Busy couple of weeks! 8/31/16

I've tried to write this damned thing three times, and just haven't been able to make it work. It's been a busy few days, I haven't gotten a full night's sleep in a while, and just can't focus. So this might seem rambly, but.....bah. The world needs more rambling.

Fair warning: this is a LOT of rambling.

Since I started doing comedy in January, the Druid Comedy Night has become part of my weekly routine. I traditionally get pretty down on Sunday night, knowing work is right around the corner. I've hated them since I was a kid, when school was waiting for me in the morning. Having a comedy show to look forward to every week just made it easier. I said to one of the guys, it was like a reset button. It could be a rough week, you couldnt get a spot on a show to save your life, but you could always count on the Druid, and then start the next week fresh. A guaranteed chance to get on stage, and talk to the other comics. It was a sure thing. But after 7+ years, August 21, 2016 was the last Druid Comedy Night.

A lot of comics have been performing at the Druid for longer than I have. Some for the entire 7 year run. And I won't pretend to be as affected by the show's run ending as they are. But it doesn't matter if you've been doing comedy there for 7 months or 7 years, we're all on the same wavelength now; none of us know a time where there was comedy in Edmonton without the Druid. I hate being the new guy anywhere; work, school, a team. I've always banked on adapting by being the funny guy. Trying to fit in with a entire group of funny people wasn't easy. The time I spent at the Druid didn't just help me become a better comedian, but it gave me a chance to sit around and talk to a bunch of great people. It had the same feel a locker room does before a hockey game, we bonded like teammates do. It made me feel like part of the team.

That last show was one of those nights I'll never forget. I got there around 5:30, had a couple beers with the guys, and then the powers that be were kind enough to treat all of the comedians to an incredible steak dinner. We then got the chance to tell jokes in front of an absolutely sick crowd. It was special invite only, and people PACKED the Druid. It was shoulder to shoulder. Over 50 comedians, 7 hours. I got the honour of taking bullet (1st comedian to go up) on that show. I was one of the newest comedians on the list that night, and Lars had a dozen Druid veterans he could put in that spot, and he gave it to me. That's something I'm incredibly proud of, and humbled by. I finished my set, and hung around for the entire show, I got to watch so many great comics say goodbye to the stage we've all shared. It was an awesome night. Lars, Marko, and everyone else involved should be incredibly proud of the Druid Comedy Night. I said it at the end of my set, but I don't know if I would have gotten into stand up without that show and the support I received there. That stage changed my life. 

Then this past week, I was on holidays. My nephew Ben flew in from BC to hang out with us, and it was like summer vacation as a kid again for a few days. Stay up late, play video games, and do something sweet in the afternoon. Trampoline Park, laser tag, the waterpark at West Ed, we had a really good time. And then Wednesday, we hit the road for BC. Originally our plan was to drive to Quesnel to visit my girlfriend's family, and take Ben home, but Lars offered me a spot at this year's Okanagan Comedy Festival. My girlfriend Shaley has been more supportive of my comedy dream than I could have ever hoped, and even though I said I should go visit her family, she insisted I go to the Festival. (Maybe she just needed a break from me). So she and Ben dropped me off in Kamloops, and they took off to visit her family. I got to hang out in Kamloops and Kelowna, and live the dream of being a full time comedian for a few days. I told jokes in front of some incredible audiences, and got a lot of time to drink beer and bond with some great comics. I met a ton of wicked people, including David Kopp, who runs Dakoda's Comedy Lounge in Kelowna. That room was awesome, check it out if you're ever out there. Thanks for having us guys, and  for giving me the chance to come along, Lars. It was a blast. 

I also think I have a crush on the city of Kelowna. Absolutely beautiful.

Oh yeah, and I got to sleep in the same bed as Ryan Short and Kevin Light. Cross that off the bucket list. 

So that's been my last 10 days. I'm home now, back to the grind of forklifting during the day, and telling jokes at night. With a little draw luck, I'll do my 100th set in September. I hate my day job as much as ever, but I love my night job so much that the day one barely even bothers me anymore, except for the 3:30 am alarm. I say it almost every blog, but if you want to try something, do it ASAP. I hope whatever it is makes you feel the way comedy makes me feel. Which is really, really good! 

He who says "he can", and he who says "he can't", are both usually right. 

- Adam 

The last Druid list (about half complete)

Photo credit: Liam Creswick

Artist!

Ryan Short  crushing it on Saturday night.

Good times, good people. So much fun.

Creative Outlets

One of the most satisfying, and hardest parts of stand up comedy is the writing. It can be so frustrating to plug away at it for an afternoon, and come up with absolutely nothing. But taking a basic concept and turning it into a bit that works is an awesome feeling. It might be my favourite part of comedy so far, the feeling of accomplishment that comes with coming up with a new joke.

It has my creative juices flowing. When I was a kid, I'd create stupid games, I really liked to write, and I fell out of that as I got old and boring. Comedy is reignited that spark, and over the past month or so I've had a few more ideas pop into my head. I dragged my feet with comedy for years, and now that I've dived into it, I'm pissed at myself for ignoring it for as long as I did. Im not going to do that with any of my other ideas anymore.

I don't own a computer or laptop these days. I get by with my iPad and my phone. But a few of the projects I have in mind are going to require a little more than a tablet, so I'm in the process of socking away the cash to buy a new computer and camera. (I hate having too much credit card debt, been down that road too many times before). I hope to pick some stuff up in the next couple months, and start plugging away at a couple side projects to go with my comedy.

I want to start a podcast, because the world simply does not have enough amatuer podcasts. My buddy Dave and I have talked about it for a while. I've read it can be a great way to improve as a comedian as well, just talking and thinking on your feet. Even if nobody listens to it, it's something I'd really like to try. 

I'd also like to start a YouTube channel. If people don't support YouTube it might not make it. Again, I don't know if anyone will watch it; but podcasting and creating videos sound fun, and editing and creating that kind of content is something I don't have a lot of experience at. I figure I can learn a thing or two, and explore a couple more outlets for my creative side at the same time. I'd also eventually like to try building a website to put it all together. An open mic comic with less than a years experience really doesn't need a website or anything, but it's not about marketing myself or anything right now, it's just about getting this stuff out of my system, and working on becoming a better comic, which is my ultimate goal.

I'd also like to use the camera to start recording and reviewing more of my sets. A couple of my friends have recorded sets and sent them to me, and watching yourself and reviewing your performances is probably the single best way to get better, IMO. 

I need goals in life, stuff to work toward. I've spent 10 plus years getting really good at warehouse work, and I hate it. If I put that same kind of effort into comedy and creating content, which I actually want to get good at, who knows what'll happen? So in addition to my stand up goals for the rest of the year, I want to have a podcast and YouTube channel up and running by January. I'm shooting for a couple videos/vlogs per week, and a weekly podcast. I'll keep posting on here as well, the feedback on the blog has been overwhelmingly positive, and mucho appreciated. 

I say it all the time, but keep trying stuff. Eventually you'll find that 'thing', and when you do, it'll change your life. 

I have a show tonight, gotta get going. Chase your dreams! 

-Adam

Feeling inspired.

July was the biggest, busiest month of my comedy "career" so far. I got to go on the road for the first time, and I got my first opportunity to host as well. It did nothing but solidify my belief that I made the best decision of my life getting into stand up.

I got a chance to go on the road, and do a guest spot in Saskatoon, courtesy of Lars Callieou. Lars hasn't shied away from answering my questions and offering me advice since I started in January, and a few weeks ago, he offered to bring me on the road with him for the first time, and the two of us, along with Brent Ehtun, did a show at The Capitol Music Club. It was a blast, and everything I imagined life as a comic on the road would be, including Yahtzee at 2 am. I also learned some valuable lessons about the business side of comedy, and as Brent pointed out, it was awesome of you to show us how that works so up and close, Lars! 

Thanks a lot for the opportunity, man. Hopefully, we get to do it again soon guys.

A couple weeks later, I got a chance to host my first show, at Chicago Joes here in the north end. I've done that room a few times now, and I'm pretty comfortable there. I was really excited to get to try something new. It went pretty well, the comics killed, and I got some really positive feedback from the guys, and the show organizers. Massive thanks to Travis Howell for the stage time, and the opportunity. I hope to get to do it again soon.

In addition to these opportunities, I've been offered spots on upcoming shows hosted by established comics like Mike Dambra and Ben Proulx, as well as a chance to take part in the Okanagan Comedy Festival this year, courtesy of Lars again. I've worked really, really hard at this comedy thing the last few months, and seeing hard work pay off is one of the best feelings imaginable. And I sincerely thank all the guys mentioned above for providing me the chance to start taking steps toward advancing my career, it means the world to me.

Shaley and I had a long talk this morning about comedy and our lives in general. I've said it in this blog before, but I feel like I've finally found that thing I was looking for. This isn't a hobby or anything more. Comedy has become my life, after just 6 months. It's what I want to do. My obsession in life is just being happy, and doing what I want. And this is it. In the last 15 years since I graduated High School, I've had one job I really liked, and I left it thinking more money would make me happier. It didn't, but being at a job I hated again pushed me to keep chasing that thing I was looking for. And I finally found out. 

I don't care about money anymore, I need enough to pay my bills and live, and that's it. I turned down a big promotion at work and said I don't want overtime anymore. It didn't do me any favours at my job, but that's fine. I don't want to be there forever, anyway. And it's left me more time to go after this comedy thing. They say nobody should get into stand up to get rich and famous, and I agree 100%. Do it for the love of the game. But I've made it my goal to do it for a living. Not to get rich and famous, but to be happy.

I know I'm going to make it. This will be my livelihood someday. I won't stop until it is, and I'll do whatever it takes. I have some talent, I know I do. And I'm going to push that talent as hard as I fucking can to make it into something special. I'm not trying to be arrogant, I'm just calling it like I see it. There are some really talented comics on the scene with me right now, and I hope they all feel the exact same way. We can feed off each other's drive. 

Thanks for reading, and thanks for your support. Never, never, let anyone tell you you can't do something. Just figure out what you want, and do every god damned thing you can do to get it. The only person that can stop you, is you. 

"The first step, before anyone else believes it, is you have to believe it. There's no reason for a plan B because it distracts from plan A."

Thanks for the spot

Stage time isn't easy to come by. I don't know what it's like in other cities, but here in the 780 (that sounds cool, right?), there are more comics than there are spots. Most shows have waiting lists to get a spot on, and book a few comics in advance for each week. Most also offer "draw spots" the night of the show. This is literally a "pull a name out of a hat" method to fill the last couple spots on a show, and you spend many nights driving to shows, just to enter a draw and hope you get a spot. It's fine with me, and most of us, as it's a fair way to dish out stage time. And it doesn't have to be fair. People running shows put a lot of work into them, and they're 100% entitled to decide who gets to be on it. Leaving a couple spots open for anyone to have a shot at is very generous, IMO.

This would be one of my first pieces of advice for a comic that's newer to this than I am. ALWAYS, ALWAYS thank anyone that is willing to put you on stage. They've sunk a lot of work into their show, and would totally be within the rights to just let their friends be on it every week. If you're a new comic, nobody in this industry owes you a damned thing, especially stage time, and they're taking a big chance letting someone brand new get on stage in their room. They obviously want to put on as good of show as possible, and there's a better than average chance that a new comic isn't going to light the world on fire up there. I've never understood the mentality of any comic that complains about how long they have to wait between spots, or where they're scheduled on a list. Stage time is the single most valuable commodity out there for an up and coming comedian, and if you don't show any appreciation for a spot on a show, the powers that be will have no trouble finding someone else to put on that will. 

If you don't like the way people book their shows, start your own room. I assume you'll find out it's not nearly as easy as it looks.

That's really it. I was just eating lunch at work, and started thinking about this. We're very lucky in Edmonton to have as many great rooms as we do to perform in. Make sure you take a moment to thank the people responsible for them. And to any and all of you that have taken the gamble of giving me a spot on your show over the last 6 months, thank you very much. I do my absolute best not to waste them. 

Cheers! 

Get better, or get bitter

As I type this, it's Tuesday morning, and I'm on my first holiday in about a year. Total staycation, but much needed. Too many long days at work combined with late nights have my batteries as low as they've been in a long time. So I'm sitting on my deck, playing poker and writing this (FOR THE SECOND TIME. DAMN YOU INTERNET)

I had a show Friday, did a set at the Druid Sunday, won my second (yes!) Battle to the Funny Bone last night, and I'm on Scott's Mass Debate show this evening, which brings me with 5 shows of my 50th set. Baby steps in the world of comedy, but if you told me at the beginning of the year I'd have performed stand up 50 times by July, I wouldn't have believed it. My goal is to reach 125 by my one year anniversary in January. Should be close. Stage time is a little harder to come by in the Summer, but luckily I keep finding a couple spots a week, thanks to all the comics here in Edmonton willing to give me a place on their shows. It is mucho appreciated.

I was talking with a veteran comic the other day, and I just started picking his brain in regards to how to start climbing the comedy ladder. At 5 months and 50 sets, I'm still a pawn on the comedy chess board, and I'm in no hurry to move up. But eventually that's still my goal. One of the things he told me is "get better, or get bitter". I think it applies to almost anything you're doing in life, and it's sound advice. If someone is at a level you want to be it, you can either  put in the work they've put in to get where they are, or you can complain about not being there yourself.

The best way to get better at anything is to challenge yourself. I've been lucky enough to tell jokes to some awesome crowds, and I've stared down some absolutely cut throat ones. The good ones are what makes this so fun, but I actually really enjoy the tough crowds, too. Because that's where you get better. In any walk of life, getting knocked down and pulling yourself back up is going to make you much harder to knock down again. The path of least resistance is the path of least result. Be a glutton for punishment, embrace a challenge, and use it to get better. The people that are where you want to be pushed through the hard times and used them to reach the top. The ones avoiding the hard stuff are the ones standing there beside you, complaining. 

If you want it, go get it. Get better, or get bitter. 

(This was a better blog yesterday morning, but it disappeared of the face of the Internet. Still makes the same point. Thanks for reading this!)

Blog III (The one where he fights Mr. T)

*NOTE - I just read this back, and Jesus, it's long. TL:DR version: I like comedy*

You've been warned. 

It's Tuesday night. I've worked back to back 12 hour days at work (5-5), and performed comedy each of the last two nights (twice Sunday, and again Monday night). I think I've gotten maybe 7 hours of sleep since Saturday night. So if this blog doesn't make a lot of sense, well, bah.

Still loving comedy. I can't think of another thing that I enjoy doing so much that I'd be willing to give up that much sleep for. That alarm hits at 3:30 every morning, and it's midnight before I get to bed some nights. It's a boring old cliche, but I really feel like this is something I was born to do. Maybe not in a "get rich and famous sense" (although I wouldn't turn it down), but just in a "it feels right" type of way. My work weeks fly by, because almost every night from Sunday-Thursday I'm either getting on stage, trying to get on stage (more comedians than there are spots on shows means a lot of random draws), or writing and annoying Shaley by testing stupid jokes on her. Friday and Saturday are my catch up on sleep/do other stuff days. They save the weekend spots for the bigger fish in the comedy sea. Someday....

When I started going to these open mics, I would get really anxious before I got to the venue. Not because I was about to get on stage in front of a room full of strangers and make an ass out of myself, that really doesn't bother me, but because I wanted to fit in so badly with the other comedians. As in any other walk of life, there are some people that just don't get along, but as a whole the Edmonton comedy scene seems like a very tight knit group. You spend several nights a week together, facing down rooms of random people that expect you to entertain them. And I would always try to be polite and respectful, but above that, I would try to.....stay out of the way, I guess? I worried that that show would be the show where I pissed someone off, said the wrong thing, and would never get invited back.

Like I said, the comedians here are generally really nice. They don't turn new comics away, I think it's just more of a 'wait and see' approach. Which I get now. In just 4 months, I've probably seen 15 people come out, try comedy, and never come back. Maybe they bombed and were devastated, or just decided it wasn't their cup of tea. Some of them probably quickly realized what I did on my first night, that it really is harder than it looks, and decided it wasn't worth the effort to get good. The point is, I understand now why the veteran comics don't take every newcomer under their wing and start giving them advice every show. Not because they're snobs or jerks, but because they'd be starting over again every other week. 

I just kept going back, keeping my head down, and trying not to bug people. One of the first pieces of advice I read when I decided to get into this was something like "don't worry about what the other comics think. Just go out every night trying to be a little funnier than the last time. If you put the effort in, people will notice it". It's worked for me. I don't feel like I'm 'in the way' anymore. I'm proud to call many of the comedians here my friends now. And it makes doing something you love that much more awesome when you can do it with your friends. 

Some of them have gone out of their way to give me some really helpful advice, too. I listen to everything more experienced comics tell me, but a couple things in particular have stood out. I'm paraphrasing here;

"The problem isn't bombing. It's when you can't admit to yourself that you bombed. Learn from it."

I have bombed. Fuckinggggg hard. I absolutely sucked at a show recently, and when I got off the stage, the first thing I said was how bad of set it was. And someone came up to me and said the fact that you know that, and you can admit it, is a huge benefit to you. Go back, listen to it (the same comic suggested I keep recording my sets, which is a practice I've, grudgingly, practiced since day one), figure out what went wrong and work on it. 

Makes sense. Like they say in sports, you learn more from losing than you do winning. *Insert Oilers/geniuses joke here*

 

"Don't take this the wrong way, but in your first year, nobody cares if your jokes are hacky. Just worry about figuring out how to be comfortable on stage. The jokes will come."

I made a comment to a comedian that I like and respect very much (he won't believe it, but it's true) that one of my problems is I'm afraid any joke I come up with is going to be considered hacky (easy jokes anyone can come up with), and he told me to not worry about it. Writing jokes is really fucking hard. Figure out how to get on stage in front of a room full of people and not look like a deer in the headlights. Then worry about your jokes. It really helped me relax and not worry about my material as much. I don't have to write a good joke for like, 8 more months!

And finally, "It's important to be humble and respect the comedians that came before you, but it's just as important to recognize your own natural abilities."

I didn't post this one to be all like "see? People think I'm good!". This comment really spoke to me. I absolutely believe in showing respect for the people that came before you, I expect it from new people at work, and I give it in situations that call for it, away from comedy included. But hearing this from someone held in very high regard throughout the Edmonton comedy world really felt good. There's nothing wrong with believing in yourself, and I think everyone can tell when they find something just feels natural. This just reminded me that it was ok to admit it. Yesterday, I was on my buddy Ryan Short's show at The Comic Strip (he hosts a joke battle there every Monday. Check it out, it's a good time!), and the lineup for it was just stacked. Headliners, finalists from Funniest Person With a Day Job, comedians like Alex Fortin, Dan Clarke, Ken Hicks, William Hannigan. Really funny guys. Established comedians. And I felt like belonged there. Not that I was better than any of them, because frankly, I'm not. But I didn't feel like I was out of place, or I'd bring the quality of the show down. I felt like I deserved my seat at the table. I have the advice above to thank for that. 

I'm certainly not stealing every show that I appear on. But I feel at this point I'm confident I can bring something to the team when I get lucky enough to get booked on a show. I'm the Edmonton comedy scene's 4th line grinder. Suits me just fine. To every comic that has gone out of their way to give me any advice, or especially, offer me a spot on their show that they could fill with 100 other comics, thank you very much. I'm very proud to be part of this incredible community. I've said it a million times in the last few months, but giving stand up comedy a chance was one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

If there's something out there you want to try, go for it. Worst case, you hate it and you don't have to wonder anymore. Best case, it becomes one of the greatest things that ever happened to you. 

Adam

PS - I have a lot of friends and family from out of town asking if I have any video they can watch. Simon, a local comic, was nice enough to record my set from a couple weeks ago and send it to me. I haven't posted any video on YouTube because I don't think I've had a set worth posting. So for those of you asking for a video, know that I really appreciate your support, but I'm taking this really seriously. And it's not there yet. When I have a set that I feel is good enough, I will share the hell out of it like an egomaniac, trust me! 

10 weeks later....

My last (only) blog post was a couple months ago, and it was a look back at my first 10 days as a comedian. I was inexperienced and naive when I wrote it. I'm a grizzled vet with 10 WEEKS of experience now!

I've done 16 sets in the last 2 months and change. I know it isn't a lot, but it's 16 more than I preformed in the 32 years previous. I mentioned in my first post how much I'd enjoyed my first few trips up to the mic, and I'm happy to say that a couple months later, that love for getting on stage has only grown stronger.  Exponentially.

While I certainly don't think I'm the best comedian in the city, (or on a single show I've performed on for that matter), I do think I'm better than I was in January. I've spent countless hours writing and re-writing jokes and listening to my earlier sets; which can be a painful, painful experience. And I feel like that work is slowly paying off. Stand up comedy is something that can humble anybody in 5 minutes, a lesson I've learned the hard way, repeatedly. But I've never gone into any show or open mic with the mentality that I was a lock to kill it that night. I've gone into each show with the mentality that I just want to be a little bit better than I was last time. I'd say I'm batting about .500 on that goal. It's a start....

While I'm not prepared to say I'm a good comedian, I am confident when I say that I think I can become a good comedian. I'm happy with my efforts away from the shows, writing, rehearsing, etc. I am, however, not happy with my stage time, and my efforts at obtaining more of it. Part of that is out of my hands; there are a lot of very passionate and talented comedians in this city, and only so many opportunities to get on stage. 

But part of it is me either convincing myself that I'm too tired to go out that night, or my work hours not allowing me to make it to a show. I made the decision that I was going to change both of those things. My job has recently moved me to a 5am-2pm shift. Which means I won't get as much sleep, but the door is wide open to go to just about any show I want to. That means it just comes down to me and how passionate I am about this. (Surviving those Sunday night Druid shows - 4 am Monday alarms will be a great way to prove to myself I want this as bad as I think I do).

I've made a list of goals that I'm determined to accomplish in comedy. I truly believe I'll reach them, it's just going to take hard work. And when you're passionate enough about something, hard work becomes pretty tolerable. Some of those goals include:

Headline a show.

Travel to perform comedy. 

Finish a second project (comedy related) that I've been working on for a few months. 

These, among several other personal objectives, will hopefully, potentially, lead me to my ultimate goal:

Have the opportunity to leave my job and tell jokes instead.

I don't think I'll achieve all this tomorrow, or this Summer, or in a year. I don't know how long it'll take. But I'm bound and determined to make them happen. You want something bad enough, and you're willing to work for it, there's nothing you can't do. 

Like I said, this city is full of awesome comedians, and having the chance to get to know some of them has been fantastic. The way they support each other, and their willingness to help and work with the new comedians like me, has been invaluable. I'm happy to be able to call them peers, and more importantly friends, and I hope that list grows over time. 

Thanks a lot to all my friends, and particularly my family for coming to my shows and supporting me. Shaley, you've been incredible, putting up with me and hearing my jokes over and over again. And getting to perform stand up in front of my Mom and Dad for the first time was one of the biggest thrills of my life. 

The say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I've taken 16 steps. So....what is that? Like, 999.9 miles to go!

Adam _____