Todd Barry interview on The Onion A.V. club

I've been decidedly "low-pro" (i.e. "low-profile") over the past few months. However, I'm trying to make a serious effort on a minimum of two different fronts, simultaneously by crafting the latest blog (Standup101.com) and keeping you kids entertained in the meantime.

Anyway, I was recently directed to a fairly decent interview with famed comedian, Mr. Todd Barry (who is currently ego-surfing the internet by Googling his name and reading this article as we speak)...

[Hi, Todd!]

I'm pointing out this article to you, comedy fans, because it gives a solid insider look at the life of a working comedian. More specifically, it shows you (the reader) what the process is like and what to expect in crafting a career in comedy.

Anyway, indulge and read more about standup comedy and Mr. Todd Barry.

And if you haven't already signed up to be on the list of the new Standup101.com site launch, you can do so now <===

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Holy distraction, Batman!

So according to this post, I've established some order. But we all know how much I hate routine, riiiight? It's mundane and ordinary!

Anyway, I have aptly shucked the 'daily agenda' out the window. I will eventually have to work on retrieving it and ferreting it back in the house. But to use the commonplace phrase as an excuse, "Life is getting in the way."

...What could possibly go wrong?...

I've decided to work for this promoter for a comedy club, which every established comic knows is a dicey situation. (Laughable at best!) You, as a comic, are more likely to get screwed by putting way more time and effort than you're going to receive in return. I guess that's just the chance I'm going to have to take. And I think I know that. But I'm a naïve schoolgirl when it comes to opportunity--ever the optimist. What could possibly go wrong? And nothing has gone wrong, yet...

With regards to my natural ability to shirk my duties owed to myself, I'm putting more time into studying. My weakness: lack of discipline and overindulging in one activity while neglecting the other.

For some reason, the overindulgence is landing in the LSAT prep category rather than the Standup comedy. Weird, huh? Maybe because one is more predictable and I'm able to 'control' the results. And we all know what a POWDERKEG open mics are. Ugh! This motivation thing is frustrating. I need time to sit and FOCUS (I can hear Todd Barry's hallowed advice now). I need to focus on nothing but jokes. I do get inspired and I've had a few bouts of inspiration (what I think are really good ones) over the past few weeks.

Game plan: I need 2 hours of focusing on jokes. And then another 2-4 hours of heading out to open mics-- "at least 2-3 times a week." AHHHHH!! I need premeditated, predictable, measurable results from these open mics. It's there. It's here. It's somewhere.

...It's magical when it does happen...

Okay, I digress.
New topic: Comedy Run
Yesterday I had a good friend report back to me about a comedy class he attended 2 weeks ago. He received some solid, solid advice from this class. And he was kind enough to share it with me. I'll try and post them once I get ahold them. To sum it up in one sentence, it's was basically a bunch of wise comedy adages compiled from older more experienced comedian's mistakes. I was grateful.

And last night was jam-packed with meeting people from all over the scale of acquaintances. From meeting people I never met, to people whom I've know for 7 years time. All in a matter of six hours. It was a sort of a rush, but at the same time very normal for me, perhaps even expected. It's never a dull night with me around. I hold that as a promise to whomever gets the pleasure and joy of meeting me. Spend a night with me, and you'll wonder 'how she does it.' I don't even know. It's magical when it does happen.

You (in a medieval accent with a skeptical undertone): What is this magic that you speak of, Lucy? This chicanery?

Me: Well, hold tight and I'll explain.

Here is what ended up happening last night:

6:30 - Study Session at Starbux with Classmate (whom I've only known for about 3-4weeks)

8:45 - New person, whom I've never met before, meets up. Studying slows to a halt and we all chat about racy topics that one normally does not first talk about upon first meeting (i.e. race, politics, religion, capitalism v. communism - one of us is is card carrying communist party member)

9:15 - I made an appt with the local tarot card reader whom makes this particular Starbucks her home-office.

9:30 - My studybuddy also signs up for an appt with said Tarot card reader

10:20 - Studybuddy splits and we (new guy and myself) stop for a bite to eat (pizza) with which you can only buy by the pie (wise business move)

10:45 - We are at the ITU show, enjoy the last set by Leopold Rufus Allen, and meet up with friend I haven't seen in 7 years at the show. We get reacquainted and I meet the two friends she brought with her.

10:51 - We decide to hit up another show, "School Night" at UCB.

11:35 - New guy decides to leave, wishes us a good night, and splits. Long time friend (along with her long time friends) decide to forge ahead (in painful heels) to the UCB theatre.

11:36 - We get snubbed by a cab. LTF is furious and decides to take her complaint the authorities (which just so happen to be at the next corner--what a great city!)

11:45 - We arrive at the show, which started at 11pm, enjoy some really random Improv. But it was FREE, so who could complain?

12:30am - Show ends, we part ways, with a more reasonable cab driver, and promise to meet up again soon... especially when that meeting involves me being on stage... (ugh, no pressure!)

Pretty neat, huh? Well, I thought so.

~ Lucy

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"Can you hear me in the back?" (Comedy Run)

Todd Barry totally blew up my spot tonight. He said he read my blog which was flattering and petrifying at the same time. Luckily, I'm not an a--hole, so I don't write disparaging remarks about comedians, right Todd? Anyway, I try to keep it objective. Objective to me of course!

My goal with this blog is to make a virtual diary, tracking my inevitable success. Duh! (*wink-wink*) We shall see...

Anyway, this Wed night was incredible--jam-packed with open mics.

First Stop: Stand Up New York
Overall, minimal turnout (5 people or less), but they just lost a promoter/open mic MC, so they are "regrouping." It's a supportive environment for up-and-comers so I believe this will blow up in the next 6 months, especially with the right amount of marketing.

Next Stop: Comedy Cellar
We arrived too late to do a set, but I did meet the MC, so it was cool. He now knows me and perhaps he'll cut me a break every so often. (You scratch my back. I scratch yours.)

Third Stop: The Duplex
Known as a relatively cliquey ensemble cast. I like to go to see the talent and of course hear the jokes. I'm gathering ideas about how I can eventually run my own Open-mic or comedy show. But slowly. ...s...l...o...w...l...y...

Non-Comedy related stop: On the way to ITU, we walked by a Furniture Gala (Yeah, I know there's a joke in here somewhere.) And you can tell it was sort of a society event--hoit(e)y-toit(e)y, fancy-schmancy affair. People were spilling out onto the sidewalk and so we (NCB and I) thought, "Why not?" We headed in and checked out some cool furniture. (Nothing that I would want in my dream house.) But afterall, it was Art! Eventually, the wait staff, if I made add were waaaayyy too attractive to be waitstaff, started to honor us with some champagne. Now I'm thinking, "this is way too easy." So we were served drinks. I being a teetotaler, passed mine onto P Buddy, whom I realize as I write this forgot to give a proper introduction.

Fourth and Last Stop: Rififi's (Cinema Classics) - INVITE THEM UP!
Tonight was a bit slower. But funny none-the-less. I said Hi to Eugene Mirman and introduced myself. I figured he didn't remember me, but he did. In fact, he added, "Yeah, I've been introduced to you like 5 times." YIKES! NCB laughed because even NCB knew that. Yes, I was selfishly overly obsequious and recently wanted to make an impression. So now I realize I have.

Even worse, I totally missed out on Demetri Martin's set last week. The week I decided not to attend. And it was a long night, with several comics. I'm annoyed at myself.

...Maybe it's because they can't hear me in the back...

And the "headliner," if you can call this very cozy friendly show, a show that produces headliners--- it's too family-oriented to place that kind of feel on it. The headliner was Todd Barry. A part of his set was about how people enter a show 15 mins into it and non-chalantly take their reserved seats in front, basically outlining how rude it is. He mentioned that there were two seats available in front during his set. We, NCB and I, quickly ran in and filled them. Not too many laughs from the audience, but apparently the bar room enjoyed watching it on the flat screen. That move made the night. Barry chatted up NCB while onstage. Pretty cool to be referenced in the show!

He also kept using the callback "Can you hear me in the back?" With the dexterity of a filigree seamstress, he used the callback enough and in the right places for it to be unexpected and it never got old. [Note to self: Understand and hone the craft of a proper callback. Points it adds to the set: 10!]

New word I learned today: Teetotaler - The story about how I learned this word is pathetic, at best. Recently, Glamour magazine has been running a contest the new "Jake." The original "Jake" was headhunted by Glamour editors to write about dating from a male perspective in hopes of teaching women about the way men think. To be honest, his column was very interesting. I used to get caught up because he would act like such a bastard to women. Classic Men.

Long story short is Jake got engaged. And usually, I'm a sucker for romantic comedies (good ones: French Kiss, You Got Mail (featuring favored comedian, Dave Chappelle), Shakespeare in Love, Bridget Jones' Diary) salivating over the happy endings. But for some reason, this ending didn't sit well with me--the fact that Jake was getting married. I dunno. I haven't digested it yet. Maybe because I would like to meet him myself and decide whether or not he was really the cat's meow as the magazine made him out to be. Maybe he's Prince Charming, but maybe he's a troll. I'll never know, will I?

~Lucy

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Focus

Hey, so I did stop by Rififi's tonight, which I found out is an unregistered name for the venue (maybe I shouldn't write that here.) Well, it's not detrimental if I write this (I don't think.)

I waved and said "Hello" to Mr. Louis CK again. Turns out he just moved to my neighborhood, as he mentioned in his routine. I may even be lucky enough to catch him at the local grocery store--and then maybe he'll put a snarling rant about some ditzy flaky girl in his routine. (I could only be so lucky!)

...Focus, you need to focus...

Later, I met and spoke a good 5 mins with very established comedian, Todd Barry¹. After disclosing my ambition to become a comedienne, he unknowingly knocked the wind out of me, like a fierce high school soccer player. (I'm so easily discouraged.) The conversation went more like this:

TB: Are you a comedienne? (I'm sure when he said it, he probably mean "ian" over "ienne." But unlike the French language, we don't have the convenience or luxury of masculine and feminine.)

Me: Well, no! Well, yeah! But if this doesn't work out I'm probably going to head to (uncomfortable pause)

TB: (grimacing)

Me: law school.

TB: I was just about to say law school.

Me: I know, right?

TB: There's a considerable number of comics that started off as lawyers.

Me: Yeah, I heard Greg Giraldo graduated from Harvard Law. (pause) Well, at least they could study and hone in on their craft, not broke.

TB: So what do you do now?

Me: I proofread.

TB: That makes good money.

Me: Yeah, well, I have to take a lesser number of hours because I have to study for the LSAT.

TB: What type of law?

Me: Well, I guess (gesturing to the stage) entertainment. I really would rather be on stage, than be behind the scenes.

TB: So why do you want to do stand-up?

Me: Well, I think stand-up really is a one-man-show. I think it's faster than, say, investing in making a film. I could spend $100,000 over the next year with a staff of people creating ONE film. And then shop it around to film festivals for 2-3 years. Or I could work on my stand-up routine for $5 each time I want to get on stage, and write and write and write, and I am the only person I have to worry about. And by the end I'm a self-sufficient entertainer. I would be marketable because any studio, agent, manager, knows I can create my own material, and perform it. I would be a Triple Threat. Well, give me some time for the third one. But eventually I'll be a Triple Threat. Plus, I could negotiate my own contracts.

TB: Focus. You need to focus.

Ugh, that was the kiss of death. Talking to Barry gave me flashbacks to talks with any other adult that had some opinion on my life. I understand that I need focus. Focus to me is like telling the lothario bachelor, "You need to commit." It's a scary thought limiting my role in this world to one occupation--and a boring one at that!

I don't want to go to bed with the same occupation every single night.
I want to be able to sleep with all the occupations the world has to offer! And not just any occupation--mainly those occupations in entertainment. (I have a thing for occupations in entertainment. It's just my preference. Don't call me prejudiced!)

Well, this is the dilemma that keeps reoccurring in my life.

Want to see how much I've grown?

My resolve:
I've pretty much given up on flying by the seat of my pants. So now I've stopped running and have settled (reluctantly) on law.

Any advice?

The last comic on stage was Aziz Ansari.² He really does have a southern accent (stemming from South Carolina) which is mind-boggling seeing as he's Indian-American. It definitely requires a double, rather a quadruple take. The accent is sort of hidden, but it slips every so often. And it's endearing. He's cute because he's already so petite and his voice is relatively high.

However, the topics he broaches upon are relatively serious and adult, even ripping on the hypocrisy found in MTV's programming. So you have to take him seriously. Plus he has a new TV show on MTV, Human Giant. As a part of his set, he showed clips of Human Giant as well as tell jokes about it in comparison to other lame-ass MTV shows. It was enlightening and disheartening at the same time. Once you cross that precipice that is stardom, selling out seems inevitable. So I say to anyone who thinks Aziz is selling out, why don't YOU TRY getting a hit TV show on America's most promising³ but least reputable network and try not compromising your talent a bit. I bet you would crumble under the pressure. It's so easy for us to sit on our fat never-seen-the-inside-of-a-gym asses and judge. What in the world do you know?!?!

Afterwards, I got to speak with another comic, someone whom I hadn't heard or seen before, who goes by the name of Leo Allen⁴. (I have no idea if he's related to Woody Allen.) But I decided to chat him up, because he was kinda giving me the "I think you're really interesting" look, also known as the "male trying to be subtle while ogling" look. Eh? So he likes me. Or maybe I have a big hubristic head? I think I must've been curious as to how "interested" he really was, so I approached him. I asked him a lame comedy question (I'm rife with lame comedy questions. Really, it's just one question. It just sounds brand new according to each new comic I approach.) Anyway, he indulged. Eventually, he was cock-blocked by a female friend. I was sort of relieved. I kinda wanted to head out. I really wanted to walk the streets of NY, because this other guy (that recently dumped me over e-mail) was interrupting all productive thoughts in my head. I needed time to think and perhaps vanquish the intruding thoughts. But it was too late and I was too tired. So I hopped on the nearby train.

The guy situation is still bugging me as I write this. And it's only because I want it to. It's a weird long story. Usually, if I like a guy, it takes, at most, a weekend to get over (1-2 days). But I volunteered to take on this strife. And of course when your mind is on a specific boy, EVERY SINGLE HOT GUY in NY comes out of the woodworks. And I'm really trying not to be distracted. I, honestly, think it's the Universe testing me to see if this sole guy is really someone I truly care about--over every other FINE-ASS distraction.

Okay, that's my complaint, aptly filed. I will check ya'll later.

~Lucy


¹Todd Barry [Official Site|MySpace|Wikipedia] [Return to Entry]

²Aziz Ansari [Official Site|MySpace|Wikipedia] [Return to Entry]

³I say "promising" because MTV could easily be on the forefront of everything that is cool. But instead they harp on everything that still manages to make money and sucks. Obviously, these Execs are out of touch, including periodical media (i.e. Rolling Stone, Spin, NME). Thank God for Pitchfork. Although, I think Pitchfork can sometimes take on the role of the uptight admissions council for the boarding school of "Hardass Music Credibility," I still say "Thank God they're around." I think if Pitchfork were a political party, they would be the staunch conservatives (i.e. Republicans).

If anyone ever handed me the keys to the kingdom of a music television station, I would know exactly what to do with them. hint, hint [Return to Entry]

⁴Leopold Rufus Allen [Official Site|MySpace|Slovin and Allen] [Return to Entry]

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