So before I start, I just wanna say I didn’t have a normal job during that month, so really all my focus was on food and comedy. I planned my day by the mics nothing else is important. I really wanted to catch up with NY.. and I DID.
So: I had 15 shows (except one they were ALL between 10-15 min), about 40 open mics (that’s 5 min a mic and allot of frustration) and I networked with at least 100 peeps, prob more, ha I’m sure it’s more.
That’s about 5.5 HOURS of stage time. A month.
I did mostly urban rooms, which is cool, I like them, I’m glad I didn’t get shot yet. I feel more comfortable on stage when I do a open mic before a show at the same day. But that’s me. I did a lot of bombing, some killing, and some were forgettable. I still want it, so I guess it’s not so bad.
I get asked all the time what’s better NY or LA? Honestly I feel NY is more about comedy, and jokes, and real shit than LA. LA comics mostly waiting to be discovered, which is cool, but here it’s more about “I got something to say”. That’s how I feel. U’ll never hear NY comic say – “I ain’t ready to go up on stage, there might be producers in the audience I don’t wanna blow it……”. That’s crazy to me. If you really do comedy that shit shouldn’t cross your mind. Again, my opinion.
It does pisses me off when people say LA comics ain’t funny. YES THEY ARE. Some of LA comics I know are hysterical.. everybody needs to relax it’s only 6 hours flight away it’s still America. The difference is not that big.
It’s funny tho that in LA your first 10 min needs to be clean. Just when I started, I was told, make sure you have 10 clean – TV ready. Shit, I didn’t even know I wanted to be on TV .. Didn’t hear it in NY, yet.
Now, as far as open mics, you can do 5 a day in Los Angeles and 5 a day in New York. It’s all up to how much you want it. In NY the pre sign up email system is taking control, it’s cool because most of those mics ppl stay till the end, when the mics with first come first serve have to be there early so they can leave early- so not everybody stay, and you might end up talking to urself. But yeah the point is it’s possible. I did 15 mics a WEEK in LA and NY. So just set your mind to it.. and if you have a 9-5 job then- good luck.
I didn’t do any of the big clubs: Carolines, Gotham, The comedy Strip (I really like that one). I was there but I didn’t get a chance to get up. I don’t do bringer, but I’m willing to bring people to a none bringer. I used to do bringer in my first year, and it worked fine for me, cuz I sucked and I had no other options to get up, so I’d bring all my friends to a bringer show, where all the comics suck, but brought ppl, and at the end of the show my friends would hate me and never wanna come back. So that’s why I don’t do bringers. I respect my friends. BUT BUT BUT I might do one in NY, just to get my foot in the door. I’ll pick the club and the show. Because the best thing about it that you know there will be crowd. SO idk we’ll see. It’s really hard to start ALL OVER AGAIN. But, it’s cool. I GOT THIS. Lol.
I gotta say, doing those mics is terrible and so much fun at the same time. I get to meet great people, make people laugh and party with funny people. What’s better than that?
Xoxo R
