Up until now, this blog has just been words from an observer. One person's opinion is valued, but when other people share in that opinion that source becomes credible. Well now, dear readers, you have some viable evidence that I am not just a rambling idiot. If you watched last week's episode of Last Comic Standing you might have seen a familiar face. That's right, DC comedy scene alumnus and recently reviewed, Erin Jackson made a prime time appearance! Erin auditioned in Nashville, TN and impressed legendary judges John Ratzenberger and George Went (more commonly known as Cliff and Norm from Cheers) with ease. She was asked to come back that night to perform at the showcase where she continued to deliver laughs. At the end of the day She joined three other Nashville comics in the semifinals.
Be sure to tune in this week to stay informed of Erin's progress. You can catch it on NBC at 8:30pm eastern. Don't worry if you missed last weeks episode, you can view it in its entirety on the official website: http://www.nbc.com/Last_Comic_Standing/.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Brittany's Open Mic: The Not So Good Ones
After much deliberation over the recent comment by DC's own funny man Nicky T, I have decided to not critique the comics I was not impressed with at the Brittany's open mic show I recently attended. I realize that an open mic is a place for comics to work out their material. It is not a place to find polished comedy. Comics hit the stage and take greater risks to see if it works. If it doesn't work, they go back and refine it before they feature on a full fledged comedy show. Never the less, that is not an excuse for comics to slouch while they are on stage at an open mic. People still take time out of their busy lives to come see you. You can be reckless, and still try to make them laugh. Open mics will die out if there is no laughter, then where will you work on your act?
I feel a negative critique of a comedians performance at an open mic would cast a potentially incorrect shadow on their reputation. So in lieu of this, I will give those comics a second listen and report back to you.
This does not diminish the performance of the comedians I was impressed with. If you can make people laugh at an open mic, you can definitely make them laugh as a feature. So to all of you comedy consumers, go see those comedians with confidence that you will be greatly entertained.
-Third Eye Comedy signing off!
I feel a negative critique of a comedians performance at an open mic would cast a potentially incorrect shadow on their reputation. So in lieu of this, I will give those comics a second listen and report back to you.
This does not diminish the performance of the comedians I was impressed with. If you can make people laugh at an open mic, you can definitely make them laugh as a feature. So to all of you comedy consumers, go see those comedians with confidence that you will be greatly entertained.
-Third Eye Comedy signing off!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Brittany's open mics: The good ones
As I have previously mentioned, I recently went out to an open mic at Brittany's in Woodbridge. This was a packed night of comedy. Fifteen comedians took the stage that night. In my opinion that is way too many comedians to sit through, especially for an open mic. The show ran almost two and a half hours! For God's sake, Eddie Izzard kept it to two hours. I love Eddie Izzard, but there's only so long even he can keep me in my seat. So I have decided to highlight some comics from that show who caught my eye both in a good way and a bad way. This first of a two part blog I will highlight the more impressive comics. I rated each comic on my "laugh meter". This is a scale of 1-10 to rate the overall laughter of the room (not just me). If someone just got occasional awkward chuckles he might get a 1 or a 2. If he had the room rolling I might give him an 8 or 9. However, to achieve this rating you have to make me no shit laugh out loud... which is hard to do.
Dave Carter
Dave Carter took the stage with authority. He performed fourth in the line up. I think that is a really good slot to get. The crowd is relatively warmed up, but they're not tired of hearing comedy yet. Having said this, I don't think he really needed it. In my opinion he killed. On top of great material, he captured the audience's attention. He was very comfortable on stage, with great rhythm, flow and delivery. He started off with a bathroom joke that almost made beer come out my nose. That is quite impressive because normally these types jokes are lame and I never go for them. I really want to catch another set by Dave. I have never heard of this guy before, but I would really like to follow him. His set seemed shorter than the other comics, maybe only three or five minutes. When he said, "that's my time", I literally wanted to hear more. I was observing the comics before the show started and Dave was off by himself in a booth in the back going over his material. This really impressed me. I could tell he took that gig seriously. And if he takes open mics this seriously and kills that much, I would love to see him feature for a full comedy production.
Laugh Meter: 9
Lafayette Wright
In the previous post I explained that comedians need to know the anatomy of a joke. In addition to this, they also need to know how to arrage their material. Typically it is best to start off with tried and true material that has proved to get laughs in the past. This shouldn't be your funnies material, just your most solid. In the middle of your set you put your weaker, or new material. Then, in typical Vegas fasion, you end on a high note. You pull out all of the stops and give the crowd your grand finalle with your best material. Lafayette did this pretty well. He grabbed the mic and, with no introductions, rolled into his first joke which took the crowd off guard and got big laughs. It was just a simple one liner too, which was the beauty of it. Instantly he engaged the audience's attention. He sustained that momentum through his next few jokes, which carried him through his weaker material in the middle. Even though his weaker material didn't get as good of laughs he still held your attention because we all were waiting for him to recover, which he did pretty well. As a comic you can't let silence distract you from your focus. It is the mark of a comedian as to how well you can recover.
Laugh Meter: 6
Kathleen O'Brien
This is a new comedian who gives me hope. This was her first time doing comedy. For her first time I was very impressed. Right off the bat I'm sure she impressed Jim Pate (who runs the show) because she had a substantial cheering section. There were at least 10 people there just to see her. Even if you're not funny that is how you get a call back for another show. Club owners down't give a rat's patootie if people are laughing, just so long as they are buying food and alcohol. On a comedic level I was impressed with the lack of first time jitters she performed with. Could she work on her stage presence? Of course. But she spoke clearly and confidently. She had very clever material. Half of her jokes were worked into an extenseive story which is something you don't hear very often, but I liked. The story line held your attention as well as the jokes. Even though I give her a low laugh rating, I still give her first set an A.
Laugh Meter: 3
Next blog we will discuss the less impressive comedians... I can see the hate mail now!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
For Your Information
I’m back in the game baby. Last night I returned from hearing what Woodbridge had to offer in the way of laughs. Jim Pate runs an open mic at a place called Brittany’s. I had heard about it quite some time ago, but this was my first introduction to comedy “in da hood… bridge”. Venue and comedic reviews are still to come.
Before I get into reviews I wanted to share some general observations of the show. These observations do not exclusively pertain to the comedians I saw at the Brittany’s show, but to all comics. I have seen many comedy shows in the Northern Virginia area. Granted, I do not claim to be a comedic expert but I am a consumer and an intelligent observer. I would also like to preface that I understand the point of open mics. Open mics, while sometimes you do, are not a place to go to hear top notch professional comedians. They are a place for new and seasoned comedians to work out new material and gain experience. So if you are a comedian and I give you a harsh review of your open mic performance, I realize that there is a bigger margin of error in that type of venue. I give negative reviews for you to learn from, not as a personal attack. With that being said, here are some general observations for all of you comedians that you might want to consider for your next performance. Take it or leave it.
1. Always be a professional
Please, if at all possible, memorize your material. When you have your material memorized you come off as more professional, and more confident. Professionalism and confidence affects your stage presence. Stage presence affects your delivery. And if you haven’t heard the old adage, “it’s all in the delivery”.
If you need to use notes, use them only as cue cards, not as a joke rolodex. When you take the stage know what material you are going to use and in what order. Once again, this makes you look more professional. A pet peeve of mine is when a comedian does a joke and then says, “Okay, what joke do I want to do next?” as he is rifling through his joke book. Not only does it not look professional, but it also hurts your rhythm. You want to stay in the zone at all times. When you are on stage you should feel a flow and a rhythm that can’t be interrupted. You lose the audience when your jokes are all chopped up. You don’t want to give the audience a break in between jokes. If there are gaps in your material you give them time look at their watch, make a comment to their friend, get up and go to the bathroom, order another beer or anything but pay attention to you. You want to capture their attention every second you are on stage.
2. Go down with the ship
If you are in the middle of delivering a joke and you can tell it’s going to bomb, don’t stop in the middle of it. This makes the joke even worse. When you back out on a joke you are telling me, “Yes, I know I am wasting your time.” Even if you are wasting my time, you sure should not be thinking that. Once again this comes back to confidence. Just finish the joke.
Furthermore, don’t waste my time with petty “saver jokes” to try to get sympathy chuckles. You all know what I’m talking about. Your gangster joke bombs and you say to yourself out loud, “Note to self… don’t do gangster jokes in Woodbridge”, or the standard, “okay… tough crowd” response. If a joke bombs, move on. When you do that, all you are doing is drawing more attention to the fact that your joke sucks. If you write your material to flow from one subject to the next, you might be able to get away with moving on to the next joke without the audience realizing your punch line failed.
3. You have to engage your audience before you engage with your audience
If you are not making people laugh, you have not connected with the audience. To them you are just some stranger running his mouth. Interacting with the audience is not a means of connecting with them; it is a way to further connect with them. The only way to initially connect with the audience is to make them laugh. Once they are laughing then you can start picking on audience members and go through your, “who here is on a date?”, “where are my Jewish people at?”, “what’s your name?” material. If you try that with people who don’t find you funny they are just going to give you blank stares. The only exception to this is when you first take the stage. There is about a 30 second grace period where you can interact with the audience and not be funny. Just don’t drag it out. If it goes on too long people start to be like, “alright, let’s get the jokes rolling.” I recommend, however, starting off with a bang and opening with a tried and true joke that will get laughs.
4. Don’t say, “I have my light, so I better wrap this up”
This is another pet peeve of mine. The audience doesn’t care, and it is just another way to draw their attention away from you.
5. Know the anatomy of a joke
If you don’t know how to write a joke, you should probably learn the basics. There is a setup and a punch line. [Why did the chicken cross the road?] = setup. [To get to the other side] = punch line. Make sure your jokes are actually jokes and not just sentences. Not all of us can make people laugh with our facial expressions like Bill Cosby, or have as funny observations as Dane Cook. Maybe some of us do, and if that is you, then more power to you. But it takes a long time to get good at it, so while you are perfecting your shtick, make sure you have good solid jokes in your bag of tricks.
I hope you comics who are reading this find it enlightening and helpful. So if you see me sitting in your audience, you know what I’m looking for. Good luck!
Before I get into reviews I wanted to share some general observations of the show. These observations do not exclusively pertain to the comedians I saw at the Brittany’s show, but to all comics. I have seen many comedy shows in the Northern Virginia area. Granted, I do not claim to be a comedic expert but I am a consumer and an intelligent observer. I would also like to preface that I understand the point of open mics. Open mics, while sometimes you do, are not a place to go to hear top notch professional comedians. They are a place for new and seasoned comedians to work out new material and gain experience. So if you are a comedian and I give you a harsh review of your open mic performance, I realize that there is a bigger margin of error in that type of venue. I give negative reviews for you to learn from, not as a personal attack. With that being said, here are some general observations for all of you comedians that you might want to consider for your next performance. Take it or leave it.
1. Always be a professional
Please, if at all possible, memorize your material. When you have your material memorized you come off as more professional, and more confident. Professionalism and confidence affects your stage presence. Stage presence affects your delivery. And if you haven’t heard the old adage, “it’s all in the delivery”.
If you need to use notes, use them only as cue cards, not as a joke rolodex. When you take the stage know what material you are going to use and in what order. Once again, this makes you look more professional. A pet peeve of mine is when a comedian does a joke and then says, “Okay, what joke do I want to do next?” as he is rifling through his joke book. Not only does it not look professional, but it also hurts your rhythm. You want to stay in the zone at all times. When you are on stage you should feel a flow and a rhythm that can’t be interrupted. You lose the audience when your jokes are all chopped up. You don’t want to give the audience a break in between jokes. If there are gaps in your material you give them time look at their watch, make a comment to their friend, get up and go to the bathroom, order another beer or anything but pay attention to you. You want to capture their attention every second you are on stage.
2. Go down with the ship
If you are in the middle of delivering a joke and you can tell it’s going to bomb, don’t stop in the middle of it. This makes the joke even worse. When you back out on a joke you are telling me, “Yes, I know I am wasting your time.” Even if you are wasting my time, you sure should not be thinking that. Once again this comes back to confidence. Just finish the joke.
Furthermore, don’t waste my time with petty “saver jokes” to try to get sympathy chuckles. You all know what I’m talking about. Your gangster joke bombs and you say to yourself out loud, “Note to self… don’t do gangster jokes in Woodbridge”, or the standard, “okay… tough crowd” response. If a joke bombs, move on. When you do that, all you are doing is drawing more attention to the fact that your joke sucks. If you write your material to flow from one subject to the next, you might be able to get away with moving on to the next joke without the audience realizing your punch line failed.
3. You have to engage your audience before you engage with your audience
If you are not making people laugh, you have not connected with the audience. To them you are just some stranger running his mouth. Interacting with the audience is not a means of connecting with them; it is a way to further connect with them. The only way to initially connect with the audience is to make them laugh. Once they are laughing then you can start picking on audience members and go through your, “who here is on a date?”, “where are my Jewish people at?”, “what’s your name?” material. If you try that with people who don’t find you funny they are just going to give you blank stares. The only exception to this is when you first take the stage. There is about a 30 second grace period where you can interact with the audience and not be funny. Just don’t drag it out. If it goes on too long people start to be like, “alright, let’s get the jokes rolling.” I recommend, however, starting off with a bang and opening with a tried and true joke that will get laughs.
4. Don’t say, “I have my light, so I better wrap this up”
This is another pet peeve of mine. The audience doesn’t care, and it is just another way to draw their attention away from you.
5. Know the anatomy of a joke
If you don’t know how to write a joke, you should probably learn the basics. There is a setup and a punch line. [Why did the chicken cross the road?] = setup. [To get to the other side] = punch line. Make sure your jokes are actually jokes and not just sentences. Not all of us can make people laugh with our facial expressions like Bill Cosby, or have as funny observations as Dane Cook. Maybe some of us do, and if that is you, then more power to you. But it takes a long time to get good at it, so while you are perfecting your shtick, make sure you have good solid jokes in your bag of tricks.
I hope you comics who are reading this find it enlightening and helpful. So if you see me sitting in your audience, you know what I’m looking for. Good luck!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Stand by, More to come
Patience is a virtue, and life can be a bitch. I haven't given up on the blog, I've just been very busy and haven't been able to get out much. Stay tuned for more hard hitting journalism on top comedians in Northern Virginia. Not that you care, but just thought I'd tell you, I live in Fredericksburg. It is very hard to make it up to DC on a regular basis to hear comedy. Unfortunately that is where the scene is. However, shows do happen here in Fredericksburg once every blue moon, but word does not get around very well. So please, feel free to give me the 4-1-1 if you have some info.
Happy laughing!
Happy laughing!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Constitution Hall: It's gotta be worth it
Eddie Izzard's second stop on his latest tour, called "Stripped", was in the heart of Washington, DC at the DAR Constitution Hall. I was personally in attendance on May 1st. This is, in my opinion, one of the funniest comedians working today. This was a two hour, killer show filled with all new material. But this is not a comedian review. This is a venue review. While I spent most of the evening laughing my head off, I wished I was laughing my back off. I am 6'2" tall, and my wife is 5'6" tall. Walking out of that venue, we both agreed that it was the most uncomfortable show we've ever sat through. Not only were my knees straddling the head of the patron in front of me, but the acoustics where terrible. This was confirmed by the annoyed heckler in the back row who shouted out, "SPEAK INTO THE MIC! WE CAN'T HEAR YOU! THE ACOUSTICS HERE SUCK!!!" At least he was right. The hard, circular walls were not padded and bounced the sound around the room like school kids playing with a hot potato. If you had to put a visual picture on what it sounded like in that hall I would describe it like waves crashing in the ocean during a hurricane. So you just had to listen very closely and try to cut out all of the reverberation.
If you are ordering your tickets online, I strongly recommend picking them up at will-call. A half an hour until the show started, the line to get in for people with tickets in hand wrapped around the whole block. My heart sunk into my chest when I saw this 45 minute wait. I was relieved when I got to the will-call line and there were only 3 people in front of me. We got our tickets, walked in, sat down and played games on our phones while everyone else battled the crowd.
It is conveniently located on 18'th street (right around the corner from the White House). It is about a 10-15 minute walk from either Farragut West or North. There are parking garages in the area, but they of course cost about as much at your show ticket. There is on street parking available, but we all know those spots are always filled by cars that have no owners and thus never move. My advice: take the metro.
The $47 per ticket is only worth it for an entertainer of Eddie Izzard's caliber. It would take someone I really want to see to go back to the DAR Constitution Hall for a show. So if you're friend needs someone to go with them to see Hannah Montana... make sure you have other plans that evening.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Upcoming Shows of Interest
So far I have only been highlighting local comedians. Not to take anything away from them, but let's not forget about the big name comedians passing through our area. I think Rory, Erin and Erik would all agree to take advantage of experiencing comedy at the highest level whenever possible. So here are some dates close by of comedians who already have had hundreds of people write reviews of them:
Brian Regan - 4/3 Richmond, VA @ Landmark Theater
Chris Rock - 4/18-21 Washington DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
Dave Attell - 4/24-26 Virginia Beach @ Funny Bone & 6/12-15 Washington DC @ Improv
Eddie Izzard - 5/1-2 Washington DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
Lewis black - 5/15-16 Washington DC @ Warner Theatre
John Pinette - 5/15-18 Washington DC @ Improv
Kevin Nealon - 9/26-27 Washington DC @ Improv
Happy laughing!
Brian Regan - 4/3 Richmond, VA @ Landmark Theater
Chris Rock - 4/18-21 Washington DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
Dave Attell - 4/24-26 Virginia Beach @ Funny Bone & 6/12-15 Washington DC @ Improv
Eddie Izzard - 5/1-2 Washington DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
Lewis black - 5/15-16 Washington DC @ Warner Theatre
John Pinette - 5/15-18 Washington DC @ Improv
Kevin Nealon - 9/26-27 Washington DC @ Improv
Happy laughing!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Catch Erik Myers at the Improv
Recently reviewed Erik Myers will be headling a show at the DC Improv comedy lounge on Saturday, March 22. The show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased ahead of time here. Here is what the Improv has to say about his show called "Erik Myers and Friends":
Comedian Erik Myers headlines the DC Improv Comedy Lounge for one night only. Erik Myers is a high energy comedian who has opened for Pauly Shore, Pablo Francisco and Mitch Hedberg.
The lineup also includes:
Adam Dodd - musical comic who has played many college's
Jim Pate - physical and silly comic from Woodbride
Brian Jett - bad boy comic who has opened for doug stanhope
Alex P - female comic from Baltimore new to the scene with a dry witt and sarcastic delivery
Third Eye Comedy On Demand
If you have a comedy venue, or comedian in the Northern Virginia area that you are not sure about, send me a message. If I am able to, I will scout a venue/comedian and post a full review to give you the information you need to experience the optimum comedy factor. Likewise, if you are a venue owner/comedian and you want to put yourself to the test, invite me out and show me your best stuff.
Monday, March 3, 2008
First Venue Review: the DC Improv
Having only lived in Northern Virginia for about a year and a half, I'm a little behind the area's comedy scene power curve. This entry will probably fall on veteran ears, and thus seem like old news. So this entry is for all of you DC Improv newbies.
I recently attended my first DC Improv show about a month ago when I saw Erin Jackson (see previous post), and Robert Klein. For forty-eight years the Improv has been a marquee landmark for comedians and patrons alike. Having opened its first venue in New York, you can now catch a show at the Improv in twenty-two cities from coast to coast. It is a place were serious local comedians are regulars, and where comedy legends make their living. Anyone who is anybody has, at one point, taken the mic at the Improv. This, however, is my specific review of the DC Improv.
If you are tired of open mics and shows in the party room of your back ally bar, and want to hear quality comedy every time, then the Improv is your place. I'm not hating on open mics or privately produced shows. There are some great comics who work small rooms all over the place, but it's never a given. My point is, you can never go wrong with the Improv.
With ticket prices only a little more expensive than privately promoted shows, it is definitely worth it if you want to take that special someone out on a Friday night. To see top local comedians, tickets are usually ten dollars. To see special events like Robert Klein, tickets are usually about twenty-five dollars. You can reserve tickets by phone, on-line or you can stop by the box office. If you live in the area, I recommend dropping by the box office, otherwise a three dollar service fee per ticket is charged when they are purchased by phone or on-line.
The atmosphere is nostalgic, the staff is friendly, the food is affordable, but the seating is cramped. Maybe I just saw the worst of it because it was a sold out show, but it is not a comfortable venue. The room is packed with circular tables which are about two-three feet in diameter, with four chairs to a table. There are straight, wooden chairs which made my chiropractor bill go up. It didn't help that the person back to back with me kept adjusting and knocking into me. Because it was a sold out show my wife and I had to share a table with another couple. It is a very intimate setting between the comedian and the audience. It is an even more intimate setting between you and the other audience members. There really is not a bad seat in the house though. If you are not interested in being able to reach out a touch your favorite comic's shoes, save yourself the headache and just sit in the back or on the sides. If you do want to sit in the front row, get their early. All shows are first come, first serve. I showed up just prior to the doors opening and their was already about a ten minute line accrued.
As far as food goes, I have mixed feelings. The food is good, as well as being very affordable, but the service is slow. It is not necessarily the wait staff's fault. When pretty much everyone shows up right when the doors open it is going to take some time getting around to everyone. Personally, I recommend eating before you go. They have a full drink menu you can choose from to keep you busy. Plus, if you have four people at your table who are eating, it is going to get that much more cramped.
I recently attended my first DC Improv show about a month ago when I saw Erin Jackson (see previous post), and Robert Klein. For forty-eight years the Improv has been a marquee landmark for comedians and patrons alike. Having opened its first venue in New York, you can now catch a show at the Improv in twenty-two cities from coast to coast. It is a place were serious local comedians are regulars, and where comedy legends make their living. Anyone who is anybody has, at one point, taken the mic at the Improv. This, however, is my specific review of the DC Improv.
If you are tired of open mics and shows in the party room of your back ally bar, and want to hear quality comedy every time, then the Improv is your place. I'm not hating on open mics or privately produced shows. There are some great comics who work small rooms all over the place, but it's never a given. My point is, you can never go wrong with the Improv.
With ticket prices only a little more expensive than privately promoted shows, it is definitely worth it if you want to take that special someone out on a Friday night. To see top local comedians, tickets are usually ten dollars. To see special events like Robert Klein, tickets are usually about twenty-five dollars. You can reserve tickets by phone, on-line or you can stop by the box office. If you live in the area, I recommend dropping by the box office, otherwise a three dollar service fee per ticket is charged when they are purchased by phone or on-line.
The atmosphere is nostalgic, the staff is friendly, the food is affordable, but the seating is cramped. Maybe I just saw the worst of it because it was a sold out show, but it is not a comfortable venue. The room is packed with circular tables which are about two-three feet in diameter, with four chairs to a table. There are straight, wooden chairs which made my chiropractor bill go up. It didn't help that the person back to back with me kept adjusting and knocking into me. Because it was a sold out show my wife and I had to share a table with another couple. It is a very intimate setting between the comedian and the audience. It is an even more intimate setting between you and the other audience members. There really is not a bad seat in the house though. If you are not interested in being able to reach out a touch your favorite comic's shoes, save yourself the headache and just sit in the back or on the sides. If you do want to sit in the front row, get their early. All shows are first come, first serve. I showed up just prior to the doors opening and their was already about a ten minute line accrued.
As far as food goes, I have mixed feelings. The food is good, as well as being very affordable, but the service is slow. It is not necessarily the wait staff's fault. When pretty much everyone shows up right when the doors open it is going to take some time getting around to everyone. Personally, I recommend eating before you go. They have a full drink menu you can choose from to keep you busy. Plus, if you have four people at your table who are eating, it is going to get that much more cramped.
Also, If you a smoker, make sure you take your last drag at the door. Just like the rest of DC, the Improv is smoke free. Be sure to find a sitter too. Eighteen and over only on all shows. And getting there is simple. Just get off at the Farragut North metro stop and you're only a half a block away.
For every negative reason I described, you can't beat the comedy factor. The Improv brings in the best comedy in town, hands down. I will definitely be back again. I want to catch a non-special event and see how different that is. Also, they rent out their lounge to individuals who want to put on their own show. Many local comedians have already taken advantage of it. You can expect a review of those two shows in the future. Until then, laugh on!
For every negative reason I described, you can't beat the comedy factor. The Improv brings in the best comedy in town, hands down. I will definitely be back again. I want to catch a non-special event and see how different that is. Also, they rent out their lounge to individuals who want to put on their own show. Many local comedians have already taken advantage of it. You can expect a review of those two shows in the future. Until then, laugh on!
Erin Jackson: Solid Comedy
If you are a black comedian, is it a rule that you have to have jokes about being black? If I had a nickel for every time I heard a black comedian grab the mic at start off with, "You know the thing about black people is..." or, "what white people just don't get is..." well, let's just say I wouldn't be posting my reviews on a free website like a cheapskate who can't afford a domain name. Erin Jackson is a comedian who epitomizes what I've just described. But damn it, as much as those jokes drive me nuts, Erin tells some good ones.
I saw Erin at the DC Improv when she featured for Robert Klein. Her material is driven by her every day experiences. Her tone of voice is just as calm and plain as if she were talking to you on the street. Those two elements combined makes her act very relatable. she gave a solid performance that showed the kind of composure and timing only experienced comics acquire. If nothing else, to say that you featured for Robert Klein gives your resume some credibility. Her website also has pictures of her with some notable comedians like Chris Rock, Christian Finnegan, Brian Regan and Bill Bellamy. In the sea of DC comedians, Erin Jackson is swimming in a little deeper water than everyone else. Check out her website for a full calender of shows coming up in DC, New York and the midwest. By the way, not that I need to tell you this, but Robert Klein was amazing.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Rory Scovel: Smokin' and Jokin'
Rory Scovel is a DC comedy scene alumnus. He now works out of New York, but that doesn't mean on any given night you can head up there and catch one of his sets. This is a hard working dude who performs in rooms all over the continent. But don't worry, he still graces our nation's capital from time to time. The first time I heard Rory was at the late great venue Dr. Dremos. He was headlining that night, so he did a good thirty to forty-five minutes. My first impression of him, as he sauntered to the stage like he didn't care if he spent his whole set getting to the stage, was SNOOZE FEST! I'll clarify upfront that my first impression of him was wrong. Maybe it was because he was headlining and had so much time, but his pace couldn't beat a four year old on a big wheel. I'm not saying that is necessarily a bad thing. He is the kind of comedian you love to unwind to after a hard week at the office. Just sit back with your favorite drink and chill. Most importantly though, he has great material and timing. You know that feeling when you are preparing yourself to laugh? You bring your laugh up to about your adam's apple and just hold it and wait for the punch line. You don't know when it is coming, but you know it is going to come bursting out. You really don't want to do that when Rory is on stage, because he can keep you waiting as long as he wants. You're inevitably going to have to let it out before the punch line comes, and then you're just going to look stupid to the chick you are on the blind date with. He just has that kind of personality and timing that can make you laugh when he isn't even saying anything.
Rory looks very at home when he is performing. This guy is probably more comfortable on stage than the audience is in their seats! He is the kind of casual comedian who takes the stage with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. The only thing I didn't like was it seemed as if he didn't know what he was going to say next. He would frequently flip through his notebook looking for a joke. I can't be too hard on him for that though. It was just an open mic in Clarendon. He is great at writing on stage too. I could tell when he was writing on stage because he was.... well... literally writing on stage. He would say something that hit and annotate it in his notebook with a chuckle. He is not a comedian I would recommend new comics to emulate. His easy going style is really a "you have it or you don't" style. Especially if your material is weak, you are just going to lose your audience after five minutes. Rory does it well. Next time he is in town be sure to catch his set.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Erik Myers: The comedian, not from Lord of the Rings
Most comedy shows require every member of the audience to purchase a minimum of two drinks. This is obviously done for the financial profit of the venue. Often times, however, an intoxicated audience is just as valuable to the comedian on stage. We all know what I'm talking about. There are just some comedians who are funnier to us when our inhibitions are lowered. Erik Myers is not one of those comedians. Erik could be working his material to you in your bathroom as your brushing your teeth on a Saturday morning after a long night of drinking because your dog just died, and in a matter of minutes he could have Crest coming out your nose. I had the pleasure of hearing Erik at the Hyatt in Bethesda, MD. The crowd was composed of about forty-five people all of which were eligible for AARP. You could tell this was the latest they had stayed up since VE day. Erik took the stage having followed a D- student of Matt Kazam (That is not slam on Matt by the way), and an emcee from Denver who traveled way too far to suck as much as he did. Erik took the stage and saved the show. Not many comedians can come in at that point and kill, but he did. His fast delivery and high energy performance complimented his side splitting one liners. I felt like I was holding on for dear life through the whole set. Of course he wasn't going to let go either. It's hard for him to lose your attention. I never even noticed how annoying his shrill, high pitched voice was. I hope to catch a longer set next time to see how well he can sustain. I give this performance three out of four stars.
Introduction to Third Eye Comedy
Third Eye Comedy exists to provide a sound critique of comedy clubs, comedians, promoters and every other topic pertaining to comedy. Third Eye Comedy will strive to inform you ahead of time of one person's opinion based on first hand experience so you won't waste your time or money on an evening of sub-par comedy.
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