MC Marcus, represent!

I forgot to blog yesterday, so I'll combine it with today's…
I went to the Funny Bone, I didn't get on, I wrote a bit with Matt Wolff and hung out afterwards for a bit.
Now on to Last Night;
While being a smart-allic to Jim Stout (who runs the open mic at the Forum) I asked if I could have a ridiculous amount of time; and he replied "You can MC if you want". I did want…

So I opened up the show and I have no idea how much time I did because my camera ran out of tape so I have no record. I opened up with a joke I wrote moments before I got on stage, needless to say it involved the Bridges of Madison County. Golden! Anyway, I did decent, though the crow was HUGE, they weren't to ready to laugh. I had planned on closing with my phone sex joke, because it usually gets a bigger response than any of my other "work-style" jokes. It didn't so I threw in my "blackest thing about me" joke which got the LARGEST groan I've ever heard. I was proud.

Throughout the rest of the night I tried out a couple of jokes on the crowd, mainly some "new" jokes that I haven't done on stage before. I also tried to bring up the comedians and say something different about each one.

Also, and this was super cool, my gradeschool buddy, Michael Sutter, came to my show and brought his cousin, Angela. They got to see me open, and then had to run to the airport to pick up Mike's brother John. They came back to watch the last comedian and the we headed over to Dave and Buster's. Needless to say, I was late to work. Again.

Excited!

Sunday night and last night I was goofing around with the website, and I ended up making some greeting cards. Last month or so I was at an anniversay party and I realized that the cardi had bought didn't fit my personality. So I modified it a bit. It gave me the idea, cards that were either funny or innappropriate. Or both. So, with a lack of artistic ability that could make Rembrandt gag, I opened up macromedia flash and cranked out two cards that I think are funny. You can see them here.

Also, and this is super cool, if you ask me, I am finalizing plans for a show in Montgomery City, MO on January 20th at a bar called Hard Times. The show'll start around 8pm and star Dano Sullivan, featuring John Garrison and Paul Harris. I will be the Host and MC. Last night I used my camera and my computer to grab a hasty headshot. I might put up a copy tonight if I have time. In any case, I am super excited because the show's only a month away. Tickets are 10 bucks and include one free beverage. I hear Harry has already sold about 30 and he hasn't even started advertising yet.

Last night, Matt Wolff and I went over to the City Improve in Union Station, where we had heard there was a show. We arrived around 7, expecting it to be open; we were going to ask around and see what was up, and probably work on some jokes. It was closed, and remained closed until around 8pm, when a couple bartenders showed up. They offered no useful info whatsoever, so Matt and I continued to wait the the hallway outside the club. Eventually a guy who calls himself "Shuttin' It Down", a guy carrying DJ equipment and two guys (I later learned their names were Lorenzo and Jay) showed up. Matt and I went in a worked on some jokes, and I found a way to shorten one of mine, which kind of makes thetrip worth it, even though no audience showed up. Obviously there wasn't a show, but I did learn from Lorenzo that the Spot and another place might be good to check out. The other place sounded like a musical open mic, but those can be cool to do comedy at, I did do the Music Café once or twice in Columbia). Maybe I could even bust out the kazoo. That would be kind of crazy. Mental note; must get accoustic guitar case from room in Mexico... Today I am going to call Gene Lynn's and see what's up there tonight; even if I don't get on, it'd be nice to check the place out.

Bright side

Work was awesome yesterday, simply because the Funny Bone list was
published and I saw that I was going to be on stage. I had a couple new
jokes I wanted to try out, so I was really excited. Before the show,
John Garrison, Matt Wolff and I went to Starbucks (I didn't buy
anything) to do some writing. During the meeting, I saw the list, and I
was scheduled 7th, which I was good with. But due to the high number of
newbies the list got moved around a bunch and I got put at the very end.

Bright side: I was the "headliner", and maybe Matt Behrens wanted to see if I
could close the show.

Down side: Sometimes the crowd is too busy settling their tab to pay
attention.

Greg Warren was at the show and went up third to last, I only bring it
up because he stopped in the middle of his set to tell a couple to shut
up or leave. I've never seen anything like it, but it was hilarious, to
me at least. The guy who followed was new, and did a good job, and then
it was my turn. Tim Heeley, who was MCing, introduced me as a "brother
of the scalp". I opened with a new quip (n. clever, often sarcastic
remark; a gibe. ) about being single. I also did my skiing jokes and my
bachelor party bit. Sadly, I had to look at my cheat-sheet, but when I
did, I realized I was on my final joke for the set I had prepared, and I
hadn't seen the light yet. So I threw in my pharmacy-job joke. Still no
light. FDA drug testing. Nothing. Tetris. Nada. Phone Sex. Zilch. I knew
I was going over, but the crowd was laughing and I was having so much
fun, I figured that maybe they (the funny bone staff) were seeing what I
could do. Eventually I couldn't think of any other bits to do, so I
closed with my Black-Name joke. As soon as I got home, I tried to upload
the video to the media page, but I didn't get it completed, so I'll try
to do it tonight. Look for it here.

5 for 6 was 3 of 6

Yesterday afternoon I picked up my friend April and we met Paul Harris in
the Central West End. We didn't even get out of Missouri before my left
rear tire blew out. I slapped a donut on, and we turned around and
switched vehicles. We actually made it to the show on time, which was
amazing, because I figured we'd be running late.
We arrived at the Springfield Illinois Funny Bone and I got the low-down
from a lady named Tracey; 5 bucks for six minutes on stage, best one up
gets to open during the weekend show. Aaron Hurley, a comic from
Illinois, was there and went up first. Aaron's been at the Westport
Funny Bone and has invited me to a show at the Iron Post. I was number
four and Paul was Six. I had a decent set, though the crowd wasn't
completely paying attention. There was a 'corral' type stage, with a
fence/banister between the microphone (and comic) and the audience.
However, between the audience and the banister was about 20 feet of
dance floor with a single table (that had about 8 people at it, I
couldn't EVEN SEE everyone at the table, because of a stack of
speakers). But it's stage time, and so I'm not complaining. Paul went up
last and closed the show, and did really well. With small crowds, people
are usually too self-conscious to laugh, which is why it seems harder
for comics, but Paul had a group of people consistently laughing through
his set. Very impressive. When it was al said at done, they pulled us up
on stage and announced the winners; I got Third, Paul got Second, and
Aaron got first.
We hung out a bit and got a drink and some food (I got mozz. sticks,
despite my slight intolerance to lactose). It was pretty cool, I'll try
to go back to the next one in January. Hopefully the Forum won't be on
the same day...

Dear Santa...

I'm working on a cover letter to send to some clubs and colleges in hopes of getting some MC work. Last night at the Funny Bone I asked Matt Behrens and Jeremy Essig to take a look at my letter, and I got a lot of good ideas and feedback. I didn't get on stage last night, but I did come up with a couple of ideas for jokes, and that always makes for a good day. In anycase, I am hoping to get my tape in the mail by the end of the week; if I'm lucky I'll get a little work out of it.

Tonight Paul Harris and I are driving to the Funny Bone Springfield, IL for their amateur show. From what I hear, it's a competition and you can win MC work. Oh yeah, and cash.

12/2/04

Last night there were eight people in the audience at the Comedy Forum. There were actually more, but some people didn't remain in the show room; they hung out in the bar instead. Some of the comics didn't watch the show either, which I feel is pretty rude: there are times when I am at the bar and having a conversation with someone so I miss a couple minutes of the show, but I don't spend large portions of the show in the bar. I go inside, support and laugh at my fellow comics. I'm AT a comedy club, obviously I am there FOR comedy… it just makes sense to me. My set didn't go as well as it did at the Bone earlier this week, I did some of the same jokes, like my Skiing jokes, which I really think have potential, but I think they are just missing a PUNCH at the end. I'm in the process of hooking my VCR up to my computer so that I can make a promo video to send to come clubs; the Deja Vu in particular. (That's the Deja Vu comedy club in Columbia MO, not the strip club; they won't let me perform there...) I'd really like to do a weekend there, as it's in Columbia and I'm pretty sure I'd have a place to stay. All I need is to come up with a semi-decent logo or picture to slap on the label so that I can have something besides my name on the tape's label. Once I get it, I'll post it here.

There was a gas leak in my office building today, and the alarm didn't go off on my floor. That's kind of weird… Now I'm worried about a different /type/ of job security… I did get out of an hour's worth of "work" however. I'd risk personal injury for that most days.

woo

Yesterday morning, I was shocked and surprised to see my name on the list for the Funny Bone. It kind of made the rest of the day go by a little more quickly. Andi Smith, Greg Warren and Jeremy Essig were at the show, and Rahn Ramey hosted. The last time I was on and Rahn hosted, I did very poorly (I was quite drunk) and he let me know it. Last week there were a ton of people in the club, this week was a different story… At the beginning of the show, we had 16 non-comics, I think. Another interesting part of the show was when Rahn MC-d from the back, he actually didn't come back to the stage between John Garrison and myself, and between myself and the guy following me… Anyway, I went on third and opened with a couple new jokes about skiing (I love snow skiing). They did ok, especially for a small crowd. I also did my drinking/blackout jokes, and did my Fraggle Rock song, which I haven’t done in a very long time. The crowd Actually gave me an applause break after Fraggle Rock. I then continued to my Marcus-Robinson-urban-name joke. I got off stage and Matt Behrens actually says "Have you learned nothing?" And says you always get off stage after an applause break during an amateur show, ESPECIALLY when there is such a small crowd. Rahn also said I did well, which was really nice to hear. Tonight is the Comedy Forum again. Apparently there is no Red Sea show anymore, sadly.