Category: Blog Grind

The writing process is overwhelming. Why is it overwhelming? It’s never over. I have been forcing myself to write for at least 10 minutes every day. Compared to the 1440 minutes in a day, 10 minutes is chump change. But somehow getting myself to do 10 minutes is such a challenge. Half the time when I’m writing my obligatory 10 minutes it’s either on the subway or it’s a meta stream of consciousness. Ie: I write “The time is 12:32pm I will keep writing until till 12:42pm… There is loud music in this cafe, I’m hungry. I spend too much money. My phone is off charging and I have attempted to grab my phone 3 times. Stop it! The phone is OFF. Who cares if it’s at 23% or 25% battery life. Stay focused. Aah I reached for the phone again! It’s 12:34 eight more minutes till I’m done.” These are NOT JOKES and not useable (err right?). I continue to write this stream of unusable consciousness for the discipline of writing. Like repetitions at the gym the idea is the 10 minutes will transform into 12, 15 etc… but daaaag 10 minutes is hard enough. So let me be consistent with 10 minute every day and I will take it from there. Writing the blog is less painful, that’s because I have something specific to write about or it’s after an emotional experience i.e.: producing a show and I have stuff to spew out! Tonight is the weekend show I produce where I bark the audience in. It has been successful so far so here’s hoping it will be continually successful tonight! I have a road gig this weekend-After getting paid minus gas money I will be lucky if I net $15. I’m not at the point in my career where I can say no to a gig. This post has taken me more than 10 minutes to write. Does it count as my writing for the day? AAAAhh it never ends! Enjoy the ride because no matter where you are in the career the process is the same write, perform, review, repeat.

Solas · 232 E 9th St
off 2nd Ave · 2nd floor

Solas laughs is the quintessential independent standup comedy show every Friday, Saturday and Sunday Nights at 7:30pm – Email for details.  To see this week’s lineup and for the most up to date information on the shows check us out (and be sure to like us) on Facebook!

You know how performing can be a high or a low? Well last night was a big time low. Not just as a performer but as a producer, which hurts the most. One of the comics asked “is this your first time producing”? Ouch. From a scale of 1 to 10 the show was a 5. I am not a perfectionist, but lord have mercy a 5 is shitty. I am writing this the day after the event and it still burns.

The event starts with the chalkboard having the wrong time- the show starts at 7:00pm, but the chalkboard said 8:00pm. Two audience members who were papered in (aka didn’t pay) were told check in was at 6:30pm though check-in is not until 7:00pm. The two audience members were starting to feel negative about the experience because of the confusion of the start time. I could tell they were annoyed (after my mom pointed it out to me) and got them a free drink. Problem solved, point producer!

To not completely beat myself up, there were 22 people in the audience and the room was at capacity. The hardest part of a producers job is putting butts in the seats. Another good idea was we had a musician play pre-show music. That was a great idea, but the execution was off.  I let the show run 20 minutes too long as I wasn’t fully paying attention to time and wanted to be nice to the comics and give them more time. No more being nice (I’ve said that before). The truth is I need someone to help me. I’m just not sure who.

I am slowly learning things like comedians are grateful for stage time if its 8 minutes or even if its 5 minutes. The boyfriend tells me these things, but somehow I need to experience them myself to truly understand it. And as a comedian, I SHOULD know these things, but producer / people-pleaser-brain takes over.

At the end of the day, comedians like most people, do what’s best for them and I need to do the same for myself. My mom who repesented the paying audience (though she is comped) said it was a good show. Is all of this in my head or is it reality? Most likely a little of both. Let’s give the show a 7 and aim for a 10 next time. I recently was told “at the end of the day…there’s a new day” and I need to remember that. Meet Drink Laugh is next Tuesday at Webster Hall, giddyup.

I had a conversation with a comedian acquaintance/ friend of mine who said I’m a working comic. Granted I get up every night, I get paid for comedy, and I’m producing several shows, but sometimes it’s nice to hear it from someone else. This friend said he’s  heard my name when I’m not around and I’m  respected. Granted he called me Jessica 4x to my face, but still I choose  to believe him… or this Jessica is very respected and I’d like to meet her.

I am exhausted as I write this. I traveled four hours by Greyhound bus to Cheshire Ct for a spot. I had wanted to do some writing/work on the bus, but that was impossible.  I was way to nauseous with the bus going back and forth to accomplish anything. There were four accidents on the road and gridlock traffic the entire way out there. It only took an hour and a half to drive home.  I was allotted 10-12 minutes of stage time of which I did 8 minutes and 30 seconds (ish). After the “scarring” experience at Carolines, I wanted to only do material that I felt if not confident, then comfortable doing. I had another 2 minutes of material that I had intended to do, but out of excitement or forgetfulness or nerves I didn’t do it.

I opened for a comedian I respect so that raised the stakes for me and I was anxious about it the entire bus ride up. I need to learn to nip this anxiousness in the bud as its really taking away the joy. I guess its part of the process. Afterall, I am anxious for a reason- this is all very new to me. At least I’m back in the game.

Sometimes I walk into a mic rock’in the *swag. Afterall, I perform regularly at a club and get the occasional additional club spot. I posted on Facebook that I was performing at Carolines and got 30+ likes-cool! Unfortunately, my “cool factor” is short lived.

At the Caroline’s spot my set was mediocre to poor. My family who tells me how it is informed me I didn’t play to the audience ie: be in the moment. They were right. Standup comedy is a conversation, a give and take with the audience where their laughter (or lack there of) should have some effect on what I say. This is the major difference between theater and stand up; whereas theater is scripted and the same every show in standup there is room to play. At Carolines my swag was no where to be found. Between not having a “dialogue” with the audience and not selecting my A material my set was drag.

A day later I’m back to the grind doing a show (that turned into a mic), a mic, and then a networking party. This process is all rather humbling.

Swag ya later.

*appearance of being very cool, smooth, looking good

Michelle gets the new iphone!

Sometimes I walk into a mic rock'in the *swag. Afterall, I perform regularly at a club and get the occasional additional club spot.  I posted on Facebook that I was performing at Carolines and got 30+ likes-swag.  Unfortunately, said swag is short lived.

At the Caroline's spot my set was mediocre to poor. My family who tells me how it is informed me I didn't play to the audience ie: be in the moment. They were right. Standup comedy is a conversation, a give and take with the audience where their laughter (or lack there of) should have some effect on what I say. This is the major difference between theater and stand up; whereas theater is scripted and the same every show in standup there is room to play. At Carolines my swag was no where to be found. Between not having a "dialogue" with the audience and not selecting my A material my set was drag.

A day later I'm back to the grind doing a show (that turned into a mic), a mic, and then a networking party.  This process is all rather humbling.

Swag ya later.

*"Swag," from the slang word '"swagger," means being or having something cool.

I am sad. I am tipsy.

Tonight was the second night of Masq Qomedy. What a pressure. We wound up having 10 audience members which is respectable. In such a small space it feels packed.  I was stressed because most of the audience consisted of people at the bar who were barked in. I am not confident in the “barked in” model. It’s unreliable and I feel weird charging some people $10 and just letting others walk right in. I can rationalize that those barked in only catch some of the show and therefore shouldn’t pay cover.

I would like to barter with someone– spots in exchange for proofreading my blog.

My set went well (enough) I came up with a new joke based on 1. My mom and her saying “do you have to beg people to come to your show every week?” 2. This guy at the bagel store–

I ordered a poppy and he goes “mammi” umm was this guy for realz?

I had my Creek Mic but since I’m down I didn’t have as much fun as usual. I went from nervous/stressed to sad. Maybe I should stop producing. Never.

The first edition of Masq Qomedy was a hit, at least according to me! The comics who were supposed to be there showed up. One drop-in comic came who was full of energy and exactly what the show needed. We had just over 10 audience members which was all that I was hoping for. It’s a tight space so it looked packed. Success is not determined by the first show– success is sustainability; meaning how is the show doing 7 weeks from now? Feel free to check back then. Two of my friends from my acting/improv days were in the audience and up for hosting future shows. Having them host will be helpful to me as both a producer and a comic; it will be fun for them…it’s a win win for us all!