WASHINGTON - For weeks, Paris Sashay has been looking forward to her performance at the DC Improv. She's got her routine down and she's ready to go.
But over the weekend not too far from the club, she was attacked -- her teeth knocked out and her face bloodied.
As an aspiring comedian, Sashay said there was no way she would miss the spotlight that will shine on her Thursday night.
"I've been doing comedy for three years and it's the biggest comedy club in D.C., so I've been waiting to get on the list," she said.
But it almost didn't happen after she was attacked on Saturday night.
"The only thing I remember is getting shoved off of the sidewalk," said Sashay. "I got shoved and I flew forward and I banged my face on the concrete, which broke my nose, chipped my two front teeth. The scabs that are healing now were really swollen."
Sashay said she was leaving a club along L Street Saturday night when some men approached. One of them asked for her phone number.
"I think he didn't like the fact that I turned him down," said Sashay.
So far, Sashay has had two root canals and two new crowns placed on her front teeth. The bill has set her back $3,000.
She has set up a GoFundMe account, but she doesn't know how much more money it will take to fix her broken nose.
Still, even in pain, she said she will do what she does best and that is make people laugh.
"I said I couldn't miss the DC Improv," she said.
It is open mic night, so admission is free tonight.
Sashay said she plans to turn some of this pain around and use the attack in her routine.