Weds. night I did a show at a room in Essex Co. NJ. It was my kind of room. It was a bunch of good hard working middle class rowdy rude New Jerseyains. I had gotten the gig from a strong recommendation from a fellow comedian who has played the room before. I love NJ rooms I did my first paid gig at Porkeys in Byram and worked my favorite NJ room for J&J comedy at the Woodbridge Sheraton...on Sat nights. There is an ease to these rooms for me. First off it is a paying audience that knows its not in NY...they aren't expecting to see Jerry Seinfeld or Jim Norton....depending on their tastes. They are open to the funny.
The show has a wild format...2 brand new comics go on right after the MC.. In a portion they call Digging for gold. These are raw and freshly hatched kids. One comic really showed the crowd a decent set...he opened with a call back to the MC's biggest joke and they loved him for it. It showed he could think on his feet and be funny . The second comic is a kid you have to love for his heart and determination alone. He struggled a bit but I think he can if he sticks with this find his voice and potential. Then there was a 10 minute break and the show began. During the break the two seasoned comics were to give our thoughts to the 2 newbies one at a time. That I was considered by the fact that I was a feature for the night a seasoned comic was unreal to me. I gave the fist comic some advice about finding stage time and asked him how long he had been at this. I repeated all the good advice I was given at the start. The second comic I did the same and also told him that he needed to be more personal in his material. He was hitting on some topics that are tread worn and I think he needed to impart a bit more of his own point of view into his set. Everything I said I also needed to hear myself. The fundamentals of this thing we do are pretty basic. Stage time, Stage time and more Stage time. Keeping it more personal helps you to develop your own voice and saves you the time of rewriting constantly a new set when your mostly topical. I was truly impressed at the spark in both their eyes. Those early days are so nerve wracking. A kind word goes a long way.
Then the break was over an it was my turn to take the stage. I was feeling off the entire day. My thoughts had been jangled and I cried for no reason during a commercial on TV that afternoon. It wasn't a Hallmark ad either. It was a diaper add Luvs. My daughter is in her freshman year at NYU and even though I see her once a week at least I miss her terribly. Uh Ho Hormones....what's the date.....I got big time PMS. So I get on stage and I'm holding a soda and a cigarette. I make an off the cuff remark about how nice it is to smoke indoors. I mention that I quit for 17 years and now that I'm back it has become an outdoor activity.... (like soccer) F. U. Mayor Blumberg. I have them. I do my standard opener and get an applause break. Oh shit I have them. I still feel off. This is where the 100's of shows and mic's pay off the set was on my hard drive of my brain. I try to stay tight and keep it slow and smooth. I do my 20 and I have KILLED. I'm thinking shit this was my "C" game. You should see me when I'm on my "A" game. The rest of the show was a blur. The headliner had a fantastic set and the booker and producers both were really happy and told me I would be booked again ASAP.....and I got paid. Lovely and it was only a half an hour away from my home. I love NJ.
The next night I was booked in the small room at NYCC. I didn't feel like making the long drive in but off I went. I went on just about 15 minutes after I got there. I followed my friend from Sal's Ryan Reese....and they loved him he had a very strong set from a very tied and worn out audience. I love seeing comics turn a room around...if only to prove that it can be done. I take to the stage and do almost the same set I did in NJ the night before .....shortened for NY stage time. I feel like I am on my "A" game. I deliver a decent set nothing more.....job done....no applause breaks I give myself a C. I feel shitty. Hey this isn't NJ the bar is higher. I worry that I will ever be good enough to turn a room around. Not yet it seems. I am no Ryan yet.
As much as I love NYCC I am not part of any inner circle and this night I know no one Ryan has left and so do I. I head for the village to see if anyone is hanging out. I go back to the womb to Sal's club. The feeling I get when I see Sal is like seeing family. He gives me a million dollar smile and we catch up. Paul Verdi is outside he comes over and he and I talk for a while. Sal has some great news and the three of us and Raymo too all go to a bar and celebrate. Paul is at this about 6 or 7 years I tell him about my last 2 shows. He suggests I don't over analyze what happens...just to concentrate on the next set and have a plan. We riff a few new jokes and Sal always has a great story.....Paul and I stop for a slice of pizza.....and we talk some more. I had been told by the pro headliner the night before that he liked my stuff and if I want more paid work I should really get more clean material. Who knew that a suburban mom could be such a gutter mouth but I am. I explain that my problem is I find the topics that I write that are clean are lame. I cant find my true voice in them. His answer is to keep writing and trying. Once again there are no short cuts. I get home at 4 am....I had a 9 am teeth cleaning and wake up to an hour of torture. I go home and sleep till 1pm. This leaves me 5 hours to get a days work in around my home and cook dinner.
I leave for the city at 10 for the Urban Late show at NYCC. I don't think that is the name of the show Seymour runs it and has offered me a spot a week before. It takes me no time to get in but an hour to find parking. I am a mile away and get to the club only to find out I'm right on time the show started at midnight. The room is full and the comics are not good but EXCELLENT. I am the only white comic on the show. I have gone to many of these shows and seen good comics go under. The energy is different. The comics hold nothing back. The humor is dead on and rough and hysterical. These are not light weights. Marc Theibold destroys, Yamaneika Saunders is killer good, Dean Edwards and Seymore are pros to the 10th degree. I am getting scared...no terrified. If you have seen me perform I am a slow moving vehicle..... I look like getting up on the stage is a chore. I lean.....I sit.... I am sarcastic and at liveliest just pissed off. Will this fly?? More to the point am I good enough to be here?? I want to run.... I don't want to go up. Sorry but we made a mistake here...... I talk to Seymour and ask him for some advice................."JUST HAVE FUN" really how?? Fun is doing well.. sucking ass is HELL. I feel like I will be going to hell. Calise Hawkins tells me to be positive and beleive I can do well. I feel as the only white person on stage I need to address it in a fun way. Michelle Bateau is in the club and she suggest a great line. I'm black from the back....and show my ass. I get onstage and say her line and I add "this baby's go back side and front. I begin my suburban saga to an urban room......aren't I suppose to have a plan???? My KY joke hits the rest kinda just sails along on the good energy in the room. My jokes about Costco are wrong...... is it the setting. I don't think so. I know its suburban....but the real truth is I am not a great comic. It is not a racial issue at all the plain truth as harsh as it is.......is .......... I am out of my league and the boat is taking on water. I get the light and I get off stage. The applause didn't last till I hit the door. Fuck. "all we can do is try to get funnier" I am not all that and some. I give myself a C maybe a C plus. I say this because I didn't bomb and many jokes hit.....plus I was scared going in and did it anyway. It felt like I was on stage for the very first time. I felt like the boys back on Weds night.... On stage I had dry mouth which I hardly get anymore. My jaw felt like someone hit me up there...it ached. I was getting a headache. I wanted a big sandwich...and felt nauseous all at the same time. Out in the hall all the comics were riffing on each other and giving Yamaneika a hard time about her hair. I threw in a comment and even there I was lame. They were all very nice to me anyway. Yamaneka was really nice and told me that It was just good to get up there and do it....and to be myself with full confidence. I tucked my tail between my legs and went home. Its almost 5 am and my head is still racing. It was like I never did comedy before. I have a lot to learn.....and a long long way to go....
Comments are below
Stop that!
Posted on 10/29/2005 at 02:09 PM by H. P.
It's bad enough to have critiques, but to place them yourself is self defeatist. Concentrate AWAYS on the positive.
"I tucked my tail between my legs and went home"
That should be out of your mind and more how you got the chance to work it all out. No more self defeatist. Hope to see ya soon.
Peace
You are right HP but ...
Posted on 10/29/2005 at 02:42 PM by Robin Fox
I think there are many comics who dont have a clear vision of themselves. I am far from a defeatist....but I fairly can asses my limitations and see that I need work. I want alot and it will take alot.
I think we all are like that..
Posted on 10/30/2005 at 02:23 PM by April Brucker
In a way. We are very harsh with ourselves. When most of my jokes hit and that one does not hit I only focus on that one that did not hit. I could have a fab set otherwise and have a slow beginning or weak ending though it is a fab set and everyone is telling me I did well I only focus on where I screwed up. And you should see me when I bomb. Man, I pity the fool who has to comfort me after a bad set. But a mentor once told me, "It is a process. It does not come over night." And an older comedian told me, "If you are getting up as much as you are (3 times a night every night when I can. Sounds like you are on the same schedule) God bless you." You'll be alright, no worries
my show
Posted on 11/04/2005 at 12:02 PM by
Robin I've been trygn to get in touch with you to invite you to my one woman show the evolution of a sexy mutha fuckak all the info is at suecostello.com I hope you can come:):)
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Open mic....Open mind
Last week I stopped by Sal's on a Tues. night after doing a set at NYCC. I wanted to get another set in that night before making the long drive home. It was the weekly open mic...Laugh off. I haven't been able to get to this show for a while because I try to not go out more than 2 nights in a row during the week. The warden ( Mr. wonderful) gets lonely. I also wanted to see some of my friends. I saw Sal from my car and pull up in front. He tells me the place is packed and he is putting up about 50 ...they started around 8ish. It was past 11 when I got there. I was going to just go home but I found a parking space a block away and figured Id just pop my head in and say hi. I look at the bar and there is no one I know. I go down to the show room and it pretty full. Then as I look around..................I recognized only one comic. I go over and say hi and ask..."who are these people?" They were all new to me.
I find it really scary how many people keep jumping in to give Standup a try. I am one of them so this isn't to say they shouldn't be there, rather it is shocking how many new faces in just six weeks showed up. On the other side where were all the comics I do know? Hopefully and factually many have moved up and out of the open mic scene and are getting stage time with paying audiences. .
I really love going to Sal's open mic. Sometimes we would actually get an audience and that made it a lot of fun. Also when you have a club or a mic that is your home base there is a comradery that is really fun. Some people see it as clicky.... I cant say that I have found it to be like that. Sure the first time you go to any new room if you don't know anyone it is rare anyone will jump off the stage to shake your hand. But if you go to a mic regularly you will find that people are really receptive especially if they see you are serious about what you are trying to do comedy wise. I was very scared the first show I did at the Morrison Motel. The room felt like everyone knew every one else. John the mench extrodinare that he is welcomed me warmly as I checked in. After the show he came over to me and told me that he like what I did. I loved going there and still do.
Many comics get angry about open mic's. They say things like...... how can you tell if a joke is good if your telling it to a bunch of comics just waiting to go on...or for a prize at the end of the night??? Many complain that they cant do the same set week after week when all the comics have heard it before. I agree somewhat....so I would try to have at least 2 new bits or even jokes or premises to work out. It made me write.....which made me better. One night early on Bill Burr was in the room this was almost 30 months ago. How do you perform in front of a bunch of other comics waiting to go on who aren't paying attention??? I learned from Bill that night.. you do it by waking them up with lots of laughter. He did a bunch of stuff that 2 years later he did on his HBO special...... If its good enough for Bill its good enough for me.
I started at the Stress Factory in NJs open mic. We often had 25 or more real audienc members it was great. But the best part for me was the feedback I would get from the other comics. Jullian would give me tons of feedback from the bar. John Bander and Greg Concodora and Jarret Kruse.....we all would help one and other....it was wonderful and made us all get stronger,
I like all of us don't want to languish at open mic's for ever.... I look to perform in front of a real audience when and wherever I can. However that said.... There is something great about the freedom of an open mic that cant be had anywhere else..................I can relax......I can reinvent.......I can ad lib...........I can try a different style...... and if it works great if it doesn't no foul. Now for the argument you cant tell if a joke is really good until you do it before a real audience. I don't know about you guys but my very BEST jokes I have known were good since the minute they were on paper...sometimes sooner. Sure Id run them by a friend or my husband. But after about a year of this I could judge pretty well if a joke was a laugh out louder or only a smile joke or a dud. Yes its great to go into a real room and find out a joke is great....on the other end it really sucks to find out that the joke is on you because it just bombed in front of 100 people. One of the things that I think I have developed is the ability to be able to self assess what is working and what is not. At open mic's I will take a joke that isn't working that I believe in and rework it and rework it until I think I have the correct wording, delivery and timing down pat. I do it for me................ not the room. Would I rather go to just real shows and do all this..... not really.
Hosting has let me do a bit more of this. Between comics I have thrown out a new line or 2 and some fly and others hover. I would much rather test run them at an open mic where a few good friends are. Best of all I respect the feedback theses friends give me. I love doing a new joke and late deconstructing it with Larry Baily or Guy or Sebastian or Raquel,Emily, Jill, Adrienne or Katy. We all help each other get better. I owe so much to so many people who like me endured open mic's with.. 1000 of dick jokes, thrown stools........ and boredom to the 100th degree. ALL because we want to get better at this. Remember this..........."Winners are willing to do what the losers wont."
Comments are below
point and counter point
Posted on 10/26/2005 at 06:05 PM by Josh Homer
Well I agree with most of what you said, however that all can be done at regular shows. When I bark, I talk with the other comics about bits ect like you described. I do relax on stage an dtake chances there, I play games with it, try differnt voices on stage etc. Just I don't feel that loving feeling at open mics. I did Stress Factory for months, no one offered me anything help or otherwise. I even got heckled by one of the people from SF, one of the guys from the back table.
your right about SF....
Posted on 10/26/2005 at 06:13 PM by Robin Fox
I started going to SF.. almost over 3 years ago. We eventually lost most of our real audience due to having been bumped by Jim Brewer for months on end. And you are right the group changed... I even felt like an odd man, or woman out in that situation. As for the love.... It is nice when it is there. I have barked for hours at clubs and done a set and it was if It never happened ...sometimes it didnt ...they ran out of show. Not one comic says hi.... I feel like I am seen as less than. I had a Killer set at one show I barked at for over 3 hours. I went on and just did great. To tell you the truth maybe cause Im old as shit.... I was too exhausted to enjoy it. It took me 10 months of hard work at all kinds of stage time some booked some barked some interned for...some open to finally be asked back for a spot without doing anything but bringing the funny. That was great. As for Heckeling at an open mic..... I have said on stage to someone who did that to me....Geee why dont you go fight someone with CP after this...ass hole. There is no room for it...At an open mic. Its great that you feel comfortable doing the things you do at barked shows... I do them there too. But for me.... and the situation I have created for myself, there is something really nice about having a home base open mic to go to. Lastly at the SF I always made it a point to go up to someone new and say hi....that place can be really scary the first time.
class act
Posted on 10/26/2005 at 06:26 PM by Josh Homer
I have seen you perform a few times (including the open mic at SF) and you seem like a really nice down to earth person. Hopefully I will work with you soon.
Well put Robin..
Posted on 10/27/2005 at 10:08 AM by Larry Bailey
I cant believe that I'm actually defending open mics as much as I hate them at times. But you hit the nail on the head. Sure there are a lot of negatives to the whole scene, but I've come to appeciate the little positives that do exist. In this business I've learned to take whatever positives you can get.
Best of all
Posted on 10/27/2005 at 12:24 PM by Robin Fox
Larry is the people you come to respect and enjoy. That is why I was so sad to go to Sals and see no one I know there but one comic. Your right they are unbearable at times. I have to leave the room often for a break. I miss some of those days when all we did was open mics and it was new...because I saw all of you at least 3 times a week. I dont feel like a fit in as much as this new crop of comics come up. But then there is the stage...and that is my classroom, no matter where it is I can learn something.
love your attitude
Posted on 10/28/2005 at 02:53 AM by Ray Rivera
i need to have your attitude, its really refreshing and professional, much success. i'm going to bed now.
from you Ray
Posted on 10/28/2005 at 02:59 AM by Robin Fox
Thats a rave. I feel the same way about you. Your always working writing and growing ...that all I can do to make this happen. There are very few if any short cuts. Great running into you tonight.
it's so true...
Posted on 08/28/2006 at 03:44 PM by Emily Epstein
You have a knack for putting things in perspective, ms. robin. open mics can be long and oppressive and frustrating. and for some of us that have been doing comedy for a while now, it's especially tough when we're not sure where we fit in--maybe ready to graduate from the mic circuit, but not sure that we can get enough stagetime to get up at least 5 times a week or more. But i agree, with our schedules and directions changing i miss seeing as many of the familiar faces. i haven't run into you in forever, but i'm so glad you're doing well! and i'm actually doing seymour's room this weekend and not sure what to expect myself. but i agree, it's all about challenging yourself and forcing yourself to go out of your element. it's the only way to grow.
I find it really scary how many people keep jumping in to give Standup a try. I am one of them so this isn't to say they shouldn't be there, rather it is shocking how many new faces in just six weeks showed up. On the other side where were all the comics I do know? Hopefully and factually many have moved up and out of the open mic scene and are getting stage time with paying audiences. .
I really love going to Sal's open mic. Sometimes we would actually get an audience and that made it a lot of fun. Also when you have a club or a mic that is your home base there is a comradery that is really fun. Some people see it as clicky.... I cant say that I have found it to be like that. Sure the first time you go to any new room if you don't know anyone it is rare anyone will jump off the stage to shake your hand. But if you go to a mic regularly you will find that people are really receptive especially if they see you are serious about what you are trying to do comedy wise. I was very scared the first show I did at the Morrison Motel. The room felt like everyone knew every one else. John the mench extrodinare that he is welcomed me warmly as I checked in. After the show he came over to me and told me that he like what I did. I loved going there and still do.
Many comics get angry about open mic's. They say things like...... how can you tell if a joke is good if your telling it to a bunch of comics just waiting to go on...or for a prize at the end of the night??? Many complain that they cant do the same set week after week when all the comics have heard it before. I agree somewhat....so I would try to have at least 2 new bits or even jokes or premises to work out. It made me write.....which made me better. One night early on Bill Burr was in the room this was almost 30 months ago. How do you perform in front of a bunch of other comics waiting to go on who aren't paying attention??? I learned from Bill that night.. you do it by waking them up with lots of laughter. He did a bunch of stuff that 2 years later he did on his HBO special...... If its good enough for Bill its good enough for me.
I started at the Stress Factory in NJs open mic. We often had 25 or more real audienc members it was great. But the best part for me was the feedback I would get from the other comics. Jullian would give me tons of feedback from the bar. John Bander and Greg Concodora and Jarret Kruse.....we all would help one and other....it was wonderful and made us all get stronger,
I like all of us don't want to languish at open mic's for ever.... I look to perform in front of a real audience when and wherever I can. However that said.... There is something great about the freedom of an open mic that cant be had anywhere else..................I can relax......I can reinvent.......I can ad lib...........I can try a different style...... and if it works great if it doesn't no foul. Now for the argument you cant tell if a joke is really good until you do it before a real audience. I don't know about you guys but my very BEST jokes I have known were good since the minute they were on paper...sometimes sooner. Sure Id run them by a friend or my husband. But after about a year of this I could judge pretty well if a joke was a laugh out louder or only a smile joke or a dud. Yes its great to go into a real room and find out a joke is great....on the other end it really sucks to find out that the joke is on you because it just bombed in front of 100 people. One of the things that I think I have developed is the ability to be able to self assess what is working and what is not. At open mic's I will take a joke that isn't working that I believe in and rework it and rework it until I think I have the correct wording, delivery and timing down pat. I do it for me................ not the room. Would I rather go to just real shows and do all this..... not really.
Hosting has let me do a bit more of this. Between comics I have thrown out a new line or 2 and some fly and others hover. I would much rather test run them at an open mic where a few good friends are. Best of all I respect the feedback theses friends give me. I love doing a new joke and late deconstructing it with Larry Baily or Guy or Sebastian or Raquel,Emily, Jill, Adrienne or Katy. We all help each other get better. I owe so much to so many people who like me endured open mic's with.. 1000 of dick jokes, thrown stools........ and boredom to the 100th degree. ALL because we want to get better at this. Remember this..........."Winners are willing to do what the losers wont."
Comments are below
point and counter point
Posted on 10/26/2005 at 06:05 PM by Josh Homer
Well I agree with most of what you said, however that all can be done at regular shows. When I bark, I talk with the other comics about bits ect like you described. I do relax on stage an dtake chances there, I play games with it, try differnt voices on stage etc. Just I don't feel that loving feeling at open mics. I did Stress Factory for months, no one offered me anything help or otherwise. I even got heckled by one of the people from SF, one of the guys from the back table.
your right about SF....
Posted on 10/26/2005 at 06:13 PM by Robin Fox
I started going to SF.. almost over 3 years ago. We eventually lost most of our real audience due to having been bumped by Jim Brewer for months on end. And you are right the group changed... I even felt like an odd man, or woman out in that situation. As for the love.... It is nice when it is there. I have barked for hours at clubs and done a set and it was if It never happened ...sometimes it didnt ...they ran out of show. Not one comic says hi.... I feel like I am seen as less than. I had a Killer set at one show I barked at for over 3 hours. I went on and just did great. To tell you the truth maybe cause Im old as shit.... I was too exhausted to enjoy it. It took me 10 months of hard work at all kinds of stage time some booked some barked some interned for...some open to finally be asked back for a spot without doing anything but bringing the funny. That was great. As for Heckeling at an open mic..... I have said on stage to someone who did that to me....Geee why dont you go fight someone with CP after this...ass hole. There is no room for it...At an open mic. Its great that you feel comfortable doing the things you do at barked shows... I do them there too. But for me.... and the situation I have created for myself, there is something really nice about having a home base open mic to go to. Lastly at the SF I always made it a point to go up to someone new and say hi....that place can be really scary the first time.
class act
Posted on 10/26/2005 at 06:26 PM by Josh Homer
I have seen you perform a few times (including the open mic at SF) and you seem like a really nice down to earth person. Hopefully I will work with you soon.
Well put Robin..
Posted on 10/27/2005 at 10:08 AM by Larry Bailey
I cant believe that I'm actually defending open mics as much as I hate them at times. But you hit the nail on the head. Sure there are a lot of negatives to the whole scene, but I've come to appeciate the little positives that do exist. In this business I've learned to take whatever positives you can get.
Best of all
Posted on 10/27/2005 at 12:24 PM by Robin Fox
Larry is the people you come to respect and enjoy. That is why I was so sad to go to Sals and see no one I know there but one comic. Your right they are unbearable at times. I have to leave the room often for a break. I miss some of those days when all we did was open mics and it was new...because I saw all of you at least 3 times a week. I dont feel like a fit in as much as this new crop of comics come up. But then there is the stage...and that is my classroom, no matter where it is I can learn something.
love your attitude
Posted on 10/28/2005 at 02:53 AM by Ray Rivera
i need to have your attitude, its really refreshing and professional, much success. i'm going to bed now.
from you Ray
Posted on 10/28/2005 at 02:59 AM by Robin Fox
Thats a rave. I feel the same way about you. Your always working writing and growing ...that all I can do to make this happen. There are very few if any short cuts. Great running into you tonight.
it's so true...
Posted on 08/28/2006 at 03:44 PM by Emily Epstein
You have a knack for putting things in perspective, ms. robin. open mics can be long and oppressive and frustrating. and for some of us that have been doing comedy for a while now, it's especially tough when we're not sure where we fit in--maybe ready to graduate from the mic circuit, but not sure that we can get enough stagetime to get up at least 5 times a week or more. But i agree, with our schedules and directions changing i miss seeing as many of the familiar faces. i haven't run into you in forever, but i'm so glad you're doing well! and i'm actually doing seymour's room this weekend and not sure what to expect myself. but i agree, it's all about challenging yourself and forcing yourself to go out of your element. it's the only way to grow.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Lets keep this show going!!!!!!!!!! Give it up for......
I left for the city early yesterday because I didn't want to be late to the show I was hosting. I forgot to show up at an aftenoon party because I was so nuts about hosting later that night. I have been working on new material and stream lining my jokes to fit the hosting format. Most of my bits are too long. The show I did was the 7:30 new talent showcase.
When I got there I was told that I wouldn't get much time up front.... 5 minutes. I was put off by this how was I to warm these people up? There were 3 staff spots to follow me. So I came onstage and just did crowd work. Then I told the room the rules...and then I mentioned that there were a lot of people here to see their friends and that lets be supportive of all the comics..... They were a great room! Not a typical bringer situation. So the 3 house comics did their sets and all were great. Sean Murphy, Steve Aaron's, and a comic who's name I cant recall. Then I went on and did one short bit. My goal was just to establish rapport and to let them get to know me. The show was being recorded and my friend Eric Alexander was filming. He needed me to do longer bits from time to time to change tape and then I would do a longer set. I had more one line jokes than I have ever had since I began doing comedy. All I do latly is write short jokes, because I had none. I was really happy with how well it went. I still had to run for the comics....learn how to say their names... get credits....time and light them etc.. And be funny! I was scared going in but once the show began I really felt very comfortable. The comics were funny ! Only one did awful. Only one comic ignored the light....( I hate that) I had the club manager telling me to get him off. I did everything except walk on to the stage....and pull him off. There were two stand outs last night. Adrienne Ioppolucci, and Tim Warner. Both had the sets of the night. There was another comic I know from Sal's a big funny guy who went on early in the show who also killed....I have to find my list and figure out who he was. Dave O'Gara (thanks April see comment).
I really am so happy to have gotten through this . I know this is what I need to be doing. I don't know if I will ever be a great MC but I know MCing will help me be a greater comic. Then just when I am feeling like I'm the shit....in walks Michelle Bateau to the club. For those of you who don't know Michelle she is wonderful. She has a Premium Blend coming out in a few weeks. She is my favorite MC in the city. Every show she does makes you feel like you are so lucky to be at HER PARTY! She is everything I would like to be as a host. I may have done well but to be in Michelles league of hosting ....... I have a lot to learn.
Its funny so many comics I meet know me from the Soapbox page. It happens all the time. Its nice because many of the comics feel like the know me already. Someone asked me why I blog. I responded that no one in my suburban life really wants to hear this stuff. My husband listens to it day in and day out....... Its an outlet for me and a chance to connect with perhaps someone who might give a rats ass. Quite a few conversations have been about the new format of the web site. What many say they miss is The Rundown of whom is going to be on the Soapbox show. You can still find it but you have to go to the calendar section to find it. The other thing is the Comedians on Comedians. It was fun to see what we all were saying about each other. I myself LOVED the Comedy around the world that listed 3-4 comics and where they were playing. It was fun to see to find out that someone I knew was going to Tampa etc. Everyone is talking about the comedians circle. It is kinda fun. Let's just get one thing out of the way as a teen I sat at the un cool table, that anyone wants to join my circle is a riot to me. I guess If you live long enough you see everything.
Comments are below
Posted on 10/24/2005 at 11:37 PM by April Brucker
There was another comic I know from Sal's a big funny guy who went on early in the show who also killed....I have to find my list and figure out who he was.
Oh, that was Dave O'Gara. I know this for a fact because he is my boyfriend (I let the secret out) and he could not come to my show saturday because he was doing the guest spot he won at Aaron Haber's mic. I told him you mentioned him and he says thank you because he cannot get ot a computer.
Thanks April
Posted on 10/25/2005 at 12:19 AM by Robin Fox
He was great! Steve even said to me ...hes good. It was a pleasure to see him do so well. I really am usually very good with names and Tell him I am sorry I couldnt remember his name.
Posted on 10/25/2005 at 07:53 AM by April Brucker
will do Robin
When I got there I was told that I wouldn't get much time up front.... 5 minutes. I was put off by this how was I to warm these people up? There were 3 staff spots to follow me. So I came onstage and just did crowd work. Then I told the room the rules...and then I mentioned that there were a lot of people here to see their friends and that lets be supportive of all the comics..... They were a great room! Not a typical bringer situation. So the 3 house comics did their sets and all were great. Sean Murphy, Steve Aaron's, and a comic who's name I cant recall. Then I went on and did one short bit. My goal was just to establish rapport and to let them get to know me. The show was being recorded and my friend Eric Alexander was filming. He needed me to do longer bits from time to time to change tape and then I would do a longer set. I had more one line jokes than I have ever had since I began doing comedy. All I do latly is write short jokes, because I had none. I was really happy with how well it went. I still had to run for the comics....learn how to say their names... get credits....time and light them etc.. And be funny! I was scared going in but once the show began I really felt very comfortable. The comics were funny ! Only one did awful. Only one comic ignored the light....( I hate that) I had the club manager telling me to get him off. I did everything except walk on to the stage....and pull him off. There were two stand outs last night. Adrienne Ioppolucci, and Tim Warner. Both had the sets of the night. There was another comic I know from Sal's a big funny guy who went on early in the show who also killed....I have to find my list and figure out who he was. Dave O'Gara (thanks April see comment).
I really am so happy to have gotten through this . I know this is what I need to be doing. I don't know if I will ever be a great MC but I know MCing will help me be a greater comic. Then just when I am feeling like I'm the shit....in walks Michelle Bateau to the club. For those of you who don't know Michelle she is wonderful. She has a Premium Blend coming out in a few weeks. She is my favorite MC in the city. Every show she does makes you feel like you are so lucky to be at HER PARTY! She is everything I would like to be as a host. I may have done well but to be in Michelles league of hosting ....... I have a lot to learn.
Its funny so many comics I meet know me from the Soapbox page. It happens all the time. Its nice because many of the comics feel like the know me already. Someone asked me why I blog. I responded that no one in my suburban life really wants to hear this stuff. My husband listens to it day in and day out....... Its an outlet for me and a chance to connect with perhaps someone who might give a rats ass. Quite a few conversations have been about the new format of the web site. What many say they miss is The Rundown of whom is going to be on the Soapbox show. You can still find it but you have to go to the calendar section to find it. The other thing is the Comedians on Comedians. It was fun to see what we all were saying about each other. I myself LOVED the Comedy around the world that listed 3-4 comics and where they were playing. It was fun to see to find out that someone I knew was going to Tampa etc. Everyone is talking about the comedians circle. It is kinda fun. Let's just get one thing out of the way as a teen I sat at the un cool table, that anyone wants to join my circle is a riot to me. I guess If you live long enough you see everything.
Comments are below
Posted on 10/24/2005 at 11:37 PM by April Brucker
There was another comic I know from Sal's a big funny guy who went on early in the show who also killed....I have to find my list and figure out who he was.
Oh, that was Dave O'Gara. I know this for a fact because he is my boyfriend (I let the secret out) and he could not come to my show saturday because he was doing the guest spot he won at Aaron Haber's mic. I told him you mentioned him and he says thank you because he cannot get ot a computer.
Thanks April
Posted on 10/25/2005 at 12:19 AM by Robin Fox
He was great! Steve even said to me ...hes good. It was a pleasure to see him do so well. I really am usually very good with names and Tell him I am sorry I couldnt remember his name.
Posted on 10/25/2005 at 07:53 AM by April Brucker
will do Robin
Saturday, October 22, 2005
One down one to go...
So tonight I hosted the Soapbox show at RB's. It is the first of two hosting spots I have this weekend. Saturday I am hosting at NYCC. I was really nervous about tonight's show it was the first time I was invited to perform there without barking. I wanted to leave my home in "WHY the fuck do I live so far from NYC, NJ. by 7pm. My call time was 9:45 I know it is insane to think it might take 2 hours and 45 minutes but on a Friday night it could.
I didn't get out of the house till 7:30 I am listening to the voice of God 1010 WINS for the traffic report. It is a crap shoot wich way to enter the city with out it. The Lincoln was delayed 45 minutes. Holland tunnel was 15 min's delay...and the GW Bridge was no delay. Now I never went into Manhattan by way of the GW. I'm afraid to go this way because if I get lost it could get ugly. The Holland seemed good but the west side hwy they never report on and it has taken me over 2 hours to get uptown on a Friday evening. I decide it will be the GW the show is on 94th and Amsterdam....its a plan. I take route 78 and like an idiot I get on Turnpike south. FUCK FUCK FUCK..... I hate when I go dumb and just let the car do the driving. So I race down to exit 13 I see no sighs to go back on the TPK to go north so like an idiot ....I go to the toll booth with a human. I have ez pass and she says since I don't have a toll card I have to pay the full toll almost 5 dollars. I tell her I know that she can write my transponder number down and I can pay that way.....this has happened to me before. She looks at me and says "just go". It was too much of a bother I guess. (One point me).
So I'm listening to NEWS RADIO 88 now and they say the Lincoln is down to a 5 minute wait. Change of plans...... but what is this. There is a huge electronic billboard over the high way that says Lincoln Tunnel heavy delays. I roll the dice and go with the Radio Gods. Sure enough it was smooth sailing right in to the city. I hop on the West side Hwy and were moving....until around 90th street. Were bumper to bumper. My cell phone rings and I have no intention of answering it I just want to make sure its not my daughter who I will have to call right back. I just glance to my car seat. I am moving at 1 mile an hour just then a car drives by on my right on the shoulder cutting 6 cars ahead. The car in front of me stops short and I TAP him. Not hit him Tap him. Out of the car comes a guy about 30 Spanish baseball hat jeans with the crotch at his knees. Foot ball jersey. He is looking at his bumper cars are honking. I get out and say I'm so sorry the car that cut in startled me. He says look at all this damage. He points to thin scratches that go horizontal on the bumper. The side of his car has these too and I didn't tap him there. He says that the impact shattered the paint. I say are you kidding me I was going 1 mile an hour. I tell him lets get the cops. I then think I am going to miss my show. Plan B. I ask him how much money can I give him to make this go away. I have 14 bucks, maybe 25. He says I need at least $100 to repaint the bumper. I cant believe this. I say lets call the cops. I dial 311. He walks over to my car and says he's sorry that he over reacted and says forget it. Wheeew. Just incase I dial my home phone and leave his licence plate number on my machine.
I get to the gig and start to look for parking. I get lucky and find a space. I walk into the club 20 minutes early. You see you need all that extra Friggin time....its NY. The show is about to start and we have 4 people in the audience. I am new to hosting...so I start off slowly. I tell them about my ride into the city. They are laughing. I ask them a few questions. I'm just playing with them. I did okay. Was I fantastic ...no but I did good. It was a new experience for me doing crowd work with 4 people. Then as the night went on we made it up to about 12-15. There were a lot of great comics too. Bernie Paulie was wonderful I always like her. Matty Golberg did a good set and EJ Williams was very funny it was the first time I have seen him. Mark Macomb was great too. Danny McDermott showed up late and had the set of the night. They just loved him. I left feeling like I learned something's about hosting. Its no big deal.... yet it is. I needed to be the me that I am that's funny offstage as much as Robin the funny onstage character. I am grateful that I did the Chicks and Giggles show earlier this week it really helped. So tomorrow night is the big one at NYCC. I hope I can do even better. It is always a learning experience...but I want to really do well all the same.
Comments are below
Good Luck!
Posted on 10/22/2005 at 04:35 AM by Adrienne
I will be at NYCC tomorrow night, can't wait to see you!
Congrats!
Posted on 10/22/2005 at 02:24 PM by Brad Cox
It's tough to break in. I know. I'm going through that now. Best of luck.
Its raining...
Posted on 10/22/2005 at 03:00 PM by Robin Fox
Thanks Adrienne and Brad.. So here we go again ... Im leaving 3 hours early because of the rain. The driving some nights is as big of a challenge as the show. My plan for tonight is to try to have a little fun. I really dont like hosting yet. I know I will like it more as I get better at it. And since it usually is the first rung to doing spots what choice do I really have. The hardest part is if Im having a bad day I can act my way through a well prepared 10 minute spot....but this is a 2 hour deal. Keep you posted.
Congratulations! From Linda San Lucas
Posted on 10/23/2005 at 07:33 PM by Linda San Lucas
Hey Robin: Congrats on the hosting gigs..I know you'll be great at it, I 've MC'd and its hard work! Hope you enjoyed it. Linda
I didn't get out of the house till 7:30 I am listening to the voice of God 1010 WINS for the traffic report. It is a crap shoot wich way to enter the city with out it. The Lincoln was delayed 45 minutes. Holland tunnel was 15 min's delay...and the GW Bridge was no delay. Now I never went into Manhattan by way of the GW. I'm afraid to go this way because if I get lost it could get ugly. The Holland seemed good but the west side hwy they never report on and it has taken me over 2 hours to get uptown on a Friday evening. I decide it will be the GW the show is on 94th and Amsterdam....its a plan. I take route 78 and like an idiot I get on Turnpike south. FUCK FUCK FUCK..... I hate when I go dumb and just let the car do the driving. So I race down to exit 13 I see no sighs to go back on the TPK to go north so like an idiot ....I go to the toll booth with a human. I have ez pass and she says since I don't have a toll card I have to pay the full toll almost 5 dollars. I tell her I know that she can write my transponder number down and I can pay that way.....this has happened to me before. She looks at me and says "just go". It was too much of a bother I guess. (One point me).
So I'm listening to NEWS RADIO 88 now and they say the Lincoln is down to a 5 minute wait. Change of plans...... but what is this. There is a huge electronic billboard over the high way that says Lincoln Tunnel heavy delays. I roll the dice and go with the Radio Gods. Sure enough it was smooth sailing right in to the city. I hop on the West side Hwy and were moving....until around 90th street. Were bumper to bumper. My cell phone rings and I have no intention of answering it I just want to make sure its not my daughter who I will have to call right back. I just glance to my car seat. I am moving at 1 mile an hour just then a car drives by on my right on the shoulder cutting 6 cars ahead. The car in front of me stops short and I TAP him. Not hit him Tap him. Out of the car comes a guy about 30 Spanish baseball hat jeans with the crotch at his knees. Foot ball jersey. He is looking at his bumper cars are honking. I get out and say I'm so sorry the car that cut in startled me. He says look at all this damage. He points to thin scratches that go horizontal on the bumper. The side of his car has these too and I didn't tap him there. He says that the impact shattered the paint. I say are you kidding me I was going 1 mile an hour. I tell him lets get the cops. I then think I am going to miss my show. Plan B. I ask him how much money can I give him to make this go away. I have 14 bucks, maybe 25. He says I need at least $100 to repaint the bumper. I cant believe this. I say lets call the cops. I dial 311. He walks over to my car and says he's sorry that he over reacted and says forget it. Wheeew. Just incase I dial my home phone and leave his licence plate number on my machine.
I get to the gig and start to look for parking. I get lucky and find a space. I walk into the club 20 minutes early. You see you need all that extra Friggin time....its NY. The show is about to start and we have 4 people in the audience. I am new to hosting...so I start off slowly. I tell them about my ride into the city. They are laughing. I ask them a few questions. I'm just playing with them. I did okay. Was I fantastic ...no but I did good. It was a new experience for me doing crowd work with 4 people. Then as the night went on we made it up to about 12-15. There were a lot of great comics too. Bernie Paulie was wonderful I always like her. Matty Golberg did a good set and EJ Williams was very funny it was the first time I have seen him. Mark Macomb was great too. Danny McDermott showed up late and had the set of the night. They just loved him. I left feeling like I learned something's about hosting. Its no big deal.... yet it is. I needed to be the me that I am that's funny offstage as much as Robin the funny onstage character. I am grateful that I did the Chicks and Giggles show earlier this week it really helped. So tomorrow night is the big one at NYCC. I hope I can do even better. It is always a learning experience...but I want to really do well all the same.
Comments are below
Good Luck!
Posted on 10/22/2005 at 04:35 AM by Adrienne
I will be at NYCC tomorrow night, can't wait to see you!
Congrats!
Posted on 10/22/2005 at 02:24 PM by Brad Cox
It's tough to break in. I know. I'm going through that now. Best of luck.
Its raining...
Posted on 10/22/2005 at 03:00 PM by Robin Fox
Thanks Adrienne and Brad.. So here we go again ... Im leaving 3 hours early because of the rain. The driving some nights is as big of a challenge as the show. My plan for tonight is to try to have a little fun. I really dont like hosting yet. I know I will like it more as I get better at it. And since it usually is the first rung to doing spots what choice do I really have. The hardest part is if Im having a bad day I can act my way through a well prepared 10 minute spot....but this is a 2 hour deal. Keep you posted.
Congratulations! From Linda San Lucas
Posted on 10/23/2005 at 07:33 PM by Linda San Lucas
Hey Robin: Congrats on the hosting gigs..I know you'll be great at it, I 've MC'd and its hard work! Hope you enjoyed it. Linda
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Why?
Of all the art forms one can pursue...I think standup comedy is probably one of the hardest of them all. If I spent years painting at least I might have a body of work that I could leave to my family. When I'm dead ...I'm thinking of willing off my jokes. Not that there so good mind you, but it is all I will have to show for the years of crawling through glass that this profession requires.
The other night a very up and coming on the fast track .....on the rise comic said to me. "When am I gonna start making some money at this." Now she has done a Premium Blend and performs at least 6 nights a week in the city. I can totally feel her frustration. She's funny as fuck....what the fuck. I will tell you this the money in her case will come. She's funny, young beautiful and is nice on and off stage. I am envious....6 nights a week. I would do it for free...to be that in demand. But no! I would get frustrated too....if I would ever get that much in demand I would think I should be earning some money. This is the lowest paying of almost all of the performing arts. When we do get a gig were thrilled to get $100. What is scale for a circus clown??? So the girl comic on the rise has a point. She's in her late 20's and wants this to be her profession. She also is most probably self supporting. I am in a totally different place. I have my house in NJ. The bills are getting paid. I am going on a vacation..... I have a good life to begin with. ........and the problem is???? I realize that the only reason to do this is that you love to do this. Is comedy like being in a one sided relationship....why do we love it???? What does it give back to me that I cant stop wanting to do it? I think part of it is that I like the attention? I like that it is something I can do well and not everyone can so I feel SPECIAL. I like getting out of the house. I like the community. I love the creativity and variety of it all....my jokes and yours.
Last night I did a show Called Chicks and Giggles. It is the second time I have done this show. It is all women.... It is so unlike the comedy you see in clubs. The comics don't do joke, joke, joke....Its more like conversion points and the funny follows. I was apprehensive because this is a young and kinda hipster room. Any one who knows me knows The only thing HIP about me....is my big hips. Stop and look at the Mommy Jeans. I have tried to be hip.......I bought the glasses. They made me look like a spinster not a hipster. So I decided to just blend in..... I have found from doing comedy that I have learned to blend in more. When you go to a club many times you have to adjust your set based on the room. You might have to change a joke because someone did a joke about the same premise...etc. Having done this show back last winter I new the vibe. It was the perfect place for me to be. Mostly because I have these two hosting gigs this weekend and I need to be more conversational than just relying on a set. Quite a few of the women had touched on Weight Watchers ... I have a joke I don't really like or use much in my set "SET" but last night I kinda acted like I was talking off the top of my head and dropped the best part of the joke into the conversation. The line got its biggest laugh since I wrote it over 2 years ago. I was really happy. If you haven't been to Chicks and Giggles you should its at MO Pinkins on Ave A....and 3rd St. The show is every Tuesday. If your a woman looking to get booked stop by one Tuesday and check it out. So I will leave you with this I still am not hip.....but for someone not trying to be hip....I can do 40ish I don't care if I'm hip so that makes me hip.......................in my sleep.
Comments are below
Thanks!
Posted on 10/21/2005 at 07:41 PM by Amy Patrick
Robin- thanks for this post. To say that comedy can be frustrating is an understatement. But, it's worth it. Thanks for the post.
Your most welcome...
Posted on 10/22/2005 at 01:38 AM by Robin Fox
Have we met? Try and get a photo up soon. I feel sometimes my posts are repetitve....but so is this bussiness
The other night a very up and coming on the fast track .....on the rise comic said to me. "When am I gonna start making some money at this." Now she has done a Premium Blend and performs at least 6 nights a week in the city. I can totally feel her frustration. She's funny as fuck....what the fuck. I will tell you this the money in her case will come. She's funny, young beautiful and is nice on and off stage. I am envious....6 nights a week. I would do it for free...to be that in demand. But no! I would get frustrated too....if I would ever get that much in demand I would think I should be earning some money. This is the lowest paying of almost all of the performing arts. When we do get a gig were thrilled to get $100. What is scale for a circus clown??? So the girl comic on the rise has a point. She's in her late 20's and wants this to be her profession. She also is most probably self supporting. I am in a totally different place. I have my house in NJ. The bills are getting paid. I am going on a vacation..... I have a good life to begin with. ........and the problem is???? I realize that the only reason to do this is that you love to do this. Is comedy like being in a one sided relationship....why do we love it???? What does it give back to me that I cant stop wanting to do it? I think part of it is that I like the attention? I like that it is something I can do well and not everyone can so I feel SPECIAL. I like getting out of the house. I like the community. I love the creativity and variety of it all....my jokes and yours.
Last night I did a show Called Chicks and Giggles. It is the second time I have done this show. It is all women.... It is so unlike the comedy you see in clubs. The comics don't do joke, joke, joke....Its more like conversion points and the funny follows. I was apprehensive because this is a young and kinda hipster room. Any one who knows me knows The only thing HIP about me....is my big hips. Stop and look at the Mommy Jeans. I have tried to be hip.......I bought the glasses. They made me look like a spinster not a hipster. So I decided to just blend in..... I have found from doing comedy that I have learned to blend in more. When you go to a club many times you have to adjust your set based on the room. You might have to change a joke because someone did a joke about the same premise...etc. Having done this show back last winter I new the vibe. It was the perfect place for me to be. Mostly because I have these two hosting gigs this weekend and I need to be more conversational than just relying on a set. Quite a few of the women had touched on Weight Watchers ... I have a joke I don't really like or use much in my set "SET" but last night I kinda acted like I was talking off the top of my head and dropped the best part of the joke into the conversation. The line got its biggest laugh since I wrote it over 2 years ago. I was really happy. If you haven't been to Chicks and Giggles you should its at MO Pinkins on Ave A....and 3rd St. The show is every Tuesday. If your a woman looking to get booked stop by one Tuesday and check it out. So I will leave you with this I still am not hip.....but for someone not trying to be hip....I can do 40ish I don't care if I'm hip so that makes me hip.......................in my sleep.
Comments are below
Thanks!
Posted on 10/21/2005 at 07:41 PM by Amy Patrick
Robin- thanks for this post. To say that comedy can be frustrating is an understatement. But, it's worth it. Thanks for the post.
Your most welcome...
Posted on 10/22/2005 at 01:38 AM by Robin Fox
Have we met? Try and get a photo up soon. I feel sometimes my posts are repetitve....but so is this bussiness
Monday, October 17, 2005
Hosting jitters.
I have been forcing myself to write... not to just jot down an idea when it pops in my head. I am still informal, I do most of my writing now while waiting for my kid to come out of a lesson or while I wait for parking at 6:30 PM so that I can park without a ticket at 7. I would have to say that I am shocked at how little I like. It is during these sessions that I become convinced that I have no right to be a comic. Then out of the blue one thing might look promising. I then think......now I got to go shop this thing at open mic's. I get depressed. Not that I expect to do the bit and get much feedback at an open mic. What does happen though at open mic's is the joke starts to take on a form and a I can feel out if I think it has potential. I don't know about others but every really good joke I have....I knew pretty early on if it was gold or not. Some jokes need time to develop and the open mic's are really the best place for them.
I was at the NYCC this past Sat night watching the show. I saw Marina Franklin do her set. What was really wonderful was that she really doesn't work joke joke joke. Her delivery her confidence and her persona on stage have as much to do it a bit works than the bit itself. She does bits where If I wrote it I might think there isn't enough here to make something out of it. She had a way of milking out the funny. So I am learning that I need to be more open to the things I write.....perhaps they might be funnier than I think.
Lastly I have been fortunate lately and have been getting booked to do Hosting. This Friday I will be hosting at the Soapbox show at RB's and Sat. I will be Hosting the 9pm show at NYCC. I think that hosting is the hardest thing I do. Mostly because I have been doing it for a very short time and the only way to learn to do it is to do it. If you have ever seen me perform I am not a crowd work comic.... Hey you give me 5 min's. of stage time in NYC I'm not wasting a second on talking to you. But now I have too. I also am not a one liner comic. So I have gone through every notebook every scrap of paper and trying to put together as many short jokes as I can use of mine for hosting. It feels like starting all over again. I am very nervous and I pray my PMS hold off one week so I can think clearly this weekend.
Comments are below
You will be great!
Posted on 10/17/2005 at 05:55 PM by Adrienne
You are a great comic and know where the funny is. Knock em dead!
Knock 'em Dead, Baby
Posted on 10/17/2005 at 07:24 PM by Adam Sank
You always do...
Posted on 10/18/2005 at 06:12 PM by Joe Fernandes
You expressed some of the same thoughts I get about comedy. Hosting is weird. As you have seen, I have been hosting steady for about 6 months now. Its an up and down thing. Some nights Im mortified up there because talking to the crowd is so diffrent on any given night. But wait until you see how it will influence your act. Because now, from hosting, you'll be engaging your audience in a new way, and giving the old jokes some new life. Thats what happened for me. People told me hosting would make me better. While taking my lumps I didnt see it happening, but now I see what they meant. Check out this link, it has a good article on Mcing that gave me some good stuff before I Mcd my first A-room. http://www.cringehumor.net/columns/020904_askjason.htm
I was at the NYCC this past Sat night watching the show. I saw Marina Franklin do her set. What was really wonderful was that she really doesn't work joke joke joke. Her delivery her confidence and her persona on stage have as much to do it a bit works than the bit itself. She does bits where If I wrote it I might think there isn't enough here to make something out of it. She had a way of milking out the funny. So I am learning that I need to be more open to the things I write.....perhaps they might be funnier than I think.
Lastly I have been fortunate lately and have been getting booked to do Hosting. This Friday I will be hosting at the Soapbox show at RB's and Sat. I will be Hosting the 9pm show at NYCC. I think that hosting is the hardest thing I do. Mostly because I have been doing it for a very short time and the only way to learn to do it is to do it. If you have ever seen me perform I am not a crowd work comic.... Hey you give me 5 min's. of stage time in NYC I'm not wasting a second on talking to you. But now I have too. I also am not a one liner comic. So I have gone through every notebook every scrap of paper and trying to put together as many short jokes as I can use of mine for hosting. It feels like starting all over again. I am very nervous and I pray my PMS hold off one week so I can think clearly this weekend.
Comments are below
You will be great!
Posted on 10/17/2005 at 05:55 PM by Adrienne
You are a great comic and know where the funny is. Knock em dead!
Knock 'em Dead, Baby
Posted on 10/17/2005 at 07:24 PM by Adam Sank
You always do...
Posted on 10/18/2005 at 06:12 PM by Joe Fernandes
You expressed some of the same thoughts I get about comedy. Hosting is weird. As you have seen, I have been hosting steady for about 6 months now. Its an up and down thing. Some nights Im mortified up there because talking to the crowd is so diffrent on any given night. But wait until you see how it will influence your act. Because now, from hosting, you'll be engaging your audience in a new way, and giving the old jokes some new life. Thats what happened for me. People told me hosting would make me better. While taking my lumps I didnt see it happening, but now I see what they meant. Check out this link, it has a good article on Mcing that gave me some good stuff before I Mcd my first A-room. http://www.cringehumor.net/columns/020904_askjason.htm
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
I hate change
Just when your used to things they change them. I like the site the other way. I like white writing on black backround. I like the hottest comic...."why is he there??" or equally...."why am I on there" I liked comics around the world..... I liked seeing where my friend were playing and finding out about new rooms. I liked the comics on comics.. I am sure the site might work better like this.... but I hate change even more.......... I dont even like pocket change. Edit.....hours later you cant comment on your own comments..............................I guess that is going to make for some interesting flame wars.
Comments are below
YEAH...
Posted on 10/11/2005 at 04:55 PM by H. P.
Hell no we won't GO! Hell no we won't GO!
"Hey buddy what you yelling about?"
"Dunno, but I do know this will get me laid with a comedienne"
Hell no we won't GO!
Peace
Am I the only one???
Posted on 10/12/2005 at 11:08 PM by Robin Fox
So what do you guys think????????
Frankly I agree
Posted on 10/13/2005 at 01:03 PM by April Brucker
I liked the old website just fine. There was nothing wrong with it. If it ain;t broke why fix it?
Comments are below
YEAH...
Posted on 10/11/2005 at 04:55 PM by H. P.
Hell no we won't GO! Hell no we won't GO!
"Hey buddy what you yelling about?"
"Dunno, but I do know this will get me laid with a comedienne"
Hell no we won't GO!
Peace
Am I the only one???
Posted on 10/12/2005 at 11:08 PM by Robin Fox
So what do you guys think????????
Frankly I agree
Posted on 10/13/2005 at 01:03 PM by April Brucker
I liked the old website just fine. There was nothing wrong with it. If it ain;t broke why fix it?
Saturday, October 8, 2005
I remember you.
Several years ago I signed up on Classmates.com I had no expectations and really wasn't sure if I even wanted to contact anyone from back then anyway. So I figured if they contact me good if not screw it. Nothing happened anyway and then about a year ago My Best friend from 8th thru 12 th grade contacted me. She lives now in Georgia and has a life except for comedy very much like mine. She has 2 kids a husband.....blah blah blah.
I was so happy to hear from her. We emailed and IM ed all the time and still keep in touch. We played hours of what happened to him what happened to her. Followed by lots of rounds of Do you remember him/her. and who was the guy/girl who did this and that. It was fun. Then 2 weeks ago a very good friend from 8th and 9th grade emailed me. She lives in North Carolina. She sent me an email with her picture and I can get over the fact that we truly are middle aged. She wore a shirt with butterfly's on it................... don't I do a routine about that?? But when I looked in her eyes and smile she's the same girl burned into my memory that is still 15.
Today I got an email from another classmate, Cheryl I don't recall if she said where she lives. I was thinking about her just the other day... Its strange to me. My entire life as a kid growing up I felt so rejected from just about everything. I never hung out with a cool crowd. I was what was known then as kind of a hood. Not a bad kid just one who could go wrong at any minute. I don't know how I stayed out of trouble. Ok I was overweight and thought I was repulsive so I avoided getting gang banged through low self esteem. So I find as I go through life that hindsight might not be 20/20. It seems that people remember a different person than I thought I was. They say I was fun. They say I was funny. They they have great memories of their time with me. Wow. This is an eye opener. I got to look into this not just for spiritual growth. I also think it might make for good material.
Comments are below
Hey
Posted on 10/08/2005 at 02:20 AM by Adrienne
Low self-esteem whats that like?
I was so happy to hear from her. We emailed and IM ed all the time and still keep in touch. We played hours of what happened to him what happened to her. Followed by lots of rounds of Do you remember him/her. and who was the guy/girl who did this and that. It was fun. Then 2 weeks ago a very good friend from 8th and 9th grade emailed me. She lives in North Carolina. She sent me an email with her picture and I can get over the fact that we truly are middle aged. She wore a shirt with butterfly's on it................... don't I do a routine about that?? But when I looked in her eyes and smile she's the same girl burned into my memory that is still 15.
Today I got an email from another classmate, Cheryl I don't recall if she said where she lives. I was thinking about her just the other day... Its strange to me. My entire life as a kid growing up I felt so rejected from just about everything. I never hung out with a cool crowd. I was what was known then as kind of a hood. Not a bad kid just one who could go wrong at any minute. I don't know how I stayed out of trouble. Ok I was overweight and thought I was repulsive so I avoided getting gang banged through low self esteem. So I find as I go through life that hindsight might not be 20/20. It seems that people remember a different person than I thought I was. They say I was fun. They say I was funny. They they have great memories of their time with me. Wow. This is an eye opener. I got to look into this not just for spiritual growth. I also think it might make for good material.
Comments are below
Hey
Posted on 10/08/2005 at 02:20 AM by Adrienne
Low self-esteem whats that like?
Thursday, October 6, 2005
Laughter is the best Medicine
Please come by tonight for a very special show. I am thrilled and honored to be a part of this very special show. Location: The Original NY Improv 318 West 53rd St (between 8th & 9th), NYC, NY View Map When: Thursday, October 6, 6:30pm to 8:30pm Donation: $20 & Cash Bar Cocktails, Mingling & Hors D'oeuvres 6:30-7 PM COMEDY SHOW 7-8:15 PM Email or call to confirm your seating ASAP smile@comedycures.org 1-888-300-3990 Join The ComedyCures Foundation & The NYC Underground Comedy Festival for another laughter-filled evening at The NY Improv! All ticket proceeds benefit The ComedyCures Foundation, a non-profit organization bringing joy, laughter and therapeutic comedy events to kids and grown-ups living with illness (Featured by Good Morning America and OPRAH Magazine). The 2nd Annual Comedy & Cocktails event is considered to be the FUNniest Happy Hour in NYC. Grab your friends, family and co-workers for a night of much needed joy and laughter to support the award-winning ComedyCures programs! A great way to meet your next honey! CO-HOSTED BY SARANNE ROTHBERG (The ComedyCures Foundation) and Featuring: Featuring: Dan Ahdoot (Last Comic Standing), Vijai Nathan (One of NYC's Top 10 funniest stand-up comedians), Robin Fox (Ladies of Laughter), and Joey Kola (Late night with Dave Letterman, Rosie O'Donnell) Special Guest: New Orleans Hall of Fame Jazz Guitarist Warren Battiste
Comments are below
thanks
Posted on 10/08/2005 at 02:19 AM by Robin Fox
Thanks to everyone who came out for this fantastic event. The show was packed and everyone had a fantastic time. It was the first time I played at the Improv and it was so exciting to be there as an invited performer. Dan Ahdoot was fantastic as was Vijai Nathan. The real treat for me was seeing Joey Kola...he killed. The comics all but me seasoned pros were so nice to me and so supportive. I had a good set and
Comments are below
thanks
Posted on 10/08/2005 at 02:19 AM by Robin Fox
Thanks to everyone who came out for this fantastic event. The show was packed and everyone had a fantastic time. It was the first time I played at the Improv and it was so exciting to be there as an invited performer. Dan Ahdoot was fantastic as was Vijai Nathan. The real treat for me was seeing Joey Kola...he killed. The comics all but me seasoned pros were so nice to me and so supportive. I had a good set and
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
See Robin Run. Run, Run, Run
Last Weds. night was the first time I Hosted a show in NYC. I was very intimidated and nervous about doing this for a long time. I had been asked if I hosted and I think that Im more of a feature act. Really what I mean is Im scared shitless to host. To me the host sets the tone for the entire evening and a lot rests on their shoulders.
So when I found out that I was to host I was honored and worried all at the same time. I have hosted a total of 8 times. I did it a few times in Philly where it was a 3 person show. In Morristown NJ where it was the same deal 4 times and once at 88 Keys in Woodbridge for a showcase of 10. Last night I was to put up 24 comics a few more or less. They were still seating when I had to begin so it was really difficult to do crowd work...with people walking 6 at a time in front of me trying to be seated. I did a small bit of bantering and crowd work and did my set that I feel establishes who and what Im about. I came off like the Mommy of the night... I was the designated adult. I did about 7 minutes and had to cut the set short and get this train rolling. My job entailed the following. To introduce the comic coming up. Then to hit my trusty Walmart timer to "set". Then I would run out of the room and find out who my next two comics were. There was no set list yet because not every comic was checked in I guess. So Id run up to the producer he'd give me a name I would go find the comic (easier said than done) ask him how to pronounce their name and credits. Then I ran back to the room and lit with my cell phone the comic one minute before they were to wrap it up. Then light them again one minute later ....your done. Then Id Reset my clock run up to the stage. Repeat their name ask them for "one more round of applause for Shekey Jokester" say something like we got a really big show tonight lets just keep it going the next comic coming up plays all over the city give a warm welcome too...... and it went like that for 3 hours. I wish. For the most part it went very smoothly. I would do a small bit every 5th comic about 90 seconds or less. Then roll on.
Keeping in mind that I have never done this kind of show let me say I had no idea how much work and stress it all was. Just the running and finding everyone was hard. The lighting the comics and keeping the show on schedule was very difficult. It seemed that so many of the comics would not look to the left of the stage because they knew I was going to be there with the light. Then when I lit them again at times up...they pretended that it was the I have one minute more to go light. I don't know if I buy this....one guy went 3 and a half minutes over. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and didn't give him a hard time...I told him that he went over and for his own sake he should have an idea of how long his set should take to be on the safe side if he misses a light. That is how I always worked when I did a showcase and still do. My last show at Gotham I was to do 10 minutes. I thought they lit me 2 minutes early...just because I had run the set at home for days and timed it. Turned out I got more laughs than expected and a applause break ate up time too. The other problem I found was that finding the comics to get them in the room was a job in itself. I was working on a list that was 3 comics at a time and needed to ask them for credits and pronunciation. Then with 3 minutes left on her set one comic left the sage with me halfway down the hall. I come running into the room and jumped on stage. Who knew that she only had 4 minutes of material...I wish I did. The room was uneven and I found people were feeling like they had to only laugh for their person they came to see. I tried to bring the energy up and started adding one liners to them mix. Sad but true I don't have a lot of one liners but somehow I pulled them out of my fat ass. I would find myself as I was timing comics panicking what one liner to use next. Then to make it even more of a challenge Eric Alexander comic and camera man extraordinaire would ask.... "can you do a few minutes I need to reload". I would then have to go into my 40ish Uni-Vac computer of a brain circa 1960's and choose a bit. Mind you all this stress and be and FUNNY TOO. Now let me tell you something about me. I do not have poker face.... none at all. SO frazzled was how I felt....but I couldn't let the club or the audience in on this so I acted as if I had it all under control. Much to his credit the producer more than once told me I was doing a fantastic job, which was encouraging. The room got tougher as the night dragged on. Comics got antsy and came up to me asking when was their turn. I felt their pain. I dint have a set list. Then the shit hit the fan. I introduced a comic and mispronounced his name. Lets pretend his name was Goodsman.... I called him Good-man. He gets on stage and says thanks for butchering my name. I'm sorry. I know a persons name is the most important word in the English Language...but I'm doing my best. When he was done I made sure I said GoodS-Man. Later in the night I introduced a comic who on the List his name read Dave. So I introduce Dave Insert last name. He comes on stage and says You fucked up my name thanks its David not Dave. Do I need this. You try this Im thinking. Lastly we lost a comic. So when the show was about to end he comes up to me... I tell him we couldn't find you. He was sitting in the front row all night. I gave him about 3 extra minutes of stage time as an apology.
The show ended and I was really pleased with how I did. I have a new found resect for anyone who does this and can do it well. Its a huge job and only looks easy when done well. It was the most work I have done and the hardest thing I have done since taking care of an infant. It never seemed to stop. There wasn't a second to relax. Yet I felt elated to have pulled it off and be funny at the same time.
My favorite part of the show was introducing a comic who was doing standup for the first time. I really worked the room up and tried to make it special for him. He was really very good for a first timer. After his set he thanked me for such a nice introduction and warming the room for him. It was a pleasure. I look forward to the next time I get a chance to host ....hopefully It will get easier. I will be hosting at RB's for the Soapbox in a few weeks and will also be Hosting once a month for Tuesdays edition of the Morrison Motel at the Limerick House on 23st. I really want to learn to do this well and doing is the only classroom.
As I was getting ready to go home 2 guys came up to me and asked me if I could be interviewed for a documentary they were filming that night. They interviewed many comics that night. We shot for about 20 minutes. They asked me some interesting questions...that really were quite revealing. One question they asked was what joke do you love that just doesn't seem to work. I told him my Shlepper Mom joke and they liked it. I love that joke but have learned to hate it because it is so iffy if it will get a laugh. I left that night feeling like " I guess this is real... I am a comedian" Then I drove home and made Tuna fish salad at 3 am and packed everyone's lunch for the next day.
Comments are below
I was there...
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 08:32 AM by Aaron Haber
and thought you did a great job!!!
Where did you host?
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 09:10 AM by H. P.
but it sounded like you got a booty of experience. Although it sounded alot like my daughter's kindergarden class, with the running after the little children and the temper tantrums at nappie time. I'm glad it went well.
Peace
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 09:31 AM by Kelly Shannon
Sounds like all went well. Somehow, I can't picture you being scared of anything. You always seem so calm and collected.
I Have No Doubt You Rocked
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 12:54 PM by Adam Sank
And I'm sure you'll be MC-ing there again in no time. xoxo
I will wear better shoes
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 01:09 PM by Robin Fox
Thanks everyone... It was funny last night I did a set at the NYCC and thought to myself...wow this is easier. I still loved the challenge that hosting offers and I know it is the quickest road to getting funnier.
So when I found out that I was to host I was honored and worried all at the same time. I have hosted a total of 8 times. I did it a few times in Philly where it was a 3 person show. In Morristown NJ where it was the same deal 4 times and once at 88 Keys in Woodbridge for a showcase of 10. Last night I was to put up 24 comics a few more or less. They were still seating when I had to begin so it was really difficult to do crowd work...with people walking 6 at a time in front of me trying to be seated. I did a small bit of bantering and crowd work and did my set that I feel establishes who and what Im about. I came off like the Mommy of the night... I was the designated adult. I did about 7 minutes and had to cut the set short and get this train rolling. My job entailed the following. To introduce the comic coming up. Then to hit my trusty Walmart timer to "set". Then I would run out of the room and find out who my next two comics were. There was no set list yet because not every comic was checked in I guess. So Id run up to the producer he'd give me a name I would go find the comic (easier said than done) ask him how to pronounce their name and credits. Then I ran back to the room and lit with my cell phone the comic one minute before they were to wrap it up. Then light them again one minute later ....your done. Then Id Reset my clock run up to the stage. Repeat their name ask them for "one more round of applause for Shekey Jokester" say something like we got a really big show tonight lets just keep it going the next comic coming up plays all over the city give a warm welcome too...... and it went like that for 3 hours. I wish. For the most part it went very smoothly. I would do a small bit every 5th comic about 90 seconds or less. Then roll on.
Keeping in mind that I have never done this kind of show let me say I had no idea how much work and stress it all was. Just the running and finding everyone was hard. The lighting the comics and keeping the show on schedule was very difficult. It seemed that so many of the comics would not look to the left of the stage because they knew I was going to be there with the light. Then when I lit them again at times up...they pretended that it was the I have one minute more to go light. I don't know if I buy this....one guy went 3 and a half minutes over. I gave him the benefit of the doubt and didn't give him a hard time...I told him that he went over and for his own sake he should have an idea of how long his set should take to be on the safe side if he misses a light. That is how I always worked when I did a showcase and still do. My last show at Gotham I was to do 10 minutes. I thought they lit me 2 minutes early...just because I had run the set at home for days and timed it. Turned out I got more laughs than expected and a applause break ate up time too. The other problem I found was that finding the comics to get them in the room was a job in itself. I was working on a list that was 3 comics at a time and needed to ask them for credits and pronunciation. Then with 3 minutes left on her set one comic left the sage with me halfway down the hall. I come running into the room and jumped on stage. Who knew that she only had 4 minutes of material...I wish I did. The room was uneven and I found people were feeling like they had to only laugh for their person they came to see. I tried to bring the energy up and started adding one liners to them mix. Sad but true I don't have a lot of one liners but somehow I pulled them out of my fat ass. I would find myself as I was timing comics panicking what one liner to use next. Then to make it even more of a challenge Eric Alexander comic and camera man extraordinaire would ask.... "can you do a few minutes I need to reload". I would then have to go into my 40ish Uni-Vac computer of a brain circa 1960's and choose a bit. Mind you all this stress and be and FUNNY TOO. Now let me tell you something about me. I do not have poker face.... none at all. SO frazzled was how I felt....but I couldn't let the club or the audience in on this so I acted as if I had it all under control. Much to his credit the producer more than once told me I was doing a fantastic job, which was encouraging. The room got tougher as the night dragged on. Comics got antsy and came up to me asking when was their turn. I felt their pain. I dint have a set list. Then the shit hit the fan. I introduced a comic and mispronounced his name. Lets pretend his name was Goodsman.... I called him Good-man. He gets on stage and says thanks for butchering my name. I'm sorry. I know a persons name is the most important word in the English Language...but I'm doing my best. When he was done I made sure I said GoodS-Man. Later in the night I introduced a comic who on the List his name read Dave. So I introduce Dave Insert last name. He comes on stage and says You fucked up my name thanks its David not Dave. Do I need this. You try this Im thinking. Lastly we lost a comic. So when the show was about to end he comes up to me... I tell him we couldn't find you. He was sitting in the front row all night. I gave him about 3 extra minutes of stage time as an apology.
The show ended and I was really pleased with how I did. I have a new found resect for anyone who does this and can do it well. Its a huge job and only looks easy when done well. It was the most work I have done and the hardest thing I have done since taking care of an infant. It never seemed to stop. There wasn't a second to relax. Yet I felt elated to have pulled it off and be funny at the same time.
My favorite part of the show was introducing a comic who was doing standup for the first time. I really worked the room up and tried to make it special for him. He was really very good for a first timer. After his set he thanked me for such a nice introduction and warming the room for him. It was a pleasure. I look forward to the next time I get a chance to host ....hopefully It will get easier. I will be hosting at RB's for the Soapbox in a few weeks and will also be Hosting once a month for Tuesdays edition of the Morrison Motel at the Limerick House on 23st. I really want to learn to do this well and doing is the only classroom.
As I was getting ready to go home 2 guys came up to me and asked me if I could be interviewed for a documentary they were filming that night. They interviewed many comics that night. We shot for about 20 minutes. They asked me some interesting questions...that really were quite revealing. One question they asked was what joke do you love that just doesn't seem to work. I told him my Shlepper Mom joke and they liked it. I love that joke but have learned to hate it because it is so iffy if it will get a laugh. I left that night feeling like " I guess this is real... I am a comedian" Then I drove home and made Tuna fish salad at 3 am and packed everyone's lunch for the next day.
Comments are below
I was there...
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 08:32 AM by Aaron Haber
and thought you did a great job!!!
Where did you host?
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 09:10 AM by H. P.
but it sounded like you got a booty of experience. Although it sounded alot like my daughter's kindergarden class, with the running after the little children and the temper tantrums at nappie time. I'm glad it went well.
Peace
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 09:31 AM by Kelly Shannon
Sounds like all went well. Somehow, I can't picture you being scared of anything. You always seem so calm and collected.
I Have No Doubt You Rocked
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 12:54 PM by Adam Sank
And I'm sure you'll be MC-ing there again in no time. xoxo
I will wear better shoes
Posted on 10/04/2005 at 01:09 PM by Robin Fox
Thanks everyone... It was funny last night I did a set at the NYCC and thought to myself...wow this is easier. I still loved the challenge that hosting offers and I know it is the quickest road to getting funnier.
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