By Jove, I Think He's Got It!

You know what's weird, internet stalkers? For some reason, people keep complimenting me on my comedy. My loyal friend went to a set I did on Tuesday and she said "You've gotten much improved." And this Wednesday night I had an 11:00 PM spot at a gay bar...and honestly spots like that are usually brutal. It's already late, people want to get to hardcore drinking, and the gays are a vicious audience. But somehow, I actually made them all laugh!

Now, I wouldn't go as far as to say I am a GREAT comedian, but I can honestly say that I do a good job. I just keep wondering how it happened and to be honest I grew exponentially after I bombed. I had a streak of really bad performances and each one sent me spiraling further and further down. And then I had this show that really stunk, and I realized the problem was me. I know you're all like "Well duh, it's your fault" but I mean I was failing to be a real person on stage. I used to be so serious about my act and then I realized, hey fuck it it's a COMEDY show, I'm here to have fun. And I finally started allowing myself to do that. I finally realized that for the next 5, 10, 15 minutes, the stage is essentially mine and not the audience's or the owner's or the other comedians'.

I did not mean to get all Maury Povich final moments on you guys, but for anyone seriously considering becoming an entertainer, I would say you have to lighten up. Doing comedy is like having a conversation with someone: sometimes you're off, sometimes they're off, sometimes you really click. Just be yourself--and add punchlines!

I always equate stage performing with flying on a plane. Lorrie Moore (a really funny writer; check out her short story collections, bookworms) has the best quote about this that could apply to any budding performers: "The trick to flying safe was never to buy a discount ticket and to tell yourself you had nothing to live for anyway, so that when the plane crashed it was no big deal. Then. when it didn't crash, when you had succeeded in keeping it aloft with your own worthlessness, all you had to do was stagger off, locate your luggage, and, by the time a cab arrived, come up with a persuasive reason to go on living." Ah, priceless!

Keep it real in 2007! And please check out my Thursday show or my Friday set at Mo Pitkins (see previous blog) OR Sunday show (Botanica Bar: 47 East Houston Street bet. Mott & Mulberry Streets--starts at 8:00 PM).