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.

Officials who answered a call about a slow-moving reptile lingering on a busy interstate are sharing details about the incident on social media. 

On July 30, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) responded to the scene where the animal was trying to cross I-10 near Picacho Peak, Arizona. 

The good Samaritan who called 911 was the man to thank for the rescue of Stitch — a large sulcata tortoise in question, per the AZDPS’ social media accounts.

EIGHT PUPPIES ABANDONED IN SWELTERING TEXAS HEAT RESCUED BY DEPUTIES

AZDPS Sgt. Steven Sekrecki helped get Stitch across the road before other officers noticed a tag on the animal’s back. 

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Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. Steven Sekrecki (pictured right) stands with the unidentified driver who called for help after spotting the tortoise.  (Arizona Department of Public Safety/AP)

“Troopers recognized a label on Stitch’s shell and contacted Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch,” officials with the AZDPS wrote on X. 

As it turned out, Stitch escaped from the ranch located just two miles from where he was found.

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The AZDPS officials said in the post, “The ranch confirmed Stitch was one of their tortoises and had recently escaped.”

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The tortoise was seen trying to cross an interstate near Picacho Peak State Park, Arizona. (iStock)

The Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch is an attraction park which offers animal feeding, stingray viewing and monster truck ranch tours. 

Seen on “Larry the Cable Guy — Only in America,” the ranch is a three-generation family-owned working ostrich ranch, according to the ranch’s website. 

Upon opening in 1999, ostrich feeding was the only offering. Today, visitors can feed Sicilian donkeys, Nigerian dwarf goats, fallow deet, pecking ducks and more. 

A driver called for help after spotting a large tortoise trying to cross an interstate in Arizona.  (Arizona Department of Public Safety/AP;iStock)

“They were very thankful to have him back safe,” the AZDPS’ X post said of Stitch’s return to the ranch.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the AZDPS and Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch for additional comment.

Brittany Kasko is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital. 

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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.