depression, was wrong.

His love of the Valley continues to live on through his friends in the comedy community, as his death beget Brodyfest — aka the Brody Stevens Festival of Friendship — which will celebrate the “Hangover” actor on Aug. 17 and 18.

Those days were chosen in homage the 818 area code cherished by Stevens, a relentless optimist known for his outsized personality on stage and kindness off it.

Not only will there be a walk in the Valley, but comedians like Jay Mohr, Byron Bowers, Eleanor Kerrigan and Doug Benson will perform at the Comedy Store, a regular haunt of Stevens, and a softball game will nod to Stevens’ baseball-playing days in the Valley and at Arizona State.

This weekend marks the fourth annual edition of the event, which is raising money Comedy Gives Back, a nonprofit that helps comics with mental health, chemical dependency, health care and financial issues.

In a statement, Comedy Gives Back said that “losing Brody pushed us even further to get our services and support out to every comic.”

“We are the safety net of the comedy community, and we want to ensure that continues by helping put on Brodyfest, by attending all of the comedy festivals around the country, by showing up to comedy clubs,” the statement said. “Being alone onstage is part of the job. Feeling alone off stage is unacceptable.”

While Stevens may not have been a household name, he was a favorite of fellow comedians, punctuating his jokes with relentless positivity for himself and others, including the crowds at his shows. His unorthodox act included motivational asides for himself (“YES! POSITIVE PUSH!”) and instructions for his audience (“Come on, you gotta give me a chuckle based on cadence alone!”).

“Brody’s material was not as important as his presence onstage,” friend and collaborator Zach Galifianakis told The Hollywood Reporter. “He would challenge the audience. He would turn on them and judge them. He would ask for laughs when he was not doing well, and it confused some people because, well, who does that?”

Stevens did, using his ability to “read people’s energy very quick” to identify crowd members who he felt were displaying negative body language or not laughing hard enough at his jokes, said his friend and fellow comedian Bowers.

“He loved entertaining people, but at a different level,” Bowers said. “His show was crazy. It was inclusive and it was about getting your energy up, where you want to be.”

Off stage, Stevens, Bowers and other “Comedy Store guys” would motivate each other and provide moral support while trying to ascend in a challenging industry with no union protections, “crazy” living situations and sometimes spending more to perform than the performance itself pays, Bowers said.

That said, there’s a therapeutic aspect to talking about your struggles in front of an audience and with those going through similar situations.

“Fortunately for Brody and myself and the other comedians, we have a place where we can go talk about whatever we’re going through and make it in a way that people support it,” he said.

Brodyfest begins Saturday with a check-in at 1 p.m., followed by the walk at 2 p.m. and softball game at 5 p.m., among other events. For information and tickets for Saturday’s events, click here.

On Sunday, the 818 Comedy show begins at 8 p.m.For tickets, click here.

An American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport early Thursday morning.

The incident took place around 1 a.m. as AA flight 1644 was arriving from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).

The aircraft departed DFW at 10:45 p.m. and was scheduled to land at LAX at 11:54 p.m.

Los Angeles Fire Department personnel were on the scene when the plane safely landed on the runway more than an hour behind schedule.

It was unclear exactly what was wrong with the aircraft but freelance media firm KNN reported there was some type of issue with its front landing gear.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

Cellphone cameras captured police officers in the city of San Bernardino violently beating a man earlier this year, leaving him with serious injuries in an incident that authorities say is now under investigation.  

The beating unfolded on June 6 at around 8 p.m. near the Kwik Stop Dairy, located at 133 East 40^th Street, according to a press release from the attorneys representing the man arrested.  

An employee of Kwik Stop Dairy, Billy Hill was reportedly walking between his employer’s business and another business when he was approached by a San Bernardino Police Department officer who “cleared him and waved him to leave,” Hill’s attorneys said.  

Hill’s lawyers then allege that two other SBPD officers approached Hill and attempted to take him into custody.  

In footage of the incident captured by a bystander, Hill is seen and heard asking officers why they are arresting him, as they attempt to get his hands behind his back and push him toward the hood of a patrol vehicle.

“Mr. Hill was immediately grabbed and struck by two of the SBPD officers. Within seconds, a third SBPD officer ran to the scene and grabbed Mr. Hill,” the release stated. “Mr. Hill had a handcuff placed on his right hand while the third SBPD officer struggled with his left hand.” 

Moments later, the video shows one of the three officers pull out his stun gun and use it on Hill’s left leg as he tries to get that officer to stop using the stun gun with his free hand.  

That’s when the video shows the officer with the stun gun back off, pull out his baton and strike Hill in the lower legs more than a dozen times.  

“The SBPD officer used both hands and used his full force while striking Mr. Hill violently sixteen times in motions similar to swinging a baseball bat,” Hill’s lawyers said.  

Hill reportedly suffered broken bones in both legs.  

Lawyers for Hill say that it was later learned that officers were searching for a suspect involved in a hit-and-run that was unrelated to Hill.  

In body-worn camera footage of the incident released by SBPD, Hill is seen telling a person behind him to record audio and video of the arrest while he repeatedly questions the two officers.  

He also does not appear to comply when ordered to put his hands on his head as the officers moved in on him.  

In a statement released just after 9 p.m. on Wednesday, San Bernardino Police Chief Darren L. Goodman said that the department is aware of the video showing officers using force during the arrest.  

“The content of this video has understandably raised concerns within our community,” the statement, posted to X, formerly Twitter, stated in part. “We recognize the public’s concern and interest in this matter and ask for patience as we conduct a meticulous investigation. It is essential that the process is allowed to proceed without bias, ensuring a fair and just outcome.”

Chief Goodman also encouraged anyone with information about the incident or anyone with additional footage to contact the police department.