Time to recap

Well I've been ignoring the blog for reasons I can't really explain. Been focusing on girlfriend and poker. But, I've had more than enough time to write the blog. As far as what has happened. I was passed at the Comedy Store in the middle of November. It is a cool thing as I'm only the 3rd person that has been passed since I started. The other two had been doing comedy longer than me, but both were influential to my start.
I've been going last on the Sunday nights at the Comedy Store. For the most part the crowd is pretty small by the time I get up, but they listen. Not the easiest sell but I can't complain. I did a really good show there at the beginning of the month. I even had a seasoned comic talk to me after. She has a few big credits and travels doing comedy. Although she was slightly drunk, even admitting the fact. She asked me if I had an agent. That I had a "look for comedy" and that she doesn't say that to many people. I felt pretty flattered. I'm still contemplating my plans for present and future with comedy.
I was approached about working at the Comedy Store a few weeks ago. I wasn't overly excited, but if I was going to be there, might as well make a few extra bucks. Well I followed up last week, and they ended up hiring someone else. And although this comic is a nice guy, and solid comic, he's been doing comedy years less than me. I've been passed a few times already, but I haven't really been proactive about working there. People are telling me it's likely for the best I don't work there, but it would be nice to add that "credit." I'm just going to keep plugging away and make my way up being funny.
Craziest story of the last few months happened at the Comedy Palace. A place I never really enjoy performing at, and the place I failed to place in the finals. And got knocked out in the first round of the next contest. Anyways, the week before I got a text from a number I was unaware of. I had a feeling who it was but wasn't positive. My speculations were correct. He is a guy I had messaged a year ago about getting spots at the Palace. I was referred by a couple comic friends. Didn't hear back for a year, then bang, offered a weekend of shows. I declined Friday, but took Thursday and 2 shows Saturday. I get there to a decent sized crowd. The comic that opened the show was a local guy, that mainly only does crowd wor. I don't agree with this style, esp to open a show and with a crowd that is listening. It ruins the flow of the show, and the crowd expects everyone to do that. He was doing his normal schtick, but it was not going too well. Anyways I see the headliner light him, which I learn later was an early light. I hear them converse and the headliner basically says, "I do crowd work, so you can't." Local comic says I didn't know that, you should have told me. It was a nice enough encounter. I saw I was suppose to do 7, but the headliner came up to me right before and told me to do 10. I asked if there was a light, and he said "You're a professional, you'll get it." Ok then. I struggled off the bat, and once again had a rough set. The rest of the comics on there did mindless, hacky jokes. Which of course the moronic, older crowd ate up. There was even a table of 50 somethings holding up cards, ranking comics 6,7,8,9, etc. I was told only one woman scored me a "6." Oh well. I stayed for the whole show to watch 2 of the worst comics I've ever witnessed. One was a buff former Marine that unveiled a Charlie Sheen shirt as a punch line and talked about "recent" (things happened sometime in the last year) events. The headliner did hacky, rehearsed crowd work, about blacks, asians, mexicans, etc.
Fast forward to Saturday shows. I find out I'm only doing 5 minutes. I actually had a pretty good set. I was just going to leave but figured I'd do the professional thing and stick around. Anyways at 915 the crappy marine comic, who've I've never spoke to came up to me and another comic on the show and said we were not on the 9 show. I was like WTF, why did I stay all this time. He said he apologized but management told him their was too many comics on, BS. He even said he offered to cut his time back, BS. I once again asked why someone couldn't have told us that 2 hours again. I said whatever and went to talk to the headliner. He was sitting with his family, yeah kids and whatnot. I forgot there were kids 8 and under running around, legal I bet. Anyways I ask if I could speak to him a moment so we weren't in front of family. I ask him why I couldn't have been told 2 hours ago. He says he's a headliner and doesn't need to talk to anyone. Ha, excuse me. Then he goes into I brought no one to the show on Thursday. He said the guy that texting me said I was bringing 30 or so. I told him I've never met texter, and that I'm a comedian not a bringer. I once again say why couldn't you have told me two hours ago and walk away. I start talking to the owner near the ticket booth, and the headliner runs over and starts yelling, "don't talk shit about me." I say I'm not. At this point the local comic he called out for doing crowd work gets in his face, saying he was tired of being treated like shit all weekend. They exchange words then the headliner tells us to take it outside so he could knock us out. The owner takes him outside. I walk around a bit, then tell the headliner, who at this point is hyperventilating. I say no hard feelings, just wanted to know sooner and not have my time wasted. His gf comes out to check on him. I just walk away.
I hear about the local comic called him out some more after I left. I see said local comic the next night at Von's. He tells me that after they went back and forth telling each other they wouldn't perform if the other was on the show. Anyways as local comic was walking away the headliner tracked him down and said, "I really respect you. You got a lot of balls, no one has stood up to me before. I want to take you on tour with me. When I saw you Thursday I was seeing a young me. I shouldn't have taken your buddy off the show." It's so crazy how much he flipped his story. Me and said local comic I wouldn't say are great friends, and I think he was handed a lot of things. I gained respect for him after that, and wish him the best. He is making the move to L.A. shortly. I think for him it isn't the right move. He gets so much prime stage time, and never really uses it to work on jokes. He does so much crowd work, that I believe he will come into the same problem he faced with the L.A. headliner. It throws off the flow of a show to open with crowd work. Hopefully it works out.
Winston's has been hit or miss. The finals of the latest contest was probably the best show I've seen since I took over. Over 100 people paid, on top of 40 or so comics there. Everyone did well, and the winner definitely deserved it. The Friday shows have been somewhat slow, but that could be due to the holidays. I'm looking forward to the shows in January. As far as the contest. We will be moving to Wednesdays starting next week. I think it could be a good thing with the street fair going on at the same time. I think parking may be a problem, but people arn't going to drive down there and just leave. I've been performing a lot more on the Friday shows which is always a struggle but it's good to challenge myself.
That's it for now. I will try to get back to a show by show recap or at least a weekly recap.

Need a change

Well haven't been performing a real lot, still Winston's Monday and Friday but rarely doing a set. I did a really good show at the beginning of the month. Been writting a lot and thinking of new ideas but just haven't had an outlet to perform. Did a couple crappy shows last week. The first I was the "headliner," whatever that means. I went up last and performed out front of comedians and a few humans. I had my girlfriend call out some of my older jokes. I tried to remember some. I made the best of an awkward situation. I'm anxious to see how the video came out. I started off good, had a little bit of a lull, then finished moderately strong. Did have a man say he was going to shoot me, which was a first. I went down to check out another show but bailed when I saw another comic there. I'm not real sure why this guy gets under my skin so much. I think it has a lot to do with the ego, and the fact comics salivate over him. All is basically does is be an asshole to audience members. Anyone has the ability to do this, but comics think he's god. He did this on my show the following night. The comics after him were pretty much screwed to do actual jokes because the crowd didn't want to hear jokes and just wanted to be rediculed.

I've decided to give my two weeks notice at home depot. The recent raise of only 30 cents was the last straw. They wanted me to take on more responsibilities for 30 cents more an hour. They take advantage of their workers, and I'm too smart to stand for it. With that said I will try to play poker 4 to 5 days a week, and get back to the grind of doing comedy shows. I haven't really been grinding for the past 6 months to a year. The varying work schedule with depot really effected my sleep, and I felt tired all the time. Which in turn lead to me drinking much more than is responsible. I'm gonna focus on getting my drinking under control and get my life back on track.

I will try to blog a lot more often even if I don't have a show or do much of anything. Today I woke up at 6, as Lindsey had to go to work. I came home and tried to go to sleep, not much luck. Wanted to play poker but just felt out of it. I should have just gone to the gym, but couldn't get the energy. I decided I'm going to try to go for a walk everyday. I don't want to gain weight as a result of leaving home depot. I think if I walk a mile or so everyday it will give me a added boast of energy and caloric burning. I finally made it to the gym, now I'm just vegging out before heading to Lindsey's.

contest ppl

July 25
judge: billy bonnell sent
1. damien pruitt
2. pat puccini
3. tommy broome
4. joe charles
5. paul herrmann
6. erik martin
7. chris dalberg
8. jon schaeffer

Almost giving up

So little happening. Really been ignoring the blog, but haven't really peformed in awhile. Just been doing Winston's, but not even doing a set. I think my birthday show, and small turnout somewhat screwed with my head. That and meeting the girl. My focus is totally directed toward her. Broke down and said I loved her, and that didn't turn out well. She didn't say it back and I got emotional as I tend to do on occasional. It takes a lot to bum me out, but when I like someone I really like them. It's been almost 5 years since I really put my mind into someone. We worked things out, I think. I'm not completely sure if she's ready to love or be loved. Who knows if I am. I'm not really in the best part of my life. Stuck in a dead end job, and not focusing enough attention on comedy. I did write some stuff the other day, and have been thinking about new jokes and ideas, but just haven't performed. The Comedy Store doesn't have an open mic on Sundays anymore, and Blarney is too far and late now. So that basically just leaves Mondays and Fridays at Winston's. And the crowds haven't been really strong enough to deserve my hard work to bust out a set. I don't think it's because the girl is there, I just don't have the desire to perform. I actually was asked to do a few shows at the end of the month and the beginning of next. I need to start redirecting my focus away from the girl and back to comedy. I just need to find myself. I'm really getting scared this comedy thing is just a hobby and not a life choice. I find myself getting more and more frustrated at home depot. And literally want nothing more than to get fired. I'm leaving early, coming in late, calling out. Just plain miserable there, basically every second. I do enjoy spending time with the girl, but always in the back of my mind I'm wondering what I should be doing with my life. I'm 28 and I'm far from being an adult. I just need to get my life together, but I just don't know what the entails, or what I can do to get there. Radio, tv, newspapers, are all almost a thing of the past. I know I was born to entertain, but how am I going to figure out a way to make that my career?

Birthday show fun

Well big time ignoring of the blog. Went to Vegas, started off really good and ended blah. Broke totally even, but lost $400 the 2nd to last night. My own fault. I grinded all day, played next to pefect after a somewhat cooler to start the day. Then got drunk all of a sudden and donated the money back at a wicked loose already table at Caesar's. The next night I ran awful, and somehow managed to loose another $1000. I should have stopped after I lost the first $500 but I figured it had to turn around. No such luck. Last hand I played, I lost $150 with kings vs aces.

When I got back I just hosted Winston's on Monday and Friday. Didn't do a set either night. Friday I met a girl, and things seem to be great, we'll see. Wednesday I did the Comedy Store. I went up second, there wasn't a huge crowd, but I think I did ok considering the circumstance. Thursday I did a small coffee shop. It was slightly awkward as there were people literally sitting 2 feet from me. I talked over them for a little while, trying to do jokes. They went meh. Some girl yelled about birthday sex, and I interacted with her for a bit. That was good.

Last night was the bday show. 3 people came for me, 3 frickin people. Not one person from work came. I'm somewhat deflated. I'm gonna go in late to work, and might not go at all. Mostly because I want to hang out with the girl, but I don't really want to talk to anyone from there. I need another break.

Ugh death of a funny man

Monday at the contest was pretty full actually. Nice change from last week. It started off slowly but picked up steam throughout. There was solid talent there. One of the dudes that I would consider a comic friend, did really well and got first place. My set was ok, voiced some new stuff, got some laughs. Even had someone write me in, as that Mclovin guy. The banter at the end was fun as always.

Wednesday I had a spot at the store because I helped out a few weeks back. I was expecting to go up late but they had me up 2nd for 6 minutes, when everyone else was doing 8. I was like WTF, as my roomie took forever to get ready so we were slightly late. Luckily I made it in time. Well, not really luckily as the set was rough. Probably one of the worst sets I've ever had. I've had worse sets, but not in a comedy environment, when I expected to do well. It was bad, and I kept losing confidence as the set progressed. It was depressing. I left the stage and just sulked for 10 minutes.

After that we headed to bar 11. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go up but decided it would be for the best. I basically did the same jokes, and had fun with the small audience. Even had some guys talk to me outside about how I stuck out. It felt pretty good. I did some drinking and asked the host to go up again at the end of the night. Normally I wouldn't do this, but the crowd was still there, so I was like, "Why not?" I just chatted it up with a few audience members, and was slightly rude to one. I don't know why I slip up and do that on occasion. Anyways, I think most people enjoyed it.

Last night was Winston's. It started off pretty slow as usual. But people started filtering earlier than usual. A lot of them were talking and it was a struggle to win them over. A few people did well, and the guy before me had a rough time but ended strong. I would say that was about the same for mine. My first joke was eh, but I picked up steam and got a few appaluse breaks. For a crowd like that, that's impressive. I felt like I did ok, I think the co host lit me a little early, but I ended strong enough and didn't feel the need to continue. The headliner was really funny and she's a real overall talent. She does jokes, sings, and raps. Most of the time I find that hacky, but she's a real crowd pleaser and I respect that.