Randolph who played most of his career in New York as a member of the Yankees while serving as a bench coach for a 11 seasons, leaves the Mets after little over 2 full seasons with a .544 winning percentage. The real buzz around the Randolph firing has been the 3am fax that was sent out to the press revealing the news. Apparently it came just an hour after Saenz had contacted Randolph. The ex-manager relayed his version to the press, “I got a phone call at around 2am—it was hard to hear at first, because I think Mr. Saenz was playing Madden 08…after he put the game on pause and told his buddies to “shut-the-hell-up”, he gave me the news”. It was after Randolph retold this aspect of the story that he had to leave the press conference for 5-10 minutes to compose himself. “F**k him, I would of done the same thing to Isaiah Thomas (former President of the New York Knicks) if I had arrived in town in time, said a very relaxed Saenz who was found in a laundry room that he was given permission to use by “a-friend-of-a-friend”. Saenz who hasn’t made his mind up about Eli Manning, said the release of Randolph came right after he checked off “get a post-office box” on his to-do list that he made prior to arriving to New York. “I got a sublet; I’ve signed up for some improv classes; and the other night after doing Rory’s (Scovel) show, I was digging out money to chip in for pizza and there it was on my list, and I was like—‘Shit! I forgot about Willie!’ Saenz explained. Saenz who has been asked to possibly help out Tatum O’Neil with her drug charges, shrugged at the idea. “You know I saw ‘Paper Moon’ and it was the only time I ever wanted to punch a kid…who knows…but I got laundry to do ya know?”
Aspiring comedian Jason Saenz fired New York Met's manager Willie Randolph early Tuesday morning during a recent string of personal moves as he starts to get acclimated to New York City.
Though the firing of Randolph wasn’t a surprise by those around town as the Mets entered tonight’s play at 34-35, what was surprising was that Saenz, a native of Fairfax VA, is the one that brought the hammer down on Randolph.
“I’m surprised, I loved this organization and though my relationship with Mr. Saenz has been non-existent until this point, I respect him and his decision”, said a befuddled and emotional Randolph.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Jason Saenz Finds Apartment, Fires Willie Randolph
Friday, June 13, 2008
Chicago's TJ Jagodowski
I thought this blog was about the DC comedy scene?
It is...but sometimes enthusiasm trumps logic.
At the bottom of the page is the link to the article the Chicago Reader did about Jagodowski last week during their coverage of the Chicago Improv Festival. Its not DC related and that is sort of what this blog needs right now but this is a good comedy/human story; it's got perseverance, overcoming adversity, the character finding his way, loss, failure, success and so far a happy ending--from what I can remember it’s been a week since I've really read the article. But Jagodowski is someone you should know.
[Hit the Jump!]
In the same way a stand-up comic would want to wax poetic about Bill Hicks to the normie on the street all the while getting the same confused look that Andy Rooney would give a Nintendo Wii ; Jagodowski is that guy to people in improvisation—even to others in comedy. And if you are as much of a fan of Hick's philosophy, Jagodowski embodies it--he does what he truly loves and finds a way to make it work as his livelihood despite what life as thrown at him.
If you are ever in Chicago and stroll around the area of the Improv Oylmpic, you'll probably see him, usually hanging out, having a few drinks, a smoke and a round or two of Golden Tee in one of the many pubs on North Clark Street. He is unassuming and approachable but prefers to blend into the background. I had one comic tell me once that seeing Jagodowski on the subway set off his own internal alarm bell--being that the road to stardom or a decent income wasn't via improvisation.
"There I was sitting on the subway and right across from me is the best improviser in Chicago, in the country, in the world for that matter, and he was riding the subway just like me--and nobody knew or cared who the fuck he was".
I saw Jagodowski perform last week in Chicago, I went out early to the Chicago Improv Festival to see him specifically. He performed with his troupe, "Carl and the Passions" but the real experience started with his two man show, TJ and Dave. However, Dave Pasquesi wasn't there that night and taking Pasquesi's place that night was “30 Rock's” John Lutz, who synced perfectly into place.
As I get older, more and more I lament that nothing is ever “as advertised”. This show was--Jagodowski was and is that good. I've seen other comedians come close in the past; but even when I was 17 and I saw George Carlin on my birthday, it was "eh"--I'd heard most of it already. (No disrespect to Don Carlin but I was still a kid and it was the equivalent of getting to see Santa Clause).
Go see TJ and Dave either in Chicago or New York. Anyone who performs can respect a good show, a good performance, and can learn from a dedicated artist.
Well, anyway, read the article here. I think I just came up for air off Jagodowski's existential cock; though if you think I’m parched with sore knees, check out the quote from New City Chicago on Jagodowski’s Wikipedia entry.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
A Rambling Plea
So, Jason Saenz left town for L.A. and then while on the way to L.A. decided to go to New York where he says he fell in love with Chinatown. Chinatown has a fledgling comedy community and Jason is sort of an overgrown gold fish in a small meditation pond; people are already referring to him by his own material, "Cum Dumpster"—of course it’s in Mandarin. Even in China they know you can call a hungry comic anything and they will bask in the attention like the lotus underneath sun.
Then there is Nick Turner, a comedic energy giant that has a departure date set for sometime...soon. From what I heard, his bags are packed and his conscience is wracked with guilt, which means he'll be looking to split very soon.
With Jason and Nick’s departure, so goes with them their enthusiasm for the DC comedy community and this website; which has left this blog barely pulsating.
I hope I'm not the only one with defibrillators because I really don't know how to use them, except for what I have seen on TV, especially in that movie, "The Abyss", with Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio--specifically when Harris slaps her around and calls her a "bitch" a couple of times before she is revived. I heard Harris allegedly said that it was the only time he ever felt like he wasn’t acting.
This is the exact treatment DCComedy4Now needs at this very moment. We need Ed Harris kneeling over top of our bare breasted porcelain like creamy soft angelic milky colored skin, barking and slapping the Bah Jesus out of us, and we need to continue to rewind back to the beginning of that part until we come back to life or until someone starts walking down the basement stairs. And we all know what the sound of footsteps atop of the basement stairs feels like…awkward panic, the most uncomfortable feeling on the planet.
So what does it all mean? It means either we zap DCComedy4Now back to life or this website may soon have to come to a close.
(Cue: Battle Hymn of the Republic)
However, I would like to keep it going. I've grown fond of it...I like the wallpaper for some reason.
(Nah fuck the Battle Hymn of the Republic, opt for loop of AC/DC’s Intro for “Those about to Rock”…just turn all this shit off I can’t concentrate.
Anyway, DCComedy4Now has earned a place in my itinerary when I log on; hotmail, Gmail, check my mob, search Wikipedia or YouTube for whatever. Then when I come out of that wormhole, sometimes in a rather damp state, I arrive here or lately...not, which has had an enormous effect. The dormant state of this website has truly been a catalyst for some change in my life.
[Hit the jump!]
I actually logged off the other day, when normally I would peruse dccomedy4now, and accomplished things I hadn’t thought about for months. I got a lot done. Recently I just paid my car insurance, turned off the oven, matched up some socks--the stuff I've done off the computer is only what I’ve read about on many a blog. Ran some errands, the smell of the post-office was like a heavy dose of ammonia nitrate, I think I scared some people in there with my spasmodic reactions while waiting in line. I looked like Bob Goldthwait trying to clear his nasal passages with his eyebrows.
Another revelation was that I realized I'm living with someone, this extremely bad ass chic who I thought I remembered as being heavily tatted up(they’re just birthmarks), and she was really kind enough to let me come out of my own electronical Abyss unaided and didn't hold my 9 month web induced "walk about" against me. Yet I will say the outside world hasn’t been an easily intuitive web program.
The weather is much warmer than I remembered or prefer and I am starting to recall that I'm not particularly fond of people in DC, especially my neighbor who didn't recognize by my beard nor my soiled and mildewed clothing that had by then fused to my skin. The people at the walk-in medical center who peeled off my old clothing were a bit snarky which I think was uncalled for considering the severity of the Wikiwarp I had been trapped inside of and its duration; and especially when a couple of the orderlies and nurses furtively acknowledged having had their own similar experience . Also, the phrase, "Welcome back to the land of the living", I can swear to you, is used by the same people who refer to others as "Boss" or "Chief".
What am I saying...what is my point...I want to go back. I belong on the computer, and in my own warped reality; I belong inside the computer. And I want DCComedy4Now.com to be a part of that experience. In between Jenna, watching old episodes of Different Strokes, and looking at pictures of accidents on the Autobahn; I need this website to be my Mos Eisley Cantina—I need to know where my freaks are.
In order for that to happen, hopefully I can get some help. And if no help is provided then hopefully you can provide some patience. After Nick leaves, I am Solo. If I can move away from Star Wars and transition unracially (neither a word nor necessary) to Dr. King, if I had a dream for this community in DC, it would be that, it would not be looked at as just a comedy scene—but an identifiable artist community. How would you identify it? Maybe with a laser pointer.
There needs to be an artist collective, a supportive community. We are all not just stand-up comics, improvisers, actors, but we are also writers, film makers, producers, managers and audience members. In some way we have all worn different hats at some point in pursuing whatever we have set out for ourselves to accomplish. Some of us do certain things better than others. The more I go along with my own endeavors I realize that being a part of the process is really what I want to continue to be a part of in some shape or form. No one can do anything alone.
When Eddie Murphy was on "Inside the Actor's Studio" with James Lipton, it was refreshing to hear his honesty about how many people it has taken to help him create his body of work. He continually mentioned the lasting relationships he has held onto over the years.
The goals are always lofty when it comes to this subject in DC but it would nice to keep this website afloat with the singleness of purpose of being a useful tool of networking and creativity in an artistically capricious environment.So if you have any ideas or contributions continue to send them our way.
Monday, June 2, 2008
DC Comedy: 4 Now makes good on it's name
If you hadn't guessed already, the title of the blog is in reference to the fact that if you plan on really making a go of this whole comedy as a career thing, it's tough to stick around the District. Even our own comedy festival would have you believe that there is no local comedy scene. So eventually, your best bet is to fly the coop and try to make it work in a larger, comedy prepared city. Well our very own Jason Saenz leaves us today to give it the old college try and in honor of that, Mikael Johnson has written a farewell letter to DCC4N's MVP, Jason Saenz.
Dear Jason,
Wow, LA. Wow, driving out to LA, wow. But you're doing it, right now as I type this on an early Monday morning you ARE doing it! Probably right now, you're somewhere in Tennessee maybe, pushing on another 60 miles or so before you lay up in some rustic road side motel. An old southern gal, Ethel May, still working the front desk, watching reruns of the Golden Girls on NIC, when you show up in the parking lot. Yeah, she was still up just because she can't get enough of that Blanche, plus she had a feeling, "That some lonesome stranger was probably gonna mosey on up tonight, needing a place to rest that road weary head". In the morning she'll bring you biscuits, gravy, OJ and coffee with a little note that says,
Safe travels funny man.
Sincerely,
Your dog, "Cum Dumpster".
But how could she know that joke? No worries, you run to the front desk to ask her how she knew your material, or even remembered it? Why would she remember it? How could something like that even resonate with someone? Do you think I should open with that? Why isn't Cum Dumpster quite hitting? But when you get there, she's gone. The girl behind the counter isn't even old enough to take the prom and when you ask her about Ethel May, she says, "Ethel who? No Ethel May ever work here…hey mister, will you sign this permission slip from Planned Parenthood?"
There's no time to look for the late night hotel desk clerk with a penchant for dick and dog jokes. However, peace will settle in like the tread on the tires settle onto the road; there are going to be experiences all along this journey. How could there not be--you're going to Califuck'nfornia!
This is just the beginning. From Tennessee, you could go south then west or just keep on towards the setting sun. Its been written about so many times, Going to California, by Zepplin, Stienbeck with the Grapes of Wrath, and Hughes with the Griswold's, and now Life brough to you by Mr. Saenz. There is so much ahead, take your time and soak it all in like the moment sponge you are. 
Nope, no one ever talks, writes or even cares about when someone decides to pick up and go to New York. Michael J. Fox did once back in the 80's, a little film called "The Secret to My Success". You know what they call that film today in Hollywood? "Fox Turd". Whenever someone gets a script about going to New York or making it in New York, its always the same, "Uh, this looks like a Fox turd" or "That bin is for recyclables, that is reserved for Fox turds" or "Wasn't me, must be that Fox turd".
But you're not going to New York. You're going to California…nothing to worry about. California, where the weather is as pleasing as the women and the gangs are all bilingual.
Your jealous colleague and friend,
MJ
P.S. I will be out in LA next week, hope I could crash for a day or two. Hey, we'll have lunch!
Monday, May 12, 2008
The Apple Sisters are coming to the DC Improv!
The Apple Sisters will be performing their award-winning, WWII-era comedy show “Right to Bare Charms” (Chicago Sketchfest, Charleston Comedy Festival, and San Francisco Sketchfest) live at the DC Improv on May 17th at 8 pm.
"The Apple Sisters is a 1940s radio show with a modern twist. Packed with songs, dances and slapstick, they’re sure to put a smile to your face, with only modest product endorsement (sponsored by Corndy! Corn Flavored Candy). Pull up your army boots and we’ll meet you in the mess hall!"
Honestly, I've had the pleasure to see the Sisters on a few occasions and I can't recommend the show highly enough. Also, the show's joining them on piano is none other that WIT's own Travis Ploeger of the world-renowned iMusical.
DC Improv Comedy Lounge
Saturday, May 17th @ 8:00
$15
GET TICKETS HERE
Check the Apple Sisters in all their corn-spittin' fun in the video below.
Kimmy Gatewood, Apple Sister Cora, is originally from Spencerville, MD and is making her triumphant return to DC and is also teaching two workshops through the DC Improv while she's in town- 1. characters & dialects (sold out) 2. musical improv (2 spots)(So by the time you're reading this, you are probably too late, you lazy people!)
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Bitching About People That Bitch
By: Danny Rouhier
You've heard them. You've been at a show when they are bitching about not being able to get on stage. You've heard them complaining about how a certain guy books his show and how it isn't fair. You know who I'm talking about. It's the guys who think they are entitled to something simply because they've told their co-workers and friends 'I do comedy'.
The people I'm talking about are not necessarily bad people. My argument is that they just don't realize how selfish and short sighted it is to bitch about how someone books their show or complain about not being able to get up. Someone might post a counter to this about how comics need an opportunity to get better and it isn't fair if the bookings they want constantly are going to the more established comics while they are left to wonder why.
To quote Jack Nicholson from the Departed: 'No one gives it to you. You gotta take it.'
[hit the jump, bitch]
Let me be clear about something. Performing comedy is, inherently, a dependent art form. In order for one to perform somewhere successfully, a comic is dependent on several factors (booking, venue, audience). At no time, from a guy who is going on for the first time all the way to Brian Regan/Bil Burr, is a comic entitled to anything. He/she should consider it a blessing every single time all the right things happen to allow for a successful performance. It's even more of a blessing once all those external factors allow you to make a living doing something as trivial as standing on a stage, speaking into a microphone at a glorified diner/bar. Comedy clubs make money by selling food and booze. It's nice when they take an active interest in the comedy community by developing and showcasing talent, but it certainly isn't the norm. We as comics need to remember that there are more ways than ever for people to spend their entertainment dollar. We often overestimate the market for live comedy. It's way too easy for consumers to get their entertainment from a myriad of mediums for us to presume that people will just show up at the venue we will be performing at without any work being put in.
Having recently left the DC scene and moved to New York City, there are a number of differences. The most glaring departure I have seen thus far is that the majority of comics up here seem to understand the idea that you have to create your own breaks. If you want stage time, start a show. Your level of involvement is up to you. You can do 0 work, have your show last a couple months, get it canceled and start anew. You can put in a ton of work, build it as best you can, still have it canceled and move on. The point here is that I bet that most of the guys who are pissed off at what they perceive as a small group getting all the work, haven't done near as much work as they think they have. How many shows have you started? Have you gotten a room going so that you can exchange stage time with someone else who has a room? Have you put in work pounding the pavement finding a a great venue where you can eventually get comics some $ for performing? Have you taken it upon yourself to stop waiting for someone to give you something and gone out after it yourself?
No one is responsible for getting you stage time. It's up to you. Instead of bitching about not being able to get on a show, go make a better show. Take responsibility for your own destiny and stop bitching.
Read more!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Gallagher Will Blow Your Mind
Gallagher interviews and free tickets were being thrown around like so many hotcakes in New York over the past week, and they resulted in some pretty great reading.
First up, the Apiary's Eliot Glazer had an interview with the man himself. He was granted full access, save for a few taboo topics. You probably expect a good deal of "Gallagher II" talk. You would be wrong. You probably don't expect half of the interview to consist of Gallagher trying to pitch the idea of a chain of family-friendly hotels. You would be wrong twice. My friend, you must read it yourself.
PART I
PART II
Now that you have a glimpse into how batshit crazy Gallagher has become, we move on to The Comic's Comic recap of his show that can only be described as "Epic." It peaks early when, as a result of Gallagher's show inexplicably not selling well, he is forced to turn the first hour of his show into a bringer, and then he verbally abuses the comedians during their sets. Oh my god, I felt like I was there, and I want to give Sean a medal for this review somehow.
Unfortunately, he's not coming anywhere near here on his tour so we will have to live vicariously through our blog brethren to the north. Has anyone seen him in concert? I want to live through anyone I can.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
4 Then Interview: Danny Rouhier
In the 4 Then Interview series, DCC4N hopes to answer the question on many DC comic's minds..."What happens when I leave DC?" In this edition, Danny Rouhier "sits down" with us and talks about the ups and downs of getting stage time in New York and the benefits of starting out in a city like DC.
So what have you been up to since leaving DC?
I'm living on the lower east side of Manhattan. It's in New York. The other guys who moved up here don't live in New York. Looking right at you Ryan Conner of Jersey City. I've already had a lot of ups and downs since I've been here. The ups include performing at Carolines, a television show called 'The A List' on Animal Planet, starring in a pilot at the New York Television Festival, and winning a national sketch comedy competition and filming a sketch comedy pilot with Proctor & Gamble Productions. The downs include only performing once at Carolines and having no one email me back ever, my frustration at not being able to secure representation, not knowing that many people or where to go which makes getting stage time hard, and the fact that there are so many cash only places in New York; I like to just use my debit card.
[Hit the jump for more of Danny's interview]
When did you start doing stand up and where did you do your first open mic? How did it go? Who were the people you remember starting out with?
My first time doing standup was at Soho Tea & Coffee in Dupont Circle in October of 2004. At the time, I thought it went great and was hooked. In retrospect, I was probably atrocious.org and would have hated myself if my present self could see that version. I would also tell that version to break up with his current girlfriend because it wasn't going to last. Anyway, Jared Stern was there. I remember him being the nicest and most supportive guy. He still is. For the first couple months, I didn't realize that I wasn't really 'doing' standup. I would perform once every couple of weeks and invite all my friends. I didn't know that you had to work at it. It wasn't until I started hanging out with my boys Rory Scovel and Ryan Conner that I realized what this process was all about. Once I got going, along with those two guys, I met Justin Schlegel and Jon Mumma. We were all just starting out and kind of going through the same things. In that respect, I think we were lucky.
When did you decide it was time to leave DC?
There really wasn't one moment when I realized: 'I have to go now'. It had been in my mind for a while. I felt myself growing complacent in DC. I wasn't as hungry as I could have been. No one has a success story where they say: 'It was really easy and I didn't really have to work at it." Even the people that are really gifted; they still have to bust their butts. If I had to point to a specific time, it was probably after I had featured for Bill Burr at the Columbus Funnybone and had then spent 6 weeks featuring at the premier chain of comedy clubs in Canada. I just felt like there was more out there for me. There's 1 great club in DC and that's hard because everyone is in 1 line. This isn't to put down DC. Far from it. I love DC; it's my home and it always will be. I think DC is an amazing place to start one's career. I just felt that there was only so much I could do there. I was scared for so long to take the step back by moving to a new place. It became clear that I had to take that step back so I could finally go forward.
How did DC prepare you for NY?
DC prepared me by making me funny. I know it sounds simple (and probably arrogant) but it's true. I was able to get up a lot in DC. I was a regular at a lot of open mics; really good open mics that don't exist anywhere else in the country. I got to the point where, if you saw me, you had to say, at a minimum: 'this guy is ok'. That's a big deal. People that don't know you don't want to put new people on if they suck. It's easier to break in if you get your chance and do well. If you aren't ready, you can move to the back of the line and who knows when your next chance comes? The challenge for me is that I was comfortable in DC. I was at the top of a pile and didn't have to do any work to get stage time. Up here? No one cares. 'Wait, you have done 10 minute sets at Topaz? Wow! Come do our show!'
What do you do to get booked?
Getting booked is tough; especially for me. I'm actually kind of a shy person. I don't particularly enjoy networking, meeting people, and hanging out. I prefer to show up, do my time, and go home and play video games. That doesn't fly up here. You have to keep showing your face. You keep showing up and showing up and showing up. You become someone they know. Then you get a spot. You have to introduce yourself to people 100 times. It's ugly. No one tells you about that. I had no idea. I thought I'd send a few emails, go crush and then watch all the bookings come in. No dice. After I got the tv show, 'I thought: here come the bookings'. Still nothing. No one cares. You still have to go through it. You have to get your hands dirty and hustle. There are no short cuts.
Do you run into DC comedians who have made the move, and have they been helpful?
There are a bunch of DC folks up here. It's helpful to get their input and hear about their experiences. It's comforting to know that they are going through it too. I see Rory Scovel, Ryan Conner and Matt Mayer all the time. Erin Conroy, Alicia Gomes, and John Razos are up here too. I don't see them as much because they are hermits. Actual hermits with staffs.
Have you looked into running your own room?
We had a room with a really short life. Rory, Ryan and I ran a show at Soundfix Records. We got 3 shows. Thanks guys. Really? 3 shows? I stopped by there on a Monday and there was no one in there. We at least had like 7 people. 7 vs 0. They didn't even have to pay us. As for other rooms, it's going to happen. There is no better way to get yourself out there than to run a room that comics want to do. A few of us have something in the works that will hopefully get going within a coupe months.
What was your favorite room in DC?
I really liked Topaz. It's a well run room. You do this for a while and you come to appreciate that. A lot of people like to make fun of Curt for being neurotic, but he runs a great show. It's professional. The people that complain about it should run their own rooms. No one is entitled to anything. Everything we as standups do is dependent upon the work and effort of others. You need an audience, a mic, a venue, someone to make the lineup, take the hit as the mc, and so on. If you don't like the rules of a place, don't perform there. Anyway, Topaz is such a cool place. The vibe is great. It's like a downstairs lounge in New York. It was intimate but you could cram a decent number of people in there. The crowd always listens and is respectful even if they aren't dying laughing.
You've been involved with both sketch here in DC (Poonanza) and in New York? How do you like sketch and have you been trying to get more involved in it? How do you like it compared to stand up?
I love sketch comedy. It's a great outlet. As I mentioned above, I was part of a winning sketch team that got to film a tv pilot. Great experience. I've found that it's a great way to motivate yourself to write and create. It's an awesome way to encourage collaboration with other comics and something that can bring people together. I like doing it as an alternative to standup. It will never replace standup but I like it as a release now and again. Really cool shows like the Poonanza are a blast to put on even though it's stressful. There are downsides though. The biggest problem is getting people together. I am always down to write/film or whatever. But other people are busy. It's next to impossible to get people together. Even up here, where everyone is doing comedy stuff full time, I still can't get everyone together for a shoot. That pain in the a$$ factor is prohibitive at times and it's why writing sketches will never replace the complete control I have with standup.
How would you describe your style of stand up and how has it evolved since you started?
When I first started, I didn't know anything. I mean, I knew nothing. I didn't know the rules. No one was there to tell me. I didn't know that it wasn't OK to do someone else's joke. I never happened to do it because it didn't excite me to do that (I wanted to be original) but I didn't know you shouldn't. When I started out, I loved Brian Regan (still do) and Mitch Hedberg (still do). My style was half Brian Regan and half Hedberg. It was a random hodgepodge of poorly written putrid refuse that I cannot believe came out of my mouth. I would alternate between trying to do something with a dry delivery that was really clever like Hedberg and then start talking really loudly and over-emphasizing words in a poor man's Regan. I also mixed that in with some frat-tastic 'I drink a lot'/wouldn't it be funny if this movie character was in this situation? jokes. It was bad. The main difference now is that I also do some Daniel Tosh style jokes.Haha! JK! LOL-ing. The biggest difference between me now and then is that I found my voice. I know what it is I do now. I'll never be a great writer of jokes. It's just not me. I have to put myself out there. I'm funny. I'm the guy in the group of friends that makes all the funny jokes. I balance the self-deprecating with the confidence. I share more of myself with the audience than I did before. I was scared to then. Now it's: 'here is why I was insecure about this'. Then it was more like: 'What if William Wallace was your driver's ed teacher? You'd get to a stop sign and he'd be like: 'Hoooooollllld!.....Hooooolllllllllld!......Hooooooollllllllllld!....Ok, turn right'.
You can catch Danny in the DC area in April.
Danny will be featuring at the Baltimore Comedy Factory April 3rd and April 4th.
You can catch a longer set on Saturday, April 5th when Danny headlines the Hyatt in Bethesda.
Read more!
Monday, February 4, 2008
A New York State of Mine
Since Jay wrote about the shows he did in San Fran, I thought I would try to recall the trip I took up to NY last month. 
The Family Hour @ Ohi's Lounge
Ochi's Lounge is the bar in the basement of Comix, the super club in the Meatpacking District. The room presents comedy shows 7 nights a week and was created as a home for some of the displaced shows following the close of Mo Pitkin's (a venue in the east village that had about 15-20 regular shows). It's not the largest room on earth but it was packed to the hilt with people and was a great start to my Friday Night. The show is hosted by the amazing Sara Benincasa who you can see here interviewing the Stella guys for her role in this years MTV Choose or Lose campaign.
The Greg Johnson and Larry Murphy Show
This was next show on Friday night, at ye olde Rififi. Who the fuck knows why I was on this show since it just won the ECNY award for best Variety Show and also on the bill that night were Todd Barry and Demitri Martin. This was my last show ever at Rififi, a place that holds a pretty special place in my heart being the center of the downtown scene for at least the last three years and the home of "Invite Them Up." this one was a lot of fun.
(more shows after the jump)
Friday Night Special @ The Village Ma
After Rififi I headed to the West Village to the Village Ma for a show run by Barry Rothbart, Mike Ennis and Jeff Cerulli. The Ma is a few doors down from the Comedy Cellar and looks way too much like a comedy club to not actually be one. It's actually a Thai restaurant with a performance space in the back and was recently sold as well, so this show too, is in limbo. That's right, DC, we aren't the only one's constantly being screwed over by changing management. Just pray that the new owner's don't go ahead with their proposed new name for the venue, Whiskey Dick's. (seriously.)
The Beauty Bar
This one is hosted by Vince Averill and Jesse Popp in a bar designed to look like a hair salon. Most of the audience sits in barber chairs so they are already designed to hate you. On this night it was actually sleeting so it was a surprise when it turned out to be a packed house. (and by packed I mean that you couldn't even physically get in to see the show at one point due to the huge crowd) The show was phenomenal and those dudes are awesome making a great finale to the trip.
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Monday, January 28, 2008
The Black Comedy Experiment
Hey guys, some fantastic comedians in New York have started a blog about the comedy that excludes me. And I am all about exclusivity being that I am still waiting on line every night trying to get into Studio 54. There's still a chance! People, I'm talking about The Black Comedy Project.
Spearheaded by Elon James White who has been making shit happen for a long time with his comedy collective Brooklyn Comedy Company. The blog attempts to take a critical look at where black comedy is heading as well as how it got here. If you want to get right to the salacious posts, i suggest you start with Elon's post about the latest incarnation of Def Comedy Jam. The ridiculous number of comments on the post prove that the blog is making an impact and is definitely worth checking out. (by the way the super-poster Todd Lynn is no stranger to controversy)
They are taking things one step further by announcing a "Black Comedy Experiment" Festival taking place in New York City February 28th–March 1st. It will include all the comedians that rocked your face off during the "4 Shades of Black" show at last year's DC Comedy Fest (Elon, Michelle Buteau, Baron Vaughn and Jordan Carlos) as well as homegrown comedic superstars such as the hilari-train known as Erin Jackson and the hilari-caboose known as Jason Weems. I say let's get the carpooling plans in order sooner rather than later.
(Hit the jump to see the token)
Also a side note, I talked to the festival's only white performer, Charles Star, who said that he got in because he has previously performed in one of the festivals shows, "Laughing Liberally." But I still think that it is because of this photo I found floating around the internet. He's gonna get his ass kicked.
(and no Jay, this does not mean we can start our own "White Comedy Project/Experiment Festival," because every day is "White Comedy Project/Experiment Festival" day)
*also, who the hell does your websites because they are soooooo good lookin'. It make me want to flush our website down the toilet. Also, that's not physically possible.
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Thursday, January 10, 2008
4 Then Interview: Ryan Conner
Since leaving DC for the dream of being a famous comic in New York City, Ryan Conner has performed at such notorious clubs as The Comedy Cellar, Caroline's and Comix. He can also be heard regularly on XM radio.
Ryan returns to DC this weekend to feature for Dennis Regan (Thursday, Saturday and Sunday Nights) @ The DC Improv.
Also, Crucial Element, a fake rap group that he is in will be performing at DC9 with Larry Poon and Jimes. Get tickets on the DC9 site. They're only $8.
What have you done since leaving DC?
Hm. I got a new iPod, an 80GB. It was a huge upgrade from a Generation 4 iPod. It's not technically HD, but it looks close enough to me. I'm also on the verge of becoming "very good" at guitar, after being "pretty good" for a while. I can do more pull-ups than I've ever done in my life. In middle-school and high-school, I would have got the Presidential Physical Fitness t-shirt every year, if I could do more pull-ups. I think I only go the shirt once, or maybe twice.
[Hit the jump for the rest of Ryan's interview, plus a video!]
How long were you performing in DC and what were your favorite rooms?
I performed in DC for three years before moving to DC. Aside from the Improv, my favorite room was Dr. Dremos. Every Wednesday, for well over a year, it would have a packed crowd that was ready for comedy. Topaz was either really good or really shitty each week. I had the same routine for both shows. I would go to Rory's house to hang out for a while before going to the shows. When I arrived at his house, he would either be jerking off in his room, or trying to make me think he was jerking off. About once per week, he would try to trick me into looking at his mangina. He only got me once. Those were erotic days. Anyway, Curt Shackleford's rooms (Dremos, Topaz, Shula's and Comedy Spot) were Crucial Elements (marketing) in my development.
This is going to sound crazy, as I think I'm the only person who would say this, but I really liked Murky Coffee in Arlington. It was a coffee shop open mic, run by Paula Dellert. The crowds were small, but attentive.
Soho was great for two years. And for the last year I was there, I had to be talked out of killing myself every time I left that place.
When did you decide it was time to move?
I didn't really have a choice. Someone referred me for an audition at the Comedy Cellar. A couple weeks before the audition, I got lucky and the GM of Caroline's saw me and passed me. Then I went for my Cellar audition, probably more nervous than I was before my first show, and had a strong set. Seconds later, I was told I passed the audition, and that I could start calling in my avails. That changed everything. If you pass the Cellar when you've only been doing comedy for two years, you move and figure everything else out. I was unable to actually live in NYC until Feb 07, but I called in my avails at the Cellar every week as if I lived in NYC starting in Feb 06. I drove to NYC for 15 minute sets each week until I moved.
How did your time in DC prepare you for performing in a bigger market?
There's industry in NYC. DC doesn't prepare you for industry sets, which are short and cheesy. DC prepares you to be a good, original comic, which I think is more important than doing a killer 7 and getting TV credits left and right, which is what NYC and LA prepare you for. But I don't look at NYC as a bigger market. A show is a show. It doesn't matter what the city is, or how many people are in the crowd. Sure, some shows are great, and some suck. But most are just shows. You just do your thing regardless of the circumstances. To quote Magic Johnson, and I think DCComedy4Now is due for a good Magic Johnson quote, "Basketball is basketball." And while we're at it. "Everything is everything." -Lauren Hill
What are you now able to do that you couldn't do in DC?
I can spend two hours traveling as little as three miles. That's the walking speed of an old, fat person. It's also the speed of a car in NYC, and public transportation. Greatest city on earth. I also have the privilege of going outside, closing my eyes, inhaling and thinking that I'm in a landfill, or a piss garden. Other things? Let's see... I'm able to allow complete strangers be a complete asshole to me for no reason. Oh yeah, I get to park a little over a mile from my apartment too. Parking over a mile from my apartment is my favorite.
Pizza is good.
And performing at the Comedy Cellar is great. Performing at other places is very good.
What do you miss most about DC?
I miss being able to determine my own comedy schedule. In NYC, I'm at the bottom of the food chain. So, I take whatever shows people can give me. Sometimes, people don't have shows to give me. In DC, everyone who runs shows has been very good to me and given me stage time whenever I'm around. Also, I really enjoy hanging out with comics in DC. Many DC comics are some of my closest friends. In NYC, it rarely feels like you're hanging out with people. It usually feels like people are networking. Not always the case, but often. While I'm mentioning NYC comedy, here are some comics there who I find funny, who you might not know about (in the order in which I type them): Kurt Metzger, Kevin Williams, Sean O'Connor, Jeremy Schachter, Vince Averill, Jesse Popp, Gabe and Jenny, Craig Baldo, and other people.
Word to your mothers.
A few jokes (early versions)
Add to My Profile | More Videos
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Tuesday, December 4, 2007
4 Then Interview: Rory Scovel
In the 4 Then Interview series, DCC4N hopes to answer the question on many DC comic's minds..."What happens when I leave DC?" In this edition, Rory Scovel "sits down" with us and tries to get us to believe that he misses his friends the most.
Since leaving DC in the dust for a shot at stardom in New York City, Rory Scovel has appeared on Comedy Central's Live at Gotham, toured Canada twice, and placed third in the Seattle Comedy Competition(first and second were taken). Rory returns to DC this weekend for a full week of shows that you should either catch or catch twice.
Wednesday 12/5: Dr. Dremos in Clarendon. DVD taping w/ Kojo Mante, Jay Hastings, Jon Mumma. Free at 8pm
Thursday 12/6: 18th and Red Showcase. Free at 9pm
Friday 12/7: Headlining the Hyatt Hotel in Bethesda, MD. $10 at 8pm
Saturday 12/8: Headlining the Hyatt Hotel again. Fundraiser. $10 at 8pm.
Also on 12/8: Poonanza at the Warehouse Theater on 7th St. $7 at 10pm
I was lucky enough to have Rory email me answers to questions that I emailed to him the other day. Here are those questions and answers now:
How long were you performing in DC and what were your favorite rooms?
I performed in DC for exactly 3 years. I moved up from SC in February of 04 and started getting on stage in the middle of March. Over the course of 3 years my favorite room of all was Dr. Dremos. It wasn't just the room and the show that made it awesome for me but the whole day. My friends would come over to my house to play video games and drink and smoke and then we'd head out to Clarendon. The crowds were always fun and it was the one open mic that seemed to resemble a real comedy club atmosphere. I also enjoyed Topaz and Bossa on Thursday nights. The best rooms were the ones that weren't just the show but the best to hang out in. When Rendezvous first started I had the best time standing outside on their front porch just talking with other comics before, during and after the show. Because of Dremos on the same night I was only able to do this a few times.
When did you decide it was time to move?
After traveling through Canada for the first time in 2006 I decided it was time to get involved in a new comedy scene. I was originally planning on moving to Chicago when I got home so that I could focus on improv. I wanted to learn improv in Chicago and see how I could apply it to my standup. I loved being in DC and def. wanted to stay with my friends but I knew in order to move on in standup you have to be involved in different scenes so that your act can evolve and you can be influenced and motivated by new performers.
Why did you choose to move to New York?
Because of the Seattle Comedy Competition last year I was able to meet with a few people from CBS and NBC. They told me they were interested in seeing me more often for auditions for random projects. I pretty much had to be in a place where I could drop in for an audition within an hours notice. So it was LA or NYC for me and I love the east coast and have more friends in NYC. That def. made the move a lot easier.
How did your time in DC prepare you for performing in a bigger market?
DC is a great city to start doing standup. 3 years ago it wasn't incredibly difficult to get on stage because there were fewer performers than now. If you could do well at most shows it usually led to invites to other open mics. Seeking out time in rooms wasn't a month or two month wait, usually just a week or two and you could get up. The better you did, the sooner you were back in. Being able to perform frequently is the only way to really get better at standup. DC did that for me and def. prepared me for NYC. I think NYC is a huge jump from DC but really its just a matter of confidence on stage not really the material. So DC taught me how to be a confident performer.
What are you now able to do that you couldn't do in DC?
Well I can't say that I'm able to do this yet but I'm hoping I can say it in the future. By being here in NYC I'm hoping to establish myself amongst the bigger standups and hopefully become a regular opener for someone. Right now I know I can improve my material and my act greatly if I could just perform regularly. To actually get on the road with a comic and do 25 minutes 6-8 times most weekends out of the year is the only way to get better. Right now I don't have any connections or face time with these bigger names and I think NYC might make it easier to change that. Again, can't say thats def. going to be the case though.
What do you miss most about DC?
My friends. My best friends live in DC and they can't be replaced. I think standup comedy really is the wildest mental roller coaster. Having good friends that are right there with you every step of the way and can relate to what you are going through is priceless. It can't be replaced with anything. I wish my friends and I could just get in a van and travel the US doing shows in small venues and coffee houses. I know one day it will happen but its one of those things I wish we could just do right now.
Check out this video of Rory from his appearance on Live at Gotham.
RORY IS DOING THIS, DC! Read more!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Differences between DC and NY Part 2: Hanging out.
So I've mentioned some differences between these two fair cities before when i talked about getting paid for standup or even when I talked about getting all pouty about a lack of available stagetime. Well this one is sillier.
I noticed that comics here tend to get to shows really early and hang out for an hour or more before the show. But when the show is over, whoever is still around immediately bolts. However, in NY, you'll be lucky if all of the performers have shown up by the time the show was scheduled to start, because you know the audience hasn't. And after the show, it's time to get drunk and hang. Boy do I miss that. Basically I'm saying that I want to get drunk, and not alone. Come on people. Does this city not hang out late night?!
Now I realize that one reason is because in NY I'm mainly talking about shows that have already booked the comedians. Therefore, no one is getting there early, hoping to get a spot. DC unfortunately is severly lackng in these types of shows so pretty much every show you're going to is an open mic, with an extremely long list of comedians performing. Probably another reason is that NY is a night owl friendly town. Where in DC, if you haven't hopped on the metro by midnight, your shit out of luck and are sleeping on park bench.
ANyway, blah blah blah, if you see me at a show, and are wondering if I want to get drunk and bullshit for a couple of hours afterward...I do. Ask me. I'm jonesing, son!
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Sunday, August 12, 2007
Differences between DC and NY #1: MONEY
So hey, if you live in DC you probably don't know who the hell I am. I just moved here from NYC where I've been doing stand up for about four years. If you live in NY there is a good chance you don't know me either. That's because there are 25 million people in the NY metro area and 20 million of them are "comedians." Nothing fills a pool of comedians faster than millions of failed actors.
So anyway, as the title of this blog suggests, the four of us don't plan on staying in DC for very much longer because, as the adage goes, "if you can make it in dc, you're a fucking liar." At least that's what I've been told. So many of you may be mulling over your possibilities of which city to conquer next. If NYC is on your list, I might be able to provide some helpful insight. If so, it would be the first time I ever provided help to any human being. My karma bank needs a deposit.
The first topic I'd like to cover is money-or more specifically getting paid for your craft. Unless you have multiple TV credits, you will not be making money for performing stand-up comedy within the city limits of New York. It is a clear, soul-crushing fact that you must accept. New York is a "showcase" city meaning that you are performing solely for the privilege of being seen by industry-even though that is a one in a thousand shot. I once got paid $20 by a producer that quickly learned this wasn't necessary and repealed that aspect of his show after three weeks of paying comics.
I'm not saying there aren't ways to make money. They just usually don't involve stand-up. There are plenty of writing jobs, web-content jobs, commercial acting opportunites, etc. where you can actually make some good money. But all of these are just kind of filler to fuel your true passions.
With that being a fact of life for the last four years I was pleasantly surprised when last night, after being in DC for only a week, I was paid $25 for a seven minute set. It might as well have been $1000 by how happy that made me. It was at a show run by Curt Shackleford at the Bethesda Hyatt. After reading his infamous "RULES & REGS FOR NEWCOMERS" I was pretty sure that I was going to be banned in the first five minutes of meeting Curt but he was surprisingly good-natured and I would even go so far as to describe him as "chatty."
The audience wasn't huge but that is something else that I have gotten quite used to doing shows in NY. But that will be saved for another post. I have to go write some actual comedy. As far as money-for-stand-up goes, DC is leaving New York in the dust.
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