Show # 9

Pepperbelly's, Fairfield, Ca: Tonight was good. I didn't think it was gonna be all day. In fact I really didn't feel like going to the comedy club tonight. I forgot to email Victor on Monday so I thought I'd have to go up really late. I was really tired all day, didn't real feel like telling jokes. But I got there and during role call, nobody was taking the early spots so I went up 4th. I was polishing my masturbation material tonight(teehee) and it really worked tonight. Heather said she thought I was the first comic tonight to warm up the crowd. So yeah, I always feel a certain sense of accomplishment when I know I'm not feeling it, but I still get up and I still get laughs. Makes me feel like a real comic. Then Heather went up 11th and had a really good set, then we were both pretty tired so we peaced-out quick after she got done. So tomorrow night I gotta bring my A game at the Brainwash. I don't know why. Tony said he couldn't tell us last week why we had too, but he definitely said to bring our best stuff. So I will, and we'll see what happens. I'm off to my bed now. Later.

Favorite line of the night: "I wanna see that pizza walk up here again. Then when you grab it, a midget appears." - Steve Danner

Show # 8

Show # 8 - The Purple Onion, San Francisco, CA. What an amazing night! I don't even know where to start. The room itself was maybe the coolest part of the whole thing. The Purple Onion is a pretty historic stage. George Carlin, The Smothers Brothers, Phyllis Diller have all performed there. Richard Pryor recorded his first album there. And now...Tim Wolcott! Also to be in the show with Heather meant a lot. We went up 3rd and 4th and I feel like we both killed! I closed with my Adventism stuff and it was the 1st time I've performed that bit in front of actual Adventists which was pretty cool. Especially since my people made up about 1/4th of the room(and took up the whole front row cause that's the way my people roll) so it was like having a laugh guaruntee. The fact that so many came out for me meant a lot too. I've got some awesome friends. And it was a solid night all round. Griffin Daley and Roman Leo both brought a lot of funny. And, of course, Jabari Davis headlined and everybody loved him too. Plus I got paid, in actual money. Not in food or alcohol. First time that's happened. So yeah, definitely a night I will never forget. Big thanks to everyone that came out to support! I love you all! Later.
Favorite line of the night: Me - "Should we go left or right on Van Ness?" Mackie - "Joel says go west so according to my phone north is right...well that can't be right." - Derek Mackie

Show #'s 6 & 7

Okay, so I know I'm a little behind, but in my defense I've had a hell of a run recently. In the past 11 days I have worked 9 days, got 4 shows under my belt, went and saw 2 more, and went to a wedding, so yeah, its been a little hectic.
Show # 6 - Pepperbelly's, Fairfield, CA. I rode along with Steve Danner on Wednesday. I don't know if you'd call what I did bombing, but it was close. I was working on my Adventist stuff, cause I wanted to do that set at the Purple Onion on Saturday, but I don't think anyone there on Wednesday could relate to it. I saw a lot of awkward smiles, but no laughs. One moment of note, I entered the Bay Area Laugh Off, a comedy competition Pepperbelly's is hosting later this summer. More on that when I know more.
Favorite Line of the night: "Are you a triceratops or a tricerabottom? I'm not a herbavore but I'm a himavore!" - Dave Thomason
Show # 7 - Brainwash, San Francisco, CA. I loved everything about Thursday. I went up really late, like 11:30, and it was really just comics left. I started my set with my Perfect Entrance routine, which is pretty close to my favorite bit to do. It's really high energy, and as long as I'm actually giving it my all, the crowd usually responds, and they did on Thursday too. In fact, on Friday I went to check out the show at the Onion, just to check out the room, and I ran into Chris Duncan, another really funny guy that comes to the Brain, and he'd been there on Thursday and he told me he'd been telling his friends about it. Then I tried out some new stuff that I'd been thinking about for the Onion and it worked pretty well too. Then after the show I talked to Tony Sparks and told him about my D4A! hosting and he told he'd probably use me in a couple of weeks! So I might have some hosting gigs coming. Fingers crossed!
Favorite line of the night: "Don't get me wrong, I'm not gay. But I am a brother that likes to read...in public. While eating a blueberry scone and drinking a chai latte." - Jabari Davis

Show # 5

Nick's Crispy Tacos, San Francisco, CA - Tonight started out rough. Just getting there involved a plan C, I think it was. Once I finally got there, and the show finally started, things got better. The room itself is organized and run by the very funny Travis Curry. And its hosted by Tony Sparks, so winner winner chicken dinner. Inside, the whole place is deep red and it looks like a taco truck crashed into the front of a burlesque bar. I went up 8th or 9th out of around 20. And I got some laughs from a crowd that hadn't really been laughing that much. And I tried a few new jokes that went over pretty well, I think. So that was cool. And a few moments of note on and off stage as well tonight. One, I busted out the horny parakeet for the first time on a comedy stage tonight. And two, just as I was leaving, Tony Sparks asked me if I've ever done any hosting. I told him I'd done a little (once) hosting. He said he wants to see me work a little more but he might have some work for me. So, very interesting indeed. I'm gonna talk to him on Thursday and tell him about my hosting of the D4A! shows as well. Who knows what can happen? Next show: Tomorrow night. I'm either gonna go to Tommy T's in Sac or plan B, go into the city again and see what I can find.
I should thank my friends Chris and Jenn for letting me borrow their car for the week! Yeah! So thanks, Chris and Jenn!
Alright. I'm gonna go to bed now. Later.

Favorite line of the night: "I asked God the difference between him and me. And he said, 'Nobody believes in you.' " - Vladimir Khylil

Mike Birbiglia

Like I said yesterday, I went to one of my heroes last night at the San Jose Improv, and I just wanted to say... Mike Birbiglia is the funniest, realest comic there is right now! There. I said it. Have a good day people!

Show # 4

Last night was a good night. Pepperbelly's is always a good time, though. I'd planned to plug my Purple Onion show at the end the end of my set. I'd brought tickets to sell and everything. But I closed with a joke I didn't really want to hang out on stage after and completely forgot. Fail!
What I love about Pepperbelly's is the amount of really good comics that show up. Last night a bunch of SF comics carpooled out to the show and they all had really good sets. One of them, Roman Leo is going to be in the Purple Onion show with Heather and I. He's a really funny guy and he's got the best terrorist beard I've ever seen. Heather had a really good set too. She did her set about running into an ex-lover at his wedding. She said afterwards she hadn't really been feeling it before hand but that set was one she felt the most comfortable with. And I gotta say, she went up early, 4th to be exact, and she definitely got the crowd warm and laughing.
The other cool thing about last night was David Lew, he's one of the guys that helped start the Pepperbelly's open mic and now he has some sort of official position at the club, not sure exactly what it is, but he sure does it. Anyways, he starting handing out entry forms for a six week comedy competition they are doing this summer. And the winner is gonna get paid, like a grand. Yeah, son!
There weren't any fights or anything this week, just a lot of good comedy, which personally, I prefer. Not sure when show # 5 is gonna be actually. Tonight, Heather and I are skipping Brainwash and heading to San Jose to see Mike Birbiglia, one of my comedy gurus, at the Improv. Then on Sat. my buddy Matt is getting married, so that should be a good night. I might be able to find a show Friday or Sunday night, but maybe not til Monday. Yikes!
Favorite Line of the night: "...and the sheets were all red, and you told the maid it was grape juice, like we'd been having slushy fight." - Heather Isaacs Royce

Show # 3

I don't really know what to say about show # 3. It wasn't a great night but it wasn't a horrible one either. Tommy T's was a new room for me and to be honest I was fully expecting to leave not having enjoyed myself. For two reasons. One: Its a pay to play room. $5 to get on stage. I understand the place has to make money but most comics are pretty broke and after driving the hour and half to Pleasonton the idea of then having to pay to perform doesn't really make my socks roll up and down. Two: Its a competition open mic and the winner can get up to $100 of the door. Sounds great right? Bullshit! In open mic competitions the winner is almost always picked by the audience. Post hoc ergo propter hoc, unless you have the funniest 4 minutes in the history of comedy, or have something that sets you apart (like being an actual kid or being a cute little blond girl that only tells jokes about how much she loves bjs) he or she who brings the people wins. Last night there was a kid who was getting up for the 1st time but he also brought his high school and extended family. So guess who was in the top 5 at the end of the night.
Before I continue, cause I realized I'm sounding a little bitter, overall I was happy with last night. I got a pretty good response from people during my set. Dwight, my roommate, came with and watched. He's been talking about trying to tell jokes for a while now and I think watching 30 comics mechanically crammed into 3 hours, most of whom were either bad, drunk, or first timers, helped him realize that the only things you need to do this are mildly amusing jokes and confidence. And there were other bright spots. The kid, literally, that ended up winning was a regular there. A 13 yr old named Joey Braggs. And he was the funniest there. He had timing, well written jokes, and confidence. So yeah, overall I'll give show #3 a 6 out of 10. Show #4: Pepperbelly's on wed. Later.
Favorite line: "When I was 8, I learned that cock meant penis. Then I heard about cockfighting, and it scared the hell outta me." - Joey Braggs