Month: September 2009

The 10:30 show

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50pdKKyFaUo

0m24s The super long pause forced a laugh out of the crowd

1m33s No need to say that I sometimes make it up

2m37s The girls gone wild line needs less words

3m47s Nice read on the audience

3m52s It’s funnier that they didn’t get this joke

5m57s Need to pause longer after “overestimating my fan base”

6m02s I didn’t say “huge tubes” animatedly enough

Overall: I had some good laughs in the middle of the set. If this trend continues, I need to change what jokes start and end my set.

The 8:30

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50zLzm2rsIQ

0m58s Don’t everyone laugh so loud, my ear drums are gonna pop

1m42s I’m doing a good job taking my time and pausing after punch lines, even if it’s not getting the laughs I’m used to

2m18s Pause and nod after “it’s called, cancel relationship”

2m38s If I hear myself do the thesaurus joke one more time, I’m gonna hit myself on the head with a thesaurus, it’s not working, I need to get over it

3m40s I should say “she” and “he” instead of “you” and “you”

4m41s I like how that got the best laugh of the set

Overall: Another tough set and more evidence that it’s harder to make 8 people laugh in a 60 person room than it is to make 60 people laugh in an 8 person room. The positive thing to take away from this set is that I didn’t start talking faster and rushing through punch lines when I wasn’t get laughs.

Another Set

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZVxzwQUsn0

0m50s When the first minute of jokes isn’t working, try to bring the audience closer to you

1m16s They actually moved up a table

1m36s I’ve yet to get a punch line to go over with this crowd

1m52s First time ever that “Igor likes this” got crickets

2m15s No need for the “unsubscribe” act out

2m35s Yet more evidence that the thesaurus joke needs to go (and that I need to do performance critiques quicker than 7 weeks later)

3m44s The audience has decided they won’t laugh at anything I give them

4m08s The first laugh of the set, and it took three seconds of silence to squeeze it out

4m40s It should be “I bought my” not “buying my”

6m21s Get to Pez dispenser crisper

Overall: I bombed. Next time I get such weak applause when I come up, I should get the audience to clap again instead of allowing the low energy to persist. It probably won’t save it, but I’ll at least be taking control of the situation.  The one thing about this set that I’m proud of is I was able to move a group of audience members closer to the stage. It didn’t get them laughing any more, but I at least took control of the room that way. (It’s generally easier to get laughter when people are closer to the stage.)

A Monday Night

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwYMQ2cq5D0

0m12s I’m in glasses because my eyes got messed up from sleeping in contacts

0m25s Apparently having glasses on gets a bigger laugh for the model line

3m22s Nice coy tone for “is that too far?”

3m46s Get rid of the “help me please” line

3m58s Pause for longer after “tell joke to drunks”

4m09s Slow down when saying “We not float in boat for you fail math”

5m24s Be more definite, instead of “you might know the slogan” say “I think you know the slogan”

6m24s Big shout out to the MC for blocking the camera

Overall: For a Monday night in this room, I did really well. I hope it’s because I’m getting better and more consistent and not because my glasses make me funny and pathetic looking and get the audience on my side quicker. Also, I need to make more definite statements about the audience during the morning after pill joke.

This is me hosting the writer’s mic

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oIiKTmKG8I

0m34s It should be “she’ll think you’re a big spender” not “she’ll know you’re a big spender”

1m22s Instead of “real short and simple” I should say “or simplify it:”

2m18s I like the thesaurus joke although it barely ever works, it needs to go though

3m20s Get rid of the “whoever laughs does coke” line

3m45s The Mongolia joke isn’t a keeper

Overall: I worked out newer jokes and need to fix up the wording for the morning after pill and Russian family jokes. The Mongolia line and thesaurus line should go the way of the dodo.