Store poster

Hey it's Jeff, remember me

Well I've been away from the blog and the stage for a little while but I'm back on the saddle.

Thursday before I left I popped in to hang out at a bar show. I didn't really plan to go up and the crowd was rough and small. One dude asked me a few times to go up, not the people that book the show, but the headliner. I don't like asking for time, but figured I'd do it if they asked me. Then ended up asking and I decided to make an experiment and smoke a little weed beforehand. I got on stage and rambled for a little bit. It was mostly talking about the randomness of the room, and trying out some new jokes. I did around 15 minutes. It's good that I can still string together an entertaining set even with a rough crowd.

Now off to Vegas, a trip that should have never been. Pretty much had to cut ties with a friend and didn't perform at all. Poker went really well, had one of my best few days ever. I was so card dead the first couple days. but grinded nicely, and made barely any mistakes. Actually won playing blackjack. Granted I was drunk, but quit when I was ahead. I plan to go back again next month, not sure if I want to play poker around here.

Drove back to S.D. Thursday night instead of Friday. Winston's Friday was busy, but they weren't the best crowd. They were all there for their friend, and literally turned their backs and talked throughout other comics sets. My set was ok. Did almost 15 minutes of ranting and trying jokes, it was moderately fun. When we were collecting the money it felt short. I talked to the guy I run the show with about how I felt. Turns out they rechecked the draw and found a $100 bill. Oh really? That really concerns me. How does one forget that much money? Sketches me out and feel I should start counting people to make sure there is accurate amounts in the future. I bet the guys skimp $20 here and there, but $100 is rediculous.

Saturday was a fun night. I knew that I had one show at the Palace, but the 2nd was brought on us around 4 pm. I scrambled around calling some comics. Sucked cause there was also another "show" going on with people I wanted to book. The first show was pretty packed. It definately wasn't an easy show, but I felt like a struggled through nicely. Once I felt like I was getting into a groove, I got lit early. Not sure why. I'd imagine it was because the promoter decided last minute, he wanted to do time. I guess I should be happy to do time, but lame to be lit early. Also the host, who I've never met introduced me as "Mclovin" which is pretty disrespectful and unprofessional.

Next set was roughish, but I think I tredged through ok. I interacted with a gal in the front row who wasn't the best looking gal but who cares. Anyways, I was trying to be friendly but it kept coming off like a dick. Finally I just said let's kiss, to which she agreed, and I kissed a gal in the front row. She even tried to add tongue. Crazy life being a comic. Rest of the set was tough to match that excitement, but I made it through.

Sunday was just the comedy store. I forgot I called in the week before to get on the open mic list and even asked to get on alternates. Turns out I was on. Set started off slow. They were a pretty dumb crowd and I falsey thought they were smart. Once I realized their intelligence level I changed gears and ended pretty ok. I'm not really interested in performing at the Blarney anymore. I worked too hard in that room to get not respect.

Last night was the finals of the contest. Show started off pretty slow and rough. The open mic host angerly called out a heckler. I went up there and tried to cut the tension. Pretty unsuccessfully. I tried bantering and jokes, nothing really worked. I did 10 or so minutes, and figured it was time to get on with the contest. Most of the contestants did pretty well. Seemed a few of them were either nervous or out of the element. The girl most people figured would win, did. We ended up having a pretty solid turnout, and were able to pay everyone the money that was expected.

winston's poster

Well that was a waste

Sunday was just the Store. There was a special show at Blarney, to which of course I was not invited to do. I did pretty well at the Store. Mostly new jokes and went over well. Nothing much to report.

Monday was the Winston's contest. It was the slowest one we did 2 date. One comic showed up and left. 2 others no showed completely. And a 4th told me earlier in the week he couldn't make it. We still put on 8 contestants. Most of them bailed before the light. I did some time before the contest that went pretty decent. Just working out some new stuff.

Tuesday I swung by the Palace. There was literly like maybe 6 audience members. I was going to wait to go up, but the roomie wanted to hang, and I couldn't take hanging out there much longer. I thanked the host and bailed.

Last night was a show in Temecula. God dang that was a waste of a drive. I did get 2 free beers and a ride up there, but not worth my time. I did 15 minutes right off the top. I started off ok but started getting bummed as the crowd response was less and less. 15 minutes was way too much time in that environment. I have a tough to remembering jokes nowadays. I hope it's not because of my drinking, but who knows. I wasn't prepared enough. It was a bad set, but everyone did bad so I'll take solice in that. There was a lady in a bathe robe and high heels. Classy.

Big time heckler

Well Thursday was my monthly Comedy Store show. There was a good turnout. I had maybe 11 or 12 people show up. Pretty depressing, but people just arn't supportive. The show started off kind of rough, first couple people had a rough time. The 3rd person did pretty well, the 4th ok, and the 5 did solid. Then me. Well I was thrown off right from the start from a drunk woman yelling something. I still don't know what it is and likely should have ignored it, but I've never been good with that. We bantered back and forth and I felt things getting mean. I enjoy doing crowd work when it's upbeat and positive. This was pretty terrible. Highlights were saying I don't go to her work at Arby's. Also what appeared to be her daughter yelled I was getting pity laughs, later in the set I said I'd have sex with her, but it would be pity sex. I actually thought I was losing the crowd, and asked, but all the people to the right said they hated her. It was a rollercoaster, and didn't feel great about it, but it seemed like it went better than I felt up there. Heard good things from other comics, who knows if they were being truthful. Some people that came said, it was ok.

Kinda funny, they eventually threw the lady out. I felt bad for the people she came with but why would they bring her knowing she was drunk and a bitch. It was also dumb of the workers to sit her in the front. What I learned to be the son apologized to me after which was kinda funny. I also had some girls want to take pictures with some of the comedians. That was cool. I chatted with one of them and she acted like she wanted to talk further. We exchanged facebook info. I sent her a message with my number, no response. Girls are weird. Oh well.

Friday was Winston's. There was a decent amount of people. They were attentive and receptive for most of the show. Once the person they came to see, they lost some attention. I can't blame them, it's a long show. I should have put myself up earlier. My jokes went eh, I stumbled a little bit. The headliner I expected to bring people didn't really promote much. I somewhat have to blame the fact we didn't have a poster made until the week of the show. He also someone ate shit. He's surely not a headliner, but he was awkward and stumbled a lot. One of the worst headliners I've seen us book. Live and learn.

Just Winston's

SO Sunday I actually worked late. I wasn't on at the Comedy Store and didn't feel like getting up at 7. I switched. I called for the store for next week and the guy asked me if I wanted to be on tonight... I said I had to work. My friend said she was going to the show with her dad. She wanted me to try to get on. I told her I couldn't. I likely could have but I didn't want to go up late and struggle. Her dad would likely think I was a chump. I stopped by Blarney and it was all comics. I should have stayed and worked out the new material, but I decided work at 7 the next day and tired from the day, I headed home. I heard it ended up being ok, but whatever.

Monday was the 1st week of the new contest. I wasn't expecting much as far as turn out, but there ended up being 20 or so people. Decent and respectful. Not the easiest people to make laugh but the time I did before the show went pretty well. Still working on a lot of new stuff but I was happy how it went overall. I tried to gp up again after the contest as we finished really early, but the crowd didn't want to listen to me again. I'm looking forward to the show on Thursday, let's hope a good amount of people come. I never can tell. I've made a facebook thing and got very little response. I am going to gorilla text people tomorrow to try to get a decent turnout.

Slacking on the posts

Not sure why it's been so long since I blogged, have been somewhat busy and started playing poker again, but no real excuse to ignore the blog so long. Friday 4/1 was Winston's. One of the worst shows in awhile. The crowd did not laugh at anything. I took it harder than usual as I've been doing pretty good at Winston's and took it somewhat personal. They didn't really laugh at the guy they came to see. It was really weird. I made some money so I'll take that as a win.

After Winston's we did a show at a strip club. Ya. I heard about it and said why not. It was poorly run, even for a show at a strip club. It was in the back room. I can't believe there were dudes in there. Really, you know there's naked women in the other room. There were strippers walking around serving drinks and trying to set up lap dances. I did my time. I was brought up by the dj in the booth. I told some jokes, then I hear one more coming from the speaker out front of me. Very gansta. We then chatted with the booker who was streaming the show over the internet. Interesting experience, he invited us back which I guess is a plus.

Sunday was just the comedy store. My set went ok, but I slurred my words on a couple jokes. I was pretty upset with myself. I recovered nicely and the crowd likely didn't notice, but it sucks that it keeps happening. I get somewhat nervous at the show still, not really sure why.

Monday was Winston's. It was the last semi finals, and there was a decent sized crowd. One very funny guy got off to a really bad start and couldn't recover. I'm not sure why he opened with "AIDS" or "rape." He literally said that. Try not to totally get people to hate you. I didn't really even do a set because the open mic went long, and I tried right after but the crowd was trying hard to get ballots and whatnot. I bantered a little bit with the host than brought up the guest judge. He did pretty well.

Didn't have any midweek shows, so back to Winston's again. One of the features asked me to put on one of his coworkers that had a good amount of people going. I said sure. His friends work at the same company as people I've had on before. These people do not attend comedy shows and talk the entire time. Made things rough for the comics. Once he got up there he paced nonstop and kept the mic a foot from his mouth. He did hacky jokes, which I learned after were Ron White jokes. Why would you do that to yourself? My set was meh. Better than last week, but still not easy or great.

The headliners were down from L.A. He was original a quasi famous dude, who his agent contacted me to do the show. He ended up not even showing up. I paid the other two guys a fair amount of money to drive down to L.A. The gal on the show haggled to get more time. She was originally just a feature but somehow felt she was a headliner and I paid her too. While the open mic dude was awful, he brought the whole crowd. I'm curious what his friends said, and if he'll do it again.