....I did not stay to see your set. Why? Because your feature act, Mike Metz, was horribly deplorable.
After all I have heard about Bill Burr and watching his now notorious rant against the Philly Crowd on the Traveling Virus Tour, I was waiting for some no-holds barred style of comedy. What I had to do instead was wade through a bunch of shit jokes ripped straight from 1986. Seriously, this was one I remember.
"I am sitting on the couch this weekend, watching the Skins game. My woman comes over to me, sits down, takes the beer out of my hand, mutes the TV then turns to me and asks 'Honey, what scares you the most?'. I replied 'More than missing the rest of the football game?'
HARDEY HAR HAR.
This is after about 10 minutes on DC monuments and how the Washington Monument should have a robot GW come out the top and throw candy at tourists.
Why have a guy like this as a feature act(Bryson Turner was hosting and doing a damn fine job of it) when all he will do is completely kill the momentum that Bryson has set up for you and the headliner's acts? He must be a local comedian who was owed some sort of favor by either Bill Burr or the DC Improv. I just can't believe he would have gotten on there with the set I saw.
I mean try to google the guy. You can't, there is nothing on him.
So, my apoligies to Bill Burr. I would of liked to see your act but Mike Metz bored me to tears. Bryson Turner should of done an hour.
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Monday, October 22, 2007
Bill Burr, I apologize....
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So, you sat through most of a feature set, and with the nationally famous headliner on deck, THEN you left early?
Does not compute.
Why do so many entries in this blog start with the premise that the DC comedy scene is horrible?
There is alot of great comedy in DC, but there is also alot of bad comedy. In a community so small it is hard to avoid it. Trust me, we do everything we can to go to and highlight good shows in the city.
You are going to have to trust our shit-wading ventures here on this blog. We are all travelers to better comedy here.
OK, so can I ask how many other cities you've been to? Have you ever sat through 90 percent of New York City open mics? Or L.A. open mics? Or Atlanta open mics? Or any city's open mics. They're mostly terrible.
For that matter, have you sat through many shows for unknown musicians, or gone to many gallery openings for new artists, etc.?
The vast majority of artistic endeavor, regardless of the medium, isn't very good. For people who haven't accomplished all that much in the professional world of comedy you can be pretty snobby about this stuff.
World-class talent visits DC all the time and the open mic scene is pretty respectable. We also get a wide variety of styles here, not just the smug stuff that seems to float your boat.
Seriously, why don't you guys just stop whining about how things suck and instead focus more on improving your own personal comedy? When you're a success no one cares what city you came from.
Jason,
It is really interesting that you are able to restate Mike's act and say that you did not enjoy it. You really need to get a clue. I was at Saturday's show and it was amazing! The whole house was cracking up. Why don't you try to get up there and do it. I am sure you would get a lot of laughs...not becuase you are funny but because just looking at you must be a joke. Truthfully, I get so mad at people that feel the need to put others to make themselves feel better. All I can say is get over yourself.
One more thing...you say you could not find him when you did google. Well, now anyone can....so you have now put him on the map!
Jason,
Sorry you didn't enjoy my set...can I ask which show you saw? I am not going to get into personal preferences on comedy and joke writing. However, I do feel that all comics, even Bill Burr, do relationship material. Every story has been told, its all in all the presentation.
That being said, I do feel I tell a lot of jokes that are original and unlike any other comedians. For my own education, can you give me an example of some material/subjects that Bill or Bryson spoke of that are not talked about by every other comedian, 1986 or otherwise?
Finally, I do feel the audiance enjoyed my show. I am sorry you didn't, but that is the way it goes.
What comedians do you like? If one is coming to the Improv soon, I'll get us some tickets and we can enjoy the show and discuss comedy further.
Metz
PS - you should have come out Sunday. Bill had another great set!
Not to belabor a point, but you opened this can of worms. I consider Bryson and Bill friends. Bryson is going to be a very good comedian and Bill's work speaks for itself. But if you are going to cherry-pick jokes, how is my joke/subject matter (which you did not quote correctly) different from Bryson's closer about what body parts women are attracted to in men, or Bill's wonderful bit about women eroding men away like waves on a beach?
If you don't like my style, or I didn't curse enough or yell enough for your taste, so be it. But please do not try to attact my material.
If you truly are educated in comedy, you will answer...if you are just a bitter hack with a computer, then you will ignore this very specific question.
Metz
Frist, I am not speaking about open mics. I am talking about a Feature Act at the biggest club in town. I have to believe that they are held to a higher standard.
Secondly, I don't see how you think that all this blog does is whine about how bad comedy is in this town. There are TONS of positive, happy smiley posts about good stuff to see. But you are going to have to realize that this blog is going to tell you how it is. We can't apologize for that. We can't apologize that open mics and clubs are closing left and right for example. If you think DC is just rip for the comedy pickin', then you can start a blog called DC Comedy: Me Love You.
Lastly, this comes down to a matter of taste. Bryson had an emotional perspective through his jokes that I did not see later on in the night. You can be safe and family oriented and that is fine. But, it doesn't allow an audience to see the unique perspective of that comic. Where is the vunerablity? Who is pushing the envelope?
Uh, why did you assume that Metz was the guy saying the blog was negative? He's not.
How long have you been doing comedy in DC? Clubs and open mics come and go ALL THE TIME. It's a cycle. As far as open mics, a few of the top-tie open mic people moved away to become pros, and right now you're seeing the leftovers scuffling to fill that void. Eventually a few new stars will emerge, and then they will leave.
I just don't see how people who essentially do this as a subsidized hobby for a relatively short time can give informed opinions on "the scene" or the way that comedy should be. You have such limited understanding of these things that it boggles the mind.
This is the funniest thing about John9000 comment, and I quote: "I get so mad at people that feel the need to put others to make themselves feel better." (I'm assuming he left out the word "down" by mistake).
So are you mad at yourself for telling Jason to "get over himself"? Because it would seem that you feel like you're better than Jason because you don't get on a blog and voice your negative opinions....oh, wait...nevermind.
Blogging is FUN!
Just for the record, Mike and I have been talking back and forth and have come to terms. We actually agreed on some things, too.
I have incredible respect for Mike since he stepped up and discussed the matter personally.
What I don't have respect for are these anonymous posters that obviously have no idea what is going on, but feel the need to bash anyways. At least I put my name out there.
The post was never intended to be a "destroy Mike" agenda. But, I understand it came across that way.
This blog isn't going to pull any punches. But, maybe it can do a better job at striking above the belt.
Salud,
Hey Jason,
What's up?! How's everything in DC? Things in LA are pretty good. I hope shows are going well.. you should come out and visit sometime!
Julia
I caught Mike Metz, Bill Burr, and Bryson at their Friday night performance at the Improv and thought they were all very funny, especially Metz. Metz has a relatively "clean" act that is refreshing in light of the expletive-filled rants a lot of comedians use when they have nothing else to say. Burr's pedophile/child obesity bit was absolutely hilarious, and Bryson got funnier and funnier as the night went on.
was this show at the improv by any chance? groan. it may still get the names in there, but everyone in the dc scene knows that place is going to hell in a handbasket for what happened behind closed doors over the past two years. management is a joke, and what was once a very cool staff has been picked apart by one un-funny senior staffer who fancies herself a comedian. gone are the days of lewis black hanging out with the staff naked. gone are the days when dave attell saw his ability to drink challenged by everyone who worked that night. gone are the days when regulars brought a consistent life to an incredibly transient service industry. gone, yes gone, are the days when the dc improv didn't sound like one outlet in a long line of chain restuarants. yes, they can still pack the house, but the club, itself, sucks. ask any comedian who performs there today, versus two years ago, and they'll tell you...."aaaannnnd cut".
Wait a site that tells the truth about the DC Improv...I love it!
I have been to many shows where the opening acts suck, Metz was on the show because he is friends with the management and sadly THAT is the state of the Improv these days.
Oh and he stole my joke I did on Comedy Central...LOL
And this is why the Improv is the evil un-doer's of the DC comedy scene!
The DC Improv is teaming up with Comcast Cable and producing a local showcase to air ON DEMAND for Comcast Cable. This show consists of 12 of the hottest DC comedians working the area today.
Performers on Board include:
# Mike Way (Never heard of him)
# Jimmy Merritt (WTF)
# Freddi Vernell (Hardley the best in DC)
# Jared Stern (Good)
# Timothy Miller (Not worth putting on any show)
# Sean Gabbert (Who?)
# Matt Kazam (He works there)
# Jon Mumma (Ok you got me on this one)
# Justin Schlelgal (Suck!)
# Joe Deeley (Really sucks and smells too)
# Chris White (Oh my God he suck!)
my comments do not necessarily represent the opinion of anyone good enough to provide us with this forum. just to be clear. i have nothing to do with this site other than posting to it. but, yes, the dc improv is a joke, and so are its two top level managers and its recluse of an owner. and, yes, love the open mic night listing matt kazam as a contestant. good lord. he was paid to perform there on a number of occasions. he was weeded out on last comic standing. and he teaches a class at the imrpov, of all things. who do they think they are fooling? open mic, as well as any of the still major acts coming through there, are the products of the hard work of someone no longer working there. if people only knew what went on behind the scenes there, they would spend their money elsewhere. the club is doing nothing new, outside of having put some new floor tiles in the lobby area. it is rapidly becoming the same club it was 15+ years ago when it about went under. people forget, but i guess they don't care when they are all lining up for a played out pablo francisco. good god, do something new. pablo AND the improv. that place is running on fumes. it may take 5 years or so, but the club has been on the downswing for about 3-4 years now. it has no life inside. it's like walking into a doctor's office so that they can tell you what comedy is. nothing new coming out of there.
Reply to John9001:
I didn't want to jump in on this but John9001 post made me do it. I was in the audience that night and the comedians prior to the headliner were awful, I mean really it's supposed to be the one place in DC where you see the best the city has to offer...
You are clearly friends with the accused in this matter!
I know i'm late to the party on this, but I HAVE to comment on the guy who ran down the list of people who performed on the Comcast: Open Mike Night.
I could not disagree more with your comments about the vast majority of the comics on that list, but I have to say it...
you were SPOT ON with me, and that comment about Deely being smelly. Deely is funny though. I might not be funny, but I smell incredible.
-Justin Daniel Schlegel
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