Mar 98

Mar 6 - One World Cafe

Weird stuff at the one-world. Early in the show the host and one of the comedians were having some sort of argument and it got pretty ugly for a while. I don't know all the details, so I'll hold off on judgement. I guess it has to happen once in a while though. Comedians have big egos and are mostly very insecure. I know I am. And occasionally these egos will clash. The thing that most interested me was that neither used humor as a weapon.
 

So my set went OK. A qualified OK. My energy was good. My delivery was alright. My material a little weak in points. My commitment had a few holes. The unemployment bit went well with some rough spots. The longer I'm unemployed the less funny I think this bit is. The phone fear bit was too true for an audience of comedians. Also I tried to milk a few laughs at the end, and it didn't work. I went into the magazine store robbery story, but wasn't fully committed. I tried to compensate with extra energy, but I think it came across as phony.
 

March 17 - Writing session

Yes, another lapse in comedy for me. Bad flu and bad depression about being unemployed, kept me from being funny. But I sat down tonight and wrote some material. Pat found me some hilarious news stories on the web, and I will be doing my commentary on them tomorrow at Fruitful Grounds.
 

March 18 - Fruitful Grounds

No comedy tonight! I got all dressed up. Practiced all my new material. Nobody showed. It was just me and the free postcards.
 

March 20 - One World Cafe

Did it again. My first joke bombed and it ruined the set. I have to learn to recover better. I've gotten better at recovering from clunkers in the middle of the set, but if the first joke dies, I go to pieces. I did recover towards the end, and got a few laughs.
 

The crowd in general had really bad energy. Lately there has been alot of hostility between the comedians. Comedians are competitive people. Everyone wants to be the funniest.
 

March 25 - Tyrone's

I like this place. The crowd was real small tonight, but were in a good mood. I did pretty good. I didn't get booed! Yes, one of the comedians was booed at. By more than one table. It may sound weird, but I get off on that. Knowing that if you aren't funny enough, the crowd WILL turn on you. It gives that extra added incentive to do well. The unemployment bit went well, but I don't think it's strong enough for an opener. The bit about my mother sending me clothes needs work. The G.I.'s taking dugs is too obscure. The gumball bandit went well. The Brazil organ doner jokes are too gross. The sportsman guide joke needs more build up.
 

I had a nice moment with one of the regulars at the bar. He made a very funny joke off the organ doner bit, and I pulled a few good lines out of that. I was still a bit tight about playing to an all black audience, but it went much smoother this time. Next time I should have no problem at all.
 

March 28 - One World Cafe

Good crowd tonight. Lots of people standing in the back. Just about every week I get the same intro from the host. It's inaccurate and it confuses and distances the audience. The part that bugs me is I have never said anything to the host about it. I have always had the attitude that it's his show, so he can do what he wants. But next time I'm there I'm going to tell him I don't like it. I deserve a better intro. I don't want much, just something that doesn't distance me from the audience.
 

So my energy was pretty good, but I was getting alot of blank stares. As I was performing that I was analyzing each joke as it came out of my mouth. I'm over thinking. So the set was a little stale, but went OK. I'm trying too hard.
 

NOTE TO PEOPLE WHO HOST SHOWS: If you have an audience that is standing while the comedians are sitting, kick the comedians out of their seats. They will understand, or at least they should.
 

March 31 - Luggage Store

I had a great set tonight. My energy was way up. All my new jokes went well. OK most of them went well. The ostrich jerky bit went well with the alpine marmot bit. The spatula joke got a good reaction from the audience. The 5 vacuum cleaner bit was weak, and the mom sent me clothes bit needs work. The best part was I started the set off with a couple of semi-ad-libs. I made the jokes up just before my set. One was making fun of the way I was dressed, the other commenting on the set up of the room, which was changed to work around an art work. Both these jokes went very well.
 

I also have to say that this was one of the funniest shows I've seen at the Luggage Store. Nearly all the comedians were way up. The standout for me was Brian Kehlan's(sp?) story about working at a group home for autistic adults. The audience was on the floor.
 

March 31 - Would You Believe...Cocktails

I have to thank Mike for offering me a guest set. I just didn't feel ready for this show. I regret saying that now, but too late. The show was great despite the loud birthday party going on. Most of the comedians used the birthday crowd to their advantage. And a big goodbye to Kevin Kataoka, who's off to LA to have a career. That's one reason I don't think I'll ever be a big comedy star. I don't think I could live in LA.