Week in review

Wednesday and Thursday was the Store. Wednesday was a fun set, don't remember anything really specific. I riffed off what the comic before we said, but that's all I really remember. Thursday was a late night set. I hadn't gone up that late in a little while. There was a few pop ins and I ended up going up 40 minutes after I was scheduled. The comic before me did around 20 minutes and did this long closing bit mixing singers and their lyrics. It's really old and been on tv. It interesting when I asked if there was any single women, there was a good response. Normally, earlier in the night I got nothing. I think it has to do with the people not really knowing what heckling means. But as they get a little drunker they feel they can be more apart of the show. Friday was Winston's. We had a co headliner from L.A. that I worked out with a dude for him to pay her. I hate these shows as I don't feel in control. She was supposed to do 20 and when I asked when she wanted the light, she said 25. Oh ok. She was pretty high energy and funny. She couldn't get much momentum, and actually got off the stage. It's a bar show, and it's tough. My set was ok. I butchered the comic's name I brought up next. I felt bad but she clearly was annoyed. Oh well. I had a friend in town that hadn't seen me so I decided to do jokes I knew worked, but it was still meh.

Few more shows in the books

Finally off nights so got some sets in. Last week I was only able to do Winston's. It was pretty busy. The show was set up a little differently. I booked one headliner and had him pick 3 features. I had never seen any of them but they had some friends which is always good. I was working on new material with some old stuff sprinkled in. I remember doing pretty well and having a few people give me a thumbs up. Tuesday I grinded 3 mics as it was my 6 yr comedy anniversary. I started at the Comedy Palace, I hadn't performed on that open mic since I stopped teaching the class 6 or so months ago. I was a little worried as the manager had been hounding me about some paperwork. Luckily he avoided me as he the most passive person I've ever met. I basically just worked on some added material I added to the Home Depot joke. It went ok. I closed with a one liner, it went meh. Next set was at Lestat's where I was doing 10 to 12. I should truthfully have been able to do more. The show only had 4 people on it, with 2 doing 5-7. But whatever, I planned my set out and stuck to it which I rarely do. I messed up one of my first closer and pepppered out. I closed strong and have to say it was a decent set. Next was headlining Til Two. It was a strange show as a few of the comics were gay and the entire audience was gay males. Can't say I've ever performed out front of just men in the crowd, but all gay men was interesting. I did as best as I could. I guy after said I was funny and told me I should talk about Steven King when I talk about Maine. Oh ok. Thursday I did the Comedy Store. They were a pretty low energy, small crowd. I kind of had fun with it, and was extra self depricating. I wouldn't say I did great. But strangely after the show, 2 seperate groups of people said I was their favorite. Which is rare, and sometimes I do feel I do the best, but I didn't expect to hear it that night. It's always nice to be complimented, esp. when it's unexpected. Friday was Winston's. My set started off a little weird as I was co headlining, but the feature I went up after A. bombed very hard and B. brought most of the crowd. It's been awhile since I've seen someone have that many people support him and do that poorly. Anyways when I got up they were all talking. i kinda addressed it, but just plowed through, after a minute or two they weren't as loud. I wouldn't say I did great, but powered through some new jokes and had a decent time with the set.

Headlining Til Two open mic

Well I went up last at least. I swung by after work. I had been driving past it every Sunday night and just not doing it. I forced myself to go up for 2 reasons, the only night I can go up this week is Friday at Winston's as I'm working every night and I wrote 3 new jokes yesterday. There was about 5 comics in the room. I checked in with the host and there was only 2 people ahead of me, so I signed up and went to my car and put together a set list. The host who I've never really spoken to was also doing sound. So he brings me up then has to run back and turn the music on. Very strange. He butchered my name, which hasn't happened in many years. I opened with a few porn jokes which is a little weird as the host is a former porn star. First one does well, second, not so much. New jokes hit pretty well, although I was doing the last one, and the host started playing the music. It really threw me off, he said it was accidental, but honestly how do you accidentally turn music on. Anyways, I bailed on that joke, and tried my new merbutler joke, which got a decent laugh. I'll likely keep swinging by if I have new stuff to work on. I'm looking forward to not have to work every night.

Fun night at Winston's

Crowd was much lighter than last week, but they were attentive and enjoying the show. I worked on some new jokes, and did one of my old jokes as requested by a comic who was moving the next day. I felt a little off throughout the set. I don't know if it was from the booze or just working too much. I messed up a few words, and made up a few words. One mess up kinda helped me as I was able to get a new tag out of it (parmesean a pigion). Anyways, sadly I have to work every night this week too, so I'm going to have to take advantage of my time at Winston's on Friday.

Started off being booed

Well last night was interesting. There was a pretty good/ young crowd. They all looked the same. They basically were all punk kids, all there for one or two people. This can be challenging. I was at 1st supposed to go up right after the main act of the night who was doing 15 minutes. That can always be weird when everyone is doing 6-8 minutes then someone does a lot more time. This wasn't the case as we had a lot of pop ins for big ole L.A. One of them being Dat Phan. I've seen him around town a lot lately. He's a very intense person. Constantly pacing and on his phone. Last night he was passing out Snickers ice cream bars. Anyways. The comic before me closed with a "joke" about a parent being happy their mentally challenged child got killed in a school shooting. So, as he says my name as he's starring at a piece of paper, a woman started booing. He was the host of the L.A. Comedy Store when I did it a few years back. Told the audience the open mic comics didn't have souls, feel free to throw things at us, boo, etc. So he's not the most professional, funny comic. But he is a paid regular in Hollywood, which makes me question comedy in general. I somewhat get being a dick as host of an open mic, but how can you not at least remember my first name. He bragged about spelling my name out phonetically, when I told him just to say my first name. Well after having a really subpar set, he takes out a piece of paper and just said my first name. Pretty bad. Anyways, I acknowledged the booing and she said she was booing the comic before me. I just said, you should follow him and boo in his face. She was drunk, but it was kind of funny to see her complaining to the door guy almost an hour later about how offensive and bad he was. My set went pretty well considering. The manager went in to watch which is very rare. I always feel an added pressure when he is in there to do jokes that I know work. But after I did some old shit, I transitioned into some new stuff to close. They all did pretty well. I closed with a newer joke that got a slight applause break which is always good. I was going to do my race track closer, but when that joke his pretty well, I didn't feel like running the light. The show went kinda long with all the pop ins, but I was still happy to be there. I even hung out a little bit after to chat with a couple comics. I really wanted to go up again. Sadly I have to work tonight and won't be able to go up. Have to wait until tomorrow night.

Working/ performing at the Store

Well I worked a weekend at the Comedy Store for the first time in nearly a year and a half. It wasn't quite as bad as I remember, but it is a long time to be there. I could do it now and again, but could never go back to every week. I'm kinda ok again with the manager so that makes things a little easier. He asked me to open the first show. I was excited but the crowd was much older than the normal Wednesday/ Thursday crowd. Opening can always be tough, but at 7 PM, when it's still light out can be even more difficult. I just couldn't gain any real momentum. I went to my closer before even getting the light to salvage a mediocre set. That got a decent response, but nothing great. I went to another normally solid bit to close and it was meh. A lot of the back of the crowd was talking and settling in. I could have addressed it, but it really wouldn't come off well and would hinder the show. The front of the room seemed to be enjoying it, and I can take solice in that. I overheard an older man say either the first comic was "on it" or "awful," I said good night to gauge what he said. He didn't say anything, so I must assume he said awful. Oh well. I lobbied to do the second show as well, as they were much younger and ended up being a much better crowd. I chatted with the feature a bit. He was only 25. He said he doesn't get up at the LA Store but the headliner got him on. I'm starting realize how important surrounding yourself with a core group of funny friends is. So many opportunities are basically word of mouth these days. Everyone has a video and a website, clubs are getting emails, calls, etc. from so many comics they likely just check out. From what I've seen locally comedy club managers are pretty lazy and unorganized, so it likely isn't just a San Diego thing. It takes a certain skill set to run a comedy club. Dealing with all the ego's and lunatics. But their is also a certain power they must feel with the knowledge they can control people's stage time and making a living.

Winston's headlining spot

Well this was an interesting set. There was a good amount of people. Everyone kept coming up to me, saying great crowd. I'd respond, it's a big crowd, doesn't always translate to a great crowd. When I got there, people were starting to file in. They were not the typical Winston's crowd. They were mostly there to see the features. Who were a little older female comics. Whatever, a crowd is a crowd. I wasn't sure how my set was going to go, but I knew I'd make a few bucks. Most of the comics were having a tough time relating to the crowd. They were somewhat sensitive, and their default was to say "ahh" or "oooohh." One of the comics kind of opened them up with crowd work, then the next two comics did pretty well. The first feature did ok. He's always a wild card as he can sometimes, well always, be misogenistic. He has gotten a little better about it, and can get some laughs. The next feature was who most of the crowd came to see. She did well. The next feature did ok, and it was then me. I wasn't really stressing, because I knew either way I'd make a few bucks, but I had written out a long set list of newish jokes. I kinda abandoned that set, but did do some new jokes and closed with an brand new joke I thought of that day. I kinda wish I would have filmed it. I had some good riffs and I think the crowd, which by no way was my ideal crowd enjoyed it. Still in a good place with comedy, and last night reminded me of that.