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.

Stretching my legs at the Comedy Store

Had a fun set at the Comedy Store last night. There was no comics there to go up after me so I got to stay up there until someone showed up. It was kind of a cool feeling. But I could have been better prepared. At a few points I was forgetting material. I messed up my words a few times, but for the most part all of the jokes worked but one (pussy magnet). Been awhile since I did that joke and I don't think it's a good joke for the Comedy Store. As they are mostly couples and it is a little too dirty. I ended up doing around 15. I did do two new jokes for the first time, both hitting pretty well. I need to find a way to close one of them stronger, but was happy I got a good start. I closed with the horse race joke, and ended up getting an applause break, which is always nice. Had a few people high five me after. It felt good as they weren't an overly great crowd. I likely had the best set, but I did do twice as much time as everyone else. But, I started off strong, so I'll take it. Had to take a break from doing a bunch of shows because I've been filling in on nights at the radio station. Sucks when I really want to perform, yet have to work this week and next due to a coworkers injury. I'm hoping my motivation stays around. I've been trying to write at least one new joke a day.

Ending somewhat strongish

Thursday at the Comedy Store was really good. Although I had fun plowing through on Wednesday, Thursday was a solid crowd. Start to finish was good. Had a lady say she enjoyed my set. Found out later she had been doing comedy for 15 years, but that is suspect as she sat in the front row. I can't think of many serious comedians who sit in the front row, let alone the first few rows to see non famous comedians. Who knows. I enjoyed my set, and worked out a few new things that worked out well. Friday was Winston's. When I got there it was pretty dead, which I was a little worried as I had booked a guy that claimed to be bringing a good amount of peps. They slowly, and LOUDLY, started coming in. They were really loud for awhile, then settled in somewhat nicely. There was a good wave of 3 or 4 comics that had the crowd enjoying themselves. My set was somewhat hit or miss. They wanted dirty, and once I gave them that they started to enjoy it. They were still talking pretty loudly, but I tried to just plow through it. Had a few people come up to me after saying I did well. But, would have liked to have done better. They started to filter out after they saw who they wanted to see, and there was a decent number of people who watched the two co headliners. One of the headliners asked me today what I was pissed at him about today. I had absolutely no clue wtf he was talking about. He didn't want to go into detail, but I still have no clue what he meant. I told him I'm running a show with 30 plus comics and have to wrap up by 9. We were over time, and that kinda stressful. Luckily we were able to go a few minutes over and it wasn't a big deal. I was playing catch up all night, and not sure how we ended up so far over.