Taint Comedy Great?

Taint comedy great?
I’ve had trouble updating here and I think it is because the purpose of it was lost on me but I’ve gotten a new motivation and that hopefully will make this a more daily to weekly event and less of a weekly to monthly event. There’s always a joke of the day or a comedian’s perspective but my current world is a rare blend of being both a fan of comedy and an active participant. Yesterday I had two important gigs.
First I auditioned for last comic standing. The American Idol of comedy and while the results were vacant and at best I left with being accused of being unoriginal, at best I met several comedians, reaffirmed my commitment to comedy to myself and learned that sometimes the journey is worth more than the moment it leads to. I’ll finish this entry with an explanation of the LCS process but the highlight of my week was a show produced by Chesslee Clay Calloway at Kabin at 92 2nd Avenue called Taint Comedy Great.

By far the best show I’ve been to at a bar. The lineup was great including Amanda Beals, Eric Andre and of course Chesslee Calloway. The room was intimate but comfortably sat the 40 person audience and the bar may have been a borderline hole in the wall that happens to be my personal preference. I was happy with my set, although I broke my rule of not drinking before performing. The Wild Turkey slowed my rhythm and slurred some punch lines but helped my stage presence, audience interaction and overall confidence. After the show was a good gathering of comics and comic appreciators and I ended the night at a diner with Stu Mason and Amanda Beals, where many laughs were had. I’ll definitely be attending the next rendition of Taint Comedy Great, probably as an audience member but I highly recommend it regardless as the show is professionally done and entertaining beyond its cover of FREE.

Last Comic Standing began for me at 1:00 PM on Tuesday the 20th. I’ve always been one to arrive ahead of schedule and while 19 hours is a little much it ended up being fortunate as only 113 people auditioned. I’ve heard not a single comic was welcomed back from open auditions and perhaps they only use the foolish freshman and sophomores of comedy to fill blooper reels but regardless it was an opportunity to both meet comics and have comics meet me. I met several local comics, too many to name although I’m sure I’ll be attending their shows in the future and mentioning them here. I also met comics from Ohio, Maine and the middle of the country (all those states are the same to me). Waiting on line began as a game but as the cold came quickly became a burden. We spent mixed hours shivering in the cold and drinking at a local bar while taking turns grabbing food and watching each other’s spots. Despite the competition most were friendly and realistic of their chances and while the sun rose, the people who were out for themselves were obvious and unwelcomed and the fact that the comics who were funniest were also friendliest was reaffirming.

Will I try out for Last Comic Standing next year despite my negative 26 second audition experience…probably. My brother will be living in New York and he will want the exposure the networking opportunity has no comparison and for me pulling an all nighter while marginally inconvenient is no real burden when compared to my lifetime of insomnia. I will take the advice I received more seriously. Uber clean, quick punchlines and material that is neither generic nor too jokey. Have a plethora of subject matter available to cater to specific judges and appeal comfortable, marketable and overall capable. With the change in objective expect more entries more often and more entertaining.

Comedy – If it was easy everyone would do it.