Contest Gitters

Tonight are the semi finals for Sal's Comedy Laugh-off being held this year at Stand Up NY. Unfortunately winners will be picked by who gets the most laughs. Being a weeknight and most of my friends live in NJ... I am going it alone. My husband works till 7 and I'm in the early show. My goal is to give it my best and have fun. I really would like to make it into the finals at Caroline's next week. I made it to the finals last year and I think I am even funnier now....but its not for me to say....its the audience so I really will have to give it my all. Contest play with my head. I think I look often for externals to validate my talent and as a comedian. I look at my bookings I listen to the laughs and ferret for any sigh that I am getting stronger and funnier. Lately the comments I have been getting are that I'm stronger and that I deliver the goods on a regular basis. Yet the validation for me of winning a contest seems like something I really would love to own. We get no report cards in this school we are attending on the road to having this job. I just want an A. Is it ego??? no its more insecurity...and the need to be validated.

Comments are below
My recent expereince
Posted on 06/29/2005 at 07:16 PM by Andy Kaufman

I am new to the comedy scene and even newer to the mind fuck of contests. Here in my home cowtown they have a 7 month contest that had 300 entrents and cretins. They have 15 folks each week with two or three moving to the next round.

They never tell us who the judges are and base votes on "star power", "material", "audience reaction" and "stage pressense", all of which I thought would be in my favor.

This story has been told, but I lost to a midget wearing a diaper. That Said Robin, there is NOTHING funnier then a midget wearing a diaper who tells stories about how hard it is to get girls. As I watched my ambition fold away even I was laughing hysterically and when they annouced the winners for that week I was hurt, disappointed, suicidal and ready to give up comedy except I realized that there in nothing funnier then a midget wearing a diaper telling jokes about jumping rope on a tampon string. I'm laughing just writing it.

So where do I get off thinking that after a few month of re-inventing myself that I could beat a midget wearing a diaper? I shoulda known better. I am using it in my act though cause it has got to be reverse kharma for when I lied to get into the Special Olympics and am STILL pissed off that I only got the Bronze.

The contests I have participated in where comics vote for each other is a circle jerk at best. I know I am good cause the audience laughs. One man's view? If you want to get validated, go have your parking ticket punched. This is about the bliss of laughter.



sal's
Posted on 06/30/2005 at 03:55 PM by Jennifer Dziura

I went to that contest once, and after spending 4 or so hours there having the emcee make skeezy comments about me (I sat upfront, like the good schoolgirl I am) and then having the proceedings dominated by guys telling rape jokes ... it was like a frat basement in there. Not my brand of comedy. Typical joke: I don't wanna go on a date, I just wanna get laid! Does a dog go on a date? Nuh-uh, he just HUMPS that bitch!



the greeks said, all things in moderation
Posted on 06/30/2005 at 03:57 PM by Jennifer Dziura

Not that humping bitches can't be funny, of course. But four hours of rape jokes in a basement?



Love them hate them Love to hate them
Posted on 06/30/2005 at 04:01 PM by Robin Fox

Contests for a fact play with my head. Last year at Ladies of Laughter I came in first at the NJ semi finals first round. I had never expected to do so well. I cried all the way home The following week I was eliminated. I cried all the way home. I knew that winning this thing could open many doors for me as it has for so many women comics before me... Just getting to the finals in NYC was the goal. Many women have had there carreers launched there. Kirson, Vejay Nathan, Michelle Bateau, Pecetelli, Leaghne Lord...etc I lost. But now looking back I see that if I got to the finals in NYC I wasnt ready yet. I truly have come to believe that you have to be prepared so that when Luck show up you can hit it out of the park! I made it into the finals last night so I will be at Carolines next Tuesday night. I will be ready the rest is yet to be....



Yeah Robin
Posted on 06/30/2005 at 04:37 PM by Kelly Shannon

You go girl! Bring it on home.



good thinking
Posted on 06/30/2005 at 05:03 PM by Andy Kaufman

I think if you go in without expectations nothing bad can happen. Jennifer's expereince not withstanding, I too have sat through rape and dick and fart jokes which are so easy to tell but pass though me like fast food. As we work, build something and take our lumps, again, nothing bad can happen if we have no expectations other then make people laugh.

A friend of mine told me this week that if someone has thin skin then they should not be in comedy. I agree. If we go inot these things just hoping to have some fun, make a few people laugh and getta few free drinks, then that is the head of a winner. If we go into competition thinking "OMG I will just DIE if I don't move on" then you might get past this round but eliminated in the second.

go to the bar and order a good stiff hemlock.

With all that said Robin, go have a GREAT time.



I know the feeling
Posted on 06/30/2005 at 06:04 PM by April Brucker

People have been saying the same about me but I have never won a contest. Yeah, it's frustrating in a way but HAVE FUN! That's why you do this. And I collect quotes so I'll give you one that you left me by Laurie Kilmartin, "The only thing we can do is get funnier." You'll kick ass, don't worry.



(apropos pithy yet well used cliches of encouragement)
Posted on 07/01/2005 at 12:47 AM by Angry Bob

to the victor, the spoils - to the vanquished...well, you really want to be victor here!! good luck!



Good Luck Robin!
Posted on 07/01/2005 at 01:47 AM by Adrienne

Your awesome, just be yourself and have fun!



Break Both Your Legs!
Posted on 07/03/2005 at 10:01 AM by Adam Sank

(And I know you will!...)