• This might be controversial but I think sketch is the best form of comedy there is. Improv can produce the purest laughs in the moment (my opinion), stand up is the most personal and powerful but sketch is the best. With sketch, you can just do so much. You have the visuals that the other forms lack. You have the cohesive, rehearsed teamwork as opposed to spontaneity. I don’t know. I just love sketch above all else. It combines everything good in comedy- the writing of stand up with the fun of improv. Anyway, this weekend, I got to participate in a very fun sketch masterminded by Daniel Ahrens in Central Park with some really great comics like Blair Dawson, Rhett Sever, David Piccolomini, Matt Vita and Rosa Escandón to name a few. Don’t want to spoil the bit here but it was a really cool idea that involved a lot of moving parts and ten-plus comics and I think it was executed really nicely. Keep an eye out for this one. It’s a nice twist on a familiar, always good premise.
• Had a fun, very light show (like eight people or so) at V-Spot with Anna E. Paone last week. Got off to a weird start when a veteran and his significant other really didn’t want to participate in crowd work. Had to soldier on though (The pun was unintentional there but isn’t that horrible). It slowly became a little better when an Israeli guy came onstage to take a selfie which he said he would use as the profile pic he got in America. Also, cool to have visiting comics David Horning and Hayley Beacon on the show. Also, wanted to point out that the backroom at V-Spot finally is complete! All the tables are out and it looks extremely professional- the place feels like a true comedy club. You gotta check it out when you get a chance. They have so many shows and mics there; do yourself a favor and go hang if you haven't already.
• Took part in a little writing session with good friends Camden Pollio and Charlton Jon Villavelez. I’ve always said, “I didn’t get into comedy to do standup to share my ideas with dudes. I got into comedy to work in a writer’s room and share my ideas with dudes,” (definitely open to writing seshes with folks of all gender- this is just a dumb joke/comment on the industry from a nobody) and there is no better practice than actually sitting down and talking about screenplays and sketches with friends. It does feel like a writer’s room and trying to throw out ideas is harder than it looks. If anyone else is having a writing sesh of any kind, I would love to participate. Let me know! I’ll just listen to your ideas and try to contribute- that’s my dream after all.
• Got to participate in the Laughing Devil Festival last Wednesday and Thursday. I’ve helped out with the Festival in the past when Sarah Kennedy was in charge and learned a lot about it from the other side. It’s always a weird thing because as a producer, you have to barge in to a club like Broadway or Greenwich Village and act like you’re in charge while not belittling the people that actually work there even though you’re technically running the show that day. It’s a weird balance that I think Matt Storrs and Tristan Miller did really well with from what I saw. As for my actual experience, I did one show at Broadway for eight audience members in a “Competition Show” and did fine to good but did not advance. I’ve had this experience before where I thought I did pretty well and didn’t make it farther. It’s all good. You really can’t let these things get to you (even though I sometimes do). My second show was a non-competition set hosted by Amber Rollo which was lightly attended as well but fun. My set was kind of rambly but the stakes couldn’t have been lower. It’s honestly kind of cool to have that experience- it’s like getting a free bar show where you can try new-ish stuff. Kind of the best. I could see how that wouldn’t be ideal if you traveled for a festival but for me, it was perfect.
• My honest to goodness comedy highlight of the week was Andrea Allan’s mic last Sunday at the Creek (Mother’s Day). Six comics (Ryan Papazian, Lizzy Faire Cassidy, Colin DiGarbo, Dylan Adler, Andrea and myself) did a mic for a Mother and Daughter who came to the mic to watch. Everyone riffed on them and it was really great. Wish they could all be that weird and fun.
• Got a super light comedy week this week. As always, I have my V-Spot show tomorrow co-produced by Tristan Smith with a very fun lineup and after that, not much. If you need me to film, want me to read something of yours, hit a movie, want to grab food, I’m down.
Deuces
